The Artist in the Office

Do you love your job?
Most of the time my job isn’t too bad; I like helping the students and making things easy for my academics. But just now I’m really frustrated with a system which doesn’t work and a lot of students nagging me for their exam marks. And on top of this is the wish to be able to do what I want with my time.

I wish I could volunteer, and write, and use the gym/pool every day, and make stuff, and go walking, and have a dog and some chickens. I guess what I mean is, I wish that money wasn’t something to worry about and I could be free.

But this is a mind set and maybe what I need to do is work out how to be free in my mind?

Anyway while taking a break from writing minutes yesterday I was looking on etsy and found an article about Summer Pierre and her new book – The Artist in the Office. This sounds like just what I need. Inspiration on how to use my creativity all the time. Now I have to admit that I’m not always working when I’m at my desk. Sometimes I write my OU assignments there and there was one time when I made paper moustache for the photos of the team outside our office. But although browsing the net sometimes brings me little gems like this, most of the time it’s a waste of my time and I should be using it better. (for work of course)
The book is on order and when I receive it (which might take a little while as it’s not released in the UK just yet) I’ll let you know what I think.

Chairing

Today I chaired the writers group. Not at all nerve racking.
We started by looking at what everyone wrote for last months homework.
We were to write 140 characters using the three words Alan gave us. When we first heard this we all wondered how you could write something with 140 people in it, but then realised he meant 140 letters, spaces and punctuation.
I however didn’t like the words I was given: dimple, teach and potato, so wrote something else instead.

Farringdon/Faringdon

The cement is late. When I ring up to ask where it is I’m told Oxfordshire instead of Hampshire. All for a missing R.
139

I then set the next activity. Starting with ‘She wore a red dress…’ continue using only single syllable words. This seemed to go down well and I look forward to hearing the outcomes next month.

Happy Valentines Day

To celebrate Valentines Day this year - the first in the new flat, we decided to give flowers a miss and bought a tree instead.

It doesn't look much right now, but in the summer it should have big golden heart shaped leaves. Its a Catalpa Bignonioides "Aurea", or Golden Indian Bean Tree.
I'm very excited, 'im outdoors has drawn up a planting plan for the garden and we are slowly filling it up. Roll on the Spring!

Christmas Beads

For Christmas my Mum bought me a Pandora/Troll style necklace. When she asked me what beads I wanted for it I asked for just plain silver spacer beads so that I could choose my favourite beads from sellers on Etsy.
Working from left to right:
The first bead is from Elysium Beads – all the way from Australia. It’s a lampwork glass bead called ‘Ethereal’ and in the light it really is ethereal. I was very impressed with how quickly I received it; I would never have guessed it came all that way.
The second bead came from Luccicare Lampwork. It’s a lampwork glass bead lined with sterling silver and filled with 8 cubic zirconia’s crystals. Again in the light it flashes like diamonds.
The next two come form Studio Mees & Merel. The first is ivory dots on turquoise and I think is my very favourite. The second is hot pink fuchsia stripe and was a present from ‘im outdoors. Bless him. The hot pink works so well with the blues.
The last was from my Mum. I think they are all brilliant and I love the fact that I’ve room to add more if something catches my eye.