an eve to end a decade

Well its about an hour till the new year and you can tell by the fact that I'm blogging that my New Year's eve is filled with festivities! I'm stuck at home with my parents, sister and two younger cousins from Melbourne. We aren't up to much. I'm also still stuck on a new year's resolution too. I do have my photography project to look forward and my L's to get before I start uni. I should start writing out a 2010 to do list.

Anyway I did actually go out to the city today with my two cousins. It was fairly fun. Lots of walking - from Town Hall to Market City to Central. Didn't buy that much. most my shopping was done on Monday. But I did buy some stuff. We also went to Capitol for sticker photos!

I got a new hat, it's felted! Also a new POCKET WATCH! A picture memo book from Morning Glory and my Capitol pictures.

My cousin and I chose one of the cheaper machines. Half the photos were fail but oh so hilarious.

I have to say a BIG thank you to EVERYONE who has been reading my blog! Good to know I can reach people with my random ramblings about my ever so insignificant life. THANK YOU to ALL my wonderful friends! My girls, the guys, the kazoo kids, my lovely music family, class buddies and everyone else I love to smile and say "Hi" to. Penrith High School class of 2009 I LOVE YOU and will miss you all dearly! Don't worry I will see you guys again! And to everyone else who has made this year GREAT and oh so enjoyable through the ups and the downs, you know who you are!

Well I will post some of the pictures I got developed from my LOMO. But not now, next year! Haha

Laters and I shall be seeing you all next year! Last blog post of 2009 complete!!

*j

sunday morning...

...rain is falling

No, not really but I do quite like that song. For those not in the know the song is Sunday Morning by Maroon 5 from their 'Songs About Jane' album, it's one of my all time favourite songs.

So it's Sunday and after sleeping in and missing church this morning I am now enjoying a late breakfast of French toast with cream and maple syrup (now that's that real stuff not the maple flavoured syrup, the fake stuff). Okay so I was enjoying some French toast, it is now getting cold on the kitchen bench  while I sit here typing up this post, oh what a dedicated blogger I am. In reality I just get distracted easily...

Now this morning while writing out this post in my brother's room on his laptop, I realised that my brother has a lot of nick names for me. Here is a list of them:

Jilly

J dozzle
Fag doe

J doe
J dog

Fag

J
Julz

The newest is Jilly. Now he doesn't have phases with these nick names or anything, he just uses them all interchangeably depending on what he wants or the situation. I have no idea how he remembers them all.

I also noticed, even though this post is titled 'sunday morning' it was already afternoon when I started typing, go figure. I did get up around 10.30 after sleeping REALLY late reorganising and cleaning my room in preparation of my cousins coming and staying over our place for a while.

...

And about 8 hours after starting this post I am back to finish with no idea what I was going to go on with. I really should learn how to finish posts in one sitting. I'm not very good at it. It's normally the reason why I have a lot of draft posts because by the time I get back to it what I have written doesn't seem so relevant or what not.

Now I said I would post more on the things I have made for Christmas but I haven't made much else and all my pictures are on the other computer and still need photoshopping so I will have to post them up later. I can however post a few pictures from my recent Christmas celebrations (as soon as I can relocate the memory card from my camera).

Christmas eve:

After all most of the presents were opened.

All crowded around one of those I Spy type books, but easier and for kids, funny how it's mostly the older folk crowded around.

Christmas day:

Helped my cousin make some of the Lego car sets that he got for Christmas. I miss Lego. I want some for Christmas!!

Waiting for MORE presents on Christmas day.

And that was my Christmas in four pictures. Not a very good representation of what actually happened but it's good enough for now.

Also I found something new that I want to get! The Diana F+ Delux Pack!!

It is valued at $550 on the Lomography site but I found it on Ebay for ONLY $255! That's a BARGAIN! But I don't know if I'm going to get it yet because I still want that Canon 450D SLR and don't want to spend all my money. What do you, my lovely readers think I should do? Well there are only 6 left on Ebay so I need to decide fairly soon.

Speaking of Lomos and Diana, I NEED MORE FILM!! Especially because I am going to be starting my photography project VERY SOON!! OMG NEW YEAR IS HERE!! Yeah, I have one roll of film developed but my stupid brother didn't pick it up after work on Christmas eve and I haven't been to the shops so I STILL don't have it, maybe tomorrow. But I think I should stock up and get at least 3 more rolls, which should be enough to last me a little while. But fingers crossed for my project Three hundred and sixty-five six (leap year) photographs. (Who ever told me it was a leap year next year can go die... not really but I was stupid enough to believe you, that's right YOU)  

Anyway I think I have rambled a sufficient amount to make up for the past few post-less days. Shall be back with more photos and hopefully some scans of developed photographs from my Diana Mini.

Till I can find the time to post again,

*j

Sneak peak!

Well here is just a sneak peak of something that I just finished making today. It is a Christmas present for my sister. More photos and info will be posted up after Christmas, as well as everything else I have made or STILL need to make.

I have no idea what to make for my cousin. Need to start AND finish something today but I'm having a MEGA mind blank. She is 16 and likes to dance. Favourite colour is purple and she likes pandas and huskies. Help anyone?

*j

Credits: Post processing on the photo - used PS action found here.

My Portfolio...

...is still non existent! I'm trying to make a portfolio in the hopes that I can get an interview with someone from DAB and show them some of my stuff to see if it will better my chances of getting straight into VisComm. My fingers are VERY crossed.

BUT first things first! I need a portfolio. Now I don't have any experience in anything like this so I'm looking to ask people for advice. Also I don't know what to put in it. If any of you lovely blog reading people out there would like to check out my deviant account, please tell me of anything you think I SHOULD include to help me narrow down.

Thanks to anyone who bothers, it is much appreciated!

*j

Sharing is caring

Just some links to entertain you people who read my blog.

♥ Some lovely and inspiring gift wrapping and packaging images compiled on oh, hello friend. It's all so pretty, I want to try out some of these things for Christmas.

♥ Images from the amazing home of interior designer Jessica Helgerson on Design*Sponge. I want my house to look this awesome, the mirrors... so cool (you will know what I'M talking about when you check it out).

♥ Katie's blog Skunkboy Creatures. She makes the cutest and COOLEST plush toys. I am ever so slightly jealous of her talent.

I thought I had more than this to share... guess that's all.

*j

Closed curtains

Now this is very random but I just wanted to share with you a small section of the inside of my room. Really just wanted to show my window because I decorated it and it's fun. :)

See, open by day... (look its my big totoro toy sitting on my bed in the corner)

and closed by night!

I keep all my small stuffed toys on my window sill. As well as the bamboo favours we got from Minna's 18th, the frame Ama gave me for my 18th, my big stack of free postcards (only temporary) and two gnomes which I use to keep my curtains open - one from my birthday and the other from Smiggle, which I got for $1.

My curtains are from the same material I made a bag out of earlier this year. The colourful bunting I made for my 18th, the yellow fringing was scabbed from school, the red pompom trim from a Reverse Garbage trip with Shuang and and little picture garland from the owl shop in FORSTER!

And there you have it folks, my window! How exciting, I have such a nice view of the side of our neighbours house!

That is all.

*j

P.S. I will post pictures of the other cards I made after I finish photoshopping  them!

i love...

MLIA

My Life Is Average is one of the best things since sliced bread. SERIOUSLY it is such a feel good thing. Best cure to a bad mood. You just read and feel happy, get amused and for me more often than not my faith in humanity rises a little. For example;

The other day, I realized that you can select "walking" as a mode of transportation when finding directions on Google Maps. I got walking directions from Detroit to Hawaii, and once I got to California, the directions said "Kayak across the Pacific Ocean for 2273 miles". I love Google.

&

Today I was taking notes in my theology class and I named the powerpoint I was working on “humanity” because that’s what we were studying. I forgot I named it that, and later when I tried to close it, it asked me if I wanted to save the changes I had made to humanity. I said yes. I felt empowered. MLIA

It should be My Life Is AWESOME because it really is. And now I shall go back and read some more MLIA.

*j

i blog on paper..?

Yes apparently I do. I found a piece of paper with writing intended for a blog post. I guess I really wanted to post something but wasn't at the computer at the time so I wrote it on paper instead. Ans now I shall type it up as I had originally intended.

 SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 14, 2009

i DON'T love...

being in a bad mood.

Whether it be angry, annoyed, depressed or simply wallowing in self-pity, being in a bad mood is counter productive, effects sleeping patterns and overall just sucks. 

I personally think that being angry or annoyed is the worst. Once I'm pissed off  there isn't much I can do about it except wait it out till I've cooled off.

Being depressed is just... well sad really. Although it's great that I can get cheered up.

I'm tired and writing this post has helped me calm down so now I shall sleep.

*j

And that was all that was written. I think this was from before formal when I was stressing out about getting everything I need to do finished in time and then my parents were giving me a hard time about something and yeah... blogging seems to be my way of venting.

Anywho I will be posting more later...

*j

Fireflies

Anyone heard of Owl City? It's Adam Young's one man 'electronica-pop' band. Not normally my cup of tea (not that I drink tea other than Easy Way and iced tea) but I do like his stuff. Fireflies is one of his new songs (at least I think so, to me it's new) and I have to say it is one of my favourite songs at the moment. It has rekindled my liking for Owl City again, really even just the name is cool. Check out his site!

And OH MY GOSH Owl City is coming to SYDNEY in March! Best part is that he'll be performing a UNSW! YAY there are perks to (most probably) getting into my second choice uni (although still hoping that I make it). He'll be coming round with Cobra Starship so that should be some fun.

ALSO check out Kina Grannis' cover of Fireflies. I LOVE it! I think half the reason why I'm loving Fireflies so much right now is because her cover is awesome. Kina is an singer-songwriter who has been spreading her stuff through youtube. She is VERY good and has a new album is coming out next year. Unfortunately she's in the states and doubt she'll be coming down here any time soon but fingers are crossed. Visit her site!

Now I would post up the video of her cover here but I'm not entirely sure how to do that yet, so if someone wants to teach me please do!

Edit: Here's the vid of Kina's cover.

Thanks Gail for helping me out!

Anyway my room is NOT going to tidy itself so I shall go do that.

See you later alligator(s)!

*j

P.S. I'm posting from my brother's laptop in my room! He is in Queensland and I have been taking advantage of his laptop because he left it at home. Hehe...

It makes me sad

The results for the Higher School Certificate were released today and recent high school graduates all over NSW went and checked the all important numbers two years in the making. I have to say I had high hopes, I am a somewhat high achiever with high standards to match. This is all good and well but when you don't get as high as you hoped,don't achieve as high as you could have and didn't perform to meet standard the result can be overwhelming.

That right there is my life story to date. I didn't get as high as I would have hoped. I didn't achieve as high as I know I cold have and I didn't perform to meet my standards or expectations. And as a result of this a few tears were shed, hopes and dreams drifted farther out of grasp and an a lingering feeling of sadness and disappointment set in.

Don't get me wrong, I didn't do badly by any means. My marks just weren't quite up to scratch with what I was hoping for. And so I sit here thinking I need an alternate career path, well really just some other course options seeing as what I want to get into doesn't seem possible right now. So uncertainty lies ahead and this is a little scary. Tomorrow our ATAR (Australian Tertiary Admission Rank - if I'm wrong please correct me) comes out. From this I can really sort through my uni preferences properly. At least my HSC marks are a bit of an indicator of what to expect for that.

Anyway in the mean time I shall be listening to some music to try and soften my mood seeing as bejeweled doesn't want to load on facebook. I should probably eat something but unlike other people I tend to not eat when emotionally distressed. And also hoping that I will be allowed out to the drive-ins tonight for a movie or two to cheer me up and to keep my mind of my not to impressive results.

Till next time when I'm in a better mood,

*j

Neat & tidy.

I cleaned all my mess up from my card-making earlier! Finished probably half an hour ago, then I thought I should take  few snaps and post up the photos just because I can! (The before pictures can be found in the previous post)

The space in front of the computer... you can actually see the table now!

 

 The kitchen bench MINUS all the paper and what not. But where did all my mess go?!

 

All the mess went into this neat little pile next to my sewing machine! :D

And that is my cleaning done for tonight. :D

*j 

Productivity

Well I am actually being a little bit productive today. Currently working on the cards my mother asked for, commissioned work thank goodness! It's taking SO long though and I'm making a big mess out of the computer table and the kitchen bench.

My computer desk. Look it's my blog! *pointing at monitor* And look my DIANA Mini!

The kitchen bench and my big pile of coloured paper and scraps.

Little cut out shapes for the cards. No I did not cut them out individually with scissors, I used one of those hole punchers.

The original design plan. The end result is practically the same but you get the idea.

My workspace on the kitchen bench while gluing it all together.

Cards drying on the side. Gluing 20 little pieces of paper into a circle is very time consuming work. But it looks good so I don't mind. I think the quickest I finished one card was in 15 minutes...

Of course I had to fit  my little jellyfish in there somewhere and a little "handcrafted" note on the back, I'm branding.

And the finished product! :D

So I've made 6 cards and a lot of mess, won't cleaning be fun! But that's not all I did today. Visited my primary school because my sister was getting a "Gold Award" or something and my mum told my brother and I to go so that we could take pictures and picker her up from school. Also went to the shops after and I checked how much it would be to develop my film from my LOMO! It's about $8 at Big W so it is quite affordable, but I have no money right now. I just finished watching a whole bunch of videos from Forster, it's all so hilarious! I really do miss that place, it was so much fun.

Anyway I should clean up a bit of my mess now so that I don't sleep too late and end up being REALLY tired tomorrow. Got a big day ahead. Ice skating in the morning then a party in the evening! Should be heaps fun and I am looking forward to it. BUT I have no money and will have to go to the parents for some, hope they're feeling generous tomorrow morning!

*j

Would've been nice

Found this on My Life Is Average.

Today, I discovered that my college level math book came with 3-D glasses, which are to be used to view the 3 dimensional shapes portrayed in the book. I'm glad the textbook companies understand how college students learn. MLIA

I wish we had these back at school...

*j

It's beginning...

to look a lot like Christmas!

Yep, tis the season to be jolly. Our Christmas tree is up, the decorations are out, my dad has been avoiding to put the lights up on the house... And so begins the present hunt! Luckily for me I plan to make gifts;

1. because I like to make things &

2. because I'm cheap!

This just poses a few problems.

Firstly I like to have a big clean work space when I start out which normally means I work on our huge dining table (not to mention the kitchen is only a few meters away). But seeing as I will be making a lot, it may take a while to finish all my stuff, which is just a nuisance to the rest of the family who might want to use the table for eating maybe. I normally have to pack it all up at dinner time and then take it all out again after. It gets very annoying. It also means I can't work too late into the night as the dinning room is near my parent's room and they are relatively light sleepers. But I like working late, no one is there to bother me and I can concentrate better. My solution to the location of my workshop is usually my room.

♥

BUT my room is a disaster zone right now. I have things EVERYWHERE and since I am planning on reorganizing I need to take everything out to sort. BUT I don't have enough space in my room for this so I still need to work out how it's going to work, not to mention rearranging all the furniture (excluding my bed seeing as the odd shape of my room means I can only really position my bed one way if I want to put anything else in there). To sum it all up my room is not a safe and plausible working environment.

♥

Thirdly, because my room is in such a mess all my crafting tools and materials are either scattered buried under things. I need to locate and retrieve all of these belongings (I thought of english, damn) so I can see everything I have to work with. I also need to sort and organise my craft things too instead of just having it all in random boxes.

♥

Also I'm feeling kind of lazy these days. For example I should have finished cleaning my room AGES ago, I really should go and do something about that. But even for other things, I'm meant to be making some cards for my mum to give out to her work clients. I haven't finished yet and she wanted some for this week. I am going to the shops later to go buy some new paper for me to use though.

♥

And lastly, I have no idea what I am going to make. I haven't sewn anything since before HSC and I've been doing quite a bit of paper crafts lately. So I will have to decide on that and if I will be making individual gifts or just a similar set of the same thing to give to everyone. Ah this is too much thinking right now...

And so goes my Christmas dilemma. Anyway I should just go surf the net and look through all the blogs I follow for some inspiration, there are a whole bunch of other things I want to try out too. So much to do, so little time...

Well that shall be all for now, my first long blog post in a while. Hope you enjoy reading my ramblings, I hope to be back with more later!

*j

Okay I lie...

In my previous post I said that I would post more on schoolies and my wonderful week at Forster. The truth of the matter is that I really have lost my motivation to post things these days. And as a result of this laziness and procrastination I have even lost some of the excitement from schoolies, although I still think our stay at Forster was the best week of my life.

Anyway on with my lack of posting, I realised how many times I would go and make a post but never really get around to finishing one, which would explain my long list of "draft" posts. I have about 15 from last month and the month before. I really should learn to finish them off.

Anyway that is all I have time to blab on about right now. In the mean time I shall be off to the pools because it is SO hot these days and because I need the exercise and because my friends and I can finally properly try out the beach volleyball net at the pools.

Till I have more time and something more substantial to blog about,

*j