What a Week!

I have just spent the last week learning how to use a computer program to create interactive training programs. If people complain to me about how difficult the software is that I teach them in then I will get them to create a demo on the Sim Builder. My goodness. To simulate a demonstration that would take 30 seconds verbally (if that) takes a whole day to create. At least while you are learning anyway. I can't get over how much goes into each click. Its enough to drive you up the wall. Fortunately my boss is the one who will be using it the most but I am there for back up in case of emergencies (yippee)!

Also on technology I had to go and give a demonstration with one of my more difficult clients. Finally they agreed to have a look at what the software had to offer them. I get to their office, I set up, the projector is working, the computer is working, but the two aren't connecting. I tried changing the source, moving the cords, switching the machine on and off. Half an hour later I walk out totally embarrassed having gone through nothing and having one of the Directors tell me this was wasting his time (he was the one not interested in the first place). I take the projector and computer back to work and get IT to look at them. Well my computer worked with other projectors and the projector worked with other computers, they just didn't like each other!! So there you have it ... artificial intelligence can most certainly be prejudiced. I have been saying this all along.

On a good note I made sure I came home every night to do something creative. The more I get into this new painting on canvas thing I am doing, the more room I am needing. There is not enough room in the studio for both it and scrapbooking so the painting has migrated to the dining room. My mother then informs me (now I have a lovely mess going on) that we have family coming here for lunch: 7 kids and 7 adults! Consequently there was a mass tidy up and everything was dumped in the spare room. Which is ironic really because the room had only just recently been cleared of all the craft (went out to the storeroom in the studio) and for once was starting to look like a spare bedroom again. Not anymore. Oh the house isn't child proof either and neither are the dogs (joy).

Thank God it is a long weekend because I need it.

Below are pictures of the creative fun I have had this week.

I am not sure if I really like this one but so many people have commented on it so I suppose it will appeal to some. Considering the pigment that I have used is shimmery I find it very difficult to photograph without glare.

This has got to be one of my favourites so far. Considering it started out as a large mistake (spilt something on it) I think it turned out really well. The while shiny section is clear glass micro beads. Obviously the white wall behind does noting to enhance the picture. I can imagine it on a deep green wall. Yes that is torn paper at the bottom.

That about sums up my week. I have a full weekend ahead of me. Lunch with the rellies tomorrow, an all day craft session with my friends on Sunday, and finally going to the movies on Monday to see my old friend Indiana Jones. I have heard it is a little strange this time but I am a fan so I can't possibly not see it.

Craft Fair

Today was a craft fair at the Convention Centre. Of course I spent way too much money (don't I always). At one store where I spent a nice amount of money I found out that all the items came from their sponsor childs community. It made me feel better that I had spent so much knowing it was going to a community in need. Below are photo's of the items I bought at their stall. They have no web site but they do have an email address for those who are interested:
halcyon47@iprimus.com.au.

What a great day. I went along to a "Mixed Media Canvas" art class that was run by Vivian. The best thing about her classes is there is no structure. She will demonstrate something and then you are free to have fun with whatever you want.

The class was held at Remida. For $50 a year you can have membership there and go and get as much free recycled stuff you want. Things that people would throw away that make great art centre pieces. Vivian even goes to the dump to get some good stuff. I am thinking flea market myself.

Anyway the class went for 6 hours. We had a lovely homemade vegetarian organic lunch. Below is the first piece that I did (which my mother claimed the minute she saw it). I would never have thought of putting the old key lock on but I think it really makes the piece interesting. In the top right hand corner I have used gauze as well. It was really fun to just do and not think. By the way the photo does it no justice, even if I do say so myself.

I did make a second canvas but I don't have it at the moment as it was extremely wet. Vivan is going to bring it to me next weekend when I will be going along to a more structured one of her classes. I will put photo's of it on next weekend.

Nasty Visitor

It is common knowledge that I have sleep apnoea and have to sleep using a mask and a CPAP machine. Last Friday night the mask was really bugging me so I pulled it off and turned off the machine. Around 4am I awoke with the need to commune with nature so I leant over and turned on the light. The CPAP machine sits next to my light and in those few seconds of light blindness I made out a little bit of movement. As soon as my eye adjusted I saw what the movement was. Now you have to understand that the CPAP has a chamber fill with water that gets heated and warms the air flowing through to you from the machine. When I took the mask off I left it on the side of my bed. A big, nasty (and I am talking 2 inch long) flying cockroach decided to climb into the nose mask, down the 1.5m tube to the machine and go for a dip in the humidifier. I really hate cockroaches and that just freaked me out to no end. It was even worse when I finally managed to pry the bottom of the water chamber off and it went splat into the laundry sink. It was worse than nails down a blackboard. Suffice to say the who lot was sterilised as much as possible before I used it again!

Target 1200

Wahoo! I have gone over the 1000 visitors to this blog. Something I did not think would happen. Anyway I know that for every blog entry I create and then view it adds to the counter (but not any other time I view it) so I have decided that when I reach 1200 on the counter I am going to give a gift to a lucky person. You can be anywhere in the world. If anyone has any ideas on what I could give as a gift that would be great.

Have a lovely day, evening, night whatever it is where you are now.

How I want to wake up!

Live your life in such a way that when your feet hit the floor in the morning, Satan shudders & says. . .

"Oh no....she's awake!!"

Monthly Challenge 4

Yes I know there was a month in there without a challenge but they didn't do one, and they have upped the prize to $30 which is good. I am going to be doing an album for my good friend Ruth so she has sent me all the photo's of her daughter. When it came to choosing the papers for my challenge there really wasn't much choice but I found the perfect photo amongst Ruth's photo's that matched the colours.

Firstly I coloured the sides of the canvas board with the Luminart paint I have been playing around with. The felted ric rac and the brads were a must for use as well as the two types of papers. The ric rac was not in a colour I wanted so I used my luminart paint and fabric medium and painted it up. It matched perfectly. After an hour or so of placing everything the below photo's are the result. Techniques used were sandpapering, ripping, and fraying.

Ruth, I am going to send this to your mum. Can you email me her address please. I am going to do it anonymously though so don't tell her who it is from. I thought it would be a nice surprise. If her birthday is close let me know so that I can send it then. Just remember that if I win I won't get it back until the end of June.

Chirp Chirp Chirp

This morning there was a lot of chirping going on outside. Upon investigation I noticed that there were a couple of parrots and lots of little birds trying to eat the flower on the neighbours palm tree (if you see any black dots they are the bees).

The sun was right behind them so to get some decent photo's I had to stand at one side and get some angled shots. This meant that my trees were in the way. I ended up crouching on the cubby house floor (it's an open cubby) and taking photo's through it. I am glad the neighbour didn't come out because it looked suspiciously like I was spying on them.

Below are a couple of the photos. I have some more good ones but I need to crop them and after cropping these ones the program said that was enough and wouldn't do anymore.

Arrived

This has been a busy week. I have had to go to Adelaide for two days in order to help the new training officer there. While I was there our company had to make people redundant (due to the financial market at the moment). My head was on the chopping block (along with the rest of the training department) but thank God the State Managers intervened and said that we were needed. This is not to say that our training team is unaffected. We have lost 2 people. I am still unsure what the future holds for me at this stage as well.

Just before I left for Adelaide I received an email from Donia, my FCS3 pal (who I bought for) that she had received the package from me. She really likes it which is good. Donia is mainly a knitter but does a little scrap booking on the rare occasion from what I understand (or at least wants to). She also collects magnets from around the world, and loves chocolates. Soon after the colour swap started her cat, Louis passed away. I knew exactly what she was going through and went looking for a plush toy that at least resembled him. It ended up being black and not grey. Anyway she loved it which is the main thing.

As you can see I sent her some Macadamia Chocolate (of course) some grey cat scrap booking to go with any pictures of Louis and an Aussie bookmark considering she loves to read.

These are the magnets that mum and I managed to find. You wouldn't believe how hard it is to find a nice Aussie magnet. The kangaroo wobbles his head.

This is the plush cat I sent. He can sit on the back of her chair like Louis used to. I also sent a small glass cat that will sit on her desk. She has a new cat now called Sybella. If you click on this link you will be able to read about Sybella's reaction to the plush cat

Now here is something I have never heard of before, even my mother, who is an avid knitter did not know what stitch markers were (well she did but she only used paper clips). It appears to the rage, when it comes to knitting, to use fancy stitch markers. I managed to find a few pictures on the web that gave me an idea but was still not sure if I made them correctly. Below are the stitch markers that I made. When I took the photo they were still waiting for rings to go on them (I believe they attach to the needle???)

The best thing about the swap is that I now have new friends which I otherwise would not have met.

Craft and Gifts

As you know my boss is now a proud father of a baby boy. I told my boss I was making something for them and he truly believes that it is something to do with scrap booking. I am actually doing a birth announcement cross stitch which most likely will not be finished until bubs first birthday.

When I decided to do over his office again I bought a chipboard L for the Learner dad sign. It was too small really. Luckily the babies name is Eli so I went and bought an E and I as well. I thought I would paint them up nicely and put them somewhere in his office. When people at work saw it they demanded that I put it in a frame and give it as a gift instead. So the letters came home.

On Thursday night the SA trainer and myself went shopping (with money we had collected from the other trainers) for a baby gift. We managed to find a nice plastic frame at Red dot for $7. I painted it up today so that it matched the paint on the letters. Below is my finished masterpiece and I would like to apologise to my boss that yes it is a form of scrap booking but if he throws it in the bin there is going to be trouble.

Below are the other gifts. The blue beanie bear wrapped in a blanket is specifically for my boss. He wants to know who came up with the phrase "sleeping like a baby" so he can shoot them. Anyway the SA Trainer and I told him that if you look at a sleeping baby it is peaceful so that is what the beanie bear represents.

Considering he is into exercise and health we also bought a Jolly Jumper for Eli as well as an exercise outfit that will fit him from 3 months on. It has a hooded sweat shirt, joggers, 2 pairs of matching socks, and a matching T-Shirt. There were matching shoes to but we had no money left.

The orange zebra is made of chewable, washable thick synthetic type material which I thought was just perfect for one of the many things to go in the mouth.

More Office Fun

After almost three weeks of sick I finally made it back to work. I am totally knackered. In fact I slept for over 10 hours on Monday. My boss kindly took my training session this week which was wonderful of him.

Prior to the sick leave I knew that my boss' wife was due to have her baby at anytime, so the usual office decorating suspects were on call the minutes we found out about it. Unfortunately it was soon after I got sick. Considering I had all the stuff the office never got done.

It was decided that we would do it last night. Two of the decorators could not make it (on leave). The trainer for SA was here and she was more than willing to help out. Her training however went overtime and a third decorator had to leave. I then found out that the boss was having a daddy day care day today so it was decided that it would be done today after work. Decorator no.3 had called in sick and the SA trainer had flown back to SA which left just me so I went down to IT to round up a couple of helpers. It didn't take long. I managed to get 2 people and when we started a couple more joined in. Anyway the photos of the office can be seen below. It isn't as way out there as the first one but it will do. We had mini rattles, mini babies, baby booties, baby shower decorations and a sign for a learner dad.