What a day!

So Saturday I went off to crop and had a really lovely time, unaware of what was happening back home because where I go there is no mobile reception.

Eric had taken all the dogs out for a walk and Alfie running full pelt smashed into little Gangley (she was on his blind side). Poor little thing was thrown through the air and crashed down very heavily. Eric rushed over to her as she was screaming, blood pouring out of nose, mouth and ears. Rushed to vets and they said they didn't think anything was broken but she could be concussed! This morning she is still leaking watery blood from her nose and we found a piece of bone embedded into Alfie's knee. She's had anti inflammatory jabs and anti biotic jabs, just hope she doesn't need to go back to vets, she has a really nasty graze on her face as well.

Lucky having had a couple of good days is looking quite poorly today with her joints hot and inflamed again. Chemo is booked for Friday so need to try and stabilise her.

Little Ben came to stay last night, he helped his Grandad do the tea and walk the dogs. He went to bed at 8.45 and didn't hear a peep out of him until we woke up. Now he's older and doesn't need help dressing etc it was fun having him here rather than tiring.

So I did two layouts at crop and really enjoyed not being on poopie watch LOL.

First up is of the boys helping me unwrap my birthday presents, not really happy with this one and not sure why! Second is of Ben with his other Grandparents having fun in the snow we had. This is a hybrid LO, which means a lot of it is digi with the flowers printed out and decoupaged onto it. This one I like LOL.

Friday

Best day of the week is Friday because I get to chill out and scrap with Dawn!

Cane wasn't very well in the night and spent the morning doing this

but by lunchtime he felt better and had a mad half an hour doing this

whilst I tried doing this LOL.

Lucky has been back to the vets today and Tom is really pleased to see her looking so much better. Tomorrow we will start decreasing the steroids and keep paws crossed. Before Lucky had her leg amputated she weighed 37kg and was quite stocky for a greyhound, last week she weighed 31kg and today 28kg! we have never seen her look so thin and can only hope the higher dose of steroids kick starts her appetite!

Off for a wander around the town tomorrow morning, then in the evening we have friends coming over for a meal. Hope the little man behaves himself

Round up!

So Cane has been here 1 week today!

He's learning the ropes and doing quite well, still need eyes in the back of your head but there is a problem developing. When Eric leaves the house Cane cries, started off just a few wimpers but has escalated each day and this morning was a full blown hissy fit! I suspect he sees Eric as head of the pack and as such is his security. He hasn't cried when I've popped outside to do hens etc but I am goinng out this morning and wonder if it will provoke a reaction. Other than that the pack seem to be getting used to him and make allowances for him being so young. He sure has livened things up around here.

Lucky is now off all her medcation and is coping really well, she seems just like the Lucky of old, of course we are still worried sick as we know Sandy only lived for 7 weeks after her amputation from th bone cancer but hope Lucky will do a Jim and have a couple of years.

So despite the wee man being full of beans I did manage to do the class kit from Bramford crop designed by janina, I have made some changes and under the photo there is a lot of journaling. Despite it being a less than flattering photo of me I wanted to use it and record how grateful I was to be celebrating Christmas with my family and not in hospital like the previous year. 2011 was a very difficult year for us both with lots of health problems and losing Ruby and Jim, hence the need to record it all. When I first started scrapbooking I was very into telling the story about the photo, then got caught up in making pretty pages with the latst papers and lost sight of the importance of the journaling, so this year I intend to re focus on it. The funny thing is when I look back at old layouts, I'm not seeing if the page is pretty and laid out well, it's the journaling I'm interested in. So back to basics!

The paper used for the layout is Kaisercraft, Faith and Festive range.

Looking forward to a mooch round town this morning and leaving Eric on poopie watch LOL.

A lovely normal Friday

At long last a normal Friday with Dawn and I getting together to scrap and chat. Boy did it feel good after all the stress and worriesover these last few weeks, just to take a few hours playing.

Finished this gorgeous page, a kit from Bramford crop by Janina using papers from the Prima Printery collection. Loads of cutting out so it's taken me quite a few sessions to do it as hand still isn't good at manual dexterity LOL. The photo is of my Dad, aged about 19 years when he and Mum first met.

and even better still have Bramford crop tomorrow so another day to play!

Lucky had her staples out yesterday and her chemo will start as soon as it arrives next week. lots of information to absorb as we have to be very carefully for a few days after each session with her urine and not eating or drinking from the other dogs bowls and her white blood cell count will need to be carefully monitored. Feel quite anxious about it as we've not travelled this route before.

Now all the Christmas presents have been opened I'll try and put some of the stuff I made on blog next week.

Still plugging away at my JYC album, will finish it for sure just not on time LOL.

New additions

Yesterday we had 2 new arrivals!!!!

No not dogs before you all start yelling at me LOL.

Rescue battery hens. Our son was going to collect 4 for himself and talked us into having another 2 and then he got talked into taking 5 for himself LOL. As always they are very scrawny but with some TLC should perk up quickly.

Haven't chosen names yet so hen 1

hen 2

and a few of our others with one of the new ones so you can see the difference and  see what they should look like.

had to share this photo with you, Eric had cooked some meat for the dogs and had their full attention, Jim was sitting in the hall waiting for room service!

Off to the vets later to see if any other medication might help Jim as he is struggling again.

Had a lovely time at Papermaze crop on Saturday, it was so good to see Vanessa and Lesley and be able to give them a hug after the awful time they've had with the fire. Managed to finish this LO at last! designed by Janina for Bramford crop using papers from Bo Bunny. There is some hidden journelling behind the photo that tells how stupid me hadn't tried my dress on and my the time I did it was too late to have it taken in, so on this photo my cousin Sandra (it was her son's wedding to Jenni) grabbed the back of my dress and pulled it in so it at least looked like it fitted one one photo!

Decided to decoupage some of the bits of this digi LO so it's now a hybrid, which I think is where my heart probably lies these days.

One week on

So already a week has gone by since our darling Ruby past away. So many kind messages, cards and flowers have been received and a special poem in memory of Ruby from Harvey our Grandson.

Slowly life begins to settle down and the pack are beginning to go back to normal.

I started this layout at papermaze crop but couldn't concentrate as I was worrying about Ruby and obviously brewing the bronchitis. Decide to finish it yesterday and pack away my crafting things. Layout was designed by Lesley using Echo Park pp's Victorian garden.

Been meaning to scrap this photo of Ben for months, another super class kit from Papermaze using papers from Jillibean soup. Ben played the part of the Inn Keeper in his first school Nativity play and after much coaching at home was word perfect for the performance!

Such sad news about the fire at papermaze, my heart goes out to Vanessa and her family and I hope they can get started again soon. All those lovely layouts that decorated the walls all gone, totally devastating! thank goodness no one was hurt!

Well so much for thinking I was well ahead of the game and organised, my list of things I need to do before losing the use of my hand again seems endless.


Dr says my chest is much better, so paws crossed for Friday. I shall be really fed up if it's cancelled and can only hope for the best.

 Beautifully designed kit by Vanessa of Papermaze using papers from Authentique Blissful, bit of a challenge for the rubbish hands so made a few changes. Photo's of Vikki, Mathew and Ben at my Cousins son's wedding.

Another kit from papermaze this time by Lou Collins, didn't have the right punch so had to improvise and shan't be doing that much punching again as actually bruised by hands, photo of Mathew and Ben on holiday last month.

Had a nice day at Bramford crop but spent most of the time worrying about Ruby who isn't to good. Jim is more comfortable pain wise but suffering from the high temperatures we are having. It's supposed to be cooler tomorrow, paws crossed!

Thank goodness for Friday's!

Well all in all it's been a very stressful week! My daughter Vikki had an operation on Monday, so of course I was in full Mummy worry mode but it all went well and she's slowly feeling a bit better each day, Marc's knee goes from bad to worse and it seems he may now need an operation and on top of that Jim is in big trouble, remaining back leg is getting weaker and now he's having a problem with front leg/shoulder and is struggling to get around which is so stressful. Ruby remains stable thank goodness.

So with all that going on I've been a bit stressed out and flat all week and really needed my Friday play day with Dawn!

Finished this one off, photo taken at Mum's 70th birthday BBQ, always seems wrong a family photo minus my brother Bob who now lives in USA.

and .....started and finished this one of our friends Shellie and Kit who came to visit in June.

Rubbish photo's as per usual but really struggling to hold the camera with poorly hands.

Going for a wander around town tomorrow with Dawn and may have to have some retail therapy LOL.

Scrapping

Had a lovely much needed scrap day with Dawn Friday, followed by Papermaze crop Saturday, doesn't get much better than that does it LOL.

Made a DLO of grandsons enjoying the summer holiday, all papers were left over scraps so no idea what makes they were LOL.

Left

Right

Together

Ruby remains fairly stable but poor old Jim seems to have hurt his shoulder so he's trying to avoid putting any weight through it with the result he balancing on front and back lack on one side, not good for a tripod!

Feeling a tad worried as DD is going into hospital tomorrow for an operation and of course being a Mum we worry don't we. Shall have to keep busy all day!

Busy Bee

Still no date for op! may have to bite the bullet and ring hospital this week and one pin is getting close to breaking through the skin but I'm pleased I've held out this long as the wrist has become much stronger the last few weeks.

Made two more Christmas presents, first is a 20 x 16 inch clip frame for son all about the walk with the Suffolk Police press officers write up in the middle. Rubbish photo because it has a protective film over it.

Second is a canvass for my dear friend Shellie, photo from their last visit in June, and woohoo they're coming again this weekend.

Then two layouts from Bramford crop, first is of Mum aged sixteen, love this photo and the kit was perfect for it.

Then a rare photo of me and Eric at Mum's 70th birthday BBQ, such a simple layout but I love it.

Alfie Bear has conjunctivitis in his blind eye and has been really out of sorts for the bear, Jim has good and bad days with his one remaining back leg, seems to be the knee not locking out. So of course his Daddy takes him for a ride around the village when he's not up to walking, my hounds are not SPOILT ARE THEY lol
Ruby had a miserable day Friday with the heat and humidity but now it's cooler she back to being full of beans, other than her rapid breathing and being a tad skinny she looks so well,  it's hard to think just how ill she is.

So on to the next Christmas project LOL....

Bramford crop

Had a super day Saturday at Bramford crop and did this kit from last month's Papermaze kit designed by Janina who also runs Bramford crop. Thought I was going to struggle with all the pleating but once Dawn suggested I do it from the back it got easier LOL. There is supposed to be 2 beautiful flowers on it but I've decided they would be to bulky to go in an album so have kept them back to use on a canvass I'm doing with the leftover papers. Photo is of Mum, Dad, my brother and his wife and daughter when Mum and Dad visited them last month in Colorado.

Pleased to say Jim is back to his normal cheeky self!

Ruby finishes abs's today and goes back to vets tomorrow, I'm thinking she may (paws crossed) be a little better, we're now feeding her extra meals to try and put some weight back on her and despite still coughing I haven't heard the wheeze for 2 days.

Busy week ahead, several projects I need to knuckle down and do and hospital Friday. The plan is to x ray wrist and see if it's fused enough to plan the next op! not sure if I'm ready to start going through that again just yet!

Scrap day!

Thank goodness it's Friday and scrap day! really needed to sit down and chill out.

First one I started last week and never got round to finishing it was based on a previous kit designed by Vanessa from Papermaze. I always do a yearly album and felt my 2011 album needed the first page to be of Christmas! those of you who know me will remember I spent Christmas in hospital and we finally celebrated Christmas on the 3rd January 2011 LOL.

Second one is hybrid, I enlarged the photo of Ben and then faded the transparency added my journalling and printed it off, then added the two colour photo's and a circle of brads, it was going to be stitching but chickened out as wrist has been a tad sore this week.

Bramford crop tomorrow woohoo and I have a kit so don't need to prep anything.

Jim is back to himself after his funny turn at the weekend but Ruby doesn't seem too good at all, even by her standards she is very quiet but is eating and going for walks as usual. We're doing our best to try and fatten her up but it's not working and she looks like a bag of bones! She'll be going back to vets next weeks when her anti biotics are finished!

Pleased to report apart from a stinking cold cold Marc is fully recovered from his adventures!

Super weekend

Dawn and I had a lovely weekend away, weather was iffy but didn't really bother us as we were scrapping LOL. Managed 6 layouts and Dawn a whooping 8.

First up a gorgeous kit from Vanessa at papermaze using papers from My little shoe box.

 This from Bramford crop designed by Janina using papers from Kaisercraft

 This is  made up from leftover scraps, saw something similar whilst blog hopping and just sort threw it together, A few well placed embellishments hides all the joins in the papers LOl

 this is my favourite another one from Vanessa using papers Pink Paisley

 Love the simplicity of this one from Janina Basic grey papers

and this last one also from Janina at Bramford crop, some of which I did digi at home because no way I can sew at the moment LOl.

Hounds all well and happy to see their Mum back home!

Friday scrapping

Another week rolls by, where does the time go. had a lovely chilled outday scrapping with Dawn.

Another hybrid layout of the boys having fun with a treasure hunt on Eric's birthday. Digi kit from Scrap the day - Happiness.Have since taking photo added a few butterflies so it balances out with the golf page from last week.

When I do a hybrid page I design the basic page then print off the photo's and elements I then want to layer up much as you would in a normal LO. So much easier than hunting around for papers etc and so much easier when you are slightly hindered with a poorly hand LOl...

Off to Otley crop tomorrow.

Lucky is now 6 days without cushing meds and is much happier, eating better but her stiffness and swollen paws remain as bad! at least we feel like Lucky is back with us and I'm keeping a diary of how she is day by day, hoping it will throw up some clues as to what the heck is going on with her.

Tonight is the big quiz night to kick start the fund raising for the charity coast to coast walk, so fingers crossed we get off to a good start.

Normal Friday service resumed!

For the first time in ages Dawn and I managed to have what was our usual scrapping day. What with me in hospital and then Eric and then bank holidays it just hasn't happened in ages.

My layout is a hybrid one using a digi kit called "happiness" from Scrap the day, I saw a LO on UKS and loved it so although that was totally digi I sort of scraplifted it but made it different IYKWIM LOL..

Photo's are Ben and Harvey taken a  Eric's birthday bash.

So Lucky's results finally came back after we chased them, they had been sent to the wrong surgery, still same company,  I am really angry, sick dog waiting on results poor show! Tests, were normal, so both us and the vets are at a complete loss as to what is going on! One possible side effect from the cushings drugs is swollen joints which she has but on the other hand as Cushings has never been confirmed (tests are always inconclusive) it could be her steroid levels has been reduced so low that an underlying problem of arthritis has surfaced. So round and round we go, still no nearer to finding out what is wrong with poor old ducks! We have decided to stop the cushing drugs for a week and keep a daily diary to see what happens, she has no appetite, is stiff and sore and continuing fur loss. HEARTBREAKING.

Normal service

At last a normal Friday spent scrapping with Dawn!

A beautiful layout designed by Janina for Bramford crop using cosmo cricket cogs papers. Photo is of Harvey on his 5th birthday last month.

Papermaze crop tomorrow, hair coloured, airing cupboard done. Life is ok today LOL...

Scrapping

Spent Friday scrapping with Dawn and did this very simple Lo designed by Wendy McKee with a few changes LOL, I added the border digitally and the photo is of Ben an Harvey. I had forgotten it was still in my bag as it was part of a kit from Henley last year.

Then yesterday had a lovely day at Bramford crop and did this layout which is a hybrid. The papers are printed direct onto bazzill, then I've added the photo IRL and the embellishments were printed out but then cut (by Mr T) and added to it, the digital kit is called Little boy from Echo park papers and cost me a whole dollar to download....

One of the scars on my knuckle has been really red and angry for several days and last night it erupted oh yuck !!!! hoping it's just the stitches and not an infection, so I'm covering it in germolene and praying I don't end up having to go the the blasted hospital tomorrow!

Ruby or Ruby two shoes as she gets called is very happy and settled. Plans for re homing her have been put on the back burner until we get to the bottom of her problems with breaking nails.  can't say I'm disappointed because she is such the perfect house guest LOL...

Scrapped at last

Okay so it's been a while since I actually did a paper layout LOl, this one was designed by Janina for the Bramford crop she runs once a month and uses pp's from Cosmo Cricket "making plans"

As Dawn came over Friday to scrap and cut out and did the prep for it (took me ages because of hand) and then Saturday at crop I put it together. Photo is Ben in America with two of his cousins Gracie and Emily.

I have been busy on the digi front and made loads of cards, actually all my cards right up to April are done LOL. This one was made using Dawn Inksips digi kit Making tracks and is for Dawn's (different Dawn) grandson who will be two in April.

Lucky has had yet more tests and finally cushings has been ruled out, the other tests were of course inconclusive but her vet and we agree thinks she has an under active thyroid, so we've started her on the drugs. They will take several weeks to have any effect if indeed any but if we are on the wrong track they won't do her any harm. Poor old ducks has looked so old and tired lately, we just want to see her back to her normal happy bouncy self.

As to my wrist.................... and knee..............

Knee is much better, had a steroid in it two weeks ago and yay I can walk again, not perfect but hey walking is good....

Monday evening my wrist started to swell and then became very red and burning up (and up till that point I had had no problems at all), Tuesday morning a bubble of something nasty appeared over a section of the scar, so when we got to the hospital (appt to assess if I was well enough for surgery on 10th) I was sent straight off for emergency bloods. Anyway they also managed to drain loads of fluid out which has gone off for testing, bloods show very high white blood count and the arthritis count is through the roof again. Operation to fuse on the 10th now looks iffy as they have to find out what's going on with the fluid, the surgeon has kept my slot open as he may have to operate again on the bit done on October and December. Wrist needs fussing urgently to stop this fluid keep coming back but can't be done whilst it is as it is if that makes sense, so now we're in a vicious circle.

I'm  the surgeon tomorrow lunchtime to see what's happened with the fluid that has gone off to the lab, so fingers crossed all is well and I get the op Thursday.....would be nice if just for once a little good luck came this way LOL....