Wednesday, September 30, 2009
So many Birthdays
There are a lot of birthdays in my life at the end of September. There are 4 friends and my sister all within 1 week. One of the cards I sent out didn't get photographed but here are the rest.
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
Penguin, Penguin, Chicken
Who says you have to play by ALL the rules?
My son is now a Tiger Scout. He had his first den meeting last night and the boys learned everyone's name, the scout sign, the scout salute, the meaning of Webelo and the secret handshake. After all the academics they played a couple of games, telephone didn't work so well so they moved on to Duck, Duck, Goose.
When my son got up to be "it" he changed the words on them. He said "Penguin, Penguin, Chicken." I was proud of him for being "creative" and a bit embarrassed by the goofy voice he used when he was saying it. Each boy followed suit changing the words with each turn. "Soda, Soda, Ice Cream" was one that I remember.
Creativity is important to him
My son has told me several times in the last month or so that he really likes that I am "creative".
How am I creative for my kid? One day to be "different" I cut his sandwich with a star cookie cutter. I make stampy notes for his lunch, one side features the prayer before meals and the other side may say "You da bomb!", or may have his spelling words, or may have a stamped Tiger reminding him that he has a den meeting tonight.
I also "make" his Halloween costumes. I try to do what I can with cardboard, duct tape and paint but sometimes I need to drag out the Sewing machine. I don't sew well, not enough practice, but I do what I can.
One year he was a blue octopus, easy sewing job just made tubes and stuffed them with plastic grocery bags (it was cheaper than store bought stuffing and wouldn't go limp or get heavy if they got wet). Then I pinned them to a blue sweatshirt. The look on his face when he saw all the store bought costumes told me "I don't like my costume, it's not as good as other people's". But that was when he was 3 and couldn't be too helpful. Since then he has been shoulder to shoulder with me creating his costume.
This year he wants to be a red Bakugan dragon. A friend has a red dragon costume she lent us. He didn't even want to try it on and when he did he looked for any and all problems. "The tail feels funny when I sit down", "the head falls down (when I bend over) and covers my face". Then he confessed, "I like it when you 'make' my costume."
"You like that we work together on it?"
"Yeah, and you're so creative."
Being seen as "creative" by my son kind of raises the bar for me. I feel like I need to maintain a certain level.
I think I can do that.
Not the Den mother
I will not be the den mother, but I will be the craft mother for his den. I get to teach scrapbooking to a bunch of 6 and 7 year old boys. That class is October 16 and I will let you know how it goes.
My son is now a Tiger Scout. He had his first den meeting last night and the boys learned everyone's name, the scout sign, the scout salute, the meaning of Webelo and the secret handshake. After all the academics they played a couple of games, telephone didn't work so well so they moved on to Duck, Duck, Goose.
When my son got up to be "it" he changed the words on them. He said "Penguin, Penguin, Chicken." I was proud of him for being "creative" and a bit embarrassed by the goofy voice he used when he was saying it. Each boy followed suit changing the words with each turn. "Soda, Soda, Ice Cream" was one that I remember.
Creativity is important to him
My son has told me several times in the last month or so that he really likes that I am "creative".
How am I creative for my kid? One day to be "different" I cut his sandwich with a star cookie cutter. I make stampy notes for his lunch, one side features the prayer before meals and the other side may say "You da bomb!", or may have his spelling words, or may have a stamped Tiger reminding him that he has a den meeting tonight.
I also "make" his Halloween costumes. I try to do what I can with cardboard, duct tape and paint but sometimes I need to drag out the Sewing machine. I don't sew well, not enough practice, but I do what I can.
One year he was a blue octopus, easy sewing job just made tubes and stuffed them with plastic grocery bags (it was cheaper than store bought stuffing and wouldn't go limp or get heavy if they got wet). Then I pinned them to a blue sweatshirt. The look on his face when he saw all the store bought costumes told me "I don't like my costume, it's not as good as other people's". But that was when he was 3 and couldn't be too helpful. Since then he has been shoulder to shoulder with me creating his costume.
This year he wants to be a red Bakugan dragon. A friend has a red dragon costume she lent us. He didn't even want to try it on and when he did he looked for any and all problems. "The tail feels funny when I sit down", "the head falls down (when I bend over) and covers my face". Then he confessed, "I like it when you 'make' my costume."
"You like that we work together on it?"
"Yeah, and you're so creative."
Being seen as "creative" by my son kind of raises the bar for me. I feel like I need to maintain a certain level.
I think I can do that.
Not the Den mother
I will not be the den mother, but I will be the craft mother for his den. I get to teach scrapbooking to a bunch of 6 and 7 year old boys. That class is October 16 and I will let you know how it goes.
Thursday, September 3, 2009
Ch- Ch- Ch- Ch- Changes
Just gonna have to be a different (wo)man
The powers that be powerful at Stampin' Up! have decided that a new Independent Demonstrator Agreement (IDA) is necessary because of the popularity of blogs and social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter. They don't was us demonstrators telling people where to go to get competitor's merchandise and I can see their point. I can tell you this "I got this stamp from a big box store," but I can no longer give you item numbers, manufacturers names and store names or links to other selling sites. [Gotta wonder how they will monitor every demo's electronic communications.] All demo's are being asked to sign a new IDA or resign.
I have no problem signing this new IDA, I don't think it's unreasonable but I will not be signing it. At times I have loved being a demonstrator, and other times I have loathed being a demonstrator. I love social creativity. I love teaching people how to make great paper crafts. I hate selling, even though I believe Stampin' Up! products are among the best out there. I hate hounding people for sales and bookings. I hate thinking "potential customer" instead of "potential friend" when I meet new people.
I became a demonstrator to be a "supplier" for my friends who were losing their demo to a job transfer. Since that time my best customers have stopped spending money on stamps because they are too busy with babies, too broke because they have lost jobs, or grown incredibly apathetic – ok they died. I will not be renewing my demonstratorship because I don't have the customers, the drive or the interest.
My paying job, my health and my family need to take priority now. I will still be stamping and scrapping but I hope it will not be what defines me for my friends. I hope to find a balance between all the things that are important to me and my family's survival in these difficult economic times.
I have until the end of the month to sign or resign so you have until September 30th to place any orders including orders from the Holiday Mini. My Digital Studio™; the innovative and easy-to-use software program that uses Stampin' Up!'s exclusive images to make creating cards, photo albums, scrapbooks, and other projects even simpler; will not be available until October 1st. If you are interested in purchasing this product, which sells for $79.95, please call me I am willing to re-sign, place the order THEN resign.
The powers that be powerful at Stampin' Up! have decided that a new Independent Demonstrator Agreement (IDA) is necessary because of the popularity of blogs and social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter. They don't was us demonstrators telling people where to go to get competitor's merchandise and I can see their point. I can tell you this "I got this stamp from a big box store," but I can no longer give you item numbers, manufacturers names and store names or links to other selling sites. [Gotta wonder how they will monitor every demo's electronic communications.] All demo's are being asked to sign a new IDA or resign.
I have no problem signing this new IDA, I don't think it's unreasonable but I will not be signing it. At times I have loved being a demonstrator, and other times I have loathed being a demonstrator. I love social creativity. I love teaching people how to make great paper crafts. I hate selling, even though I believe Stampin' Up! products are among the best out there. I hate hounding people for sales and bookings. I hate thinking "potential customer" instead of "potential friend" when I meet new people.
I became a demonstrator to be a "supplier" for my friends who were losing their demo to a job transfer. Since that time my best customers have stopped spending money on stamps because they are too busy with babies, too broke because they have lost jobs, or grown incredibly apathetic – ok they died. I will not be renewing my demonstratorship because I don't have the customers, the drive or the interest.
My paying job, my health and my family need to take priority now. I will still be stamping and scrapping but I hope it will not be what defines me for my friends. I hope to find a balance between all the things that are important to me and my family's survival in these difficult economic times.
I have until the end of the month to sign or resign so you have until September 30th to place any orders including orders from the Holiday Mini. My Digital Studio™; the innovative and easy-to-use software program that uses Stampin' Up!'s exclusive images to make creating cards, photo albums, scrapbooks, and other projects even simpler; will not be available until October 1st. If you are interested in purchasing this product, which sells for $79.95, please call me I am willing to re-sign, place the order THEN resign.
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