Category Archives: photos

12 Days Project Update

Posted in 12 Days of Gifting, photos, travel by

Si is now looking for the gifts. Only took a few days! Today’s is a photo frame with four openings. I had initially planned to have one shot of each of the kids holding up a word but put that aside as being a bit naff – plus he’d never display it! I quickly printed out four shots he liked from our recent trip to New South Wales:

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Wollongong Harbour (with the old lighthouse, he made several comments about the construction as we walked around it. You can take the engineer out of the workshop but…actually, you can’t take the engineer out!)

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The post office at Kiama

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Nobby’s Surf Life Saving Club at Newcastle

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The WWII memorial at RAAF Rathmines

I wrote a quick note on the gift tag that he should choose what he wants printed. Will be interesting to see what he does pick!

Last night I went with B & M to St Lukes mall. It was empty. As in, no queues in the food court nor in any shop except the supermarket. We rocked thru the place. Like most people in retail, I’m waiting for the Christmas rush. As with summer, it’s not yet hit us (one retailer reported a huge rise against last December in thermal clothing (!!!). What’s it like in your part of the world?

And finally – my friend M and her hubby M need your prayers. They are seeing consultants regarding recurrent miscarriages; as a mum I can’t imagine being without my children and (usually) regard them as both inevitable and a blessing. I never, EVER thought that I wouldn’t be a mum and my heart hurts so much for them. Thank you all – I pray in turn that you feel absolutely blessed as you pray for M&M.

I’ve got the blahs

Posted in photos, Project Life by

Or as I said to a group on fb, cantbearseditis. Rarely fatal, boy is it lingering today. Nearly eight at night and I’m only now posting?
I did do some catch up on December Daily last night. Re-reading the kids lists made me laugh. And three of the Twelve Days presents are good to go. That’s satisfying.

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Expectations

Posted in photos, travel by

My second thought was so absolutely true! Very sorry to anyone who wants a conversation from me today; I should be carrying a sign or wearing a T warning anyone away. No clear conversations or problem solving today. No craft either, I’d just end up frogging it all out. Blah.

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Love the message. Not sure what it meant but that someone took the opportunity wins points with me! This was at Woolongong.

You Can Quote Me Part I – NaBloPoMo six

Posted in Journal, NaBloPoMo, photos by

This week’s mini-topic seems to be (by default, I haven’t entirely planned this) Pressure. I said on Tuesday that one of the tools I use to alleviate pressure is inspiration. I use Pintrest to group these in a folder I call “printables” – which also includes stuff for my personal planner.

 

Bethells Tower at Sunset

Bethells Tower at Sunset

To me, a lot of the inspiration also brings back awesome memories as well as getting my thought process back on track. My current favourite is a poem by Victoria Erickson I’ve mentioned before in the blog. Mentally I always combine this with Bethells.

If you ever find yourself empty

from something you cannot know or name,

find a stretch of ocean,

a field, or mountainside,

or even clouds or trees

Because there are a thousand simple ways

to fill your tired soul

so you can remember

how to be,

how to see,

and most importantly,

how to breathe.

 

Photo image isn’t mine; I’m not sharing that until it’s complete as I am planning it to be a gift for S. I intend to over-write a photo of Bethells Beach that I took a couple of years ago and then print this out as a wall paper panel or canvas for the house this summer. This one is also used earlier in the blog; credit goes to Summit Walter Rao. Contact details are on his blog.

 

Where do you go when it all gets too much? What’s your re-inspire place? What poem brings you peace or inspires you to more?

Dealing with Pressure – NaBloPoMo four

Posted in books, Journal, me, Mirabilia, NaBloPoMo, photos, stitching patterns by

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Normal by Lizzie*Kate & stitched by Claire. Pattern available here: http://www.123stitch.com/item/Lizzie-Kate-Normal-is-Just-a-Setting-Cross-Stitch-Kit/LK-K32

Sometimes I can deal with pressure like a sponge, and soak it all up. Sometimes the smallest thing will set me off. I guess everyone goes thru phases like this. After going thru a crap last six months at a previous employer, I have learnt a few things. I also know that I would rather work for someone else and be able to shut the door behind me at night.

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  1. Have a PLAN for achieving things. If I record something, I am not only more likely to do it, I’m more likely to achieve more. Plus planning allows for movement. Urgent report? Move this to do that. Easy. Take a look at the diary offering at your local stationery/big box store or try the planner link from yesterday.
  2. Have an ESCAPE HATCH. Do something that makes you happy, be it something crafty, read a chapter, surf the web, go for a short walk. I return to work refreshed when I do one of these.
  3. While I have been known to crank up Seether, I usually listen to something softer. (Confession? I am a closet Nickelback listener, but more of their earlier stuff. Yeah I know, such little justification!) Make a playlist of your favourites, hook up the iPod/phone, find a radio station, listen to a book. I am a bit late to the party but have discovered podcasts. BBC comedy? Yes please. Lee Mack, you need to get on there more.
  4. Have something in your pod/office space that INSPIRES you. I have no outside windows so I have a few extra things. A huge Eiffel Tower canvas from Typo in Onehunga. Glass candlesticks with globes, turned to where my friend Jill is sailing presently or where friends who need prayer are (it will be showing Noo York for a while). A framed stitching piece (converted version of a Mirabilia mermaid’s compass). Inspirational quotes – we’ll get into some of those each Thursday. A Garfield coffee mug from L that holds my pens & pencils & stuff and makes me smile, as I know she was thinking of me when she brought it. Photos that bring back memories. Too many electronic devices.
  5. Nine times out of ten, a toddler is cranky ‘cause they’re hungry. The same thing applies to us too. Eat lunch away from your desk for an extra mental break. And so your keyboard doesn’t get full of crumbs and yucky stuff.

What do you have around you? What do you do to help alleviate pressure at work? Do you have any other podcast recs?

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what an awesome day

Posted in me, music, photos by


I had a GREAT day today – started off buzzing as Tuesday night I won a CD from ZM – it’s Sound of the Underground which doesn’t look too bad – some stuff to sing along to in the car as I live to embarrass my kids.

Then I found out it was my horse that came in first, so I won the office sweepstake. Becs and I ran (well, felt that way in high heels!) up to Borders Queen St and I picked up MOS Annual 2009`(Aussie version, not US or UK) which has me jumping. It was this or Coldplay’s Viva La Vida which I still don’t have. Maybe Santa can put it in my stocking, hmmm?
And Bran was still excited about the photos he took on Monday afternoon. His homework was a photo essay on Spring and it was interesting seeing one of my favourite places from his perspective. Even if I have to laugh – he whinged and moaned about going until we got there and now he’s raving about it. Even sent a collage down to his dad, but NZ Post hasn’t delivered it yet. Bugger. He took about 40 shots overall, both at Te Atatu and in our garden, learning about the zoom & macro functions. I think he did quite well!
And I got to watch a bit of history as McCain conceeded to Obama. I really do hope he makes it to inaugeration as I can only admire a self-made man. Plus he’s giving his kids a puppy. That’s sweet.