Friends

When you are feeling as though the dark days will never pass and struggling through the mud of life, its amazing what a day with friends can do.
I spent a wonderful day last week with two of my dearest friends. We had a day of talking lots, eating beautiful food and even managed to squeeze in some crafting!! It lifted my spirits so much. Since that day I've made some cards, sketched, done some watercolour painting and knitted a bit more of my sock!

My knee has been giving me trouble for the past few months and I finally got to see a physio at a Joint Assessment clinic, who informed me I had a subluxating patella!! Sounds much more painful than a 'dodgy knee'! It can be simple to fix with exercises and ice packs but these need to be done for up to 6 months. So I need a way to remember to do the exercises 3 times a day. Any ideas? The dafter the better!!

Thank you for your comments too, they are much appreciated.

A Good Yarn!

The problem with having a room for all my crafting goodies is its just too easy to stash another purchase in, and think, 'well I'll use up the other stuff first' and then close the door. Then I buy something else, think 'well I'll use up the other stuff first' and....................you get the picture! As stuff piles up it gets stuffed into any available space/drawer/basket/bag and as I have, on a good day, a 6 second memory, I forget about it!!



Well, I was forced into tidying my craft room, firstly cos I promised my baby bro I would make his wedding invites and he and his fiancee have named the day but mainly because I couldn't find enough clear space on the floor to put two feet down at the same time!


Anyway, this led to a voyage of rediscovery. Yarns, fibre, stamps and even a yoga mat were unearthed, I felt like an archaeologist digging up long forgotton treasures. So I took Daisys suggestion (Thanks Daisy!) and decided to start a small project. I decided on some mindless socks in a Posh Yarn of long forgotton colourway.






But for the odd occasion when my brain could retain a pattern, I decided to start the Lace Ribbon scarf on Rav using some Colinette Jitterbug sock yarn.


As you can see from the photo, the pattern retention occasions haven't happened too often! But I'm pleased I've just got going!!


I have also started looking at my blank canvases, haven't got much further than that yet, but the creative thoughts are beginning to rise to the top of the mind treacle!! Theres hope yet!!

Half A Century And Not Out!

Due to a recent birthday, I am now entitled to life insurance without a medical, special deals with Saga, I have joints that are more accurate weather forecasters than the BBC and I would be likely to be released first in a hostage situation, so who said getting older was all doom and gloom!

Tom and Kate had a cake made for me to mark the occasion and it was a brilliant knitterly one!

I was still in bed when they gave it to me and that meant that that night before I could lie down, I had to pick lots of crumbs and bits of icing out of the bed! But it was worth it!!

I also want to say a huge thank you for your kind and thoughtful messages. For all I still feel I need solitude, it is so comforting to know there are friends there who understand and are prepared to listen when I'm ready to talk. It means a lot.

In The Doldrums

The wind has definitely gone from my sails at the moment, for reasons I won't go into and it feels like my creative mojo along with any motivation I had, has been loaded into a cannon and shot into the wide blue yonder.

I think I'm feeling a bit sorry for myself and doing absolutely nothing at the moment, but it can't stay like this, I hope anyway.

I did get the hottie cover finished but I haven't took a photo yet. I keep thinking about starting some knitting, I've got hoards of laceweight, but that's about as far as I get. I might have a look on Ravelry and see if anything catches my eye.

My brother is getting married in August and has asked me to do the invitations etc. Its a bit hard at the minute but I need to get them done. It might help distract me and stop me wallowing in self pity.

Before I go, I just want to say to Carrie and Lynn, thank you for everything, for being there, for listening and just for being wonderful friends. It means so much.

Blue Monday

The third Monday in January is, according to statistics, the most depressing day of the year! Mmm, maybe they are right!

To banish those blues, I decided to put some pics on my blog and cheer myself up!

I've finally taken a photo of Ians Christmas socks, not the best picture, but where are all the foot models when you need them?

These were knit in Lana Grossa mega boot stretch, or mega stretch boot or something!!

I haven't done much knitting this week so my hottie cover isn't growing too fast but I'm nearing the ribbed neck bit so it shouldn't take too much longer.

My art journal is filling up nicely too, I'm really enjoying this creative release where there is no right or wrong and everything is experimental. I've put a few pages here but I'm also a member of http://artjournaling.ning.com/. This is a fab site, full of inspiration from fellow journallers and I have my own Artyfartykat page on there where I upload my journal pics. Heres a few of my latest ones.

And in true artyfarty style, the next pic is upside down!!

Now I know why it's called Blue Monday!! Aaaaaaarrrrrgggggg! Maybe uploading pics wasn't the best way to cheer myself up!!
Carrie.......... help!!

Journals

I've had the dreaded flu bug this week and whilst I think I'm over the worst of it, I just don't have any energy for housework........well thats my excuse and I'm sticking to it!!

So to pass the time, I've been forced *smirks* to journal!! Here are a few of the pages.

This page was in my last post with only the background completed. I'm not sure if its finished yet, but this is how it looks at the moment.

This is a page about my inability to recall the word I want, when I want ! I've called it word soup.

This next one is my motto for 2011

After stuffing my face with anything remotely edible over Christmas, the next page describes how I feel. Its called Shrek with lipstick. Only I can't be bothered to put on the lipstick!

I thought I'd have a go at actually drawing something and after watching videotutorials on Youtube, thought I'd try a whimsical self portrait, using lots of artistic license as you'll see !!

Then I got really brave and tried painting a picture. And there were no numbers to follow or lines to stay within, it was just me, a loaded paintbrush and my journal! Now you know how c**p I am with technology, but this next photo of the finished masterpiece WAS the right way round and I don't know how to change it!

And on a similar theme, I don't know why theres two of this page, but I can't work out how to delete it!!

I thought I was doing so well!!