123 November + mixed media goodness

This month's 123 Challenge is really skewed to male projects!!
colour - BLUE
word - LIVE
technique - DOODLING

Head on over to look at some more Creative Team goodness!!

Here is the mixed media timber collage piece I donated to the Carter-Murray family's fundraising Trivia Night.

I received an email yesterday from the lucky recipient. Her friend had bid on this auction piece as she knew she liked it. She was going to surprise her for her 50th birthday but caved and handed it straight to her!!

What a fantastic and beautiful story, don't you think??

I'm over the moon to have received such a wonderful, heartfelt email. Someone who takes the time to tell me how much they appreciate my work, is a treasure indeed.

Just the encouragement I need to make some more!!!!

Retreat goodness to follow soon!!!
(along with November's banner LOL)

on track to fly away!!!!

I find the process of "creating" really interesting. Sometimes I do my best work when I'm really angry, and other times when I'm totally relaxed. A lot of my work comes from the kind of energy inside....whether good/calm or bad/explosive. Funny that when I look back on my work this year, I can't tell if I was happy or sad or angry.....well, there goes Brett Whitely's theory LOL

Only sneaks today unfortunately. I have been busy with preparations for my annual Getaway. Once again to Melbourne and the Dandenong Ranges for Bon's Scraps Retreat. I will be sooo relieved to get on that plane with Crystal, I might firstly weep for 30 minutes.

123 Challenge!! STill time to get your October challenge in. You know, my fantastic HAND DRAWN & HAND CUT TITLE??????
of course you do!!!!!!!!

Here's a sneak peek of November's layout. Yay!!

Peta MacBeth of Scrapbooking from Scratch, asked me to do a layout from a sketch for her retreat family. How could I resist???? I hope I help some of you who are "sketch-phobes" to put your personal stamp on each sketch.
Have fun!!!

And so will I this weekend. Some friends I've not seen for about 10 years will be joining me for dinner on Thursday night. I can not wait!!!!

There will be an explosion of photos and layouts/projects in the coming weeks. Looking forward to sharing and documenting a very special break.

A special mention to my gorgeously hard-working husband, who will be taking over from me. It will be hard to go to work and then manage the family, but he's no shirker - he'll be awesome!!
xoxox
GiGi

Privilege....

There are moments when I feel very special and lucky. There are moments I want to retreat to a corner, assume the foetal position and sob uncontrollably.

And it's at these times I feel very PRIVILEGED....

Why?????

Because I have TIME to do all these things. I am home, I am in my private domain and I can cycle through the Stages of Grief without an audience, and equally I can be very proud of myself for a job well done, again, without an audience.

This week, our family has had to deal with very confronting issues and instead of having to return to an office, present the "work face", I could come home and DEAL WITH SHIT....privately.

I can let calls go to voicemail (possibly the best invention .... EVER!), I can let the door bell ring and not answer, I can consume a block of chocolate without criticism. I don't have a "face" at home.

And I feel PRIVILEGED.

I was on the treadmill earlier in the week. It was time to move to a new challenge, but this was not a week I could endure another failure. But I was alone. If I didn't make it, it didn't matter. Never being one for the foot race (swimming was always my bag), I began the 1km walk/1km jog x 2 programme with a whole lot of fear.

I had my beloved Triple J on the radio because the music selection always surprises....and off I went. Half way through the jog I was beginning to wonder if I'd taken on too much, but finished it.

The following 1km walk was a struggle because the negative self-talk kicked in.....

"You'll never do the second jog...
just take it easy and walk another km.
You have a lot of crap to deal with when you finish here....
do it EASY!"

Not only am I great at ignoring others, I am equally great at ignoring myself LOL.

And with 200m to go in the final jog, Triple J plays "Breathe" by The Prodigy. I can hear the groans of disapproval already...."not that band", but it took me to a whole different level. The energy in the music and lyrics just gave me that extra push, and all music profoundly effects me....

But read this.....

Breathe the pressure,
Come play my game I'll test ya.
[...]
Come play my game.
Inhale, inhale, [...]
Come play my game.
Exhale, exhale, exhale.

And there's the challenge.....
Come play my game
BREATHE
I'll test you
INHALE
Breathe the pressure
EXHALE

And that fires me up!!

And I smiled a real smile
A "job-well-done" smile
An "I'm-so-freakin'-proud-of-myself" smile

And I BREATHED in, and EXHALED slowly, to face the PRESSURE.

class ~ reunion ~ lady p

First 2 layouts from last night's class are already in the gallery!!! xoxo
And they're very awesome. If you've paid for your class, you'll have access to the gallery, so go have a looksie and get creating!
I can't wait to see how you all put your individual spin on my class.
Remember: you can pay and join anytime. Deadline for prizes is 18th November 2010.

Not much other creative stuff to share. Have been busy making plans for Rainer's schooling next year. It seems the poop hits the fan during Term 3 and I spend a good part of the remainder of the year putting out fires and starting new ones.

I did, however attend my 25 Year High School Reunion which was suprisingly awesome!!!!

One thing I will say, is that I talked way too much and didn't take enough photos. I cannot wait to see these guys again. I forgot how much I adore them.



Blogger is being a bugger and won't let me upload any more pics from my brother-in-law's fancy dress 40th. You'll have to wait another time. I went as Lady Penelope from the Thunderbirds. Classic!!!

Thanks to all who have made me smile the last couple of weeks. It's certainly dragged me through a very difficult time.
xoxo

Online Class UPDATE

Invitations have been emailed to all peeps who have paid
WOOHOOOOOO!!

If the email you used for the PayPal payment is not the one you wish to use for access to the class, please pretty please email me as soon as you can at
gi68@optusnet.com.au
and I will change it for you.

The Materials List is on there and some info about how the class is organised.

REMEMBER.....
just because the class opens on the 18th October, does not mean you have to be at the blog on that date.
You can make payment at anytime.
If you want to be eligible for a prize, you need to have the layout finished and emailed to me by 19th November.
If you don't make it by 19th November, I would still LURVE to see what you've created, as would your classmates.

HOW EXCITING!!!!
I surely can't wait.

I have a superbusy weekend ahead too
Saturday night is my 25 year high school reunion. YIKES. Now I feel really really old.

Sunday, I will be peddling my wares at the Payne Road State School Car Boot Sale. It runs from 7am till 12.30pm at Payne Road, The Gap, Brisbane. Come say hello and bring me a coffee please!!!!
I'll have embroidered towels, crocheted hand towels, handmade cards, and my faux screen prints for SALE.
Time (and weather) permitting, the chunky mixed media pieces will be there too!!!

Thanks again to all who have re-posted the class on their Blogs and FaceBook. Your effort makes my heart *sing*

More to share....

Almost down to using scraps for layouts now. Which fiscally is a good thing *wink*

on yer bike - some freaky misting with a Prima branch (don't worry I misted the underside)

and some splatters too because Mr Glimmermist decided to take a blockage!!

Mackinley need to approve the Prima flower...bahahaaaaa - such a boy's boy!!

The sun came out long enough for me to take these photos. *sigh* and more rain is forecast. Mighty frustrating with 2 very energetic boys in a small house.

Thanks to all who have purchased their "seat" for my online class. If it were at a store, I'd be pretty chuffed right now. Can't thank you girls enough. And I appreciate all the work you're doing spreading the word within your own friendship groups. Just speechless and overwhelmed.

Thank You!

Still more "seats" available (LOL).
xoxo

ONLINE CLASS!!!!

I'm very excited to announce that I will be running my first online class on Monday 18th October.

This class is to raise money so that our family can continue with Rainer's medical intervention and behavioural therapy. Currently, our Early Intervention funding through the Federal Government expires on 18th October. While this has been extremely beneficial, we would like the opportunity to continue along the path this funding has placed us on.

When Rainer was finally diagnosed in 2006, we made a decision as a family that I would "retire" from Secondary Teaching and become his full-time carer. It was more important to devote my time, energy and mental health to my own children, rather than others'. We dropped a wage, and our costs tripled as we searched for answers for a very misunderstood and poorly resourced condition.

I went through 4 General Practitioners, 2 Kinesiologists, 2 Speech Therapists, 2 Occupational Therapists, 1 Psychologist and 1 Dietician before things began to finally take shape with Rainer's recovery. There have been many mistakes made and promises broken in these 4 years, but I have no doubt there'll be many more!

Rainer has additional medical issues which exacerbate his condition. Most prominent are his Sensory Issues and gut health. These have a great effect on his behaviour which makes his attendance at school difficult. Hence, we have home-based behavioural therapy 4 afternoons per week following his morning sessions at our local regular school.

So, I am very excited to be able to put together what I think is a fab-o class for you!!!! Hopefully, the first of many.
ONE HUNDRED PERCENT of the funds will go towards Rainer's therapy and intervention. I think you all know me by now to guess I won't go out and buy the new Monaro LOL

And we have some fab-o sponsors for this class
Firstly, my dear friend, mentor and just down-right hilariously creative girl...Ngaire Bartlam

Has donated a super cute canvas which I have been ogling for a wee while now.

Another beautiful soul, Krissy Christie of Wicked Princesses

is donating a special little pack of goodies.

Lisa Warren of Storyboard Kits and my fellow Scrapbook Creations Diva

is also donating a wonderful little pack of goodness from her new store.

And my dear old friend Melissa Arnold; Creative Memories Unit Leader extraordinnaire, has offered a great new embellie pack for one participant.

HERE'S WHAT YOU NEED TO DO......
Click on the PayPal button on the sidebar to purchase your class entry ticket.
**Once you click the REVIEW ORDER & CONTINUE button, there will be a link under the description of the class. Click on this link to nominate an email address to access the class.**
Google and Blogger accounts will have unlimited access to the class.
Those without these accounts, and who sign is as a Guest, will have access for one month from 18th October.

On the 19th November, I will close registration for PRIZES only. You can upload, etc after that date, but you will not be eligible for a prize....you'll just have my undying gratitude for participating!!! (almost priceless, don't you think? teehee)

Lots of cool little techniques to learn, some mad random machine stitching and loads of fun!!
Will post a full materials list closer to the date *wink*

Hope you can join me.

SPREAD THE WORD!!