Wednesday, 13 July 2011

15 minute challenge update: week 1

This week I have been rather quiet in blog-land (usually I am reading and commenting on many more blogs than I have gotten to this week), though I have had my first assignment for my creative writing unit due ... yesterday.  It was to be only 1000 wds - which, I am sure you know is difficult when you need to write a short story!!  It happened though, even though most of the thinking and planning happened over the course of the week and I wrote the piece the day it was due.  It did get in late, though that was primarily because the 'SafeAssign' program you have to submit it through (no, no submissions via emails or the post these days!!), and it wouldn't accept my version of Word - or something like that.  I ended up having to ring Tech Support this morning after about a dozen attempts yesterday and last night, emailing the document to the guy only for him to download, re-save, email it back and then for me to resubmit that version ... it took a while, but it is in.  If I get penalized the 10% for getting it in late, I am not worried.



Anyway, on to a more enjoyable topic - craft, and actually getting a heap done this week!
Last week I mentioned that I had decided to join in the challenge to do at least 15 minutes of craft every day, as hosted by Kate @ Life in Pieces. Since I decided this on Sunday, I have recorded my efforts since then...

Sunday:  1 1/2 + hrs crochet (2 x small doilies)


Monday: approx. 1hr crochet (flowers)


Tuesday: approx. 2hrs machine sewing (quilt blocks)


Wednesday: 2hrs continued quilt blocks


Thursday: [none]


Friday: [none]


Saturday: [none, though spending day cleaning house top to toe]


Sunday: 1hr + crochet


Monday: crochet


Tuesday (today): 3hrs crochet + cut out twenty seven 6in x 6in squares from three FQs for H2H quilt along with some 2.5in strips for binding from leftover FQ fabric.

All in all, not too bad.  A lot more than weeks, or even months previous!  This week I pushed myself to do the crochet while I watched a show or movie in the evening instead of just sitting there - which added heaps of craft time, though I did lapse at the end of the week.  I have begun a rather fine doily using #40 thread and a 1.00 hook - very fine for me, especially as I have only used #5 thread and hooks no smaller than about 2.50!

Tomorrow I need to finish cutting out the fabrics for the H2H quilt and start putting them together so I can go in and get the batting and border/backing fabrics on Thurs (child-free day) to finish it next week.  I also need to work on finishing one QBS (asap) and get a few more done this week.

Now that I have enjoyed a crafty birthday I am headed to bed - it is 1am here atm and my eyelids are drooping!  Hoping you all have a fantastic week!!

Sunday, 3 July 2011

WooHoo!!! Happy Dance!!!!

For those of you who read about my three-months-of-hell drawing unit (from March to May) which I really did not enjoy, mainly as I don't believe I have a natural drawing ability ....  My marks arrived.

Well, actually, my mark arrived.  For this unit the grade was an overall mark for the whole unit's work portfolio.  We had to send in a certain number of drawings done on certain studies throughout the unit and then at the end we finally get a grade - though admittedly they do send feedback on the first two submissions.

Anyways, tonight (it is 11:17pm here in Darwin currently) I decided to check out my email for that particular university (I am studying through various uni's depending on where the courses are via Open Universities Australia) even though I rarely do this, tending to prefer that everything just comes through the one email account as I know I will check this account at least once a day.

*hand flaps*

Ahh!  Okay, so here goes.  I was totally happy to just get a pass grade - after all that is all I need to pass the unit, right?!

Did I get a pass?        

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Nope!

I got a High Distinction!!!!   


83%!!!  No Way!!!


As you can see I'm a little chuffed, lol!

I'll leave you with my head study (previously shown) of a 'young woman' ... my darling cousin.  (The tutor said "this last work is quite special" !!!! )

A few changes, challenges ...

If you've been here a few times you may have noticed that I have added a few things recently, and I thought that I should make mention of them.


Melody @ The House on the Side of the Hill  has offered this 'White Rabbit's list' logo to those who want to record their must-do projects for the month.  I just love their cute little button noses and furry bodies - I would absolutely love to have a pair of these little critters bouncing around our place, but alas, I need to wait (3 cats is apparently more than enough for Dad to handle, lol)  But bunnies aside, I really do need to keep a list of projects that I need to work on to keep me on track, and more so -  accountable to myself.  My list for July is up on the left ... lets see how I do!


The 15 minute challenge, hosted by Kate @ Life In Pieces, was set in motion when she decided to challenge herself to "get into the sewing room for at least 15 minutes every day", reported on her progress after 12 days to great response. I realise many find this easy to do, but I am finding that these days I am spending more time reading all these wonderful blogs and following everyone else's progress rather than getting any progress on my own projects done. I am hoping that if I 'say' I want to do this - and put it out there - I have more chance of actually doing it. At the very least I have a handful of project that need to get done this month - and at least three every month due to commitments I have happily, willingly made. Kate posts on Tuesdays, so I will endeavour to get in a good week of sewing before my first update (next) Tues the 12th.

I've also paid homage to the three quilt block swaps I am involved in atm - Quilting Block Swaps Australia (QBSA), a 12in block swap; 6in Block Swaps Australia, a sister group to QBSA in which we swap two 6in blocks per month; and Christmas Quilting Blocks Australia, a further sister group, swapping a 12in block each month. I got myself a little behind last month, but I am up to date atm with them with the last couple in the mailbox late Friday arvo.  I am hoping to get another couple done this week for sending.

Well, I guess after all that I'd better get my behind into gear and get some cleaning done so I can get lots of sewing done tonight after 'Dancing With The Stars' - semi-final tonight!

Monday, 27 June 2011

5 Books a Day: week 5


Okay, yes it has been a while since we participated in this fantastic literacy challenge, hosted by Anna @ The Imagination Tree, but I've decided it is high time that we jump right back in (so to speak) with some of the new books my darling daughter (DD) received for her big 3yo birthday just over a week ago.

I have only taken one picture of our books this week ...



When I'm Feeling SAD, written and illustrated by Trace Moroney.  Everyone feels SAD sometimes.  It's a quiet, lonely feeling.  But it can often help to talk to someone about it. (blurb)  
I love this series - its such a great tool in helping you to talk about the various feelings we as humans experience throughout our lifetimes with our little ones.  This is one in a series of eight books I gave my daughter in a box set this past week.  The pictures are both cute and emotive.  They really help you delve into the topic (or feeling of note) and give children a safe context in which to discuss what they feel and how they can work through and experience that emotion in healthy, positive ways.


When I'm Feeling HAPPY, written and illustrated by Trace Moroney.  So many things can make you HAPPY.  Playing with friends, a special treat - or just a big hug. (blurb)
A second book from the same series.  Bright, bubbly and fresh illustrations alongside fantastic text that helps little ones explore what it feels like to be happy, ways they might explore happiness - even that "feeling happy helps me to have more patience and helps me not to get angry over small problems ... and makes me feel more kind and caring towards others."


The Magic Balloon, written by Oakley Graham, illustrated by Dan Crisp.  Many, many years ago, in the city of Montreal, lived a boy called Will, who was very, very tall.  Will was a great inventor and was over the moon, when he created the world's first magic balloon.  New and emerging readers will love to read about Will's adventures in his magic balloon, and will be captivated by the colour-changing balloon light. (blurb)
Such a creatively thought-up adventure for children, written in rhyming prose and illustrated in seemingly hand-painted imagery.  A gorgeous little story with a balloon light in the centre of the page which changes colour and gives it that little added-extra, though the amount of detail included in the illustrations is amazing.  A much loved gift from her god-mother.


Sesame Street My First Library: Abby Cadabby's Rhyme Time, by P.J. Shaw, illustrated by Tom Leigh.  
The much loved Sesame Street character Abby explores rhyming words - "you know, words that end with the same sound, like bat and cat!  Rhymes are so fun to find!".  As Abby goes along she does just that - looks for a word and then thinks up other words which rhyme with this original word.  A very cute book that explores this ultra-important concept; with gorgeous, dynamic illustrations featuring all your favourite Sesame Street monsters and puppets throughout.  As soon as I saw this one in the store I knew I had to get it for DD!

And last, but definitely not least ....

Sesame Street My First Library: Elmo Goes to the Doctor, by Sarah Albee, illustrated by Tom Brannon.
This month DD and I have had at least one visit to the doctor each week for various reasons and so when I saw this one at the shop I thought that this would be a good one to help us talk about what had happened when we went there - we really hadn't been all that regularly before this at all, and then five visits in as many weeks?!!!
This book is a delightful tale of a worried little Elmo ("Elmo really feels fine, Mummy," he said.  "Let's just go home.") who has to go to the doctor for a checkup and a shot.  The doctor checks his height, weight, breathing, heartbeat, ears, throat etc... A cute little story about all the different things a doctor might check when you go to the doctor for a routine health check - and later, if you eat "all the monstermallows out of the Monster Flakes cereal box"!  A fun, simple tool to help facilitate a discussion about going to the doctor in a positive way.

** Well, they are the books we are looking to read each day this week.  We didn't get to them this week (only just decided on our selection), but will make a great effort to read each at least once a day.

If you are looking for some more great options for reading with little kids, why not head over to Anna's host post for the challenge this week and have a look at the other book selections the other wonderful mothers are reading with their children this week.  I often find titles I'm either introduced to new (to me) titles, or reminded of beloved one's I've forgotten about from my own childhood, when reading the other participants' posts.
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