I'm going to be a SCIENCE TEACHER!

Woo Hoo!!  I thought it would be weeks and weeks before I would know, but this morning I received notification that I have been offered a place in the Graduate Diploma of Education at Macquarie Uni, starting next year.

No need to panic, I plan to continue with my Stampin' Up! life (it will no doubt help keep me sane!)

I'll be studying part time, and when I'm done in 2 years I'll be qualified to teach science to high school students.  I'm looking forward to the challenge, and to using the mothballed parts of my brain, in a career where I can share something else that I love, with the most important resource we have here in Australia, our children!

Thanks to Cafe Press for the image,  I'll be ordering!

Important Update for 'We Stamp for Lara' PayPal be DAMNED!!!!

Despite Lara's mum Madonna going to considerable effort to get a Government Approval Sanction specifically for this fundraising project, PayPal have seized her account where the donations have been made, and will not release any funds. PayPal were even asked prior to the donation buttons being placed if they required a copy of the documentation, but have blocked the account anyway. Come ON!!! We're mothers and friends helping a severely disabled child to access vital equipment, not terrorists or drug dealers!!! Get over yourselves, PayPal!! I'll be closing my Paypal accounts after this has been resolved, and I encourage you to do the same if at all possible. Vote with your feet to show how you feel about this reprehensible 'bully-boy' behaviour!

To this end, a brief message from the lovely Mads:

So, if you have friends that you want to join up or know of anyone else who’s interested, please direct them to Lara’s trust account:

Heritage Building Society
Mrs M J Dunn T/F Lara May Dunn
BSB 638010
A/C #: 12189650

So pass along the message girls. We will make sure that PayPal release the funds quickly. Word of mouth is a powerful tool. An angry Mother is another one!

Love and Hugs,
Mad

There's still plenty of time to jump in and join, you'll be able to access all of the daily tutorials to date, all the future daily tutorials and prize draws and of course, the grand prize draw of a Bigshot! Let's stick it to PayPal and show them we can succeed without their high fees and heavy-handed tactics!

Special masculine birthday card with Medallion

This one is a square card for a change, and I've been making a few of them lately and I've enjoyed the change in proportion.
I love, love LOVE the Medallion stamp, it can be used in so many ways for so many occasions.

Here it has a textured Very Vanilla base, 10" x 5" folded, followed by a Basic Black layer with distressed edges.  Tying the colours all together is a piece of the wonderfully useful "Newsprint" Designer Series Paper.  I've really ripped into this layer, tearing and rolling to give a distressed appearance.  The image layer is Confetti Cream, and I started the Medallion image by inking up with River Rock.  I then daubered a small amount of Basic Black ink  around the edges of the "branches" before stamping.  I repeated the image on a second piece of Confetti Cream, this time using Sahara Sand and Basic Black.  I trimmed the centre circular motif  and distressed the edges with the Cutter Kit distresser tool, mounting it over the base layer circle, with Stampin' Dimensionals for a bit of  'pop'  The finishing touch is a pewter "build-a-brad" with s 1/2" punched circle of Newsprint paper under the epoxy dome.  Now that I've shown you my little trick with the "Dog Bone" punch below, you'll know how I created the double layered Modern Label punch.  I used the "Party This Way" stamp set for the greeting, it's my current "go to" birthday sentiment.  All done, and the recipient was happy too :)  It's been CASE'd a few times by my regular crafting ladies, so I hope you like it too!