Tuesday 31 May 2011

Sneeze Tuesday and flower looms.

Have had a busy few days and now I'm sat in bed (yes very indulgent but there is a reason for it) surfing the net, looking at blogs and ordering crafty things.
Went to clinic Wednesday for the end of my treatment, all went well and they were pleased with me, my lung function is about 42% which is the highest its been for a long while and my weight is stable. So all in all a big Yey! At the hospital they have a place where people set up stalls and sell things ranging from AVON products to books and jewellery. There are usually two different stalls everyday of the week and Wednesday there was a stall selling knitty type things to raise money for the baby unit. I saw some wool and a crochet hook, crochet is something I've wanted to try for a while so it seemed like fate, I left with two balls of wool and a 4mm hook and all for £3 . Result! I've borrowed a book from the library and have just about learnt two of the basic stitches, my dream of making lots and lots of crochet flowers seems a long way off...I can not make head nor tail of how to read a pattern but I suppose that will come in time, not for the first time I am trying to run before I can walk.
On Friday I went to Manchester again, this time for non medical jiggery pokery. I went to see a gig, the first one for aaages and it was great. It was The Kills who were awesome tho the support band was a bit meh. It has put me in the gig going mood and now I have a list I want to go and see. There is something about live music that I love, the way you can feel the bass go through you and how you can hear every nuance of the voices.. it's just so thrilling. While in Manchester I had my very first Krispy Kreme donut,  how have I gone through 29 years of life without experiencing something so gorgeous? It was a taste sensation! The best thing of all was that I had it for breakfast which makes it even more indulgent. I think I'am going to have to buy a box full of them and nom the lot :)
I got back home Saturday ( just in time for Doctor Who- I'm loving this series and the end of the episode made me go :0 I wont spoil it in case anyone reading hasn't seen it yet ) and continued my crochet practice, I've made a square up to now which I'm proud of :) I'm sure there is a charity where you can send squares of knitted or crochet things and they turn them into blankets for people that need them... something that I'm going to look into I think.
Now why am I in bed? Well I got home Saturday and went to bed feeling fine but when I woke Sunday I felt rotten, all snotty and sore throaty.I tried to ignore it and do all the usual things I get up to but I still haven't shaken it off so decided that today I was going to do nothing but chill out and relax. Staying in bed is the only way I can do that without being tempted into doing things.  I've let myself have my laptop for the internet and I have the tv and books but anything else is staying downstairs. I've dosed myself up on paracetomol which is keeping my temp down and am keeping my fingers crossed it doesn't go on my chest.
I've ordered a flower loom! ( I'm a bit flower obsessed at the moment- it must be the season) and am feeling impatient for it to arrive. I want it now! I'm trying out different crafts in the hope that I 'll be able to offer more choice in my shop. Plus flowers are ace and I decided to treat myself so I don't feel sorry for myself having a cold :)

Hope everyone is having a non sneezy week.

LH
x

Wednesday 25 May 2011

Wednesday Website of the Week!

Hello! Just a quick blog as I am shattered as I've been travelling seemingly all day (zzzzzz)
Just wanted to post my semi regular Wednesday Website of the Week  where I post a link to a website that has caught my eye. This week- a knitted skeleton by the artist Ben Cuevas. http://bencuevas.wordpress.com/2010/10/21/transcending-the-material/

It's so ace!

LH
x

Sunday 22 May 2011

Relegated!

My team Blackpool got relegated today, am sat here in my tangerine shirt sulking. Still we played well and did better than a lot of people said. *SULK*

Anyway, less of that (*sulk*) and onward to Handmade Monday. Yey! It feels like it has been forever since I have been able to take part, I looked at everyone's items last week while I was 'inside' but couldn't post on a lot of peoples blogs as phone internet was temperamental to say the least.At least I will be able to do that this week :) While I was in hospital I was finally able to have a play with the loom that I was given as a present a year or so ago, the following pics are my first attempts at loom work. I'm not really sure what to do with them now I've made them, they are too short for bracelets (I know I need to do *something* to be able to loom longer pieces) and I havent figured out how to put fasteners on yet anyway ( a job for google that I think!)  I hope you like the rainbow on the  heart pictures, we have some sun catchers hung up and the sun must have caught it just as I was taking the pictures.



Its great being home, I have to go back on Wednesday for the end of my treatment and I cannot wait to be able to have a proper bath :D My garden has grown so much while I have been away and I've just got in from taking a few pictures which I thought I would share.
My big pinky purple Clematis- the first time it has flowered.

Surfinia in my hanging basket

My one year old Aquiglia ( i think that is how it is spelt!)

Clematis with a munched leaf (on the left)

Carrots and Beetroot- am so tempted to dig around them to see how well they are
growing...must... resist!
Hope everyone is having a lovely crafty week.. I'm off to sulk!

LH
x

Friday 20 May 2011

Folksy Friday!

Hello! I'm back from my trip to hospital (thank you for the comments, they made me smile :) ) and have finally been able to post a Folksy Friday. When my friend came to see me we got around to talking about things we would like to do and I said it would be brilliant (and a bit scary!) to have a trip in a hot air balloon so, hopefully, we will be booking one next month!
Here is my balloon themed Folksy Friday.. just click on the links to be taken to the shops.
LH
x




JOYSofGLASS





Artisan Silver Jewellery & Keepsakes







Paulines Seasonal Handmade Traditional Decorations

Monday 16 May 2011

day 4

I've been in hospital 4 days now, not a long time at all. I'm getting into a sort of routine- wake at 6, toilet , sleep until 8, I.V's , physio , breakfast, nebs, physio , clean neb stuff, shower, dinner, I.V's ,nebs,physio, clean neb stuff, sleep, I.V's , tea... I could go on but it would be major league boring! I think keeping busy helps the day go faster .
Today my folks came for a visit. It's always great getting visitors, it helps keep the homesickness at bay but there is this moment when they leave and I watch the big main doors to the ward shut and lock behind them that makes my stomach twist, I feel so lonely. I've got friends , incredible friends that keep in touch by text and phone everyday and my best mate makes the trek to see me, its things like that, the effort someone puts in just to make me feel less lonely or bored, that means so much, and I realise how lucky I am.
Today has been really busy, more so than usual. I've had an xray, seen the dietician (that can't be how you spell it?) , did my lung function with my physio ( 1.05 /2- Woot!) and saw a doc who told me my blood test results were fine. It's ward round tmw and I'm hoping to be home by Friday :)
In other news- I've half made a beaded bookmark and I've been working on some new ideas. I would love to be taking part in handmade Monday but will be looking at the blogs I follow instead . I've tried to post comments on a few blogs but phone internet is being very picky!
Hope everyone is having a great Monday
X

Friday 13 May 2011

inside!

I am using my phone to post this blog all the way from pearce ward, wythenshawe so please forgive any spelling mistakes. I was looking forward to using my laptop now to ward has the internet but even tho it says I'm connected, it can't actually view any web pages, I m getting an error 101 message. Until someone tech savy comes to rescue me Im stuck using my phone. Still that's better than nothing :)
So I went to clinic Wednesday and as my lung function was poo ( 0.9 /1.5 for readers in the know) I and the doctors decided to start iv antibiotics. I was doing them myself at home but asked if a bed became available could I take it as I've been feeling a bit rough lately and feel I need a rest from doing all the treatment myself . Luckily one came free yesterday afternoon so thus morning I jumped in a train with my folks and (as my dad put it) bag full of everything including the kitchen sink. The hospital is 60 miles from where I live so I'm not expecting any visitors other than my folks who are ace, I'm so lucky to have them. I m not massively bored yet, I have a telly and my beads and phone internet but I miss my own home and own food and everything else homey. I'm always homesick when I'm here and tho the staff are ace and its comfortable, I feel lonely. Daft really as its only been 6 hours! Still it was my idea to come in and I know it will do me good. I hate being sensible sometimes !
I can't believe I can't take part in folksy Friday again ! I had my items picked out and everything ! I am going to have a look what others have picked. :)

LH
x

Sunday 8 May 2011

Folksy listings.

Now I have finally managed to work out how to post photo links to my folksy shop (well actually I was shown how to after *alot* of frustration!( see my last blog post))I thought I would use this Handmade Monday to show what I have listed up to now. Sorry for showing things I've already blogged about, I have a few more things made and ready to be listed but I'm aiming for 2-3 listings a week to keep things fresh and hopefully be viewed by more people than if I just list everything all at once. I'm not sure if this is the right thing or not, I guess time will tell :)
 I'm still so new to this, and just making it up as I go along! I'm really enjoying myself and, despite lack of sales, I am still optimistic. Its given me such a sense of purpose, instead of wallowing in bad daytime television I'm thinking up new designs and ideas, even when I'm too tired to get off the sofa because my chest is being rubbish I'm thinking of new products and ways to promote my shop. I love it and at last I feel I have found my *thing*  This is what I'm supposed to do. :) And that is enough soppy stuff!
Anyway, I hope everyone has a great week and a brilliant Handmade Monday.

Here are my listings, have a click to be taken to my folksy shop











Friday 6 May 2011

link to shops



Just trying trying to link to my website so next week I can take part in Folksy Friday.

* MASSIVE THANKS to http://www.folksy.com/users/ffflowers who managed to sort out my 'adding a link problem'  My laptop is now safe from being chucked out the window in frustration *

Wednesday 4 May 2011

Wednesday Website of the Week!

Hello! Its been ages since I have blogged, the weather has been so lovely that it has been a real drag to come in and sit in front of a computer.
 I have decided to start a weekly (or maybe semi weekly!) feature where I add a link to a website that has caught my eye. This week-Incredibly Creative Pencil Drawings v photography
I love how inventive these pictures are. Take a look :)

Hope everyone is having a good week.

LH
x