Five things Friday number 10

I will share every Friday five things.  I will place them in no order of importance, just five things.   I will try not to over-explain.  In fact, I will attempt to explain nothing at all…..

Five things I regret doing

1.   Taking up smoking (yes…......whatever)

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2.  Getting married young (I don’t regret marrying my husband, I would marry him again.  I just regret doing it when I was still so young)

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3.  Giving up on myself

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4.  Allowing others to put me down for such a large portion of my life

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5.  Quitting ballet

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Do you have any regrets?  Anything you wish you never did?

On stuff made

So I've taken two days leave off work and with Wednesday being a public holiday and counting the weekend, that means a full 5 days at home.
What bliss!
Yes, I've been working hard and yes, I did all the household stuff I should, but also I've been making some stuff.

It's a terrible photo, but you get the idea?

It's a quilted, appliquéd bag. 

And this is another one.

And this one.  This one is nice and squishy and comfortable - like an old overstuffed comfy chair.

Yes, the photos are blurry.....

I actually made a fourth one too, but forgot to take a picture of it.

They're all four made from the same jelly roll (Moda Fabrics) - which was immensly expensive!  Each one is different though.

They're not quite finished yet, still have to neaten all the loose thread ends and close the lining.

I will take better photos outside when they're quite finished.

Also I'll have to find a place outside to take the photos, as my front garden has been dug up so that we can make a parking space for the teenager's car.  Unbelievable as that sounds to me, my teenager will have her own car as soon as we get an appointment for her to do her licence - which she will just have to pass.

And that's what I made...

Five things Friday number 9

I will share every Friday five things.  I will place them in no order of importance, just five things.   I will try not to over-explain.  In fact, I will attempt to explain nothing at all…..

Five things I regret not doing

1.  Finishing my degree (life would have been much easier)

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2.  Starting a part-time business earlier

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3.  Getting my driver’s licence earlier in life

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4.  Not going to work on a cruise-liner when I had the opportunity (my mom said no) 

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5.  Not seeing Queen live when they came to Sun City (I had a ballet exam the next day)

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Is there anything in your life you regret not doing?  What are they?

On true feelings

I read this post on Papernstitchblog a while ago (yes, it’s a year old – I’m behind the times, OK?).  And it got me thinking about stuff.  About jealousy and feelings one feel guilty about having…especially as a Christian, feeling jealous of someone is just not on.

But…..my question to you today is: when do you know what you’re feeling is what you’re feeling?

Let me set you an example:

A {person I know} announced a while ago on her blog that her items are now available for sale at {a shop}.  

{pictures removed}


Firstly I was very thrilled and glad for her sake, but underneath there was a sharp pang.  

At first I thought I was being slightly jealous and rather mean (oh, the guilt).  

But as I lay in my bed that night trying to find sleep behind my eyelids, I came to the realisation that what I felt was indeed NOT jealousy – that horrid thing that’s even called a monster; no, it was regret.

Regret that I came to so late in my life to realise what I’m capable of.  Regret that I have a deep fear of just going ahead and resigning my job.  Regret that I cannot get into my car and drive around to find shops to carry my stuff.  Regret that I cannot afford to get someone to help me in the house - which would allow me more time for creating.  Regret that I’ve allowed for so long that other people’s idea of ME be enforced on me.

So, when do you know what you think you’re feeling is indeed what you’re feeling?



{Editing note:  I have been asked to remove all references to this person and her business.  Although I don't understand why, I respect her feelings.}

Five things Friday number 8

I will share every Friday five things.  I will place them in no order of importance, just five things.   I will try not to over-explain.  In fact, I will attempt to explain nothing at all…..

Five things I would like to experience

 1.  Riding in the cable car to the top of Table Mountain.

 

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2.  Driving really fast on a race track 

 

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3.  The freedom of running my own business full time (and the hard work that goes with it)

 

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4.  A tree-top (canopy) tour on a zip line

 

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5.  A hot-air balloon ride

 

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What are the five things you still want to experience?

Five things Friday number 7

I will share every Friday five things.  I will place them in no order of importance, just five things.   I will try not to over-explain.  In fact, I will attempt to explain nothing at all…..

Five places I want to see (South Africa):

1.      Cape Town and Table Mountain

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2.      Owl House in Nieu Bethesda

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3.      Ushaka Marine World

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4.      The Paarl Taal Monument (Monument to the Afrikaans language)

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5.      Paarl Rock

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Are there five things in your own country that you haven’t seen and would like to see?

On strange aunts who crochet

I'd like to tell you about some fabulous young people who I've been honoured to have come to know through Twitter.  (I love Twitter)
I don't flatter myself to think that I'm regarded as much more than that queer aunt every family has.  You know...the one who sits in the corner mumbling to herself while doing something like crocheting toilet-roll covers.  But I do admire them so much and although I'm a bit older than them I find them so inspirational.  I also envy them.  The opportunities they have...the talent they have...

First I came across Graham Wiles.  A surfer-type guy who makes the most extraordinary paper toys under the name Urb-Ski.  He has a B-Tech Honours degree, he's sweet, funny and - I suspect, a big softy.



This guy has just taken part in the Design Indaba as an Emerging Creative.  Read and see all about his experience here.  While you're there, check out his radically cute, funny, original, FABULOUS paper toys. (I love the word fabulous).  Also see him on Behance here.

Secondly you have to take a look at Graham's girl, Lavanya Naidoo here.  This little girl (I've never met her, but I'm sure she's just a tiny little thing - you know what they say about small packages) is hands down THE best quiller (paper filigree) I've ever seen.



See her Behance portfolio here.

Now, understand me on this, I did quilling a long time ago, before anybody in South Africa ever heard of it.  I read about it in a book I found in the library my mother worked in.  So I know a little bit about quilling.  When I say this girl is amazing, you can take my word for it.  Not only does she have perfect technique, but her designs are breathtaking.
Also, she's funny, intelligent and very pretty too.  Which is actually very irritating if you think about it.  All that, and nice too? *sigh* Some girls have all the luck (I am joking, BTW)

Thirdly I ran across this guy: Lucas Adams (Sorry Lucas R. Adams)  also known as Kraftisan.
He's also been to the Design Indaba along with Graham, as an Emerging Creative.  While there, Lucas launched this:


It's a light that comes in a flat pack (edit: I use the term "flat-pack" incorrectly here - the cute light is fully assembled, sorry, Lucas)...go look at the slideshow on the website.  And while you're there, place an order for one of his Puzzle Pinups too!
Lucas is currently busy with his B-Tech (edit: no, he's not.  He is, however third year student in 3D Design - sorry again, Lucas!), and you can see him on Behance as well here.


What do these young people have in common?  Well, except for sharing the same strange aunt, these three are people to keep your eye on.  They are the future of design and art.

They are the future.

All pictures in this post comes from the artists' websites and blogs.

Like a strange aunt, I copied it without permission.

I'm pretty sure they'll forgive me, as I am the strange aunt.

Five things Friday number 6

 I will share every Friday five things.  I will place them in no order of importance, just five things.   I will try not to over-explain.  In fact, I will attempt to explain nothing at all…..

Five places I want to see (Internationally):

1.  Scotland

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2.  Machu Picchu

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3.  Faroe Islands

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4.  New England in the fall

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5.  Paris (duh!)

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What five places would you like to see, or perhaps see again?

Blog makeover

This is actually part 2 of my news

Just look at the little make-over I've had.  Doesn't it look so pretty?

All thanks to the very sweet Nadia van der Mescht over at Cupcake Couture.

She has gone to so much trouble for me, and it couldn't have been easy, as she has been very busy, and I'm quite dense when it comes to technical stuff.

Thank you ever so much, Nadia!

I LOVE the way my blog looks now, don't you?




P.S. Parts three and four of "my news" will coma along in a while...stay tuned ;-)