Crisis Mode

Well, hasn't this been an interesting turn of events.  Or not.

Unless you are living under ground and have absolutely zero contact with the world (let's face it, not many can say that), you know that the world is currently in crisis mode over Corona Virus AKA Covid-19. 

Typically, the Aussie's were in the  "She'll be right, mate!" camp until they started seeing people in the US fighting over toilet paper and cities such as Hong Kong running out of rice.  Then some of us have gone a bit silly.  While most of us are still trying to remain nonchalant about the whole thing, it's gone beyond mild interruption to flat out inconvenient.  Understatement of the year.

While many places in the US are in lock down ... "Don't leave your houses", international travel has been banned, people are losing their jobs, supermarket workers are being abused for purchase limits and the world of memes has exploded with observations about the human race in crisis mode.  Let's watch Netflix and 'chill' but only if you don't touch me. 

There might be something good from all of this.  The optimists among us are struggling to find it.  The conspiracy theorists have already discovered the science fiction novel written in the 1980's, set in 2020 and is beginning to read more like recent news reports. They are feeling pleased.  In all the madness, there is a glimmer of hope as we see that there are people who care about their fellow man.  Such as Salvo's who are volunteering to help out at the daily shopping hour reserved for the elderly and people with a disability.  Video of Italians singing on their balconies while in lock down has gone viral.  Parents are beginning to lobby for teachers to get a pay rise while they begin to understand why so many of us drink every Friday night (and Saturday and Sunday).  It really is the end of the world as we know it. 

It was not my intention to say this much about all this craziness, but there it is.
This seriously messes up my Blog schedule (yet again), how inconsiderate, so next time we might just add to the list of things I don't need or look at some photos of cards I have been making.  I have to admit, it's difficult to think about long term goals right now.  One day at a time is how it goes. 

One day, the panic will be over.  We will live differently as a result of all this, but it will be less stressful.  We need to believe that. 

Now is the time to pray, be still, carry the peace that surpasses all understanding with you.  While the world may seem to be in chaos, there is a purpose for all this and God will take care of His people.

Praying

Going "Green" in the Craft Room

Let's face it, paper crafting can get expensive.  This year, in my "rock what you got" series, I'm using the craft supplies that I have.  I'm not purchasing any new stamp sets or dies.  If I need adhesive (only if I run out of what I have), I will buy it and if I completely run out of card stock (as if), I will buy more, but other than that, I'm using what is in my stash. 

I'm also a strong believer in using what you can find to make cool stuff.  You don't have to buy lots of patterned paper or lots of stamps to make beautiful cards.  Look at any material or paper as a potential card project waiting to happen.  Today, I want to show you some cards I made from recycled materials I had at home.  Hopefully, this will encourage you to make something different too.

Tissue Boxes have Great Patterns

Have you noticed that? Tissue boxes come with the cutest patterns on them these days.  Why not cut them down and use them on your cards.  The leaves on these cards are from a tissue box. I collapsed the tissue box and used the perfect vine die (from Catherine Pooler Designs) to cut out the leaf pattern in the shape of a vine over and over. I ink blended the edges of the leaves to add some depth. 

A few weeks ago, my grandmother was given flowers and I noticed the wrapping was a gorgeous looking hessian and a frosty sort of plastic material.  She was happy to let me have them.  So I cut out some of this hessian and used it as a background for my first card here.  Then I added a sentiment and some jewels from Nuvo and I was done. 

I blended some distress oxide colours on some bristol smooth cardstock for this card and used some die cuts that were in my scrap basket as a background for these leaves.  A heat embossed sentiment made this look so classic.  A few sequins to embellish and I was done! :) 

One more tissue box that turned into a card, had the most adorable Mickey Mouse pattern.  I had to turn it into a card!! Working out which sentiment to add was tricky, but I'm happy with how it turned out. 

More Boxes that Became Cards!

This card was made using a strip of card stock that was wrapped around a block of chocolate.  The BFF was given the chocolate ages ago, when I saw the box, I asked if I could keep it.  She was more than happy to give me her rubbish.  Lol.  By the time I cut this down, the strip was not too big.  So I chose some strips of patterned paper that were in my scrap basket to go with it. This simple design and muted colours make this the perfect masculine card for any occasion. 

This cheerful card comes from a box that my perfume bottle came in.  The bright yellow background is so happy.  The white flower was just begging to be on a card.  A light grey mat was all that it needed.  Check this out. 

I really enjoyed making these cards, because I had to think outside the box (see what I did there? lol).  There was a bit of fiddling about and trying different colours to co-ordinate, but it was worth it.  No one would ever know where these bits of card came from either, which makes me feel really clever. 
What have you got laying around your house that could make a fun card?  Let me know in the comments. 

Happy Paper Crafting! See you next time.

Technical Difficulties

Well, so much for being organised and planning ahead!

I planned out the whole year of blog entries back in January, then I wrote about five posts.  Ahead of schedule heading into the school year and ready to go. No sweat.  Then, about two weeks ago, my laptop went to sleep and hasn't woken up again.  I need to get it fixed, which is proving more difficult than it should be.  The devastating realisation that my blog planner was saved on my laptop hard drive didn't arrive until a week later.  Hence, I have no idea what I'm supposed to be blogging about today! 

Of course, the technical difficulties don't stop there.  My year 12 students were supposed to submit the first part of an assessment task last week.  The paperless society we live in means that they have to submit it through a great software program called Turnitin.  Let me just say, that there is nothing wrong with this software/ online tool, it's great.  It works well and is a huge timesaver for teachers and students.  However, my account (which is supposed to be set up through the school) has not been set up properly.  My students have not been assigned to me (something I can't do myself) and there are a bunch of students added to the class list who aren't even in my class!!  This means that I can't check the work or my students because I can't access the online tools which they are required to use to submit their work.  I asked the students to email me their assignment as well, but some of them haven't followed through.  On top of that, our Online Teaching Program is undergoing maintenance this weekend (hopefully this will fix the problems making it difficult for me) so students can't access the tools and neither can I. 

Do I really want to plan ten months of blog posts... again?!  Not really.  However, as we have learned in the past, not planning ahead doesn't seem to go well for me.  So, I suppose I better stop rambling about my technology woes and start getting organised. 

Feel better, at least you're not the only one who has IT issues.  I know you have them too.  Was life so much simpler before technology took over?  or is it just me? 

Y'all come back now, you hear?