A little bit of this 'n' that: Switching gears

Oct 1, 2013

Switching gears

Okay, so after the rather woeful whinge of my last post, I've decided (after a pretty sedentary and very rainy weekend) to switch gears. Rather than focussing on what I feel I'm not doing, I'm going to start including more of what I am doing. Heck it might even push me into actually doing more ;-)

Here are a couple of things I've decided upon:

I've been meaning to start a separate blog for showcasing my (favourite) photographs for the longest time but haven't done so yet and I've been shamefully remiss in even posting anything to my Flickr site. I don't know how this happened - or rather isn't happening - I just know that I need to pull my finger out and get back at it. I thought of a couple of ideas to make sure I post my photos more often:

Set myself a weekly photo challenge - of taking/posting either a single or selection of themed photos. I should probably start with photos from last year's trip to England & Scotland for starters and then the pics from our recent holiday in Germany. Anyhoo I'll figure it out and I'll see if my sister, Vicky, wants to get in on the themed photo safari too. We both love photography but have quite different styles and preferred subject matter. I think we've only done one or two photo safaris together but they were both fun and it's always interesting to compare the different results and what catches her eye as opposed to mine. Must chat with her about this.
Maybe I'll call it my Friday Flickr Foto and kill two birds with one stone, posting here and adding to Flickr.
Post a photo that appeals to me, even if it's not my own.

I love making cards. For the past several years I've monopolized our spare bedroom with the crazy hoard of craft supplies that I've accumulated over the years for this hobby and yet, since Christmas last year, I've really only created cards when necessary and have even fallen behind sometimes - something I never normally do (I have a freakishly solid memory for dates, birthdays, anniversaries etc. so no excuse on that score). Of course, living in Vancouver, the advantage to this time of year is the start of the endlessly grey and rainy season, in all its stormy and torrential downpour glory. Perfectly conducive to being a homebody and putting my creative talents to good use. I need to chat with Vicky about this too - we should get back to doing the monthly craft nights we used to do with a couple of friends (until both moved out of town and one turned out to not be much of a friend at all). We should actually try for at least twice-monthly. Besides, we don't just have to make cards (I still have plenty left over from last year) but I've been meaning to try my hand at felt tree decorations and general gift-making for Christmas too. I love making things for family and friends just as much as I love to receive a hand-made gift or card, yet I always end up starting too late. On the one hand it's still too early to be thinking of Christmas, I know. But if I'm sending things home to England, I generally have to ship mid-late October so I might as well get on it - sooner the better and that way I'm not rushing last minute. (Haha, I always tell myself this, we'll see if it actually pans out this year! Don't hold your breath.) But while I'm on the subject of cards, there's no time like the present to actually show some of them here (albeit some are scans and don't look that great):

A co-worker asked if I could make a card for her best friend
who was leaving town and moving on to pastures new

Customized for Lorne's stepdad, Stan.

For Vicky's 40th a few years ago.

Put a bird on it! :-)

Mother's day....for my Mum. (Obviously)

Ooops - meant to send this to Graham & Stephie
when they got engaged last year.

And a few Christmas card samples - see how easy it is to integrate snippets from old cards, foil wrappers from ferrero rocher/almond rocca, as well as mulberry paper (torn out from an old Ikea shower curtain no less - too pretty to waste):