PGCE done!

I have had a momentous year! I have experienced highs and lows like never before! I have triumphed and I have receded, I have celebrated and I have consoled have reflected and I have projected, basically I have done it all in a year! I will be back! I just need to catch my breath!

'Tis been a while

My summer has been hectic!

We have been building our extension, which is coming along nicely.

There is still loads to do. I am personally not looking forward to sorting out the garden, as you can see it's, - well like a building site.

I have been trying to get myself organised in preparation for my PGCE year! I have been thrifty with my wardrobe...

  

These two shirts became one...

I also was busy crocheting some fingerless gloves and an infinity scarf which I will show you later as I haven't got any photos yet. I did find some bargains in the sales and in charity shops. Just need some shoes now.

We redecorated the boy's room. He wanted black and my heart groaned but it's not that bad...

I also made a purse from felt, an art journal from an idea by JenniBellie, (look her up on youtube), a jewellery holder and I finished my fire surround! 

  

I have also read a whole bunch of children's books, sorted out my folders and stationery and got the house in order by cooking and filling the freezer, throwing away the junk and donating all our unwanted goods via freecycle or the charity shops. So now I feel like I am ready for the new academic year: the university, the schools and the teachers and students! Bring it on!

Things around here may change a little as my creative pursuits will undoubtedly take a back seat while my mind will be filled with everything teaching orientated. I still hope to have some creative output but more often than not, it will be in a classroom. I hope that I will have the time, energy and desire to share what I learn, the mistakes I make and the trials and tribulations that I will endure with you, if not i will see you in nine months time! This week I start Uni and next week I am in a school placement which I have already sampled and am really looking forward to.

If it goes well, I shall report back smiling.

See you soon! Wish me luck!

My summer fashion challenge!

I desperately need a new wardrobe for my new challenge beginning in September!

However, I don't have a lot of money to throw at a shopping spree, so I have challenged myself to take a hard look at what I do have, and what I can add to. I have decided to challenge myself to spend only £30 on clothes and I really hope to have a brand new wardrobe that is truly unique and wholly mine! 

I have a week set aside in these holidays for sewing and making, so I need to get scouring for some cheap charity finds and some bargain fabric to perhaps make some clothes! I am excited but also scared as I do really need to look smart ish and professional. Wish me luck on my endeavour and I hope to share all my highs and lows of this challenge. I really hope I can pull it off!

My Eeeek- cited post of all things imaginary!

       

I have been super busy putting together a few things for the children in my school. At the end of this term I will be finishing, and as sad as I am to go, I am also excited because I will be embarking on my loooong awaited position to train as a primary school teacher! This school is one that I started at as a volunteer and slowly I managed to secure a temporary position then a full time position as a teaching assistant and lunch time supervisor, whilst I was studying for my degree.  The children are such a delight, each and everyone of them! Sure, there are a few that you pull your hair out over, but on the whole they are real super stars! I wanted to leave a little something for all of them, maybe so they wouldn't forget me, but mostly because I wanted them to have some real creative fun at play times and lunch times. So I put my thinking cap on, talked with some of the other lunch time supervisors and decided on two avenues. The first one was to supply some chalk boards so that some children could quietly engage with some creative drawing, rather than charging around the play ground knocking each other over. The other one was to put together a dressing up box to really kick start their imaginations. Some do play with skipping ropes, pretending they are horses and such like but now they can adorn a cloak and be Little Red Riding Hood, or become a super hero with a cape and mask. 

I have trawled through charity shops, bought netting for the tutu's and raided my own children's  wardrobes for inspiration. I have spent hours pinning, I know, I know it is such a drag, but I had to do it:) to find patterns and thrifty ideas. I also spent hours literally pinning which was a drag! Please feel free to have a look at some of my boards to see where some of my ideas came from...  http://pinterest.com/frostmidnight/

 

In the end we made three double sided A frame boards, which for some reason I didn't think to 

photograph before I delivered them to school. Hopefully tomorrow, I will deliver the range of dressing up 

goodies, ready for play time!

Till the next time, 

A day in Hay...

What a day we had in Hay,yesterday! I can now scratch off one of my lifetime goals. I had the pleasure of meeting one of my favourite authors, Patrick Ness! He was as charming and delightful as I was expecting him to be! His talk was very entertaining and engaging, it was so lovely to see so many young people asking him such thoughtful questions about his work. He also read a snippet of his upcoming book and oh my, he is a master of hooking the reader on the first page! I personally can't wait for September.

I grabbed the opportunity to meet him and have him sign my two first edition books. Here are the photos my daughter took. I can only apologise for the facial expression! What a lovely day we had in Hay! Thank-you, Mr Ness!

Books, books update!

Well, April was spent in the fascinating world of Bryson's 'Home'. He really did have me captivated on the first page with his little anecdotes of strange facts. I love the Victorian era and a lot of this book tells you about the style of living during this time, which I really did find fascinating, some of which overlapped my literature knowledge of this time, too!

May brought me the delicious opportunity to delve into the extraordinary book, 'The Crane Wife', by Patrick Ness. I am nearly, nearly finished and as usual with Ness, I am trying not to rush it but to savour the escapist experience whilst all the while steeling myself for the emotional impact he is going to throw at me! I am very excited as I have persuaded my family to take a trip to Hay again this year, where a certain Mr Ness will also be! I can't wait......

Here is a little peek what is on my bedside table, oh what to read next?

May update!

Well it has been a while, doesn't time fly by, not necessarily when we are just having fun either. We have busy on lots of fronts but mostly getting started on our house renovations! We now have the long awaited for, 'go-ahead' on our planning permission. So we have been putting some plans in place. We have a rather ugly oil tank in our garden which we are keen to get rid of, but of course this year, summer is late and we can't risk running down all the oil without any source of heating. Who would have thought we need heating in nearly June? So, we have installed a wood burner to get us through the summer(?)

We picked up a tatty surround from a local reclamation yard, which I am in the process of stripping, and is very time consuming. Hopefully by the end of the half term week it should be finished! I am not entirely decided what to do with it, but at the moment I have an idea involving wall paper.

I have a few days set aside for sewing, which I will elaborate on at a later date....