Update on the new job and life in general
Things are going pretty well these days. The job is still interesting (but on the down side I am still pretty nervous about making a multi-million $ mistake or messing up something in one of the high-profile companies we deal with in my new role). I will probably get over it, I was nervous when I started my usual role for similar reasons.
Saying that, I was off today. I've been feeling worn out and under the weather for about a week. I took it easy this weekend but the last couple days have been fighting a headache. It got worse while I was at work yesterday despite taking several neurofen and when I woke up this morning and it was worse I decided I'd better stay home. Playing with Lots Of Money when you can't concentrate isn ot a good idea. And I figured if it got worse yesterday then starting out bad this morning would make for a nasty one by end of day. I could have gone in and seen how it went but I know me, I'd just suffer through like I normally do.
Everything else is going alright. I'm keeping busy trying to get the North Island Blurb book together. I've got the rough draft done and need to check it a few times before uploading it. I'm still waiting for my first one to get here. It should have been here last week really so I need to email and see what they say. The site says 15 business days and I think that was just past. I'm going to have to buy the one for my dad/step mom and my mom/step dad's Christmas gifts sight unseen now. I hoped I'd ordered in enough time to get it and see. I did choose the cheapest shipping option but it said about 2 wks business days so I thought I'd given enough.
Oh, and those of you who do your own jewlery and/or use Fimo-type clays to make things (and there are a few of you here), C checked out a cool book: Making Polymer Clay Beads by Carol Blackburn. She has some interesting techniques for faux gemstones such as malachite, agate, onyx, marble etc. She has other neat-looking techniques and techniques. C let me play with some of her clay over the weekend and I started making some green marble beads for her to use. It's a bit labour-intensive because I made smaller pieces instead of a few larger pieces. I'll finish them up in the next week/weekend maybe. I want to use some of her water-based gloss paint to finish them up. For now here's a pict with 3 stages of the green marble: rough stage at the left, semi-rough with a rough sand on the top and finished and buffed but waiting for gloss on the right.
For those who are interested, to make you are supposed to use equal parts white and translucent clays and some pearlescent powder with a bit of water to offset the powder, but I used equal parts white, translucent and pearl. You roughly chop into uneven pieces, paint with acrylics (they suggested burnt umber and a bit of brown; I used a lime green, pthalo green, tan and a touch of blue) until the pieces are mostly coated. You let it sit about 20 mins then shape them. Shaping is a messy job. Once shaped, put your holes in and bake as per the usual clay instructions. When cooled, wet-sand with rough to fine sandpapers (or do the lazy thing like I did, use a medium and a fine). (I added a touch of super-fine steel wool at the end too) Buff on soft cloth/denim and if you want paint with a water-based gloss.
Okdokey, wandering off now. Still need to put laundry away since I didn't get to that today and it needs to be done.
Saying that, I was off today. I've been feeling worn out and under the weather for about a week. I took it easy this weekend but the last couple days have been fighting a headache. It got worse while I was at work yesterday despite taking several neurofen and when I woke up this morning and it was worse I decided I'd better stay home. Playing with Lots Of Money when you can't concentrate isn ot a good idea. And I figured if it got worse yesterday then starting out bad this morning would make for a nasty one by end of day. I could have gone in and seen how it went but I know me, I'd just suffer through like I normally do.
Everything else is going alright. I'm keeping busy trying to get the North Island Blurb book together. I've got the rough draft done and need to check it a few times before uploading it. I'm still waiting for my first one to get here. It should have been here last week really so I need to email and see what they say. The site says 15 business days and I think that was just past. I'm going to have to buy the one for my dad/step mom and my mom/step dad's Christmas gifts sight unseen now. I hoped I'd ordered in enough time to get it and see. I did choose the cheapest shipping option but it said about 2 wks business days so I thought I'd given enough.
Oh, and those of you who do your own jewlery and/or use Fimo-type clays to make things (and there are a few of you here), C checked out a cool book: Making Polymer Clay Beads by Carol Blackburn. She has some interesting techniques for faux gemstones such as malachite, agate, onyx, marble etc. She has other neat-looking techniques and techniques. C let me play with some of her clay over the weekend and I started making some green marble beads for her to use. It's a bit labour-intensive because I made smaller pieces instead of a few larger pieces. I'll finish them up in the next week/weekend maybe. I want to use some of her water-based gloss paint to finish them up. For now here's a pict with 3 stages of the green marble: rough stage at the left, semi-rough with a rough sand on the top and finished and buffed but waiting for gloss on the right.
For those who are interested, to make you are supposed to use equal parts white and translucent clays and some pearlescent powder with a bit of water to offset the powder, but I used equal parts white, translucent and pearl. You roughly chop into uneven pieces, paint with acrylics (they suggested burnt umber and a bit of brown; I used a lime green, pthalo green, tan and a touch of blue) until the pieces are mostly coated. You let it sit about 20 mins then shape them. Shaping is a messy job. Once shaped, put your holes in and bake as per the usual clay instructions. When cooled, wet-sand with rough to fine sandpapers (or do the lazy thing like I did, use a medium and a fine). (I added a touch of super-fine steel wool at the end too) Buff on soft cloth/denim and if you want paint with a water-based gloss.
Okdokey, wandering off now. Still need to put laundry away since I didn't get to that today and it needs to be done.