Hospital again !!!

I've been to the hospital this morning AGAIN !!! and they're happy with the progress of my hand BUT said it will be 6 months at least before I get the full feeling back and a further six months before I get the full use of the hand back!!!!!! but at least we don't have to go back anymore unless I'm worried.

Had a good day scrapping with Dawn yesterday and did this layout fof Ben. Vikki takes him every December into town for his Christmas photo. I've kept the layout very simple as I wanted the main focus to be the lovely photo. I've used Basic Grey scraps and I promise you it is all straight must have taken the photo wonky honest.



Anyone who knows me will tell you I hate working in a mess and yet twice in the last week my desk has ended up looking like this.



Disgraceful I know but I needed to make a Granny card for Dawn and new baby card for her daughter and partner and then decided to make a batch of cards up out of scraps and so it just got messier and messier.







Just a few of the cards I made from scraps.
Check out Carol's blog make a tag and you might win some gorgeous tamps.

It's a boy thing

Since Dawn started scrapping I normally only scrap with her on a Thursday and at crop BUT yesterday I had this idea for a layout for the Scrummy Stash Cafe challenge IT's A BOY THING and just had to do it straight away LOL.



close up



The photo is of Ben on his 3rd birthday last month, I think he got a tad fed up with us all taking photo's so picked up his camera and started taking photo's of us. I've used Scenic Route paper and chipboard, the title is a combination of American thickers, Jenni Bowlins letters and some I made myself. The candles were cut from the paper and given a gloss finish and the balloons were cut freehand.

So onto to baby news, I've passed on all the messages of congratulations to Granny Dawn and yes she will bring photo's to crop. Mother and son are doing very well and finally came home from hospital last night after little Jude had to spend 48 hours on the lamp as he had become jaundiced. Dawn has informed me she will take a break from Granny duties on Thursday to scrap...

What a week

It's been a funny old week, Eric spent Tuesday getting Vikki's car ready for the MOT and boy was it cold outside but on Thursday it passed with just a new tyre needed.

Wednesday poor Sandy woo had to have a tooth out, we have been battling a gum infection since November and had really thought it was working but last weekend her mouth swelled up yet again and this time the tooth just had to come out, she actually ended up having another 3 teeth out, poor Sandy woo doesn't have many teeth left now, she was quite discomforted when she finally came home and really out of sorts on Thursday but seems much now now.

Thursday was my usual scrap day with Dawn, so after a cuppa and a bit of yapping we settled down to scrap, only to be interrupted with a phone call fro her daughter's partner Pete. Pete said they were on the way to hospital as Tanya was in labour, well Dawn took a lot of convincing as the baby wasn't due until the 17th Feb but a short time later she received a text complete with a photo and is now the very very proud firt time Gran to little Jude weighing in at 5lbs 8ozs and 3 weeks and 5 days early. So not a lot of scrapping actually got done as we were far to busy shouting and screaming and celebrating.

After I'd packed Dawn off to the hospital to meet her Grandson, I eventually finished this layout of Dawn and me at my birthday meal



I've used Basic Grey Ambrosia papers and cut some of the butterflies out for embellishments and then embossed them with UTEE. I'm quite pleased with it, especially as I've actually managed to leave some white space for a change.

Saturday Dawn and I went to town for a wander round. I bought a igloo bed for Gangley in the hope she could be persuaded to sleep in it at night time but NO she slept on the bed again last night, so will have to come up with some subterfuge to get her in it LOL. I also bought a gorgeous little outfit for Jude, we were all sure Tanya was having a girl so it's took some time getting used to blue and not pink...he is absolutely gorgeous and Dawn is totally smitten and BROKE!

Award

So Carol from Krafty Pieces has sent me this award



In order to get this award you need to:

1). Post a link of the person who gave you this award.
2). Nominate 5 other people and give a link to their sites
3). Let your nominators know that they got an award from you.
4). Put a logo of the award on the blog.


So here goes

1. Jane is my team leader over on UKS, I first (met) Jane when we were on the Design Collective forum and have come to really value her friendship. Jane is all that is good, decent and kind about a person.

2, Sharon again met through the Design Collective forum. Sharon has talent running through her veins and I adore the things she makes.

3.Goes to Janina, apart from being very good at this scrapping stuff she gave into continued pressure after hosting a brilliant NSD and now runs a monthly crop for us. Now if she could just figure out how to loads pictures onto her blog we could all see her creations LOL..

4. Okay I'm going global now with Nikki. Nikki one of my team members on UKS and is an UK girl now living in Canada. Nikki's blog is lovely and keeps all her UK based family upto date on her life and the antics of the Bobster.

5. Now I'm going to be brave and nominate this lady Leah Killian, I'VE NEVER MET HER BUT FOLLOW HER BLOG DAILY AND FIND MYSELF PRAYING THAT HER BABY WILL STAY SAFELY TUCKED AWAY, THAT SHE'LL COPE WITH HER HUSBAND AWAY ON DUTY AND MANAGE THE MOVE AT 6 MONTHS PREGNANT. apart FROM THAT HER WORK IS TOTALLY AMAZING. i LOVE HER STYLE!!! Just hope he doesn't mind a complete stranger sending her this LOL. Go see her blog it's
amazing.

So I think I did all of the above.

Just have to show you this photo of Alfie Bear and Gangley. Yes they look like little angels don't they BUT don't be fooled they are monsters LOL I took the photo when after hours of playing with each other they finally took a time out and the rest of us got some peace and quiet.



The weather here is foul and for the first time ever the hounds didn't get their early morning walk as the rain was torrential, so now of course they are bouncing off the walls and the house looks like a kindergarten with toys everywhere LOL.

Having not bought much in the way of stash for ages I've gone a little overboard today and ordered 3 packs of basic grey as it's all reduced on docrafts with matching buttons of course and some twinkling H20's. I figure the H20's will save me money in the long run as I can cut out lots of things on the cricut and paint them to just the right colour. Sounds good in theory doesn't it.

toot toot

I forgot to say earlier this week I had an email from Scrapbook Inspirations mag asking if I'd be interested in taking part in the sketch collection feature. I had a think because I'm not good at sketches but decided it would be good to do so awaiting further details LOL..

Had a great day at crop yesterday and managed to do this layout of me with Eric, Marc, Vikki and Ben celebrating my birthday with a surprise meal at the Limes.



I've used papers from Basic Grey "Ambrosia" with American Thickers for the title and Scenic Route chipboard and journal thingy, buttons and ribbons/lace are from stash.



I'm pleased to report the dogs have been really good this week and Ranger finally seems to have turned a corner and is so much more relaxed indoors and out on his walks. Alfie Bear and Gangley spend all day playing with each other and destroying the house but poor Sandy woo has to have her tooth out Wednesday. She has been on antibiotics for at least 8 weeks trying to hold the infection at bay but it's flared up badly over the last few days so we have to concede defeat. We both hate them having the anesthetic especially as she is now 10 and a bit so fingers crossed.

I've received a blogging award from my friend CAROL who does the most amazing altered art so I need to have a think on who to pass it onto. Do I actually know 5 people LOL..

Hooray !!!!

Woke up this morning and actually felt better, first time in 5 weeks I can say that I feel OKAY !!!! So to celebrate this remarkable feeling I've baked some bread made cauliflower cheese for tea and re arranged some dust. Thought I'd better make the most of it just in case LOL.

Hand is still bothersome but showing signs of a little feeling slowly coming back.

I had a lovely relaxing day yesterday scrapping with Dawn. Dogs were extremely good and I actually felt myself relaxing.

Did this layout of me Ben and Vikki sharing a funny moment at the Boxing Day bash at my parents house.



close up



So now I'm going to look at photo's and spend some time getting ready for Otley crop tomorrow.

Hospital AGAIN !

Yesterday saw us back at the hospital but this time it was my 4/6 month post op knee review. We were lucky and hit the x ray department just right and didn't have to wait hours, then on to see the surgeon Miss Marx who was as pleased as me with the way the op and following months has gone. So after a few minutes chatting and showing her the movement I have she decided that I needn't go back anymore hooray !!!!

Well not for the knee anyway. I originally had an appointment to see Miss marx as my big toe needs to be fussed but as my knee collapsed just prior to that appointment we abandoned the toe op and went for the urgent knee replacement, so now it's back to plan A and the op is booked for May! day surgery but followed by 6 weeks of being in plaster. I'm beginning to feel I'll never be free of hospitals and operations again.

The wretched hand is showing tiny signs of improvement, the pills definitely take the edge of the pain and today I not only managed to hold the hairbrush but also peeled some spuds LOL.

Scrapping is still proving difficult although i have done a layout but not happy with it at all. That's what you get for going to crop unprepared. For some reason I always do layouts that I end up disliking at crop, maybe I spend to much time yapping and then think OMG I'd better stick something down...

Anyway I wanted to record Eric had to do all the baking at Christmas this year as I'd had the hand op just a few days before so here it is...



Hoping to produce something better tomorrow when I scrap with Dawn.

I scrapped

Finally after what seems forever I've managed to do a layout. Started it Wednesday and finished it off Thursday when Dawn came over to resume our normal Thursday scrap days. Think I may have driven her nuts keep asking, can you hold this, can you open this LOL.

I scrap lifted it from Jane my team leader on UKS. Jane used a kit from a Sarah Davies here. My papers were from a kit from Papermaze December crop and a few scraps thrown in. I had made a Christmas card for Eric using 3 small trees grouped together and half had the idea already and it fitted the photo of taking Ben to see the Christmas lights being switched on perfectly.



I have my first published layout in Scrapbook Inspirations this month, chuffed am I. I made this layout to record Mum and Dad enjoying the first dance at their 50th wedding anniversary party to their tune of Unchained Melody.




Going to Bramford crop tomorrow, nothing prepared YET but it will be great to actually go out, tablets are taking the edge off the pain but leave me feeling spaced out LOL so guess I won't get much done other than chatting. I haven't managed to make my usual contribution of malteser tray bake but think maybe this is a good thing as most of us will be on diets LOL..

So cold

I anyone as fed up as me with this ongoing cold snap! We still have snow laying from Monday.

Jim ended up at the vets last night as his bites have become infected but he looks much happier this morning with some antibiotics and painkilling jabs...

A few more Christmas presents I made, to share with you. All done on canvass. I got the idea from Wendy who is on the design team for Papermaze, mine are much more basic than hers lol..

The very beautiful Miss Flo O'Sausage



Milo Herbie and Skye



and the very handsome Cooper



A few other projects I made were wrapped and sent off without photographing first d'oh

Going to attempt to scrap with Dawn tomorrow, no idea if I will be able to as my hand is completley numb so had better prep something very basic LOL...

Back to normailty

So I guess today is the day most people have gone back to work and the children back to school, Christmas is officially done and dusted for another year.

Ben has started nursery today and will be going 5 mornings a week and will be wearing proper pants as Vikki made a real effort over Christmas to get the little chap out of nappies. Ben wasn't very keen but seems to have got the hang of it now thanks to Vikki's patience and lots of stickers lol.... .

Jim and Ranger had a major bust up yesterday, one minute they were playing nicely and the next blood and fur were flying. They were in the garden being closely supervised by Eric and i was watching out of the window and yet neither of us saw what sparked it off. Jim has a torn ear and Ranger has grazes all down his leg where Eric yet again had to do a flying rugby tackle... and poor Eric has a nasty bump to his head where he hit the concrete to go with his poorly hand that got bitten by Ranger a few days before Christmas when he was trying to stop another scuffle. Ranger is a sweetheart most of the time but does seem to have a knack for being in the middle of trouble. he looks so sorry afterwards..

I'm still feeling rotten with my hand but trying to ignore it and do a few bits around the house. Need to sort some bits out for crop Saturday, not sure how I'll do but i can sit and chatter if nothing else.

So I can finally share some of the Christmas presents I made.

These are acrylic frames which I bought from Ang at Bramford crop after seeing one she made and added my own touches to.

Vikki and Ben






And this one was for a friend of her dog Dylan



also done several canvas's which I show next time.

Update on hand

short update on ongoing misery ...

went to hospital yesterday. surgeon very pleased with op and said the nerve was very badly damaged and the pain i have now is as a result of the damage and not still being trapped. Apparently it can take months to repair.....so guess i just have to get used to the numbness and pain which i might add is bloody awful and gets worse when the hand is cold so i walk round even indoors with a mit on lol...

so no magic wand....