Tea, Pumpkins and Crafting

So I've had a little bit of a (spontaneous and unintentional) blog break. My time has been swallowed up by my new job, lots of baking, a little scrapbooking, some TV watching, pumpkin carving, face-painting and socialising with friends... not necessarily in that order! Things have been busy, but I'm now in the middle of the glorious week off school for half-term (mid-term, as we call it here in Ireland) and I thought it was high time I invited you for tea and a catch up on the goings on in my very exciting life! It's also a chance to join in with Abi's monthly tea party... Better late than never :D So come on in, grab a slice of spiced apple cake with rum buttercream and a mug, and get yourself comfy by the roaring fire...

How is everything with you? My new job is going well, I'm slowly getting used to the insanity and chaos of a classroom with four classes and children ranging in age from four to eight! It's noisy and exhausting, and a bit mad at times, but I'm really enjoying the challenge. In the past five weeks, I've carved pumpkins, read 'Room on the Broom' several times, painted autumn trees and hedgehogs, woven spiderwebs, recited rhymes, sung songs, led a maths trail, pretended to be a banana (!), painted lots of little faces, mopped up a few tears, laughed out loud and stressed a lot! What have you been up to at work recently?

The new job has, however, been sucking up all my time, so crafting has suffered a little bit. The half-term has helped me redress that balance! I've almost finished that crochet blanket I showed you last time  we chatted, and thanks to a lovely day with a friend yesterday, I finished a double page layout that has been on my desk for far too long. I also carved another pumpkin and got the DSLR out for the first time in ages. Good times! Have you been crafting recently?

Something that hasn't suffered in the last few weeks is my obsession with the Great British Bake Off! I'm SO sad that it's over now, but am consoling myself with the masterclasses with Mary Berry and Paul Hollywood this week, and doing lots of baking myself :D Thankfully, the Great Irish Bake Off will be on for another couple of weeks to fill the GBBO shaped hole in my TV schedule!

My goodness, time flies when we get together for tea! Thank you for joining me today :) And thanks Abi for the inspiration, as always. Until next month...

xxx

P.S. Happy Halloween!

At the Moment...

They say times flies when you're having fun... I think it should read, 'time flies when you're hectic-crazy-manic-exhausting busy!' The last couple of weeks have been a whirlwind, with the main news being that I have succeeded in getting a job, a maternity leave cover until mid March. I have just started into my third week now (whew!) and am very gradually adjusting to the massive change in pace and workload and trying to get used to a new workplace and routine. It's a positive kind of busy though, as I appreciate that I'm so lucky to have employment when so many others are out of work. Anyway, as a kind of ease-myself-back-into-blogging exercise, I thought it was high time for a 'right now' kind of post. So here goes...

Currently I am:
Reading primary school textbooks and fairytales to my class (with dramatic voices, obviously!) :D
Cooking lots of Jamie Oliver's meals from his most recent cookbook, the latest being a chicken and chorizo paella (which was divine, if I may say so myself!)
Drinking loads of tea with some coffee thrown in there too, as well as trying to sip more water
Typing school plans and PowerPoint presentations
Surfing crafty blogs, Pinterest and teaching resource sites
Watching Great British and Great Irish Bake Offs, Downton Abbey and Home and Away
Listening to OneRepublic and some radio
Celebrating my county winning the All-Ireland hurling final on September 28th - an EPIC weekend of celebrations!
Crafting a little bit of crochet every now and again (granny stripe blanket as seen above!)
Wanting to get more organised and fit in more time to scrapbook and bake
Chatting to friends on the phone a lot - the best way to de-stress is definitely to vent and rant a little :D
Worrying about getting everything I need done and gaining a work-life balance and mostly, succeeding in my new job
Wearing blazers, dark jeans, light knits and blouses - it's that in-between autumnal time when I don't know if I'm ready for winter woolies quite yet
Needing to buy some black comfy ankle boots for the winter that I can tuck my jeans into... impossible to find!
Thanking God for my friends and family who keep me sane (well, mostly!)

Hope to be back soon with a more substantial post :D
xxxxx

Thoughts on Instagram

I was a slow starter with Instagram. I blame this on my phone, which is an Android model that is a little dated and on which the camera is not brilliant to say the least. I am saving my pennies for an iPhone! But anyway, my phone camera was my excuse not to Instagram. I rarely used the camera on my phone at all... This is definitely because I am in love with my DSLR and bring it almost everywhere with me. I  adore the brilliant quality and creative control of changing the aperture and shutter speed. Why would I need to take phone pictures at all?

However, in recent months, my attitude has changed. I am beginning to embrace my phone camera. I like the fact that I can use it to capture the things I wouldn't usually take photos of, like a meal I've made from a new cookbook, or an ice-cream in the car, or a coffee while I work on my laptop. These photos of the little things document the normality and routine of everyday life, not just day trips or holidays or adventures. I love flicking back through my Instagram photos to see the changing seasons and the mix of the exciting and the mundane.

An Instagram collage... First row (L-R): autumnal blackberries; summer lemonade; birthday flowers from Australia; cupcakes in my county colours. Second row (L-R): share a coke with Sinéad; Jamie Oliver's new book; boiled egg tea; Havianas for my holidays. Third row (L-R): coffee and Macbook; sunny road trip; cross stitching; stripy pumps and turned up jeans. Fourth row (L-R): hurling match; aquarium visiting; peas from the garden; first '99 cone of the summer.

I also really enjoy the social aspect of Instagram and the immediacy of it. It's like a cheekier, more in-your-face version of blogging, and I love the fact that I get a window into the daily lives of friends, bloggers, famous people and everyone in between!

You can follow me @sineadkirby, if you're so inclined :D What are your thoughts on Instagram?
xxx

The Cautious Cappuccino Drinker

My sister is not a coffee lover. Tea, on the other hand, she will drink all day long, strong with just a dash of milk, served in a big mug she can wrap her hands around. Sometimes, when we're in town, she will try coffee for a change, usually a light and milky latté, but even then, she usually regrets not getting tea!

I guess I am the coffee drinker of the family. Don't get me wrong, I could drink tea for Ireland, and when I'm at home, the kettle is rarely off the boil. But I do love my afternoon coffee for the boost it lends to a frazzled and tired mind. And when we were in Italy, I drank lots of coffee, from smooth americanos to frothy cappuccinos and powerful espressos.

On our last night on holidays, I convinced my sister she had to try a cappuccino. It would be a crime not to, in a place where the heavenly scent of whole-bean coffee lingered in the air every morning, and business people in posh suits drank espresso like it was water.

When the little chocolate dusted cup arrived topped with frothy milk, she was definitely sceptical (as you can see from the middle photo) and very cautious. The first few sips were tense... But I'm pleased to say she drank it all, and enjoyed it! Maybe I'll convert her to espressos yet!

This layout came together easily enough, using mostly supplies I got from my most recent Two Peas order (my favourites being those little star-shaped paperclips!), mixed in with a few older bits and pieces. Sometimes, I struggle with using this many photos on a single layout, as I find it difficult to fit in my journalling, title and embellishments, while still leaving a little white space. I think 3x4 cards are the answer - not only for Project Life! This is third layout I've done using these cards, and I'm happy with the effect. Also, by using small letter stickers rather than my customary favourites, Thickers, the title doesn't take up too much room.

What have you been scrapbooking recently?

xxx

Storytelling Sunday: A Holiday Journal

Today, I am taking part in Sian's Storytelling Sunday. On the first Sunday of every month, Sian encourages bloggers from all over the world to tell the story behind the things that are precious to them. Climb up to see her High in the Sky and read the tales of other talented storytellers. This is my story of a holiday journal. It is not old or battered or dog-eared from thumbing through and reading. Actually, it is still new and clean, with crisp pages and neatly adhered memorabilia. However, it is still precious to me, and I hope that as time passes, it will only become more important and treasured.

I had never written a holiday journal before this summer. Since I started scrapbooking (and probably even before), I have collected things like tickets and memorabilia when I go anywhere new with the idea that I may use it on a layout one day. Of course, as time passes by, I often forget the story behind the precious receipts and little pieces of paper I amass during a holiday, and they often end up lurking at the bottom of a folder or basket of supplies, never to be used. Sad times!

This year, when we went to Italy for the first time, I was determined to keep a journal of some kind. This was partly because I wanted to remember all the little details, and partly because I had seen so many beautiful travel journals from scrapbookers and bloggers online that I wanted to get a piece of the action! I knew that if I brought loads of supplies with me, I wouldn't have the time or discipline to keep up. My scrapbooking style is slow and detailed, and this journal was all about the memories and journalling, not the design. So I set off with this lovely Papermania journal (which I got from a sweet friend for my birthday), a Freckled Fawn/Studio Calico green arrow washi tape and my favourite American Crafts journalling pen. Minimal supplies that fit neatly in my handbag.

And during the fabulous week we spent in Italy, I set aside some time most nights (usually when everyone else had collapsed into bed exhausted!) to sift through and record the tales behind the bits and pieces I had gathered during the day. Before I knew it, the pages were filling up with stories: the dramatic story of an expired passport, the story of a expensive and beautiful island, the story of the many cocktails we enjoyed, the story of a sweet Englishwoman that worked in our hotel, the story of a place steeped in history... Accompanying the stories were countless receipts, tickets, maps, postcards, stamps, brochures and even a sachet of sugar from a café on the isle of Capri that charged €7 for an orange juice. Yes, really!

I'll be honest. I didn't get it all finished when we were in Italy. I didn't write every single night. I definitely had some catching up to do when we got home. But the result is worth it. When I had written my last story and adhered my last ticket with that lovely green washi tape, I knew there was something else I wanted. Something that would make this journal really precious. So I went to my family and begged them to write something, something that would sum up their experience of the holiday. Having my Mum's love of family, my sister's humour and my Dad's almost illegible scrawl (!) as part of the journal make it even more important and special to me.

I am so doing this again!

Let's Sit for a Cup of Tea

Hello there, come on in, sit down and let's have a chat! It's so lovely to see you again, I do so enjoy our monthly catch up and cuppa. My favourite pot is full and I have baked some chocolate and vanilla marble cake which you're more than welcome to take a slice (or three!) of. Don't be shy - I'll be helping myself generously.

So how have things been with you? Can you believe that August is over and September is almost here?  It seems like only yesterday that the whole summer was stretching out ahead of us... And now I'm looking back wistfully that the lazy days of summer have elapsed! But there's something nice about autumn creeping up too. The blackberries have started to appear on the bushes, darkness is descending earlier and there is a definite chill in the air. I'm getting the urge to bake more and I even broke out the crochet hook and the chunky wool at the weekend and made a cowl/neck-warmer (the whole thing took two hours from start to finish and was so easy, my kind of project!). But enough of my ramblings, what are your thoughts on the changing seasons? Are you a bit nostalgic for the summer days, or ready for the crisp leaves and cosy fires of autumn?

Go on, have another cup of tea, and more cake? I promise I won't tell! September has always been a month of routine for me, getting back to school or university. However, since I qualified as a teacher last year, things have been a little different due to the challenging job situation here in Ireland. I was lucky enough to get a position in a little school I loved last November, but since it was a temporary contract I've spent my summer job-hunting again. Sadly, nothing has come up and it's been really disheartening and depressing. I feel like going into the streets with a sandwich board: "Somebody HIRE ME!!" Just kidding...maybe! I've sent tons of applications and got too many rejections... But I suppose I'm doing everything I can and just have to trust and pray that something will turn up. Rant over, I promise!

On a happier topic, I'm absolutely loving getting back to crafting these days! What are you creating at the moment? I tried cross stitch for the first time this week (slow progress but very pretty), I'm doing some crochet, and I've gotten massively back into scrapbooking. I got a big order in the post last week from Two Peas (seriously, it was like Christmas coming early!), and I also made a massive order of 170 photos from Photobox. I had piles of pictures, from Italy and London and meeting new and old friends and my school year and day trips and my birthday... It was so lovely when they all arrived! Do you order photos or print at home? I'd love to hear your recommendations about home printing!

Oh no, is that the time? I can't believe our tea has passed so quickly - but I'm afraid I've got to run. I'm trying to cram as much into these last few days of summer as I can, and that involves meeting up with school and uni friends, helping my sister move into her uni accommodation, taking impromptu shopping trips, crafting as much as possible, watching the Great British Bake Off, applying for more jobs, reading loads and drinking lots of tea and coffee in between! Thank you so much for coming for tea, and do promise you'll come again next month?

Today, I'm joining in with Abi's lovely meme about sharing a cup of tea over at Creating Paper Dreams. Pop over and say hi to Abi (she's the best!) and read the other tea tales from other bloggers from all over the world. 

xxx

Adventures in Macro Photography

I love macro photography, but it's always been a kind of admiration from afar, a bit like unrequited love if you like. I'd browse through beautiful macro shots online and marvel at the stunning detail they captured. I even used macro photos for a project during one of my teaching practice placements... One of those 'guess what this is' kind of games! But I knew the chances of me ever shooting macro photos was slim. For one thing, the lenses cost an absolute fortune, and I really wouldn't get enough use out of it to justify the price tag even if I could afford it.

Then this summer, I unexpectedly got my first taste of macro. After coming back from my cousin's wedding in June, I noticed these weird blue lines across the middle of the photos. The sensor was damaged (if I ever find out who dropped my camera, there'll be trouble!) and I was told it was going to take a few weeks to fix it. Sad times! I was so disappointed, but my uncle, a MAJOR photography enthusiast, came to the rescue. He loaned me his fancy Canon 600D, which is his backup camera (!), along with a macro lens for me to experiment with. I was so excited!

It was a huge learning curve... In the space of a few days, I had learned to use a new camera, I had messed around with a tripod, I had used manual focus for the first time and I had produced my first (very basic!) macro shots. It's a totally different type of photography than what I'm used to. It's slow and precise, and it takes a long time to set up a shot and get it perfect. The slightest shudder of movement and the picture is ruined. And I have to admit that, on my uncle's advice, I spent more than a few evenings chasing flies around, wielding a can of fly spray, trying to kill one for a photo! Yes, really! I got more up close and personal with things like wriggly caterpillars and slimy snails than I ever would have anticipated. And though my sister wasn't very impressed with how disgusting these creatures are when massively magnified, it was worth it for the pictures!

Sadly, the time has come to return the camera and lens, now that my own beloved model has returned in full working order. However, I have to say that I really enjoyed my flirtation with macro photography. Have you ever tried macro?