I'm not doing ...

... very well blogging lately.  Eleven days since the last one.  Not good.  What's happened in that 11 days?  More decluttering.  Loft is finished with for the time being.  There's still a little bit in there but it is only a little bit so I'm not worrying about that now.  I've descended on the junk room/loft extension/intended craft room.  I can now actually walk through from front to back without having to go mountaineering.  That's a huge amount of progress but .... the landing is now full up again.  I take stuff out of the room and deal with it on the landing.  I have piles.  I have a pile for giving away.  I have a pile to attempt selling and I have a pile to keep.  So far the 'keep' pile is way smaller than the other 2 but that's fine.  It's what I was hoping for.

From the depths of the loft came some bits and pieces the OH kept of his Mum's when she passed away.  They've been in the loft ever since.  She passed away in March 1999!  He kept what he thought had some value.  I disagreed that it had value but we went through it.  Some he decided could go straight to the charity shop and it went.  Some he wanted to find out for sure.  There was one ring we knew was of value.  The rest ... well!  On Friday I took it all to an auction house.  Some of it came home and is now in a box for the charity shop.  Some of it stayed and will be auctioned.  All, apart from the ring, will be auctioned next Monday in the weekly general sale.  Most are going in as mixed lots ... 2 Steiff animals and a cloth doll as one, for example.  A selection of silver jewellery as another and some costume jewellery another. The ring is being auctioned in the Spring Fine Sale, mid March.  It's big, it's ugly but most people seem to like it.  I don't!

The OH had his appointment with the oncologist last week.  Things are staying as is with his medication for the time being.  Mainly because A) his PSA, although gradually climbing, is still lower than it was before he started the treatment and B) he'd not had the report on the CT scan the OH had on 8th February.  Oncologist wasn't happy about that and neither were we really.  It would show the state of the cancer.  If it's spread significantly then the treatment may need to be looked at again.  Without that report he's working blind.  When he gets the report he'll call us in if he deems it necessary.  If he doesn't he's seeing the OH in May and the current treatment will continue, at least until then.  He's now on the 10th cycle.  Apparently the average 6.  He's doing OK on it at the moment *grin*

We've had a couple of good Saturday evenings.  First one saw my brother & sister-in-law visit (it's their son on the world cruise).  Chinese takeaway and a laugh. especially in trying to get a selfie of the 4 of us *LOL*  Then it was pretty much repeated this past Saturday when the family descended (with the exception of one granddaughter, sadly, although a 'step' joined us) - and all because the OH had reached the grand old age of 77!  Neither selfie photos are much good but a few glasses of the grape, a selfie stick and a lot of laughter isn't conducive to clear sharp photos *shock*  Still a good time was had both evenings, by all involved.

 

 

Thursday was Clair's workshop day.  Male cards this week - as requested by a few of us.  Men's cards always seem to be a problem for a lot of people.  Personally I've never really had that much of a problem but it's good to have a change from the flowers or cutsie ones.  I'm not necessarily a flowery or cutsie person so perhaps that's why I don't find men's cards too much of a problem.  My craft shopping leans towards Christmas (which I don't like - so why???) and male, or things that can be utilised for male, cards.  Anyhoo - I took a couple of new embossing folders with me.  One's I'd bought with a view to using with the technique we were using - a revisited one with a twist on one of the cards.

Clair's card

Sharni's card

Both cards used plumbers self adhesive aluminium tape.  Clair's card also used plasterboard scrim and and punched shapes. The Happy Birthday die is MFT.  Sharni's card used an embossing folder.  I used one of the ones I took - an Xcut one called basket weave but I thought it looked ideal to use with this technique. The stamp set is an SU one.  I'm enjoying the new format to the workshops. The smaller groups and 2 cards.  We're actually filling the whole time working now instead of spending half of it chatting and not working *wink*   Just wish that Cally & I got to sit together sometimes.  I'm spending more time with other people than I do with Cally now - lol!

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Feeling ...

... accomplished!  I've been busy clearing our loft.  It was full to capacity and now it's practically empty.  Everything's gone to charity and I'm still in a decluttering frenzy.  I've finally made it into the room that should have become my craft room ??? years ago.  Lost count of how many years ago it stopped being a bedroom and units were installed for me to use.  Have they ever?  Nope!  It's been used as an extension to the loft.  It is now being cleared and sorted.  I'm aiming to have a working craft room this year - in fact, determined!  There is not just the junk to sort but what craft stuff has made it's way into the room.  I'm sure most will need to be found new homes but the charity benefitting from this hive of activity is the Martlets hospice that have been helping to keep the OH going for the past couple of years.  He's certainly had a lot of help from them, as have I.  Seems only right to put something back in any way we can.

Keeping track of nephew, inbetween time.  He's on his world cruise, about a third of the way through at the moment.  He's been to some amazing places and is currently at sea on his way to Perth, Australia.  Itinerary is here.  The places he's been already? 

Malta

Athens

Heraklion

Port Said

Suez Canal

Suez

Aqaba

Salalah

Muscat

Dubai

Mumbai

Cochin

Colombo - Sri Lanka

Penang

Singapore

Semerang

Bali ...
Am I jealous?  You betchya!  Well, jealous is probably a bit strong as it's not an emotion I generally suffer from but envious, certainly.

It's the OH's birthday next week.  I had a playday at Greta's yesterday with Cally, Debs and Kim.  I actually made his birthday card .... *shock!*  Made from the freebies in this month's Making Cards mag and some feathers from Greta's stash.  First time I've ever made something with a mag freebie.  Just loved the paper pack and stamp set that came with it - and the 3 issues for £3 offer that was within *happy*

 We have a busy birthday week for him ... hospice, oncologist and, hopefully, the cancer centre for the next month's supply of meds.  That depends on what happens with the oncologist!

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2nd workshop ...

 ... done and dusted.  Finally got round to photographing the first one's makings along with the second.  Workshops have a new format.  We're now making 2 cards per workshop.  One is designed by Clair and the other by her daughter, Sharni.  The workshop is now split in 2 and each lead the half with their card design.  We're also told where we're sitting each time so we don't choose for ourselves.  We get to sit with different workshop members each time which is fine.  Only problem Cally & I have is that we don't get our 'catch up' time if we're not near each other.  We have the trip there and back in the car - and that's not long *sad*  Spend more time with others than we get with each other now - *ROFL*  Still, we've a play day at Greta's this week.  An 'au revoir' meet up before Kim departs for pastures new.  She's off to live near Prague.  We don't want her to go *sad*  We'll see her again in June for our annual Crafter's House Party though *woo hoo*

In the meantime, workshop cards .....
Those made in January - 

Clair's design - MFT stencil andstamps, Mama Elephant dies

Sharni's design - MFT dies & stamps

This weeks workshop cards ...

I've adapted Clair's design slightly.  She had hers mounted straight, I've got it on a jaunty angle.  Clair had coloured the background buds and leaves.  I decided to leave the as black and white line images, however I've mounted the image in such a way that I can colour it if I change my mind.  I also added some crystal for a bit of 'bling'

Clair's design - Stampin' Up & MFT stamps, Sue Wilson dies

My version of Sharni's design looks as though it's got some mauve sequins on.  It hasn't but they are iridescent so take on lots of different colours in different lights.

Sharni's design - Stampin' Up stamps, Sizzix embossing folder.

Last week I finally managed to blag some photos taken at our workshop craft day in November with John Bloodworth.  Clair had arranged for a local guy to come and take photos for a local website.  That guy is my window cleaner *ROFL*.  I've asked him a couple times for some copies, particularly one of the group with Maisy.  He sent me that one and a few more last week.  I checked with him for permission to share them with the workshop group and he kindly agreed I could, so I did, except for one *wink*  I'm sure he won't mind me sharing a couple here.

The Motley Crew

Really think I should have combed my hair after we'd been outside but it didn't see a comb all day *shock!*

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