Playing around can waste so much time

I've just spent 2 hours playing around with my template design and really haven't got anywhere. I mean how much time can it take? Apparently forever. I tried a few new ones but they didn't work, so I'm going to have to get some info and tips from Alyce who always has a beautiful looking blog. Alyce is my daughter in law, my son Ben's wife. She is so clever and recently went to a bloggers conference to learn some new tricks and ideas. My problem is I have too many ideas, I find it hard to concentrate on one thing most of the time so I end up doing too many things at once.

Sometimes I wonder if it is the 'bi-polar' which makes me like this. I know when I'm manic I have so many ideas it sends me batty just thinking about them but really if I wrote down every new idea I had every day for all the things I do, could do, want to do or might want to do. All I would do is write.

Today for instance I had new ideas for:

• Parent - Teacher interface at school



• 3 businesses I'd like to start



• 4 books I'd like to write



• Too many redecorating ideas to mention



• Behaviour management techniques and



• 6 items I'd like to sew but don't have a pattern or know if one exists

Is that normal? Maybe it is, maybe I just think I'm abnormal but even if I'm not abnormal my brain can't seem to keep up.

Concentating on one thing at a time has always been my problem, I haven't finished the first project before I'm already collecting items for the next 5.

Maybe that's why I have so much trouble sleeping.

So I need to pray for some order in my brain, a brain filing system where I can retrieve ideas later on.

I wonder if there is such a thing and if not could I design one?

Oh stop it Vikki you're doing it again.

What's up with this week

I may be excused for being a little paranoid this week as I've had three episodes of different people venting at me over three separate things I know were not done in the spirit they were received.



Firstly it was taking something I said completely out of context, then a questioning of my motives and now someone believing I was judging them inappropriately. In my defense I must say that all three incidents were unprovoked and taken in ways totally opposite of what I intended.



However it has been a good lesson in tolerance, patience and remaining calm in the midst of tumoil. I can't say I handled every situation the same, the first I took far too personally as even though it was meant as a personal attack it was really someone venting frustration and I was in the firing line. The second again was someone who has no control of their situation and was looking for someone else to blame and the third is someone feeling guilty and looking for a way to justifiy their behaviour.



As a christian I don't always react the way I might like and in the first situation I must admit I didn't handle it well. However I did apologise for my response and let God show me that personal distress is often vented at those nearby. The second and third I handled much better, measuring my responses and thinking through how I should handle the situation.



Being wrongly accused of ulterior motives is never pleasant especially when you didn't have any but just like Christ was accused and spat on so shall we be. Remembering that Jesus was perfect and yet was still berated and misunderstood should relieve our hurt, for we are no where near perfect but as we stand for Christ we can expect no better treatment.



When we are sure of who we are, we can remind ourselves that God's opinion of us is the only one that matters, we then stand surer. Checking our motives and making sure that the allegations actually have no truth is an important part of growth. Realising that others may not have had many positive experiences and always assume the worst is also helpful.



It doesn't really matter who confronts you, Satan is the accuser, it is he who wants us to doubt ourselves, berate ourselves or even worse take offense. If we do then he has won.



So I brush myself off, learn from my mistakes, accept criticism where it is due and continue on with my journey. I don't stop trying, I don't say "well I'm never going to try and help again", I'm not going to get bitter or bent out of shape. That is what Satan wants and I will not give him that satisfaction. I know I'm not perfect, I know I make mistakes but I know my motives and I stand by them.



Now I feel better, sometimes putting it in words helps us get perspective and that is what this blog is about. Now how am I going to bless someone tomorrow?

Wednesday hump day at last

Middle of the week, Home group tonight, by the end of the day I've done my 3 full days without a spare and only 2 days left until the weekend so I can do some more sewing.



Just waiting til then to try a singlet top dress pattern I found on line.

It is very simple simply cut off a singlet top a few centimeteres below the bust then choose a lovely flowy fabric, cut twice the width of the singlet, gather attach to singlet top and you have a new dress.



Similarly you can attach a circular skirt by cutting out a skirt on the bias and attaching after some light gathering.



Sounds simple and looks great on the tutorial but the proof is in the making so I'll let you know on Monday how it went.

I am going to try to attach photos from my camera for the first time, hoping it works.



Have a great day



Vikki

What hope have the children got?

I find that more and more the parents I talk to regarding their children's behaviour or lack of effort want to put the blame on me, or the school, or on other children, in fact anyone other than themselves or their child.



Parents who take a phone call and are pleased that you care enough to call are few and far between but they do exist. Some are genuinely horrified at their child's behaviour and take the time to talk to you, discussing issues at home or things I need to know but nevertheless not making excuses.



I know I'm not the first teacher to despair at the generation of people they are charged with educating but just at the moment I am worried.

A lack of work ethic, a sense of entitlement without any effort or committment, an attitude of 'if it doesn't suit what I want to do then I just won't do it' is becoming far too common. It must be coming from somewhere because it's definitely not from the teachers or the school.

One parent even said to me, "that's what teachers are for, it's not my job to make them work at school", then went on to complain that their child had failed a subject.

It's not all doom and gloom, there are some amazing kids who have a willingness to learn and when challenged find strength inside themselves to go the extra mile. But that used to be the norm, now it's the minority. Even children from hardworking families are caught up in the "I'll be ok, I don't need school to succeed" myth.



Not everyone is academic, not everyone is going to get A's or even B's but everyone could get an A for effort and behaviour. Everyone has the chance to prove they are a hard worker who puts effort into all they do. Every student can have the commet conscienscious student on their report card.



It's amazing how students who have never done well suddenly get better grades when they apply themselves thoroughly. People are more willing to help, cut them some slack, give them extra time because they have proven their desire to reach goals.



I wonder where our country will be in twenty years time, will we have the same problems as the US and the UK? A majority of people who won't work, despise authority, want everything for nothing and then blame everyone else except themselves.



If we're not careful that's what it will come to and we'll have no one else to blame but ourselves.

A new passion

Isn't it amazing how one day we can be caught up in our daily grind and then something sparks a new interest and we become passionate overnight? It used to happen to me a lot but over the past few years life has seemed fairly routine, no hobbies, no outlets other than those I had to do for necessities sake. Now I feel like a new woman. Sewing, fabric, making things has become my new life at home. I'm not sure how my husband feels about it as I seem to spend an awful lot of time researching, comparing patterns, fabrics and new ideas. I used to sew, when my kids were little I sewed quite a bit, I had to, I couldn't afford new clothes for them and as I was particular about them being well dressed I had no choice. Similarly with my clothes, sewing was the only way to keep up with fashion. I was very practical as I was scared of getting out of my depth, but now I'm older I can afford to go a bit crazy, experiment, if it doesn't work who cares? Age is like that, what seemed so important in my youth suddenly doesn't matter. If I make a mistake I simply unpick, cut another piece of fabric or keep going. I made some trousers for Jonathan and realized when I had finishd that the fabric was upside down oops, but hey the fabric cost me all of $3.00 so I'm not going to fret about it. Made a little skirt with some lightweight satin and tulle on the weekend. No pattern I just guessed. It turned out ok, I remembered some things as I went along, cut it out twice (lucky there was enough of the remnants I used) and low and behold it turned out better than I expected. I know what to do next time I make one now. The more I do the more comes back to me. Tackling a dress next which I have a pattern for, more complicated so I've got to steel myself to just start it, as it's material my daughter in law bought I need to be sure before I cut and sew. So if you're dying to try something, go for it. Have fun, experiment. You'll never know what you're capable of if you don't give it a go.

A new passion

Isn't it amazing how one day we can be caught up in our daily grind and then something sparks a new interest and we become passionate overnight?
It used to happen to me a lot but over the past few years life has seemed fairly routine, no hobbies, no outlets other than those I had to do for necessities sake.
Now I feel like a new woman. Sewing, fabric, making things has become my new life at home. I'm not sure how my husband feels about it as I seem to spend an awful lot of time researching, comparing patterns, fabrics and new ideas.
I used to sew, when my kids were little I sewed quite a bit, I had to, I couldn't afford new clothes for them and as I was particular about them being well dressed I had no choice. Similarly with my clothes, sewing was the only way to keep up with fashion.
I was very practical as I was scared of getting out of my depth, but now I'm older I can afford to go a bit crazy, experiment, if it doesn't work who cares?
Age is like that, what seemed so important in my youth suddenly doesn't matter. If I make a mistake I simply unpick, cut another piece of fabric or keep going.
I made some trousers for Jonathan and realized when I had finishd that the fabric was upside down oops, but hey the fabric cost me all of $3.00 so I'm not going to fret about it.
Made a little skirt with some lightweight satin and tulle on the weekend. No pattern I just guessed. It turned out ok, I remembered some things as I went along, cut it out twice (lucky there was enough of the remnants I used) and low and behold it turned out better than I expected. I know what to do next time I make one now. The more I do the more comes back to me.
Tackling a dress next which I have a pattern for, more complicated so I've got to steel myself to just start it, as it's material my daughter in law bought I need to be sure before I cut and sew.
So if you're dying to try something, go for it. Have fun, experiment. You'll never know what you're capable of if you don't give it a go.