I told you so ...

Hello again.

Some people thought the world was going to end today at 18:00.

It's now 18:01.

However, the whole discussion around it has been interesting to me simply because it gave me a legitimate reason to use the term 'eschatology', [the study of end times] because that was the topic of my dissertation - handed in 10 years ago this month:

I won't put you through the entire 10,000 word discussion of apocalyptic fiction, but I will share the first words:

... and the last:

And, as annoying as it can be, when you're feeling awful, to have someone say 'Cheer up, it's not the end of the world' ... today ... it seems rather appropriate.

Happy-Continuation-of-the-World-as-Usual-Day to you.

Make sure you enjoy it!

Julie    

Introducing: Tips for the Design Team-curious

Hi, hi, hi.

So, Design Teams.

I’ve been on a few …

... and then again ...
... too few to mention I’ve looked at the workings of a lot more to keep up to date, look out for new opportunities and generally indulge in my curiosity for who’s who and what’s what in the crafting industry right now.

I know, that last line's not quite as catchy as the original opening lines of My Way, but what it lacked in poetry it made up for in factual accuracy.

1. I have indeed been, still am in fact, a part of various creative design teams [see my sidebar for further details]and;
2. I do spend time each week reading through the latest calls for new team members.

All of which has retrospectively been transformed into ‘research’ for my brand new blog series starting next week:
They say ‘all advice is autobiographical’ don’t they? And yes, much of what I’ll be sharing will come from first-hand experience however I’ll also be presenting the wider picture of current trends within DT recruiting, requirements and expectations.

Like ‘Tips for the Twitter-curious’ [my first in-depth blog series] the new series ‘Tips for the Design Team-curious’ combines a general introduction with a user guide and a deeper look at some of the issues surrounding the topic. But my main focus throughout this one will be to inform, coach, encourage and support any Design Team hopefuls amongst you.

That said … I will NOT be pandering to unrealistic expectations or setting life on a Design Team on a pedestal [not even if it's a prettily-edge-punched-patterned-paper-covered pedestal!].

Far from it.

No, the advice will be open, honest, unexpected and even at times counter-intuitive making this a series which should appeal to a wide range of readers.

This includes you if you're:

• a bit unclear about exactly what a creative Design Team is [Hello Dad!];
• wanting to broaden your creative horizons in some way;
• a DT hopeful who'd really like to be on a team but doesn’t know where to begin;
• someone who's tried and failed to be selected in the past;
• thinking of setting up a DT for your own blog/company [think: ‘free market research’!].

And finally, it's even for you if you’re not interested in the Design Team lifestyle whatsoever for I haven't neglected you.

Where applicable, the advice I give will also be:

and even:
OK then, let me make something clear from the start …

.... apart from things like ‘how to balance yet another dress on a makeshift hanger sculpture growing outside a wardrobe’ and ‘how to creatively cram another new notebook into that non-expanding shelving unit’ [two things which I am King of] I’m not claiming to be an expert here.

I'm not the fount of all Design Team wisdom.

I’m not saying I’m the highest most flying-est Design Team member on the crafty planet and therefore that's why you should drop by while I’m handing out ‘Tips for the Design Team-curious’ ...

But what I am saying is ... drop by because I'll have:

• details on what DT recruiters are looking for in a team member;
• tips for improving your chances of being selected to a DT;
• tips on making DT life work for YOU;
• honest assessments of the balance of motives and expectations involved;
• clarification on some misconceptions about what a DT can offer you.

Much of which can easily be applied to areas of your existing crafting or blogging activities and even your personal and creative development.

And if you need any more convincing ... it's free and there should be interesting conversations sparking up in the comments!

So, if you fancy it:

•  join me on Monday 23rd May for the first installment.

Before then:  

• if my 'Tips for the Twitter-curious' class helped you become Twitter literate [Twitterate?] you could consider sharing details of this new series via Twitter.
• You can copy and paste this link http://bit.ly/dtcurious if it's easier for you. Thanks!

And if you don't fancy the new series at all?

• If you don't then firstly, I have broad shoulders ... I'll take it on the chin ...
• and secondly maybe you'd consider passing on the details to a friend who might be interested? Thank you.

So I'll see you soon, be you DT-curious or not DT-curious ... or even not yet DT-curious but I'm curious to find out if I am curious curious.

Julie :-)

-----------------------

Please note: During the series I will NOT be referring negatively to any teams or companies by name. I ask that, if you share experiences or opinions in a comment, you stick to this way of doing things too.

Thank you in advance … you can collect yourself an ‘I Play Nice’ sticker for your cardigan on your way out. ;-)

Found: Crazy vintage knitting pattern.

Hello you.

All I'm going to say about this post is 'brace yourself'.

OK? OK.

A few weeks back I found this craziness in a charity shop:

It was inside a plastic bag filled with an old collection of dressmaking and knitting patterns and, up until the moment I found this particular delight, I'd been leafing through the collection, respectfully.

Before the startling discovery of knitted masks [!!] I'd actually been quite moved at the thought of how the pattern collection had gotten to be there.
Who had lovingly saved them over the years? What happened to them?

Was there no one in their family who wanted to keep them?
How many could I feasibly take home with me?

But, call me heartless [or actually it might be just how life should be] but, after seeing this little guy ...

... I began stifling a giggle [I felt obliged not to laugh out loud as there were other people in the room].

Then I had to look away before I burst.

I know nothing of knitting [apart from the fact that no-one ever knew how to teach it to a left-hander!] so if I read about 'Tension' ...

... all I can think of is the eyes of the young model beneath this particularly special headwear:

While battling with the giggles, I nudged James and showed him.

He laughed.

Out loud.

And then so did I. And I couldn't stop.

So I sent him to the till to ask how much it [and 4 other patterns I fell in love with] would cost.
Turns out that 50p buys a whole barrel of joy round here.

I truly hope the original owner got as much pleasure from them ... even if the little boy who she knitted them for was not so amused!

Thanks for reading me today. I hope their little masked faces brought a smile to yours!
Julie :-D

Found: Someone has their priorities clear

Hello you.

Last week on campus I spotted an abandoned index card and you know me ... always on the look out for found item to ... errm ... 'find', so I picked it up.

It was a shopping list.

Morever ... it was a student shopping list.

Ask me how I know it belonged to a student ... or just look at what made the top of the list, then judge for yourself:

Do you think those are the ingredients for one meal?

And if so ... what on earth were they planning to make?

Julie

p.s: The oh-so-symbolic-for-student-life 'lazy onions' have got to be my favourite part of that whole list!

Scrapbooking the story: Go on, put it on your head

Hello, hello.

Apart from cake-eating and wine-drinking, are there any other rituals you and your friends act out over and over again when you get together?

A ritual such as ... say ... something like ... putting things on your head while someone takes a photo ...? No?

Just us then?

Personally, I blame HannahBanana whose personal fondness for head adornments seems to have infected us all:  

In this instance I'm wearing the ends of a reel of ribbon in the style of Minnie Mouse:

And here I am again rather fetchingly modelling fish-shaped chipboard door hangers:

But it's not just me:

No, we're all guilty of it. Having looked through my albums I've found evidence of the following items being placed on various heads:

• bunny ears;
• a cat's eye mask;
• a ribbon wreath;
• a polystyrene wreath;
• a paper tea-cup;
• a large fake flower;
• an apron;
• a large Halloween bat decoration;
• an inflatable pumpkin;
• a bicycle light;
• a pop-up bin ...and ...

... one of my all time favourites: Hannah wearing a clock ... in an aisle of IKEA. 

But, from that trawl through my albums I've come to realise that there's another sub-class of ritual going on too ... it's not just a simple case of putting things on our heads ...

No... it's other body parts too. There are just as many photos of us with things:

• over our eyes;
• in our eyes - like monocles;
• hanging from ears;
• over our mouths;
• over our top lips - like a moustache and over ...well, let's just call them 'other' body parts ... and leave it at that shall we?

But that's all for another layout, another day.
Julie ;-)

-----------------
I tweaked my page elements to fit with one of Shimelle's 'National Scrapbooking Day challenges. Challenge 2 was to create a triangle of features - which I did by repeating snippets of colour 3 times across the page.