Creative Grace

Guest blogger {Michelle} - Keep Swimming

Today I am defending The Beast - this is a "public" presentation I give on my research, hold a Q & A session, and then face my committee firing squad (actually, probably not that dramatic, they are all great people!) Even though I feel like I know my stuff and I'm told I'm the biggest expert on my study, I'm just a wee bit tense today - eek!  

Since I'm hoping that the worst my the work load is over as of today (cross your fingers that I'll only have minor edits), I'll hopefully I'll be back to my regular blogging shortly, although I imagine it will pale in comparison to the fabulous job my wonderful friends have done to share their support and their amazing craft.  I hope that you have have enjoyed these fabulous guest blog posts as much as I have.  

So with that, I end with a bang as I present one last guest blogger for you today, the one and only Michelle Mathey!  I had the pleasure of being on the A Muse instructor team with Michelle where I learned that she is outrageously talented and that she has such a generous spirit.  I wish the world were filled with more people like her!  I LOVE this post from her:

 

My super cool A Muse buddy Jill is busy, busy, busy working on her thesis not to mention teaching school full time and mentoring a student teacher.  Can we say "super woman"?  I'm sending her a bit of encouragement today in card form - do you see the aquarium of fish?  Jill is a big lover of all things aquatic but I bet she feels a bit trapped with all her responsibilities right now - kind of like fish in a tank!  Get it??  You can do it, Jill - all the stress and work will be worth it in the end!

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All supplies are from A Muse|Studio!!

 

 

"Fish in a tank"??? How did you know Michelle? :)  Thanks for putting a smile on my face.

Inspired Thank You

Amidst the craziness of life and the constant roller coaster we all get pulled on (whether we want to be or not), I'm constantly in awe over the little, yet so big, acts of kindness from those around me.  These remind me that no matter how challenging the day may be, there is goodness and good people all around.  

I love that I've found myself in the position lately where I have felt compelled to say thank you so some truly wonderful people who, in just doing what they do, have made a difference in making my day so much better.

I had the opportunity to take my students on an amazing field trip to the very same aquarium I started teaching at so many years ago while I was still in college.  There's no question it was a fabulous day and I am grateful for the team of teachers who came out to work with the kids and had no problem getting their hands dirty.  I found a small little trinket for each and had fun making a cute little bag and tag to say thank you to them.

I had so much fun watching the kids apply their knowledge and see the animals we had been studying in their "natural" environment.  

I must admit, though, I had just as much fun watching the teachers!  I love that our wonderful school counselor was just as curious as the kids, getting on his belly to check out the awesome animals living under the dock :)

And I love how amazed this teacher was looking at plankton for the first time.

It was an awesome day! :)

I also wanted to do something nice to my wonderful 8th grade TA's who worked their tooshies off helping with the organizational prep for the field trip.  I fell in love with the sparkly great white shark (YES!  It was sparkly!) and knew that they *needed* it - since, you know, I totally love sharks :)  I also found them a sweet little twine bracelet I thought they would love.

While sitting there making these little gifts, I also got inspired to whip together a few cards.  I loved the look of the sand dollars (which are available in two new A•Muse|Studio stamp sets - click here for info).  I went with purple since our local sand dollars have small purple spines on them when they are alive.  

(photo courtesy of the Cabrillo Marine Aquarium)

The color purple and the sand dollar made me think of my friend Dawn (a total purple fan) who was kind enough to pick up some sand from her vacation for my classroom sand collection.  I knew I needed to make a card for her :)  I also had a few other people who I needed a thank you card for, so I turned the design around into a card.

So there you have it, a week that blurred by so fast with several great opportunities to say thank you to some wonderful people.  I wish you all a beautiful weekend!