tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-41686968344775601162024-03-13T03:03:07.755-07:00 rare pear studio blogIt's YOU! Hello! Nice to see you! Here you will find stuff about living a creative life in country Australia. I create with watercolour, pen, collage, mixed media and photos. I teach, hosts workshops, collect, dream. I love cheese, travel, my garden, faffing, colour and whimsy. I am crap at time management, and do way too many things, but it is all good. Oh yes, all pictures and photos on here by me too, just saying.
Shani Nottinghamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01919002452189187321noreply@blogger.comBlogger180125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4168696834477560116.post-15740363562948991412020-08-10T06:16:00.000-07:002020-08-10T06:16:12.572-07:00BREADTAGS AS HISTORICAL ARTEFACT<p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: courier; font-size: xx-large;"> </span></p>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><b><span style="font-family: courier; font-size: xx-large;"><span style="background-color: #e06666;">BREADTAGS </span><span style="background-color: #b6d7a8;">AS </span><span style="background-color: #ffe599;">HISTORICAL</span><span style="background-color: #f6b26b;"> ARTEFACT</span></span></b></span></p>
<p style="font-family: "helvetica neue"; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 19px; text-align: center;"><br /></p><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFt9Vr8fqeKRGhWGnyepS1bJ7d9O02JaJd0Xcr88fM73NLdWV2AQZVELhJ_Y-5-nsdfG8sBNZnarkcX9KBKGZq-_Z-w_d8OH6g7xgnHecHtEkJVuhtD7HZD_H3Ai7oRphpEEbyH2SkkJ8/s2048/blackandwhite.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFt9Vr8fqeKRGhWGnyepS1bJ7d9O02JaJd0Xcr88fM73NLdWV2AQZVELhJ_Y-5-nsdfG8sBNZnarkcX9KBKGZq-_Z-w_d8OH6g7xgnHecHtEkJVuhtD7HZD_H3Ai7oRphpEEbyH2SkkJ8/s640/blackandwhite.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p style="font-family: "helvetica neue"; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 19px; text-align: center;"><br /></p>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: courier;">Breadtags are tiny mundane little bits of plastic. Ordinary, boring, simple, something most never think about. However, I am one of the strange few who are the exception to this because I spend way too much time thinking about them, because of <a href="https://www.facebook.com/breadtagproject/" target="_blank"><span style="background-color: #cfe2f3; color: red;">THE BREADTAG PROJECT.</span></a></span></span></p>
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<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: courier;">Before you think of this as strange, do me a favour?</span></span></p>
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<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: courier;">If we remove the word BREADTAG, and look at these objects as just a piece of human archeology, a human artefact of the modern world, they really can be a bit fascinating. How so? </span></span></p>
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<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: courier;">So starting at the beginning…</span></span></p>
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<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: courier;">The breadtag entered the world at a time when plastic was slowly becoming a more common way of packaging goods. Until then, cardboard and paper were the usual way of things being packaged and carried, especially at grocery stores. But the upsurge of plastic meant that something was needed to close plastic bags effectively, quickly and securely. The breadtag was invented, and emerged as a real problem solver. It was efficient, and easily incorporated into factory settings as the packaging and volumes of food processing increased, and food production and distribution becoming became more automated. Food suppliers, store owners they loved them. </span></span></p>
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<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: courier;">The general population saw breadtags as winners too, because they were effective and simple. The ability to be close bags easily became a selling point as no-one wanted to throw away food because it was spoiled.</span></span></p>
<p style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></span></p>
<p style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: courier;">Cue forward. </span></span></p>
<p style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></span></p>
<p style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: courier;">Bigger populations, more people, more food. And more BREAD and carbs everywhere. No longer made at home or from little corner store bakeries, but bulk amounts of bread in supermarkets. All with breadtags. Populations keeps rising. Food consumption rising ( and waste too incidentally). Breadtags, or ‘tag closures’ are popping onto foods everywhere. It is a global world, and tags are spreading like mad, as is plastic usage in a zillion ways, and we now rely on it for all sorts of commodities. </span></span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-kerning: none;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzAzY1XfDp7ujzDSMBmSiNcz8nSc_-OuBmnE45WMP884j3AudFQ4aYst864KnZ9Truo1UdRjH7VeEQKsQpyOdIkJLdQYB5vZt1LFhNKplzgX2plmj8mtPiBK-fuAFgJX5rurLFBAQL0gk/s2048/breadbreadtags.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzAzY1XfDp7ujzDSMBmSiNcz8nSc_-OuBmnE45WMP884j3AudFQ4aYst864KnZ9Truo1UdRjH7VeEQKsQpyOdIkJLdQYB5vZt1LFhNKplzgX2plmj8mtPiBK-fuAFgJX5rurLFBAQL0gk/s640/breadbreadtags.jpg" /></a></div><span style="font-family: courier;"><br /></span><p></p>
<p style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></span></p>
<p style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: courier;">But we do not notice yet there is a potential problem here, because we are happily sliding through baby boomer years, oblivious to the problem lurking, growing. Things are cruisey, life is good. Plastic - light, strong, versatile - it truly seemed like a wonder product. </span></span></p>
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<p style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: courier;">Cue forward some more but this time with a little niggle, and with a little more information. So, where does this wonder thing plastic actually come from? </span></span></p><div><span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><br /></span></span></div><p><span style="font-family: courier;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129;">Plastics are derived from natural, organic materials such as cellulose, coal, natural gas, salt and crude oil. Crude oil is a complex mixture of thousands of compounds and needs to be processed before it can be used, so the production of plastics begins with the distillation of crude oil in an oil refinery — not a place known for its environmental credentials.</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129;"> </span></span></p>
<p style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></span></p>
<p style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: courier;">Scientists and people who care about the environment know this, and have begun to notice something. The environment is showing some signs of not being happy. Alarm bells begin to sound. </span></span></p>
<p style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></span></p>
<p style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: courier;">People who hang out at beaches, and spend time in and around oceans, begin to notice lots of crap and garbage washing up and floating about. Reports of a vast expanse of plastic swirling around in the oceans come to light. Now regular people and consumers are beginning to take notice too. Grass roots groups form, and then the wider community begins to accept some basic information and truths that scientists have been telling us for a while now. Climate change and associated problems are openly debated, discussed, and almost universally accepted. </span></span></p>
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<p style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: courier;">Cue forward again. </span></span></p>
<p style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></span></p>
<p style="background-color: white; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><span style="color: #222222;">And now we are in 2020, and as it stands, plastic pollution has become a much more widely recognised issue. Some nations are preparing to ban single use plastics, some already have. Some cities and towns have banned plastic bags, and supermarkets now make us pay for bags, and no longer hand them out for free. Plastic straws are seen as a bit nasty, and there are viable alternatives. Recycling bottles and plastics is a ‘thing’ that many households do, and all councils encourage us to do. Single use <span style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34);">disposable</span> plastics are being seen as a problem. </span></span></span></p>
<p style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></span></p>
<p style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: courier;">Some of us realised this quite a few years ago, and that that breadtags were one of the little things we try to eliminate, because surely there are more sustainable, environmentally friendly materials and solutions?</span><span style="font-family: courier;"> </span></span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-kerning: none;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-kerning: none;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXWdgXmyu_nk7cb3W48YoeKAV_D9u-YojUxHI8ubAWXw9bthcmOMJwS8uAjONAjs9eaBurwqZ6hh9rzcWAFNTIlb62olaALbYuuzC-ghyphenhyphenGJDGTeZF7AX3sXgd3opMuYDh4nOis_XJAWlw/s2048/20181214_133247-01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2046" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXWdgXmyu_nk7cb3W48YoeKAV_D9u-YojUxHI8ubAWXw9bthcmOMJwS8uAjONAjs9eaBurwqZ6hh9rzcWAFNTIlb62olaALbYuuzC-ghyphenhyphenGJDGTeZF7AX3sXgd3opMuYDh4nOis_XJAWlw/s640/20181214_133247-01.jpg" /></a></span></div><span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><br /></span></span><p></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: courier;">They are generally made of plastic number #6, polystyrene though, which is not as recyclable like other plastics can be. But why worry about breadtags anyway? They are so small, surely they do not pose too much threat? But they are so small, who really cares? </span></span></p>
<p style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></span></p>
<p style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: courier;">But like a beach made of grains of tiny particles,( as well as all that crap and garbage they collect as flotsam and jetsam) you begin to add a few here and there, or a few thousand here and there, and before you know it there is a tsunami of them. And they are no longer a solution, but a problem. A massive, ginormous amount of unrecycled plastic. </span></span></p>
<p style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></span></p>
<p style="background-color: white; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><span style="color: #222222;">Breadtags will only very slowly degrade, become micro-plastics, become part of landfill, get into waterways and potentially into the gullets of animals, fish and birds, and also <span style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34);">humans.</span> So yes, they ARE a problem, for all living things. </span></span></span></p>
<p style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></span></p>
<p style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: courier;">As history begins to turn, people are slowly moving towards making wiser decisions (even if it is at grass roots level) and beginning to become aware of our over-reliance on plastic, how we are plundering oil and mining resources from the earth at a staggering rate. That this story, this narrative needs to change. </span></span></p>
<p style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></span></p>
<p style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: courier;">The age of fossil fuels and plastic is no longer just good news. </span></span></p>
<p style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></span></p>
<p style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: courier;">And soon, I anticipate the breadtags will come under as much attack as plastic bags, straws, styrofoam cups and other plastic nasties. I predict ( and hope) they will become obsolete. </span></span></p>
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<p style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: courier;">So from emerging initially as a hero, a wunderkind, a thing that solved problems to evolving into a dastardly, pesky little thing, the breadtag has truly charted the evolution of plastics, factory automation, population increase, globalisation and different eating habits, and the dawning consciousness of caring for our planet and sustainability. </span></span></p>
<p style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs3bRZmVMg9JZyvjLA988aEcyI-UX6r5KiRIiUOmGFEJ05pX2isUKEDi6iXUQpT3cxokIn5xOtpFyvaFAt-XYopNQ5lmk15cjj1xTkhAjXSMGpCjybwk1gLXC-1xN8G88G79Shxs-LWvE/s2048/Image+12-3-20+at+10.53+pm.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs3bRZmVMg9JZyvjLA988aEcyI-UX6r5KiRIiUOmGFEJ05pX2isUKEDi6iXUQpT3cxokIn5xOtpFyvaFAt-XYopNQ5lmk15cjj1xTkhAjXSMGpCjybwk1gLXC-1xN8G88G79Shxs-LWvE/s640/Image+12-3-20+at+10.53+pm.jpg" /></a></div><p></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><br /></span></p>
<p style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: courier;">Its story has followed our disposable lifestyle, when they were tossed aside nonchalantly, with no care at all about how many resources are used to create them, to now being one of the symbols of how things must change, and how our environmental consciousness has been elevated. </span></span></p>
<p style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><br /><span style="font-kerning: none;"></span></span></p>
<p style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: courier;">So really it is quite an interesting thing, the breadtag. The history of us, reflected in the history of the breadtag as a human artefact. And just maybe something worth thinking about. </span></span></p><div><span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>Shani Nottinghamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01919002452189187321noreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4168696834477560116.post-56092374891315566362020-04-15T23:29:00.000-07:002020-04-15T23:45:50.101-07:00Things to do with BREADTAGS! <div style="text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxh8qWFIe5vQ4kDPejUW1RRnHgpxAvJMRozqd2QzVl6MF27mFyT5FT2PFI6wJwAVPkAtfdy8vyYrQvdXyRHTZxerDF3Wz2-kSBNtEG6f3yILLP3dMStscn8gZQeGjv0lkZWoMa3md4GyU/s1600/20181214_133247-01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1599" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxh8qWFIe5vQ4kDPejUW1RRnHgpxAvJMRozqd2QzVl6MF27mFyT5FT2PFI6wJwAVPkAtfdy8vyYrQvdXyRHTZxerDF3Wz2-kSBNtEG6f3yILLP3dMStscn8gZQeGjv0lkZWoMa3md4GyU/s400/20181214_133247-01.jpg" width="398" /></a></div>
<b><span style="background-color: #f4cccc; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"> <span style="font-size: x-large;">Breadtags,breadtags, breadtags... and things to do with them! </span></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">Miracle of miracles! I am actually putting my fingers to the keyboard and doing a blog. I realised that I had to do something, write something, to give people out there a few ideas of the FUN THINGS you can do with breadtags. At home, with your kids, or just by yourself! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">The teacher in me sees lots of opportunities when it comes to breadtags for learning stuff and creating. (Mind you, though partial to breadtags, you could use bottle top lids too, or both together.)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">Kids are what we call <i>concrete operational,</i> which is a fancy way of saying they learn best when they can touch and see objects in front of them, not imagined, invisible things. So breadtags etc. are just tools to be used, another medium to create with! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">And so … here are some ideas for you, put into headings for ease of use. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #93c47d;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;"><b><u>Maths</u></b></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">1. Line them up and count them, stack them like a graph to see which colours you have most of.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit_5nZQPGIJMPgk6Yi8mpl99beDOFeH4-St5IXq0bWnMJtvdF7avbANFs22jZ8NKZSB4c-uxBA3sY5QBhLCOWz4z3GG0C6hoYhHAaTj-PbTJMtnxDXiGVIEt5Q2NsvxBhTKTufrD7xV-4/s1600/IMG_20160804_164449.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit_5nZQPGIJMPgk6Yi8mpl99beDOFeH4-St5IXq0bWnMJtvdF7avbANFs22jZ8NKZSB4c-uxBA3sY5QBhLCOWz4z3GG0C6hoYhHAaTj-PbTJMtnxDXiGVIEt5Q2NsvxBhTKTufrD7xV-4/s400/IMG_20160804_164449.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">2. Look at the dates on the tags, and put them in calendar order, by day or month. </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">3. Use them as counters and count by twos, fives , etc. </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">4. Write numbers on them, mix them up, and then put them in order, or backwards , etc. </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">5. Use them to make symmetrical patterns, shapes, etc. </span></span></div>
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<b><u><span style="background-color: #ffd966; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">Science</span></u></b></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">1.Sort them out and classify them. You could do it by colour, size, shape, date. Look carefully at the size of the 'hole' they can be quite different! </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">2. Google breadtags and find out what plastics they are made of and if they can be recycled. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">3. Use them to </span><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">talk about pollution, and recycling and why breadtags are not good for plants, wildlife etc. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">4. Get kids to 'design' machines or ways to reuse them, or alternative solutions for breadtags. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;"><b><u style="background-color: #d5a6bd;">Art</u></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><span style="background-color: white;">1. Put them under paper and rub over with pencils/crayons to make shapes. This is called 'frottage'.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><span style="background-color: white;">2. Trace around them to create an outline that you can use to put patterns in, colour in, or make new simple </span>pictures.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">3. Arrange them to make temporary images and take photos of them. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">4. Arrange them into rainbow colours and talk about which colours blend into each other.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">5. Use them as mini canvases, and use sharpies to do pictures and patterns. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">6. Think of things that breadtags look like and turn them into them. For example, kids have suggested to me they look like helmets, Pac-man, lions manes, artist palettes, apples, teeth, ghosts... </span></div>
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<b><u><span style="background-color: #9fc5e8; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">ENGLISH</span></u></b></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">1. </span><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">Write a story or poem about a breadtag! </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">2. See if you can use describing words (adjectives) to describe a breadtag to someone who has not seen one before, like pretending it might be to an ALIEN. You have to use words to say what they LOOK like, FEEL like, WHAT they are used for , etc. </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">3. Write vowels, letters of alphabet on them, and use them to make words, write their name, put in alphabetical order etc. Get the kids to write on them! </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;"><b><u style="background-color: #b4a7d6;">GAMES</u></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><span style="background-color: white;">1. Play tic tac toe/noughts and crosses with them. Kids design their own drawing/shape on them, or use different colour tags as their tokens. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><span style="background-color: white;">2. Do two patterns/images on breadtags the same, make a set of them, and play mini pairs/memory with them! </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><span style="background-color: white;">3. Play hide and seek, by hiding them in funny places. The person who find</span></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">s the most wins. OR hide one, and play saying WARMER, COLDER etc. Winner is who finds it fastest (can time them, which is good for maths too) </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><span style="background-color: white;">4. Use play dough with them, make imprints, use to chop up </span>play dough, stick them in to make funny things. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><span style="background-color: white;">6. See if kids can make up their own games with them! </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">Yes,<span style="background-color: white;"> I know, these things are a little weird. But everyday objects like breadtags are really great resources! Things do not have to be fancy, expensive and store bought. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><span style="background-color: white;">I'm also a HUGE believer in using imagination and coming up with solutions, ideas, experimenting by just playing, to see what can happen. That is what kids are great at doing when they are young, but they seem to lose it as they get older. We seem to lose it as we get older as well! Scared of looking foolish, making mistakes? </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><span style="background-color: white;">And we get lazy too, and are used to being entertained by pressing a few buttons and just being passive observers rather than interacting in meaningful ways. Holding, dropping, touching, feeling, connecting, arranging, flipping, sliding, rotating, moving, stacking... REAL things gives us memory, builds synapses, challenges and teaches. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><span style="background-color: white;">So there you go, a few ideas that you may like to try in this crazy time, stuck at home, broke, bored, cabin fevered and running out of things to do. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><span style="background-color: white;">And PLEASE if you think other things to do with </span>breadtags, let me know, or if you do some of them, take photos videos! I would LOVE to see! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">Meanwhile... please stay well, stay healthy, wash hands and look after yourself. xxx</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><i style="background-color: #ea9999;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/breadtagproject/" target="_blank"> Link to The Breadtag project Facebook page here...</a></i></span></b></div>
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Shani Nottinghamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01919002452189187321noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4168696834477560116.post-43511380136654462652019-07-19T04:45:00.001-07:002019-07-19T04:46:45.963-07:00GREY MATTER<div style="text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: x-large;"><b><span style="background-color: #999999;">GREY M</span><span style="background-color: #f3f3f3;">ATT</span><span style="background-color: #cccccc;">ER</span></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: large;">HELLO THERE! Oh my lordy it has been a LONG LONG LONG time since I wrote anything on here. Please do not be cranky pants! I am a bit of a shocker at saying NO to things, I am really shitty at time management, I get overwhelm, I juggle a lot of balls... and sometimes I actually CHOOSE to put some of the balls down, because I know I just cannot even TRY to keep them in the air. And blogging was one of those balls, put to the side. It helps my mental health to realise I cannot actually do it ALL, let alone some of it. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: large;">As I get older, I truly realise how all of us have really different brains, not just personalities, but how we are wired is fundamentally spaghetti looped complicated and impossible to unravel. And not sure if I want to. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-size: large;">Life is too messy and drippy, and layered, complex and disorganised to make it all make total sense.</span><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: large;">So sometimes I just try to STOP it making sense (thanks Talking Heads). Even so, my brain and I do battle frequently, especially when I have had depression and anxiety biting hard. But we also have the mundane skirmishes, little clashes that decide my day. </span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieccSwPFxVIhAKAEHhCpMhvWeh8cI8z25ciwvOajAHUrUlKf24L31-9easdLBenpQ41xk23TE3jhPpPyfuleRdzFksLqZDPeKm0sfpV0nKAcqUuZgQQVJ7zaVe_4OsiJcAECH6OESYXyM/s1600/Image+5-7-19+at+12.38+pm+%25281%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="1024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieccSwPFxVIhAKAEHhCpMhvWeh8cI8z25ciwvOajAHUrUlKf24L31-9easdLBenpQ41xk23TE3jhPpPyfuleRdzFksLqZDPeKm0sfpV0nKAcqUuZgQQVJ7zaVe_4OsiJcAECH6OESYXyM/s400/Image+5-7-19+at+12.38+pm+%25281%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: large;">And yep, the grey matter is endlessly processing, assessing, judging, analysing, weighing up options... Trying to absorb information, plan, sort, compile, draw connections, organise. With mixed results. Often repeating myself. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: large;">Aging makes me feel no wiser, or grounded. I still feel like I am playing at being a grown up, playing at ADULTING. But I look in the mirror and I see GREY HAIR. And hair on my chin. Yes, it is hair that tells me I really am a grown up. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: large;">I don't like the weird ones sprouting from odd places, but the grey hair I am actually quite okay with. I like it. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white;">With lots of shitty stuff happening to people around me, I get that aging is a privilege. That having the ability to make choices, and have options, to use the grey matter to decide such things, is actually stupendously fortunate. I think about it more and more. My grey matter, thinking about grey matter. Because it matters. I think.</span></span><span style="text-align: center;"> </span></span></div>
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Shani Nottinghamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01919002452189187321noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4168696834477560116.post-45823736434906345072019-02-18T16:26:00.003-08:002019-02-18T16:26:35.208-08:00POO BUM AND BOLLOCKS<div style="text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: large;"><b>Poo Bum and Bollocks. </b>BUm BUm BUm. Drats, shit shit shit shit. Sigh. Big Sigh. Fark. Bollocks. Poo poo POO poo. And repeat. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">Reach for cheese. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">And maybe let go just a few stray tears. Extra salty. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">Because in the last week I have had a few knocks. Nothing huge or major, but several disappointments, and a few personal moments that were not so great. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">1.I had spent hours and hours prepping and submitting for things that did not lead to anywhere. No success. Ouchy ouch, ego a little bruised. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">2.I went on conference training thingy that was awesome, powerful and amazing, but it was so powerful that it stripped back some of my toughened wizened old skin, and resulted in me having a big cry and feeling really emotionally raw. I made a bit of a boob out of myself, especially when I fumbled with the door like a completely discombobulated specimen in front of the other attendees in an attempt to flee before my tears and snot took over my face. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">3. Added to that my son, my first born, moved out of home. Then I had a confirmed diagnosis of some bad news with regards my health last week, and basically I am feeling a bit shit really. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">But then... I started thinking. Okay, maybe the submissions were not a success, but it made me get my CV together. And maybe I painted up some work I really like and I can use them for other things too. And I did it, you know, actually submitted, when 12 months ago there was no way I would have even tried. So not all bad. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">And the boob making me? Some more thoughts that maybe being so sensitive and open to feeling raw means that I have a chance to reflect on things and move forwards, learn something new about others and myself. And that the course was actually spot on. At least I will not be forgotten. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">And maybe my son moving out was always going to be bittersweet, and I will just need to embrace it. Lucky for me he is not too far away, and seems to be loving this new adventure. The health thing? It is mighty huge kick up my arse and a chance to really take action. It is up to me now. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">Yep, it's all up to me. Do I lay down and curl up in a heap? Do I watch Netflix all day and just dissolve into lardiness? I want to. Sort of. But then I know that really , short and long term it will make me feel even shittier than I do now. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">So instead I have set up a couple of workshops for next month(links at the end of this post to buy tickets, you lovely person) I have emailed organisations about other possibilities, organised some more things for the Breadtag Project, watered my poor dry garden, done several loads of washing, tended to crappy emails and boring shit that need to be done, and am about to head to the studio do paint for play. And see what happens, while playing music LOUDLY. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">I can do this. I got this. I really do. And so do you my friend. We really really really do! x</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: large;"><i>By the way, all the images on this post are of sketchbooks/journals I did last year for an awesome thing, The Sketchbook Project, in USA. I will be doing another soon! You can see them in full online <a href="https://sketchbookproject.com/library/20315" target="_blank">here</a> and <a href="https://sketchbookproject.com/library/21193" target="_blank">here</a>.</i></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">Workshop tickets are available </span></i></b></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: #9fc5e8;"><a href="https://rarepearstudio.yapsody.com/event/index/370726/watercolour-basics-workshop" target="_blank">HERE</a> for Watercolour </span></span></i></b></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">and </span></i></b></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: #f4cccc;"><a href="https://rarepearstudio.yapsody.com/event/index/370746/simple-drawing-creating-journalling" target="_blank">HERE</a> for Simple Drawing and Journalling</span>.</span></i></b></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">T</span><span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">hey are on 16th March at The Japanese Gardens and Cultural Centre, Cowra. </span></i></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: large;"><br /></span>Shani Nottinghamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01919002452189187321noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4168696834477560116.post-80468059674456415102019-01-25T22:33:00.003-08:002019-01-25T22:39:45.166-08:00 CREATING SOMETHING IS LIKE MAGIC<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: x-large;"><span style="background-color: #9fc5e8;">CREATING SO</span><span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">METHING IS LI</span><span style="background-color: #b6d7a8;">KE MAGIC</span></span></b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLq__DXY7x5GiVJn0p5RRRd3gOqRLeynnBGZc-qvT3Gi8SRmYHUOaWS4is1IJ6-AZY0agiPkJRm944YXdY22Vh57onz_D7n3QGUXMki3tIYLGwUgPG9Dytxj2t2tPSfLvT7QUm9CBmWB8/s1600/Screen+Shot+2019-01-26+at+4.35.34+pm.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="364" data-original-width="369" height="393" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLq__DXY7x5GiVJn0p5RRRd3gOqRLeynnBGZc-qvT3Gi8SRmYHUOaWS4is1IJ6-AZY0agiPkJRm944YXdY22Vh57onz_D7n3QGUXMki3tIYLGwUgPG9Dytxj2t2tPSfLvT7QUm9CBmWB8/s400/Screen+Shot+2019-01-26+at+4.35.34+pm.png" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">photo by <span style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129;">Neroli Gilmour</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">And so it goes... when you create something, and it goes well, do you feel happy, proud, and a little bit amazed? I do. Every single time. It still makes me thrilled when I paint something or draw something that turns out the way I hoped, and sometimes even better. It is like magic. Even to me. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">When I started <a href="https://rarepearstudio.blogspot.com/2018/05/the-breadtag-project.html" target="_blank">THE BREADTAG PROJECT</a>, I thought that the response might be befuddled amusement, and sniggers, laughter and generally questioning WHY. I was creating something that may be more fizzle than fab. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">I had hoped that maybe a few people would get it, and think outside the box.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">Silly fool me - I underestimated the curiosity, the generosity, the imagination and general excellence of people. Really. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">Because with every passing day, I get more breadtags in the mail, in my letterbox and on my verandah. This week I had 6 huge buckets delivered from one lady, and two huge bags from someone else. My family cannot believe it. <span style="background-color: #fce5cd;">INSANE</span> they say!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">Meanwhile I have 36 packages waiting to be opened, from all over the world. They are sitting in a tub, just waiting for my family to go back to school so I can have a whole day, two or three or more, to sort them, photograph them, catalogue all the details, and write up thank you's. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">And there are the stories that are coming in, the comments that are made, the photos people are sharing. The art that people are making. It is all <span style="background-color: #b6d7a8;">BRILLIANT</span>. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">Creating The Breadtag Project has been overwhelmingly lovely, and it is only the very beginning. There is so much more to do, so much to think about and organise. It is kind of terrifying, but exhilarating, feeling the power of sharing an idea and letting it fly free out there, putting it out into the universe. Feeling like you are doing something good and worthwhile. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">The objectives that I wrote about in The <a href="https://rarepearstudio.blogspot.com/2019/01/the-breadtag-manifesto.html" target="_blank">Breadtag Manifesto</a> are happening. <span style="background-color: #ffe599;">YAHOO!</span> Brilliant people.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">And as I sit and sort breadtags (hundreds and thousands of them), my brain finds a</span> <span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">peacefulness, a calm in the simple repetitive task of classifying, and my brain wanders about and thinks of new ways to make the project have meaning, stabilise, share, develop, have depth, opportunity, interest. More ideas bloom and grow, and want to fly free. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">And it feels like... a little bit of <span style="background-color: #ea9999;">magic</span>. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><b><span style="background-color: #f6b26b; font-size: large;">A HUGE </span><span style="background-color: #cfe2f3; font-size: large;">THANK YOU TO A</span><span style="background-color: #f4cccc; font-size: large;">LL WHO HAVE CON</span><span style="background-color: #ffe599; font-size: large;">TRIBUTED </span><span style="background-color: #ead1dc; font-size: large;">SO FAR. THIS</span><span style="background-color: #b6d7a8; font-size: large;"> IS YOUR PROJE</span><span style="background-color: #d9ead3; font-size: large;">CT AS MUCH AS</span><span style="background-color: #d9d2e9; font-size: large;"> MINE. </span></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><b style="background-color: #f4cccc;"><span style="font-size: large;">YOU ARE AWESOME!</span><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">AND IF YOU WANT TO BE PART OF IT ALL, IF YOU HAVE BREADTAGS TO SEND: </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">THE BREADTAG PROJECT</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">30 LACHLAN ST. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">COWRA 2794</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">NSW</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">AUSTRALIA</span></div>
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Shani Nottinghamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01919002452189187321noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4168696834477560116.post-67523450143634410612019-01-15T22:16:00.002-08:002019-01-15T22:16:59.526-08:00COMPLETE INSANITY<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: x-large;"><b>COMPLETE INSANITY</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: x-large;">In my 47 years on this earth there have been some completely INSANE moments, that have left me reeling from laughter. Often in my role as MUM.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: x-large;">Moments when I am sure there must be a candid camera hidden somewhere, because the hilarity and surrealness happening is too much.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: x-large;">Knowing too that life can be tough, that there is plenty of bad news around and that laughter is the best medicine, I will share with you one of those insane moments. Just to make you smile </span><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: x-large;">(hopefully).</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: x-large;">Okay - so lets set the scene here. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: x-large;">It is about late morning, or maybe afternoon. I cannot remember really. But I know that my gorgeous toddler daughter was at that CLINGY stage, wanting to be with me wherever I was. Hence, I was in the shower, and toddler girl was right there outside the shower screen, watching me. Constant shadow. With a short attention span. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: x-large;">Anticipating this, I had brought toys in to amuse her and give me a few minutes to wash etc. in relative peace. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: x-large;">So there I am, in the shower, washing my hair, her sitting on the bathmat with toys. She seemed settled and happy playing, so I took the chance to shave my incredibly scary and hairy armpits and legs. A defuzz. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: x-large;">Wrangling a razor through the wilderness, cutting and trimming, I may not have been watching her as intently as I may have otherwise done, but there was NO screaming, crying, or any noise to indicate any sort of problem, so I had no idea that toddler girl had toddled over to the bathroom cabinet, and had found herself something to play with. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: x-large;">She found a lovely little box that looked like a present. Bright, colourful, with pretty patterns! How interesting! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: x-large;">So she had grabbed it, and tried to get out whatever was inside. Being of nimble pudgy fingers, she had succeeded. HAPPY DAYS! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: x-large;">All this I was unaware of. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: x-large;">Until when I had finished my personal grooming, and I lurched out of the shower, grabbed my towel and glanced at beautiful toddler girl. I was so impressed with how quiet and well behaved she had been. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: x-large;">Then I saw she had something in her mouth. What the hell was it? It seemed to be white, and have some kind of string. OH MY GAWD- SHE HAD A TAMPON IN HER MOUTH!!!!! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: x-large;">Oh blimey. I saw plastic wrapping on the floor, and the box of new tampons, ripped open. Cunning and clever little digits had managed to take off all the layers of wrapping (which sometimes defeats adults) and get to the tampons themselves. A few lay on the tiles, half opened. But the one in her mouth had no barrier to moisture, and upon closer inspection, appeared to be swelling up. Holy turdkinator!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: x-large;">Freaking out, lest she choke, I tried to cajole her to open her gorgeous little rosebud mouth, which was now vigorously sucking on this delight. To no avail. Her mouth, full of tiny white teeth breaking through pink gums, must have been enjoying this new teething ring. She had her teeth well implanted in the tampon, and her stubborn streak was evident. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: x-large;">And it was then that the tug of war began, me trying to use the string to get it out of her mouth. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: x-large;">It must have been around this moment in time that I looked up and saw in the mirror, me , completely starkers, playing tug of war with a tampon in a toddlers mouth.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: x-large;">I did not know whether to laugh or cry. But I knew that it was too weird too be imagined. That all my dignity was like the hair on my legs - savagely and rudely removed, hacked off and washed down the stinking gurgling drain.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: x-large;">See? That's the kind of moment that gets filed away, and becomes part of my life story. The story with insane moments.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: x-large;">And there are so many more moments like this. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: x-large;">With my eldest child about to fly the nest and head off to uni, I have been thinking more and more about those days when the kids were small, and crazy was normal. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: x-large;">Actually, come to think of it, even now, crazy is normal, so that has not changed one bit. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: x-large;">And I am so grateful. Long live the crazy. x</span></div>
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Shani Nottinghamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01919002452189187321noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4168696834477560116.post-54088294953467683242019-01-11T19:57:00.003-08:002021-02-08T00:59:41.531-08:00The Breadtag Manifesto<h2 class="_2cuy _509y _2vxa" style="box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(29, 33, 41); color: #1d2129; direction: ltr; font-weight: normal; line-height: 38px; margin: 0px auto 28px; padding: 0px; text-align: center; white-space: pre-wrap; width: 700px; word-wrap: break-word;">
<span class="_4yxo _4yxp" style="font-weight: 600;"><span style="font-family: "courier new", courier, monospace; font-size: xx-large;"><span style="background-color: red;">THE BR</span><span style="background-color: #ffd966;">EADTAG M</span><span style="background-color: #93c47d;">ANIF</span><span style="background-color: #6fa8dc;">ESTO</span></span></span></h2>
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<u style="color: #1d2129; font-family: georgia, serif; font-weight: normal; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span class="_4yxo _4yxp" style="font-family: "courier new", courier, monospace; font-weight: 600;">OBJECTIVES</span><span style="font-family: "courier new", courier, monospace;"> </span><span class="_4yxo _4yxp" style="font-family: "courier new", courier, monospace; font-weight: 600;">FOR THE </span></span></u><span style="caret-color: rgb(29, 33, 41); text-align: left; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #1d2129; font-family: courier new, courier, monospace; font-size: x-large;"><u>PROJECT-</u></span></span></h2>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ0YawnpC3JA_SVioLeqGkgczQ3PBU921IhnYVs56J7BaUBW2-srxAH2JI-Lc53MYteXRCnctEc9RDpFu3IOCcdHwpRNsCyPg2VYmrVKR7p6DMrW9byUz2hWS0Eee4GnN7HcJ-icTtqGM/s1600/singapore+breadtags+found+changi.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ0YawnpC3JA_SVioLeqGkgczQ3PBU921IhnYVs56J7BaUBW2-srxAH2JI-Lc53MYteXRCnctEc9RDpFu3IOCcdHwpRNsCyPg2VYmrVKR7p6DMrW9byUz2hWS0Eee4GnN7HcJ-icTtqGM/s400/singapore+breadtags+found+changi.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span class="_4yxo _4yxp" style="font-family: "courier new", courier, monospace; font-weight: 600;"><span style="font-size: 17px; text-decoration: underline;">ENVIRONMENTAL ASPECTS</span></span></span></h2>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new", courier, monospace;">To draw attention and awareness to the overuse and dependance of single use plastics, in various means, art, installations, social media, traditional media, word of mouth...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new", courier, monospace;">To educate and inform about the use of single use plastics.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new", courier, monospace;">To take breadtags out of circulation and possible entry into the environment, as land fill, or pollution in streams, rivers, oceans, etc. This also prevents them from possibly being swallowed by wildlife.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new", courier, monospace;">To link to other programs, awareness campaigns, projects, websites etc that educate and facilitate awareness of environmental pollution, garbage, reducing/reusing/recycling.</span></div><div class="_2cuy _3dgx _2vxa" style="box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(29, 33, 41); direction: ltr; margin: 0px auto 28px; width: 700px; word-wrap: break-word;"><span style="font-family: courier new, courier, monospace;"><span style="color: #1d2129;"><span style="font-size: 17px; white-space: pre-wrap;">To use social media and traditional media to attract attention to the project, and thus, the </span><span style="caret-color: rgb(29, 33, 41); font-size: 17px; white-space: pre-wrap;">environmental </span><span style="font-size: 17px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> concerns the project is highlighting. </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="_4yxo _4yxr" style="font-weight: 600; text-decoration: underline;"><span style="font-family: "courier new", courier, monospace;">SOCIAL ASPECTS</span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilLb3KzDkZKPriu90iLYSlJGve7_q_sl2POfqLZOdVIKeg76J_F6rfK3UiHRa-gTDYJaycfYmpNH5dKHlHGdq6jOJIiSkpQPpUPYLLT3Tux531NSmrtExzmhT2-rAK44Ueo8gqwKLP9iw/s1600/20180717_140545-01.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilLb3KzDkZKPriu90iLYSlJGve7_q_sl2POfqLZOdVIKeg76J_F6rfK3UiHRa-gTDYJaycfYmpNH5dKHlHGdq6jOJIiSkpQPpUPYLLT3Tux531NSmrtExzmhT2-rAK44Ueo8gqwKLP9iw/s400/20180717_140545-01.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new", courier, monospace;">To create networks, connections and access to others interested in environmental, creative and imaginative projects and programs. People connecting with other people! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new", courier, monospace;">To create a community of people with shared ideas and interests, promote interaction and the sharing of their stories and their own adventures/reasons/photos/art of how they are incorporating The Breadtag Project into their lives. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new", courier, monospace;">To encourage mindfulness, awareness and observation in our everyday lives. To notice the simple small things around us. For those involved in the project to share this awareness.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new", courier, monospace;">To encourage dialogue between people with in all aspects of The Breadtag Project. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new", courier, monospace;">To encourage research, learning, education and knowledge of the world around us, from the smallest objects, the microcosm, to wider implications and ideas, the macrocosm.</span></div><div class="_2cuy _3dgx _2vxa" style="box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(29, 33, 41); color: #1d2129; direction: ltr; font-size: 17px; margin: 0px auto 28px; white-space: pre-wrap; width: 700px; word-wrap: break-word;"><span style="font-family: "courier new", courier, monospace;">To support charity, and those less fortunate by donating tags and for the tags to have full circle life, being recycled into usable wares at the end of the project. </span></div>
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<span class="_4yxo _4yxr" style="font-weight: 600; text-decoration: underline;"><span style="font-family: "courier new", courier, monospace;">ART AND CREATIVE ASPECTS</span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiFowPav4gN1SaDwyreOHZy2ZccZrq4rDjJNYeS_AGtRX1Ea1mtYGmt5ylW_lDPo2FsGV4hi520Sn_E5rcn0Qyoa0tqqdVZR_1HFPBV28jvOoUhjet4GDCAOBlWHMxhRIoMBkyK0rhmwM/s1600/shani+breadtag+collage.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiFowPav4gN1SaDwyreOHZy2ZccZrq4rDjJNYeS_AGtRX1Ea1mtYGmt5ylW_lDPo2FsGV4hi520Sn_E5rcn0Qyoa0tqqdVZR_1HFPBV28jvOoUhjet4GDCAOBlWHMxhRIoMBkyK0rhmwM/s400/shani+breadtag+collage.jpeg" width="398" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new", courier, monospace;">To promote and support creating art, stories, and other creative endeavours using breadtags as inspiration.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new", courier, monospace;">To create a community of creatives sharing their creating process and facilitating interaction between creatives. Networking to share ideas, mediums, potential projects and collaborations between them. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new", courier, monospace;">Strengthen and nurture problem solving and imaginative, creative thinking. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new", courier, monospace;">To give opportunity for artists/creatives to exhibit and share their work and stories with broader community.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new", courier, monospace;">To use art/creativity to assist in the supporting wellbeing and mental health.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new", courier, monospace;">To encourage ‘thinking outside the box’ and seeing potential and inspiration for creating in small things as well as large scale ideas. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new", courier, monospace;">To facilitate and spark creative ideas, artworks, craft, music stories , etc.</span></div>
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<span class="_4yxo _4yxr" style="font-weight: 600; text-decoration: underline;"><span style="font-family: "courier new", courier, monospace;">MENTAL HEALTH AND WELL BEING ASPECTS</span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjamRx-ovr_0XB0vlzDxHTFFkGUIT6Mq8vr5nylL2SUSEQQ1_ahnBRdPVDw56PqohPU4bYgcGgXx3KGHRo0WITwLorEs7gYVbQ8J8P-TkcORZy-_s7x6vvctOHzWN7H2kYAdIjxJV3EOAM/s1600/YELLOW+BREADTAGS.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1599" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjamRx-ovr_0XB0vlzDxHTFFkGUIT6Mq8vr5nylL2SUSEQQ1_ahnBRdPVDw56PqohPU4bYgcGgXx3KGHRo0WITwLorEs7gYVbQ8J8P-TkcORZy-_s7x6vvctOHzWN7H2kYAdIjxJV3EOAM/s400/YELLOW+BREADTAGS.jpeg" width="398" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new", courier, monospace;">To draw attention to and promote discussion on mental health and awareness of the importance of mental well being. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new", courier, monospace;">To create a means of making mental health and its many aspects, as well as mental well-being discussion/talk acceptable and regular part of social interactions, whether in real life or in traditional or social media forums. ‘Normalising’ and overcoming stigma attached to these issues.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new", courier, monospace;">To create a platform for people to share their stories and experiences with mental health and wellbeing experiences, thoughts, beliefs, and advice and strategies.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new", courier, monospace;">To draw attention to the way COLLECTING, and ordering objects can be part of a means of creating order and sense of story, identity and wellbeing. Encourage this and/or art and creating as means of therapy and strategies to encourage good mental health and wellbeing.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH-fipuUVMP_I5uobGKxqvDR5b_WEN3SRt8rf7OwdtkDbr1IqE6OcyAR5AR2ZFqHTCQkX-qDadkWfgJBxTc1PSl_rKyNeAxJdstFKJ7TuS5xJhyAHUsTom6fXZDlw5DO-qH7xX-GP86aU/s1600/20180804_144321-01.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH-fipuUVMP_I5uobGKxqvDR5b_WEN3SRt8rf7OwdtkDbr1IqE6OcyAR5AR2ZFqHTCQkX-qDadkWfgJBxTc1PSl_rKyNeAxJdstFKJ7TuS5xJhyAHUsTom6fXZDlw5DO-qH7xX-GP86aU/s400/20180804_144321-01.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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</span><h3><u><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span class="_4yxo _4yxp" style="font-family: "courier new", courier, monospace; font-weight: 600;">OUTCOMES</span><span style="font-family: "courier new", courier, monospace;"> </span><span class="_4yxo _4yxp" style="font-family: "courier new", courier, monospace; font-weight: 600;">FOR THE PROJECT</span><span style="font-family: "courier new", courier, monospace;"> </span></span></u></h3></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new", courier, monospace;">To achieve the objectives of THE BREADTAG PROJECT, there are many outcomes possible. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new", courier, monospace;">However, there are <b><span class="_4yxo">3</span> main <span class="_4yxo">OUTCOMES</span> </b>that are being pursued. Within these 3 main outcomes, are opportunity for smaller, integrated events, happenings, publications , etc. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new", courier, monospace;">It is anticipated that these outcomes will be staggered, and work to scaffold, support and nurture each objective of the project. </span></div>
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<span class="_4yxo" style="font-weight: 600;"><span style="font-family: "courier new", courier, monospace;">1. ART EXHIBITION/ EXHIBITIONS/ INSTALLATIONS</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new", courier, monospace;">These exhibitions/exhibition will include art/illustrations/installations from numerous invited artists and creatives, as well as a curated group of participants. All artworks will feature breadtags in some way, as inspiration, theme, focus, medium, or direct subject. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new", courier, monospace;">The exhibition will be supported by having an ONLINE virtual exhibition, to be shared on social media, etc. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new", courier, monospace;">In addition/or as part of this exhibition, I am collecting breadtags from as many countries as possible, and </span><span style="font-family: "courier new", courier, monospace;">trying to get as many types as possible. I am collecting what I hope will be the worlds most comprehensive collection of plastic breadtags. As public awareness campaigns grow and momentum about single use plastic and the devastating affect grows, I am hoping that one day breadtags will be a thing of the past, as more environmentally friendly alternatives are found. As such, these tags will potentially become endangered, sentimental items from the past. So the collection may become not only a comment on their prevalence NOW, but potentially a historical repository of these items. This is THE DOOMSDAY COLLECTION.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new", courier, monospace;">Also, all packaging used to send me breadtags is being recycled, re-used or filed and used as medium for other artworks/installations.</span></div><div class="_2cuy _3dgx _2vxa" style="box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(29, 33, 41); color: #1d2129; direction: ltr; font-size: 17px; margin: 0px auto 28px; white-space: pre-wrap; width: 700px; word-wrap: break-word;"><span style="font-family: "courier new", courier, monospace;">The creation of art/installations by me continues to happen. </span></div><div class="_2cuy _3dgx _2vxa" style="box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(29, 33, 41); color: #1d2129; direction: ltr; font-size: 17px; margin: 0px auto 28px; white-space: pre-wrap; width: 700px; word-wrap: break-word;"><span style="font-family: "courier new", courier, monospace;"><span class="_4yxo" style="font-weight: 600;">2. PUBLICATION OF A BOOK/BOOKS</span> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new", courier, monospace;">This book will have contributions from people all over the world, and contain many fantastic aspects of collected during THE BREADTAG PROJECT. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: courier new, courier, monospace;"><span style="font-weight: 600;">3.LESSON PLANS, WORKSHOPS ETC </span></span></div><div class="_2cuy _3dgx _2vxa" style="box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(29, 33, 41); direction: ltr; margin: 0px auto 28px; width: 700px; word-wrap: break-word;"><span style="font-family: courier new, courier, monospace;"><span style="color: #1d2129;"><span style="font-size: 17px; white-space: pre-wrap;">These will be inclusive of many KLA in the school curriculum. These lessons are to educate and promote discussion about the environment, but in a way that is accessible and visually based for al stages of learning of Primary and Infants children and beyond. </span></span></span></div><h2 class="_2cuy _509y _2vxa" style="box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(29, 33, 41); color: #1d2129; direction: ltr; font-weight: normal; line-height: 38px; margin: 52px auto 28px; padding: 0px; white-space: pre-wrap; width: 700px; word-wrap: break-word;"><span class="_4yxo _4yxr" style="font-weight: 600; text-decoration: underline;"><span style="font-family: "courier new", courier, monospace; font-size: large;">AND IN CONCLUSION, the story so far in August 2020</span></span></h2><div><span class="_4yxo _4yxr"><span style="font-family: "courier new", courier, monospace; font-size: large;">The Breadtag Project continues to gain traction and support.</span></span></div><div><span class="_4yxo _4yxr"><span style="font-family: "courier new", courier, monospace; font-size: large;"> </span></span></div><div class="_2cuy _3dgx _2vxa" style="box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(29, 33, 41); color: #1d2129; direction: ltr; font-size: 17px; margin: 0px auto 28px; white-space: pre-wrap; width: 700px; word-wrap: break-word;"><span class="_4yxo"><span style="font-family: "courier new", courier, monospace;">Many creatives have sent me images and artworks, messages and letters of things they have drawn, painted, photographed, sewn and made because of this project. These creatives are sharing their creations on their own platforms, and are continuing the cycle of awareness, and the objectives of the project. Fabulous reciprocity! I have been diligently storing, recording and filing these away for inclusion in books, exhibitions etc, so that their creativity can be seen by the audience they deserve. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new", courier, monospace;"><span class="_4yxo">I receive packages, boxes, buckets, letters parcels</span> <span class="_4yxo">almost EVERY DAY from all over Australia and the world, with breadtags and often with the stories of where they were found and how. These project participants usually have involved family, friends, school groups, sport teams, businesses, and other people in their community to help them collect their stash. And so it grows. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new", courier, monospace;"><span class="_4yxo">I am also sent images of breadtags in situ, of donation boxes people have made, of how people are reusing breadtags, of their own collections. People are becoming AWARE of small things, creating, sharing, connecting, thinking.</span> </span></div><div class="_2cuy _3dgx _2vxa" style="box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(29, 33, 41); color: #1d2129; direction: ltr; font-size: 17px; margin: 0px auto 28px; white-space: pre-wrap; width: 700px; word-wrap: break-word;"><span style="font-family: "courier new", courier, monospace;"><span class="_4yxo">I have been privileged to have people share stories of how the project has helped them find purpose, feel good about themselves, find reason, and</span> <span class="_4yxo">share anecdotes of</span> <span class="_4yxo">emotional, sad and funny, regarding breadtags.</span> </span></div><div class="_2cuy _3dgx _2vxa" style="box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(29, 33, 41); color: #1d2129; direction: ltr; font-size: 17px; margin: 0px auto 28px; white-space: pre-wrap; width: 700px; word-wrap: break-word;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgxenC8OGXByQdDRMN4P3wJsaIQF-g5p6egqfck2aGyWo5yBZxdsqwWQSwWq_32EwsMx7ZR9mFNowyjbDITr1gUb7rrXQNWzQ8NtSy6pC4oalOQzayiOyvGto6wQ2PKBuHoe0iDYUvvI0/s2048/Image+6-7-20+at+11.55+am+%25282%2529.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgxenC8OGXByQdDRMN4P3wJsaIQF-g5p6egqfck2aGyWo5yBZxdsqwWQSwWq_32EwsMx7ZR9mFNowyjbDITr1gUb7rrXQNWzQ8NtSy6pC4oalOQzayiOyvGto6wQ2PKBuHoe0iDYUvvI0/s640/Image+6-7-20+at+11.55+am+%25282%2529.jpg" /></a></div><span style="font-family: "courier new", courier, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="_2cuy _3dgx _2vxa" style="box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(29, 33, 41); direction: ltr; margin: 0px auto 28px; width: 700px; word-wrap: break-word;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><span style="color: #1d2129;"><span style="font-size: 17px; white-space: pre-wrap;">The project has been featured in wonderful magazines, newspapers and blogs, as well as in an SBS video, and on national ABC radio. I have worked with ACARA ( Australian Curriculum and Research Association) to help do lesson plans and ideas for kids, and continue to build up further ideas with the help of other educators and kids. </span></span></span></div><div class="_2cuy _3dgx _2vxa" style="box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(29, 33, 41); direction: ltr; margin: 0px auto 28px; width: 700px; word-wrap: break-word;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><span style="color: #1d2129;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJTv7hWaRbqkj3q6NmYZrwkhHQDpDyGeuzR2CQvBJPd2D3UmAb_D8QkJvyrEnjWISjaqwN7VxWXKB5zZ3iVNrP7l3VlEIFMjzPxvHAz7sibXKtV25lMW9qzd0IRxd4lrTrIHePqpQQBO4/s2048/Image+2-4-20+at+6.11+pm.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1469" data-original-width="2048" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJTv7hWaRbqkj3q6NmYZrwkhHQDpDyGeuzR2CQvBJPd2D3UmAb_D8QkJvyrEnjWISjaqwN7VxWXKB5zZ3iVNrP7l3VlEIFMjzPxvHAz7sibXKtV25lMW9qzd0IRxd4lrTrIHePqpQQBO4/s640/Image+2-4-20+at+6.11+pm.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-size: 17px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div class="_2cuy _3dgx _2vxa" style="box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(29, 33, 41); direction: ltr; margin: 0px auto 28px; width: 700px; word-wrap: break-word;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><span style="color: #1d2129;"><span style="font-size: 17px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></span></span><span style="color: #1d2129; font-family: courier; font-size: 17px; white-space: pre-wrap;">It is my intention to shift some focus onto the mental health aspect of the project, to begin to include aspects of this into my posts, art, and ask others to participate in this discussion. Collaboration and community! </span></div><div class="_2cuy _3dgx _2vxa" style="box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(29, 33, 41); direction: ltr; margin: 0px auto 28px; width: 700px; word-wrap: break-word;"><br /></div><div class="_2cuy _3dgx _2vxa" style="box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(29, 33, 41); color: #1d2129; direction: ltr; font-size: 17px; margin: 0px auto 28px; white-space: pre-wrap; width: 700px; word-wrap: break-word;"><span style="font-family: "courier new", courier, monospace;"><b><u>COVID AND MOVING FORWARDS</u></b></span><span style="font-family: "courier new", courier, monospace;"> </span></div><div class="_2cuy _3dgx _2vxa" style="box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(29, 33, 41); color: #1d2129; direction: ltr; font-size: 17px; margin: 0px auto 28px; white-space: pre-wrap; width: 700px; word-wrap: break-word;"><span style="font-family: "courier new", courier, monospace;">Opportunities for exhibiting and displaying the tags has begun to happen, with artworks made as part of the project being accepted into a curated group exhibitions, and the offer of an artist residency to work on installation ideas and network with other creatives and curators of galleries being fabulous. </span></div><div class="_2cuy _3dgx _2vxa" style="box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(29, 33, 41); direction: ltr; margin: 0px auto 28px; width: 700px; word-wrap: break-word;"><span style="color: #1d2129; font-family: courier new, courier, monospace;"><span style="font-size: 17px; white-space: pre-wrap;">It is true that some of these have been postponed or delayed due to COVID, and that many galleries are not accepting proposals for exhibitions at the moment, for fear of future closures, as well as a backlog of exhibitions that have now created a bottleneck for exhibiting opportunities. Though this makes things difficult, the project is a long term thing, a marathon, not a sprint, so like everyone else, it has made me look for solutions, work arounds, alternative ways to get the message out there </span><span style="caret-color: rgb(29, 33, 41); font-size: 17px; white-space: pre-wrap;">, etc.</span></span> <span style="color: #1d2129; font-family: "courier new", courier, monospace; font-size: 17px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></div><div class="_2cuy _3dgx _2vxa" style="box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(29, 33, 41); direction: ltr; margin: 0px auto 28px; width: 700px; word-wrap: break-word;"><span style="color: #1d2129; font-family: courier new, courier, monospace;"><span style="font-size: 17px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Other possibilities being explored, including an online virtual </span><span style="caret-color: rgb(29, 33, 41); font-size: 17px; white-space: pre-wrap;">gallery/exhibition</span><span style="font-size: 17px; white-space: pre-wrap;">, which I am in the process of applying for grants for. Also, I have used the time to work on the content of a book, and do online courses on learning how to write, pitch books, get published, and learn as much as I can about hoe to make it happen. I have also been investigating zines etc, as an </span><span style="caret-color: rgb(29, 33, 41); font-size: 17px; white-space: pre-wrap;">alternative. It is a big bad, wonderful world out there online! </span></span></div><div class="_2cuy _3dgx _2vxa" style="box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(29, 33, 41); direction: ltr; margin: 0px auto 28px; width: 700px; word-wrap: break-word;"><b><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: courier; font-size: 17px; white-space: normal;"><span face="" style="color: #1d2129; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="_4yxo _4yxp" style="font-style: italic;">On a personal level I am beyond amazed at how the project is touching lives, and has become part of my own journey.</span> </span></span><span class="_4yxo _4yxp"><span style="color: #1d2129; font-family: courier new, courier, monospace;"><i style="font-size: 17px; white-space: pre-wrap;">It is with the support and faith that others have in me — and this project </i><span style="font-size: 17px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i>—</i></span><i style="font-size: 17px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> that propels me to push beyond my own boundaries, anxieties and fear of failure to achieve the OUTCOMES of the project. </i></span></span><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: #1d2129; font-family: "courier new", courier, monospace; font-size: 17px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></b></div><div class="_2cuy _3dgx _2vxa" style="box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(29, 33, 41); direction: ltr; font-size: 17px; margin: 0px auto 28px; white-space: pre-wrap; width: 700px; word-wrap: break-word;"><b style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); white-space: normal;"><span style="font-family: "courier new", courier, monospace; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i><span style="color: red;">THANK YOU!💙💚💛💜</span></i></span></b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf43ErzAAKePoSacUnUbhyphenhyphenITAL6xr8hTPCP2P6Iltte80JjClhJoBdrp5soub-6F8AnnyjG6mr_4C3cgsTZ702xMFRF75GRWHKg4FuzmF62XD0sJPLVRNJfxO8FjcLS2qo59a-tnvFSj0/s1600/rainbow+of+tags.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf43ErzAAKePoSacUnUbhyphenhyphenITAL6xr8hTPCP2P6Iltte80JjClhJoBdrp5soub-6F8AnnyjG6mr_4C3cgsTZ702xMFRF75GRWHKg4FuzmF62XD0sJPLVRNJfxO8FjcLS2qo59a-tnvFSj0/s400/rainbow+of+tags.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: courier;">If you would like to get involved, please feel free to email me at</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><b>breadtagproject@yahoo.com</b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: courier;">Send your tags to :</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><b>THE BREADTAG PROJECT</b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><b>30 LACHLAN ST</b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><b>NSW 2794</b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><b>AUSTRALIA</b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
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Shani Nottinghamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01919002452189187321noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4168696834477560116.post-61918537901756454772018-12-13T00:08:00.001-08:002018-12-13T00:08:11.619-08:00MAKING A MANIFESTO for The Breadtag Project<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "American Typewriter"; font-size: 30px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: center;">
<b><u> MAKING A MANIFESTO</u></b></div>
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<b><u>for The Breadtag Project</u></b></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">In the middle of 2018 I began to ponder an idea. I began to think about the humble little breadtag/breadclip/breadtie, and how it is so common, yet so overlooked. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;"><i>WHY? Why BREADTAGS?</i></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">I had been sporadically making little simple pictures using tags I had collected for a few years. When I posted them on social media, the reaction was overwhelmingly surprise mixed with delight.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">On a purely creative, artistic level, I became excited about the possibilities. </span><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">To make more images, my collecting of breadtags gathered a little pace, and I also began to research what colours I could find.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">But then something else happened, because a whole world of information opened up to me when I began Googling about breadtags.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">I began to understand how single use plastics, such as breadtags, were a major environmental concern. I began to read and investigate the impact of them throughout the world. How every single piece of plastic is with us forever, and how they are fundamentally not recognised or valued beyond a short life span of usage, but a lifetime of waste. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">When I began to see how quickly my own collection grew, I realised the IMMENSE amount of tags that are in circulation. I began to realise the anything I did with the tags HAD to include an awareness of this huge problem. And that small steps and actions can lead to big things. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">So <a href="https://rarepearstudio.blogspot.com/2018/05/the-breadtag-project.html" target="_blank">THE BREADTAG PROJECT</a> happened. I started a <a href="https://www.facebook.com/breadtagproject/" target="_blank">Facebook page</a>, and began reaching out to people. And they responded. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">Breadtags began turning up in my letterbox. I was filled with amazement. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">While collecting and sorting the growing collection of breadtags, I also received messages, emails and hand written notes.</span></span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;">People were sharing STORIES, ANECDOTES and moments of their lives with me. Special, funny, </span>emotionally<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;"> moving, sentimental, beautiful stories. ALL tied to breadtags. </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;">Stories of grief, loss and trauma, but also of happiness and sharing. And these stories deserve to be read and shared with others. I realised I had begun to create a little community, that was invested in this project. Slightly terrifying, but truly wonderful. </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">I saw that others found the process of collecting was inherent, because many did not know why they had been collecting breadtags, they just did! And they were grateful they now had somewhere to send them. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">I also discovered that like me, people found it comforting, and almost meditative to sort and classify their breadtags. A beauty in creating order and form, and reason. I researched and read more about how actually the process of collecting has been studied and has scientific basis to why it can create a sense of well being. It is fascinating. And for a collector like me, it made perfect sense. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">Having lived with anxiety and depression on and off in my adult life, and knowing so many others in the same boat, I am intrinsically motivated and interested in learning more about <a href="https://rarepearstudio.blogspot.com/2018/06/the-inv-isibi-lity-of-commo-nplace.html" target="_blank">mental health issues and well-being</a>. I have long learnt that art and creating are a form of therapy, and hugely beneficial. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">To this end, The Breadtag Project also gives me and others, another platform to talk about our experiences, to recognise that just creating, and being PART OF SOMETHING, is wonderfully nurturing, and promotes well-being and good </span></span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">mental health. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">I see it as way or normalising discussion, of sharing strategies and experiences. So important, and close to my heart. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">Not sure why I had not done it earlier, but few months ago I opened up a new account on <a href="https://www.instagram.com/the_breadtag_project/" target="_blank">Instagram </a> too, to support and share THE BREADTAG PROJECT. To reach out to more people. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">It was around this time I began to think more seriously about not only the WHAT and WHY it is I want to achieve, but the WHERE and WHEN too. And most importantly… the HOW. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">Because dreaming and thinking up ideas is one thing, but putting them into action is another altogether. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">This is where THE MANIFESTO came to be. Sounds fancy huh! And serious. It is!</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">The MANIFESTO will be the skeleton, or base that informs and directs whatever happens within and for the project. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">It will provide clear objectives and outcomes. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">Of course, it is a working document, so changes are expected as time progresses, but essentially core values remain the same. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">In order to achieve all these goals, I will need support, financially, emotionally, creatively. I know my community will assist me.</span></span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;">Financially, I will be investigating arts Grants, Government and Non GO corporations and </span>businesses and<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;"> networking with people I know who have great skills and knowledge.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;">I will reach out to media, both old school like radio, television and paper and print media, as well as online. </span></span></span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">And yes, publicity will be key, so please do not hesitate to spread the word about the project, by sharing the Instagram feed and Facebook page links. </span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;">I am open to suggestions, and ideas, mentoring, contacts and potential sources of inspiration to achieve the outcomes and objectives. Any contacts in PR, media, book publishing etc also a bonus. Let me know if you think you can assist in any way!</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">I hope you will not hesitate to participate in this passion project of mine, and I look forward to the journey ahead with you on board,</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">And stay tuned for <b>THE MANIFESTO!</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">Yours in collecting and breadtags,</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">Shani x</span></span></div>
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Shani Nottinghamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01919002452189187321noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4168696834477560116.post-34769934652531360792018-08-28T05:05:00.000-07:002018-08-28T05:05:10.903-07:00Because sometimes you just have to... <div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: x-large;"><b><span style="background-color: #d0e0e3;">Because sometim</span><span style="background-color: #9fc5e8;">es you just hav</span><span style="background-color: #cfe2f3;">e to</span> <span style="background-color: #76a5af;">(because it's</span><span style="background-color: #cfe2f3;"> what you need to do)</span></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">YAHOO!Holidays!</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; text-align: center;">In a few weeks, I go overseas with my family for a few</span><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; text-align: center;"> months. Awesome, I know. Fantastic. Brilliant. But it has not happened without a shitload tonne of planning and prep. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">The house, which will have been cleaned and mopped, tidied, and overhauled, will have other people living in it, looking after our menagerie and tending the garden etc. The mail will be collected, and hopefully the pets will not miss us too much. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">We have told our workplaces that we will be gone, and leave has all been arranged. We have bought the backpacks, got the passports, bought the clothes and shoes and clean undies. The first aid kit is packed, and all repeat scripts and two months worth of meds done, with accompanying letters to show authorities we are not drug runners, just medicated peoples. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">Skimming rocks with Daddy</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">We have been working hard, all of us. I have done lots more teaching </span></span><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">days, hustled my butt off with art, the teenagers have hardly been home because they have taken on so many shifts, the youngest has been collecting plastic bottles like mad.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">With only a few weeks to go till we leave there is a sense of excitement, but also we are weirdly calm, like it is all a bit of a surreal thing - in that it is still not quite actually a real thing at all.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">We have put a lot on the line, and pushed back other projects so we could do this. We have said no to other things, and shelved other plans. There have been testy discussions and deals done.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnMhL8yjitQS-bugGe8ah14U3ydgGxGRH6QutidqqN11bFAQtTpkIti-tWHTMCtlZdlcUsAcrH6ZtQeoIhtevGGyeAcPDVs7JkyeEh9LxF2X2Ru8ibGqmvNVNc7pyNQdOFa2Unee1BiZI/s1600/20131001_141829.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnMhL8yjitQS-bugGe8ah14U3ydgGxGRH6QutidqqN11bFAQtTpkIti-tWHTMCtlZdlcUsAcrH6ZtQeoIhtevGGyeAcPDVs7JkyeEh9LxF2X2Ru8ibGqmvNVNc7pyNQdOFa2Unee1BiZI/s640/20131001_141829.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">Koh Chang lunch shenanigans</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">We are a volatile, but loving family, and I would be lying if I said I am not absolutely a little bit terrified of how we will all cope with each other for 8 weeks in close proximity with lots of stresses. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">So why do it? Why spend so much money, why do this? Why go through the stresses and strains and worry? </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">Because we have to. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">Because we want to show the kids where their dad grew up,(he immigrated with his folks when he was in mid high school) and where their grandparents came from. These kids grew up on a steady diet of BBC TV shows and kitchen table discussions of ye olde country, and feel English, even though thy have never stepped foot on English soil - yet.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">Because we also want them to experience, taste, smell, see, hear other languages, foods, cultures, people, toilets, weather and sights so different from where they live in our small pocket of country NSW. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6UVnlR_lAWFFVFxP0fKPZ48Y1PcLLomZBU90P90TkFkIOXG_IJfVCf-HcOEk83d9luAcOoPyhKh9a3tkpxbYPKGxaiVV0ASHK9J7ne_PNXCNBC-BAjcVxaswS6lcBUmOprvkfdZhaMlE/s1600/20131008_121325.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6UVnlR_lAWFFVFxP0fKPZ48Y1PcLLomZBU90P90TkFkIOXG_IJfVCf-HcOEk83d9luAcOoPyhKh9a3tkpxbYPKGxaiVV0ASHK9J7ne_PNXCNBC-BAjcVxaswS6lcBUmOprvkfdZhaMlE/s640/20131008_121325.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">Watermelon slushies, Thai style</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">Because if we can give them a tiny taste of the big wide world, make them want more, if we can pique their interest, and ignite further the desire to travel and experience the beauty and complexities of this amazing world... then I will be happy. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">Because my parents took me to Indonesia when I was very young, which began a childhood of going to wonderful places both overseas and in Australia. My love of travel was a gift given to me and nurtured by them. I am so grateful for these times and memories, for them opening up the world for me. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">Because truthfully I want to do this for my own kids too. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">Because our family has more than enough STUFF, and we want to not just buy the kids more things as presents, but give them experiences instead. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">Because as a family, we are on the verge of great changes. Our eldest goes off to Uni next year, and leaves the family nest. We need to make some more memories, and share this special time before everything changes. Travel together does this for us. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4GKdYDRoIYThAsx_23bwlpuLv3IGdVscMK0h0lkWy1CU3zlUWBxI1ptpH0t53a9tjolc8cLgOaYyle_1P6YExdsyTDqYHNuqlXsAVn4YsSSk88Ea_5UYC4nGvdWjax0WefiC6ouW7HXs/s1600/20131005_155031.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1265" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4GKdYDRoIYThAsx_23bwlpuLv3IGdVscMK0h0lkWy1CU3zlUWBxI1ptpH0t53a9tjolc8cLgOaYyle_1P6YExdsyTDqYHNuqlXsAVn4YsSSk88Ea_5UYC4nGvdWjax0WefiC6ouW7HXs/s640/20131005_155031.jpg" width="506" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">My kids</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisvjHH0-iYZWxZsGRzxj3J952pdEXirfnyXp6tP9KRQSqugln1l_FZ7DrZ8EF8NrGxQmeM32naYk6h81BQRxuZ4M5s6T-dK_B856wqCvTa2yEXvAGHJc34GAV03Y6funOqhq6cekSj1OA/s1600/20130927_114906.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisvjHH0-iYZWxZsGRzxj3J952pdEXirfnyXp6tP9KRQSqugln1l_FZ7DrZ8EF8NrGxQmeM32naYk6h81BQRxuZ4M5s6T-dK_B856wqCvTa2yEXvAGHJc34GAV03Y6funOqhq6cekSj1OA/s640/20130927_114906.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">Bangkok peacocks</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">Because memories from the overseas trips we have done - like riding on elephants, and swimming under waterfalls in Thailand, and landing on glaciers in New Zealand are part of the weft and weave of our family tapestry.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpkd6mmWMMy9SVz-o6eDgRrQj2-qFtRN5y_nST6C6Gmzw1jWPDqWhsiF3AHH8dOG3wIaf_bAo7TTcOhOywfwudretjjeD14jOSXgAkB3ZkdF6cEK3xZy25gOziIIxEtwg-CnmL7xEZUpg/s1600/IMG_0165+%25281%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1193" data-original-width="1600" height="476" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpkd6mmWMMy9SVz-o6eDgRrQj2-qFtRN5y_nST6C6Gmzw1jWPDqWhsiF3AHH8dOG3wIaf_bAo7TTcOhOywfwudretjjeD14jOSXgAkB3ZkdF6cEK3xZy25gOziIIxEtwg-CnmL7xEZUpg/s640/IMG_0165+%25281%2529.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">Because every holiday we have had together, we have created things, laughed at things, seen things that we still remember years later. It's not just the photos, it is the collective experiences that we now share.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">And that is WHY we have to. Why we are doing this thing. Because you never know what is around the corner, what will happen, and we want to create memories that will live on in our hearts forever, no matter what the future holds. Surely that is worth the money, the stress, the planning, the preparation, the hassle? </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">Hooker Glacier walk, NZ</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">So when you do not hear from me for a few months, my blog goes silent for a bit, you know why. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: #cfe2f3; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">Because I just have to!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">My intrepid family</span></div>
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Shani Nottinghamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01919002452189187321noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4168696834477560116.post-7097934394111240822018-08-22T07:11:00.000-07:002018-08-22T07:11:56.845-07:00BLUUUUAARRRRGHHHHH! (Guilty Guilty Mc Guilty Face)<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: x-large;"><b><span style="background-color: #cccccc;">BLUUUUA</span><span style="background-color: #f3f3f3;">ARRRRGH</span><span style="background-color: #999999;">HHHH!</span></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: large;"> <span style="background-color: #d0e0e3;">(Guilty Guilty Mc Guilty Face)</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: x-large;">BLUUAAARGH.BLUAAARGGHHH.Bluurghk.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: x-large;">Bluuaaarrrghhh. Pretty much, that's how each day has been for a few weeks now. You see, I went from having a cold to realising it was flu and then this developed into a chest infection. I have been coughing up my lungs, blowing my nose till there is no skin left around the whole nose region and I have spent hours regretting not having bought shares in Kleenex. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: x-large;">This was after the aches and pains, writhing in feverish spasms, cold flannels on neck, head, and face, headaches raging from left to right across my cranium, blankets on, then off, Nurofen, Pandadols, honey, tea, lemon, limes, water, more water, juice, ginger tea and repeat. It's been messy, real messy.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: x-large;">For days, the sofa was my home, my abode. I could not leave it. Could not focus. Could not stop moaning in agony. Energy levels were non existent. I gave man flu a run for its money. I was SO PRETTY. It was killer.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: x-large;">Even more killer - I had work commitments that I had to reneg on. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: x-large;">Of course, as this damn illness raged on and began to linger, I drugged myself up and ended up doing things I had made commitments to do. I was desperate not to let anyone down. I got back to work. As you do. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: x-large;">Of course, this meant I did not get better. Weeks on... I am now on second round of drugs and have been told to rest. Or my health will not improve. I knew it, of course. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: x-large;">I still feel dreadful. But the worst thing during this whole silly saga of sickness? The thing that makes me feel even more dreadful? </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: #cccccc; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: x-large;">THE GUILT</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #cccccc; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: x-large;">THE GUILT</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #cccccc; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: x-large;">THE GUILT</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: x-large;">Yep, the guilt. I have laid on that sofa feeling SO guilty everyday for what I SHOULD be doing. WOULD be doing if I could. Could be doing, if I pushed myself a bit harder. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: x-large;">Guilt at not going to work. Guilt at not cleaning, washing and house stuff. Guilt at turning away work and jobs. Guilt at not responding and sending emails. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: x-large;">Guilt at NOT answering comments, likes and questions on social media. Guilt at not posting on social media. Guilt at not blogging. Guilt at not taking photos of all the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/breadtagproject/" target="_blank"><span style="color: red;">Breadtag Project</span></a> arrivals in my letterbox. Guilt at just being lame. Guilt for not promoting stuff, and telling everyone about my <a href="https://rarepearstudio.com.au/" target="_blank"><span style="color: red;">new website</span></a>. Guilt at not completing an online course I am doing. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: x-large;">Generally feeling like I am letting a whole heap of people down. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: x-large;">Yes, I am being ridiculous, and if it was my kids I would make sure they DID rest. Yes, I know I am a dufus. But.. <span style="background-color: #d0e0e3;">THE GUILT</span>.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: x-large;">The eternal mother/ worker thing. You push on, cos you have to. You subsist on painkillers, and soldier on. You drag yourself through the days. Why do we do this to ourselves? It's not just me, I know it. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: x-large;">Is it guilt, or just cos we feel we have to? Why is it so hard to give ourselves permission to REST and DO NOTHING?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: x-large;">I don't know. But I do know one thing... I am about to go make a cup of hot sleepy tea and then go to bed. Because if I don't, I will feel guilty... AGAIN <i>(Of not doing doing as my doctor told me to do!) </i></span></div>
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Shani Nottinghamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01919002452189187321noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4168696834477560116.post-5767474990372719432018-08-07T05:50:00.001-07:002018-08-07T05:50:58.233-07:00The Green Monster<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: x-large;"><span style="background-color: lime;">TH</span><span style="background-color: #d9ead3;">E GRE</span><span style="background-color: #b6d7a8;">EN M</span><span style="background-color: #6aa84f;">ONSTER</span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsyj4v7T6ELDoZ6c4HRGX1Kyx-WyhHlPp8UgZlRkLlJNvs4GYT7Q6fIcTLaQl7qoj40jIQvmvjLzBeQrA9pjuRPsZsvXZ7_-fUgM8pVXSSIPw0hPxC9NDeZdEktzxBK6Yaab1Zajlu-QM/s1600/Version+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsyj4v7T6ELDoZ6c4HRGX1Kyx-WyhHlPp8UgZlRkLlJNvs4GYT7Q6fIcTLaQl7qoj40jIQvmvjLzBeQrA9pjuRPsZsvXZ7_-fUgM8pVXSSIPw0hPxC9NDeZdEktzxBK6Yaab1Zajlu-QM/s640/Version+2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">Jealousy. Envy. Burning resentment. GAH! Bad bad bad bad emotions. Not healthy at all. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new", courier, monospace; font-size: large;">The</span><span style="font-family: "courier new", courier, monospace;"> </span><span style="background-color: #d9ead3; font-family: "courier new", courier, monospace;">green eyed monster</span><span style="font-family: courier new, courier, monospace; font-size: large;"> is not a pretty beastie. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">It's a struggle, people, it really is. There is a stupid, crazy, ridiculous thing that happens to me. No matter what I am achieving, or doing, it never seems good enough, it never seems ENOUGH in any way. Only a few times in my life have I ever felt good enough, completely sated with joy and pride. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">I am not sure why this is. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">I was diagnosed a few years ago with <a href="https://www.helpguide.org/articles/add-adhd/adhd-attention-deficit-disorder-in-adults.amp.htm" target="_blank">adult ADD</a>, which was a shock. Especially as it was when I was battling with depression and anxiety already and I felt like I was free falling through my days. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">Suddenly though lots of things about myself made more sense. I felt relief. Maybe this is why I never felt like I had NEVER achieved my potential? Maybe this is why I always felt a bit weird?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new", courier, monospace; font-size: large;">A few years on from then, things have settled down quite a bit, but I still have that gnawing feeling that everyone else is doing better than me, is more talented or clever than me, knows more, works harder, is swimming in success and money, opportunities and stellar careers. That I am not really very good at all actually. I have somehow tricked people into thinking I have some talent. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">It sometimes gets almost crippling. I have to actively STOP the negative self talk. I have to consciously talk down that evil nasty <span style="background-color: #d9ead3;">green eyed monster</span>, tell it to just FORK off RIGHT NOW. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">I have to remember that a few years ago I would never have even attempted some of the things I am thinking of doing now. I would never have entertained the idea of doing things I do now. And yet.... and yet... I feel a bit of FAILURE TO LAUNCH. Why am I my own worst enemy? </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">Is this the thing that makes me motivated? Is it actually the thing that pushes me forwards? Do most people have these thoughts? </span><span style="font-family: "courier new", courier, monospace; font-size: large;">Do I just think too much?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">I guess like many things, it is my choice what to do with these emotions. I know that sometimes I have cringed and cried, and gone flat when I see others making huge strides, or doing great stuff. I am gutted by the fact they have done it better and more abley. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">It is a physical reaction, truly. So if I cannot stop them, then what? </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">I can take these feelings and mix them round, swirl them in my head, and try to bury them. Or I can reach in deep and like a conjuror spin them into threads of power and motivation, a ball of energy to push me forwards. Or I can let them wash over me, swamp me, pull me into a bog of self pity and hopelessness. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">There is no point denying they happen. Because they do, springing up like sharp needles. Nasty spikes of YOU ARE REALLY SHIT. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFkZ0HKTGKwaCH9-TwIyt23WB36D_2e2SgY8i8BNBnB9zvwdvaFOw5roq5LElXYlAaR3XWLSVsq2PvgGRb_AXNAEsDAekTXRbXi7rnLf4n3EN4guehy_hzdiPc1tB5THfdcbEZOaCJlsk/s1600/20171018_124403-01+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFkZ0HKTGKwaCH9-TwIyt23WB36D_2e2SgY8i8BNBnB9zvwdvaFOw5roq5LElXYlAaR3XWLSVsq2PvgGRb_AXNAEsDAekTXRbXi7rnLf4n3EN4guehy_hzdiPc1tB5THfdcbEZOaCJlsk/s640/20171018_124403-01+2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">Yep, it's what do with them that matters. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">What is that saying, it's not the problems that make us, its how we face them? Something like that... Whatever the saying is, I am sure there are a million memes that can give me consolation and inspiration, motivation and affirmation. If only I could face turning on Pinterest and seeing them all! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">If I do turn on Pinterest, I will not just see memes though. No way! I am likely to start seeing art and illustrations, and ideas, and GREAT STUFF. Stuff that can be brilliant. Or stuff that will make the <span style="background-color: #d9ead3;">green eyed monster</span> want to play. So rather than look for external validation, I need to find the belief in me, in myself. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">Which brings me to what I probably need to do. I need to turn off the social media. I need to stop comparing. I need to play, just play. I need to make crappy art, shitty stuff, and just play. With no expectation...</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMNnH7n_l8Sr_uT0mi96uzjdYIGcVQdMlNup3iAmkGgh-tgrRMTFS1xdVFksY1bWA_ZSCpmjNcUGDSs5XuXvrJLMCa2DdxybOsEO8PVBHCwx50V_bQf8L7E7mtrMVJFeMJvkYshwsSbDo/s1600/Scan+14+%25282%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1025" data-original-width="1600" height="408" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMNnH7n_l8Sr_uT0mi96uzjdYIGcVQdMlNup3iAmkGgh-tgrRMTFS1xdVFksY1bWA_ZSCpmjNcUGDSs5XuXvrJLMCa2DdxybOsEO8PVBHCwx50V_bQf8L7E7mtrMVJFeMJvkYshwsSbDo/s640/Scan+14+%25282%2529.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">Because that's when I find the joy again. In the process. In the mess and the fear of what happens next. Find spontaneous play. And I may even use lots and lots and lots of <span style="background-color: #b6d7a8;">green</span>. Oodles of it, in all different hues and shades. And NOT </span><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">use it to paint a monster, but use it to paint lushness, growth and blooming. Much healthier, and much better, wouldn't you agree?</span></div>
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Shani Nottinghamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01919002452189187321noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4168696834477560116.post-17633586549895859762018-08-02T04:12:00.000-07:002018-08-03T18:53:48.872-07:00FEET ON A JOURNEY<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: x-large;"><b><span style="background-color: #ea9999;">FEET ON A </span><span style="background-color: #9fc5e8;">JOURNEY</span></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">At a styling workshop with Kara Rosenlund, Sydney</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">swollen feet from hiking, bathroom at Koh Chang, Thailand</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"> Iandra Castle, Greenethorpe NSW</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"> Ferry Pier, Parramatta, Sydney</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"> Beachfront, Thailand</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"> Back streets of inner Sydney</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"> Mt Canobolas, Orange NSW</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"> Wanaka Lake Foreshore, New Zealand</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"> Melbourne</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"> Bang Bao jetty, Thailand</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"> Sunny Corner, NSW</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"> Wanaka Lake Foreshore, New Zealand</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"> with Daisy dog, POW camp lookout, Cowra NSW</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">waiting at doctors, Orange NSW</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"> Koh Chang beach resort, Thailand</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"> at my brother's wedding, South Coast, NSW</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">South West Rocks, NSW</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"> Koh Chang, Thailand</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"> outback NSW</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"> Sistine Chapel, The Vatican</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"> Mt Buffalo, Victoria</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"> motel in Sydney</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"> national park, Victoria</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"> Pompeii, Italy</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">family portrait, Sumner Rocks Beach, New Zealand</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">park in Queenstown, New Zealand</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">train Station Dunedin, New Zealand</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">on my honeymoon with hubby, Mt. Kosciuszko </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"> Dunedin train station, New Zealand</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">on way to Milford Sound, New Zealand</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"> Mimosa Rocks National Park, with hubby South Coast NSW</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"> unknown/forgotten</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">Hooker Glacier walk, New Zealand</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"> Melbourne </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"> Motel in Jindabyne, NSW</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">Antibes beach, near Nice, France</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">Paterson's Curse, Grenfell NSW</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitfiT-u58WFLJ3_JE9glPxhLWHzNDZg6zyvGIkW_Ut0mqeDIpbGmhNSdaN5d-oUfsV44RMIXwIq2K73w7GorVVOonqvlA3ap1z1xld5v1mR5N-wAiv-vNWohyrXkTkowwC1JFDuUd08jg/s1600/20180719_142422-01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitfiT-u58WFLJ3_JE9glPxhLWHzNDZg6zyvGIkW_Ut0mqeDIpbGmhNSdaN5d-oUfsV44RMIXwIq2K73w7GorVVOonqvlA3ap1z1xld5v1mR5N-wAiv-vNWohyrXkTkowwC1JFDuUd08jg/s400/20180719_142422-01.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"> shopping centre, Sydney</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"> our bathroom, pregnant with child number 2, Cowra, NSW</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">this week, driveway, Parramatta NSW</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">Have you made it this far? All the way down to this text? <span style="background-color: #f4cccc;">Well done you!</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">Well, this is not the usual blog post, you will have noticed. Instead it is really just photos. But it tells a story. A little bit of one. Because these are just SOME of the many many many photos I have taken over the years, of my feet, usually in shoes. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">It started in my early twenties, when I wanted photos of where I had been, but selfies were too hard (and unknown as yet) with big bulky SLR cameras. So I began taking photos of my feet. And yes, people laughed at me, took the mickey, ribbed me. Then guess what? My whole family started doing it. Then my friends. Guess I am just a trendsetter.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">So now, many years later, I have a pretty good collection of pics to show me where these feet have taken me. There are of course, huge gaps in the photos, periods where I have taken nothing. I regret it and wish I had taken more than I have. I intend to keep taking them now, and I am always looking for interesting surfaces to take pics of, and interesting places. One day I am sure I will do a comprehensive project about it, but for now, this will suffice. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">I love these photos, because I can see how my feet have aged, spread, changed. I can see the shoes I have had and loved. I remember the places, the smells, the feelings I had at the time. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">Some of them were places I could not believe where I stood, amazed and overwhelmed with emotions. Some of these pics were just mundane everyday moments. What I love about them all, as a collection, is the way I can see the directions life has taken me... and continue to do so. My feet, on a journey. Wonder where I will go next?</span></div>
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Shani Nottinghamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01919002452189187321noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4168696834477560116.post-70988080575086425502018-07-25T17:45:00.000-07:002018-07-31T06:51:35.037-07:00TOO AUTHENTIC FOR YOU?<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: x-large;"><b><span style="background-color: #3d85c6;">TOO AUTHE</span><span style="background-color: #cfe2f3;">NTIC FOR</span><span style="background-color: #9fc5e8;"> YOU?</span></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">work in progress, hiding from the world</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: x-large;">When I think about what to write about, I generally have no idea. I do not schedule my posts. I do not have a weekly nor monthly planner. I barely know what day it is. I do not have an agenda. It is very organic, and very ahem, authentic. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: x-large;">And there is that word. The word that I keep being told makes people want to buy from you, read you, want to engage with you.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #cfe2f3; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: x-large;">BE AUTHENTIC!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: x-large;">It is a big buzz word, the zeitgeist. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: x-large;">But what does it really mean?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: x-large;">A few days ago, a lady I know messaged me and asked me a few questions about blogging. One of them was WHY DO I BLOG? She wondered if it was to promote my art, was it to sell? </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: x-large;">In all honesty initially I may have thought that it would help my art business and may help me to sell my work. But I really do not now if it does. Is this a bad thing? Have YOU ever bought art from me because of my blog? Probably not. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: x-large;">Do I care? I should, but honestly, authentically...no! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: x-large;">Because I found out that I just enjoy writing. And I found out that when I have not written for awhile, I miss it. I am happy when I publish a post!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: x-large;">There have been times I have not blogged, sometimes for ages. Because I was living life. Because I might have been overwhelmed, with good things, with bad things, with truly shitty things. With THINGS.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: x-large;">I wish I could tell you that in my authentic world, it is all wonderful. And it is, in its own way. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC336cYGQQvjmiwVZ9lMnCdKuhLCrGQhdA2fXEmzsQAKfcC0eLL8jZ4sH6HvnRtOhwt4VXaYhxDN68KiHcs-OR_sWtKgoH3Yjjed-RjRaYOQM1s61EgoYudtWgnGG62nqr6gq2O1CMqS4/s1600/20180429_154503-01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1082" data-original-width="1600" height="432" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC336cYGQQvjmiwVZ9lMnCdKuhLCrGQhdA2fXEmzsQAKfcC0eLL8jZ4sH6HvnRtOhwt4VXaYhxDN68KiHcs-OR_sWtKgoH3Yjjed-RjRaYOQM1s61EgoYudtWgnGG62nqr6gq2O1CMqS4/s640/20180429_154503-01.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: x-large;">But... authentically, I tell you I am sitting here in mismatched pyjamas and ugg boots, my armpits are a bit pongwhiffy, my hair looks like a birds nest, I have a pimple on my nose, and bags under my eyes. My son is in the kitchen and he has barely spoken to me all day </span><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: x-large;">(headphones glued to his ears.) </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: x-large;">And the kitchen is a mess, as is the lounge room. Little piles of dust and cat hair are congregating in the corners, and cobwebs hang like organic lace. The white walls, (having spent hours choosing the RIGHT WHITE)now a few years later are almost more army camouflage that I would care to admit.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwtk2VU7QElCs0DLmNjz0ofGrqaCKJH9mmLcG-rjW1944aONHLV6YdyS4Lm1OYrdQ0V6whg8We9b13iIC7uHZwG5Xxth53Ehhi-IW3OyspavHZpW4qV-vViT_DHwqLb5LTY_irElHZhr8/s1600/IMG_20150804_170647+%25281%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwtk2VU7QElCs0DLmNjz0ofGrqaCKJH9mmLcG-rjW1944aONHLV6YdyS4Lm1OYrdQ0V6whg8We9b13iIC7uHZwG5Xxth53Ehhi-IW3OyspavHZpW4qV-vViT_DHwqLb5LTY_irElHZhr8/s640/IMG_20150804_170647+%25281%2529.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">the styled desk... but not today</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: x-large;">And I did NOT sit in my sun filled beautiful, clean home, looking lovely and gorgous inspirational perfectly styled studio, painting all day. With a cat on the windowsill, and a vase of freshly foraged flowers in a cool little bottle on my desk. And perched elegantly on a stool in linen artist apron, with my hair just so. No. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: x-large;">Instead I sat in my pyjamas, banging on my computer keyboard, answering emails all day, and editing photos, and messaging people, doing some washing, and doing a quick clean of my ensuite. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: x-large;">The ensuite. Because my science experiment of waiting to see what colours and tones the slime around the taps may change too next had already gone through the full rainbow spectrum. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: x-large;">Another experiment was also happening around the state of the ensuite, this time in human behaviour. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: x-large;">I was seeing if during two weeks of holidays when the whole family is home, whether anyone else would look at this same sink and feel compelled to clean it...</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: x-large;">(the answer is NO). </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: x-large;">My hypothesis that it would not be cleaned proved correct. And my hypothesis I would end up almost retching when I brushed my teeth if it was not cleaned SOON, also proved correct. Hence, I cleaned it today. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: x-large;">No-one needs to know or wants to this kind of REAL AUTHENTIC STUFF. It is too real, too authentic.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: x-large;">So I will spare you the photos that should probably accompany this blog. I am concerned for your mental health, and do not want you to need counselling from the shock of it. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: x-large;">So instead I will give you pictures that show how much I </span>do still love my home, even if it is messy. So instead I will bid you adieu, go and clean my kitchen, hug my son, and go to bed. After squeezing that pimple. My life is pretty wonderful really. And I mean that AUTHENTICALLY.</span></div>
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Shani Nottinghamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01919002452189187321noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4168696834477560116.post-76942080591706096552018-07-21T02:46:00.000-07:002018-07-21T02:46:37.029-07:00 CONFESSIONS of a VEGETARIAN<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: x-large;"><u><b><span style="background-color: #cc0000;">CONFESSI</span><span style="background-color: #93c47d;">ONS of a</span><span style="background-color: #e69138;"> VEGETA</span><span style="background-color: #b6d7a8;">RIAN</span></b></u></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">These days with vegans, gluten intolerants, rawism, nut allergies and keto diets abounding, being a vegetarian is not so strange. Not like it used to be. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">I should know, because I have been a vegetarian since I was about 4. And I am now past 45. So a long, long, long time have I eaten sans meat. That's right. No chicken, fish, beef, no ham, no bacon, no anything that once had eyes. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">I do not eat gelatine either, or anything that is meat flavoured, like chicken crisps or ham flavoured baked beans. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">Many people find this tough to deal with, and they especially feel sorry for my hubby and kids. Do I cook it for them? No. I do not. Oh, I have done, irregularly, and I <u>will</u> stick things in the oven for them. But generally, no. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;"><i><b>Confession - I am a failure when it comes to cooking meat based food for my family.</b> </i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">My hubby has always known it would be this way. He married me after being with me for almost 10 years, so he knew the deal - it was definitely not a surprise to him. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">On our first proper date(both rather hungover)we had gone to a Chinese buffet, whereupon he stacked his plate high. In comparison, all I had were noodles. He asked if I would like some of his, such a gentleman. When I explained that I was actually a vegetarian he tells me later that his first thought was... </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;"><i>"Cool, I can eat hers, but she can't eat mine. BONUS!"</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;"><i><b>Confession - I loved he did not make a fuss about it. </b></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">So WHY am I a vegetarian? These days there are many reasons, but initially it was just revulsion and shock. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">My Mum and dad had taken me camping, and on the way home we saw little lambs gambolling in a lush green field. We pulled the Toyata Hiace van over got out and watched them, oohed aaahed at their cuteness and took photos. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">Well apparently a little while later, now back home, my dad was eating lamb chops and I made the cognitive connect between the two. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;"><i><span style="color: red;"><b>Lambs = lamb chops</b></span> </i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">The revelation that began it all.<i> </i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">Like when I was sent to my room to eat ravioli and NOT to come out till all was eaten. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">Mum found a pile of tissues under my bed a day or so later and when she inspected them more closely she found each ravioli wrapped in its own tissue, secreted away. I think that's when they realised the worm really had turned and there was no going back. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;"><i><b>Confession - I must have been a really annoying, difficult pain in the arse little shit for them.</b></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">Time dragged on, other stuff happened that made me more fervent in my revulsion towards meat. Like I saw a scene in the horror film Poltergeist, when maggots came out of a chicken drumstick. I almost barfed. Like when I took a bite of a burger due to a dare and got a big hunk of white gristle. Like when I saw hair still on the pork in the servery at a RSL club. Retch.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">When I was in my twenties, I lived in the UK and Europe for 2 years, during the MAD COW BSE crisis. Well that made me think how glad I was I did not eat meat. Cemented my beliefs entirely. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;"><i><b>Confession - I cannot donate blood now, because I lived in the UK during that Mad Cow Disease time period.</b></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">When I fell pregnant, the smell of meat cooking was sheer hell. When my husband cooked chicken I had to leave the house. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;"><i><b>Confession - I had to shove tissues up my nose and totally block each nostril so I would not vomit. I looked very pretty indeed!</b></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">As a result of this vegetarian diet, I have gleefully lived off pasta. Especially the Peter Pan Pasta and Tinkerbell Sauce that was in my Mickey Mouse Cookbook. With herbs like basil and oregano, spices and flavours. </span><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">I loved that stuff!</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">And luckily, I love vegetables. And fruit. Although I did come back from Indonesia when I was 4 with malnutrition I think, from only eating vanilla ice cream and boiled rice for a good amount of time. That was when I knew that bananas made me ill. When my poor parents tried to vary my diet by giving me bananas, and I puked them up. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: medium;"><i><b>Confession - I am allergic to bananas. And mushrooms. They do weird things to me, make me ill in very unpleasant ways. This makes being a vegetarian a little trickier, because </b></i></span><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: medium;"><i><b>so much vegetarian stuff has mushrooms.</b></i></span><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;"><i><b>Confession - I do not like eggs. I will eat them in cupcakes etc, but would never ever eat a quiche, or omelette etc. Once again, this makes life a little trickier at times, especially when travelling. But cupcakes, like I said, are fine. Donuts too.</b></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">Which is why at this time in my life, when bread, pasta, rice and potatoes have been a mainstay of my diet, to find out I must now try to avoid them due to my weight and a diagnosis of diabetes type 2... and also eat no fruit (or at least very minimal)my poor head spins in shock. Cold hard fear knots up in my gut. And fear is a poor substitute for bread and pasta, I can tell you.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><i><b><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">Confession - I love carbs. And this is really really shitty being told I should not eat them. I do not drink, I do not smoke. I carb. I carb and cheese. I bisc</span><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">uit. I bread.</span></b></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: x-large;"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">biscuit paradise (1 & 2) ink pen</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">I am not going to stop being a Vegetarian, it is part of who I am. But I have to confess, that going without carbs and fruit, is a different thing all together. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">Like a snowballs chance in hell. Sigh. Wish me luck. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;"><i><b>Confession - I am going to need it.</b></i></span></div>
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Shani Nottinghamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01919002452189187321noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4168696834477560116.post-24929967151233478222018-07-12T21:02:00.000-07:002018-07-12T21:02:11.789-07:00A Raw Mess - living and loving better.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="background-color: #f4cccc; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: x-large;"><b>A Raw Mess</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">A beautiful mess digital photograph</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">When Miss 11 had her birthday at the end of last year, she got a kitten. Yes, my husband almost divorced me over this. He does not particularly like cats, and 4 was really too close to crazy old cat woman for his liking. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">However Miss 11 agreed to nothing else being given to her, and she spent all her birthday money on this new addition. She surprised me by choosing the runt of the litter that was not terribly pretty. All google eyes and ratlike actually. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">The kitten came home, and was the most loved kitten I have ever known. Suki Bonbon spent the next 6 weeks of the holidays being carried everywhere, and that kitten loved it. She snuggled into Miss 11's shoulder, slept peacefully and soundly. She snuggled into her lap, her neck, her face. She was a shadow to my daughter, following her everywhere.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">The love went both ways too. From the moment Miss 11 woke up, till when she went to bed, the kitten was the first and last thing she thought of. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">They bonded strongly - the rescued abandoned runty kitten and my sweet daughter. It was 6 months of kitten bliss. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">You can surmise what happened. One dusk poor Suki Bonbon was killed by a car. My other daughter and my husband found her in front of our house, managing to get her off the road before more cars made it worse. It fell to me to go and tell Miss 11 what had just happened. She began shaking, shaking so much. She went into shock. Cold and crying, she fell totally apart. She came out and patted Suki, and said goodbye, took a clipping of her fur. She wept and howled, and clung to me. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">The next few days the sadness was so intense, I ached with pain watching her trying to make sense of it. We had a funeral, made a memory box, talked and talked. We held her close as she sobbed. I found her lying curled up in a ball in her bed, quietly crying and heaving with grief. She was truly heartbroken. It was not for effect, it was true deep emotional pain. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">It is a few weeks later now, and we are still having times when she wakes up in floods of tears, and comes to our bed to cuddle and hold onto me. The pain is raw and real. The eloquence she has with describing the pain in her heart is so beautiful, but so terrible to hear. She has been a raw mess.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">It is her first close experience of a sudden death. Or any death really. Her great grandparents have passed away, and she loved them, but accepted that they had died after long lives. <a href="http://rarepearstudio.blogspot.com/2014/11/the-snow-gift.html" target="_blank">I wrote about this loss, and its effect, when it happened.</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">Suki's passing though has meant that death has been a topic of discussion, about what it means, and how we deal with it. About how it happens all the time, but we don't actually talk about it much. About the experience and feeling of loss, emptiness. Of imagined times snatched away.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">I do not mean to be flippant, but it has made me realise </span><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">that if this is what happens when a pet dies, then the impact of a close family member dying must be too intense to comprehend. Then I pushed that thought away, because it was </span><span style="background-color: #f4cccc; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><span style="font-size: large;">way</span></span><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: #f4cccc;"> too uncomfortable</span> to let these ideas linger. I chose to distract myself with other things. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">Meanwhile, life continued on. Until I get a phone call saying a friend had passed away. Again, I was thinking about loss, and grief. After the shock of hearing this, though still numb, I posted a little thing on Facebook, about appreciating every moment we have, about the importance of making memories with those we love. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">Just as I managed to hold back my tears, a lady I knew in my younger days, when we were footloose, fancy, silly, a little bit wild, and life lay out before us... someone I'd always thought was cool and funny and quite feisty, wrote a comment on my post. The tears fell again. Perspective, my friends.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">This lady is <span style="background-color: #f4cccc;">amazing</span>. She is a creative, who also writes beautifully. She is a force to be reckoned with. Cancer did not know who it was messing with when it came calling. This beautiful lady, who tells the story of living with terminal cancer with a directness, rawness, beauty and straight to the marrow and punch hard, she wrote something so sensible that I messaged her, asking if I could share it. <span style="background-color: #f4cccc;">So important. Powerful. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">She said yes. I am so grateful. Because after you read this, I want you to think about it. Even if it is uncomfortable. Let it linger. Let these words brew and sit with you. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">This is what she wrote:</span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(29, 33, 41); white-space: normal;"><i>Living with death is a very different perspective. It can enrich everything.</i></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(29, 33, 41); white-space: normal;"><i>Twist your thoughts and emotions like a pretzel. And the agony of loss is without description. </i></span></span></div>
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<i style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-size: large;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(29, 33, 41); white-space: normal;">Loss of experiences with your child. Opportunities to watch them grow, love, tra</span><span style="caret-color: rgb(29, 33, 41); white-space: normal;">vel, have heartache, graduate, have children and the rest. And it makes some tiny day to day things heart breaking when they normally needn’t be. </span></span></i></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: #eeeeee; caret-color: rgb(29, 33, 41); white-space: normal;"><i>It’s a raw mess really. </i></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(29, 33, 41); white-space: normal;"><i>But it’s our own mess. Unique to each of us. The big answer that I have stumbled on within it all is time. The richest gift to give anyone is your time.</i></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(29, 33, 41); white-space: normal;"><i>Not everyone will give it to you. You won’t always decide to give it either. And somewhere in there we make our mark on peoples lives. In ways we will never fully realise. That’s the kicker. We really need to talk about death more. It helps us all to live and love better. </i></span></span></div>
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Shani Nottinghamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01919002452189187321noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4168696834477560116.post-50086129586483682062018-07-10T06:58:00.002-07:002018-07-10T07:14:57.322-07:00Being a Creative Mumma<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: x-large;"><b><u><span style="background-color: #ffe599;">Bei</span><span style="background-color: #f4cccc;">ng a Crea</span><span style="background-color: #fce5cd;">tive Mumm</span><span style="background-color: #d9ead3;">a</span></u></b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: medium;">Beautiful( my daughter, I love you so) collage</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">Recently I was asked how on earth I manage being a parent with also being a creative. Boy, did it make me think. So this is what I thought about, and the conclusions I came to.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">My first child was born the same week I started my second degree, teaching, by distance education. My first degree had been Visual Arts, no surprise really as I had always identified as a creative arty farty person. But then this tiny baby arrived, and I had a new identity - Mother, and parent. And suddenly I was also a student again.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">The time and energy to create high art evaporated completely, but the need to create still puckered me up at my edges. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">So my approach to creativity changed, and became more practical. I gardened, and my new palette was now flowers and foliage inevitably with a baby and toddler helping me, on my hip or next to me. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">Where Have I Gone to ? collage</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">My canvas was now my home as I nested and decorated, made cubby houses and hung art everywhere. I wanted to fill our world with images and colour!</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">I occasionally brought out the paints and together my growing little family splatted and slopped and dabbed and made interesting artworks on newspaper, boxes, fabric etc. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">Then at night I would paint my own small, modest things on the kitchen table, always things that were easily packed up. And eventually beautiful photos of my kids were not the only images on my rolls of film, but arty-farty, conceptual things began to appear again.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">Gradually, slowly, eventually I started to put artwork in group exhibitions and even entered the local show. I read arty cool magazines and went to galleries, dragging my family with me, using these excursions as opportunities to show the kids cool stuff.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">I kept my finger in a lukewarm creative pie, and stuck their pudgy little fingers in it too.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">But then something dramatic happened in my life, that stopped me in my tracks. This event made me realise something. The path I thought I was going to walk on, a full time teacher, was not for me. Or I would never be content and fulfilled... and instead I would be a miserable mother and a woeful wife.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">To be happy I had to take another path, one with no real destination, no real sure steps, and lots of twists and turns and fiscally unsure. A path thats real reward was going to be the journey itself. I decided to become an artist. To live a truly creative life again. I was petrified. And excited. (My beautiful husband was aghast but supportive!)</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">And even though it was REALLY terrifying, the thing that gave me the biggest PUSH to do it? That stopped me from from giving up, and still does? It was the hope that I could inspire my children.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">It was the thought that I could show my kids that there is a choice to live like this. To make them proud of what I could achieve. To model to them that passion and hard work and being creative is a choice, a real one.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">Today, nothing makes me prouder than hearing them boasting to their friends about what I do. Than knowing the reason we are on a holiday is because I am hosting a workshop there and this gives us this opportunity as a family to have new experiences. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">Going on a journey collage</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">I am like a kid at show and tell when I take them to my new exhibition, or show them some art I did in a book, magazine or a poster. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">I love having my kids sit in my studio with me, creating, even if it means my art supplies get filched. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">Nothing is better than hearing them talk about how when we go to Paris in a few months that they cannot wait to go to the Louvre, and the Musee D'Orsay. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">I know then that I made the right choice. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">The Compass collage</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">And I am not lying when I say that it is </span></span><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">their faith in me, their love, their support, that keeps me striving to live creatively, in as many ways as I can. They are the compass that points me in the right direction.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">So now I am a mother and also a working creative.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">These identities co-exist together and feed off each other, never seperate always intertwined. Just as they should be.I also still teach a few days a week, because I worked bloody hard to get that teaching degree. It is a juggle. </span></span><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">And I am knackered! I really am. It is a hard gig. But my heart knows it is happy.</span><br />
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Shani Nottinghamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01919002452189187321noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4168696834477560116.post-85843659703411153712018-06-08T02:52:00.001-07:002018-06-10T04:52:11.850-07:00THE INVISIBILITY OF THE COMMONPLACE<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: x-large;"><b><span style="background-color: orange;">THE INV</span><span style="background-color: #f6b26b;">ISIBI</span><span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">LITY </span></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: x-large;"><b><span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">OF</span><span style="background-color: #f4cccc;"> THE</span><span style="background-color: #e06666;"> </span><span style="background-color: #ea9999;">COMMO</span><span style="background-color: #ffd966;">NPLACE</span></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">There is nothing so invisible as the commonplace. So ordinary that we do not see them, so plain and unassuming that we pay them no heed. They do not make us notice them until they are out of place, do something or are seen somewhere out of their expected domain maybe. Or maybe someone has drawn our attention to them. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">Like the breadtag. Or breadtie or breadclip, whatever you choose to call them. To me they are <span style="background-color: #ffe599;">breadtags</span>.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">They are just there, they just do their own little thing. Single use, disposable and humble. But since I started The Breadtag Project, it is AMAZING how many people have messaged me to say... <i>I AM NOW SEEING THEM EVERYWHERE</i>. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">And I do too. I see them on the ground, in car parks, on shelves, on picnic benches and in gutters, amongst other places.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">And like me, they are noticing them in the supermarket on breads, the fruit and veg section. They are noticing the colours and shapes and size. And seeing how many different types there are. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">And it has been making me think... I know that some may say it is a long bow to draw, but the the little breadtag reminds me of mental health issues. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">Why? Why would I say this? Huh?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">Because for the longest time, mental health issues was not paid much attention to. It was unseen. Unnoticed. Hiding in plain sight. But all around us. Common but invisible, unless you were looking for it. Or had to live with it, or deal with it.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">It has always been there, always been part of our world. But ignored if we could. Shame, fear, mistrust, miseducated and misinformed, in the past the general population did not seem to want or need to know. We shied way from it. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">Slowly, very slowly, over time, thanks to many wonderful brave people, many organisations, programs, specialists, ordinary people, amazing people, have raised the profile and the importance of mental health issues. We have begun to notice. We have begun to see that there are many types, shapes, colours, symptoms, levels of, peculiarities, aspects to, and varieties of mental health issues.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">I have had low self esteem all my life, and this developed into depression and anxiety in my early twenties. But I had a great support system, and I had instinctive desire to live with it, not let it define me. I went travelling, and did not let it have the time nor energy to take hold again. Instead I filled my days with new adventures, sights, sounds and smells. I stepped outside myself and soaked up all the wonder. I had diaries, and I drew, sketched and scrapbooked tickets and ephemera as souvenirs. I drank it all in. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">I got back to Australia, I moved to the country. My hubby and I began breeding. I started my second degree by distance education. Life was full and busy. I honestly cannot remember if depression was there all the time. I know it was when I lost a baby between my first and second child, and I needed counselling. I was aware that my emotions could tip wildly. But I was always exhausted, and thought that might be to blame. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">I started teaching. I stayed full and busy and life was never dull. I functioned, with moments of despair. Then... it snuck up on me. Something was happening. It happened incrementally. It happened so that I could try to ignore it. It happened so that my family were not fully aware of how much I was struggling. Until eventually, circumstances brought it to the fore. I crashed and burned. Badly. I started seeing doctors and counsellors, and thought it would get better. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">But it got worse. Much worse. I had new diagnosis. I was put on meds. I had lots of counselling. I had to talk about it all, seemingly ad infinitum. Because it was no longer invisible. It was right there in my house, with me. Next to me, part of me, all through me. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">And so I started a new project then too. Project GET BETTER. Project live with this, and live WELL. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">And 5 years on, I do. I live with it, I manage it. I see it, I appreciate it, I acknowledge it, I know its range, its moods, its colours, its forms. Its types, its characteristics. I still dance with it, and it plays tricks with me, and from time to time I forget to appreciate how beautiful and wonderful just simple happiness and contentment is so bloody awesome. Simple is good. <span style="background-color: #f4cccc;">So good.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">And so... sometimes I have thought about mental health and mental health issues like a breadtag. Lots of varieties, taken for granted, unappreciated and common. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">And... the subject of my new project.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #f9cb9c; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/breadtagproject/" style="background-color: yellow;" target="_blank">The Breadtag Project. </a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">Time to make people notice!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;"><b style="background-color: red;">*ADDENDUM*</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;"><b style="background-color: red;">Edited June 9 June</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;"><i style="background-color: #f4cccc;">In the last few days, two well known creative, people, talented, successful, people have died, at their own hands, and drawn attention to mental health issues. <span style="color: red;">PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE</span> </i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;"><i style="background-color: #f4cccc;">if you feel depressed, anxious, overwhelmed then talk to people who are around you. Tell them , tell them tell them, communicate, even if it is with tears, that you are in pain. If you are angry, anxious, scared, feel hopeless. Keep telling them. Keep expressing it. Tell them you need help. There is so much more understanding now. Trust in them, and yourself.</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;"><i style="background-color: #f4cccc;">Contact <a href="https://www.lifeline.org.au/" target="_blank">Lifeline</a>, <a href="https://www.beyondblue.org.au/" target="_blank">Beyond Blue</a>, and other organisations. Ring the doctors, the local hospital. Put a message on Facebook or ring a friend. PLEASE! </i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;"><span style="color: orange;"> </span><a href="http://rarepearstudio.blogspot.com/2018/05/the-breadtag-project.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: red;"> Read my first blog post about the Breadtag project HERE.</span></a></span><br />
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<i><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">I am still, and will be for ages, collecting stories, anecdotes, poems, art, interesting stuff, photos of peoples collections, etc etc etc... </span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">I would love to hear from you! Drop me alone here or on my Facebook page,</span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;"> <a href="https://www.facebook.com/breadtagproject/" target="_blank">The Breadtag Project</a></span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">or message me on Instagram <a href="https://www.instagram.com/rarepearstudio/" target="_blank">@</a></span></i><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;"><i><a href="https://www.instagram.com/rarepearstudio/" target="_blank">rarepearstudio</a></i></span><br />
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Shani Nottinghamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01919002452189187321noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4168696834477560116.post-64246951803972895952018-05-30T18:58:00.001-07:002018-05-30T18:58:06.551-07:00HUSTLE, HUSTLE, HUSTLE... AND GROWING SOME BALLS (big hairy balls)<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: x-large;"><b><span style="background-color: #ea9999;">HUSTLE, H</span><span style="background-color: #f4cccc;">USTLE, HUS</span><span style="background-color: #f6b26b;">TLE...</span> </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: x-large;"><b><span style="background-color: #b4a7d6;">AND GROW</span><span style="background-color: orange;">ING SOME BA</span><span style="background-color: #9fc5e8;">LLS</span></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"> one of my cushion designs</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large; text-align: left;">Swallow. Feel the knot in the tummy.Feel the </span><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large; text-align: left;">cringe. Feel the anxiety. Feel the awkwardness. Swallow. Time to put on big girl undies. Time to grow a pair of balls. Even if they might be rainbow coloured and fluffy.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">You know all those memes, all those inspirational porn stuff, like "feel the fear and do it anyway" that kind of thing... I hear them in my head. I really do. So maybe they work. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">So what am I so afraid of? What is my awkwardness? </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">It is ME. I am scared of ME. I am absolutely sure that the imposter syndrome is plastered all over me. I am pretty sure that if I tell people I am spectacularly amazing they will laugh their pretty heads off. And snort in glee. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">Yep, I am not so great in believing in myself. I am getting better at it as I age, true. But fundamentally I cringe at having to think I am really pretty good. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #cfe2f3; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">Which is a bit of a problem.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: medium;"> another cushion deign</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">Because one of the things that I have discovered, is that a HUGE part of running a business is that you need to earn money. And part of earning money is selling things. Who would have thought it!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">And because I am the creator and the maker of my wares, fundamentally I am selling ME. My art, my workshops, my products, it is all down to me. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">So.. I am having to market and spruik ME.GAH!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">My hubby is a natural salesman. I have friends too who are brilliant at it, and I watch them and just admire their chutzpah and skill. I bow before them! But me? I prefer to hide in my studio and just paint. If only I could turn all that stuff over to someone else, but alas lack, it is not going to happen anytime soon. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">So I am left to navigate my way in my own clumsy and clunky fashion. I do the hustle.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">Realising I suck at it, I subscribe to lots of business websites e-maily things (I may not read them ... but it sounds impressive, and I always go into it thinking this might be good). Also, I am part of some great supportive business groups on social media. It does help.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">I have made some headway, and I am learning, and I am better than I was. </span><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">BUT, but... I wonder if I will EVER get over that uncomfortable and icky feeling that I get when I advertise. When I ask for help. When I ask for people to buy my art, buy tickets to workshops, help with competitions or when I ask for contribution to a project.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">This past few weeks I have had to grow HUGE BALLS for a whole pile of stuff. I really have needed people to get on board. For my exhibition. <a href="https://www.wraptious.com/products/shani-nottingham-more-rare-pears" target="_blank"><span style="color: orange;">For a cushion competition</span></a>. For my <a href="https://www.littlelaneworkshops.com.au/collections/art-workshops/products/watercolour-illustration-03-06-18-sunday-2-30-5-30pm" target="_blank"><span style="color: red;">workshops in Sydney this weekend</span></a>. <a href="https://www.facebook.com/breadtagproject/" target="_blank"><span style="color: magenta;">For The Breadtag project</span></a>. For reading my blog!</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLX1J__Q6baa7U7AXdU_Rmd4zFS7Zv-yAojqVtbt3QK6qP513R4X0GPgrZN7yLYbK2W8etjIYfqnaWMUuxJfDNaMs2eiZwDNT4aEcWmwbJWY8rKVoJm4th84ORpR1W7BZ6gqwPhZO3OHA/s1600/OI000120.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLX1J__Q6baa7U7AXdU_Rmd4zFS7Zv-yAojqVtbt3QK6qP513R4X0GPgrZN7yLYbK2W8etjIYfqnaWMUuxJfDNaMs2eiZwDNT4aEcWmwbJWY8rKVoJm4th84ORpR1W7BZ6gqwPhZO3OHA/s640/OI000120.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: medium;">leaf painting, detail, like the one at the workshops</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">Let me tell you, I have faffed about and put off doing it some days, because I feel like people will just roll their eyes and say to themselves "Not HER AGAIN!". I feel like that will think that I am shameless self promoter. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">When the reality is, I am quite the opposite. Yes, I am self-promoting,(no one else to do it)</span><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">but not shameless at all! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">So I guess this is me, saying please understand. And I am sorry. Understand that whenever you see me, or any other creative asking for support, that it may well be because we know we just HAVE to, and it probably does not thrill us to do so. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">That we are probably hiding with coffee cup in hand, feeling a bit weird about asking for you to invest your hard earned money in us. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">And it is not easy to even admit to ourselves we need to do it.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">It is not REALLY not easy to say:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;"> "YOU NEED TO BUY FROM ME, I REALLY NEED YOU TO BUY FROM ME!"</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">The big moment comes when as spammy and icky as it feels, suddenly the truth hits you. To live creatively, you need stuff. <span style="background-color: #f4cccc;">You need money.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">Realising that we need that money. So bloody obvious! To buy paper. Paint. Brushes. Food for our family. Pay bills. Buy clothes. And cheese. And more coffee!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: medium;">another cushion design</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">SO please, forgive the spruik and hustle. It is a necessary evil. SO in my own attempt to be all grown up and business way, I will include links to all the things I need you to help with. And then I will run off and hide in my studio, and hide my big fluffy, hairy, rainbow coloured BALLS. You know it!</span></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;"><i><a href="https://www.littlelaneworkshops.com.au/collections/art-workshops/products/watercolour-illustration-03-06-18-sunday-2-30-5-30pm" target="_blank">THIS WEEKEND IN SYDNEY, Sunday 3rd June TWO WORKSHOPS @littlelaneworkshops tickets here!</a> <a href="https://www.littlelaneworkshops.com.au/collections/art-workshops/products/watercolour-plant-love-03-06-18-sunday-10-1pm" target="_blank">And here!</a></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;"><i>For your votes/likes/shares/purchases for the cushion comp ( 1 point per like/ share, and 50 for a purchase!) 5 different designs to vote and like/share!</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;"><i><a href="https://www.wraptious.com/products/shani-nottingham-more-rare-pears" target="_blank">1</a> <a href="https://www.wraptious.com/products/shani-nottingham-rare-pears" target="_blank"><span style="color: red;">2</span></a> <a href="https://www.wraptious.com/collections/competition-page/products/shani-nottingham-a-rainbow-of-cuppas" target="_blank"><span style="color: magenta;">3</span></a> <a href="https://www.wraptious.com/products/shani-nottingham-little-blue-houses" target="_blank"><span style="color: orange;">4</span></a> and <span style="color: lime;"><a href="https://www.wraptious.com/products/shani-nottingham-rainbow-melt" target="_blank">5</a></span></i></span></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;"><i><a href="https://www.facebook.com/breadtagproject/" target="_blank">The Breadtag Project on Facebook</a></i></span></div>
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Shani Nottinghamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01919002452189187321noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4168696834477560116.post-19931044705192946822018-05-22T21:32:00.000-07:002018-05-24T01:59:01.760-07:00ONLINE FRIENDSHIPS and a NEW KIND OF THING<div style="text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: x-large;"><b><span style="background-color: #cccccc;">NEW KIND </span><span style="background-color: #cfe2f3;">OF THING</span></b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">This week I heard some incredibly sad news. A lady I had exchanged comments with many times online, in a group we belong to, passed away suddenly. And when a mutual online friend gave me this news, I felt tears well up instantly. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">I had never met this lady. Our communication was limited to keyboard exchanges. But she struck me as witty, honest, funny, </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">whip-smart, clever and creative. I always liked her.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">Her death really cut me to the quick, and from the comments that appeared in our group, which is HUGE, it was obvious I was not alone in feeling sorrow. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">It made me think about how strange it is that I could weep for a person I have not met, but felt I knew. Not a celebrity, not a personality. Just an amazing but regular person. Someone who is a friend, but not a friend in traditional sense. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">I remembered how when I first found Instagram, there was a lady who just blew me away with her talent. There was a group of us who competed in an Instagram Challenge every month, and every month her images and her creations were MAGICAL, and so special. We lapped it up, we loved her work. She seemed lovely, so sweet and so humble, she did not use her real name, just a cute moniker. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">And after years of posting regularly, she just suddenly disappeared. Overnight, no more posts. We all messaged her, we all asked questions amongst ourselves. But nobody knew what had happened to her, or why she no longer posted. We tried to guess at what had happened, but I do not think any of us were brave or tough to say we wondered if she had met some terrible sudden end, or had some major crisis in her life. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">I still think of her sometimes, and wonder what the story was. I will never know I suppose. She was not a close friend, but she had an impact on me. She inspired me.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">In online world, just as in my IRL world, there are tiers of friends... top shelf ones, the ones I communicate with lots, and regularly, sharing emotions and events and we laugh and giggle with emojis and GIFS, then there are the peoples I really like , but do not hang out with quite as much, for various reasons.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">There are the amazing people I have actually met online, but become IRL friends with, who I have now met hugged and looked into their eyes and not just at their names on a screen. Special people!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">And people I have met at gatherings and conferences about social media, laughed with them, resonated on some level with them, then went seperate ways, but stayed in touch online. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">And the friends I knew from many years ago, pre-grey hair and extra kilos, kids, marriage and all that stuff, and re-found through social media. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">Somehow the word FRIEND just does not really convey what all these people are to me. Neither does acquaintance, or buddy, mate or pal. I think I need a new word for them? </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">Because when I was feeling those salty tears, the sorrow and shock and realising my online friend was no longer going to be in that sphere, I realised that for some of those people, I would want to be at their funeral if they passed away. </span><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">I would want to do more than just type condolences and send an emoticon.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"> Is that weird? That my grief would be intense and very real if something happened to them. If they were hurt and injured, I would want to see them. And If I died would they come to my funeral?</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">I would miss them, these 'friends' because I probably chat with them more than I do some family members. They have supported me, made me laugh, encouraged and shared. Like you, dear reader!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">They have allowed me some time in their busy lives, and that is pretty amazing really. A privilege. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">I know devices and online have a bad rap, and I know there are very very obvious defects, negatives, bad bad bad shit that comes with all this connectivity, but in truth, for me, it has been overwhelmingly positive. Those relationships online have helped me become who I am today. In art, in business, in friendship, in not feeling alone and isolated like I once did.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">Because as much as living in the country has some stupendously positive fabbo aspects, on the down side, there are not a lot of people like me here, and I do not fit easily into any box. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">I do not play sport, go to church, drink at the pub, live on a farm, or have anything to do with farming. So in a smallish country town, where these are the often the things that bring people together, the hooks that friendships hang from or at least start with, some would consider me just weird. I am okay with that, but there have definitely been times when I have felt lonely and a real square peg. I had no tribe. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">Online world means that I found my tribes, and discovered I am not as weird or as alone as I thought. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">Maybe the realisation I am not unique has actually been a bit shocking at times, that I am actually as common as muck ( oh the irony, after years of feeling strange and a bit special, to finally realise I am not actually so strange nor different and to MOURN and worry about that!)... </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">But how </span><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">I have LOVED connecting with fellow weirdos and oddbods, other creatives, business inspirationals, entrepreneurs, Mums, bloggers, writers, artists...</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">These people, these names, these people whose monikers and online names are sometimes the only names I know them as. And I care about them, even if I have never heard their voices, or seen them throw their head back in laughter, been to their houses, nor shared a coffee with them. They matter to me. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">So when I cried, and when I felt shock, it was not a false tears, or for show. They were real. Her name was one I knew, and I am glad I did. I may not have been a friend, as such, but she touched my life in her way. A new way. </span></div>
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Shani Nottinghamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01919002452189187321noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4168696834477560116.post-57154206731654500442018-05-10T22:57:00.003-07:002018-05-11T02:51:33.968-07:00SO LAZY, BUSY BUSY BUSY BULLSHIT BUSY LAZY?<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: x-large;"><u><b><span style="background-color: #93c47d;">SO LAZY, BUSY BUSY</span><span style="background-color: #9fc5e8;"> BUSY B</span><span style="background-color: #d9ead3;">ULLSH</span><span style="background-color: #3d85c6;">IT BUS</span><span style="background-color: #b6d7a8;">Y LA</span><span style="background-color: #cfe2f3;">ZY?</span></b></u></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">Busy busy watercolour, 2018</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: #d9ead3;">Oh My </span><span style="background-color: #cfe2f3;">GAWD.</span> I have always felt like I am intrinsically lazy. Probably not something to openly admit. The phrase YOU ARE SO LAZY reverberates in my head constantly. I think as a kid it must have been a seed planted in my head that really took root. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">But the older I get, the busier I get, I'm actually kinda reconsidering this belief in myself. Having two degrees under my belt, a crazy family, a lovely home, a beautiful WIP garden, and still teaching most weeks, as well as doing my art practice is being lazy? Hmmmmm.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">Maybe doing two intense courses online, prepping 3 workshops, prepping for a couple of art competitions, finishing off two Sketchbook Journals to be sent to USA, getting myself organised and painting up for a solo exhibition, trying to find the time to edit photos and content for a new website, finishing off a few commissions, sending out stock to retailers and orders online, and then all the emailing and STUFF that goes on with all of this STUFF, and other STUFF too... means that lazy just 'aint an option. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">I have gone grey, I have bags under my eyes. I have had a batch of migraines. But it is all good. I think I may NEED all this stuff to happen, because it stops me from thinking too much. And it makes one push through ones barriers! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">For example, one of the courses I am doing is a portfolio course, MATS BOOTCAMP through <a href="https://lillarogers.com/" target="_blank">Lilla Rogers</a>, which at one point had me sobbing with overwhelm in the kitchen, salty tears falling into my evening cuppa. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">I had been looking at other peeps contributions, and they were all AMAZING. And lots of them were done digitally. And lots of them had books, journals and sticker sheets mocked up in photoshop and other wonderful digital arty apps and programs. And I can barely use the microwave! I had major <span style="background-color: #d0e0e3;">imposter syndrome</span> happening and felt way WAY out of my depth. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">But rather than give up, I thought, BUGGER THAT, and I did what I could. And each assignment since then, I have worked hard with my analogue (hand done) art, and tweaked with the technology I do know, holding firm in the hope that just by doing it I was pushing through. Because doing art I would NEVER otherwise do is actually quite tough. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><span style="font-size: large;">We were asked to do the contents of a bag, design a tea-leaf reading journal, a magazine page portrait for a long dead female suffragette, and design a tray and bits bobs holder for sewing stuff. The next 2 assignments are still waiting for me to get to... and yes, though tough, I have ended up enjoying it immensely!</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">tasseomancy journals 2018</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">Frances Mary Buss, Suffragette, </span><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">collage 2018</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">some designs for sewing paraphanalia 2018</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">Then there was a children's illustration course I did... which was truly EXCEPTIONAL, that I would highly recommend! Thorough, well planned and supported, lots of great advice and wonderfully educational, not to mention inspiring. But intense. Full on. It was through <a href="http://ninarycroft.com/mentoring/ninas-blog/" target="_blank">Nina Rycroft, see more here!</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">I wanted to give this courseware time, but I just could not suck any more out of my days. I did get myself organised with picture workbooks and inspiration books, and worked up sketches, did thumbnails... and a final image. It was far far far, from what I saw in my mind's eye, and I see TONNES of faults in it. But...once again I pushed through usual barriers, and tried something new.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">double page sketch and finished art</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">Phew... Then organising some workshops too. One is at a new venue for me, in Forbes at the spacious, light filled <span style="background-color: #d9ead3;">Made of Fridays</span>. Tomorrow! Very exciting! </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">And other in Sydney, yep, the BIG SMOKE... at the place that has been super supportive and bloody amazing to be involved with - <span style="background-color: #b6d7a8;">Little Lane Workshops</span>, and sunshine Sonia. First two are on Sunday 3 June. In fact there are 6 workshops there between now and the end of the year. Bloody brilliant! </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">Gosh, you know, I really should tell you a bit more about it all, but truthfully, I am <span style="background-color: #cfe2f3;">SO TIRED</span>, I really do need to sleep, and you are probably bored to tears already by now! And I have to get to the post office. And send some emails. And pack for tomorrow. And get the take home info packs ready. And do some washing. And pick up a child. And get some milk and bread. And print off some stuff. And....</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">Lets just say, that behind the screen, behind the scenes, there is a lot of STUFF happening. Lots of bullshit busy busy busy, really busy. But not bored. And maybe not lazy? But you know, that voice in my head, it is still there!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">Please tell me, do you feel like this too? Or is it just me? Is it a mother thing? A creative person thing? A depression and anxiety thing? A modern life thing... GAH! I wish the voice in my head would tell me!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;"><a href="https://rarepearstudio.yapsody.com/" target="_blank"><b><i>⇒🎨LINKS TO MADE OF FRIDAYS WORKSHOP HERE</i></b></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;"><b><i><u>⇒🎨LINKS TO SYDNEY WORKSHOPS HERE</u></i></b></span></div>
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<span style="color: red; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;"><i><a href="https://www.littlelaneworkshops.com.au/collections/art-workshops/products/watercolour-plant-love-03-06-18-sunday-10-1pm" target="_blank">watercolour plant love 3/6/18</a></i></span></div>
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<span style="color: red; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;"><i><a href="https://www.littlelaneworkshops.com.au/collections/art-workshops/products/watercolour-illustration-03-06-18-sunday-2-30-5-30pm" target="_blank">watercolour and illustration 3/6/18</a></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><i><span style="color: red; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"> </span><span style="color: red; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><a href="https://www.littlelaneworkshops.com.au/collections/art-workshops/products/copy-of-watercolour-illustration-12-08-18-sunday-10-1pm" target="_blank">watercolour plant love 12/08/18</a></span></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;"><i><a href="https://www.littlelaneworkshops.com.au/collections/art-workshops/products/watercolour-plant-love-12-08-18-sunday-2-30-5-30pm" target="_blank"> watercolour and illustration 12/08/18</a></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;"><a href="https://www.littlelaneworkshops.com.au/collections/art-workshops/products/watercolour-plant-love-01-12-18-saturday-10-1pm" target="_blank"><i>watercolour plant love 1/12/18</i></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;"><a href="https://www.littlelaneworkshops.com.au/collections/art-workshops/products/watercolour-illustration-01-12-18-saturday-2-30-5-30pm" target="_blank"><i>watercolour and illustration 1/12/18</i></a></span></div>
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Shani Nottinghamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01919002452189187321noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4168696834477560116.post-3217235290840402842018-05-05T02:44:00.000-07:002018-05-06T06:14:19.158-07:00THE BREADTAG PROJECT<div class="_2cuy _3dgx" data-block="true" data-editor="60e0t" data-offset-key="aovhg-0-0" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px auto 28px; width: 700px; word-wrap: break-word;">
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<u style="font-family: "courier new", courier, monospace;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="background-color: #9fc5e8;">THE B</span><span style="background-color: #ea9999;">REA</span><span style="background-color: #93c47d;">DTAG PRO</span><span style="background-color: #ffd966;">JECT</span></span></u></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">Hello! Wondering what this is all about? Me too. Well, not really... sort of ⟶ maybe!<br /><br />So I am a collector, and one of the things I have collected for a bit now, is breadtags. I liked the colours. And one day, I played with them, and made some pictures. I posted on Instagram and the response was kinda crazy. And I discovered that people everywhere collected them, even if they do not know why. Kooky! There are scores, dozens, hundreds, thousands of collections of these out there, existing for no other reason than ... they just exist. In bowls, jars, plates etc.<br /><br />I began to notice them too, these humble little bits of plastic. The Frequency Enigma. In parks, streets and roads. I picked them up, saving them from being washed into our river ways, and causing little bits of chaos. I thought how sad it was they were tossed away carelessly, single use and disposable. <br /><br />I noticed them in shops, the colours, shapes, the things that they were used for. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">I kept collecting, and faffing with these little bits of inane.<br /><br />Fast forward a few years later. And I started getting an idea... And The Breadtag Project was born. Or at least the seeds of it were planted.<br /><br />Because eventually, I realised that there was an idea, but this idea needed cohesion. Structure, purpose, meaning. Like any collection, it needed some kind of boundary.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #1d2129; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; white-space: pre-wrap;">And after researching, and looking, and dreaming, and researching some more, I realised something else. It needed to be a COMMUNITY of people who help this idea to bloom and to reach its final conclusion. It needs participants, and supporters, believers and collaboration. Because it is not about me. It is about THEM. It is about the stories that people have. It is about how as a group of people, THINGS HAPPEN. And how humble things can become wonderful things. Like a breadtag! </span></div>
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<span style="color: #1d2129; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; white-space: pre-wrap;">And ultimately, if I do push ahead with this project, I am going to need to go to BIG WIGS in suits, and pitch my idea. And the more collaborators, followers, likes, readers, then the greater the chance of the pitch being taken seriously! Numbers talk. They do. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #1d2129; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; white-space: pre-wrap;">So... I need people to collect them, and send them to me. If they can, I will need the story or note or something to tell me about their little collection. If they cannot bear to send them to me, then photos of their collection and words to go with it. And if they have ever made anything with breadtags, tell me about them. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #1d2129; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; white-space: pre-wrap;">I need you to follow my </span><a href="https://www.instagram.com/rarepearstudio/" style="font-family: "courier new", courier, monospace; white-space: pre-wrap;" target="_blank">Instagram account</a><span style="color: #1d2129; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; white-space: pre-wrap;">, read this blog, and follow here. I need you to follow on my facebook page, </span><a href="https://www.facebook.com/breadtagproject/" style="font-family: "courier new", courier, monospace; white-space: pre-wrap;" target="_blank">The Breadtag Project</a><span style="color: #1d2129; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; white-space: pre-wrap;">. I need you to share this idea, share this post. Share the crazy!</span></div>
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<span style="color: #1d2129; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; white-space: pre-wrap;">I am sorry if I am not being too clear on this big idea. Truthfully, I am feeling a bit shy about it. Part of me is worried someone might steal it and run off with it. Part of me is worried people will just laugh themselves silly. Part of me is worried that I might fall flat on my face and make a fool of myself.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #1d2129; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; white-space: pre-wrap;">Because I am not sure exactly where it will lead. I know what I would like to happen, but even if it does not go where I would dream of, I am pretty sure it is going to be a FUN, wild and crazy ride! </span></div>
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<span style="color: #1d2129; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; white-space: pre-wrap;">Would you like to be part of it? Ideas are fluid, and that is half the fun surely. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #1d2129; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; white-space: pre-wrap;">I am going to have to setup a POST BOX to have these breadtags sent to, but for now, just email or massage me and I will give you my address, and I am going to set up systems to correctly keep tabs of images, photos and packages sent. And I am going to get a thank you thing set up for our community. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #1d2129; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; white-space: pre-wrap;">But for now... more list making, dreaming and work to keep momentum going. And so it begins! </span><span style="color: #1d2129; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; white-space: pre-wrap;">I do hope you will join in</span></div>
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<span style="color: #1d2129; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Shani </span><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: red;">xxx</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #1d2129; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; white-space: pre-wrap;">(crazy breadtag lady)</span></div>
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<i style="color: #1d2129; font-family: "courier new", courier, monospace; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">AND apologies for all the GAPS and weird spaces, blogger is </span><span style="caret-color: rgb(29, 33, 41); white-space: pre-wrap;">glitching on me, and driving me NUTS! I am laying down arms, and coming back to it later, before I go SPARE!</span></i></div>
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Shani Nottinghamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01919002452189187321noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4168696834477560116.post-20260824293952151522018-03-11T04:38:00.000-07:002018-03-11T07:06:05.418-07:00So what watercolour paints do I use?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: x-large;"><b style="background-color: #9fc5e8;">So what water</b><b style="background-color: #d0e0e3;">colour paints</b><b style="background-color: #d9ead3;"> do I use?</b></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioXakDM_KiftcZQpavNHZ2p9OZ3HReTvgoSpJ7eu7_Rblh1ZWyHUSHNTyeSsU7zTx3RIEqxKO7FhNnuE4EIGTbJAUSTHGZVW2j8_tc-Ia7OkyxdqYyF1A9SsmPEkq-9R5fGE_CEDVCjdI/s1600/20171106_133055-01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1216" data-original-width="1600" height="486" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioXakDM_KiftcZQpavNHZ2p9OZ3HReTvgoSpJ7eu7_Rblh1ZWyHUSHNTyeSsU7zTx3RIEqxKO7FhNnuE4EIGTbJAUSTHGZVW2j8_tc-Ia7OkyxdqYyF1A9SsmPEkq-9R5fGE_CEDVCjdI/s640/20171106_133055-01.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">I am asked this question all the time. I am asked this at schools, at workshops, in personal messages. So... I will tell you a little story. I will tell you the TRUTH. No-one paying me to tell you anything. No-one in my ear. Just many years of painting and experimenting...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">Many years ago, I began teaching art at a small school about 65km away. They needed art supplies, and the task of ordering them fell to me, and I was handed a book of AMAZING stuff to order from, and my heart was banging in my chest with excitement! I ordered the usual stuff, but I also ordered some watercolour paints that caught my eye. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">Because I had done plant and wildlife illustration at Uni, I had already been playing with watercolour for a few years. And I had used other brands apart from the ones in the order book, and truthfully I was still using them, and REALLY loved them. But I am always open to new things, and thought I would give them a try. I ordered some for me, as well as the kids, because I needed to see how they worked, what they were capable of, before could consider even trying to teach how they worked to anyone else!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">So a week or so later, they arrived, and I took them home to have a go. OMG! OMG! I could not believe how beautiful and intense the colours were! I could not believe how lush and brilliant these paints were! I was in love! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">So... I used these paints in the classroom all the time, and the kids LOVED them too. I loved watching their faces, as they experienced how colours bloomed and bled on the paper, their sheer joy at the magic happening. </span><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">And every school I taught at, I told them YOU MUST GET THESE PAINTS. And I kept using them myself. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">Cue quite a few years later, and I was now in the art business, and using Instagram. I used to take lovely photos of my art, all edited and just the art. But it was sadly, a few instances of people screen shotting and reposting and claiming MY IMAGES and MY ART as their own (sad face inserted here), that made me rethink how I took photos of my art. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">I began showing my process and my art tools, including my paints. And I featured the paint discs I had discovered all those years earlier. Little did I know, that someone had taken notice of them in my photos, and I received a message from the distributor and importer of these paints... I freaked out! I thought they were cranky! But no, all they wanted was to say how much they like the way I had used their paints, and could I tag them when I posted? OF COURSE I said YES! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">Then I began hosting watercolour workshops, and of course, I wanted to use these paints I loved. I messaged the company, and told them I was going to use their product, so could I find out where they were sold? And very kindly, they did, and gave me their website, and also gave me discount vouchers to give to my workshop particpants. WOOHOO!!!!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">So... guess you would like to know the name of these paints?</span><span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: 12px;">"</span><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;"> It is the </span><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">Micador For Artists Brilliant </span><a href="https://micador.com.au/products/Z100888" style="font-family: "courier new", courier, monospace;" target="_blank">watercolour</a><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;"> Paint Discs,</span><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;"> that I get through the fantastic Aussie company, </span><a href="https://micador.com.au/" style="font-family: "courier new", courier, monospace;" target="_blank">MICADOR</a><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">. I also use their brushes, and their </span><a href="https://micador.com.au/products/Z100458" style="font-family: "courier new", courier, monospace;" target="_blank">RAINS watercolour paper</a><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">. They are really fabulous, and have been so supportive of Aussie art talent, and of me. They have NOT paid me to say this... I promise you. And I do still use other brands too sometimes. But nothing beats the joy of these!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">So really, when people ask me what paints I use, I never hesitate to tell them about my Micador paints. And I never tire of taking photos of them next to my artwork, because they look so good too! They have actually brought out some new ranges of colours, and they are always getting new cool stuff in stock. I use Aquapainters, inks, and watercolour pencils and lead pencils amongst other things. And the Stay anywhere pens! I mean, really, who does not LOVE using new art supplies? Playing, experimenting, just creating! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">And that, my friends, tells you the story of the paints that I use. A real life, real case scenario, from a real person who really does really use them. REALLY!</span><br />
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Shani Nottinghamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01919002452189187321noreply@blogger.com0Cowra NSW 2794, Australia-33.8281444 148.6778504-34.2501319 148.03240340000002 -33.4061569 149.3232974tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4168696834477560116.post-4230030946207564982018-02-25T20:05:00.001-08:002018-02-25T20:05:48.229-08:00Quick,FOLLOW THAT DREAM, CHASE THAT RAINBOW !!! (or that time when my husband was right)<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: x-large;"><b><i><span style="background-color: #ead1dc;">Qu</span><span style="background-color: #d9d2e9;">ic</span><span style="background-color: #cfe2f3;">k,F</span><span style="background-color: #d0e0e3;">OL</span><span style="background-color: #d9ead3;">LO</span><span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">W TH</span><span style="background-color: #fce5cd;">AT </span><span style="background-color: #f4cccc;"><span style="background-color: #fce5cd;">D</span><span style="background-color: #f4cccc;">RE</span></span><span style="background-color: #f4cccc;">A</span><span style="background-color: #ead1dc;">M,</span></i></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: x-large;"><b><i><span style="background-color: #ead1dc;"> CHA</span><span style="background-color: #d9d2e9;">SE T</span><span style="background-color: #cfe2f3;">HAT </span><span style="background-color: #d9ead3;"><span style="background-color: #ead1dc;">R</span><span style="background-color: #ead1dc;">AIN</span></span><span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">BOW </span><span style="background-color: #fce5cd;">!!!</span></i></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>(or that time when my husband was right)</b></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;">OMG,OMG,OMG... looking down the barrel of a busy few weeks ahead. Looking down the barrel of a house that looks like a tip, with white walls looking more like army camouflage than I care to admit, carpets that could grow potatoes in them, basins and sinks resembling something from a science experiment based on the life cycle of slime based flora (and possibly fauna). I am not exaggerating. Much.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">My hair has gone grey (I am actually letting it, I have bags(more Aldi plastic carry bag than Hermes)under my eyes, post it notes are multiplying(are they BREEDING?)the list of things to do makes my eyes water, and my butt seems permanently planted on a chair. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">I am a little </span><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">stressed. I am trying to do all I can to catch up on momentum lost after holidays and other stuff. I am juggling lots of exciting things, lots of challenges, setting up good stuff for this year. I am trying to be a grown up, and emailing, and pushing myself into new directions. I am a bit freaked out.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">I think I may have said so a few times.More than a few times. I think I may have told my husband I am feeling a bit like Bilbo Baggins...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;"><i><span style="background-color: #fff2cc; text-align: center;">“I feel thin, sort of stretched, like butter scraped over too much bread.” </span></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><i><span style="background-color: white; text-align: center;">~Bilbo Baggins, </span><span style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline;">The Fellowship of the Ring </span><span style="background-color: white; text-align: center;">J.R.R. Tolkien</span></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">"<b>Oh, my dear</b> <b>BUT THIS IS EXACTLY WHERE YOU WANTED TO BE</b>" </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">says the old wise sage on the sofa (aka Husband). He continues, with a slow, deliberate nuance in his tone and delivery. Very Morgan Freeman. Very Gandalf.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">"This is your <span style="background-color: #cfe2f3;">dream</span>, baby, you are doing it, YOU are the only one who can chase it, follow it, realise it, shape it... so go ahead and <span style="background-color: #cfe2f3;">RUN</span>. Chase it, follow it, see where it takes you". He continues, </span><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">nodding slowly, "No-one will think anything less of you if you stop, or slow down. But no-one said it was going to be easy. But you can do it you know. Just breathe. I believe in you, we all do."</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">Then he goes back to watching his TV show, and snoring a few minutes later. Sleeping. Head nodding onto his chest. I realise the reason for the deep, slow voice was not a sign of wisdom, of dramatic flourish but a sign of exhaustion from him too. We are both working hard. Chasing dreams. And it is not easy, it is hard work. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;"><b>Goddamn, I hate it when he is right. </b> </span></div>
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Shani Nottinghamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01919002452189187321noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4168696834477560116.post-48613032871998129662018-02-19T16:17:00.001-08:002018-02-19T16:17:06.343-08:00WHERE DOES ALL THE BAD ART GO?<div style="text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJEInajX0pOu3kxiHRwwoDakOVjv0yVKTcD5vlgC2j5aSUEeyDWiJlH7zhIuHkbDg3tjGSgQK7hTU2rz-cmeASvClwgs7hSHSPrKAnN56k7hIQNRvJDalfjYnMGBIpyn8IsyB0-T5iikk/s1600/20130324_112211.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJEInajX0pOu3kxiHRwwoDakOVjv0yVKTcD5vlgC2j5aSUEeyDWiJlH7zhIuHkbDg3tjGSgQK7hTU2rz-cmeASvClwgs7hSHSPrKAnN56k7hIQNRvJDalfjYnMGBIpyn8IsyB0-T5iikk/s640/20130324_112211.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">ssshhhhhh...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white;">It is there. Lurking on shelves, in drawers, behind doors, in folders. Sometimes on walls. It sucks in your time, your precious art materials and energy. It is hiding and yet you know it is there....</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white;">It is the FAILURES. The mistakes. The ones never mentioned, never shown on social media. <i>SSSHHHHH....</i></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white;">The things that did not work out. The BAD ART. The ones that make you groan. The ones that make you weep. The ones you had such huge high hopes for, but gave you nothing but immense grief because those hopes were dashed. The shame!</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white;">I have SO MANY bad artworks. I have so many folders labelled B-GRADE ART, that will never be seen by the public. I feel guilty about all the paint and paper these things represent. And the </span>canvas. And the pastels, and inks, and pencils, and collage materials. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">What do I do with them? I am loathe to throw them away because of the pre - mentioned materials, time and energy they represent. Do I sell them cheaply - but no, because I do want my name associated with them! My daughter said I should give them to family and friends! But no, I do not want to do that. Poor family and friends, they do not need to be burdened with my crap!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">I know many other creatives keep their bad art, so they can see how they have progressed. That seems reasonable, but do you keep EVERYTHING? How do you decide what to edit?</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #4b4f56;"><i>So really, where does all that BAD ART go?</i></span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2TFIINFiuCKndBjabd6HnYaiwNurNEmuOGQxRfwoxLkvok4zuPUP-qZhUL0gt-UyIaBremdHuBYbetBMH9zx-DiSEoCiADc2ZJVOzO7ai6qAezsKId80QgN5f_uWiO5hy4E-MrLH2C-4/s1600/20130324_112552.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2TFIINFiuCKndBjabd6HnYaiwNurNEmuOGQxRfwoxLkvok4zuPUP-qZhUL0gt-UyIaBremdHuBYbetBMH9zx-DiSEoCiADc2ZJVOzO7ai6qAezsKId80QgN5f_uWiO5hy4E-MrLH2C-4/s640/20130324_112552.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">I know that through the ages, many artists have flung away, burned, painted over and destroyed art they did not like. To preserve a standard they perceived for themselves.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">I know that op-shops, auctions and tip shops, are full of BAD ART, that has been no longer considered eligible for hanging in a home, no longer cutting the mustard. No longer worthwhile. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">Could we have exhibitions of FAILED ART? of the kitsch, of the badly proportioned, the unbalanced, the ugly, the messy, the boring, the contrived? The massed produced? And sell it? Give it away?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">And what is bad art anyway? Who judges it? It is so subjective! One person may love three weirdly painted dancing dolphins in the moonlight, another might detest it. How do we asses if it is a failure or success as a creative piece?</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyl60a-Acuk4FkkLgxSBTQQDcfvFTnP9D5YFbYmtSSGjknlYPAPnfZ1E52QDJmgx-38_MxpoP9RblEdGmmxX7mk-p_X0yKNvrf7BBZflZuoeYORkLZSnreAo1ow4MIejguIGFKfs7JCVc/s1600/20130324_112120+%25281%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1153" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyl60a-Acuk4FkkLgxSBTQQDcfvFTnP9D5YFbYmtSSGjknlYPAPnfZ1E52QDJmgx-38_MxpoP9RblEdGmmxX7mk-p_X0yKNvrf7BBZflZuoeYORkLZSnreAo1ow4MIejguIGFKfs7JCVc/s640/20130324_112120+%25281%2529.jpg" width="460" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">Hmmmm. For my own art, I just know when it sux. It is a feeling. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">And then... I know I cut up a lot of my failed art, and repurpose it when I collage. I cut stuff up for sketchbooks. I paint over. I try to upcycle and recycle. I sometimes put art aside , and try to come back to it with fresh eyes later. I try to problem solve it. I try to not get to pissed off. But I do!</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibp5NaKReP6GvbE689MuSD7VTIltYV6x3sRvGTSI7ffdPI9W6VxMwnCl6C0TyKKY2jVAa4BkqwvInBmqTi4PO3HG7gPmcIQPB8ZX8EbiEOcEjrJIjUsnRyYyTI9MUxC9xD4IeQQnq5OjE/s1600/20180112_123936.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibp5NaKReP6GvbE689MuSD7VTIltYV6x3sRvGTSI7ffdPI9W6VxMwnCl6C0TyKKY2jVAa4BkqwvInBmqTi4PO3HG7gPmcIQPB8ZX8EbiEOcEjrJIjUsnRyYyTI9MUxC9xD4IeQQnq5OjE/s640/20180112_123936.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">repurposed cut up artwork</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">And I read about how </span><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">playing and failure is part of learning. How everyone makes big mistakes, and leaves a trail of BAD ART behind them. So I get it, I know it is part of creating. So I am okay with that. But is still brings me back to... </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;"><i>WHAT TO DO WITH IT ALL?!</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">What do you do with it? Your creative misadventures? Do you stash? Cull? Cry? </span><span style="font-family: "courier new", courier, monospace; font-size: large;">Do you have any suggestions? Go on, tell me! And if you have some bad art to share, GO AHEAD! Maybe I might like it... maybe we could swap!</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXPLCVrmIKQ4adhFWZBX8GgkVqlLbh_zK65YPWYByESiDAdah_KPhAx5hyphenhyphenuwXBm9__qgrl1QrW8IS2U6FkpoHmY9CDoCSeLHviAo1QWlFMs8xxjY8GEfLWmjSKSj9JhnxiFgK-6zgqXqk/s1600/20180112_085414.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1221" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXPLCVrmIKQ4adhFWZBX8GgkVqlLbh_zK65YPWYByESiDAdah_KPhAx5hyphenhyphenuwXBm9__qgrl1QrW8IS2U6FkpoHmY9CDoCSeLHviAo1QWlFMs8xxjY8GEfLWmjSKSj9JhnxiFgK-6zgqXqk/s640/20180112_085414.jpg" width="488" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIkljKFmyinwfuXdFyUPF-quFWrPTU4GRmICGWxEwZoCdctxroqWbK9EQmwG1GzHAjoWKiNMhxO7vbKLx5P91LNLOPyOlUspMtqf1JzTroz4qrATiTC2dKLv5le_yYgQmIVvS12m_l-7M/s1600/20180112_085419.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1154" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIkljKFmyinwfuXdFyUPF-quFWrPTU4GRmICGWxEwZoCdctxroqWbK9EQmwG1GzHAjoWKiNMhxO7vbKLx5P91LNLOPyOlUspMtqf1JzTroz4qrATiTC2dKLv5le_yYgQmIVvS12m_l-7M/s640/20180112_085419.jpg" width="460" /></a></div>
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Shani Nottinghamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01919002452189187321noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4168696834477560116.post-48558368459122287962018-01-31T05:41:00.001-08:002018-01-31T05:41:50.127-08:00INSTAGRAM I WANT TO PLAY! Where did the fun go on Instagram?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: x-large;"><b> <span style="background-color: #f4cccc;">INSTAGRAM I WANT TO PLAY!</span> </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: x-large;"><b><span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">Where did t</span><span style="background-color: #d9ead3;">he fun g</span><span style="background-color: #d9d2e9;">o on In</span><span style="background-color: #fce5cd;">stagram? </span></b></span></div>
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<img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhluu01xm8yWbc8Uw5oF95NDIaQzp5xC8TfOaxYILdqCi5LqNo7RBV15Mx3p3OpR1CXJGlpPGsLsbt7RV1fb0Em-EGwfxzfS_d9VjsJ3jXS1zYklvyVyH9sKORIq38Wo6Dlp0KC1e9BqjY/s640/IMG_20170802_172715_868.jpg" width="640" /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: black;">Blank squares, ready to create on</span></span><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">I am sad. Bloody frigging, silly sad. About Instagram. I have written about Instagram a few times I know... ( <a href="http://rarepearstudio.blogspot.com.au/2016/07/instagram-weirds-me-out.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: magenta;">here</span></a> and <a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=4168696834477560116&pli=1#editor/target=post;postID=1028664832490258078;onPublishedMenu=allposts;onClosedMenu=allposts;postNum=40;src=postname" target="_blank"><span style="color: magenta;">here</span></a> especially). But just like my hair, it keeps changing all the time. And I do not forking like it. I do not like change much anyway, true, and that may be the Taurean in me, but you know, I am actually getting better at dealing with it. But those Instagram algorithms, they just piss me off! Sad, yes, and cranky too. Real cranky pants.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">Why?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">I can handle not getting the likes and follows I used to. I can handle the less engagement. I have grown enough tough, calloused ugly skin that it does not phase me as it once did. As well as learning about bots... so that I am no longer as in awe of accounts the seem to have squillons of followers, because I know they are probably not all genuine. And even if they are, good luck to them. They probably work really hard at it. Yes, really, it is not these things that make me sad, or cranky. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">It is not the changing proformas, timelines, highlights, multiple accounts, special shares, pods, business accounts vs. private, the different random explore choices, the altering of how to use hashtags, the shadow bans.... although they do shit me bit. Well, a bloody lot. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">But the thing that pisses me off the most? Well when I first started Instagramming, it was a <span style="background-color: #f4cccc;">fun</span>, <span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">happy</span>, <span style="background-color: #d9ead3;">engaging</span>, <span style="background-color: #d9d2e9;">spontaneous</span>, place. Sure, there was a little editing, but it was a LOT more cleanskin and innocent. You posted random shit. You posted whenever you wanted to. You did not edit the crap out of every image. You did not worry about the colour co-ordinating of your "gallery" , and which images looked best together. You did not worry about not telling the correct story, or using too many hashtags, or too few. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">There were a few apps to do things to your images, but mainly we used filters ... and I was guilty of loving </span><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">Lo-Fi a bit too much! But really, as for mucking about with images, not too many things to think of. But mainly, seriously, there was lots of <span style="background-color: #cfe2f3;">engagement</span>, it felt like a real community, super friendly and super lovely. And tight.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">And now? </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">Scheduled posts, analytics and algorithms to determine when to post, who is looking at your posts, how old they are, where they are, and which ones engage better and why. What day do your followers prefer, what filters and subjects? And Instagram apps have multiplied and bred and spread like weeds. Are your colours and images consistent? Are your hashtags random and varied enough? Too niche? Not niche enough? Are you botting or doing it for real? Is your profile attention grabbing enough, and linked to the right sites? Are you deleting images, are you editing as you go? GAH! I could go on and on and on. Or maybe you just hand it all over and say ... go on social media manager, you deal with it all. Too hard basket.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtWrL0njXyV3RmP3VYaxgcXT1IRGsIflMNsLTTpRAIlivZnvQgzy0rv3jKNlkhjDLh0C_n46883CBzbysGAyCxHaWp58X8RQb6v9Ev4_DL-AjeSgRWLaBg1j_XQ52YJwGpAk2osBFI7To/s1600/20171110_114101-01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtWrL0njXyV3RmP3VYaxgcXT1IRGsIflMNsLTTpRAIlivZnvQgzy0rv3jKNlkhjDLh0C_n46883CBzbysGAyCxHaWp58X8RQb6v9Ev4_DL-AjeSgRWLaBg1j_XQ52YJwGpAk2osBFI7To/s400/20171110_114101-01.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: x-small;">growing like weeds and spreading</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">It has become so business like, so edited, EVERY image has to EARN its place. Is each image you post created and worded correctly, clarifying your story or diffusing it? REALLY. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">I get it. I do. I understand it is a powerful tool. I understand, I use it for business too. I am careful with my feed too. But the joy I used to feel... it is almost gone. It is often a chore, not a pleasure.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">Tomorrow I am doing a workshop online, a training thing for how to adapt to the Facebook and Instagram changes that are happening in 2018. And I am not looking forward to it. Part of me detests it. I just chafe at all this stuff, it makes me feel so stifled and <i>ARGGGHHHHHH!</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">I KNOW I probably need to schedule my posts, and it is about working smarter not harder. I KNOW it is a great way of connecting and networking. I know that as a small business owner, it is vital I get on board. BUT...but, but, but...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">But it used to be a place to PLAY, to experiment, to try new things, to be adventurous, to be off the cuff and creative. Because it is when you experiment and take risks that things can happen. And you shared the risks and the fun. And it was the feedback you got, genuine feedback, that helped to laugh, to refine, or redefine, or inspire to push more. And other peoples images too were inspiring. It really was EXPLORING. It was failing, and images looking shitty. It was over editing, and using too many filters. It was having feeds that had lots of blurs, and crazy colours and random images and subjects. It was raw and feral. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">And I damn well miss it. So bloody flippin much!</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGHLHm_cNxdxCC8WNfnzJDAQg8jUtEq2COGWQ212RgDzb7qOaecQZaR2HXEjmAlbMgAPK5ogCaSk8xA-w1VLclZZAL9bRgD1Bp942sVReaIuf0kY89v-6pPddep2jmDoAbxKoroQ5D9iw/s1600/IMG_20171101_194946_366.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGHLHm_cNxdxCC8WNfnzJDAQg8jUtEq2COGWQ212RgDzb7qOaecQZaR2HXEjmAlbMgAPK5ogCaSk8xA-w1VLclZZAL9bRgD1Bp942sVReaIuf0kY89v-6pPddep2jmDoAbxKoroQ5D9iw/s400/IMG_20171101_194946_366.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: x-small;">prickly and awkward, but with loveliness too, much like Instagram</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; text-align: left;">Because now? All those lovely beautiful galleries. So swoony. Artistic, clever, beautifully composed. I appreciate them. I respect them. It takes work to maintain such a high standard. And willpower, and great editing. But so predictable. Like a MacDonalds meal, you know what you are going to get. I cannot handle it for too long. I prefer a varied diet. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">I want to PLAY. I want to have FUN. Without being punished by algorithms and followers and likes. So do I set up another account with a pseudonym? Maybe. I don't know. But anyway. That's me, having an old person moment. I can't help it. I like the old stuff better than the new stuff. ( And I much preferred the old logo too, you know it!). What about you? Why do you think? Have you felt the same, or do you think I am a grumpy old fart, a real dick, who needs to move with the times? Millenials, kick my butt. BOOF! I know, I know, first world problems, I get it. Get over it. BUT....</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">Maybe you can tell me where to find the Instagram fun? And allow the old lady to reminisce a little bit about the good old days. Sigh.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp2soFNBVBP1Wd6XkASJQoQjJa0jTMRsWqjNqB6Mb2DmbFLT7sAMeFC_37EyZPDxXHT2KDnPZM_zKGz7vQI932QWwTKPtkK40Lw24F9dGryn4Pn8-7opn6b-MIULDnC02gCBSFu3L7t1Y/s1600/2013-09-27+11.55.01-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp2soFNBVBP1Wd6XkASJQoQjJa0jTMRsWqjNqB6Mb2DmbFLT7sAMeFC_37EyZPDxXHT2KDnPZM_zKGz7vQI932QWwTKPtkK40Lw24F9dGryn4Pn8-7opn6b-MIULDnC02gCBSFu3L7t1Y/s400/2013-09-27+11.55.01-1.jpg" width="398" /></a></div>
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Shani Nottinghamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01919002452189187321noreply@blogger.com0