Sunday, May 25, 2008
Thursday, May 01, 2008
out of the frying pan and boned in the ass with a red hot poker
why do i only think to post here when life sucks?
Anyway, life sucks. Not in a calamitous 'oh my goddess its all over' kind of way, just in a 'oh crap, here we go' kind of way.
firstly on monday we (that is myself and the rest of the students in my jewellery course) found out that the Diploma course (being the second year of this two year course I'm doing and the year where we learn how to actually apply our skills to the business world) runs out of national accreditation at the end of this year. Which wouldn't be a drama except that the institution that runs the course has decided that they don't want to spend the time, money or resources devising a new curriculum to be accredited. The upshot of this is that there will be no diploma course for not only jewellery-making, but for woodworking, printmaking, photography or ceramics, hence none of us learning the first year stuff will be qualified to be anything but hobbyists, and will not even have the basic requirements for moving into the industry for which we are studying. We are not impressed.
We, the students, are meeting with the department head early next week to get the full story, after which we will decide on which avenues are open to us including writing to ministers, petitions and gaining public exposure through the local media, as well as industry back-up. When I have more info it will be on here. Any support would be welcome. Help us fight the power to defend our right to education!!
As if this news wasn't enough of a bummer, I found out today that my boss is retiring. They haven't managed to find a buyer for the business so we are closing down at the end of July. Hence I am out of a job. I have time to find something else, but I'm really stumped as to what to look for. After working in this place I'm not entirely convinced that retail jewellery is my choice for a career, but neither am i really excited about returning to something like Wankworths. I'd really like to maybe start turning this jewellery-making gig into a real business, but I don't have the capital. 'Tis a conundrum.
Speaking of this jewellery-making gig, my first 2 pieces for the Swarovski Crystal Park design competition for this year are completed. I have a couple of pics here to show them off, but they will be modelled by my ghenkis' sister, the gorgeous kay-kat.
the first pic is of a crown I've been working on for months. It is made from copper wire and features amethyst swarovski bicones, a large snowflake drop and 2 baroque drops.
This second one is a vintage-style choker made from hand-wound and hand-sawn copper jumprings to which i applied a patina to give the antique look. they're assembled in a modified byzantine weave and interspersed with swarovski pearls in cream, faceted rounds in garnet and topaz bicones with smoky topaz baroque drops. there's a gold swarvoski flat back in the pendant (which was bought). The lace is gorgeous i think!
In more jewellery related news, I'm heading to meeting of a co-operative business venture on tuesday night to see if they like my stuff and will allow me to become part of their group. the commitment is a modest financial one and one day a week minding the store and in return i get 2 whole cabinets to myself! If I get in it will be a significant investment on my part as they specialise in silver and silver prices are currently going up faster than gold was several months ago! Gold is coming back down a little though, which is cool because I have a big project in mind using gold. that, however will have to wait for a while.
Anyway, I've vented and updated enough I think. wish me luck with the activism and job seeking and co-op joining! Next update I will include contact details for people that, should you feel so moved, may be written an angry letter in response to my training provider choosing not to provide training! Stay happy ya'll!
Anyway, life sucks. Not in a calamitous 'oh my goddess its all over' kind of way, just in a 'oh crap, here we go' kind of way.
firstly on monday we (that is myself and the rest of the students in my jewellery course) found out that the Diploma course (being the second year of this two year course I'm doing and the year where we learn how to actually apply our skills to the business world) runs out of national accreditation at the end of this year. Which wouldn't be a drama except that the institution that runs the course has decided that they don't want to spend the time, money or resources devising a new curriculum to be accredited. The upshot of this is that there will be no diploma course for not only jewellery-making, but for woodworking, printmaking, photography or ceramics, hence none of us learning the first year stuff will be qualified to be anything but hobbyists, and will not even have the basic requirements for moving into the industry for which we are studying. We are not impressed.
We, the students, are meeting with the department head early next week to get the full story, after which we will decide on which avenues are open to us including writing to ministers, petitions and gaining public exposure through the local media, as well as industry back-up. When I have more info it will be on here. Any support would be welcome. Help us fight the power to defend our right to education!!
As if this news wasn't enough of a bummer, I found out today that my boss is retiring. They haven't managed to find a buyer for the business so we are closing down at the end of July. Hence I am out of a job. I have time to find something else, but I'm really stumped as to what to look for. After working in this place I'm not entirely convinced that retail jewellery is my choice for a career, but neither am i really excited about returning to something like Wankworths. I'd really like to maybe start turning this jewellery-making gig into a real business, but I don't have the capital. 'Tis a conundrum.
Speaking of this jewellery-making gig, my first 2 pieces for the Swarovski Crystal Park design competition for this year are completed. I have a couple of pics here to show them off, but they will be modelled by my ghenkis' sister, the gorgeous kay-kat.
the first pic is of a crown I've been working on for months. It is made from copper wire and features amethyst swarovski bicones, a large snowflake drop and 2 baroque drops.
This second one is a vintage-style choker made from hand-wound and hand-sawn copper jumprings to which i applied a patina to give the antique look. they're assembled in a modified byzantine weave and interspersed with swarovski pearls in cream, faceted rounds in garnet and topaz bicones with smoky topaz baroque drops. there's a gold swarvoski flat back in the pendant (which was bought). The lace is gorgeous i think!
In more jewellery related news, I'm heading to meeting of a co-operative business venture on tuesday night to see if they like my stuff and will allow me to become part of their group. the commitment is a modest financial one and one day a week minding the store and in return i get 2 whole cabinets to myself! If I get in it will be a significant investment on my part as they specialise in silver and silver prices are currently going up faster than gold was several months ago! Gold is coming back down a little though, which is cool because I have a big project in mind using gold. that, however will have to wait for a while.
Anyway, I've vented and updated enough I think. wish me luck with the activism and job seeking and co-op joining! Next update I will include contact details for people that, should you feel so moved, may be written an angry letter in response to my training provider choosing not to provide training! Stay happy ya'll!
Sunday, April 13, 2008
i forgot this place existed...again
i honestly do just forget that i have a blog. I guess when you couldn't be arsed listing down all the boring crap that happens from day to day, having a blog just isn't that much of a priority.
anyway, my new job is ok. I mean it shits all over my old one, don't get me wrong, but I'm not entirely comfortable there. The fact that I'm only there on probation for three months and they're not giving me a lot of hours and they're still interviewing and trialling other people for the same job doesn't help me to really feel at home. That and the price tags on everything. I mean I know the stuff we have really is worth that price, but I don't think I'm entirely comfortable working in a place that only stocks the best in pearls, watches and diamonds and has the snooty attitude to match. Not that I'm having a go at the people who run or work the place, everyone's pretty cool and down to earth, its just the way we have to act because of the sort of clientele we're trying to appeal to. the jewellery itself is also painfully traditional and boring. diamonds, gold, pearls. SNORE! anyway, we'll see how it all pans out. If they're not going to keep me on though I'd like to know sooner rather than later so i can look for something else.
On the other side of the scales, the course is still awesome! My classmates and teachers all seem to be more interested in art jewellery, individual stuff that has some real feeling and narrative to it. Although a few of my pieces really haven't worked all that well, I still feel like I'm learning from the bits I've stuffed up and thats what matters most i guess. next week: cuttlefish casting! dusty.
anyway, my new job is ok. I mean it shits all over my old one, don't get me wrong, but I'm not entirely comfortable there. The fact that I'm only there on probation for three months and they're not giving me a lot of hours and they're still interviewing and trialling other people for the same job doesn't help me to really feel at home. That and the price tags on everything. I mean I know the stuff we have really is worth that price, but I don't think I'm entirely comfortable working in a place that only stocks the best in pearls, watches and diamonds and has the snooty attitude to match. Not that I'm having a go at the people who run or work the place, everyone's pretty cool and down to earth, its just the way we have to act because of the sort of clientele we're trying to appeal to. the jewellery itself is also painfully traditional and boring. diamonds, gold, pearls. SNORE! anyway, we'll see how it all pans out. If they're not going to keep me on though I'd like to know sooner rather than later so i can look for something else.
On the other side of the scales, the course is still awesome! My classmates and teachers all seem to be more interested in art jewellery, individual stuff that has some real feeling and narrative to it. Although a few of my pieces really haven't worked all that well, I still feel like I'm learning from the bits I've stuffed up and thats what matters most i guess. next week: cuttlefish casting! dusty.
Saturday, March 22, 2008
when life throws you lemons, throw them back and demand champagne!
so the people who know whats going on are the only people who read this blog anyway! But its important to reply to my last post. I just read it. holy raving mad emos batman!
It hasn't been that long since i posted that and since the replies and reassurances from those who read it helped me to do what I said at the end of it. Pick a direction and go for it.
So I sat down and organised a few things and sent out some letters. Then I got a phone call saying i got the job. And I sold something on Etsy. And I hung out with friends and family.
And now I only have one shift left at woollies and a few days off before I start at my new job as a salesperson in a Jewellery shop, which compliments the course I'm still loving. I'm nervous as. More so than i was at the interview! because now i have to prove it all. My enthusiasm, my reliability, my ability to learn, my integrity. I have to stand by all the things I said to get me where i am. Its a good kind of nervous. A self-challenging 'I'm about to learn something important about myself' kinda nervous.
So I'm feeling much better. There's movement, there's a future with a little more definition. And there's a much happier cherry in the middle of it being able to enjoy and be grateful for all the good things in my life! (that means you!)
It hasn't been that long since i posted that and since the replies and reassurances from those who read it helped me to do what I said at the end of it. Pick a direction and go for it.
So I sat down and organised a few things and sent out some letters. Then I got a phone call saying i got the job. And I sold something on Etsy. And I hung out with friends and family.
And now I only have one shift left at woollies and a few days off before I start at my new job as a salesperson in a Jewellery shop, which compliments the course I'm still loving. I'm nervous as. More so than i was at the interview! because now i have to prove it all. My enthusiasm, my reliability, my ability to learn, my integrity. I have to stand by all the things I said to get me where i am. Its a good kind of nervous. A self-challenging 'I'm about to learn something important about myself' kinda nervous.
So I'm feeling much better. There's movement, there's a future with a little more definition. And there's a much happier cherry in the middle of it being able to enjoy and be grateful for all the good things in my life! (that means you!)
Thursday, February 28, 2008
brain muscle strain
have you ever thought? I mean so much that it kinda hurts and you feel dizzy?
I've been like that through the last week or so. Its like there's so much going on in my brain that conversations i have, even important ones with people i care about, seem like they're coming at me through a funnel and I'm just catching a few words because my brain is being so loud. I think in circles and my mood goes around with them. I think about all sorts of things: work; study; inspiration; the future; coffee; jewellery; my own abilities; resumes; research; organising; money...etc.
Its all a bit random to put here. It doesn't go away and let me sleep. I feel motivated one moment, and gloomy the next. I think of all the things I should have done, been, said. I think of all the things I could do, be say, achieve. I think of how to do it all and how lost I am when it comes to doing it. I think I don't have the courage. I think I'm to angry not to do something. I think I'll fail, or that even if some things change, the important stuff wont. And just what is the important stuff? What are my priorities? Are they right, am I doing this right?!
I should count my blessings. freedom, family, friends, love, kinship, health, home, stability. I should be happy with these things. I am happy with these things. There are other things in the way though. things that drag me away from feeling good about what I've got and make me feel sad about where I am, where I spend my time and in what mental state. Its unhealthy. Its frustrating, and unfair.
Does everybody feel this way sometimes? maybe I'm mental, or have a disorder brought on by unfulfillment. don't most of us feel that way some time? like its not enough, like there should be something, somewhere, better for us to be. there has to be something better. If there's not I don't think I could stand it.
And now that last sentence looks like I'm suicidal. I'm not. I could never be. I guess I have some courage after all because I could never consider that an option. So that leaves me with change. Making a change. No one else will do it for me. I have to take that grain of courage and make a change. Pick a direction, make a break. Stop. Breath. Escape...
and try again.
I've been like that through the last week or so. Its like there's so much going on in my brain that conversations i have, even important ones with people i care about, seem like they're coming at me through a funnel and I'm just catching a few words because my brain is being so loud. I think in circles and my mood goes around with them. I think about all sorts of things: work; study; inspiration; the future; coffee; jewellery; my own abilities; resumes; research; organising; money...etc.
Its all a bit random to put here. It doesn't go away and let me sleep. I feel motivated one moment, and gloomy the next. I think of all the things I should have done, been, said. I think of all the things I could do, be say, achieve. I think of how to do it all and how lost I am when it comes to doing it. I think I don't have the courage. I think I'm to angry not to do something. I think I'll fail, or that even if some things change, the important stuff wont. And just what is the important stuff? What are my priorities? Are they right, am I doing this right?!
I should count my blessings. freedom, family, friends, love, kinship, health, home, stability. I should be happy with these things. I am happy with these things. There are other things in the way though. things that drag me away from feeling good about what I've got and make me feel sad about where I am, where I spend my time and in what mental state. Its unhealthy. Its frustrating, and unfair.
Does everybody feel this way sometimes? maybe I'm mental, or have a disorder brought on by unfulfillment. don't most of us feel that way some time? like its not enough, like there should be something, somewhere, better for us to be. there has to be something better. If there's not I don't think I could stand it.
And now that last sentence looks like I'm suicidal. I'm not. I could never be. I guess I have some courage after all because I could never consider that an option. So that leaves me with change. Making a change. No one else will do it for me. I have to take that grain of courage and make a change. Pick a direction, make a break. Stop. Breath. Escape...
and try again.
Saturday, February 09, 2008
the twelve days of crafty freedom
so today is the first day of twelve that i don't have to even think about work (oh yeah except for having to go in on thursday to work out my new roster cos the slack bastards needed me to kick them in the arse and say 'uh, management? yeah, its me. fix my friggin roster!!!'). Outside of that I am crafting, sleeping and probably eating way too much for the next week or so, then I start at my jewellery making course on monday! WEEEEE!
I've already fixed a necklace, made a pair of earrings and finished one of the last round of petals on my first really good beaded rose. 4 petals to go and then some leaves and i'll post it on deviantart. it may not seem like a big deal, but i had to get books from america to show me how to do it properly!
On the Faellyn front, I'm up to my 5th prototype of her head. just can't get the shape right. I'll work it out. eventually!
In the words of Bug: keep 'em dangly, dogface!
I've already fixed a necklace, made a pair of earrings and finished one of the last round of petals on my first really good beaded rose. 4 petals to go and then some leaves and i'll post it on deviantart. it may not seem like a big deal, but i had to get books from america to show me how to do it properly!
On the Faellyn front, I'm up to my 5th prototype of her head. just can't get the shape right. I'll work it out. eventually!
In the words of Bug: keep 'em dangly, dogface!
Wednesday, February 06, 2008
goings on and stuff
sorry again for my slack posting habits. thats what i get for having such a boring life!
well its about to take a bit of a change soon, because in 2 days i will be free from the slave-driving demon that is Wankworths, at least for a week and a half, while i take a week off and then start my jewellery making course on the 18th. its gonna rock so hard! I can't wait. for the week off or the course, that is, both are exciting in their own way.
I'll be spending the week off, between tidying up this place, getting stuck into a range of crafty endeavours as i try to beging building up some variety to my etsy inventory, as well as have a few things prepared for my dear Raedella's very exciting new venture into retail-land. Stay tuned to her blog for more developments of that here. I'll also be working on my entry for this years Swarovski Crystal design competition. I think i mentioned it in a previous blog, but let me recap/ update. I'm making a cloth doll, her name is Faellyn the Mystic, and she's a fairy! Her wings will be wire and crystal, her tiara will be crystal flowers and drops, there'll be crystals in her hair, flatbacks on her dress, a crystal wand, and embroidered butterfly with flatbacks on her hand, flatbacks and embroidery on her shoes and she'll be adorned with wire and gold-thread jewellery also totally festooned with crystals! At the moment I'm still making prototypes of her head and body to get the look and proportions right, but hopefully soon i'll figure it out and can get stuck into all the really fun stuff! Stay tuned here or on my deviantart for work ion progress pics!
take care!
well its about to take a bit of a change soon, because in 2 days i will be free from the slave-driving demon that is Wankworths, at least for a week and a half, while i take a week off and then start my jewellery making course on the 18th. its gonna rock so hard! I can't wait. for the week off or the course, that is, both are exciting in their own way.
I'll be spending the week off, between tidying up this place, getting stuck into a range of crafty endeavours as i try to beging building up some variety to my etsy inventory, as well as have a few things prepared for my dear Raedella's very exciting new venture into retail-land. Stay tuned to her blog for more developments of that here. I'll also be working on my entry for this years Swarovski Crystal design competition. I think i mentioned it in a previous blog, but let me recap/ update. I'm making a cloth doll, her name is Faellyn the Mystic, and she's a fairy! Her wings will be wire and crystal, her tiara will be crystal flowers and drops, there'll be crystals in her hair, flatbacks on her dress, a crystal wand, and embroidered butterfly with flatbacks on her hand, flatbacks and embroidery on her shoes and she'll be adorned with wire and gold-thread jewellery also totally festooned with crystals! At the moment I'm still making prototypes of her head and body to get the look and proportions right, but hopefully soon i'll figure it out and can get stuck into all the really fun stuff! Stay tuned here or on my deviantart for work ion progress pics!
take care!
Friday, January 25, 2008
it hasn't even started yet!
I just heard the big news about blunty3000. if you don't know, i ain't gonna tell ya!
So I've been a bit busy making jewellery for a friend's wedding lately. I've already posted the pic above on deviantart, as well as more detailed pics of the crown itself.
And before I was even finished making all this (and before they've even announced it!) I've started my plans for this years Swarovski Crystal Park design competition. You remember last year: the corset, the coronet, the full set of india jewellery and about half a dozen other cute little things that blew my budget out of the water. Oh yeah, and me bugging you to vote for my stuff in the people's choice section of the competition. Well, this year is gonna be different. cos I'm only submitting one piece. And its so left field they won't make me the winner. I'll be lucky to be a finalist. But dammit this is a good idea and I REALLY wanna make it! What is it you ask? probably not. why should you care?
You'll find out in the next couple of months as it gets put together anyway, and once again i start begging for votes!
Saturday, January 19, 2008
expanding my profile!
ok, so i'm trying to raise my profile a little because i make some noice stuff and put it on etsy.com and a lotta people look, but nobody buys, so i've signed up to facebook. I tried myspace, but it was doing something weird when i tried to sign up, so i'm not happy with it. Anyway, this blog will be streamed through to my new facebook.com profile which is here!
Thursday, January 17, 2008
flowergirl incubation
that's right! my stormy is spawning a girl! yay! i claim flowergirl dibs! unless raedella needs her first of course, godmothers rights and all. oh yeah and the fact that she's more likely to become a missus loooong before i am!
So congrats to storm and dukayn, and let me know if you need help with anything for the spare room this weekend, although i'll warn you i've never painted a wall all one colour before! *wonders if a mural in the baby's room is an acceptable babyshower gift*
In other me news (cos my friend having a kid is all about me of course), i've just enrolled for the jewellery making course and am just finishing organising my new work roster and a weeks holidays before the start of term on 18th feb (3 days before my birthday which is, unfortunately, going to be the first day back in the meatroom on my new roster!). My ghenkis has expressed his concerns over the fact that i will be at tafe 3 days a week and at work 4 days a week, not allowing me any time off. I'm not sure if his concerns are so much over my stress levels or the fact that i'm going to take them out on him! To tell the truth i'm not really worried about it too much. I mean when the school holidays come along i'll have 3 days a week off and even when i am in class, i'm doing something i really want to do, i get to learn new things and be creative all day, for 3 days out of a week. after the last 6 months or more of working where i am, getting up at 6am to go to work for 8 hours then going home again, even the fact that i don't have to start at tafe until 9am is going to be a novelty (for the first couple of weeks anyway!) Anyway, we'll see how it goes. there are other people at the supermarket who came forward to take my job when they heard i might be going back to uni full-time and leave the place altogether, so i'm not so worried about cutting back my work hours if i need to. I'm just not ready to let go of a full-time income just yet!
There's also the fact that the money i make can be saved up if i don't have the time to go anywhere (although having to drive across town and back every single day is going to increase my petrol costs). I'm planning to have quite a bit saved by the end of the year, my tax return included, to start working on an internet-based business. this is something that has been on my mind for years, and has fluctuated in size from a market stall to a mansion! I think managing a website while i'm studying either the second year of a jewellery-making diploma, or even doing a jewellers apprenticeship next year, will be enough of a challenge!
take care groovers!
So congrats to storm and dukayn, and let me know if you need help with anything for the spare room this weekend, although i'll warn you i've never painted a wall all one colour before! *wonders if a mural in the baby's room is an acceptable babyshower gift*
In other me news (cos my friend having a kid is all about me of course), i've just enrolled for the jewellery making course and am just finishing organising my new work roster and a weeks holidays before the start of term on 18th feb (3 days before my birthday which is, unfortunately, going to be the first day back in the meatroom on my new roster!). My ghenkis has expressed his concerns over the fact that i will be at tafe 3 days a week and at work 4 days a week, not allowing me any time off. I'm not sure if his concerns are so much over my stress levels or the fact that i'm going to take them out on him! To tell the truth i'm not really worried about it too much. I mean when the school holidays come along i'll have 3 days a week off and even when i am in class, i'm doing something i really want to do, i get to learn new things and be creative all day, for 3 days out of a week. after the last 6 months or more of working where i am, getting up at 6am to go to work for 8 hours then going home again, even the fact that i don't have to start at tafe until 9am is going to be a novelty (for the first couple of weeks anyway!) Anyway, we'll see how it goes. there are other people at the supermarket who came forward to take my job when they heard i might be going back to uni full-time and leave the place altogether, so i'm not so worried about cutting back my work hours if i need to. I'm just not ready to let go of a full-time income just yet!
There's also the fact that the money i make can be saved up if i don't have the time to go anywhere (although having to drive across town and back every single day is going to increase my petrol costs). I'm planning to have quite a bit saved by the end of the year, my tax return included, to start working on an internet-based business. this is something that has been on my mind for years, and has fluctuated in size from a market stall to a mansion! I think managing a website while i'm studying either the second year of a jewellery-making diploma, or even doing a jewellers apprenticeship next year, will be enough of a challenge!
take care groovers!
Friday, January 11, 2008
whats in a name?
Your fairy is called Moth Cornglimmer
She is a creator of bounty and harvest.
She lives close to crystal caverns and stalagtite grottos.
She is only seen when the sun sets on the day of a completed harvest.
She collects crystals to wear on her dresses. She has butterfly wings the colour of yellow corn.
My vampire name:
The Great Archives determine you to have gone by the identity:
Magdalene Darling
Known in some parts of the world as:
Bast of The Horned One (double-ew tee eff is a Bast?!)
The Great Archives Record:
Sworn to one more ancient than the devil.
So ok, i'm a little bored. its hard to play guild wars and eat pizza at the same time!
um, so, yeah. I think new years and christmas and stuff have happened since i last blogged. it was all good. had to work through most of it, but yay for overtime pay on public holidays. Blunty3000 (close personal friend, people! I should be famous by association!) came to town and we got drunk with another one of our dear friends Murray the Music Man (read: will busk for beer) who should be a daddy in the coming weeks, if he's not already. I do tend to be out of the loop on these things. Anyway, was a good night, and awesome to see my Blunty again for the first time in ages!
And now i am full of pizza and it is time to pwn some Am Fa and Jade Brotherhood noobs. or something.
Friday, December 14, 2007
Thursday, December 06, 2007
*does the dance of wootness*
i'm in i'm in i'm in! as of next february i'll be learning jewellery making at tafe! 3 days a week of bliss and creativity without having to go to work! YAY!
despite that i'm feeling a bit, i dunno, bummed i s'pose. I guess its just the boring monotony that is my work and life in general a lot of the time, but the christmas spirit appears to have passed me by this year. I've barely started presents, i put up my tree by myself and in record time just to say i've done it, and i haven't even bothered plugging in the fairy lights outside. It just doesn't feel like christmas to me. *sigh*
to finish on a little bit of a high note, though, this saturday is my works christmas do. not that spending even more time with those degenerates is cause for celebration. Its just that i'm going in full goth so as to show them quite definitely that I AM NOT ONE OF THEM!
P.S. call me lillypilly! we HAVE to get together before christmas!! um, but after i find something for you!
despite that i'm feeling a bit, i dunno, bummed i s'pose. I guess its just the boring monotony that is my work and life in general a lot of the time, but the christmas spirit appears to have passed me by this year. I've barely started presents, i put up my tree by myself and in record time just to say i've done it, and i haven't even bothered plugging in the fairy lights outside. It just doesn't feel like christmas to me. *sigh*
to finish on a little bit of a high note, though, this saturday is my works christmas do. not that spending even more time with those degenerates is cause for celebration. Its just that i'm going in full goth so as to show them quite definitely that I AM NOT ONE OF THEM!
P.S. call me lillypilly! we HAVE to get together before christmas!! um, but after i find something for you!
Friday, November 16, 2007
retro lurv
so I've been on a complete Star Trek: Voyager trip for the past couple of weeks. I forgot how much i loved this show when it was on tv years ago. I can't actually believe its been that long since it was on! The biggest surprise to me is probably the fact that it took about 5 seconds to fall back in love with Robert Beltran's character Chakotay. Could that man have had any woman on that ship or what?!
Something I didn't know about the actor himself, besides the fact that his actual age is not reflected in the way he looks, is that he has a younger sibling with Downs' Syndrome, just like me! Woot for obscure celebrity connections!
Anyway, besides my resurrected fantasies of me and a certain 'Native American' (Robert himself is actually of Mexican descent) gettin' all sweaty in a corn field somewhere, I've also been madly preparing for my interview for the Tafe jewellery making course for next year. I'll upload some of my portfolio pages to deviantart after i post this. the interview itself was on Tuesday, and I think it went well. that is until i asked the interviewer if he knew certain people i know who share his last name, and he replied that one of them was his ex-wife! Social suicide or what?! anyway, the conversation was saved when i looked extremely embarrassed and he said the other person I'd mentioned was his daughter. Said daughter helped my aforementioned younger sibling at college and taught him to swim when he little. I imparted this little gem of information and left ASAP!
thanks to miss LillyPilly who was there to give me a hug before I went in! hopefully I'll be studying the course next year and the interviewer, who is also one of the lecturers, will forgive me my little faux pas and we can move on to me learning all sorts of awesome things! One of those awesome things includes actually making my own wire from which to make jumprings with which to make chainmaille!! WOOT!!
And just to bring this whole post together:
My discovery that Senor Beltran adores Shakespeare has inspired the chainmailler in me, and my head is full of awesome Macbeth chainmaille coats and King Lear crowns, and Juliet coronets and all kinds of wonderful things that I'll never have the money or time to make! Yay frustrated artistic intentions!!!
Saturday, October 27, 2007
money + internet=BEADS!!!!
So I just spent about $100 on beads. And jumprings. And crystals. And pearls. and clasps. Trust me, it was all wholesale and hence awesomely priced. It wasn't random either, I knew exactly what I wanted. I just bought enough stuff to make about 5 major pieces or sets of jewellery, most of them based on lead female characters from classic operas and musicals. I've designed jewellery for Tosca, (Madame) Butterfly, Cosette (Les Miserables), Turandot and Christinem (Phantom of the Opera).
For anyone who cares, I'll put a heap of links to Australian bead sites (most of them are wholesalers too!).
Oh yeah, and I don't think I'm gonna go to uni next year. I've been thinking about it since I got a letter from Tafe the other day asking me to contact them for an interview. ok, backstory needed *wavy flashback lines* now we're back in about March this year, ages before I was full-time at work and before i was thinking about going back to uni. I called Tafe about a Jewellery course, but they'd already started for the year. They took my details and said they'd contact me about next years course in October. Fast forward to this week *whiplash* and I receive the letter from Tafe saying that I need to put together a portfolio of work and contact someone about an interview for the course in November.
And that got me thinking about what I really want to do. I want to start an arts-based business of my own, I want to learn new techniques and try to get really good at the things I can already do. I don't want to add another 12-15 thousand bucks onto the 12-15 thousand bucks I already owe on my student debts from the first useless degree. I don't really want to study something I'm not entirely interested in, struggling to pay attention and failing to get the best grades and hence not getting the best oppurtunities afterward. And I don't want to be just another geek on a help desk putting up with dickheads.
So I'm going to try my best for the tafe course. And if I get into the computer degree, I may just say 'nevermind.'
For anyone who cares, I'll put a heap of links to Australian bead sites (most of them are wholesalers too!).
Oh yeah, and I don't think I'm gonna go to uni next year. I've been thinking about it since I got a letter from Tafe the other day asking me to contact them for an interview. ok, backstory needed *wavy flashback lines* now we're back in about March this year, ages before I was full-time at work and before i was thinking about going back to uni. I called Tafe about a Jewellery course, but they'd already started for the year. They took my details and said they'd contact me about next years course in October. Fast forward to this week *whiplash* and I receive the letter from Tafe saying that I need to put together a portfolio of work and contact someone about an interview for the course in November.
And that got me thinking about what I really want to do. I want to start an arts-based business of my own, I want to learn new techniques and try to get really good at the things I can already do. I don't want to add another 12-15 thousand bucks onto the 12-15 thousand bucks I already owe on my student debts from the first useless degree. I don't really want to study something I'm not entirely interested in, struggling to pay attention and failing to get the best grades and hence not getting the best oppurtunities afterward. And I don't want to be just another geek on a help desk putting up with dickheads.
So I'm going to try my best for the tafe course. And if I get into the computer degree, I may just say 'nevermind.'
Thursday, October 25, 2007
youtube can be educational? who knew?!
So today was a public holiday in hobart today so people could go to the show. Except that supermarkets are open so i had to work. which is ok cos i get paid overtime to do so, but a pain cos I wanted to get out early to go to the show with my brothers, so I had to work twice as fast as usual and it was stressing me out!
Anyway, i got to leave work almost an hour early and met with my bro's at the show. We petted animals, watched woodcutters, tried not to catch the eye of the carnies, rode a couple of rides and bought a few showbags. Sweet. Tomorrow night is the friday night fireworks at the show and i might go back with my sexy ghenkis cos he got all emo cos i didn't wait for tomorrow to go with him. Poor bunny.
So anyway. youtube. cesspit of human degradation. i usually steer clear of it, even to the detriment of my knowledge of the goings on of blunty. however, recently I have discovered that hidden amongst the dense foliage of mad rednecks carving jack o'lanterns and badly dubbed episodes of naruto, there are actually a few people who embrace the point of the internet(insofar as there is one): The free exchange of information. There's actually educational videos on there for making chainmail, knitting, crocheting, painting and drawing. some of them are commercial and some are just normal people making quick vids to show off their hobby and their own style, but there's some really good stuff on there!
And no, Raedella, condom ads and bad 90's video clips don't count as the good stuff!
Anyway, i got to leave work almost an hour early and met with my bro's at the show. We petted animals, watched woodcutters, tried not to catch the eye of the carnies, rode a couple of rides and bought a few showbags. Sweet. Tomorrow night is the friday night fireworks at the show and i might go back with my sexy ghenkis cos he got all emo cos i didn't wait for tomorrow to go with him. Poor bunny.
So anyway. youtube. cesspit of human degradation. i usually steer clear of it, even to the detriment of my knowledge of the goings on of blunty. however, recently I have discovered that hidden amongst the dense foliage of mad rednecks carving jack o'lanterns and badly dubbed episodes of naruto, there are actually a few people who embrace the point of the internet(insofar as there is one): The free exchange of information. There's actually educational videos on there for making chainmail, knitting, crocheting, painting and drawing. some of them are commercial and some are just normal people making quick vids to show off their hobby and their own style, but there's some really good stuff on there!
And no, Raedella, condom ads and bad 90's video clips don't count as the good stuff!
Monday, October 22, 2007
beer swilling pigs. literally
so my lovelery ghenkis and I just spent the weekend up at Scamander. the weather was great and the hotel was nice, and it was a pleasant weekend. the end.
Now, back to my crafty stall business idea, erm, thingy. I love sales at Spotlight. I now have a pretty good collection of Jo Sonja paints, and I'm gonna get painting roses as soon as I'm done with this post. I've also got some great beads to make flowers from and pretty crochet thread to start making something lacy out of!
Oh yeah, and back to my shitty job tomorrow. *sigh*
catchya's!
Now, back to my crafty stall business idea, erm, thingy. I love sales at Spotlight. I now have a pretty good collection of Jo Sonja paints, and I'm gonna get painting roses as soon as I'm done with this post. I've also got some great beads to make flowers from and pretty crochet thread to start making something lacy out of!
Oh yeah, and back to my shitty job tomorrow. *sigh*
catchya's!
Tuesday, October 16, 2007
storm asked for it!
so i'm bloggin' cos i was told to. by someone who i talk to either online or in person almost everyday. weird.
well i suppose i should go through whats going on. I'm still working my crappy meat mole job, except now i'm back to being a checkout chick some of the time too. Joy. I can't wait to get outta there.
On that subject, i've applied to do a bachelor of computing next year at uni. I find out if i made it in November. In the meantime I'm expecting to be contacted by Tafe about a jewellery making course i expressed interest in back in March or something! I can't do it if i get into uni cos its a full-time course which sucks cos I'd really like to get into something like that. It'd help with inventory!
Yesterday on my radio station of choice, Triple J, they were talking about starting a small business. It reminded me of all the times i've thought of doing the same thing. I'd only start with a stall at the markets or something, but I'd sell stuff that I'd make myself as well as related stuff i could get wholesale from ebay or something. i could also go try again at selling stuff on etsy.
Things I'd look at selling (and hence will madly try to make while i still have a full-time income!) include:
Beaded flowers: (which I'm utterly mad about at the moment!) made into wreaths, bouqets, hair clips, and commissions taken for weddings and costumes.
Plush dolls: very simple ones probably from calico, that could be given to a young child
Chainmail jewellery: simple and classy or extravagant with beads, crystals, pearls or whatever! headdresses, chokers, necklaces, earrings, rings, anklets etc etc
other Jewellery: tartan chokers with chains and stuff for a punk look, beaded hand charms, beaded jewellery sets, crocheted chokers with ribbon, beaded cabochons etc, etc.
Rose painting: on ANYTHING!! brown paper bags, noodle boxes, cards, coasters, placemats, books, boxes, fabric, jeans, t shirts, bottles, with parchment craft, etc etc
papercrafts: stickers, little books, tea bag folding, scrapbooking embellishments, cards, etc all handmade. paper roses made with punch craft.
Embroidery: the roses i used on my corset on everything! shirts, jewellery, clutch purses and drawstring purses, ring pillows, cushion covers
Plaster masks: decorated, able to be used or just hung up on a wall, with ribbon or a stick.
And to pad all that stuff out, jewellery and craft supplies i can find for wholesale on etsy or ebay!
I'll still have to learn a few things, like how to sew properly to make the clothes for the plush dolls, parchment craft and maybe go and do lapidary to make cabochons for my work and to sell individually. But other than that i think i can really do this!
It may in fact save my sanity!
I think what really made me think about this was not only the thing on the radio that brought it to mind, but the fact that at the same time i was staring at a guild wars loading screen. For 5 minutes. And I thought: why am i doing this? why just sit here. there's craft books on the chair next to me. there's beading and chainmail stuff on the table right in front of me. I don't even have to get up!
So I got started. I've finalised my plush doll pattern, started on a miniature rose bouqet and made a pair of chainmail earrings in the same time it would take me to laaaaaaag my way across Lion's Arch!
Why the hell did i spend beading cash on Factions?!
back to the flowers!
well i suppose i should go through whats going on. I'm still working my crappy meat mole job, except now i'm back to being a checkout chick some of the time too. Joy. I can't wait to get outta there.
On that subject, i've applied to do a bachelor of computing next year at uni. I find out if i made it in November. In the meantime I'm expecting to be contacted by Tafe about a jewellery making course i expressed interest in back in March or something! I can't do it if i get into uni cos its a full-time course which sucks cos I'd really like to get into something like that. It'd help with inventory!
Yesterday on my radio station of choice, Triple J, they were talking about starting a small business. It reminded me of all the times i've thought of doing the same thing. I'd only start with a stall at the markets or something, but I'd sell stuff that I'd make myself as well as related stuff i could get wholesale from ebay or something. i could also go try again at selling stuff on etsy.
Things I'd look at selling (and hence will madly try to make while i still have a full-time income!) include:
Beaded flowers: (which I'm utterly mad about at the moment!) made into wreaths, bouqets, hair clips, and commissions taken for weddings and costumes.
Plush dolls: very simple ones probably from calico, that could be given to a young child
Chainmail jewellery: simple and classy or extravagant with beads, crystals, pearls or whatever! headdresses, chokers, necklaces, earrings, rings, anklets etc etc
other Jewellery: tartan chokers with chains and stuff for a punk look, beaded hand charms, beaded jewellery sets, crocheted chokers with ribbon, beaded cabochons etc, etc.
Rose painting: on ANYTHING!! brown paper bags, noodle boxes, cards, coasters, placemats, books, boxes, fabric, jeans, t shirts, bottles, with parchment craft, etc etc
papercrafts: stickers, little books, tea bag folding, scrapbooking embellishments, cards, etc all handmade. paper roses made with punch craft.
Embroidery: the roses i used on my corset on everything! shirts, jewellery, clutch purses and drawstring purses, ring pillows, cushion covers
Plaster masks: decorated, able to be used or just hung up on a wall, with ribbon or a stick.
And to pad all that stuff out, jewellery and craft supplies i can find for wholesale on etsy or ebay!
I'll still have to learn a few things, like how to sew properly to make the clothes for the plush dolls, parchment craft and maybe go and do lapidary to make cabochons for my work and to sell individually. But other than that i think i can really do this!
It may in fact save my sanity!
I think what really made me think about this was not only the thing on the radio that brought it to mind, but the fact that at the same time i was staring at a guild wars loading screen. For 5 minutes. And I thought: why am i doing this? why just sit here. there's craft books on the chair next to me. there's beading and chainmail stuff on the table right in front of me. I don't even have to get up!
So I got started. I've finalised my plush doll pattern, started on a miniature rose bouqet and made a pair of chainmail earrings in the same time it would take me to laaaaaaag my way across Lion's Arch!
Why the hell did i spend beading cash on Factions?!
back to the flowers!
Sunday, August 19, 2007
It's real and I'm so grateful
All my little plans and schemes
Lost like some forgotten dream
Seems like all I really was doing
Was waiting for you
Just like little girls and boys
Playing with their little toys
Seems like all they really were doing
Was waiting for you
Don't need to be alone
No need to be alone
It's real love
It's real, yes it's real love
It's real
From this moment on I know
Exactly where my life will go
Seems that all I really was doing
Was waiting for love
Don't need to be afraid
No need to be afraid
It's real love
It's real, yes it's real love
It's real
Thought I'd been in love before,
But in my heart I wanted more
Seems like all I really was doing
Was waiting for you
Don't need to be alone
No need to be alone
It's real love
Yes it's real, yes it's real love
It's real, yes it's real love...
Lost like some forgotten dream
Seems like all I really was doing
Was waiting for you
Just like little girls and boys
Playing with their little toys
Seems like all they really were doing
Was waiting for you
Don't need to be alone
No need to be alone
It's real love
It's real, yes it's real love
It's real
From this moment on I know
Exactly where my life will go
Seems that all I really was doing
Was waiting for love
Don't need to be afraid
No need to be afraid
It's real love
It's real, yes it's real love
It's real
Thought I'd been in love before,
But in my heart I wanted more
Seems like all I really was doing
Was waiting for you
Don't need to be alone
No need to be alone
It's real love
Yes it's real, yes it's real love
It's real, yes it's real love...
Monday, July 23, 2007
Harry & Alice r t3h l33t roxorzzzzzzzzz
So the weekend was on the rather large size. starting friday evening when i had too much to drink and no sleep and culminating in a lot of sleep from about 5pm sunday evening until 6am this morning when i had to go back to work. I still can't speak for coughing, probably because of all the screaming.
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows was released saturday morning here at 9.01am. well it might have been 9.01, but since no one in the shop i got mine from had a watch with the correct time on it then it was probably 5 past by the time they actually got around to dishing them out. I had met mum at 7 for breakfast so we could go and line up at our respective bookstores at about 8ish, which meant i'd gotten up at 6am after ghenkis finally made me go to bed at about 3.15am and i didn't sleep anyway. I started reading as soon as i could elbow my way out of the store, swerving to miss people who were actually paying attention to the 'real' world, as i walked back to my car. I kept sneaking in a sentence or two as i drove home, at red lights, then packed a spare dress and my makeup into a bag and sat down to read while ghenkis got ready to go on our roadtrip up to launy for the Alice Cooper concert. I was mortified to discover 15 minutes after we started driving that, due probably to sleep-dep, I COULDN'T KEEP READING IN THE CAR OR I WAS GONNA BE SICK!!! soooo unfair! So on the way up, i used the rest stops my brother had to take for his backache to keep reading. We got to launy, where we stayed in the country club villa's and mum and i both sat down on the couch and continued reading unil it was time to do that mundane eating thing. then we returned to Harry. then we went to see Alice Cooper and actually had a decent reason to put the book down!
He came, he saw, he staked a doll which bled all over the place, he flashed knives, twirled walking sticks, hung himself at the gallows and basically rocked the place as launy has not been rocked possibly since the last time he toured! We were very near the front and my awesome brother danced with me the whole way through. There was an actual mosh up the front and it was generally one of the most awesome thingS i've ever witnessed. DEVIL HORNS!!!!!!!!!!!
Then it was back to the villa, back to the bathtub and back to Harry!
I went to bed at 2am when ghenkis and my brother got back from the casino where some very very drunk guy who had won waaaay too much money for his inebriated brain to handle, bought them drinks and threw hundred dollar bills at them.
We were up and away at 10 the next morning and I was happy to find out that I could now read in the car without feeling sick! WOOT!! so it was harry all the way back to hobart. I finished about 2pm sunday afternoon and mum and I looked at each other and said 'so out of the 10 or so people she just killed off, who did j.k. rowling mean when she said she was going to kill off 2?!'
Anyway, the book is awesome, spectacularly so at the end, and frankly I cannot wait to see it's big-screen adaption. there will be some seriously testing scenes in there for Dan, Emma and Rupert and with the density of the final plot twists and climax it will be a hell of a ride! one final point: GO NEVILLE YOU HERO!!!!!!!!!
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows was released saturday morning here at 9.01am. well it might have been 9.01, but since no one in the shop i got mine from had a watch with the correct time on it then it was probably 5 past by the time they actually got around to dishing them out. I had met mum at 7 for breakfast so we could go and line up at our respective bookstores at about 8ish, which meant i'd gotten up at 6am after ghenkis finally made me go to bed at about 3.15am and i didn't sleep anyway. I started reading as soon as i could elbow my way out of the store, swerving to miss people who were actually paying attention to the 'real' world, as i walked back to my car. I kept sneaking in a sentence or two as i drove home, at red lights, then packed a spare dress and my makeup into a bag and sat down to read while ghenkis got ready to go on our roadtrip up to launy for the Alice Cooper concert. I was mortified to discover 15 minutes after we started driving that, due probably to sleep-dep, I COULDN'T KEEP READING IN THE CAR OR I WAS GONNA BE SICK!!! soooo unfair! So on the way up, i used the rest stops my brother had to take for his backache to keep reading. We got to launy, where we stayed in the country club villa's and mum and i both sat down on the couch and continued reading unil it was time to do that mundane eating thing. then we returned to Harry. then we went to see Alice Cooper and actually had a decent reason to put the book down!
He came, he saw, he staked a doll which bled all over the place, he flashed knives, twirled walking sticks, hung himself at the gallows and basically rocked the place as launy has not been rocked possibly since the last time he toured! We were very near the front and my awesome brother danced with me the whole way through. There was an actual mosh up the front and it was generally one of the most awesome thingS i've ever witnessed. DEVIL HORNS!!!!!!!!!!!
Then it was back to the villa, back to the bathtub and back to Harry!
I went to bed at 2am when ghenkis and my brother got back from the casino where some very very drunk guy who had won waaaay too much money for his inebriated brain to handle, bought them drinks and threw hundred dollar bills at them.
We were up and away at 10 the next morning and I was happy to find out that I could now read in the car without feeling sick! WOOT!! so it was harry all the way back to hobart. I finished about 2pm sunday afternoon and mum and I looked at each other and said 'so out of the 10 or so people she just killed off, who did j.k. rowling mean when she said she was going to kill off 2?!'
Anyway, the book is awesome, spectacularly so at the end, and frankly I cannot wait to see it's big-screen adaption. there will be some seriously testing scenes in there for Dan, Emma and Rupert and with the density of the final plot twists and climax it will be a hell of a ride! one final point: GO NEVILLE YOU HERO!!!!!!!!!
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