Goodbye 2015...

Good afternoon everyone.
I hope you are all well.
I just wanted to pop by and wish you all
A VERY HAPPY, HEALTHY AND PEACEFUL NEW YEAR
I haven't made any New Year's Resolutions more of plans, improvements, aims and aspirations I think.
Lots of lovely things happened in 2015 for me and lots of not so lovely things happened so here's looking forward to 2016 and whatever it may bring.
I would also like to 'Thank' everyone who has stuck by me on my blog over the last year...I have been a very poor blogger due to house moves and ill health etc....but that is one of my plans...be more consistent with my blogging and commenting.
Thank you for taking the time to stop by.

I really do appreciate your visits and lovely, encouraging comments.
Enjoy the rest of your day.
And 
Happy New Year To You All.

Christmas Card Swap

Good morning everyone.
I hope you are all well.
This is just a short post just to wish you all a
Very Merry Christmas
And to share the card that I received when I joined in with Amy's Christmas Card Swap. My partner was Tracy and she sent me this lovely card which has pride of place on our mantel now.

I'm sorry the photograph is not too good but you can see how cute my card is. 
Thank you Tracy....it's beautiful,
I also received a lovely letter from Tracy and I hope we are able to stay in touch. I love receiving a letter through the post and miss having someone to share news with in this way....it's so much nicer to get a handwritten letter now and again than the usual bills that fall on the doormat....
Anyway lots to do.....so I must get on....
And I just want to add....
Thank you for taking the time to stop by.

I really do appreciate your visits and lovely, encouraging comments.
Have a wonderful day today and a Happy, Healthy and Peaceful Christmas.

Birthdays Everywhere.....

Good afternoon everyone.
I hope you are all well.
November is always a busy time in my family for birthdays....we have a few including my own which was on Saturday....
I was incredibly spoilt as usual by everyone and I was treated to a fabulous Apple Ipad Air 5 amongst many other lovely presents....now I have to learn how to use it. 
Brogan bought me a beautiful hat, a vintage style letter rack and of course 'chocolate'....my daughter knows me well!!!.
I was also given a Marc Jacobs perfume gift set 'Daisy', some silk pyjamas and an apron with 'Hares' on from mum and dad. A gorgeous scarf from my brother, an Amazon gift card from my best friend which I have already spent on a very sweet bird feeder for the blossom tree in the front garden and a book about patchwork. All in all I had a fabulous day and was taken to my favourite place for lunch and then on to the cinema....
So how lucky was I.....I count myself truly blessed to have such a wonderful family and such lovely friends.

It was also my partner's dads birthday a few days before mine and I made him this card.
Still keeping things simple....

I'm still behaving myself and took my time (days) to make this card....still sticking to the physiotherapists orders and keeping up with my exercises and I think I can report that at long last my neck and arm symptoms are.....Shhh....beginning to improve. Even the headaches are slowly getting better....so hopefully after Christmas I will be able to get back to work!!!!!! Fingers crossed.

I'm still trying to keep up with my reading albeit slow too....I can't look down so have to prop my book up on pillows so it is directly at eye level and this seems to be working for me although I think I have rather over estimated my expectations of reading 52 books this year in the reading challenge. I will have to be a bit more realistic in 2016 but I've managed 33 books so far.....

I guess the improvement has a lot to do with re-educating myself and being sensible about what I can do....and also learning to slow down a bit....though the medication and physio help massively too.

Anyway that's all from me today.

Thank you for taking the time to stop by.

I really do appreciate your visits and lovely, encouraging comments.
Enjoy the rest of your day.

Patchwork Mug Rug

Good afternoon everyone.
I hope you are all well.
It's very cold here today so I have had the wood burner blazing away merrily for most of the afternoon...I didn't get a look in though as all three dogs thought I'd lit it for their comfort and well being.....but they did look cosy all curled up together which doesn't happen very often. 
No photos though because as soon as I got near them one of them moved....It wouldn't do for them to look as though they all liked each other!!!
Its a quick post from me as I just wanted to share this pretty patchwork mug rug that my lovely mum made for me. 

She attended a little sewing day workshop and this was the result....all hand sewn. She has never tried anything like this before and I think its just perfect and it goes really well in my little craft room too.
Thanks mum...I love it.

Thank you for taking the time to stop by.

I really do appreciate your visits and lovely, encouraging comments.
Enjoy the rest of your day.

Happy 18th Birthday

Good afternoon everyone.
I hope you are all well.
Today I would like to share a card that has been in the making for a few weeks....I know the physio said no crafting but I thought if I did a 'little' bit every day.....just a few minutes I would at least get this card finished.....
Today it is my lovely niece Charlotte's 18th birthday and as a card maker I really couldn't let the side down and buy a card now could I....
I have kept it very simple and just a little bit girly....I know Charlie and this will be just right....I hope....not too much fuss.

The stamp is from Woodware and the papers are from Lili Of The Valley ~ Petal Fresh. I distressed the edges of the white card and added some Stickles around the circular mount of the number 18. As you can see....nice and simple. Of course I had to add my favourite embellishments....pearls from The Hobby House.

Happy 18th Birthday Charlotte....xxx

Thank you for taking the time to stop by.

I really do appreciate your visits and lovely, encouraging comments.
Enjoy the rest of your day.

Photo Scavenger Hunt ~ October 2015

Good morning everyone.
I hope you are all well.
I thought I would join in with the Photo Scavenger Hunt over at Made With Love. 
I enjoyed taking part last month and although my photographs still  aren't great and remain a little fuzzy at times due to the right arm and neck issue....it does give me something else to think about.  I love to see everyone's different interpretations that the prompt  words inspire......
So here are my photographs for October.

Question ~ Would anyone like to explain to me why my humans think this is funny?

Cream ~ My lovely KitchenAid.....My new best friend...

  Number ~ My winning numbers for a raffle and look at my gorgeous prize!!!

Lattice ~ I have baked this Pancetta, Leek & Chicken pie twice now and it goes down rather well. 

Familiar ~ Our walk through the cemetery.

Ring ~ Somerset Patchwork waiting to be finished.

Today ~ A walk through the park.

Down ~ Looking down at my boots while on a walk in the park. 

This brings back wonderful memories of my lovely Nanna who would let me kick leaves here on our walk back through the park to her house....she would then clean and polish my boots so mum wouldn't notice the scuffs.....

Writing ~ On the sand sculpture at Lincoln Castle celebrating the signing of the Magna Carta 800 years ago.

Many ~ Greedy pigeons at the park.

Broken ~ A vintage glass cake stand. Sadly it arrived like this through the post but happily the company replaced it the very next day.

Whatever You Want ~ Putting together the books that I intend to read next year as part of the 2016 Reading Challenge....I think I was a little over ambitious this year as I am way behind on my target.

Thank you to Greenthumb over at Made With Love for hosting the Scavenger Hunt.

I hope you have enjoyed my photographs....I will do my best to join in with the November hunt.

Thank you for taking the time to stop by.

I really do appreciate your visits and lovely, encouraging comments.
Enjoy the rest of your day.

A Sweet Blossom Birthday

Good morning everyone.
I hope you are all well.
I just wanted to share the card that I made for my partners mum's birthday.
I tried to keep it simple as crafting is still very difficult and takes an absolute age to finish anything. It took a few days to put together as I'm still not allowed to knit, sew etc....but I took my time so as not to cause any nerve irritation in my arm or neck....and was determined that I was not going to buy a card....absolutely not...no way!!!
Anyway here it is in all it's simplicity.

The sentiment/image is a pre~coloured image from The Hobby House as are the pearls. The papers are from my stash and the lace was from a local sewing/wool shop.
Anyway there it is.
Hopefully next year I will find my card making mojo again and my neck and arm will have improved enough for me to be a little more creative.

Thank you for taking the time to stop by.

I really do appreciate your visits and lovely, encouraging comments.
Enjoy the rest of your day.

Halloween Pumpkin 2015

Good morning everyone.
I hope you are all well.
Still no crafting going on...I'm behaving myself, doing as I'm told...and doing my exercises.....Physio again tomorrow!!!
I just thought I would share our Halloween pumpkin that Brogan carved this year...
Not very impressive at the moment....

But when it gets dark and the tealights are lit....

Much better.....
And the little band of Trick or Treater's that pass our way are always suitably impressed....
It has become a bit of a tradition in our house and there have been many other ghoulish designs in the past....
Including....

This last photo has been borrowed from my daughter Brogan as I can't seem to find any of the other photos of the pumpkins she has carved....
I know there are more though!!!

Thank you for taking the time to stop by.

I really do appreciate your visits and lovely, encouraging comments.
Enjoy the rest of your day.

The Haircut....

Good morning everyone.
I hope you are all well.
I had a very productive appointment (nearly 3 hours) with my physiotherapist...I am now armed with a tonne of information and reasons for my neck and arm pain.....after laser, heat treatment, deep massage, manipulation and some new exercises, we are hopeful that I will get some relief soon....although at the moment I feel as though I've done ten rounds in a boxing ring.....and more to come next week!!!
This week I have been banned from almost all activities including knitting, sewing, cardmaking and reading.....anything which involves looking down....I have to sit upright, directly in front of the television with my spine in perfect alignment....not easy. I look like one of those very genteel women straight out of a Jane Austen novel.....it's not easy.....Boy they must have been uncomfortable....but I'm doing it.
Anyway I thought I would share some photos of one of my furry boys.....
Bertie   ( The Very GrumpyWestie)

What do you mean I need a haircut?

Well...really. 
I think I'm rather handsome. 
Yes...I agree a bit whiffy maybe....

But...Mum...Look I'm so cute!!!

Ok...You win...
Don't you know it's getting cold out there.
What do you mean I'm a bit tubby!!!

So I'm just going to sit here on your best chair and sulk...
But I am in the best position to survey my estate....and wait for the postman!!!.

Thank you for taking the time to stop by.

I really do appreciate your visits and lovely, encouraging comments.
Enjoy the rest of your day.

Knit A Row, Purl A Row....

Good morning everyone.
I hope you are all well.
Yesterday I had a hot stone massage and dare I say I think things are beginning to improve....very, very slowly.....
I've had a really horrendous headache for the last two weeks again...I'm never free from a headache to be truthful. Although this could just be that my headache has lifted a bit...Ahh!!!... the relief.  And the pain and pins and needles in my neck and right arm are a little less today.....so we will see. 
Physio on Monday....I have a thousand questions to ask regarding my MRI results too!!!
Anyway I am still trying to do a bit of crafting although I am sticking to very small, manageable projects.....the bigger ones are staying in my head for now....
I have bought some shorter knitting needles which allow me to do a row or two of knitting before I have to put my project down....Don't forget that I can't tackle anything to adventurous yet as I have only really started knitting this year....my Nan tried to teach me but I was rubbish. 
I purchased two balls of gorgeous Sirdar Crofter DK Fair Isle effect wool (I have used this a few times and the effect is beautiful)....I chose 'Hebrides' and I am attempting to make a scarf for Mr T....
Just knit a row and purl a row...

Progress is slow but....

  This is how its turning out....
I am quite pleased with the result although he may get to wear this next winter at this rate....if he's lucky!

Thank you for taking the time to stop by.

I really do appreciate your visits and lovely, encouraging comments.
Enjoy the rest of your day.

Pear & Ginger Jam...

Good afternoon everyone.
I hope you are all well.
A few weeks ago my parents gave me some of the pears from their pear tree and I was at a loss to know what to do with them.....until I was sat looking through an old preserving book that sits on the book shelf gathering dust....
I liked the look of the Pear & Ginger Jam recipe. It was simple and I love jam....
So the jam was made.....with extra ginger!!!
Pear & Ginger Jam....
(Can I class this as another finish)....I always love the idea of making jam but don't ever make the time to actually make it....

As you can see there isn't much left.....I will definitely be trying this again next year though.

Thank you for taking the time to stop by.

I really do appreciate your visits and lovely, encouraging comments.
Enjoy the rest of your day.

A Finish ~ At Long Last!

Good afternoon everyone.
I hope you are all well.
I have now had the results of my MRI scan. I won't go in to the why and wherefore of the results but needless to say.....there is nothing nasty 'Thank Goodness' but something I am going to have to live with and learn to overcome. I am still in a lot of pain and I am told that I will just have to be patient as it will take some time to improve.....so I now have new medication, lots of physio, hot stone massages and some acupuncture.....we are throwing the lot at it.
Anyway I have finally managed a crafty finish....it was a bit of a struggle but I got there in the end.
The bookmark I started weeks ago is now complete.

I am quite pleased with how it looks....and I am sticking with some smaller projects for the moment.
I have a few other bookmarks in my stash and I'm sure my daughter will appreciate one or two as she is reading English Literature at university and is always having to mark pages when she's studying a piece of work.

Thank you for taking the time to stop by.

I really do appreciate your visits and lovely, encouraging comments.
Enjoy the rest of your day.

Photo Scavenger Hunt ~ September 2015

Good morning everyone.
I hope you are all well.
So the MRI scan is done, just waiting for the results now....about two weeks apparently......
I thought I would join in again with the Photo Scavenger Hunt over at Made With Love. I enjoyed taking part last month and although my photos aren't great and a little fuzzy at times due to the right arm and neck issue....it does give me something else to focus on and I'm loving everyone's different interpretations that the prompts inspire......
So here are my photographs for September.
Woven ~ The ivy that had crept up the trunk of this tree had been cut at the base leaving a network of dead branches.

Repeating ~ The electricity pylons crossing the Lincolnshire countryside.

Greedy ~ The squirrel who collected this little lot.....gathering stores for the winter.

Flowers ~ Autumn Colour.

Curly ~ My hair....it was as straight as a die until I reached 40. It gets curlier the older I get. My hairdresser thinks it has something to do with the 'Change'......so I have decided to embrace 'The Curls'....

Adventures ~ A Sunday morning walk in Hubbard's Hills.....always an adventure.

Line ~  The birds on the telegraph line on a misty morning in the Lincolnshire Wolds.

Mesmerising ~ I was mesmerised by this fabulous sand sculpture at Lincoln Castle commemorating the signing of The Magna Carta 800 years ago. 

Triangle ~ This sign stands by the road, at a crossing on our sea front. I have often had to stop the car and let a line of geese cross the road to get to the lake....I have never managed to get a photo of their trips to the fast food shops on the other side of the road!.

Dreamy ~ I failed with this one I'm afraid. This is an old photograph of Bertie and Pickle who were the best of friends....I wonder what they were dreaming about?.

Day ~ Misty morning at Hubbard's Hills.

Whatever You Want ~ One of the 25 Lincoln Baron's who graced the city of Lincoln this summer. 

 Thank you to Greenthumb over at Made With Love for hosting the Scavenger Hunt.
I hope you have enjoyed my pictures....I will do my best to join in with the October hunt.

Thank you for taking the time to stop by.

I really do appreciate your visits and lovely, encouraging comments.
Enjoy the rest of your day.