💎 PREMIUM: Gallery - Uncensored 2025
Hello there!
Long-time-no-blog! I've been on a little bit of a creative hiatus...
This year has been full of a lot of action that didn't involve crafting, and that's ok. I hope to keep creating, but I'm actually enjoying just making things when I want to, and not because I HAVE to (like design teams etc....).
Anyway.. My dear friend Sarah's birthday was yesterday so I played along with the current MFT color challenge. Challenges get me out of a creative rut every time, and I’ve had this MFT for a long time and never used it.... OOPS!
I stamped the Chinese temple image (from Good Fortune - retired) in the color challenge colors to make a custom background. I figured that living in China makes this an appropriate theme for my friend’s birthday card!
I used the Stitched Oval Word Window die cut to make a little sentiment window then embossed the sentiment with white EP to make it stand out. (Die cut link here)
A hobby I have enjoyed learning the past couple of years is hand-lettering. I know I would be better if I practiced more, but it is certainly a relaxing and calming pastime... This is technically "faux calligraphy" because it wasn't done with a brush tip - instead it was done with a white gel pen!
Thanks for stopping by!! ❤️
13
That's how many posts I wrote on the blog this year...
I don't know who is still out there reading this, but if you are still around, THANK YOU!
I have been a bad blogger, and I could blame it on China and the fact that blogs are illegal, or the internet and the fact that it's incredibly slow... But the truth is, I just don't "make" like I used to - and it's ok....
I did have a little Christmas cardmaking class with some co-workers, and I had a small card order for Christmas, but nothing like in the past...
But I'm still creating..... When I have time.
I'm trying to perfect Acrylic Pouring and have been puttering around with that...
I broke out the ol' gelli plate and made some art journal backgrounds...
But mostly.... I've been incredibly busy at school.
And life.
And travel...
This year I've been to:
Boracay, Philippines
Panglao, Philippines
Vancouver, BC
Chicago, Il
Toronto, Ont.
Quebec
Bangkok, Thailand
Bali, Indonesia (where I am right now)
My son and I in Chicago to see Hamilton!
These are my blog stats....
And I have had a very deep thought about it.
There is a direct and quantifiable correlation between the amount of blog posts/year, and my effectiveness/commitment/quality of my teaching.
Being a music teacher takes a lot of dedication, but mostly, TIME. When I was in Canada I had so many commitments outside of school that I wasn't directing my energy where I should have: to my students and my music program.
I have learned the hard way, that to do my job effectively, to offer my students the BEST ME, I have to be 100% focused on them and my job. If you look at 2014 - 2018 (my years in China so far), you can see the drop-off. And yes, that means no time/energy for crafting commitments and deadlines.....
I have also recently committed myself to Keto.
If I'm going to continue doing my job the way I'm currently doing it, I need to get healthy!!
I've been on keto for 4 months. Still have a LONG way to go, but I feel really great about what I've accomplished so far...
2018 has been a great year!
Just not a good blogging year.
I wish you the best in 2019.
I will update here when I can.
For now... Do you follow me on Instagram? @jazzytobi
I upload my feed pretty regularly. Life. Travel. Food. And of course, crafts!!
Happy New Year!
Hi, how have you been?
Long-time-no-see again! I have really slowed down on my crafting because, if I'm being honest with myself, I've really stepped up my teaching game at school and over the last couple of years I've become the Fine Arts department head, lead teacher of Student Council, and really just committed myself to being a better overall teacher to my kids....
I used to feel a lot of guilt about putting crafting deadlines and projects/classes ahead of my family and work, and it feels good not to have those commitments in my life any more.
I am still designing for Technique Tuesday, but not in a formal design-team sort of way, and I'm very thankful they let me play with their stamps and dies!
This project is a nod to my crafting roots (Copic markers) and new products/trends (Distress Oxide Inks). It's so interesting to watch trends come and go, and the new thing is inking backgrounds instead of patterned paper, I guess. (Not NEW, new, but you KWIM).
I don't know how many cards or projects I'll get done for Christmas, but this was certainly a good step in the right crafting direction....
Another thing that's been happening in my life is: Keto. I actually did Keto 20 years ago when I called it "Atkins" (I never did the high protein thing... just little-to-no-carbs - so essentially Keto) and I lost over 100lbs. What's different now? More resources like Instagram and Pinterest, and also, I just genuinely wanted to lose weight again... it was time... i was feeling it...
I've been on Keto for three months and I'm doing pretty well! I don't weigh myself because my goal is not a number, it's a feeling, but I can tell you that all of my clothes are feeling pretty damn loose, and that's all the inspiration I need to keep on going... If you're on a similar journey you can join me on my Keto Instagram @tobidoesketo
Anyhoo.... That's all for now!