Saturday, January 5, 2019
Tuesday, January 1, 2019
Progress: #34. Try 10 different beading projects
5/10: Baby Elephant Medicine Pouch
Tomorrow I'm hanging out with my favourite tiny human while my sister, his mama, goes to her OB appointment.
I've not been feeling well the past couple days, but any time spent awake has been mostly spent crafting my favourite keepsake gifts for my first (and possibly only) niece, who should be born in the next week or two. Her name is Elspeth, so her medicine pouch is a baby Elspethephant, holding a heart.
Tomorrow I'm hanging out with my favourite tiny human while my sister, his mama, goes to her OB appointment.
I've not been feeling well the past couple days, but any time spent awake has been mostly spent crafting my favourite keepsake gifts for my first (and possibly only) niece, who should be born in the next week or two. Her name is Elspeth, so her medicine pouch is a baby Elspethephant, holding a heart.
I also made a jewellery / keepsake box of decoupaged stamps from all over the world: lots of animals and love and plants, a little indigeneity and some hockey -- because I don't know her yet, but I know her immediate family well, and she may love these things, by influence.
I also put in a little amber teething bracelet, which I traded for on Bunz for her ages ago.
See you soon, little one! Love, Auntie Amber.
Sunday, December 30, 2018
Completed: Learn to label all the countries in Africa on a map
I realized there's really no excuse to not know these unless I, you know, don't try.
It took about a day - a couple hours total - to remember / recall them all.
Thank you to this game, this game, and this game.
I like being able to visualize places in the world when I hear their names. I also came to recognize countries I didn't even previously know, like Lesotho, Seychelles, and Djibouti, and discover that are some I've always been saying or spelling wrong, like Namibia and Angola. Now I want to learn more history.
Original goal list posted here
It took about a day - a couple hours total - to remember / recall them all.
Thank you to this game, this game, and this game.
I like being able to visualize places in the world when I hear their names. I also came to recognize countries I didn't even previously know, like Lesotho, Seychelles, and Djibouti, and discover that are some I've always been saying or spelling wrong, like Namibia and Angola. Now I want to learn more history.
Original goal list posted here
Saturday, December 29, 2018
Progress #5: Go greener
Making and eco-wrapping gifts for my work fam. Did you know it was possible to wrap such pretty packages with repurposed paper towel rolls, toilet paper rolls, hemp string and fabric scraps?
Well, now you do! Know better, do better.
Original goal list posted here
Well, now you do! Know better, do better.
Original goal list posted here
Friday, December 28, 2018
Progress: #34. Try 10 different beading projects
4/10: Anatomical Heart Medicine Pouch
To be kept next to mine, daily, containing: a clipping of my cat's fur, sweetgrass, ceremonial tobacco, cedar, white sage, and a chevron amethyst that I tumbled myself.
To be kept next to mine, daily, containing: a clipping of my cat's fur, sweetgrass, ceremonial tobacco, cedar, white sage, and a chevron amethyst that I tumbled myself.
I picked out the bead colours through studying my heart model. I think it went pretty well.
Thursday, December 27, 2018
Progress: #34. Try 10 different beading projects
3/10: Wolf Medicine Pouch
I have never been religious, though I suppose -- besides a mixed CD -- a medicine pouch is the most sacred thing I could give you. It is crafted to carry the four great medicines, plus anything you hold dear. Traditionally, it's meant to be worn daily for protection, close to the heart, either visibly or not. I wore my last -- the first I ever crafted -- until the strings broke, and then I tied what was left to my backpack, so that it would still be with me every day. I'm in the process of making another for myself.
This, though, is for my work friend Ali. Ali is, really, every kind of ally. She has gifted me many quirky and/or wonderful gifts that are really close to my heart. She has gifted me many valuable words and pieces of advice. She has gifted me tickets to see Tanya Talaga speak the truth, to the resounding appreciation of a standing ovation.
I gift her this medicine pouch, with ceremonial tobacco, cedar, sweetgrass, white sage + space for whatever else is sacred.
I gift this to Ali, because someone who would respect an indigenous adornment enough to worry that wearing it could be disrespectful understands that everything made by hand and through culture contains a special sort of symbolism.
I picked a wolf because she is resourceful and logical and independent, but fiercely protective of her pack.
(Ali, I personally give you permission to wear this if and whenever you want, p.s.)
I have never been religious, though I suppose -- besides a mixed CD -- a medicine pouch is the most sacred thing I could give you. It is crafted to carry the four great medicines, plus anything you hold dear. Traditionally, it's meant to be worn daily for protection, close to the heart, either visibly or not. I wore my last -- the first I ever crafted -- until the strings broke, and then I tied what was left to my backpack, so that it would still be with me every day. I'm in the process of making another for myself.
This, though, is for my work friend Ali. Ali is, really, every kind of ally. She has gifted me many quirky and/or wonderful gifts that are really close to my heart. She has gifted me many valuable words and pieces of advice. She has gifted me tickets to see Tanya Talaga speak the truth, to the resounding appreciation of a standing ovation.
I gift her this medicine pouch, with ceremonial tobacco, cedar, sweetgrass, white sage + space for whatever else is sacred.
I gift this to Ali, because someone who would respect an indigenous adornment enough to worry that wearing it could be disrespectful understands that everything made by hand and through culture contains a special sort of symbolism.
I picked a wolf because she is resourceful and logical and independent, but fiercely protective of her pack.
(Ali, I personally give you permission to wear this if and whenever you want, p.s.)
Sunday, December 23, 2018
Completed: #18. Apply to secondment or a teacher-funded leave, further my education, or teach something new
I am applying for the position of Inclusive Education secondment faculty with York University's Faculty of Education. I have been preparing myself to apply for a secondment position since way back when I was a teacher candidate and learned that this was where many of my instructors came from.
Ergo, if I am unsuccessful, I will keep trying until I am there.
Regardless, I felt really accomplished crafting a detailed resume of 5-8 pages and putting all my experiences in one place.
Apologies for photo quality -- I had to convert file types twice, redact text, then save again. I think it is still readable, though definitely not the same quality as the original. Click each photo for original sizing.
Ergo, if I am unsuccessful, I will keep trying until I am there.
Regardless, I felt really accomplished crafting a detailed resume of 5-8 pages and putting all my experiences in one place.
Apologies for photo quality -- I had to convert file types twice, redact text, then save again. I think it is still readable, though definitely not the same quality as the original. Click each photo for original sizing.
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