Tuesday 31 March 2015

Angels are real......

Well I think stitching ones are!! 

Hello my wonderful friends.....thank you firstly so much for supporting me and giving me so many tips and bits of advice.  I really appreciate it.  Yesterday was a really low day for me... I tried to get out of it, I could not sleep so was surfing around...checked my mail and WOW!!!! 

The WOW!! Is for an amazing email I had....one I literally was in shock over.  It appears I have a wonderful stitching angel that was looking out for me and wanted me to 'cheer up' !  So this angel (person!) did the most generous thing ever.  I have been told by her to stop being in shock as its not good for my knee! Ha ha

Do you remember when I wandered around the HAED website wondering what everyone was looking at?! And I found those lovely, no stunning designs?  And my favourite being the William Morris design called The Strawberry Thief....its stunning.

This one....


I am excited to say my stitching angel gifted me the design, fabric and all the threads.... Like I say I was stunned and shocked! Oh and let's not forget...it's my very first HAED!!! Eeeekk!!

And now you see why instantly my mood lifted..and this stitching angel? You all know her, I cannot do the linking thing to her blog as I am on my iPad.  The lovely kind hearted person is Evalina ... Hope I spelled that right?  Such an unusual name too.... Love to know where that comes from.

So now I thought I would stitch this HAED and maybe as its massive and will no doubt take me forever I should be on the road to recovery?! It's a good marker I think...and will help me through all those tough days... I think this was the reasoning around it and why it was gifted to me.  To help me, hoping I would get back to my happy self again.

Let me tell you, it was perfect timing as I was starting to slip into the dark depths of depression... I don't say this lightly, it been really hard.  I put a brave face on when my family visit, but I am really emotional at the moment...ha this is not right, I can usually, normally get though the day without bursting into tears several times throughout the day.  So you see I know I am on that slope....and this gift is pulling me back out.  I see it as hope... Hope that once finished I may be on that road of recovery...any thing more and it's a bonus!!

I will post more about this when everything arrives :). Eeeeeeeekkkk!!!! So exciting!!!

Ok...back to now!

I have finished, yes finished a stitch!  The lovely LHN design "Welcome Spring" stitched with Classic Colorworks new threads and two DMC threads.....stitched on 14 count sky blue Aida.....is finished!!

Here is my stitching journey...









That is it completed!! I loved it....I especially loved the thread that I stitched the sheep fleece with.....it's called ' Shabby Sheep' .... How wonderful is that!!! Brilliant!!

Han and jon were in the kitchen.....cooking.....

It was a joint effort this evening, jon and Han both cooked dinner...naturally their version had less veg and chicken!! Me I love veg and do not eat meat!!

This is vegetable curry with noodles!  I loved it lots...and Han tells me I can have it for lunch tomorrow as there is heaps left!! Ha ha 


Well .... Goimg now as I have to find a stitch to keep me occupied to do until all my things turn up for the HAED .  Did I say thank you?  Well thank you my sweet stitching angel :) xx

Ok happy doing what ever your doing! Ha ha 

Smiles to you all xx



Having a URGH day....

Hello friends, thank you for popping in to see me....you know I think it's only my stitching and this blog holding me together right now..

Yes it's true I am having a major URGH day.....
So today I am going to do something different...


Sorry there is not a lot of stitching but I am preoccupied today with things running around my head...

I have to say a wonderful thank you to Frances ... 

This was the back of the envelope!! So sweet...


She sent me a very pretty Easter card, and the sweetest Prairie Schooler chart....it has a cute bunny!! 


I thank Frances so much for thinking of me, taking the trouble to send me this....thank you heaps xx. Frances....if your reading this,....I am so sorry but I cannot send you a thank you card in return until...well who knows?  So sorry... But I won't forget....as I have not forgotten about all the other wonderful friends that have previously sent things.  :)

Going to show you all my stitching now.... 

An up date at what I am actually stitching....

It's this one.... Did you guess I would start this one first? Well it has a sheep in it!!


I started with glorious colour....sugar plum....mmmmm


And my stitching....


Not sure if you can see but I am stitching it on blue 14 count Aida.  Thought I would add some colour!!

Not a bad start, but had a lot of things on my mind today.

Ok....well if you are only here for the stitching content then do not read below the line....as I am chatting away ...I needed to chat so let it all out here.  

I am giving you the option here....if your not interested....then please just head straight to the comments box... And thank you so much for popping in.  If however you want to hang about your more then welcome to...but below this line I am talking about me... Just so you know.
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Here is the start of my URGH day!!!


I just am fed up, frustrated beyond belief and am sick of everyone doing things for me...hmmm when I can usually do them for myself....hence the frustration!!

Well to be honest... I am hanging in there...just I think.  All y carers that visit me in the morning to help with washing have asked me how I am coping as there is no way on earth that they could last as long as I have just in bed not going anywhere...hmmmm so hence my URGH day!!

I sit and think....all I have to do is get up, stand up and put one foot in front of the other and walk .... Into the kitchen, into the bathroom....anywhere...just walk....

In reality I can't.... I sit on the edge of the bed lean forward and any weight onto my left leg and I start to feel pain.  It's a deep stabbing pain....I cannot straighten my leg, it won't go straight.  I try to stand up straight and that pulls my,leg and ...pain!!  So all I can do is hold the windowsill and bed and manage about two hops... But then I start to loose my balance and become really frightened of falling...so end up sitting on the bed again.  I get really out of breath too...my body has not moved properly since 9th January when all this started.

I feel awful because I want to be me again...I want to walk.... I am the driver in our house and my car has not moved since last year!! Oh my dad a few weeks ago started it up... And took the hand brake off...so it should be ok.. It only 2 years old, under warranty .....it's a mobility car so they will sort it out if I have a problem when I do eventually get back to using it.

If you have just popped into my blog and got this far.... Thank you for sticking with me... I am sorry if it's not want you want to read...yes my blog does show a lot of stitching things as well as other things I get up to... But today because it's an URGH day need to talk!  I don't really have anyone to talk to so...guess it's you guys!! Sorry.

I was kind of hoping once out of hospital I would start to get better...it seems I am not, and for me it feels like I have let everyone down.  That is how I feel.... Things have really got worse if I am honest.  The physio session, the first one injured me more and now they are looking at increasing my medication more....I just cannot cope with any pain.  They have to manage my pain before I walk...but my leg is not strong enough to walk...it's like a vicious circle...  I have to have physio...at least now we are doing tiny movements...even the next day I felt them!! What on earth am I to do?

Our whole situation is awful....jon bless him is literally dead on his feet doing the best he can, where he can...he is very limited as he has his own disability to take care of.  I am very conciousness of him trying to do more and more...but I feel awful as he is so tired.  I am frighted he will fall or just burn out.  Poor Han.... Well I feel awful that I cannot take her anywhere, or do anything with her...that is getting to me a lot.  She is trying to help out around the house too, but again she is limited, as her back condition  restricts her a lot.

Our house is almost them and me....understandably they spend their time in the living room...I cannot get in there.  I cannot join in in anything, I hear them chatting, laughing...and then there is me on my bed... I think it's because I don't have any control, the fact I could not join in even if I wanted to.  I feel left out...due to my leg.  

I hope our family gets help, any kind of help....soon.  We need it.  I recently spoke with a social worker, explained our situation and I don't think she could believe that our family is functioning!   That is just it...we are getting by.... But I have no idea for how much longer??   So I am hoping to hear back from them soon...to see what they can help us with as a family.

Previously I have told you about the Red Cross...I am over the moon we have this in place...it's not really something I thought we would use.  But it's just the knowing that they are there...and the lady that has been coming to visit us is very sweet..and wants to help out anywhere she can.  Half the time we don't know what to say to her, but are grateful that she comes.  I don't know how long or how much longer this will be for?  When this goes....then what?  We will be on our own... 

Having never been in at his kind of situation before none of us know what to do or where to go for help...but me having this with my knee and stuck in bed 24/7 is affecting all of us.... And yes I see it would, but why is someone not helping us then??

Told you I would talk about myself....

Sometimes I don't know what I would do if I never had this blog, it's been keeping me focused, stitching and tried to keep me positive.  I guess you could say I have fallen off the wagon!!

I will get back up.... I just have to realise I am like this, I will be like this for a while longer....and I need to deal with it.  I need to be stronger... Maybe writing here is making me stronger?  Well it's got me back on the wagon!! Ha ha 

I guess it's to be expected that I feel like this ....I just need to learn to deal with it, that is the hard part.

But I have questions... Why is my knee not getting any better??

Sure it's a severe flare up that has now apparently turned into chronic knee osteoarthritis ... 

Ok...take now, it's almost 2 am here, Han is in bed, jon is next to me sleeping, I see and hear him kind of breathing heavier than usual so I know he is asleep!! He does not snore....I should be thankful, right?!  So I have a situation....I am laying sitting in bed as I do throughout the day..I don't have my quilt over me yet, but that is ok, I just unroll it from the centre.  The issue is I have thick woolly socks on, see though out the day my feet get cold.  I cannot get my socks off, I cannot go to sleep with them on and the quilt... Way way too hot.  So a dilemma.... Do I sleep without my quilt tonight, I think I will have to as I do not want to wake jon.  Yes that is what I will have to do.

But it's silly things like that..... Things I took for granted, things I could do that now I cannot.... And I really don't like asking anyone for help, unless they happen to come pop in my room as they do throughout the day.  So I ask for things to be done then...or I am asking too much I think.  It's awful that I have to ask anyway.... Then for jon or Han to do something for me...I cannot cope with that... But know I need them or I would not get fed and a lot of other things too would not happen.

No one gives you a manual for situations like this.....

I don't think we are coping....

Ok I will stop now or if I continue I fear blogger will chuck me off for writing way way too much!!  

Sorry it's here...in fact I am in two minds wether to post this blog or not.... I think the only reason I am posting is because I believe in letting emotions out and talking about things, it's a kind of self help and healing process I think!  Hmmmmm. Well it makes me feel better knowing I have written about what is going on in my head.

Ha ha well I best go.... Thank you if you got this far.... Well you may kind of understand how I feel every day... 

Happy stitching....

Smiles ....

Sunday 29 March 2015

Yipeeeeee, yippppeeeeeee and Yipppppeeeeeeeeee!!!

Hello happy wonderful friends.... Brilliant to be here again. 

 Thank you all so much for popping in to see me.

So guess your wondering about my title??? Yippppeeeeeeeee!! Ha ha yes that one!! Well I am extremely happy...happy happy happy!! 

I managed to do it through all the tough times with my knee, oh you know way back when I had the first physio visit! Eek!! And through all the medicated enforced napping!! Ha ha through it all I have managed to actually finish my sampler! Yipppppeeeee!! Like I say!!

To refresh your memories it's an Abby Rose Design called "Home Is Where You Hang Your Needlework", stitched in 32 count Belfast linen in a rose colour.  Stitched with DMC threads.

Here is my journey...







There you have it!! Finished!! Still cannot believe I have finished it.... Such a pretty design too.

So that is that...

Bet your all wondering what I am going to stitch next?? Well I have to stitch an owl for the Halloween Ornie SAL...this is a must as I said I would try harder this year!!  So that will be going on starting tomorrow...I may show you all the progress on that??!!

I have another design I wanted to start too....oh its wonderful... I saw it on FaceBook, the design is a special one that is launched with new threads from Classic Colorworks.  New colours and a special chart....now I loved it.... Looks rather special, oooh and then they brought out another one...so two really sweet designs.  Hmmm with our budget I put them out of my head....jon knew I really liked them....seems he did some juggling with all our finances and allowed me to order them!  I was thrilled to bits!! I am not sure if your aware of the designs and threads I am talking about so here....

This one as it has a sheep!! It's called "Wecome Spring", with threads.....



And this one which is called "Rabbit Hill", with threads....



Jon is ever so sweet to juggle everything around.... It's not often I get new charts so am over the moon!! Thank you darling :) xx

So I guess I will be starting one or both of those?? 

Ooooh, oooooooh ......did you all see I won a giveaway??? I was so shocked!! And over the moon was an understatement! Ha ha when I read the persons blog and it showed my name had been picked...I screamed!! Literally!! Jon and Han come in and asked me what was wrong! Ha ha I explained I had won a wonderful giveaway!!!

The giveaway was on Shelly's blog.....An Arizona stitcher... Sorry on my iPad I have no idea how to do the linky thing :(

Look what arrived...


Yes the giveaway was for a wonderful magazine and fabric to stitch an autumy design inside.  Oh the design is lovely...oh by Jove...I saw the thread list and cried!! Seriously loads of threads... I can make this work, but it will be some time before I stitch this design... But oh I will as its lovely.

Hee hee look....



Shelly was so kind as to include these wonderful Easter bunny ears! And some oooooh American candy!!! I was oooh so excited about that!!! 

I have my wonderful card displayed near to me as its so cute...


On my side table with my Pink Lady apples and mug of diet coke!  Oh yes that is my stitching lamp...they brought it in here so I could stitch at night!! 

Thank you so so much Shelly's for your lovely package that arrived yesterday....sorry I did not contact you...hope you read this :). Love it all!!!! Xx

Oh my!! I have to tell you all about something rather interesting... I was in a little dilemma today, could not make my mind up at all really about something..


The dilemma was.....which one to eat?! 
Hmmmmmm....yes I thought on it....

And...
Going by the lid, this looks yummy....


Why do companies do that??


But I still ate it!! Ha a ha aha


Then I looked at the fruity on and .....


Mmmmmm so darn creamy....



So you see I removed the dilemma and ate them both!!! Ha ha ha

Guess I have taken too much of your time up....

Thank you so much for popping in :)

Smiles !: happy stitching to you all....

Saturday 28 March 2015

Ho hum, so darn naughty!!

Exactly!! Ho hum, indeed!! Ha ha 

Yes I am so darn naughty, seriously bad!! I did not post yesterday....omg!! Do you know over the past few days, only a few days... I have been ever so tired.  We are talking really tired where all I want to do is sleep. I am thinking its a phase whilst in my bed??  I hope so!! It's not like I have my quilt on me during the day!  I role it to the side and do without.

Oh naught of me again.... Well hello there!! Eeeek hello!! I s so nice and lovely of you happy wonderful sane (or is that debatable) to visit me once again. A lot of you are leaving comments, I thank you for this as its your happy comments keeping me sane! Ha ha. 

My last post I showed you all a photo of my mums knitting.... Oh I love how she knits, she has promised to drop by with her knitting again soon so I can post an update! I cannot knit like that, I have tried over the years...I even started a little knitting project with magazines where you knitted a different pattern with each issue... I have all the squares somewhere in the shed!  Hmmm well all I can knit competently is a scarf! Ha ha  I just have no patience when it goes wrong, as its lines you have to pull out!! 

Yes I prefer stitching...oh it's true when the frog pays a visit I have ripped about a line and more out...but it's different!  Sometimes I do wonder where I get the patience from to actually stitch!  Does anyone else wonder this!?  My life is totall caos usually and with my SpLD's I seriously have no patience in anything else I do!  Ha ha jon and Han will vouch for that! Lol

I actually taught myself how to stitch, and I think because I never give in this is why I get so much enjoyment out of it.  It did take me 3 months to learn to stitch before it resembled anything like an actual stitched article!  It's something I did for me, so maybe this is why I have such patience?

I have been stitching a lot lately, ha ha well it's pretty much all I can do stuck in my bed.  Oh but don't get me wrong I love stitching.  It's a very calming hobby to have, again not like me at all!! I am a totally spontaneous person...being stuck in this bed has 'grounded' me like a pilot!  It's true I am stitching between medications, and I am nodding off during the day so maybe this is where the tiredness is coming from?  See I do fight it....my eyes become heavy and slowly close....but I jerk and am awake then!  So trying to say awake....beside the longer I am awake the more stitching time I have!!

Talking of stitching...here are a few photos, up dated photos of my current stitch, the Abby Rose design...

Did I leave you here?


Or was it here?



Yes I think it was there as I was debating over the colour of the box and line.....think it's worked out ok...and judging from all your comments I think I made the right choice....thank you!

Ok...on wards... I stitched more....




And where I am now....


Yes it's true I am rubbish at taking photos....


Maybe that was a better one?  I was thrilled to bits that the lines met and joined!! It's always a heart stopper that one!!  So now all I have to do is fill the flowers in..... Then it's completed! Eeeeeekkkk that sounds utter crazy!!  I will stitch today and hope to finish it, if not it will be tomorrow.

I have something rather very special to start tomorrow..oh my it's so darn cute!  Cannot wait to show you all... Tomorrow!!

Hope your all well??

Stitching lots??

I am still wearing my patch, I have it on a different way today, .....well one gets bored! Ha ha a


Yes thought I would try it long ways today...it's totally left up to me how it goes on.  As long as it hits the knee area, it's fine how it goes on!  This could be fun I think!! No doubt tomorrow I will come up with another shape on my knee! Hee hee

It's almost 11.30 am here now so I must go....see I have a carer come in to visit me.  She provides all my personal care needs as I cannot get into the bathroom.  Oh she brings a bowl, flannel and my electric tooth brush...you know that kind of thing.  Really useful as jon cannot help me with the bowl and him just hobbling backwards and forwards would wear him out for the day!  So I am grateful for the carers help.

Smiles to you all.....until tomorrow keep smiling

Xx

Thursday 26 March 2015

Naughty naughty me!! :(

Ha ha I am so very naughty!!

Hello my happy smiley friends...your all so very lovely and I thank you all for popping in today.  Well the reason why I am naughty is because when my mum visited me the other day I forgot to show you all her beautiful knitting...oh how I wish I could knit like her...

Its wonderful...



This is my mums knitting, it's going to be a cardigan I believe.  But I just loved the pattern, apparently it's called honey comb...lovely...what do you think??

So does that make me not naughty now? Hmmm hope so!!!

I have been stitching and pondering....see I really was in a tizz....I was missing one of the colours... Pea coat in Weeks Dye Works or DMC 310.... Well DMC 310 is black...but oh no I just could not put black in the design.  And as I did not have Peacoat (what a great name!) I had to experiment....

You may remember I was using a blue variegated thread..


After thinking about it and coming to my senses I realized blue, even if it was a variegated thread( yes I love using them!) I really had to change the colour.... Some experimenting...

The BMC 315 is the colour for the words inside the box I need to stitch...
The two threads below were experiments, I also had the blue there as well, just to make sure it was a silly idea!

So this is what I was playing with....



I decided to use the darker colour....I had only used this colour for a tiny bunny and the roof.  And thought it best to keep it a colour that was already being used in the design. That was my thinking then it would not stick out like a sore thumb!


So yes this is where I am right now too....


A bit closer.... The colour I chose!

What do you think?? I am pretty pleased with it :)


As you all know Han went out with the lovely Red Cross lady... They went shopping...Han took some photos...

The shopping trolley...


Our fridge afterwards.... It was pretty empty before she went apparently!


And Han even brought me back a costa coffee.... Wonderful!!!!


And I had a lovely salad made for me too.....oh just a simple one, but it tasted brilliant :)


Well that is me!!

Told you all my news!

Ha ha not that I had much to tell you all in the first place! Ha ha

Happy stitching to you all, and keep smiling :)

Xx

There was me going to go and I forgot to tell you all about the amazing patches I have for my knee....see I have been trying to get them since I left the hospital.  They are brilliant!!

They are basically an anaesthetic patch, but numb my knee to the extent I cannot feel the dull ache anymore....it's awesome!!



Close up.....


I love it!!!! And am so pleased I now have it.  Basically it stays on 12 hours....i look at it as put it on when I wake and take it off when I sleep!! 

Yippppeeeeeeeee!! Love it!  It also means in the long run I may be able to reduce then come off all the drugs I am on... Great news!! You think??

Ok I am off now.....

Big huge smiles :)