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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A few more cards ...

... from Clair's all day workshop back in July. All cards designed by Clair - www.clairmatthews.com

I made a bit of a mess of the shadow masking but added a larger matt layer to the greeting and glitter centres to the flowers, all in the hope of detracting the eye from the 'mess' - LOL

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Nothing of ...

... much interest has happened this week.  I've made a start on decluttering and reorganising the kitchen but it's not going to be done overnight.  I've ordered some new fittings for cupboards to make them more 'user friendly' - lol!  May be a few days before they're all together but in the meantime I'll continue to work on the areas that aren't being 'upgraded'.

OH should have had his 4 weekly Zoledronic Acid infusion on Friday but it never happened.  Transport never arrived so it's been rearranged for Wednesday.  Just hope those few days delay aren't to much of a problem as it's supposed to be given every 3 to 4 weeks and he's on a 4 weekly cycle.

It has been very hot!  Apparently it's the hottest September, so far, ever - well, since records began.  Thursday my car thermometer didn't get below 30c and, at one point, it reached 34c when I was moving!  We've had a better couple of weeks than we had in August - with the exception of the day I went to London.  Weather is really laughing at me and I'm not yet over it *sad*

Weight loss (have I mentioned I've lost a fair bit of weight since April???) - I seem to have reached a plateau.  So close to being in the normal range of BMI that body seems to have decided it just doesn't want to be 'normal' - ROFL!  It needs a kick to get going again but I'm at a loss as to what to do about it.  I'm not on a diet, just being more careful with what and how much I eat.  I don't think reducing the amount down any more is really on, or the answer, but what to do?  I'm not putting on so I guess that's something.  Maintaining is better than increasing.  Perhaps it'll start to decrease again soon.

I did have the fortnightly craft workshop run by Clair and we made a lovely card.  All Stampin' Up (I think) but we made our own embellishment using some WOW Melt It powder.  Certainly novel but don't think I can be bothered when a nice button would do the same job - lol!  May add some trails to the butterflies having looked at it again :)

The previous  workshops have also produced some great cards.  The following one was great fun - and messy :)  We made our own background on thick watercolour card.  Splodged (technical term) 2 or 3 inkpads onto a smooth service and misted with water until it started pooling then laid the card into it and swished it around a bit.  Then dried it and dabbed it back in again.  Repeated until happy with result.  Image stamped and embossed with white embossing powder.  A sheet of acetate cut to cover and matted onto the base card on dimensionals.  Insert was done to tone in with the remnants of the ink.  Love it!

This one - a great man's card.  Su's Lovely as a Tree stamp set and woodgrain embossing folder - all distressed and matted and layered.  Easy but very effective. First time I've done the reflection technique as well.  Impressed - lol!

It's been mentioned, in passing recently, that Jackie and I went to Sorrento, Italy in April 2013.  We did the usual touristy stuff and visited Herculaneum and Pompeii, did the Amalfi Drive and popped over to Capri, don't you know - lol!  Between us we took a lot of photos.  Not long after we got back I started the now obligatory photobook but it ground to a halt after a very short space of time.  I created a lot of photobooks last year and my mojo went on holiday and work on the Italian book ground to a halt until a few weeks ago when the mojo came back.  Photo book was finished and has been printed.  It was lovely reliving that holiday, especially as we've not had one this year (other than our group crafty week away).
http://www.photobox.co.uk/creation/2751011028

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A crafty post ...

Eldest granddaughter is 18 at the end of the month.  I had an idea of what I wanted to do, sort of.  Idea came together when I saw a card made by a friend where she had cut a ring of 18s using a computerised cutting machine.  She was sharing the file but I don't have such a machine so she kindly offered to cut one for me and send it on.  As it transpired she cut me 2 and sent pieces of the patterned card she used to cut them from so I could use them if needed.  I'd decided I wanted to do a pop up box card but with a difference.  I'm not keen on these cards but I thought granddaughter would love one so I set about making my version of a pop up box.  Several pieces of card - no, make that many pieces of card - later I got the base sorted and the decoration followed.

It's a very blingy card.  When you're a very girly, girl and turning 18 you just can't have too much bling - lol!

It looks oval when open but closed it is a circle and it opens as a diamond, not a square.  No measurements, other than the height of 15cm to make it a 15cm square card and, because of the 3D of the flowers I'm not pushing the flaps up to close the card.  I'm also presenting it in a box.  I hope she likes it.  I'm sure she will :)

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I missed ...

... last Monday!  There was a 'bonus' post though through the week before - ROFL!  Warning for this one - photo heavy and no crafting ...

Last week was busy event wise :)  Sunday was middle step-grandson's 17th birthday and we were invaded by the 3 youngest grandchildren.  

Monday saw eldest grandson's 2nd wedding anniversary.  Tuesday was youngest grandson's 6th birthday and we had a visit from our little great-granddaughter.  

Wednesday the Italian photobook arrived on the doorstep (I'll share another time) and Thursday I took a trip up to London!  

I've not been to London for around 30 years, not for anything else other than work or health related anyway, and that doesn't count.  1997 was probably the last time I was there and that was because OH was in hospital there for a while so not exactly conducive to sightseeing!  I went to London mainly to see the poppies at the Tower of London.  I've bought one but wanted to see them in real life, planted.  There will, ultimately, be 888,246 planted, with the last one planted on 11th November.  From then they will be removed and sent out to those that have purchased them. Each poppy represents one British life lost during WWI and the installation is to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the start of the war and those lives lost.  More info can be found here.  It's an amazing sight and will be even more so once finished.  

While at the Tower the bridge was lifted - and it was lifted 100%  Not something that happens often but then it had to allow a cruise ship to depart and nothing but 100% would have been good enough.

I also took advantage of the trip to take a flight on the London Eye.  I've done it now - won't do it again although if the weather had been better I might have been tempted to go back for an evening flight.  It was overcast with low cloud so the view wasn't as far as it could have been.  

To visit these places I took a London, Hop On, Hop Off  Bus Tour.  While in Italy Jackie and I did one and this same company ran the one I used in London and, because I had my Sorrento bus ticket I got a 10% discount ... gotta love a bargain - lol!  The bus ticket also included a river cruise so I also took advantage of that from the Tower back to Westminster.  Quite a lot achieved, not quite as much as I'd have liked but I may go back at the beginning of November for an update on the poppies ... and a view from the Shard!

Not much time for anything else but fitted in my exercise class on Tuesday.  Busy week :)

I've still projects to show from workshops .... they will be shown .... eventually!

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I know it's not ...

... Monday but I've promised a story that goes with this creation.

This was made at our week away - showcased in the previous post but there is a story that goes with it and it's that story I've promised and it's definitely an 'ooops' story.

This was Kim's shoebox card. The flowers are made with acetate (probably some form of packaging knowing Kim - lol!).  Tim Holtz Tattered Florals cut from acetate and then coloured with alcohol inks, in this case shades of greens and yellows.  Once done a heat gun was used to soften the acetate to shape it and, once shaped and cold they were stuck to the card - I used silicone - and fancy buttons used for the flower centres.  The story part of this comes with using the heat gun.  Holding acetate flowers, heating and moulding really requires more than 2 hands so it was suggested ... by Kim .... that we hold the heat gun between our legs to give us 2 hands free to work the flowers.  Excellent idea!  Or, at least it was until it came to my turn. 

Me and Trace were the only ones in the Refectory crafting.  I was sitting dealing with my flowers when I thought there was a strange smell.  Trace comments on how acrid the smell was and she'd not noticed it before when others had done theirs and me thinking it really strange as well.  Then I notice a plume of smoke and I suddenly realised that it was coming from the heat gun .... not surprising really as the nozzle was bright red and melting !  Definitely 'ooooops' big time!  The mistake I'd made was not in putting it between my legs (everyone else before me had done the same) but in that I'd not made sure the air vents were free and I'd blocked them!  Strangely, despite the damage, the heat gun still worked.  It was, literally, just the plastic nozzle that decided it didn't like being overheated but the rest of it was fine but I certainly won't want to be covering those air vents any more - lol!  Oh, and you don't really need both hands free to heat and mould the flowers.  As long as they're warm they will happily mould and you can always reheat and remould if they cool too quickly.

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