Quote Junkie

I'm a quote junkie! At least I can admit it ;)

I stumbled across this in my email this morning...

“The best effect of any book is that it excites the reader to self activity.”

Scottish Historian Thomas Carlyle

and I love it! I thought it fitting to share since a couple weeks ago I created a Scottish Cultural Display for the World Beat Gallery (downtown Salem, Oregon - Reed Opera House - 3rd floor) and formatted and published a free educational curriculum to coordinate with it (which can be downloaded - FREE - here!) AND now...I am working on (among many other things) getting ready for the 2008 summer reading club for the homeschool group with which I volunteer....PLUS, books excite me (read last post) so well, this quote is my inspiration for today...maybe it will inspire you, too!

I closed my eyes and 3 weeks past!

OMG!!! 3 weeks have past since my last post...what the heck happened?!

I am on the computer often enough (too often really!) but I have not managed to visit my own blog until now...2/3 kids are at the movies...leaving me with the one who is self sufficient, therefore, I can have a little "me" time (I really should be doing geography homework though as it is due today...but it will wait for a few minutes while I visit with you!)

As a crafter and earth-lover combined, when I stumble across products that are created with the environment in mind, I get pretty excited :) There are a few scrap companies that make recycled paper (such as PiggyTales and TimeFies...both who I assisted at CKC Portland) and I would love to see more get on this bandwagon!

So anyway, April 22 is just around the corner...which means that there is extra enviro-talk going on right now...which is kinda funny because I have been thinking alot (NOTE: spelling is Canadian, EHabout environmental issues lately, especially relating to my educational/career goals...

I know exactly what I want to do, but well, there is just not enough of me to do all I want to do! :) Ideally, I will be publishing books, paper, magazines (eventually)...and as every day my concern about the environment and environmental issues increases, I know that I will not be just any publisher...I do not want to further contribute to the cycle of excess waste, clear-cutting and pollution (of all sorts), so I find myself researching environmental issues relating to publishing...and I had my AH-HA moment! :) Publishing books with vegetable or soy based inks on 100% post consumer recycled paper. Yes, a grandiose goal, but I know I will get there...sooner or later! (Let's hope sooner than later ;))

A couple months ago I learned that my previous education was not transferable to a US college because I went to a private institution...so me going back to school was actually like I was starting over...SIGH! But...now, as I am reconsidering just how I go about reaching my goals, I realize that maybe it was a good thing that I am having to stay in school longer than anticipated because now I am looking at getting a degree in Environmental Engineering, too!

Well, homework calls...and I need to clean my table since my camera has gone MIA and I think its buried somewhere around here! Hopefully, I will be back later with some crafty goodness to share as I have a few new projects in progress! Woo hooo! :)

Sunday...already!

I cannot believe it is Sunday already!! I am back to school tomorrow...this term I will be going 3 nights a week since I *have* to get my math classes taken care of and those are definite ON CAMPUS classes! ;)

Tomorrow, I will be setting up a Scottish Cultural Display at the World Beat Gallery in the Reed Opera House (downtown Salem)...this display is one of my brainchildren! It officially opens on April 2nd and runs until July 15! Tomorrow is going to be a busy day...

Its almost the end of March...that means almost the end of National Craft month...and no more Fiskateer projects on the main Fiskars Craft Site :/ Oh, did you see mine??? It was March 29th! Here's a peek for ya...

The background is fabric...patterned paper, flowers and ribbon are Heidi Grace. My grandfather (Poppa) is the young man in the dress in the center ;)

Ok, I just got an email from my friend Deborah (who runs the Groovy Doodle challenges) and she is reminding me I need to get doodling...so I must go doodle... :D

Can U Believe It?!

It's Thursday...Spring Break is more than half way thru! Can U Believe It?! What happened to the week?! What happened to my "week off"?!

I was awoken this morning by a little girl who wanted to play...I convinced her it was still time to sleep, so she curled up in my bed...when I got up, she followed me shortly after telling me that I needed to come back, it was not time to wake, it was time to cuddle...how can you say no to that?! So, we had a cuddle...and watched Clifford :)

It gave me a moment of down time to just sit and think...yesterday was crazy! Soooo busy...but sooo productive - thankfully - finally! lol My appt with my school advisor paid off, and I have decided to stay at the same school for another year since I can 124 credits with me, and I can take some of my lower level classes there (which is a considerable savings!)...

I am a morning person...and I so look forward to my "morning routine" (it's my ME time when the children still sleep and I can sit and sip tea :)) ....So today, as usual, I visited the Fiskateers, Fiskadeals (did u see the deal today?! As if I wasn't squeeze punch happy enough! Woo hooo!), Fiskars Crafts (fun mini book is today's featured project!)...I also stopped by CropGirl (she is spring cleaning...I wish mine was going as well! and there's a challenge...scrap your scraps! Are u up for it?!), and Confessions of a Chocoholic (which reminded me of the kit I have been longing to get....maybe I shouldn't tell tho, but well, there are 18 in stock as of this moment...so hopefully all 18 won't be gone before I have the $ to splurge!)

And now...2/3 of the kids are awake, so me time ends...off to get a start on the rest of the day!

Ugh...Tuesday?

Ok, so I had all intention of re-posting my LO...only to get attacked by the kids' cold...UGH! I have been trying to fight it...and thought I was doing a pretty good job, until I try to sleep, cause then the kids can't sleep and so I can't sleep. I have an appt at school on Wednesday...I cannot be sick!!!!

Got mail yesterday...2 of 3 textbooks have arrived already! WOO HOOO!! Best of all, they are the RIGHT ones! even bigger WOO HOOOOOO! Let's hope the next arrives before class and its right too! This is saving me about $200 ($200 that I can spend elsewhere? hehe)

I also got one of my Fiskadeals...The HG Garden Scrap Set...OMG it's huge! I have one more purchase out there that I am waiting for....the HG Vineyard set...and I am crossing my fingers it arrives soon, too!

And...the kids got a new monitor yesterday (it arrived...right on schedule)...they will finally be sitting at a decent range from the screen! So that means we can get back to typing lessons ;)

Ok, more later...right now, I gotta get dressed to start the day...and tacking my "to do list"

Things to do today:
- call dentist
- 30 min thurs (yeah, I know it aint thurs :P)
- Noel Mignon Challenge
- Penil Lines

Ok, those are the things I wish to do today...guess we shall see how the day goes ;)

Temp

This is a temp post...to share this LO for a Challenge at Erin's blog...I will be reposting tomorrow when I have good light for a GOOD photo! :D

Happy Green Irish Day!

I wish I could say I made it...but I can't. It is one of the reasons I look forward to today each year...White Cheddar Guiness Bread from Great Harvest...they only make it at this time of year, and at closing...it will be gone til 2009!

It is best served warm with butter...and makes the perfect side for stew (or salad ;))

So...Top o' the morning to ya...ok, so it's afternoon...but none the less...HELLO! :D

It's Irish Green Day! I'm Irish...and it shows (especially when I get warm...the Irish blood rises to my cheeks!) We do not have much planned for this overcast day, but we do anticipate making some cookies (with green chips in them) and of course, listening to some Flogging Molly (uh, yeah, not much different than any other day!)

So we started the morning with a hair cut...I took about 3 inches off my little girl's hair. It was hard, I contemplated, but I am so glad I made the cut! :) Her hair actually looks styled now, even when messy, instead of the wild do she had before.

On Saturday, I got to attend a wonderful Charity Chop hosted by my Fiskafriend Julie (#725)...and OMG was it ever so much fun! She did a great job, and worked so hard to plan a fab day! She really out did herself! It was worth the 2 hour drive (each way!) We created a page, and a card...and I actually got some other projects started too!

Here are a few shots of what I created...

File Folder Album made with papers from PiggyTales...

Inside of File Folder Album...a work in progress...

"Awww C'mon Mom"

Close up of above LO

Craft Caddy...lots more at www.fiskateers.com where members of the community have been making them!

Sneak peek of something started at the crop but not quite finished...yet!

And now...I'm back to work...school to finish (both mine and the kids)...last week of term for me...then 1 week off, woo hooo!