Monday, December 28, 2009

Right now

I am making space in my phone for a new year's worth of photos.
My 2000+ photos are taking up space and slowing me down :)

Let's hope this works (but it probably will)
http://cdevroe.com/notes/howto-del-iphone-photos/

[Afternote: Arghhhhhhhhh!!!! just kidding. worked beautifully.]

Monday, December 21, 2009

Saturday, December 12, 2009

On Weddings
















Attended Lynette's wedding to Jeremy this morning. They look like a good match :)
This is Shane the page boy, who was super cute. Maybe it was stage fright of some sort but he tried to run away :) Aunty Jenny had to prod him along, and he still kept trying to run away even with his eyes closed! Anyway the little man made it down the aisle and all was well.

On the topic of weddings...cute wedding blog with some cool stuff! Via this girl Deanna's blog (who I stumbled upon after reading about her own wedding, very cute).

Friday, December 11, 2009

Road trip
















It used to be that I hated going up north, on long journeys along dusty roads and gross toilets and nothing to see.
But the toilet situation is much better these days and now I love road trips and long straight roads with nothing but clouds and random trees and vehicles going about their work.

This was our first ever overseas youth camp...I am not sure if it is my last (even though every year I say to myself, I think this could be my last camp...) but I sure am doing less running around with each year that passes. The kids are so funny, they come up with the funniest nonsense. They are full of energy. I love seeing them play, take care of each other, loved seeing my P6 kids integrate and having a blast.

Saturday, December 5, 2009

Butterflies (Or, The Alternative Uses of Aluminium)












The MS Butterfly punch... a handy bookend and producer of pretty little butterflies.

It didn't work as smoothly as I thought it would the first time round, which meant I could try out the whole use-aluminium-foil-to-sharpen-your-punches thing which I was always a little intrigued with. How on earth does aluminium sharpen the punch?

But it seemed to work, and I got a whole bunch of shiny, bendable butterflies to boot. Oh, the possibilities! The aluminium box says 'For cooking, freezing, wrapping and storing'. I think it should also say "for crafting" :)

A Confession

This is the post in which I confess my stationery splurge.
In which I will also be making many justifying statements.

My name is manda and I am a stationery addict.

But it's not really my fault. (Or so they all say)

It was the paper market's fault, with its shiny rows of perky and beguiling stationery goods. And those discount coupons? That was an evil move, my friend.
(to market, to market, to buy...a new punch)























Or maybe it was Martha's fault. Yes, your honour, 'twas she who instigated the creation of beautifully white and delightful punches, packaged in white boxes that suggest a hint of Tiffany & co.

I present the evidence, herewith.

Exhibit A: Said Punch in white-and-blue carton.






















Exhibit B: The other side of Said Punch, with yet more white-and-blue. Incidentally, does the design look a little like Mickey Mouse ears?























And that was how - what with discounts thrown at me, and all that lovely matt cream texture of the punches - I came to own a border punch and a butterfly punch. I have just learnt that the punches are made by EK, and I vaguely feel like I've been manipulated by a genius designer & marketer... but oh well, this is my Christmas present to myself! No need for wrapping, either!























P.S.
There was just 1 last (basic) acquisition to make...























The End
(for now)

The Sweetest Thing

Beautiful, waking up to the smell of freshly baked muffins. The sweet
scent of my mother's banana-chocolate muffins means I'll be having
what I like to think of as my continental breakfast. Yums.

Thursday, December 3, 2009

The beginning of the end

We feasted at ikoi today.

At the end of November, I signed a rather insignificant looking piece of paper that said yes, I would be joining a new branch come Jan 2010. It has been in the pipeline for some months now and the day draws nearer...when I leave my first (real) job (ever) and move on to the next one.

It has been an eventful 9 years 5 months. Almost a decade - a long time to be in a place. And yet it has been so fast! A ride with ups and downs. Friendships gained. Countless farewell lunches later, it was finally my turn to have a farewell lunch today.

I'm not feeling mournful about the move - yet. I am rather excited and even a little scared of the changes coming. Moving from a place where I am very comfortable, to a place where I am slightly out of my depth. Time to tread water.