New Job, New Outlook

This week I started a new job at a nonprofit near where I live.  It’s also near where I used to work–the place-that-will-not-be named that created an ugliness in me that I don’t want ever want to revisit.  I used to have a blog on another system that was private where I would unleash all the uglies about That Job and try to get it out of my system so I could just cope with going in to work another day.  I recently read through some entries and am glad that I kept the hope that one day I could/would transition to what I really wanted to do and hold fast to that despite all evidence that it would be a difficult and a long process. 

From March to May, I went on various interviews with companies that had to meet my Pink Book qualifications.  The Pink Book was where I outlined the type of job I wanted, my "happy" skills, the types of people I wanted to work with, the type of boss I wanted, the work environment, etc.  I was coached through this process with the book, "Life’s a Bitch and Then You Change Careers: 9 Steps to Get Out of Your Funk and On to Your Future" by Andrea Kay. (She’s also got a podcast on iTunes).  If you’re in a career rut, I highly recommend you read this.  Stick with her advice and you’ll get what you want…eventually.  I think part of it is believing and knowing you will get it despite all evidence to the contrary.  When I was freelancing and not making a lot of money during my job search, I was tempted many times to take whatever offer was on the table.  I even considered doing the work I had been doing all along (public relations/communications)and abandoning my desire to go into Web producing.  I came really close to giving up and I’m glad I didn’t.  I went back to the Pink Book and said, "This is what’s in my heart and I owe it to myself to keep going down this path."  Besides, if I wrote another news release or made another media call, I was gonna hurl.

Now I can say that I’m in a good space.  I started this new job June 23.  So far so good.  I expected it would be because it hit all the Pink Book standards when I first saw it posted on CareerBuilder (or was washingtonpost.com?).

I have no need to post about work anymore…at least not in this space.  And hopefully not in the other space.  I have no delusions that there’ll be days here when I won’t want to throttle someone.  My company has quiet rooms that you can use for those moments, however.  I’m glad they know that everyone needs a moment at some point in the work day.  I am confident I won’t have as many here as I’ve had in other places.

Some other career advice sources that helped me and could help you:

Shifting Careers blog by Marci Alboher, author of “One Person/Multiple Careers: A New Model for Work/Life Success”

Brazen Careerist blog by Penelope Trunk.  She’s also got a book.  I don’t agree with everything she says but I do believe you have to be intentional and brazen about your career and she’s a big proponent of that.

Mmmm…ice cream…

I’ve always wanted an ice cream maker.  I put one on my bridal registry.  My husband said, "No one’s going to buy that for us.  You should take it off."  Why did I listen?

I put it out of my mind until I discovered a Web site called Smitten Kitchen.  I don’t know how I came upon it, but I immediately added this site to my Bloglines subscriptions.  I’m not the cook in my house but I do like to bake and make sweets (a vice).  I really read Smitten because I Iike looking at the pictures of the food.  But one day I was compelled to create one of their concoctions–Coconut Pinkcherry Frozen Yogurt.  Guess what I needed to make it?

So on Friday after my doctor’s appointment (for my Hashimoto’s Hypothyroid condition, a post for another day), I trotted off to Bed Bath and Beyond with my 20% off coupon and a Visa gift card wedding gift that still had money on it.  I bought a 1.5 qt Cuisinart ice cream and sorbet maker.  After all the discounts, that puppy cost me $18 and some change.  Original price: $49.99.  A good deal indeed.

I feel like it’s a good investment.  Ice cream costs about $4.50 around
here and sometimes they’ll have a two for $5 sale.  As you may have
read, manufacturers have decreased the amount of ice cream you’re getting in a carton from 2 quarts to 1.5 quarts.  Of course the price has gone up too.  I figure I’m better off making it myself.

All weekend dear husband (I think DH is the correct abbreviation in scrapbook circles) asked me, "When are you going to make some ice cream?"  Since when are you so interested?

Sunday I christened the ice cream maker with the Coconut Pinkcherry.  It was so good.  So creamy.  So fresh!  I guess I’m so used to processed ice cream I have no idea what genuine goodness tastes like. 

Now I’ve got all kinds of plans for my new little machine.  Next up…Pina Colada sorbet.

Great American Scrapbooking Convention 2008: Shopping Roundup

On Saturday I went to the Great American Scrapbooking Convention (GASC) in Chantilly, Va.  This event is always held around my birthday so it’s something I look forward to as a birthday treat to myself.  This was the fourth time I’ve attended and the third time with my mother. 

I think this is the worst year in all the time’s I’ve gone.  If anyone from the D.C. metro area is reading this and went to the convention, please chime in.  Is it me or does the GASC get worse every year?  Last year I was disappointed, this year I was disgusted.  Here are some observations:

• The classes I want to take fill up on the first day of online registration and there aren’t that many to begin with.
• The vendor selection has decreased on an annual basis.  Vendors used to take up the entire show floor.  Now they take up half. 
• I go shopping with a list and the expectation that if I’m looking for Basic Grey, I’m going to get some Basic Grey packs.  Nope, nada, zip. Didn’t see any anywhere.
• I go to the S.E.I. booth thinking I’m going to get those very nice Preservation series albums and the new Chocolate paper collection.  Nope, nada, zip.  The SEI booth had NOTHING.  No new papers, no albums, just kits.  I was like, what the…?!
• I go to the Sizzix booth and expect to see Sizzix dies for days–tables and tables of them.  Nope.  I may as well have gone to Michael’s or A.C. Moore.
• Rusty Pickle ran out of some of the acrylix, clear albums.  They just didn’t bring enough.

I will grant you that the D.C. area (MD, DC, VA) is not a hot bed for scrapbooking.  I guess people are too caught up in government and politics to have time for artsy things.  That’s why we don’t have a lot of local scrapbooking stores.  Most of them closed when Recollections came to town and then Recollections left town so all we’ve got now is Michael’s and A.C. Moore.  I don’t even go there anymore.  I buy online.  So I can see why the vendors aren’t coming to D.C. in droves.  But it saddens me because when I first went to GASC, I saw Making Memories, SEI, Quickutz, etc. etc.  I know these companies don’t have the money to go traveling all around the country and they certainly aren’t going to spend a lot of money to go to an area that is lukewarm about scrapbooking.  But still…a junkie like me needs her fix!

I did manage to buy some things:

• Doodlebug Flock (multi-colored collection in cute little jars)
• Doodlebug Jewels (bling)
• 4 Queen and Co. felt border strips (2 for $1)
• Kaiser Scrapbooks (who are they?) 100 pk rhinestones in pink
• Tsukineko Glue pad with refill (for the flock)
• Impression Obsession clear journaling stamps because of the popular artisan shape
• Heidi Swapp Chipboard Alphabets ($1!)
• Deluxe Cuts chipboard tags and paisley shapes
• 3 Stickles (Black Diamond, Silver and Cotton Candy)

I hit the jackpot at memory lane, pa from Pennsylvania:

• I added to my Making Memories Noteworthy collection:
  • 30 pg spiral notebook of journal tags
  • jumbo pebble brads
  • 8×8 album
  • a nice stash of assorted papers from Hillary, Audrey, Ava, Addie and Delaney including the cool die cut shapes like scalloped edges and circles to add to my current stash
• BoBunny Organic Laurel paper (2)
• Fancy Pants Celebrate paper (4)
• Fancy Pants Clearly Big Clearly Unique Transparent Die Cuts (clearly neat!)

Afterwards, my mother and I went to lunch at Arby’s and then headed over the Scrapbooks Plus where I used to teach the Pinecone Press Book Club. There I purchased:

• Cosmo Cricket Fleuriste papers
• Collage Press Margot papers (2)
• Chatterbox Botanical Stripe (2–what’s up with Chatterbox lately?)
• Basic Grey Sugared (finally!)
• Basic Grey Euphoria (just a few different sheets; they didn’t have the whole line)
• 7gypsies ATC spinner
• 7gypsies ATC divider tabs
• 7gypsies photo turns with brads in creme
• Herma Dotto refill
• Cutterpede replacement blade
• Luxe Designs assorted photo corners acrylic stamps
• Heidi Swapp clock (to go with the transparent face design I’ve had for two years)

Funny how I did my best shopping at the small scrapbooking stores as opposed to the big name vendors.

I know, I know…what am I complaining about?  I got a lot of stuff.  But not four big totebags and two shopping days worth of stuff like I did at CKC-Valley Forge in 2006!  Sorry, but I gotta get my scrapbooking fix.  If I wait a year to do my major shopping, it’s gotta be worth it.  So I think from now on, I’m going to save up to go to the CKCs.  From crops to shopping to classes, you can’t beat ‘em.  And you get to meet some nice people.

So what do you think of Great American Scrapbooks v. CK Conventions?

Artist Trading Cards

I recently got re-acquainted with artist trading cards also known as ATCs.  I remember when they first piqued the interest of scrapbookers.  I didn’t get the big deal because I wasn’t sure what you could do with them.  But I guess we all wondered what we could do with tags when they first came out, didn’t we?

Anyway, I got intrigued by ATCs last weekend when I got an e-mail that Carol Heppner, a paper crafts artist and author of many how-to books was following me on Twitter.  I was excited because I haven’t been on Twitter long and I’m trying to figure it out so it was pretty interesting to get an e-mail saying that Carol was now a "follower."  I clicked on the link that took me to her Web site and I noticed all the ATC work she’s done.  Very nice.  So I got to thinking, I’ve got tons of scraps left around, why not put together some cards?

I did some more internet research about how to actually design one, the correct size they should be, etc.  I tripped upon The Stamp Workshop by Michelle Fischer and she has an excellent post on how to make ATCs.  Michelle, sorry, I loved your ATC design so much that I used it as a basis for my own card.

Needless to say, I think ATCs are pretty neat and tomorrow when I head off to the Great American Scrapbooking Convention on my birthday, I will be on the hunt for some ATC gear.

You Want This

This is so cute and I had a lot of fun making it.

It’s a travel lunch pail kit with paper from KI Memories’ Passport Collection.  I don’t think they even make this paper anymore, but it was very popular when it was out.

Check out this kit for purchase at Etsy.

Why I don’t buy toys for my cats

And it’s not because I’m a mean "mother."

I bought this Cat in the Hat toy when the movie came out.  The hat is a crinkly bag that’s covered with plush fabric to make it look like the Cat in the Hat’s hat.  Manufacturers make crinkly bag toys because cats like to crawl into bags, scurry around in them and make a lot of noise.  If you have a cat, you know what I’m talking about.

My cats wouldn’t go near this thing.

I would have to spray liquid cat nip onto the hat to attract them to it.  Frasier (the striped tabby) was not interested even with the cat nip.  Kramer (the black cat) would go halfway into the hat and then stop even though there was plenty of room for him to fit into it.  (He could do that back then, doubtful he’d fit into it now).

For about a year, that stupid hat lay on the floor collecting tumble-fur.  I finally threw it away.

It was at that point I realized that it was stupid of me to keep purchasing expensive cat toys when they are happy with things they find around the house that they play with, then hide and you find under the furniture years later.

They do enjoy their cat nip mice and ping pong balls though.

Sketch template: Got Sketch 101 class

Etsy!

When I first started this blog, one of my goals for 2008 was to set up an Etsy shop (goal #7). I used to sell scrapbooking kits but kinda stopped when I was planning my wedding in 2007.  Well, now I’m selling them again! 

I’m going to be adding items frequently.  You can see recently added items by checking out my Etsy mini shop view on the right.

If you have any questions about the items, let me know!

And here’s the link to my Etsy shop: Crop Chic

Cat Nap

OK, I admit it…I was a little down about having to take down Crop Chic.  So to cheer myself up, I decided to tackle Sketch 1 in the Got Sketch 101 class.

My cat Frasier likes to take naps on my stomach or chest.  Sometimes he just leans on me when he’s ready to take a nap.  He likes to lean and he likes to make nests.  Wait’ll you see those pictures.

I took these pictures a little over a year ago and it’s the first time I’ve taken a closeup of either of my cats.  Luckily Frasier was patient with me.  Or he was just too sleepy to be annoyed.

I don’t recall what patterned paper I used on this layout ’cause it’s late and I’m tired.  But when I figure it out, I’ll come back and add it.  I know the letters are from Creative Imaginations, I used some Bazzill cardstock, an EK Success corner punch for the scallops, Making Memories buttons and brads.  Looks like We R Memory Keepers and Basic Grey ribbon.

In violation

As I’ve mentioned here, I’m a consultant for Close to My Heart.  Apparently, my other blog, Crop Chic was in violation of the company’s blog standards.

Crop Chic was started to help promote the wonderful products that Close to My Heart has and also to provide readers with tips and techniques for stamping and scrapbooking.  My intentions were good, but apparently I was being bad.

So if you started reading Crop Chic and liked what you saw, you’re outta luck.  It’s been shut down temporarily until I figure out what else I could use it for.

In the meantime, you’re stuck with "gotta be me."  And frankly, this ain’t such a bad site.

Sincerest apologies to all Crop Chic readers and to Close to My Heart corporate.  My bad.

Do You

Do you.

This is not a question as in "Do you ever….?"

It’s a statement…Do you.  Do what you are.  Be what you are.  Or as the old (very old) Hall and Oates song said, "Do what you wanna do, be what you are."

In scrapbooking, it’s very easy to be intimidated by the "designers" and "design teams" who spend hours upon hours crafting the perfect scrapbook layout or card.  I meet many scrapbookers who say, "I’ll never be able to make a layout like [insert scrapbook design celeb]."  And I tell them, "You’re right."

I used to want to be a scrapbook designer so I submitted to the mags and the design calls.  Finally I gave up.  Not because I thought I wasn’t any good, but because I had to ask myself, why did I want to be judged on things that were personal to me?  Everyone has their own aesthetic so how can you really judge who’s good and who’s not?

I find it amusing that on some of the scrapbooking bulletin boards there are places where you can critique each other’s work.  I mean, what…I should’ve placed the journaling block on the right instead of the left?  I should’ve used purple instead of green?  I don’t get it and I think it makes people get stressed out over a hobby that’s supposed to be fun.

When I teach my classes, I tell my students that the sample is just a guide and to make the project to suit their own tastes.  As we work through the project, the students ignore this and do it exactly as I’ve made it.  They’re very concerned that it look "right." Then after a while, one person decides to use a stamp instead of a sticker and then when I point it out to everyone and say, "isn’t this a great idea," everyone else slowly loosens up and that’s when the fun begins.  I start seeing all kinds of interpretations.  Everyone begins sharing with each other and teaching each other.  And it’s great!

The other day I had to remind myself of this.  I was working on a project for Crop Chic.  It’s such a cute project that came from Close to My Heart corporate–"here’s a nifty project to share with your customers" type o’ thing.  I started making it exactly as I saw it and I couldn’t get it together.  I stopped and started so many times I was ready to throw it across the room.  Finally I said, I’m doing it my way.  And do you know after I made that decision, things started flowing?  It wasn’t going to work any other way unless I put my own spin on it.  Isn’t it cute?

Next time you get stressed about your layouts or cards or whatever, remember that scrapbooking is an expression of who you are and all that is.  Remember that and I guarantee the joy and creativity will flow and the stress will dissipate.  And you will not give a flying fig whether the journaling block is on the left or the right because you did it your way.  You did you.