Nothing to ...

... post about this week. Not of any worth anyway and no pictures of worth either!  We're on the downward slope to winter with a vengeance now.  It's been wet, miserable and cold and worse ... the clocks went back this weekend just gone so it's dark VERY early - so depressing.

I've finished the kitchen at last and a professional oven cleaner is coming on Wednesday to deal with that for us.  I can't use chemicals (fumes affect my breathing badly) and hubby finds it difficult from his wheelchair because of the drop down door.  Need to get one of those 'slide and hide' doors. Perhaps the next oven we have - lol!  The only thing remotely close to crafting was designing and printing labels for the new spice and herb jars - oh, and scanning and sorting old black and white photos from the tiny collection Mum deigned to save.  Yep, for those that have followed from the beginning in 2008 - the lack of photos I found still bugs me 6½ years on! .  Normal exercise class on Tuesday and all boring household stuff - sigh.  I'll have to find some photos of previous stuff I've not posted about ..... or shall I show a few of the oldies???  Decisions, decisions.

Here's a pic of my newly organised herbs and spices - ROFL!

Here's an oldie .... Mum, Dad and me circa 1953-ish

.... and here's what I was doing Saturday evening *grin*

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It's been ...

... busy since my last post and I'm failing on this Monday morning, weekly posting - oops!

I've still been working on the kitchen deep clean.  It's nearly done!  I've got the light fittings, window and finally the floor, left to clean. There's labels to write for the new spice jars and moving the spices into them.  That's all - lol!  Was hoping to have it finished by today but it's not happened.  Best laid plans and all that but sometimes other things in life ... and crafting, get in the way.  

Inbetween doing the kitchen I've had a day with friends at Greta's, a visit to the doc for my flu jab, a workshop morning, exercise class, celebrated (if that's the right word) our 29th wedding anniversary and had a rare visit from my brother.  Last time was over 2 years ago not long after Dad died, although we have seen one another since then ... I visited him ... and visits from both sons and the littlies ;)  I've also done something that I've not done since Mum passed away and that's do a 'big' shop physically instead of online!  Won't be happening again in a hurry but the 'top up' ones will continue. 

I've yet to photograph all 'makings' from Greta's.  We didn't make one card but we each made a bracelet, a little wreath and some button canvases.  There were also candles decorated but I didn't do one of them.

Craftwork Cards (Create & Craft members free gift)

Thursday's workshop card was a Halloween one but I don't 'do' Halloween however ... eldest grandson is a Halloween baby (this is what I did for his 18th).  He's 23 years old this year ... this is going to be his card.  I love it :D

Stampin' Up Googly Ghouls (retired), Lovely as a Tree and Papermania greeting stamp.  Inks used Distress, Memento and StazOn, 

How to keep the kids quiet and to stop them walking on walls where there's a 6 foot drop if a foot slips!

Another week gone - or, in this case, nearly 2.  Hopefully by next week I can call my kitchen done and will have moved on to the next room reclaim .....

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A lovely day ...

... was had on Saturday.  Clair held an all day Christmas wreath workshop to celebrate her 100th.  It involved making lots of flowers in Christmas colours,  Some large, some medium, some small, multi-layered, single layers - whatever your fancy took.  There were some beautiful wreaths made and then there was mine!  I'm still not sure about it and I think it needs more work.  A bit more bling as the silver mirri card isn't really showing and I feel it needs a bit more depth.  I'll play ..... or not!

Clair took this photo but I've pinched it 'cos I'm in it - lol!

Saturday was also our eldest's 3rd wedding anniversary to his lovely 2nd wife.  Can't believe it's 3 years since we were in Cyprus for the wedding.  Time goes so quickly.  They flew out to Egypt for the week on Friday so hopefully they're having a good celebration.  Daughter-in-law was nursing missing big toe nails and legs full of bruises.  Both her and eldest have taken up obstacle/hill/beach running this year and she took part in her first competitve race last weekend.  The toenails went missing a few weeks ago because of her training.  The bruises were due to climbing 10 foot walls and ditch diving!  Whatever floats yer boat, eh???  They're loving it although I think eldest is loving it more.  Personally I think he's having a mid-life crisis!  They're both 42 in a couple of months.  There's not many start on this sort of high energy, ultra fitness regime in their 40s but all power to them if they enjoy it *grin*  Me?  I'll stick with my old girls exercise class once a week - ROFL!

I'm having a crafty clear out and have things listed for sale on eBay.  Go to the 'Items for Sale' tab at the top of the blog for details.

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The last ...

... 3 cards from Clair's all day workshop in July.

Background - Stampin' Up stamping wheel (retired)

Lily of the Valley stamp coloured with Prismacolor pencils.

Stampin' Up stamp with matching embossing folder.  Stampin' Up sentiment

All designs by Clair .... http://www.clairmatthews.com/


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I've missed a week ...

... but I've been busy.  Last week was not overly busy, although it should have been.  I made a start on the kitchen deep clean, declutter and update, such as it will be for now.  First day saw a bin bag full of rubbish and 2 bags for the charity shop and that was after just one cupboard and 2 drawers - oops!  I had my exercise class and OH had his infusion which didn't happen last week.  Not a good reaction this time, not that he ever has a good reaction but this was the worst one since the very first.  I don't like seeing him suffer in the way he does following these infusions but I guess the alternative is 100 times worse.

Anyway, last part of the week saw me on my hands and knees in the kitchen with part one of kitchen cupboard upgrade ... should have done a proper before but I'd already emptied the mess and taken the upper half shelf out but the cupboard went from this ....

To this .....

Then this ...

In the meantime OH had his infusion and boy, has he suffered again this time.  It's been over a week since it was done and he's only just starting to feel 'normal' again.  He had it a week ago Wednesday and we spent that night awake, with him throwing up most of the night.  Since then he's felt nauseous, tired and been in excruciating pain - more than normal.  He's tried fighting it and he's managed it better than the last time it affected him really badly - the very first one.  He has one more, that we know of, to go.  What happens after the October one I guess we'll find out.  He sees the oncologist again the week before his October one.

He did take himself off to his gun club this Wednesday, although he came back feeling really bad.  Perhaps it wasn't such a good idea but he's trying to get, and keep, his life back on track rather than sit waiting for appointments to come round as he'd started to.  

While he was out I made an onslaught on a 2nd kitchen cupboard I wanted to change the insides of - a blind corner cupboard.  It's always had a carousel in it.  We've always hated it!  It's been a total waste of space but a shelf isn't really an option in a large corner cupboard.  I found, what is called, a blind corner optimiser.  Not cheap but it would bring virtually the whole cupboard into use - and useful use - so it was ordered.  I thought fitting it was going to be a challenge.  It turned into a bigger challenge than I thought - oops!

I made a start ...

I'd ordered for a 1000mm cupboard as that's what the cupboard is.  Trouble is, I hadn't realised that there was an obstruction in the cupboard.  A powerpoint for the boiler.  I knew it was there, just forgot, and the optimiser wouldn't fit going by the instructions.  It fit but didn't work.  The back baskets couldn't be got out of the cupboard so it rather defeated the object.  Quick phone call to the manufacturer/supplier and they agreed to swap the large back baskets for smaller ones so I could adapt the fitting to suit our situation.  Long story short,  I got it working properly, just not fitted as per instructions.  I could fit the larger back baskets on the opposite side but it seemed that there was a safety reason why they shouldn't be as instructions made it clear they should be fitted to go into the 'blind' bit of the cupboard.  Another phone call and no, no reason in particular so didn't need to exchange them after all.  We've now got a useful, and more spacious corner fitment that I wish had been available years ago.  It did take some working out but I got there *grin*

Tuesday was eldest granddaughter's 18th birthday.  She loved her card and her reaction was better than I had expected.  She was also very happy with her present, of which part is sitting on her Dad's drive and the rest is sitting in my bank account waiting for her to pass her driving test. I've saved since her birth 18 years ago and adhoc bits have been added to the account over the years. Odd birthday cheques and by my Mum and Dad, both now gone but she's got the deposit slips to show their contribution.  I saved every deposit slip and interest statement that's been issued over the years to present to her.

A wax pot, apparently, but it was very nice :)

Once she's passed her driving test she can go mobile and start her beauty therapy business.  She's a qualified, Level 2 beauty therapist, studying for her level 3 ... of which I shall be taking advantage of when she's let loose on the public.  I've 'suffered' facials, manicure and pedicures - in the name of education, of course. I'll have to suffer aromatherapy massage, head massage and all the electrical treatments ... except, perhaps, electrolysis as needles are involved *scary* ... but somebody has to do it *grin*

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