Pondering

 It is nearly a year since everything went wrong at my old school, and I still feel the same about teaching-that is I love it but not all that goes with it. I was asked if I would be interested in working permanently at one of the schools I work at today, and said no (but thanks for asking-politeness is important!) without a moment of doubt. Thinking about it tonight, I should probably have said yes-pension, stability etc, but this is the nicest year of teaching I have had for a long time, and I don't want to give that up. It has been hard at times but mainly enjoyable, and the weekends/evenings/holidays without school work have been priceless. I feel that I needed this year to get over what happened, because despite my vow not to let it affect me, it did. I think it was the injustice of it all, the ''Do you know how hard I have worked for this school, and after over twenty years of my life you are treating me like that and saying goodbye with no more than a bunch of flowers?' type of resentment. Anyway, I am pretty much over it now! 

I have been making lots of things recently. A bit of a creative frenzy, possibly because I have more time on my hands, possibly because of the Spring-who knows? I make things because I love doing it, and it doesn't often go a lot further. I have three empty Etsy shops, lots of things hanging around and no connection between the two. So I have begun to think slightly more seriously about what to do about that. I am not a business person type, but there is that excuse, and then there is the reality of not actually ever listing anything in my three empty shops. I am not sure what stops me. I think about it a lot! Recently I have been thinking about having a new shop, to sell some of my huge amount of ever growing lovely things. Naturally I want to keep them all, but if I think about it, some are much more important to me than others and the others could go. (An aside-I recently discovered my perfect television programme-Collectaholics. It was on last year too apparently-why did nobody tell me?!)

As the title shows I am still at the pondering stage. I will let you know if I get beyond that! In the meanwhile, here are some of the things that have been keeping me pleasantly busy...

A very small octopus. He is made from charity shop Bergere yarn. He came to the seaside with us the other week, but only came out of my bag once as I was too scared he would blow away.

 I dismantled the drawer frame under the bed. It was a danger to the cats and made it impossible to clean. I kept the drawers and this one piece of wood. I saw a crackle technique on Create and Craft. You use PVA, gesso and a hairdryer. Works like a dream. I then painted and stamped it. I covered it in wax finally, though not in this picture. I love using wax on pictures, smoothing it with my mini iron.

 The things I made in this picture are the paper things.The farm buildings were a bargain £3 and just happen to be the background. The paper things are the result of scoring and shaping paper, inspired by two brilliant books found in Rochester about paper sculpture. If I ever do any more I will share.

 Crochet basket. Easy. Not that beautiful but practical. I included garden wire in the rim so it stands up well and is shapeable. It is currently holding the miniature dolls who have found some friends and are waiting for photos.

 I went to Spitalfields market on Saturday. I don't know if I was too early, or if it was the wrong day for vintage stuff but I wasn't that impressed. I did find this little doll though and then spent an enjoyable time trying to paint her. I love her pink balloon.

 I am trying to make more cards as I have so much stuff with which to make them! This is for my friend's birthday. I am quite pleased with it. They are getting slightly more professional looking.

 This doll is as exact a copy as I could make of one I saw on Ebay. I think the original one was a cloth sixties type doll. I loved making her. I have not made a doll for ages and it has made me want to make more. This one was so simple-just one shape and then painted with gesso and acrylic.

 Last of all-a crochet ring. Impractical as you need to take it off to wash your hands but I like it. I enjoyed picking and sewing the beads into the little bowl. I sewed it onto a wire base that I made  just by twisting. It is quite big. I may make a smaller one which I will be more likely to wear outside the house.

 I didn't make the cats. But I did make a decision about one of them tonight. Lily was supposed to go to the vets to be weighed again. They were all so happy in the sun that I cancelled the appointment. I will take her next week with Cassie who has to go back to get her £100 inhaler.

The building work is getting nearer to being finished. The house is a wooden frame, then clad in white plastic stuff and then the pretend bricks are fixed on. They are made of real brick but are a lie! I have not seen this before-and it probably won't be obvious that they are only shallow once it is finished.