Winner

According to Random.org, the winner is number 3: Janet! Congratulations! Send me an email with your mailing info (sophietousignant[at]videotron[dot]com) and I'll mail your goodies soon!

I haven't done a lot of artsy stuff lately. With work starting last week, I was tired a lot and a little bit overwhelmed. This week, hopefully, will be different. Well, it does help that I signed up for an online class and it started today. In the past few weeks, the only creative stuff I've done is writing my morning pages, making my daily lists in my big art journal and a little bit of counted cross-stitch (which has been started about 10 years ago.) And since I don't have photos of those little so-called creations, I'm showing you a photo of Diesel I took last week. She's an indoor cat but I like to put a leash on her and bring her out on the balcony. She loves it! She even asks for it! Well, sort of... I really like how the photo came out with the almost washed out background completely out of focus.

Anyway, I'm off to watch DVDs of Buffy the Vampire Slayer and create a little something. Ciao!

Giveaway

Dear friends,

Yes, it's true. I'm finally having a giveaway! At first it was meant to celebrate the 10 000 visits to my blog but now we're well past that number. So consider it a beginning of school year giveaway!

What you could win: a 6x6 hand-bound journal (perfect to carry with you, to take notes, etc.), a handmade felt flower brooch, a keychain/zipper pull and a cute little paper bag/purse that I will fill with other small goodies.

How to participate: simply leave a comment on this blog post and make sure I can contact you either by email or through your own blog if you win.

You have all weekend to participate and I will draw the winner on Monday night, around 7pm EST. Good luck and have a nice weekend!

For Kathy and CeeCee

Last week, Kathy V, CeeCee, her daughter Stuuph, Maman KoolAid and myself spent a day in and around Burlington, shopping and having lots of fun. Before getting to our location, we saw this F-18 flying over us. I managed to snap this shot in the nick of time! It was quite a sight to behold!

The day was fun though exhausting (I had trouble sleeping last week) and of course we went to Micheal's amongst other places. I was good and only bought things on my list! Mostly frames to display some prints I bought over the last few years. I did buy a couple of DVDs at another store, 2 movies I love and have wanted in my collection for quite some time: The Fifth Element and Practical Magic (thought of you, Lisa, when I found this one!)

Anyway, I enjoyed that day very much and will probably go visit Burlington again but maybe next time I'll keep the shopping to a minimum (would love to visit a bit and take photos.)

Tomorrow, I'll post a giveaway so come back for a chance to win some goodies!

Back to work it is

So, yesterday was my first day back to work. It went well. I didn't see all the kids who will be in my group yet but it'll happen soon.

After two months of vacation, I'm not used to being on my feet for a long time so they've been hurting since yesterday after work. So I'm taking it easy in the evening.

I didn't have anything particularly new to show you so today's photo is of the felt dolls that were created by me and two of the girls this summer. Mine's the ladybug and I'm really happy about how it turned out. We used scrap fabric to stuff our creations. A good recycling option!

Happy New (school) Year!

Dear friends,

How are you? My summer vacation is coming to an end. Tomorrow, I go back to work after two months of doing-whatever-I-want-whenever-I-want and doing-absolutely-nothing. Which is a good thing in my opinion. Well, first of all, it will be nice to have an actual schedule (apparently, I don't work well without one) and secondly, the paychecks are always a good thing to have on a regular basis. But to be honest, I also miss (most of) my coworkers and (some of) the kids. You see, I am one of those creatures who likes her job. Strange, I know!

Anyway, what better way to start a new school year than with new school stuff!?! And so, I present to you... my new lunchbox! I can already imagine many a young girl swooning over it and bribing me to have it. I won't give in though!!! It's mine, all mine! Mwahahaha...

Ahem. Excuse me. I thing my evil twin came out to play...

Now. I realize that I promised a giveaway a few *gasp* months ago and I haven't done it yet. Well, it will happen. This week. Even though I don't know what the prize will be... And I also realize that I have been very absent in the blogging community and on the forums where I am a member but I plan to change that. I want to reconnect with you, my friends. I just need to stop watching the same DVDs over and over again!!!

Well, if you've made it to the end of this, um, letter/blog post/notice, it must mean that you really are a friend so thank you. And I'll be back soon. I promise. For real, this time!

*hugs*
Sophie aka MissKoolAid

Repurposing

5 years ago, when I adopted Diesel, I bought this toy. There was a round scratch-pad in the middle made of cardboard and she would work her claws on it every day. After a while, there wasn't much to scratch off of it so I got rid of it. I couldn't find a replacement and it bugged me. A few months ago though, I saw a tutorial online to make a scratch-pad of my own. So I gave it a go. I finished it last week and Diesel has been enjoying it ever since.

Keri Smith has a thought provoking post on her blog. Go read it if you have a minute.

Time flies

I can't believe it's been already a month since my last blog post. So far, 2009 hasn't been a good blogging year for me but it doesn't have to continue this way.

Last week, I hosted another art camp with 2 of the girls from the first week. We had a blast and I showed them lots of projects. On Friday morning though, my mom and I were teaching a scrapbooking class at an artsy summer camp. Only 9 kids but 2 of them were autistic. There were 4 adults helping the kids and everything went so smoothly that we told the person in charge we'd love to repeat the experience next summer. I am loving all these new teaching experiences. It makes me realize that it's something I'm good at and I love doing. I'm still going to work at the school's daycare but whenever I can, I want to teach arts and crafts to kids outside of school.

Other than that, I've been working on a lot of stuff: finishing projects I previously started, making mini-books, doodling, organizing and re-organizing, etc. I'm keeping busy and enjoying my summer, even when it rains. And it's been raining quite a bit. I'll try to post later this week with photos of my completed projects.

Today's photo: lily-of-the-valley from my mother's yard, taken in May 2009.