still job hunting...

And not only that, but we are now (hopefully temporarily) back to dial-up, which is hugely frustrating, very limiting and makes us difficult to get hold of with the phone always tied up...

However, since i am now a bright and optimistic person (the explanation of that would be a whole other post!!) I am not too bothered by it! at least I can post pics occasionally, can check my mail and find jobs to apply for and we did finally (after about 6 months) get our heat pump replaced (another post that will probably never happen!) and I do have a job that I am surviing in, if not thriving.. so all is good really!

You really can't focus on the bad stuff! there is ALWAYS some good stuff and even if it seems small and insignificant, that is probably becuase you are so busy giving the bad stuff all of your attention and energy! In the 6 months I ahve been applying for job and not even getting interviews (my third interview out of over 30 applications, is on wednesday so pay for me!!) I have learned many things:

• That I can forgive the crap and let go


• that If I don't forgive and let go, it is me that suffers, not them


• that the rest of my life outside work is waaaay more interesting to focus on than work!


• that I do need to look out for number 1 when it comes to work


• that I need more than one focus


• that I can succeed at my art if I give it a chance


• that I am ready to do more


• that I am ready to grab all possible opportunities


• that I know what burnout looks like


• that my bishop is the coolest ever


• that if I am ever a manager, I know how not to be!


• that there is a time and a season for everything


• that it is ok not to have career aspirations


• That there is never a reason to give up.

I have had some really cool responces from people to the last several posts - thanks Matt! you made me smile big!! and thanks so much to all the Paper Pesto team who have made contact! and thanks to anyone else who left comments - especially the one who asked if I did commissions! how cool that was to hear!!! and the answer - I haven't but I would be willing!!

I can't describe how great it is to get feedback that people love my art, I always know that I loved it, but there is somethign about getting feedback from other people about it that is just .... so... see! speechless!! I think it is becuase the art is what really matters to me. People can say, that was a great presentation or speech, or that is well written, but it comments about my art that I really love to hear and that really mean the most.

So ... wanna see some recent pages?

I loooove this one that I finished last night - could it be the next to be published do you think? Finally a photo of myself that I don't just tolerate but love!

The one of baby alyssa photos is pretty cool too. I do love stitching with the machine... and this paper, and buttons!! but most of all I like the wording. I heard it somewhere recently and jsut knew I had to use it - She made me a mother.

This one was for a challenge or comp on SBBD - to do a layout where an 'item' was the main focus rather than a photo. We had just had Song Fest and the tickets were so gorgeous, that it was a no brainer!

I love photos of Cody. she is just one of those photogenic people - even when the face she is pulling is not particularly pretty, the shot is beautiful. Not sure what I think of this one. I don't do double page layouts much these days, but I couldn't fit all 8 photos on one page and I was too cheap to print them off again smaller!! the scan ruined the colours somewhat - looks better in real life!

Am really loving this one! not my usual style and man did my eyes hurt after several hours of staring at this! Caylah was home from school and so I got a 'get out of jail free' card and stayed home and scrapbooked! They should get sick more often!!

This page is pretty plain and has very few materials but I really like how it turned out... and I didn't even really like the papers!! but they look fab finished!

Baby Bouquet was for a dare (can't remember now - didn't get it completed in time to submit) that was somethign about beads... was it NZDares? I really liked it at the time, but not so much now. too monochromatic.

This is another one I really liked initially but have cooled down on. actually it looks better close up I think. Love the concept and thephotos and the title and the black... yet....

I want to do some different things with my scrapbooking... push myself in some other directions:

• do A4 size instead of 12X12, and maybe even 6X12 too
• do some more personal stuff - about the real me and my values and life lessons
• do some theme challenges rather than technique or supply sort of challenges
• Of course I want to get onto another Design team (have sent in a few applications)
• do some art journally kind of stuff...

Hmmm... wish it wasn't so late and I could go scrapbook now...

why can't someone pay me to do what I love????