Christmas Wishes

 Hello friends...

I'm just popping in to wish you all a very blessed Christmas and to thank you for the lovely cards I've received.

As you may know our postal service have been taking strike action for months now and we were without  post for a long time but some arrived last week including lots from the US & Canada.

 I tried to send my cards but without collections the postboxes were all full so not all of them got through. We queued for over and hour at the post office but standing for that length of time was just too much.

Anyway, for those of you who did not get a card, I will be sending some out in the New Year but they will be hand painted ones but not of the Christmas variety. I've had fun painting when I can

 

and using watercolour card for once... Normally I struggle with it

Many were inspired by my new wallpaper in the dining area, blue and green of course.

Hubby painted the cupboard for me and I added the paper.

Please be safe, I know the weather conditions for lots of you are horrendous. 

Merry Christmas and a very Happy New Year!

~ Ros ~

Christmas cards

 Good morning friends...

Through the hustle and bustle of things going on I have found some joy in making Christmas cards. Something I can lose myself in...

 

In the past week alone both my cats have had to visit the vet... The cost is phenomenal and you all know how worrying it is, and we are not out of the woods yet.

 

As for me, I've struggled a lot with my spine and legs lately and need to have more scans but following my visit last week with the neuro consultant, he is also referring me to a hand specialist in the hope that maybe they can release some of the trapped nerves and give me some sense of feeling back and maybe a bit more dexterity. Writing, typing and texting is such a nightmare and I can't even pick up a needle never mind thread one. However, there are things I can still do, albeit not as perfectly as I would like so I'm sharing some of my not so perfect cards with you today. 

I love making these, they are just done with DI's and water with a little stamping. Easy for me to do and the blending doesn't have to be perfect

I wish you could see the sparkle ...

I haven't put all the sentiments on yet but I'll get around to it

You know how much I love to do snowmen cards so I drew my snowman, traced it so I could just make a bunch of cards and though they are all the same drawing, each snowman seemed to take on their own personality- These are just some of them

And I drew and painted some foliage ones

Finally for those of you who asked, a little peek at my new kitchen, which still hasn't been finished

Ok that's it for now... It's taken ages to type this

Thanks to all of you who have stuck by me, stay well and enjoy your day

~ Ros ~

Hello...

 Hello friends...

What can I say ? It's been the longest time since I've been able to revisit my blog or any of yours and there has been no crafting at all up until the past weekend when I finally got to reacquaint myself with my watercolours and just forget everything else...

 

These colours calm me and with all that life has thrown my way lately, I need a little calm

Since my last posting my husband had a stent fitted to unblock the artery in his heart  - He was fine initially but then suffered a few angina attacks. Thankfully he is doing better now and is on a weekly rehab program which focuses on trying to instill a fitness routine for him but quite frankly he hates exercise and is counting the weeks till the course finishes. Unfortunately he is struggling more and more with day to day things now especially remembering and dealing with well, anything really, so everything has fallen on my shoulders.

There has been so much upheaval, the driveway being relaid, the kitchen being remodelled, leaving me physically and mentally exhausted and at times overwhelmed. The kitchen still isn't quite finished (I'll share photos when it is) but it is looking good.. The decorator let us down and now won't be here until the end of the month. I've organised all the wallcoverings, paints and flooring and dealt with all the problems along the way as well as explaining things over and over again to DH. 

 

So hectic have things been that I confess I even had to visit the local card shop for birthday cards... I KNOW! How bad is that.. But I did get around to making a card this morning for my friend who celebtrates her birthday on Friday and I'm hoping that I'll be able to go visit her if only for an hour.

I'm sorry the photos aren't the best and I should explain that whilst the DP is really pretty, The branches and foliage were bare so I painted leaves, berries, tiny flowers and added another painted flower and leaf.

I've also started making a few simple Christmas cards. You know when you buy a pack of DP and there are always those odd sheets that you really don't care for? Well I am using the reverse (white) side to stamp and paint on. I hope my cards arrive this year, we've been plagued with strikes by Royal Mail for awhile now so who knows.

I wish you all a lovely day and even if I don't get around to visiting, know that I think of you all often, it's just that things change and some things are out of our control.

Till whenever

~ Ros ~

 

A long Absence

 Well hello there!

It's been quite a while, I'd like to say I've been lying on a sunkissed beach somewhere listening to the waves gently lapping on the shore but no such luck, though we certainly can't complain about the weather this summer. Even now at the beginning of Autumn we are enjoying sunny afternoons, perfect for our 4 o'clock afternoon tea.

I can't say I've done much in the way of papercrafting but I do have a few cards to share with you - all are sentiment free at the moment so if you have time I'll update you on the happening aound here whilst sharing my makes, my paintings with various bits of my scraps

 

Pre Covid we had plans for home improvements and repairs both inside and out but of course they had to be shelved. Then goods were in short supply but now after a long wait we are finally making a start.

One of the things that badly needs re-decorating is my craft room so I had to get to grips with  some serious sorting out. I don't need to tell you how much we papercrafters accumulate not to mention my sewing hobby and it's taken me forever!

Not least of all because my knee flared up so I couldn't walk. Nothing to do with my current problems but due to me having completely 'lost' the meniscus in my knee. Osteo-arthritis is in part to blame and my knee cap has moved out of alignment causing a great deal of pain. I've had x-rays and scan etc but there is nothing that can be done to rectify the problem.  Thankfully my GP has come up with medication that really helped and I can walk again though still with discomfort but I know a some of you suffer the same fate.

 So, my craft room now looks less like a warehouse, and in the next couple of months will be re-decorated along with a couple of other rooms and then a new kitchen is to be fitted which should take us up to Christmas. Did I mention how much I hate disruption? All I can say is thank goodness for online shopping! I have spent weeks sourcing things we need and I've still a way to go. 

Actually I'm going along with things for my husbands sake, something for him to look forward to. He has been struggling both with his heart problem and age related problems which can't be helped but puts a lot on my shoulders. We have an appointment in a few weeks at the heart hospital which hopefully at least will make him feel better.

Of course it's not just us old folk who have problems, my friend was hospitalized for a few weeks with severe asthma - It was touch and go for a while but she doing well now and my nephew is in hospital having been rushed in last week with a tear in his intestines. Such is life...

Then we lost our beautiful Queen Elizabeth...

Perhaps not unexpected but nevertheless heartbreaking. We have shed some tears and for a while we faltered. But it's not all bad... 

We still have each other, good friends and family and in case you didn't know it I'm made of stern stuff. I still meet my GF's and keep up with exercise classes when I can and despite having little sensation in my hands I continue to do the things I love, and I have you...

I'm sorry I can't reply to those of you who have messaged me when you have "Noreply" blogs but know that I am truly grateful for your emails.

Well that's it for now friends

Be safe, take care and big hugs to you all

~ Ros ~

 

 

Still Here

 Hello there friends...

How are you? I know my UK friends have been sweltering in a heatwave whilst many overseas have been subjected to storms.

I can't stand the heat we've been having, it's unbearable, trying to muster any energy or sleep is nigh impossible. Thankfully today the weather has turned and I've never been so grateful to see rain clouds gathering.

 

I do have a few things to share with you now the cat has vacated my chair and I can get to the computer....

First up is a little guy who too has been finding the heat exhausting

 

 ...His library book discarded as he snoozes

And then there is a whimsical painting I did

 

Sometimes the mood takes me but I'm a little more clumsy with my hands

 

The gardens have suffered in this heat but I did photograph some surviving flowers - It's only when you get up close and personal that their real beauty is evident, like this tiny poppy that looks like crumpled paper

The delicacy of wild flowers is so beautiful

 

 even the humble buddleia

Then there is the splendour of the rose

As for other news, well, I should have seen my eye doctor a few weeks ago but having not heard anything I rang the hospital and it transpired that one of the nurses had inadvertantly cancelled my appointments and marked my file as discharged. what can I say? Having realised their error the next appointment they could give me is for the end of September. 

And my neuro consultation? Well once again the appointment didn't come through so I rang that hospital and it seems my consultant has been absent for a month having contracted Covid. The next available appointment is now the end of November. It kinda would have been nice to have been advised though. So my mantra thse days is Que sera sera.

I won't bore you with more, I'm sure we all have our problems to deal with.

On a final note I recently became hooked on a Netflix series called Dark... A German production (with subtitles) and utterly mind blowing. We've watched many film series only to discover that there is no conclusion or end and it is so frustrating but this one wrapped it all up in the end. I appreciate it isn't everyone's cup of tea and very confusing at times but well done to whoever made this series especially the casting.

Be safe my friends and thank you for sticking with me.

~ Ros ~

Getting Old is For The Birds

 Well good morning friends, I hope you are well

 

I've been up with the lark, which is becoming the norm for me and I managed to visit your blogs too. Excuse any spelling or grammar errors I made -  typing is weird when your fingers have little sensation.

Referring to my last post, my friend Diane commented that getting old is for the birds and it gave me an idea so I grabbed my pen and paints and made a couple of cards...

I haven't had to resort to a walking stick just yet but glasses? I have 3 pairs and the onset of cataracts so I know what it's like for this little guy trying out his glasses.

A funny thing... I have to use eye drops in my left eye every day and DH said these particular ones cause hair to grow. Of course I thought he was joking but honestly the eyelashes on my right eye are normal but my left eye looks like I have a false eyelash on... It's ridiculous. Yes I've considered trying it on both eyes but I'm scared that I won't then have enough to last the month which is the shelf life and when my prescription is repeated so I guess I'm just going to have to get used to it.

 

This next one I'm entering at CAS Mix Up

 

This guy reminds me of my DH but don't tell him.

 Not that he goes to the library but he reads everything, labels and contents on packets, you name it... Getting around a supermarket takes forever with him. But I think it's the strands of hair and the specs that more remind me of him Lol!

I was actually chuckling to myself as I drew these, assembling them took twice as long.

I hope they made you smile too...

Enjoy your day... It's cool and dull here whereas the rest of the country is sweltering but hey I'm not complaining, I don't like the heat.

Till next time

~ Ros ~

Just an Update

 Hello there friends... 

I hope you are well and enjoying a better summer than we Brits are.

I'm sorry that I don't have anything crafty to share with you but you have been wondering where I am and what's happening so I thought I'd pop in with an update.It's been a full on time with hospital appointments for weeks, both for my eyes and my spine problems and hubby has also had his fare share too.

I did get my Iridotomy on both eyes and earlier than expected as the pressure shot up again. So there have been regular visits to the eye hospital. It didn't go as smoothly as we hoped but I'm doing okay now and I have a few weeks reprieve before I go back there. 

The day after my iridotomy I had an appointment at different hospital to see my spine consultant which resulted in him referring me to another consultant who is a top specialist in cervical spine problems and I got to see him within a couple of days.

Since then I've been tested for this and that, prodded and poked, had electric impulses fired through my arms and hands... You name it! I'm regularly visiting 3 different hospitals and to be honest, it exhausting. 

The next step will be a consultation with a team from the Neuro centre to see whether or not they will operate and whether I'm prepared to have the operation. I knew the risks when I had my lower spine surgery but had no hesitation as I had no quality of life at the time, but with this operation the stakes are high. Because the stenosis has affected all my neck discs, they aren't confident that removing one won't destabilize all of them and the eye problem increases the risk of blindness not to mention complete paralysis. 

It's been and still is an anxious period. I honestly don't know what route to take and no one can say how quick the progression of this disease will be....sigh.

 

I've had no inclination to pull out my paints though I have perservered with sewing to the best of my ability. I even considered closing my blog... I'm just so indecisive right now - But I am staying positive and hoping this mist in my head will clear and I will be guided in the right direction.

I know you are all pulling for me and I really appreciate every prayer, thought and message not to mention the cards I've received. Thank you...

Stay well and safe my friends

~ Ros ~

 

Pen & Paint & Prayers

 Hello there, I hope this finds you well

It's a wet and miserable Sunday here, thankfully we had a decent day yesterday when most of the Jubilee celebration parties were planned. We stayed home and I did some painting.

My version of dragonflies and though you can't see it they have a coating of shimmer on their wings

A little bird who is happy to see summer arriving... 

 

And my last card I'd scrapped as the stamping is a bit off but I added some painted flowers so now it doesn't look too bad

Thanks so much for your prayers - Not only do I have my consultant appointment for my cervical spine next week, but the clinic was moved to another hospital so I managed to get an appointment with the consultant who diagnosed my neck problems and also operated on my spine. Knowing I will have someone who I know and trust means the world to me. 

I also have 2 visits to the eye hospital next week including the laser treatment so it's going to be a busy one...

Thank you all again... Have a good week

~ Ros ~

 

Windchimes... Yes or No?

 Hello friends, it's been a while

Do you like windchimes? do you have windchimes? I love them and have a few but my nextdoor neighbour who is of Chinese descent, tells me in her culture they are bad luck and that my problems are all down to my windchimes...Hmmm

 

I have a few cards to share and then I'll update you.

One of my drawn and painted leaves with more left over pieces

Sometimes I stamp things, paint them and then cut out just part of the image.. The grey/silver leaves above are from a large stamped image

This was one of a few mushrooms I painted, covered in glossy stuff and fussy cut it. The background is random watercolour and I added a stamped embossed image then finished it with a border of washi tape.

This one is again random watercolour, the black embossed partial stamp is the one I previously painted, and used some of the leaves in my first card and the flower here.

So those windchimes...

Well I had a little emergency, this time with my eyes, hence my absence.  

Following an urgent referral (that took 3 months) I saw a consultant a couple of weeks ago by which time the pressure in my eyes had become so high that they had to give me medication there and then. Seems I have Acute Angle Glaucoma and I could have lost my sight (permanently) at any moment. 

I was given a high dose of medication for the next 2 days and had to return to the hospital on the 3rd day. The side effects of the medication were not pleasant but thankfully the pressure went right down. I'm still on meds but feeling much better on the lower dose and I return to the hospital next week for a check up. All being well, I have another appointment in June to laser both my eyes and hopefully prevent the same thing happening again. 

 

I have been really lucky...The thought of losing my sight was so scary, heck I've already lost sensation in both hands, and my neighbour blames it all on the windchimes. Whatever... Someone somewhere must be looking over me so I may be crazy but the windchimes are staying....for now at least Lol!

I hope you are all doing well, thanks for stopping by

~ Ros ~

Blue & Blue...

Hello friends... I hope this finds you well

Just a short post, I wanted to say "hi" and to thank you for the lovely cards I've received this week. You are best! It really makes my day when I see a card in the mailbox. 

Talking of which, I have 2 cards to share myself, made up from bits again

 

One of my painted flowers and leaves cut from some random watercolouring

 And another in shades of blue...

It's a good thing I keep all those bits...

 

 I don't have any news for you - I still haven't had an appointment through to see a consultant but it's a lovely day here, the sun is shining so it's a matter of keep taking the tablets and carry on.

Have a beautiful day, big hugs

~ Ros ~

Just a quick edit... I have been trying to leave comments but it seems some are just not getting through... Takes me ages to type as well, sigh.. If you know how or what, please let me know 'cos I'm not ignoring you...

A Few more...

 Hello friends... Hope you are doing well

I'm keeping busy, and have a few more cards to share

A while ago I bought some wrapping paper for a friend's birthday gift... I just loved the marble effect and kept a piece back to use up hence thes cards

The flowers are my own painted ones on both cards

 

This one is the negative leftover from cutting those leaves (couldn't bear to waste it)

I haven't added sentiments yet, I'll wait until they are needed

Short and sweet today... Stay well

 

~ Ros ~