Retirement and fun...long may it last!

 

After 23 extremely happy years as a Learning Support Assistant at a local school, I finally retired at the end of term. I received so many lovely gifts and cards from staff and pupils, but I just had to put some photos on here of this wonderful 'Farewell Album' that was presented to me. It is full of photos from way back to the present day, little anecdotes, doodles, and farewell messages from both staff and pupils, and I have to admit to a huge lump in my throat when I first read it.

 

For obvious reasons, I've not been able to include most of what's inside, as there are lots of photos of the young people I have had the honour of working with, but the above selection should give a 'taster' of what it's all about. I have to say that the last photo, which is on the last page, and where just the white space is left where I've been cut away, really did finally move  me to tears. It really is something I shall treasure for the rest of my life.

 

 What to do with all those Happy Retirement cards? Well, I found the answer for the above album idea on a YouTube video by a mixed media art journaller who calls herself  Jennibellie. It's easy to make, and is a lovely way of keeping all those 'special' cards.

 

 

 

I've really been indulging myself by 'playing' with paper, paints and glue. Again, the inspiration has come from Miss Jennibellie

 

I have made two very small 'pocket books' with some of the paper, they would be good for holding tickets, or small cards to either give away, or insert into a larger art journal.

 

 

I'm hoping to go away for a few days with my two sisters, so I thought it would be a nice idea if we spent some of the evenings making pages for a holiday journal. Above is the cover for it, so all we have to do now is fill it!!

 

 

 And finally, I am still stitching.......even though the first part of this post may not look like it! The first photo shows something that I'm working on, and has been inspired by a rock I saw on the beach in June. Where the tide had receded, the sand around it had formed a channel, with some really interesting marks in the sand above that. I also sketched it, but I've decided to take a break from it, it seems too laboured and heavy, and I was becoming frustrated with it.

 

Below, are some marks that I noticed had been made in the floor of a hospital ward where over the years, beds had obviously been moved around. Probably metal legs. Not finished yet, and I'm not sure about this either, but hey, we have to experiment, and try new ideas, and of course have fun, and I'm certainly having lots of that at the moment.

 

Many thanks for 'looking in' once again, apologise for the layout being a bit erratic, Blogger playing up a again!

 

Whatever you're working on at the moment, ENJOY, and have fun!