Winter....its time to Buzz off!

Hello....I'm still in the land of the living...haha :)

I feel I need to give you a little insight into what's been happening to me over the past weeks...just so you know its not because I cant be bothered to write on here :)

I had what we all thought was a bout of the Flu...and probably it was that....but it has left me feeling less than perfect I can tell you...I am so, so tired, my brain is completely foggy, I have a horrible bitter taste all the time and a rash that appears then goes!...I have so much pain in my hands, elbows, shoulders and neck I cant tell you how awful it is making me feel...I am thinking that the pain is just a very bad flair up of my osteoarthritis and not connected to the flu at all....or it was one of those lovely virus' which all the symptoms are to do with....I will give it another few weeks to right it self but if not I will take myself off to the docs (I hate going to the docs....the NHS would never run out of money on me haha)

So that's that out of the way...I don't like to dwell on how I am feeling...I want to dwell on happy things :)

I cant really say that the weather has been making me happy though....we've had snow, sleet, hail, thunder and I've lost count of how may times we have got soaked! And its been blooming cold! So when I saw this photo it just summed up how we are probably all feeling....

I think I said that we were decorating...and it had to be put on hold for a week or so...but I'm glad to say that the bedroom is now finished....and I'm thrilled with it...I feel like I'm sleeping in a hotel all the time at the moment...its all so different...we have changed everything apart from the bed....all new furniture, carpets, wallpaper and decorations....oh and of course new bed linen :) Just the office/craft room to do now :)

I made or upcycled a few things to decorate the bedroom with as well as some shop bought items....

This is my gorgeous candle lantern from Ikea...its quite big and makes a great corner piece...I have put a battery candle inside and it gives a lovely glow to the corner of the room....

This is my stags head hook that we purchased in the New Year sales....I had no idea where he was going to live at the time but he has found the perfect spot by the new wardrobe, holding some of my key collection (I'm a little obsessed with keys...haha)

As those of you who watch Fixer Upper...Jo always puts letters in the houses she decorates...I love this idea so I wanted one for our new room... I purchased a battered old letter from a shop sign on EBay in a not so lovely aubergine colour....

I painted it in a chalky emulsion....

Once dried...and the chalk paint dries really quickly...I put some dark wax on and polished it up....

and this is it finished...I love it and it fits in perfectly...I know Jo would have left it all battered...but I wanted a finished look to ours :)

I also made a picture using the double glass sided frame I bought some weeks ago...my idea was to do a paper cut...but the way my hands are there was no way I could do that...the next idea I had was to print the words on to acetate...I wanted it to be clear with just the words floating in the frame...but alas that didn't work either...I thought it had but then when the ink dried...the words disappeared! So I went from thrilled to disappointment :( There must be a knack to printing on acetate that I don't know...so I resorted to cutting some of the left over wallpaper and putting that through the printer and thankfully that worked...its not how I wanted it look...but I'm happy with it and have found the perfect spot for it...which wouldn't have worked with the other idea so maybe it was fate :)

My pet hate in rooms are wires coming out of TV or media...and nails or screws showing....Hubby has to get rid of all the wires on show, much to his frustration :) and I go around covering up screws and nails...either with Sharpie pens...I colour in the heads or in this pictures case I had a leaf cut out that I stained to match in and I stuck it to the nail head as some extra decoration :)

The worst of the decorating is having to move everything isn't it? I had had to move all my clothes...and I have a lot! They were all packed into vacuum bags and put up the loft...then of course you have to unpack them again :(  This was the sight that greeted my one morning....

With the way I was feeling...I found it quite daunting....but I worked through it...lots of rest in between...it took ages but I got there! And for all the people that have asked..."do you think the clothes will crease up in those bags?"...yep they do! So those bags would be no good to put your clothes in to take on holiday...yep you would have more space...but more work the other end! :)

So looking back...I haven't done too bad really...I feel like I have done nothing for ages and ages...but with all the rest I feel my creative brain is slowly starting to kick in again...I haven't been interested in doing any crochet at all...but the other day I did read Lucy's blog post (Attic24) and she posted a lovely picture of a vintage inspired flower wreath...

I thought is was so pretty and so very me :) So I did pick up the hook and sort a bit of wool out...and I did make a start...

but I can only do a very little bit at a time as my hands and fingers are so painful...but I will plod on...I must get my crochet mojo back...it is such a big part of my life!

I haven't been doing any baking either...I did make a small lemon and cream sponge cake just to use up the couple of eggs I had left...I hate throwing anything away :)

I have of course been able to potter through Pinterest :) I have been pouring over crochet designs trying to get inspired...I have seen some beautiful work being done from cross stitch patterns using the corner to corner method...I found a very pretty letter K which I have saved and I hope one day to have a go at this....

It would be a large blanket so it will have to wait until I'm feeling tip top again :)  There's also a lot of people knitting socks at the moment on the blogs...for me this is the only pair of socks I could knit! haha...

I haven't even had fresh flowers in the house...which is very unlike me...I love flowers all around the home...but last week while out with Puppy Dog...I did pick some blossom twigs which have cheered up the kitchen :)

Well I think I'm coming to the end of this post...its not been all bad at all :) I'm hoping that over the next week or so things will improve and I will be back to full steam soon...but until then I am going to take it easy...not push myself too much...as really there is no need...I just have to accept that at this time I cant be as busy as I would like...sometimes you just have to slow down for a little while :)

I cant finish this post without mentioning the fact we have lost a few more souls from this earthly world...all such talented people and people that have been part of lives even though only through the TV screen....the funny Ronnie Corbett...fork handles (four candles) has to be the funniest sketch I have ever seen! I was so shocked when I found out Victoria Wood had passed...such a comedy talent...a legend...I loved her :( and Prince...I thought, a strange little man...but he sure could write and perform a song!

So for the vintage photo....as its May Day today....

a spot of Maypole dancing...I don't think they do this at school anymore...when I was in primary and junior school we always did maypole dancing...I loved making all the patterns with the bright coloured ribbons...its made me feel very nostalgic :))

And for the quote....

I'm sorry about the little bit of a naughty word...but I found this quite apt for how I am feeling...instead of feeling sorry for myself I just have to tell myself "Shit Happens"...it will pass...stop worrying about it...all will be good again :)

Have a lovely week everyone...enjoy everything you do...if I feel up to it and more to the point have anything to write I will post on here again this month...if not I will definitely be posting at the beginning of June.....xxxxxxxxxxxxx