Seven: Inspire Me Thursday

Tomorrow is the first day of the rest of my life. Of course, tomorrow is the first day of the rest of your life too, but I mean it in the very real sense that today was my last contractually committed day as teacher. Next year I will still be involved in the life of the school, keep my post as director of studies and do a bit of supply cover. But I will not be trapped in the hamster wheel (you know, the hamster wheel that they use for the rat race?) To put it into context, we are talking 3 hours a week instead of 50 to 60.

Part of what I want to do is habituate art in my life. To that end, I have been collecting inspiration blogs. The first creative imperative is, of course, to create. So I will write and draw and paint and scrapbook and make.

Inspire Me Thursday asks :

DISCUSS: What seven supplies would you choose?

Imagine you are going away on a trip to an artists’ retreat. A few days tucked away in beautiful scenery with nothing on your to do list except to let your muse run wild. Only one caveat: you are only allowed to bring seven items with which to create art — what seven supplies would you choose to bring?

  1. A spiral bound journal - it would be a toss-up between my everything journal, or my new wabi-sabi journal in a kraft paper book given me by my lovely friend Z for my birthday.
  2. Sharpies - a black, an olive, a turquoise (which I realise may count as three right there!)
  3. My tin of neo-color II crayons. But if that is cheating, I would take the lovely teal, a white and a brown.
  4. Gel medium, whichever I grab first & I'm prepared to use my fingers as spreader to keep an extra item (If I haven't used up my 7, if we are playing strict here. If we are playing strict then I will keep the black sharpie and the teal crayon).
  5. Glue stick for found objects.
  6. Stapler for found objects. Loaded stapler!
  7. My buff fluid acrylic.

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Cool! Now I want to go on that retreat!

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Goodbye hugging...

So today was the last day of school. Funnily enough it didn't feel sad. I suppose that I have explained what I am doing so many times and said my goodbyes to the children really already. I have tried to teach them that it is okay to feel sad and excited all at the same time. I had a hug from every child. Some particularly heartfelt. I had hugs from some parents. I am blown away by the generosity shown in the form of thoughtfully written cards, presents, a beautiful painted rock, and contributions to a group gift of vouchers for John Lewis (a big department store here). Blown away...

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Simplify. Breathe. Beginnings.

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You might not know. But it is so exciting.

In two weeks, my life is going to get a lot simpler.

I am giving up work. I am going to be a stay-at-home... what? We are having trouble knowing what the name for me is. Nevermind, I've never been into labels anyhow.

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