Sunday 23 March 2014

Snippets, Butterflies and Stitching



Over at Mrs A's Butterfly Challenge the theme is stitching this fortnight. I am afraid I missed last time, but I was determined to have a go this time. I have been sorting out my snippets and found a pile of bits in citrus colours. I used my spellbinders nested pennants dies and cut out a whole load of triangles.
I used various gelly roll pens to put faux stitching around the  various shapes and topped it all off with a hero Arts butterfly, glittered and embossed. I had a bit of a rant about glitter containers whilst I was doing it - why put a sprinkle top onto a pot of fine glitter? it means you can't put excess glitter back into the same pot without trying to remove the lid and spilling even more!!! Okay, rant over!
You have probably noticed that I used lots of snippets for this, so I will also take it to Miss Di's snippet playground where I got showcased for my scene last week.
Thank you for all your lovely comments recenly. I am sorry that I only manage to get to visit at weekends at the moment. I seem to have so little time for anything other than school stuff. Feel free to skip to the bottom of the post now to avoid my second rant!

I hope you don't mind but I am going to share another rant. On Wednesday I will be on strike for the third time in my 24 years of teaching (I have another 20 to go before I can retire). I am not striking because of the money or pension I will eventually receive. I am striking because I care about children. I believe children have the right to be taught by someone who is fit enough to do it, including demonstrating forward rolls, skipping and kicking footballs (I won't be at the age of 68). I believe children need to be taught by someone who is enthusiastic about what they are teaching, not feeling constantly bogged down by the ever changing requirements. I believe children at 5 and 6 have a right to be able to play and have fun at school, and can learn important social skills that way, like tolerance, empathy, acceptance of diversity (Sadly lacking in the government). I want the opportunity to spend some time with my own child and share the same holidays. I believe every child should make progress at their own level and pace, and not have to learn things like times tables before they learn to tie their laces. I believe children have a right to an education that nurtures them into a fully rounded healthy individual who isn't considered to be a failure, and is able to enter adulthood without fear, anxiety, anger and intolerance.  Einstein was so right and Michael Gove is so wrong!

http://media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/originals/ee/c6/33/eec6330388cc6249250e49d074a588b2.jpg
 Thanks for looking, and apologies if the teacher's strike affects you. I hope you understand why we are doing it.

25 comments:

Elizabeth said...

Hi Sally, a great snippet card today. The citrus colours are perfect for this time of year. The rants are forgiven. At 66 I'm shuddering at the idea of doing forward rolls, skipping and playing football ... I could probably manage all three but at what cost!!! Einstein rocks :) Elizabeth xx

Sarn said...

Hi Sally . . . LOVING your zesty snippets/butterfly card.

Hugs, Sarn xxx

Craftnut said...

This is realty vibrant Sally. Tracy x

Sue's Crafty Corner said...

A gorgeous card Sally, I love what you've done with the snippits, a great way to use up leftovers. I also agree with everything you've ranted about, especially that not all childern learn at the same speed.

Sue xx

Doreen said...

Oh this is gorgeous,very pretty.x

G Peplow said...

Gorgeous colours and a great design :D Such a shame that it has come to strikes, sad for you and the kids, I worked in school for many years and understand :( Thank you for visiting my blog and leaving kind comments :D x

Helen J said...

Lovely card, and a good reminder of why I don't do glitter!
And hear, hear, to the "rant" about Gove - my husband's a teacher so I agree with your every word!!!

Canonbury creations said...

Love your patchwork card Sally, such fresh colours! Feel free to rant especially re education, one day you may be allowed to teach as we were taught and not have to follow a mad curriculum, the only objective being to fill in the tick boxes!!!! I hate getting old but am glad I was able to retire when I did although the restrictions in FE were not as horrendous as yours.
Val x

MaryH said...

Oh Wow! This is super gorgeous. Love all the faux stitching on those colorful triangles. LOts of patience required for that bit. It turned out lovely as did your pretty butterfly. Good luck with your strike...not a fun or happy situation. Hope it gets lots of the issues you raised, resolved. Teachers are the world's most important positions, because if our young folks are not educated, what world can they hope to inhabit? Already seems as though countries are being governed by morons! Enough on politics though. Congrats on being highlighted at the Playground. A well deserved honor too, as that was a striking card. Love your scenes that you do so wonderfully well. Firefox is not doing any better for me, than was Google or IE. It's blogger...bless their little improvements! TFS & Hugs

Paula (PEP) said...

Love the way that you coloured the butterfly to match the colours of the pennants. I'm not surprised your card was picked for special mention last week - very striking indeed. Take care in the coming week.
Paula (PEP)

Mrs A. said...

I wondered if anyone would think of doing patchwork for the stitching! I love that large hero arts butterfly. Mary used it on her card too. Gorgeous spring colours as well though it seems to have taken a nose dive this weekend with all the hail stones and plummeting temperatures. Thank you for fluttering into #3.
Hugs Mrs A. (Butterfly challenge.)

Lynne K said...

LOVE the card! My favourite butterfly, and gorgeous colours.

I absolutely agree with your education rant! I think we should all keep ranting until the message gets through, though I'm not holding my breath. You're right about the glitter too. x

Michelle said...

Hi Sally, when I saw all that stitching I thought that you must have a sore finger from the needle but was surprised to see that it's not real. Looks it! Thanks for your comments and your kindness, they have made such a difference to my days. X Michelle

Di said...

Oh Sally, what a gorgeous card - I adore the patchwork and all your faux stitching. Fabulous butterfly too!

Feel free to rant away, I'm totally with you!

Hugs

Di
xx

Shaz in Oz.CalligraphyCards said...

Hullo Sal.. what a marvellous colourful contribution now.. well done! Shaz in Oz.x

lisa said...

Love the colours Sally, and that stitching looks fab.
Hugs Lisax

Faith A at Daffodil Cards said...

Love the colours and "stitching" on this card Sally.

re Rant - Little people should be little people as we were! enjoying school and NOT having to have exams, but still learning each day, when they are not even confident being away from Mum and Dad.

My rant over LOL.

PS, I can do a forward roll and skip and kick a football, but it doesn't look good! I'm 67 and have 6 more working days before I finish work completely after 52 years at it. yippppeee!

Thank you for your kind message, it really was appreciated. It was awful news for me.

Cathy said...

Gorgeous snippets card Sally, love the colours and your stunning butterfly. Cathy x

Janice said...

What a pretty card and a gorgeous butterfly, Jx

♥Gemma♥ said...

Wow your card is ever so pretty Sally and loving the faux stitching too!!

As for your rant hun...i with you on this, now days they put to much pressure on kids and its not fair whats so ever!! Like you say kids develop at different stages and school should be a fun place to be because that's how kids learn, they don't realise they are but they are!!

So yeah i agree with you hun, all the way!!
hugs and xxx
Gemma

Princess Judy Palmer said...

Your card is g-g-g-gorgeous!!!!

I'm in higher ed and I can say whatever the public younger schools are doing ain't right because those kids don't get here college-ready. I'm sure it relates to politics and not teaching.

maria's knutselplezier said...

Wow Sally what a pretty card, love the design a lot!!But olso the colours and the butterfly!!

Greetings
Maria

Jean said...

I love the fresh colours in your card and the beautiful butterfly.
Your fabulous card last week fully deserved it's showcase place. I am sorry not to have commented at the time but I kept getting unresponsive pages when trying to comment and it was very frustrating. Seems to be a bit better this week.
I agree with you on the education front, there seems to be too much meddling from government without improving anything.
Thanks for your kind comments on my blog.
Jean x

scrappymo! said...

Great snippets card. ove the patchwork idea.
Rant away. We are a very pro union house here. My DH made his living in that field. Totally with you in your situation as a teacher. Good luck!

Darnell said...

I loved your thoughts about children and education, Sally. It was very well-written and insightful. And, boy, oh, boy, do I ever love your card for Mrs. A's challenge! That design and those colors are fabulous!! Hugs, Darnell

P.S. I don't think my earlier comment on your newer post will publish for me to check before you've seen it, but I'm afraid I may have called you Sheila. My apologies if I did! Names are my nemesis!! All the best with the school issues! Hugs, Darnell