A List of Things I Don't Need!

During the school holidays, I did a lot of Decluttering and Tidying Up. The break between school terms is an opportunity for me to press the reset button.  Cleaning up, getting rid of the mess, organising what I'm going to keep and fixing things that didn't work is so nice.  The last week of my holidays was busy.  I managed to tidy my bedroom (after my Mum painted it) and I can't wait to finish the process of refreshing my bedroom.  That will probably be a job for the next holidays.  The study/office and my school resources got a much needed sort out too.  Leaving a school after 11 years meant that I had lots of stuff to bring home.  While I'd already got rid of lots of stuff and gave some things to colleagues at my school, I still needed to go through quite a bit.

In doing all this I realised that there are some things I will not need to buy for a long time.  Lots of people seem to think these things are also great gift ideas for me.  The thing is, I now have so many of these things that if I'm given more, I will probably have to re-gift them.  I can't possibly use all these things, let alone store all of them.  In no particular order, here goes...

My list of things I DON'T need! (2020 edition)

Post-it Notes/ Sticky Notes  

Actual Footage of me with my post-it notes

Please, stop buying me sticky notes.  Especially the bright coloured, novelty, sparkly, filled with pictures, in weird shapes and not even sticky, post-it notes.  I love them for the cute factor.  I do.  They are just too cute to use and I have so many that I can't possibly use them.  

Staplers and Staples.  

While I was tidying my desk and sorting through all the school stationery, I found not one, not two, but three staplers!  Why do I need so many staplers?  The answer to that question is simple... I don't!  Of course when you have three staplers you also need 5000 staples.  I found four unopened boxes of staples.  That's right, you heard me.  UNOPENED!  I also had the contents of two opened boxes of staples strewn through my desk drawers.  WHY? 

Pencils and Pens.  

I know that this one doesn't seem to track.  Don't all teachers use a lifetime supply of pens and pencils each school year? Don't all teachers always NEED pencils and pens?  While this is somewhat true, I have lots and lots of pens and pencils.  My father had lots of pens and pencils that were in unopened boxes.  Yes, you heard me, UNOPENED.  I often receive pens and pencils as gifts. THANKS!  The truth is, I don't need another pen with a fluffy end and a cat crystal springing off the end of it.  I don't need pens with glitter in them, (we are not talking about my craft pens, I need those).  I have plenty, thanks.  

Highlighters!! 

I must have a thing of highlighters.  I know I bought a bunch of them one year for students to use in my classroom.  I still have many of these pens and I have many more.  I used to buy a set of highlighter pens every year.  I used to lose them, often and now they have all been found!   I reckon I have at least 40 highlighters.   This isn't counting the tiny ones with lids that have cat ears.  

Cute Little Notebooks.  

This is another one of those things that people buy me and I used to buy for myself.  I don't anymore. The number of notebooks I found during my tidying up process was ridiculous.  There are a bunch of them, in all shapes and sizes.  Most of them have only one or two pages used from them or they haven't even been opened.  Yes, you heard me, UNOPENED! Please stop buying me cute (or even ugly) notebooks. 

Pencil Sharpeners and Erasers.  

These two items seem to be the most elusive in my desk drawer, until recently, when I emptied out all my stationery supplies and went through the whole mountain.  I found no fewer than  8 pencil sharpeners and 7 erasers.  Three of the erasers still had the plastic wrapped around them.  That means they haven't even been used.  Yes, you heard me, they were UNOPENED! Seriously?

Therefore, #RockWhatUGot, is going to apply to much more than my crafting supplies this year.  I'm going to add to this list as the year progresses, so stay tuned for more items I DON'T need.  What is something you don't need more of because you have too much? It doesn't have to be stationery.  Let me know in the comments. 

Rockin' it! 

Top 10 Gifts for your Crafty Friend - a Guide for the Non-Crafter

Do you have a friend or family member who loves to make cards or do craft?
Do you have trouble buying gifts for them?
Does the craft store overwhelm you?
Look no further.... this list of great gifts can all be purchased at your local hardware store, discount variety shop, or department store.

My sister recently took my nieces and nephews shopping at Kmart and the Reject Shop (like Dollar Tree).  Their goal was for each of them to buy me a gift.  They wanted to be helpful and I received several things that they thought I could use in my craft room.  Some items were huge winners!  A few were not so useful.  This got me thinking.  It must be so hard for non-crafters to buy the right gifts for their crafty loved ones.  Us crafters have high standards when it comes to our supplies, right?  We know what things you can buy for cheap and what needs to be quality.  So, this list is crafter approved.  You can buy most of these items for less than $20 and you are almost guaranteed to put a grin on your crafty friend's face!

1. Adhesive: 

While many crafters have a favourite glue and a bunch of different glues depending on the different purpose.  Cheap adhesive can be very frustrating for a good crafter.  So, don't buy cheap adhesive or try to guess at what works.  Go to your local hardware store,  I go to Bunnings, and get the largest roll of double sided foam tape you can find.  These can range in price from $10 to $100. I have used the $10 tape and the $100 tape. The $10 tape works well enough.  If you are paying much less than that, don't bother, it will only frustrate the crafter.   You can also find liquid adhesive at the local hardware store, Elmer's glue all and Boyle's craft glue are both good quality. Mod Podge is another quality brand that any crafter would be happy to receive! Glue Dots are also a great addition to any craft room (especially the repositionable kind).

2. Clean Erasers

I am always looking for my eraser and I need a clean one! Some good quality, white erasers would be a great gift for the crafter in your life. 

3. Post-it tape

Full back sicky notes, post-it tape, and even low-tack painters tape are all great supplies for the craft room.  Painter's tape can be purchased at your local discount store or hardware store.  Sticky notes and post-it tape can be purchased at most department stores, or office/ stationery stores. These are consumable and no crafter can have too much of it.  They will always be able to use it! These repositionable sheets of paper can be used for masking off areas on a project, holding things in place temporarily and making templates.  

4. Fine tip pens in various colours

I have a set of these, however I wouldn't say no to another one.  In fact, one really great fine tip pen would be so appreciated! Unless you think your crafty mate has too many pens... although I don't think that is possible! 

5. Postage Stamps

It might sound crazy.  Okay, it sounds crazy.  I make loads of cards.  There are literally heaps of cards in my craft room. Why don't I send them out more, you ask?  There are several reasons for this, however the main one is that I can never find enough postage stamps.  It costs more money to post cards and I would rather spend my money on stamps, inks and tools.  A book of postage stamps can be purchased for as little as $5 or if you want to go really crazy, buy $20 or $30 worth of stamps and make it possible for me to send my artwork instead of piling it up in my craft space. That's how I see it anyway. 

6. Sequins, Gems and Stickers

You can find the cutest embellishments at the discount store (dollar tree/ reject shop/ bargain centre) if you know what to look for.  You would be surprised at how many of these things us crafters go through.  You might think a bag of sequins is not a useful gift, but we will go crazy over them.  You will be the new favourite.  I promise! 

7. A self-healing cutting mat/ Oven liner/ Silicone Mat

Again, these can be purchased for around $10 and while I have lots of these, I could use another one!  I wouldn't be able to justify the purchase using my own money.  Remember, I want to spend my money on stamps, inks and card stock.  Oven liners are a non-stick mat that can be used as a craft mat for ink blending or other crafts that work best on a slick surface.  They can protect a work surface from messy crafts such as paint, ink or even glue.  Silicone Mats are usually used for welding, but they can be used for mirror stamping, as a water colouring surface, and a protective surface for heat embossing, gluing and using alcohol inks.  

8. Magnetic Sheets

I have found magnetic sheets for about $2 each.  These are perfect for holding dies in place in the die cutting machine or storage of your metal tools.  You could even use some magnetic sheets to make this awesome Craft room accessory! 

That's that then.  Plenty of options for the non-crafter to purchase for a crafting friend.  Now get shopping! ;)

Great Reasons to Exercise Regularly at Home

We all know that physical activity is important to being healthy. We all know that a balanced diet, exercise and certain lifestyle choices contribute to good health.  The truth is, I have always struggled to include exercise in my daily routine because I don't love it.  I like it even less since my medical condition set in and I have chronic pain.  I wake up with pain, I go about my day in pain and I go to bed in pain.  I have pain all the time. Sometimes, I find it hard to get out of bed, shower, get dressed or even eat.  You can imagine that when these things are so difficult, physical activity of any kind is practically impossible.  

The thing is, too much inactivity can cause me more pain because my muscles get stiff.  The same goes for too much exercise.  If I exercise beyond my limits, I get too sore to move and then I get stiff again. Exercise, for people like me, is a balancing act.  I have to remind myself that it's worth it and it's important.  So, let's get to it. 

1.  It's good for your health!  Even if it doesn't feel like it.
2.  Fun! You can make it fun. Use TV show workouts, like this one from Pinterest, or dance workouts like this one from Cocolime Fitness (specially designed for beginners and people with chronic illness). You can walk, run, play a team sport or swim.  Find something fun that you will enjoy and make it part of the weekly routine as well as your home work outs. 
3. It doesn't have to be hell to have an impact!  In fact, you will see better and more lasting results if you complete a low impact 10 minute workout everyday, instead of a one hour workout three times a week.  
4. It's a great stress reliever.  Exercise releases endorphins (they are happy hormones) and forces you to take some time out from work, adulting and all the stuff. 
5. Stretching is dessert for your body.  We often spend time sitting at desks or on couches for long periods and we need to stretch our muscles.  Every exercise routine should include at least some stretching. If you are doing it right, it should feel good. 
6. It can be free.  You don't have to spend anything to get some movement into your daily routine.  There are several YouTube channels that step you through simple workouts.  You can improvise an exercise mat with a few towels or use a chair to help you balance. Small canned foods can be used as weights.  Alternatively, a walk around the block is totally free.  You don't need a treadmill or big bulky equipment.  Small dumbells, yoga mats, foam rollers, resistance bands and exercise balls are reasonably priced if you know where to shop, so you can build up your equipment as you go. 
7.  You can do it anytime.  As I mentioned earlier, YouTube means that you can attend various exercise classes at home anytime it suits you. In fact, Cocolime Fitness is the main reason I have been able to maintain an exercise regime over the past year. When I get home from work, I can turn on a video and get my exercise with little fuss.  If I feel like exercising in the morning, I don't waste time travelling to the gym or the pool.  
8.  You can wear whatever you want! You don't have to look cute! I started exercising in my oldest pair of track pants or shorts and t-shirt.  Now I have some clothes that are a little more practical and look a bit cuter.  I love that it doesn't matter how I look when I exercise in my studio at home.  It's just me and my cat.  
9. Nobody is watching!  Woohoo. It doesn't matter if I mess up.  I can stick my bum in the air, modify the moves, even 'fart' if I need to, all without worrying what anybody thinks. This makes it so much easier to focus on the business of holding in my abs or breathing.  

There you go people.  Exercise is important and I'm so glad I can do it at home.  Okay, time to get off the couch and do something good for myself.  

Until we meet again! 

Favourite Things ?!

I did this list a few years ago and I have updated it.  Some of the items on the list have changed while some of them have stayed just the same.  Interesting.  No real surprises.  :) 

1. Time of Day: bed time
2. Food: ice cream, 
3. Drink: tea
4. Band/singer: no favourites, lots that I like. 
5. Actor: again, no favourite,
6. Location: My Studio... mostly the craft part. 
7. Team/Sport: hahahahaha that's funny!
8. Animal: kitty....
9. Activity: Crafting and Hanging with the BFF! 
10. Things to collect: Memories! 

10 things I'm Grateful for...

In no particular order...Here goes...

1. My bed is comfy!
2.  Air Conditioning.
3. Friends who value me and the things I can do.
4. Food.  Even though we are fighting right now. 
5. Cocolime Fitness exercise videos for people with chronic pain and fibromyalgia.  
6. Family - I learn so much from them. 
7. My doctor, my dentist, my physio and all the nurses! 
8. Art and the crafting industry.
9. My Bible and religious freedom.
10. Shelly.  She is so funny with her own little personality.  I love her so much! 

That's that then!

Cards for Guys

Card making is one of those hobbies that has been largely enjoyed by women in the past.  Many companies in the crafting industry are owned and managed by women.  Many of the products that we purchase are certainly geared towards women.  So, making masculine cards can be a bit of a challenge.  I also want to remind you, that crafting and, indeed, card making is an activity that involves many skills and can be enjoyed by both men and women.  There are some great gentlemen in the crafting industry as well and they know their stuff.  If you are interested in learning more about a few of the guys in the paper crafting industry, check out these links.

Tim Holtz

Simon Hurley

Christopher Allen from Brutus Monroe

Today, I'm aware that Father's Day is about 2 weeks away, so I wanted to share some masculine cards with you as well as some tips for designing your own masculine cards.

Tip #1 Masculine Colours

While we often associate Blue with Boys... you don't have to stick to just blue.  We often think about dark colours (like grey, brown, black etc) for our boys and while these dark colour palettes certainly look more 'manly' there are no hard and fast rules about colour.  Think about muted colours, you can use red, orange, yellow and even pink if you use more muted shades. Catherine Pooler makes it so easy to work out the grey content of your colours with her Party and Spa Ink Collections.  Any colour in the Spa Collection should suit a design for any guy in your life.  My main rule with the "boy" cards is to keep my colour palette limited to only two or three colours.  This is a good rule most of the time, but with the feminine cards it's easier to add colour in images.  Keep it simple for yourself by limiting the number of colours.

Tip #2 Geometric Shapes

When in doubt use geometric shapes in your cards.  It's easy to make a 'masculine' pattern in muted colours.  Keep the shapes simple and embrace the straight lines and sharp corners.  Like in these cards...

Of course, when using one or two colours, you can sometimes use various shades of the same colour to add interest without getting too complicated.

Tip #3 Texture up...

If you don't want your boy cards to look too plain, add  a bit of texture.  You can do something as simple as distressing the edges of your card stock, tearing your background or adding a textured embellishment.  You can also add texture with an embossing folder, textured paper, cloth, ribbon (yes, ribbon), burlap, washi tape or even aluminium foil from the kitchen.  This added texture can also add interest when you have limited colours and shapes.

An embossing folder in the background and 

some patterned paper adds texture and colour to this simple card. 

The tyre tracks are a washi tape I bought from Kaisercraft (from the discount bin)

I used glitter paper behind the sentiment for some extra texture.  

The random grunge type background was just ink blending through different stencils.  

I love the stick on dots added as embellishment. 

Tip #4 Keep it Simple

While it's possible to get some awesome images for masculine cards, don't panic if you don't have them.  Only one image is really needed.  A few candles on a birthday card, a cake or a couple of balloons will get you a long way.  As you've seen in the cards above, you can create something great for your guy, with just a large sentiment and a geometric background.

I made this card with left over scraps!  The sentiment is the real star of the show in this card.
I made this card for my nephew, who loves RED!  

Here are some more masculine cards I have made.

Dog's are man's best friend, Right? 

I made this card for my nephew.

I used an embossing folder to make the brick wall

with Fired Brick (distress oxide ink) swiped across it. 

This card has the masculine colours, texture, distressed edges

and the cutest hero image, set up on an action wobbler.  

I used my alphabet dies to create my own sentiment. 

That's it for now.  Do you have a favourite stamp set that you use for masculine cards?  Do you have an awesome colour palette that works every time? Let me know in the comments!

Almost time to Party... Harry Potter's Birthday!

31 July is Harry's Potter's Birthday! So, to get you in the groove for some Wizarding Fun, let's check out some of my favourite ways to celebrate everyone's favourite magical orphan.

1. Face paint... Last year, I spent Harry Potter's Birthday, with a black lightening shaped scar 'painted' on my forehead.  Can you believe my colleagues felt no need to join me?

 2. Make sure your friends know it's time to party.

 3. Get your invisibility cloak on and....

4. Play some Hogwarts Inspired Games....

Check out these links for more ideas of Harry Potter Games to play.  

Scavenger Hunt 1

Scavenger Hunt 2

More Harry Potter Party Games

5. Be Proud of your Harry Potter Obsession

6. Decorate..

Click here for more ideas for decorating an Epic Harry Potter Party. 

7. Have some sympathy for Voldemort.... 

7. Remember.... 

AND.....

BUT... some life choices need to go a bit further than.... 

What are you doing on Harry Potter's Birthday? Let me know in the comments.  

Reasons to Smile

This is a list of things that make me smile.  Sometimes entirely without reason.  :) 

Friends

Toddlers explaining how the world works
Dad's impish smirk
Pretty craft supplies
Other people smiling because of me
When a kid learns something

Babies
Taking a photo of someone
My Bestie

Cameras

Lying in bed

Silly word play

A job well done

Mint Chocolate Chip Ice cream

Shelly the cat

Happy music

Veggietales
Lasagne
Cuddles

Comfy clothes
The Sound of Music
Helping
Kindness
Quiet
Happy Memories
Nanny's Rissoles
Singing
Getting into bed with fresh sheets.  

I hope you have plenty of reasons to smile today! 

How to Ace the Test

Today I'm sharing an article that was published on Mel The Literacy Coach's blog.  I know the author!  ;)

Everyone gets nervous before a test.  The best way to achieve a great result on a test is to prepare for it.  While people learn in different ways, there are some test preparation strategies that will work for everyone. 

All the Time

#1 Pay attention and Participate in Class!

Believe it or not, your teacher wants you to succeed!  Teachers plan activities that will help you to learn and remember the important information you need to know for the test.  Of course, you won’t remember something that happened in class if you were too busy playing a game on your phone or talking to your friends.   You need to listen to the teacher, participate in the activities AND write down key information.

#2 Take Organised Notes

Your teacher will provide lots of hints about what you should write down. They will probably repeat important points and they may even say “Write this down!” Writing your notes is not the only step here.  You need to keep your notes altogether and organised.  Reading your notes later will help you remember what you have learned.  It will be easier to find it if you keep it in the same book/ file.

Before the Test

#1 Sleep Well

The night before a test: GO TO BED!  Get a good night’s sleep.  If you are tired, you will find it harder to concentrate. 

#2 Eat a Healthy Breakfast

Everyone knows that Breakfast is the most important meal of the day.  A healthy, balanced meal at the beginning of the day will help your brain function at its best.  If you are hungry, it will be hard to think clearly and you will be distracted.  That’s the last thing you want to be in a test.

During the Test

#3 Read the Questions Carefully

This might seem obvious, but lots of students lose easy points on a test because they didn’t read the question.  Don’t Predict the question… read it and after you have answered it, read it again!

#4 Check your answers

Read those questions again.  Read your answers and make sure you didn’t make any mistakes.  Everyone makes mistakes!  Everyone!  We all miss out words or press the wrong button on a calculator. Check it!

#5 Stay Positive

Answer as many questions as you can. Even if you aren’t certain about the answer, write it down anyway.  You could get part marks. Remember that exams are an opportunity to show what you know.  Do your best work and DON’T GIVE UP!

Hagrid's 10 Answers

Hagrid here! Mum asked me to give my 10 answers to the 10 Questions from James Lipton's ItAS.

 

What is your favourite word?
Love

What is your least favourite word?
Squash

What turns you on?
Hugs

What turns you off?
Rough children

What is your favourite curse word?
FUR Cryin' Out Loud!

What sound or noise do you love?
Mum turning on the air conditioner and the TV.  It means she is going to hang out in her room with me! :D

What sound or noise do you hate?
When Grandma says, "get me a needle and some cotton."

What profession other than your own would you like to attempt?
Library Bear, because I love to listen to kids read.  They could read to me all day long!

What profession would you not like to do?
Toddler Room Teddy.... have you seen Toy Story 3?!!

If Heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the Pearly Gates?
The honey fountain is on the right and nap time is mandatory.

All my Furriest Cyber Hugs to all you AGT readers!
Luv Hagrid

 

Shelly's 10 Answers..

This week we are continuing with our 10 Questions Series.  We are featuring the 10 Questions made famous by James Lipton at the end of each Inside the Actor's Studio Episode.  This week you will read Shelly's answers to those 10 questions!

What is your favourite word?
Tuna

What is your least favourite word?
Bath

What turns you on?
Tuna

What turns you off?
Not having any Tuna

What is your favourite curse word?
gggrrrMeeooowwwoooowwww!!
Trust me, it is Cat for something really, really bad!!

What sound or noise do you love?
Mum's voice.

What sound or noise do you hate?
The bus that brings all those rowdy kids.

What profession other than your own would you like to attempt?
Tuna Taste Tester

What profession would you not like to do?
Childcare worker or Teacher... Mum does that and it looks really hard! Plus you would have to be around kids all the time and I don't like kids at all!

If Heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the Pearly Gates?
The humans up here are already trained and we have tuna for dinner every night!  

10 Answers to those 10 Questions

Do you want to know more about these questions?  Click here.

Dying to know what I answered to the first 10 questions?  Check it... LOL

What is your favourite word?          

                      Thank you

What is your least favourite word?         

                        Can't

What turns you on creatively, spiritually or emotionally?    

   That moment when everything comes together and you learn  something new.

What turns you off?

                     Dishonesty

What is your favourite curse word?  

                     Schnicklefritz (I don't swear, but I use made up words)

What sound or noise do you love?
               
                 When my nieces and nephews greet me with delight.

What sound or noise do you hate?

                      Nagging

What profession other than your own would you like to attempt?

                      Cat Behaviourist

What profession would you not like to do?

                       Any job in the medical field

If Heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the Pearly Gates?

                  Well Done! Welcome Home!

That's that then!