Been playing...

....catch-up for the last couple of weeks.  Had a day in Bury with grandchildren a couple of weeks ago and that put my routine all out.  Just about caught up with everything now thank goodness, just got my bedroom/craft room to tidy now. I've even done the garden....front and back..and a tiny bit of crafting. Ddefinitely got to do some tomorrow. It's my youngest's birthday on Wednesday and I have yet to make his card. I've really struggled to come up with ideas, but I think I've cracked it now. Made a start on some cross stitching for one of my granddaughters, not a big project but I hope she will like it.
Finally got my new oven....yay!  Youngest son is enjoying using it....lol.  And more good news....MY GUTTERING HAS BEEN FIXED!!!...only took 7 months.  It turns out that the contractors who originally did it had told the housing association that it was repaired last month. I had another date for the repairs to be done on August 11th...but the housing association repair team came out last week and fixed it. Think someone from the contractors is going to be in a bit of bother. Would love to be a fly on that wall.

Also made a card for the Crafters Re-united inspirational challenge. The theme was Mono...but we could use skin tones a well if the design called for it. Well I was dying to use a Lilli of the Valley image that I got with a magazine. There are 20 designs and all gorgeous..can feel a crafty spend coming on!  Well I chose the design...coloured it..made the card and was really pleased with myself....until I read the remit again. The mono theme had to include the sentiment as well.....mine didn't....so couldn't enter it. Wouldn't have worked well with the colour I went for so did it in grey.Will read the rules extra carefully next time. Anyway, here's the card.

The backing papers are ..I think from Papermania...could be wrong though, I've had them ages. I ran the top piece through my die cutter using a Sizzix folder....the bottom piece I used a craft tonic border punch. Cut and framed the image with my Go Kreate dies. Added  a few flowers that were first coloured with an ink pad and then added a bit of stickles. Ribbon from my stash with a stamped sentiment..... and the butterfly....well that is a 5 petal flower punch with one of the petals cut out as I don't have a small butterfly punch.

Time is flying.....

..by. I've got so much I want and need to do but this week I've been exhausted. Have done very little the last couple of days. Perhaps it's the heat that's got to me...thankfully it's a little cooler now.  Wednesday was shopping in town...bought some crafting goodies....nothing much..just a few bits from the 99p store. Amazing what you can find if you have a good browse. Friday saw the OT. Not a long appointment but gave me some tips on relaxation in the hope it may help me sleep better. I've never been a good sleeper at the best of times so I'm not pinning too much hope there. She's away for all of August but I can contact the hospital if need be. Met with Anne for lunch and a good old catch up on the gossip. I haven't done any crafting at all!!!  If I can get motivated this week and get jobs done that need doing, then perhaps I can spend some "me" time in my crafting space...and I want to do a couple of very small cross stitch projects. It's sitting there on the top of my box just waiting to be stitched.  I want to try and get them done at a time when I don't have much else to do, otherwise my fingers will swell and I won't be able to hold the needle.
OK..off to take my medication now and try to have an early night with some quality sleep.

Don't time fly?

Doesn't seem like a month since I last posted. What have I been up to?....not a lot. The weather has foiled all my attempts at gardening except for yesterday. I was determined I was going to get some much needed tidying done. Broke my own rule with that. To make sure that I pace myself  I have a rule now that I don't start gardening before 3 in the afternoon and only spend an hour out there.  Spent 3 hours yesterday. Had to be done though....I am so behind with what needs doing...but at least now a big part of what needed doing is done. That makes me a happy bunny.  I haven't done as much crafting as I wanted to either. There are not enough hours in a day to do all I want and still get plenty of rest. That is something I can't change so I'm not going to worry about it. I've had another appointment with the OT and I now have ...beside the thumb splint...a resting splint for night time and a pair of compression gloves. My hands were so swollen when I saw her that she was quite shocked and didn't realize that they got that bad. That's when she decided on the compression gloves. I can wear those when my hands are swollen....and just the left hand one and the resting splint on the right hand at night. It has meant a big improvement to my hands and my sleep. The problem was that I slept on my hands....but with the splint I can't do that now..and the glove and splint means that I am not waking as much because of pain in my hands.  Still finding it difficult to actually drift off to sleep but that's another problem that the OT is going to try and resolve on my next visit. I think she is thinking along the lines of asking my GP to change my night medication. I've been on it for nearly 6 years now so my body has probably got too used to it.
I did get two cards made...one for the Inspirational challenge on the Crafters Re-United forum and another just so that I could try out 2 new goodies.

Here's the first one for the challenge. The theme was for a female card and it must have a ribbon. I was looking through my stash trying to decide what to do when I came across a parchment that I'd traced and never got any further. I couldn't find the pattern instructions...or the designer....so just went for it. A few mistakes but as I haven't done any parchment for 18 months not too bad.

The next card is using a Build a Blossom Pansy sheet from La Pashe. My new goodies as well...one of a set of dies from Go Create. I've been playing and now son has borrowed them for the weekend. Kept the card very simple, was very pleased with the effect until I went and stamped the sentiment wonky. I am considering stamping the sentiment on card and covering the original. Not sure now though....what do you think?.....leave it alone..cover it?...

Halfway...

...but not to paradise. To the other side of the city. It started yesterday on the way home from the city centre after a bit of shopping with my eldest. I have to have someone with me on these trips because I am not reliable and tend to get a bit stressed. Well...I got on my bus to go home and suddenly realised that I hadn't got my handbag...(purse to our USA friends). I couldn't do anything about it so I stayed on the bus home and then had to decide what to do. Tried to remember where I had misplaced it and came to the conclusion that I had left it on the previous bus, or left it at the bus stop when I put my bags down. First thing I did when i got home was ring my mobile. No answer. Then phoned the bus company and was told that if I had left it on the bus and someone handed it to the driver, it wouldn't reach the depot until midnight. Tried my mobile again and got an answer. It was the driver of the bus..thank goodness! Then had to arrange to go today and collect my lost property. Phoned my son and he came with me as I didn't have a clue how to get to Halfway, and had to borrow the bus fare. Was re-united with my bag and it's contents....was so relieved. This little adventure has shook me up a bit.....thinking what problems there would have been if my bag hadn't been handed in. It just makes me feel so much more vunerable. At least, hopefully, I will be able to relax and get some sleep tonight.

Another busy week.

The end of another busy week. 2 hospital appointments since my last post, some gardening and a card made.
Wednesday's appointment was with the occupational physiotherapists. It was supposed to be an hour long but due to missing buses was 20 minutes late...hence a shortened appointment. It was good though. She gave me a thumb splint to wear and already I can feel the benefit. She has also written a letter to my landlords(housing association) and requested another hand rail for the stairs, and she is also trying to sort getting my armchair highered. I have to go back in 4 weeks when she is hoping to give me some other methods for getting some quality sleep.  As many people will know (or maybe not), sleep is something M.E. sufferers have a real problem with.  It's not the amount of sleep but the quality which is the problem.
Got a little gardening done but not much......just a bit of tidying.

The card I made was for the Crafters Re-united inspirational challenge. The card could be any theme, any colour, any shape, as long as it was no bigger than 31/2 ins x31/2ins. perfect for those smaller images that I'm sure most of us have.  I usually do 6x6 or 5x7 cards .....but I do have some blank 5x5 which I might try. Enough waffling...here's the card.  The main image is, I think, Bentley Bear, but definitely by Adam Prestcott..... I love his images. Backing paper is My Minds Eye. Nesties and embossing folder used, ribbon and gems  from stash. The sentiment stamp..which I think is very appropriate for the challenge..is from another set but I can't remember the name.

Finished it!

Finished what I hear you asking.  Cataloguing all my stamps, that's what. Put all my clear stamps in empty cd cases...all nice and neat ..and I know what I've got now. Stamped all my stamps onto paper and sorted by type...floral, cute, flourishes, sentiments, Christmas etc.. and then into sleeves in a ring binder. Each image has a cd case number, or if it is a wooden backed. Now all I have to do is browse my folder and locate the stamp I want quickly and easily. Sorted! The inspiration for this method came from Peejay...thank you. Now the next job is to sort my digi images. I have quite a few..some purchased....others generously given as freebies.  Most of them are in a folder on my external hard-drive....which is fine....but it would be easier to browse an actual folder, and then I would know at a glance what I have. Sometimes I think I've got a particular image but can't remember if it is a digital or a stamp. Will save a lot of time.  I've also been busy sorting other craft stuff....my ribbons especially. They were wound onto wooden dolly pegs but they had outgrown their space. Now they are wound onto card and colour coded...all in a their own box which I can keep in sight instead of being hidden away in a drawer. All this re-organising has made more room for my buttons, brads and eyelets which tended to get pushed to the back of drawers.  My crafting space is very limited but now it's easier to find things. I'm a happier crafter now.  All this re-organising hasn't left much time for actual crafting though.  Hoping to get some done in the next few days. though.  I had a busy week last week..town on Wednesday with eldest to do some shopping and banking.... and then town again Thursday for lunch and a good old natter with Anne...needed that! was hoping to do some gardening at the weekend but the weather and the fact that I was totally beat put paid to that.  The weather has been a little better the last couple of days but no chance of gardening. I went to the the hospital today for a rheumatology appointment and got a definite diagnosis of osteo arthritis and more medication. That's seven lots of medication I'm on now. I don't have to go back for another 6 months.  Tomorrow and Thursday I have 2 more hospital visits. Both at the same hospital at the other end of the city. Tomorrow is with the physiotherapists for the arthritis, Thursday for breast screening.  It's a lot of travelling and extremely tiring. Thankfully the boys are being very good and pulling out the stops as far as housework and cooking go. They don't always show much awareness of my health difficulties but they are being very considerate at the moment, and I am grateful for that. Oh..got my new specs. Varifocals and they are great!!  I knew I'd missed having them but didn't realize just how much until I got these new ones. I'm finding the computer a lot easier and hopefully will be able to catch up with everything. I'm so behind with my blog list, updating this blog and keeping my Picasa ATC pictures up to date.  It's great not having to constantly change glasses whenever I need to read something...eg...instructions, shopping, visiting the library, filling in prescription forms.

Been a busy bee..

..spring cleaning, gardening and a bit of crafting. The cleaning has been a lot easier to do with my little steam cleaner, and kinder to the environment and my purse, no chemical cleaners to buy (not that I used many before). I've done the back garden and discovered that I'd lost a few plants due to new fencing being erected. The front garden is taking a little more time and effort even though it is considerably smaller. The plants have been flourishing and I need to cut back what passes for a lawn.  In the past it would have taken me a couple of days, but I have to restrict myself or I wouldn't be able to do anything for a week. Getting there though and we have had beautiful weather...sometimes a little too hot for gardening. 
Went to the opticians yesterday for my eye test...only 2 years overdue..and get my new varifocals next week. I've hated having to wear 2 separate pairs, forever switching, but the optician has the varifocal offer so I've taken advantage of it. Can't wait...freedom again.
Done a little crafting but mainly sorting through my craft stuff and doing a bit of re-organizing.  Found some things that I'd forgotten I have.  I hope to sort out my clear stamps this week..at the moment they are all in a cardboard box and mixed up. I've got quite a few empty Cd cases so I'm going to transfer the stamps to them and then I can catalogue them....that way...hopefully... I'll know what I've got.
Here are the cards I've made in the last month.
An easel card for Anne's birthday. Lilac pearlised card embossed with one of my new Sizzix folders. Pyramage is by Maria Maidment, added a touch of stickles glitter glue to the flowers (can't see that very well in the pic) and matted onto dark blue card. Lace, ribbon, adhesive pearls and glitter butterfly from my stash

 Another easel birthday card, this time for my sister-in-law. Again a Maria Maidment pyramage and embellishments from my stash. I don't have the punch to do the edge I wanted so I improvised. Used my scallop scissors then my silent setter for the holes..turned out not too bad.

This card was one of those that non of us ever wants to make. It was for my sister- in -law who's brother has died. He was a Liverpool football fan so I did the colours in red white and black. Decided to keep it simple and thought the single poppy was fitting.

 The last card..another birthday...is for my niece. I also entered it for the Crafters Re-united April inspirational challenge. Any card, any size as long as it had a button. The main image is a freebie from Jak, mounted onto rainbow card then blue glitter card. Butterfly is a punch and the button is a chipboard. A stamped sentiment but I've forgotten the make. It's not a good picture, camera phone and glitter card don't mix very well.

Been to hospital.....

......and sort of got a diagnosis for my hands. Have to wait until I go back in May for blood results, but consultant is of the opinion that I have osteo arthritis. It also may be the reason I am having a lot of pain in my knees and hips He agree's with my GP that I could have Renaud's as well. He doesn't think that will be too much of a problem though. If the results confirm OA I will be given some more medication which he says will help to slow the process.  At least having a diagnosis makes things easier to deal with and manage.  Off now to chill a while before I go to my bed. It's been a long day.

I've been awol...

...been busy..well sort of.  Still finding it hard to spend long on the computer, my concentration wanders and I forget what I'm doing. Went for my ECG and everything was OK......and I've got an appointment for the rheumatology clinic next week. Perhaps I can get some treatment for my painful hands. I haven't been sleeping at all well and it hasn't helped that I fell last week in the house. Not  much damage but I fell backwards and landed on my backside....sent the ironing board flying and broke a couple of glasses...my back still hurts. To top all that off some idiot drove into the telegraph post a couple of weeks ago and brought down mine, and neighbours phone line. So no phone or internet for eleven days. That's how long it took BT to replace the pole and reconnect the line.  I'm getting a bit of compensaton from my internet provider though, not much but better than nothing. It's taking me a bit of time to catch up with everything.

On a lighter note I have some cards to post. Not many, 5 birthday cards and a Crafters-reunited forum inspirational challenge card. Rather chuffed with that one. In the past the members have voted for the winner, but now all the cards go into a draw for a voucher to spend, and guess what?....I won it!!! so here it is.

The challenge was to make a card using a craft CD. I've used Joanna Sheens Hollywood vintage CD, with a  gorgeous Nancy Watt paper and paper rose. The ribbon is a cream grossgrain from my stash. I've put a sentiment on it but I didn't make it for anyone in mind. One to go in my box I think.

This card was for my grandson's birthday. I think the image is from Squigglefly. I ran it through a cuttlebug folder, 3D it and used glossy accents on the eye.

Birthday card for my eldest. Image from Squigglefly with some buttons added and raffia tied through them. i love this image ..perfect for him. When he's gardening he's always having to hitch his trousers up.

Another grandson's birthday. He's interested...at the moment...in all things military, so I used some camouflage backing paper for the numbers. I wanted the background to represent a cargo net, so used the netting from some oranges and inked through it. 

A birthday card for my great neice. It's come out a bit bright with the camera....and I'm still trying with my colouring. Maybe I'll get it right one day.

Last but not least, a birthday card for my eldest at home. He likes to play poker online..but not for any stakes I might add. I've used real playing cards that add up to 27...that's how old he is. The miri card is embossed with a folder (can't remember the make) and the cards are layered onto a leather look black card.

I've also entered this into this months Crafters-reunited forum inspirational challenge..which is to follow a sketch. You never know...I might get drawn out again.

Right...off to do a little more catching up.

Winter is still here...

...and we've had snow to prove it. It's blooming cold! Went to the docs yesterday for the results of my x-rays. Expected to be in there for about10 minutes, but was there for half an hour. The results show that since my last x-rays there is considerable degeneration in the bones of my fingers. Doc says this could be osteoarthritis but can't say without further investigation. She wants me to go to the rheumatology clinic again, but has to consult with the doctors from the practice. She is only a locum so can't refer without their say so.
She checked my blood pressure..said it was OK....then checked my pulse again.......said it was high and that an eye will have to be kept on my blood pressure. I've to have another ECG. It's at my local hospital this time, only a 10 minute bus ride and it's a walk in clinic. She also hasn't ruled out Reynaud's for my hands. They are really painful now and I'm beginning to lose some sensation especially with the right one. I'm dropping things more frequently. It's frustrating and annoying. The doc did ask if I needed more painkillers but I said that I'd wait and see about the hospital. If I do get referred they might be able to offer some other treatment other than more painkillers. I'm already on three different ones and sometimes you can hear me rattle......lol.  I haven't got as much crafting done as I wanted to, but I even managed to make a card for a challenge. All the pics are still in my phone and I will put them on here as soon as I get the chance. I'm thinking about booking a slot for the computer..both my sons hog it and I have to jump in when the chance arises.