April last year ...

... 2015 and Cally and I found 'fame' :D  One of the ads in papercrafting magazine promoting the Bolton Great British Craft Festival in May 2015 used a photo of us taken at the Stoneleigh Great British Craft Festival in 2014.  Fortunately it's a photo we liked so didn't mind, even though they didn't ask if they could use us in their promo *wink*  Strangely, it was the only papercrafting mag that carried the photo but we were 'famous' for a month - ROFL!

We're very disappointed that the Stoneleigh GBCF has had a date change for this year *sad*  It's been moved from August to September/October.  30th September for the workshop day and the 1st/2nd October for the show.  It means that a couple of the group that went last year can't go this year and it's made it very awkward all round for the rest of us.  If we did go it just won't be the same with some of us missing.  Normally tickets would have been booked as soon as they went on sale.  This year we're still deciding - not least because the Premier Inn room deals aren't yet available for that time and we're not booking anything until we know we can get cheap rooms!

April 2015 was also our (that's Cally and me) very first workshop with Vickie (The Craft Chick).  A good selection of cards made and set the tone to keep us going back *grin*

I thought I'd blogged about the baby bunnies that joined the family in 2013.  Seems I didn't.  Long story short .... youngest son and his family bought a couple of young rabbits from the local garden centre pet store.  Guaranteed 2 females.  

A few weeks later they weren't acting like 2 females.  A few weeks after that 6 baby bunnies appeared!

They soon grew and were eating their way through tons of carrots and using mega amounts of bedding.  Fortunately, because the parents had been 'guaranteed' females the pet shop took responsibility and provided bedding and dry food.  They also paid for the male to be 'dealt with' - which was done very swiftly.  He was becoming quite aggressive and had to be separated although he was put in a run next to the 'family'.  He could interact to a certain extent but a barrier was there.  The pet store did offer to take the babies when they were old enough to leave Mum but son and family thought they'd like to keep them and have a bunny city in the back garden.  As the bunnies grew they started to reconsider .... I wonder why - ROFL!

Soo cute!

In the end Mum & Dad were kept and 2 of the babies, but they've had to be kept separate from the parents, so now there's a mini bunny city in the back garden.  A hutch and run for the 'children' who live happily together.  A hutch and run for Mum and a hutch and run for Dad ... all next to one another so they can 'communicate' and see each other but, apart from the 'children' there's no physical contact between them.  The parents are not very tame or social but the babies are fine although they prefer to make the approaches.

The remaining 'children' April 2015

Our little great-granddaughter was growing fast, becoming quite a little character and a regular visitor - something which could be changing soon ... or not, depending on what happens over the next few weeks.  I'm hoping not!

April 2015

Pretty much anything worth covering from April 2015 has been done now.  Eldest and DiL were still heavily into their obstacle course racing and I started acting as guinea pig for eldest granddaughter who was in her final year of beauty therapy at college.  I bit the bullet and allowed her - and her fellow students - to use me for electrolysis as long as I got some of the 'nice' stuff as well ... facials and massages *grin*.  I became a regular at the college.

Hubby began his 3 month stint in the hospice - the stint that nobody thought he was coming home from.  His body filled with fluid and nobody had any clue as to why.  His whole body was affected eventually and he put on over 5 stone in weight.  He was very poorly for a long time and then there was a 'eureka' moment and the fluid started to disappear.  He's still being treated for it now - to keep it at bay - but he's lost the weight he put on because of it and went on to lose even more (what I call his 'fat' weight) although during the last couple of months he's been back in there he's put some of that weight back on.  We know we can work on it though so it's not a major concern.

That's all ... for now!

Thanks for dropping by .....

Follow my blog with Bloglovin

Half way ...

... through April and where are we at?  Pleased to say that my concern about OH's fluid came to nothing.  Seems that the slight increase in the diuretic did the trick but - and it's a massive, big BUT - some of the other new meds (or possibly all of them) are not suiting him.  As they've built up in his system he's become lethargic to the point he's sleeping his life away and, when awake, he's slurring his speech, is very unco-ordinated and has no idea whether he's coming or going.  His memory is shot.  He's had a couple of falls, which is difficult to achieve when you're a wheelchair user but he can't explain how he managed to end up on the floor.  I thought he'd had a couple of mini-strokes but in checking the side-effects of the 5, new to him, meds that he's been given it seems they all share the same basic ones and some a few extra. 5 all building them up together has lead to a very poorly man, even if his pain is manageable.  He's become a zombiefied (is that a word?) old man in a very short space of time. He reminds me so much of my old Dad at the moment and he suffered dementia, albeit not officially diagnosed.  Medics have been consulted but in the meantime we're 'playing' with his drugs ourselves.  30+ years of handling many and all sorts pretty much tells us what he can handle and what he can't and he pretty much can't seem to handle anything '...epine' or ...zepam'.  They tend to give him the problems they're trying to treat but that he never had in the first place.  Today is the first day of our experiment and there's an improvement, albeit slight, already.

Other than that pretty much everything else is as was.  Time is passing and it seems I've been very busy but not sure there's much to show for it.  Fridge died and new one arrived yesterday - along with freezer as they have to match ... don't they???  Both the old ones are 20 years old this year so they've a right to go to fridge and freezer heaven I guess.  Freezer still has life in it, fridge?  Dead as a dodo!  Both will be dumped.  

The 'family' has a new member.  We've yet to meet her but eldest and DiL have had a baby *grin*  Meet Bella!

For years we've been meaning to do what we should have done when we first got married .... make a will.  30+ years later and we've finally made an appointment to deal with it.  Better late than never, eh?  We're making use of The Martlets will writing fortnight.  That way the hospice can benefit by a small sum as we get our wills in place.   At least not all the fees will go to the solicitor - ROFL!

Last week saw the 8th anniversary of Mum's passing.  That means this blog is just over 8 years old.  It was started as a way of charting my 'crafty' life but very quickly changed to help me deal with the emotions that come from losing your first parent.  Since then it became just a personal 'diary' type blog with a separate crafty one.  Then I realised that I was starting to  repeat 'stuff' relating to craftiness in both blogs so closed the crafty one and merged it back to the original ... this one.  Earlier posts look a bit weird.  As they come up randomly I'm editing them to bring them more in line with the blog of now - it's a work in progress and will probably never be complete - LOL!

Craftiness since last posting?  Pug dog mkII ....  a commission taken when somebody saw Pug dog mkI.  

Vickie's (The Craft Chick) April workshop .... all Stampin Up stamp sets, inks, dies, punches and masks - embellies from my stash.

From the Great British Craft Festival in August last year ... a chalkboard!  I've only recently finished it and gave it to youngest grandkids to play with.  Forgot to photograph it before it was used but at least it's being used.

Clair's workshop this week ... we'll have to wait.  Definitely a work in progress for me but this link will show what was in mind and the sample card.  Mine will be different but all the element cutting and matting/layering has been done.  Just need to put it all together.  Watch this space *wink*

May just do a 'catch up' from last year on next post ... we'll see.

Thanks for dropping by .....

Follow my blog with Bloglovin

Busy week ...

... in which I don't seem to have stopped since OH came home.  Got another busy week ahead as well! 

Just found the Blogger app so this is a trial post.

Look what we saw at the hospice on Friday.

A Martlets hospice snowdog going on a trip.  Don't know if it's finished or not but it's cute.

We've marched ...

... into April (see what I did there???) but before March is finished with - the happenings of the past few days.

My visit to the jeweller on Tuesday was successful - YAY!  I collected my 2nd commission.  I've now got one ring that has Mum and my 2 Nan's melded together.  A Russian wedding ring made by melting down all 3 of their wedding bands and then linking the resulting 3 new ones, each being totally different from one another and one incorporating the stones from Mum's engagement ring.  I love it.

How they started

The new ring from the old

The inspiration.  The 2nd one is 4 rings linked and they're all different shapes and sizes.  Jeweller didn't recommend as unlikely to work and sit well. - and it was one ring too many for what I wanted

The jeweller's CAD

Going back to my new wedding set made from my old wedding ring, engagement ring etc (a few posts ago now).  I grabbed the scrappy bit of paper I'd left with the jeweller to show them what sort of thing I was aiming for.   they got it right - even to their CAD drawing made from my scrap - *LOL!*

Tuesday finished with a beautiful sunset

Thursday was a Clair workshop day.  Loved the card we did.  Used Martha Stewart Frame Border punch for the large white matt and an Apple Blossom die for the round heart matt.  The numbers, flowers and banner stamp and dies were all from an SU Sale-a-bration set.

Not only did we make the card but we also made a boxelope for it as well, using an envelope punch board.  My board is a WRMK original one, others used the SU 'copy' *wink*  (no doubt made by WRMK for SU)

Thursday also saw OH come home from the hospice.  I should be pleased.  I'm not!  The fluid is there and it's getting worse.  They've increased his diuretic and feel it's manageable at home so he's come home with fluid that's increasing (at the moment) swollen feet and ankles, shaky hands and a wheeze I hadn't noticed before he got home.  All I can remember is how ill he was last year because of oedema.  Even the discharge co-ordinator admitted, yesterday, that they thought he was dying last year and were more than surprised when he recovered and left.  Very much thanks to their care, I have to say, but why risk it again by sending him home with a situation that it getting worse, by the seem of things, rather than being sure it's improving?  Anyway, home he is - although they're very aware of how I feel having spoken to 2 doctors and the co-ordinator since Tuesday - and we can only hope things improve on the oedema front.  At least he's coping with the new pain level now, which he wasn't a couple of months ago.

March is done ... and ¼ of the year.  On to April and, hopefully, a beautiful spring and improvements all round!

Thanks for dropping by .....

Follow my blog with Bloglovin

March is on ...

... the wane.  ¼ of the year gone already.  Scary!  

Last year - March - just a few photos ....

Eldest granddaughter and boyfriend ... and they're still together a year later.

Eldest granddaughter as a model for the local college hair show.  She took part as a 'contestant' in her last year at school.  This year, as a student, she helped out another.

Brother - looking so much like my Dad it's frightening.  All to do with the angle of the dangle *grin*

A few taken recently - March 2016 ... nothing crafty!

Me, OH, Bro & SiL

Me, OH, nephews and niece.  Nephew's (in green) 21st - our most recent star in the family.

Eldest and youngest .... Easter Saturday - and yes, that is a height difference

A rare event although one is missing but, having the grandkids (including the great) all together in one place cannot be a missed opportunity.  Eldest granddaughter was working.  Sad for me, good for her.

Oh yes, one other crafty thing happened in March .... I did something I've never done before.  I won some blog candy *happy dance*.  A lovely large bag of crafty goodies arrived all the way from Northern Ireland from Lee/Crafty Loops ...

Thanks for dropping by .....

Follow my blog with Bloglovin

It's officially ...

... spring.  Meteorological Spring was 1st March, Spring equinox was 20th March and today we moved to British Summer Time (BST), or daylight saving.  Can safely say it's Spring - and Easter Sunday!  7pm and it's still reasonably light.   I love the lighter evenings.  Bring on Summer, but let's have some decent summer weather! 

I'd intended to post midweek but somehow time has gone away from me and it never happened.  Been a busy week.  Busy doing nothing, or so it seems, but feel as though I've done a lot, which I must have - just doesn't seem like it.

There's been some good news, and not such good news, with OH.  The pain is still under control but fluid is starting to gather again.  After 3 months in the hospice last year due to extreme fluid retention and it taking that length of time to get to the bottom of it and deal with it we're not too keen on it coming in again.   It may be a bit of a trade-off though because it seems that the pain control has worked because of reducing his diuretic substantially.  In reducing that they've been able to try different pain relief, and a higher dose, than if he was on the original dose of diuretic.  Unfortunately it seems as though the diuretic has been reduced too much now so some fine tuning needs to take place.  It was looking as though he may have been home sometime this coming week.  Perhaps not - until they've done the fine tuning!

Eldest has confirmed he's not so in love with OCRs as he has been.  Think his midlife crisis is passing.  He still does the odd one but not as many.  He'd planned on running his first marathon next month but has decided against.  He's had a problem with his right knee for a number of years (seems to be a weakness in the family with knees) and has decided that road running aggravates it, although running through woodland, on softer ground, through mud and water and dealing with obstacles of all shapes sizes doesn't so much.  He ran the Hastings Half Marathon last year, intended to this year, but didn't in the end.  He'd entered, just never did it ... pretty much as he's done with the Brighton Marathon.  He'd applied for the London Marathon but didn't get in.  Just as well as it's turned out.  

March 2015 - Hasting's Half Marathon

The appropriately named NUTS Challenge OCR ... March 2015.  Eldest and DiL

Think my son's have a problem with reaching 'middle' age.  Youngest is doing his first OCR later in the year.  Workmates have entered him.  Crazy  .... now I wonder where they get it from???  Not that I'd ever do crazy things.  It wasn't me going jet-skiing or paragliding for the first time at the age of 60 *grin*

When I was sorting out some space to give youngest on his return home I found a fair bit of archery gear, including old bows, arrows and maintenance equipment.  As there's no way any of us will ever 'arch' again it was taking up needed space so onto eBay it went.  All bar 3 items sold so I'm happy.   10 items have left the building and I've a nice empty space that they took up.  I tried selling a 'vintage' travel cot as well.  It hasn't gone.  That could end up a charity shop donation - lol!  It's not been used in 13 years and I certainly have no use of it.

A make from last year, around this time. One of Clair's workshops.

Altenew stamps coloured with Prismacolors, highlighted with Wink of Stella (clear) and a die - MFT I think, but not sure.

I have a visit to make on Tuesday ... to the jeweller.  I'm hoping that my other ring is finally finished *big grin*  We'll see!

Thanks for dropping by .....

Follow my blog with Bloglovin

May be too ...

... early to celebrate so won't be holding our breath any time soon but ..... hubby has had 3 'good' days in a row *YAY!*  Does this mean they've finally found the combination to help deal with the pain?  Really hoping so but, as I say, we're not holding our breath just yet but keeping everything crossed.  They're monitoring him and he's still on a syringe driver but, if things continue as they are now he could be home soon???

I took him to the local PC World today.  He wanted to have a look at some gaming laptops.  Why I can only guess at.  He's got a bells and whistles PC he uses for his games.  He's got a bells and whistles laptop but not a gaming one.  He has a tablet.  Can't see the need for yet another piece of tech when he barely has anything on the stuff he's already got.  Insists on mega amounts of memory yet doesn't save a thing to them.  Crazy!  I've asked why he needs wants yet another one.  Haven't had an answer.

The kiddlies have had a couple of sleepovers here with their Dad.  I've managed to clear some space for them to have a 'play' corner and it's been 'personalised'.  Think they're happy with it.  I'll do more as and when I can for them but I have 'jobs' to do in preparation of OH coming home.

March has seen a couple of Clair's workshops.  Yet again, beautiful cards and great techniques.

Lavinia fairy stamp, distress ink background, Marianne flourish die, SU flower punch, Sunbeam embossing folder

Sunbeam embossing folder, SU dies and stamps.  Leaves and flowers are inlaid from the 'cut outs' cut from spray coloured card

I made a card under my own volition recently .... for my nephews 21st.  I used a technique learnt at one of Clair's workshops a couple of years ago.   Always good for a man's card *grin*

Sizzix Wordplay die for name, SU dies for numbers.  'Metal' work - aluminium foil tape with plaster board joint tape/scrim ... both from DIY stores

Just realised I missed this in February .... Valentines!  OH and I have never bought each other anything for Valentine's day.  To me it's for singles, not old marrieds as we found our 'valentine' when we got together and married but, this year he was in the hospice.   Hospice visitors/volunteers took in roses to give the patients and they were able to have one for the significant other.  OH got one for me and then made me bring his home as well!

Tomorrow is going to be a batch cooking day - something I started doing when OH was in the hospice last year.  Only started it to make it worthwhile cooking for myself.  Making meals in bulk and freezing so I had meals to hand instead of cooking for one all the time or buying ready meals.  I continued it when OH came home.  To spend 2 to 3 days cooking continuously - pots and pans on the hob and 2 slow cookers on the go - to save cooking for a couple of months (apart from the odd stuff that has to be done fresh) is soooo worth it to me.  I dislike cooking so would rather batch cook and get it out of the way and it provides us with non processed, fresh, healthy quick meals when needed.

Thanks for dropping by .....

Follow my blog with Bloglovin