I'm Back....and Watch this Space

Yep after over a week away I'm definately back. I have done loads craft wise......not just scrapping but have loads of photos. I will try and get time to upload some tomorrow.

Rhiannon's grafts are looking fairly good - sight infection but positive.
Ffi has had a few probs over christmas but now has further specialist appointment and has been referred to the physio.

Christmas for us was good as I hope it was for all of you ........Hope is for a good new year for all:)

As said before the draw for the Air gunset will take place on new years eve (Ffi will do the draw) so watch this space for the announcement of the winner. Jay is very very grateful of all the cards donated to LIVES. The prize will be sent as soon as is physically possible after the draw:)

F.I.N.E.

Freaked out
Insecure
Neurotic
Emotional

Yep I've always claimed to be fine.
In recent weeks other peoples internet problems have caused me considerable problems but I have remained fine.
I was told to get a life........what another one?.....hhmphh if its anything like this on why would I want two?
Today I have been branded a childish whinger (well actually winger).....oh well they're leaving someone else alone. So
Tomorrow I will put the (now taken) pictures of my hanging christmas decs up for you all to see but tonight a couple of thoughts:

Growing old is mandatory. Growing up is optional.

For last year's words. Belong to last years language. And next year's words await another voice. And to make an end is to make a beginning.

Today I started to look forward to christmas......even if radio 1 insanely tried to censor The Pogues and Kirsty McColl. Sorry but christmas isn't christmas till I've heard that record....come on its 20 years isn't it a bit late now anyway:)
I don't need an advent swap or uks, I don't need to be censored. If "they" think the smackblog was down to me then let them, so flipping be it but it has nothing to do with me I don't do anonymous. ......suppose I should say "am I bovvered" ------answer NO NO NO.

A big thankyou to everyone who has taken the time to PM me through uks or e.mail me. Its so so nice to know that there are so many of you I can call friends.

Thou shall not stress

Is that one of the commandments well it should be......I definately won't be doing again as I don't want to deal with the consequences again. Chest pains, migraine and threats of hospital via ambulance.......yep thats enough to make me want the quiet life I have had over the weekend. Have been busy crafting though......more christmas cards seeing as how I am running out of time. This one is made from some of the bits of my Sarahs Card kit that I had left..... not much remaining now it also has K&Co glitter baubles and some ribbon scraps tied into bows.

I have finished my ceiling decs and will photograph them tomorrow. I have also finished a special but unusual card I had to make which I will upload soon because the recipitent reads my blog so I had best let it arrive first.

oh go on then.

Okay then I'm bored already....I really did spend too much time on UKS.......

This is a mini star book/card. Everything I used came from my Sarahs Cards kit with the exception of the sentiment, sticky ribbon, vellum and the chipboard shapes. The papers in this kit were absolutely lovely.

NO CRAFT TODAY

Hurt or betrayed I couldn't decide which and so I am saying both. Why well most of you who know me also know that I spend far too much time on UKS.

I recently decided to join just my team advent swap this year and not the main one due to the fact that Rhiannon was due her surgery on 1st December and would have follow ups throughout and Ffion had specialist appointments too. So joining the team swap would be best as if anything did go wrong at least it would be with a friend as opposed to someone I didn't know....right.

So I packaged up my parcel and sent it RD on the last day of November and apologised for being last minute. My teamie replied that she had been busy at work and would not actually get to post until the 2nd......fair enough. So for almost 2 weeks I have waited in, cursed RM, worried myself stupid that something has happened to Hazel or her kids.

I really must be so stupid.....last night I get told by a very reliable source that I am not the only person who didn't get their swap but also the person she was supposed to post to in the main swap got the same tale and is still waiting and she has just been given negative feedback for it.
OMG how bad do I feel now.

Well the answer is hurt really hurt and betrayed and also sad......its not all about what I should have had and haven't but about the fact that I have been wasting my time worrying about what might or might not have happened to a friend - I know she is okay and I'm a nice person so why am I not worth a stamp to be told. I really have enough on my plate at the moment without worrying over someone who quite obviously wouldn't spare me the same sentiment. Its made me decide to leave UKS as I need to be away from this for now at least. If a complete stranger had not sent to me well I could have accepted that but I can't get my head around this.

Anyhow I will be around for a few days tying up loose ends with swaps and things and think everyone who needs to contact me knows how.......If I missed anyone Fi (Scrappybunny) has the means to do so.

And yes I know there are loads of really nice people on UKS and I have always tried to help anyone I can if I have been able to. Heck I am closer to some people on there than I am to my relatives.

Well done if you managed to make it to the end. LOL

As for getting over this yep I will but I don't need friends like that.
If I do receive a parcel date 2nd December of cours I will make a full apology but I won't be holding my breath.

loving it!

My kit from Sarahs Cards that is, I loved the last one and am loving this one too. The paper, card and the Bazzil all came from the kit and I just added the sentiment, small brads, embroidery thread and of course Chestnut Roan colorbox chalk ink. The scallaped circle was made using a giant Marvy punch. The card was for my friends birthday.

More Magnolias

I'm starting to like the Magnolias now.......suprising how effective they can look with not much else. This one is just another piece of papermania paper (stolen from Ffi...ssshhh) and some narrow sparkly ribbon and pink gems from my ribbon kit. I think this may end up as a birthday card for Justine as its her birthday just before christmas. It looks so much nicer in real life.

Still no christmassy feelings.....still no advent parcel......or the other parcel I am waiting for.....damn RM. Its Ffi's play tomorrow night and hopefully I will start to get into christmas after that.......or maybe after Thursday morning when all my flipping coursework has to be handed in and on that score I suppose I had best go do a bit more.

BAH HUMBUG

Its beginning to look a lot like christmas ...... well according to Ffi and half of Lincoln. We just went to Sainsburys and had to queue 6 deep at the checkouts and to make it worse they were all open. So why do I feel like the least christmassy person around? I don't know as normally I love christmas but I can't seem to get into it this year. Thought I would after Rhiannon's op but no. I have been ill for over a week and have not got my advent swap yet. So instead of the christmas card picture you were getting here are some ATC cards I made for the recent spooky and gothic atc swap that has just completed on uks. They are alcohol inks for the background, Magnolia spiders web stamped in black Staz On. Narrow satin ribbon, metallic red brads and a tibetan silver cross charm.

More Magnolia.

Well here is another Magnolia I made.....extremely simple just papermania paper and the stamped image but I was feeling poorly when I made it and the photo is so rubbish. It does look much better in real life honest:)

Rhiannon was back at the hospital yesterday.....yep another trip to sunny Leicester. Her grafts are doing really well so if it keeps up she doesn't have to go back this side of christmas......that is a present enough on its own.

one step forward two steps back

Well thats what it flipping feels like......I wanted to get last week and the surgery and specialists out of the way and crack on with christmas right.....wrong, I thought I was getting better but the whole flu thing has left me with a horrendous ear infection so my head feels like someone is kicking it, my ear feels like its sloshing round with something and then intemittently having something sharp poked into it and just for. added good measure my balance is completely out of sync. Beginning to wonder when something nice might happen for a change.

Craft wise I have been trying to make some hanging decorations for the lounge. As our ceilings are 13' 6" high shop bought ones don't quite cut it so I have had the wire cutters out and am creating my own. This has been slightly held up by the fact that I didn't read the label on the ribbon I bought properly and my 9m is actually 9ft so Justine had to go back and pick me some more up on her way hame from school yesterday. I will continue them this afternoon if I can.

Also I made my first card using a Magnolia stamp yesterday so this is it. Magnolia stamp, papermania paper, ribbon from my ribbon kit and Imaginisce rub ons....oh and ink everything I do has ink somewhere.

And breathe

Thats definately what it feels like today. Rhiannon had a comfortable night and looks so much better today. She has suprisingly little pain but then she has always been a bit like that. She just came to me to cut her dressings as they were irritating her so we have done a quick adjustment. Its been a do very little day....Jay spent a good part of it outdoors after being cooped up in a hospital yesterday thats understandably where he wanted to be.

A quick nip into the city centre to get a few bits for me and then we all watched Elf and now I am sitting with a glass of wine and watching the Long Way Down with Jay.

The only crafting was I started to make some hanging christmas decorations for our lounge as buying them is a bit of a no no as the ceilings are 13ft 6 inches high. So large is needed:)

So these layouts are two of my all time faves my three gorgous girls in mums angels which uses very little except bazill and some chipboard coaster words and up up and over which is my baby Ffi and uses Safraslass papers and a big bloom and I apologise but I can't make it any bigger.

I am so not technical but I intend to get some advice from a friend (no names so you can't hide) on how to do a slideshow on cd album.......well I have been asked constantly for a year now.

OH MY

Rhiannons home and she looks terrible bless her.....Jay says it was touch and go as to whether they kept her or not but luckily because of Jay being medically inclined they entrusted her to him. She has gone off to bed and hopefully she will get a comfortable night. The only neg thing for this op is a chance of it needing re-doing which we weren't really expecting so fingers crossed now that everything works. Back to Leicester on Friday.

Good News and a card

We just heard and they are coming home...it was touch and go for a while as Rhiannon felt quite ill for a while but she is and always has been a stubborn little madam and we just got the call to say they are coming home. Justine and Ffion are very very happy although I'm sure the sisterly bickering will resume before very long.

So a card stamped hot air balloons.....2 different stamps and also a cloud stamp, vivid ink pads and brilliance ink and a small blue brad.

She's out

Rhiannon is out of surgery and back in the land of the living and all went well as far as I can tell. So I am very relieved.......If she gets to 7.00p.m with no problems then she can come home and she will be adament that she is coming home.....Just hope now that they give us enough drugs to get us through the weekend.

Thanks for all the good wishes.

update

Just heard from Jay and Rhiannon has just gone down to theatre.....they are estimating that she will be there for 2hours.

The Waiting Game

Thats what we are playing at the moment and its not much fun....Jay is with Rhiannon down in Leicester but they are still waiting for her to go down for her surgery.....been waiting since 8.00a.m. I think the waiting is worse but then shortly I suppose waiting whilst the surgery takes place will be worse.....you really would think I would be used to this by now.....but I never have every time is just as bad. I will update later when I have news but for now please just think of my lovely girl and fingers crossed there will be some news soon.