The Ultimate Incentive natters on. Part 9

wendz86

Sorry to hear that Tete . Hope you can get some feedback.

Tete_en_l'Air

ANYWAY. Like Birdie, I'm keeping up the decluttering for at least the next month - perhaps it can tie in with Feb, because as I finish projects I'm decluttering carrier bags full of wool and so on! What are everyone's creative plans? I have two scarves and a blanket to finish off (details here - yes I WAS aiming to have them finished by the end of last year. This is why I need these sorts of challenges) and then have another blanket in mind. Plus I have some taggie things I want to make for impending arrivals... Oh and I also wanted to challenge myself to make an item of clothing each month, one month down and I'm already a month behind!! No hope for me!

Dinah93

Omg Tete I've just been catching up on your blog and it looks like you had the BEST time in New York ever, even with the hurricane. I now want to go back so much it hurts!

Lara44

Oh no Tete, that's disappointing. (((((HUGE Hugs))))) I hope you've got a big glass of vino and bar of chocolate to eat tonight! Did you apply to any other places? I remember that you were also thinking of following the alternative route to teaching through working directly in schools. Is this still an option? Hope that they will give you timely feedback.

I'm on a final de-junk push too! Lots to recycle and charity shop today

Tete_en_l'Air

Ha Dinah I felt like that when I was writing the posts - I looked up from my computer and was at home and I was proper depressed! We had the BEST time and I miss my girls so much after spending that time with them, weekend in Newcastle and the Bally next weekend!!

Thanks Lara - had a load of chocolate last night to get over the trauma! This interview was for a SCITT which is school-centred but comes with a PGCE so the best of both worlds. I was looking at School Direct, which is a paid position while you train, but didn't go for it in the end as there were so few places, and everything I could find on it on the TES forums it seemed that the people who were applying were people who'd been working as TAs in those schools for years anyway and I had a defeatist moment where it seemed a bit pointless There's always my second choice and even clearing. It is only the first hurdle and I am a Resilient Rita!!

Dinah93

I'm glad you still have options, have you applied for the straight PGCE as well?

I was going to ask what the weather was like in October, but I'm guessing in your case it was wet and windy!

Birdie85

Looking forward to seeing what you make Tete! Hope this weekend will be spent making your item of clothing! Crafty-wise for me, aside from V-day cards and some birthday cards for some folks I've got a little wooden 'baby' sign that I want to decorate for my brother's LO, I'd love to finish our wedding scrapbook (still working on it 2 years later...) and I've seen a cool no-sew scarf on Pinterest I want to make whilst it's still cold enough to wear one! There are a few more ideas floating around in my head too, maybe even a cake, who knows?!

A while ago I started working on some mini-albums that I'd thought about selling too, once I'm back into the papercrafting zone I might pick up on that again. I may bite the bullet and open an Etsy shop too. Not sure about that though, I'm so wary about actually asking people to give me money for things I've made, and just because I think it's pretty doesn't mean other people will! Maybe I should try a craft fair? Eeeh I just don't know!

Tete_en_l'Air

PGCE was my second choice but I'd rather do a SCITT with it attached as you get more classroom time - in at the deep end but I work better that way really, I don't need the extra time to fret over things.

NY weather in October was nice - we had light jackets but occasionally had to take them off when the sun came out. After the storm though it was freezing - I guess it brought a cold front with it! We had to go out and buy jumpers, scarves and gloves (as well as pants because we'd run out!).

I know what you mean Birdie, I always worry that my stuff isn't to other people's tastes or well-made enough to sell (plus I have that problem with productivity). Would love to try a craft fair but have no idea how you find out about them! Ooh, yes and a cake sounds a good plan!

Dinah93

I'm going to try to make a few of the things on my dayzero list, two birds with one stone, I do love efficiency.

Tax return is submitted and apparently I'm due £509 back in overpaid tax. Woohoo!!!

poddle911

Dinah93 wrote: »

Tax return is submitted and apparently I'm due £509 back in overpaid tax. Woohoo!!!

Yay! Nice little bonus there, hope it helps with the ropey finances this month

OH just got hit with a £12k tax bill from his first year of being self-employed. Wowser! I leave his business account to him, so fingers crossed he's put it aside :eek:

Boo, Tete, that's a real shame It's a bit brutal that they told you so quickly, but least you have other options you can start focusing on now, rather than 6 weeks' time. Hope you get some useful feedback from them. Onwards and upwards!

I'm looking forward to Fab Feb. I think it will be largely food-based One of my resolutions was to cook something from one of my many (but not as many as Dinah) cookbooks at least once a week. Lara, were you doing a January challenge like this? I need to get creative with my lunches - there'll probably be bulgar wheat and couscous involved...

Tete, I forgot to say that I also *loved* your NYC blogs, especially the food one. Uh-mazing Is it wrong to plan a trip for 2014?!

Also, I'm making it a Feb mission to get at least one of our wedding pics in a frame and on the wall, even if we haven't even thought about an album! But I'm not mad about any of them. Maybe I'll be less critical now than six months ago?

Wendz, it's super exciting that you've got less than six months to go! Happy invitation-making

Ooh, that reminds me I've got loads of hessian table runners to get rid of - I wonder if I can freecycle them today and count it towards my total!