Hard, Hot Day at Work

After a pretty warm and busy day back to work today I thought some LSP filled with tea might go down well, along with a couple of Mint Thins (the last two) and my new 2014 diary.
The forecast for Brisbane is looking pretty horrible the next couple of days, 37 and 40 Celsius.  Work does not have air conditioning, neither does home.  I will try to stick near a fan at work and at home.  But anyways, I'll live, it's just a bit hot, right?

Dead Beetle is Lovely

I just want to share this little beetle.  These are common in Brisbane at this time of the year although I cannot find their name anywhere.
This little dead fellow was found when I was walking home and is now having an eternal sleep in a little box.
I love beetles.  Alive ones are always better but I do appreciate and enjoy dead things.

Stamping

Stamps are something that it is hard not to love.  Whether it is a humble potato stamp, store bought stamp, someone else's hand carved handy work, or, best of all, your own hand carved stamp.

I learnt to carve stamps from Kay Watanabe as part of the Hands On Brisbane and truly love the technique and the results.

Today I spent a little time making some more wrap for orders using my own hand carved Your Organ Grinder Anatomy stamps.  I use my stamps to make wrap and tote bags, rather than selling the stamps I carve.

   

Brain Stamp

Chicken Skeleton Stamp

Microscopes and chickens and brains.  oh my!

Tote Bag

Microscope Wrapping Paper

The Walking Dead E-Course

Anyone else doing/done The Walking Dead E-Course on Canvas?

I've not had a chance to really sit down with the content so I have been waiting.  Today I had the urge so sat myself down and started to read.

I think this article is absolutely fascinating and so worth a read.

http://www.broadreachtraining.com/articles/armaslow.htm

On the main topic, though...

Thinking about Self-Actualisation, the idea of Abraham Maslow is also really interesting. When you pursue a creative enterprise you are often seen to be "living the dream."  The truth is the "dream" is a lot of hard work, stress, frustration and headaches!  Maslow studied people he believed to be self-actualised, but were they?Ghandi, Abe Lincoln, Einstein, Beethoven?  Do you think they felt they had achieved what they wanted? Two of those were assassinated and if they kept working would they have achieved more and how much more did they want to achieve.

Maslow says only 2% of the population self-actualise. So I wonder how many who self-actualise feel they have achieved what they wanted? Do they think they go there, or is it just us, looking at them, who think that?

Caterpillar Chrysalis

Last year a caterpillar did a lot of eating on our Desert Rose and I was wondering whether we'd get any more this year.  A few days later I spotted one, and then another, and this is the story so far...

                                                                Yummy Desert Rose!

                                                             First one starts the process.

Dangle Dangle.  It spent the afternoon like this.

Next day.

The second one decided there was just one good spot on the plant. I told the second one that it should not mess with the first one.  It did not listen.

Dangle dangle. 

No. 2 next to no. 1

A couple of days later. 

Pretty little things.

Devastated!  The first one came loose of the leaf and is hanging by thread and then I noticed a hole in it!  Someone ate the little butterfly.  The other one is still looking okay an I am waiting patiently for it to emerge. They are meant to be in the chrysalis for about 2 weeks...it has been almost 3.  So perhaps they are both lost?  I wonder if the recent stormy weather has been a factor. 

These are Common Crow butterfly Chrysalises and are common on Oleander.  My Nana used to have these on her Oleander.  I still scour the Oleander looking for them when I go over to her house.

I love seeing bugs on our plants.  This is why you have plants, to have these beautiful bugs.

Success?

You might already be reading Create and Thrive.  If you aren't I strongly recommend it if you have a handmade business.  This week Jess (blog owner) asked about success in this blog post. Lately I am all over the place with my handmade work, not necessasrily in creativity or creating, or what I am making, but more in how I am feeling about my business and my work in general.  Reading this blog is helping me, a little at a time, to get myself back togther.  This "success" question has really made me think and I am going to put together a little list of what success means to me.  

I Make Stuff

I really like to make things.  I spend most of my time hard at work making something.  I mostly make Anatomy-like this Skin hoop, but I also like to make cute things, quirky things, fun things, edible things and more.

Sometimes I post guides to how I have put something together.  You can find a few little instruction manuals to some of what I do over at Instructables.

Here is me http://www.instructables.com/member/organgrinder/  I even won a little prize for my Terrarium

Instructable.  Yay!

You can even find me teaching some workshops with Hands On Brisbane (in fact I coordinate this program).  But you will more than likely find me learning new crafts at Hands On Brisbane.  Learning new things is my favourite thing about this program.

Hands On Brisbane is held in Brisbane, Australia.Find info here http://www.bleedingheart.com.au/handsonbrisbane/

Our new program will launch quite soon.  We've got Screen Printing, Terrariums, Shrinky Dinks, Block Printing, Stamp Making and much much more.