Making Time

It’s been such a nice week, taking it easy and not worrying about HAVING to make things or be places (apart from work for 2 days).

It did take me quite a while to get used to sitting down and not actually doing anything. But, after a few days, I got quite into being lazy, or as most people call it I believe, being normal.

But of course all good things must come to an end. And it’s probably for the best. Otherwise I might never have started again!

I’ve sewn 2 samplers today for orders and have this very evening started work on something for MYSELF! Fancy!

I’ll leave you with a photo of the first of the samplers under way. Bed time now, as an emergency trip to the dentist beckons in the AM to fix the crown I broke on a fondants mouse yesterday!

Merry Christmas!

Cross Park, originally uploaded by mooosh ♥ miso funky.

I’ve been such a terrible blogger over the past few months. I really do want to get back into it though in the coming weeks, so stay tuned!

In the meantime, happy Christmas! It’s SO snowy here – this was taken yesterday on our way back from the shops. I am SO excited about a white Christmas!

Right, I return soon, I promise – but until then – have a fabulous festive season!

Day In The Life

My day in the life
Saturday 28th november 2009

To illustrate just how much my new iPhone has taken over my life, I’m writing this on it in its entirety, including uploading it. Sorry it’s late!

825 Wake up, a relative lie in. Lee is up already. Last night was the first night i’ve slept in my own bed for a month, so I enjoy being cosy for a bit.

835 Check emails on iPhone in bed and make mental list of things to make.

845 Shuffle thru to living room in pyjamas and pick up half finished stitching from last nite (or early hours of this morning to be precise). Get cracking on that, at this time of year, there is literally not a moment to be spared!

930 Lee is changing the brakes on his car this morning with the help of a friend. Apparently this “won’t take long”. The brakes are sitting in our hall and weigh more than 8 baby elephants. The man who delivered them to our second floor flat during the week had to be given CPR after carrying them upstairs. Whilst all this is going on, I make some toast and then watch a show on tv I recorded about the art deco design of the orient express. I wish I could go on it.

1100 Having finished stitchery and started some more, I’ve had a shower and got dressed. It’s still uncomfortable to have jeans digging into my wounds but it’s getting better. I decide to go to the shop for some salt and vinegar square crisps, my current crisp obsession. Say hello to Lee and his motoring playdate on way back.

1200 More sewing for market tomorrow and London next weekend. Watch the end of Cranford, I’m a sucker for a period drama.

1300 Cutting aida (cross stitch fabric) to make up kits from my big 10 metre bolt in its fancy bag. Pondering budgicide. We are budgie sitting whilst my mother in law is on Wales. It’s very noisy. (the budgie not the mother in law)

1430 watching Las Vegas, sewing, eating Maltesers. Operation Brakes is complete.

1630 Sure we had some lunch somewhere in there but can’t remember what. Lee makes some tea towels with Jeff, I finish them off with new sharp scissors. I should stop buying new scissors and buy a scissors sharpener.

1930 Watching another of my guilty tv pleasures, Strictly Come Dancing whilst eating dinner quickly then getting back to sewing.

2015 Feel a bit sick. Hazards of having no gallbladder.

2035 Pull self together. Iron 8 billion tea towels whilst Lee makes more. Remark on our incredibly rock and roll lifestyle.

2145 Packaging stuff for market.

2215 Stop for a break. Ice cream and painkillers. We’re like Sid and fucking Nancy.

2245 Finish packing most stuff, now have to put pins on badges, the household’s least favourite job. Do this whilst watching Family Guy even though we’ve seen every episode at least 25 times.

2330 Bedtime? Make vague attempts at some sewing but too sleepy. Play Luxor on iPhone for a bit.

0020 Oops, got carried away. Really is bedtime now. Bonne nuit!

Day In The Life

Catherine has nominated this Saturday as Day In The Life Day to try and kick start our blogging again. Feel free to join in!

To check out what that’s all about, click here to see past entries.

I’ve been up to my eyeballs this week, which is good news for me, as it means I am getting better. I’m back to work on Tuesday and am actually looking forwards to it!

I’ve had a billion orders recently and have just returned from the post office where I spent just over £100 in sending just the weekend’s off! Amazing! Long may it continue!

Here’s some new things I’ve been doing:

Miso Funky stitch your own kits! Now available here.

Vintage matchbox gift tags – I made these when I bought some matchboxes which turned out to be just the tops. They’re quite sweet! Available in sets of 3 or 5 here.

Best crack on! London a week tomorrow and SO much to do before then!

A pair of winkers

Have you been watching The Restaurant this year?

Much against my better judgement, I am. Last series was excellent, with most of the couples being not only talented but genuinely passionate as well.

This year’s show has been condensed down and is seriously lacking in any kind of aptitude or desire to win. Much as I am loving Raymond Blanc, I am finding it so stressful to watch the utter goons competing.

Tonight was no easier viewing, as the worst contestants of all, the smarmy City boys who we have dubbed The Winkers after some first week shenanigans are somehow STILL in it after Bodger and Badger got sent home for being weaklings.

Raymond…if they are still in it next week, I coming down to Le Manoir Aux Quatre Seasons and shitting in soup tureen.

Never a dull moment

I received this yesterday, a gift from laura, which she made with her own fair paw.

I love it when other people give me cross stitched things they’ve done, as I have none of my own work on display at home.

I also really appreciate exactly how time consuming it is and how much work went into it, not to mention the intimation that I lead a vaguely exciting life!

Check out Laura’s other handiwork here or it’s also available at Miso Funky.

A little decoration

Get me and my multiple posts!

To distract me from the fact that I spoke too soon and that my stitches seem to have unravelled, leaving me practically hyperventilating on the bathroom floor, here’s some rubbish photos of some things I made today. It’s been pissing down all day, so photos are very murky!

The first set is some Scandinavian folk art Christmas decorations (sorry you need to crane your neck to see them, not figured out photo editing for iPhone yet).

The second is the prototype for a more saltier decoration!

Both are heading to Red Door Gallery in Edinburgh, where they will be for sale as part of their Christmas tree project.

I fear tomorrow’s project may be stitching myself back together rather depressing as I thought I was doing really well. Fingers crossed it sorts itself out though without another hospital visit!

Cooeeee!

Look, it’s me! I didn’t die on the operating table after all!

Notice something different about me? No, it’s not a haircut. It’s the absence of my hammy gallbladder of course! It’s all done with now and I’m at home recovering. That has been a real trip, but I’ve only been readmitted to hospital once, last weekend as a bit of an emergency, so that is good going.

I’m still finding it hard to get around as I have stitches in my belly button ( euch!) So I’m stuck at home for another couple of weeks. At least I have my new iPhone to keep mr amused ( as if a million things to sew wasn’t enough)

Can’t wait to get back ony feet to give poor lee a break from running around after me and putting my socks on for me and the like!

Back to the sewing and come dine with me! I leave you with a photo of my new gallbladder which marceline brought me the other day. It’s much cuter than my old one.

Oh, you’re such an egg

I’ve been blogging more over at Miso Funky so that excuses the almost month-long hiatus here! Honest, guv.

In the past month, there has been not much of note to report. My dodgy gall bladder woes continue. I have been in and out of work – they are very supportive which is a huge relief, as having worked at iomart for 6 years, I have an ingrained sense of guilt when I have to take time off work. My old boss there made me feel I had to go in when I had mumps, ie contagious! But the new bosses are very nice and I think want to make sure I don’t end up dying on their watch.

I have been to casualty once too, when I collapsed after eating a banana at work – THAT was fun. I had to lie on the bathroom floor at work until someone came in and found me as I couldn’t breath or get up to go and get help. Crikey!

I’ve also had an ultrasound which confirms 2 big gall stones and inflammation, hence the pain. I saw the surgeon on Monday who was a total dick and wanted to wait for 6 months “to see what happens”. I managed to beg him to just put me on waiting list, which still means a 3 month wait anyway. He said himself that I’d need it out sooner or later, so I think I convinced him that sooner would suit me better than later. It’s ruling my entire life and is painful every day – something he seemed not to believe. I suppose it is his job not to indulge people too much or we’d all end up hypochondriacs but a teeny bit of sympathy might not have gone amiss. Needs to work on his bedside manner!

I have researched how much it would cost to go private – and worked out that I only need to sell approximately 280 emobroideries to pay for it. Maybe I should hold a benefit gig to raise the funds! Even if I had £5,000 I don’ t think I could bring myself to spend it on having surgery, no matter the pain.

Apart from this, it’s been pretty quiet at Brown Towers. The crafting continues – had quite a few wholesale enquiries recently and I’m working on 2 of those, restocking Red Door Gallery and 2 custom orders. I’ve also started making plans for Christmas and even bought someone a Christmas present yesterday!

Off to work now, hopefully I can stick it out for the full week this week!

There’s another giveaway happening at Miso Funky, so make sure you check it out.

Giveaway #1 Winners!

Wooo – loads of entries in the giveaway over on Miso Funky – only 3 here. Tsk tsk. You’re all losers!

Actually, you all ARE losers, as the magic randomiser chose people from MF, so no luck this time ladies!

However, the next batch of prizes will be announced over there later this afternoon, so get over there now. I’m too lazy to keep posting in two places

Giveaway #1 Reminder

You’ve only got 5 hours to get your entry in. You are fools if you don’t enter! No more prizes til these are gone and I have loads waiting!

GO GO GO!

A pony is NOT a form of transportation.

Come on, tardy giveaway enterers! Get to it, I have about another 20 things to give away once these are out the way!

In other news, my gall bladder woes continue. It’s quite dull even for me so I won’t bleat about it (plenty of that to come later, mwuhahah!) but suffice to say I am in pain and bored of not being able to do anything or eat anything fun.

But I have learned to cook a few new things to encompass my need for relatively low in fat foods. Here’s a recipe for my randomly put together but delicious soup I made today.

Roasted Balsamic Tomato and Red Pepper Soup

Ingredients

12 x tomatoes

2 x sweet red peppers

Balsamic vinegar

Olive oil

Dried garlic flakes

Salt and pepper

This is so easy a thumbless monkey could make it. First, quarter the tomatoes and chop up the red peppers into chunky bits.

Stick in a roasting tin and drizzle a bit of olive oil on. Drizzle balsamic vinegar on too so all the bits are coated well.

Shake on some garlic flakes or if you aren’t as lazy or pushed for time, crush some garlic cloves and wang them in (remember to take the skin off later tho or it will be minkin’.) Season with plenty of salt and pepper,

Roast in oven on about 180 degrees for an hour or so – until everything starts to go a bit gooey.

Leave to cool then stick in blender until everything is smooth.

Voila – soup! You could add a bit of creme fraiche or something to make it creamy but NOT ALLOWED for me, boo. This made enough for about 2 bowls, so a good snacky sized recipe – just increase the number of tomatoes for more and add another pepper.

We scoffed this as soon as it was made, so no photos but it was VERY tasty!

Hope you enjoy!

Giveaway!

I’m having a clear out in the craft room, so it’s giveaway time.

There’s likely to be a few different things going, here is today’s batch:

Firstly, a batch of ribbon in various colours, lengths and guises including black, white, red, lilac, tartan and some lilac paper ribbon.

Next up is jewellery findings – 2 bags of silver plated earring studs with butterfly backs and 4 hat pins.

And lastly for today, 4 old skool kids books – the batch comprises Downy Duckling, Animal Poems, Mr Plod and Little Noddy and Black Beauty, which has some lovely colour illustrations.

For your chance to win – simply leave a comment on this post before midnight GMT on Wednesday 22nd July! Extra entries if you Tweet, blog or link to this in anyway, mention it in your comments.

If you don’t win this time though, there’s plenty more where this came from!

In America they call brown sauce steak sauce

Yeah, I know I said it was Day In The Life, but sadly, I’ve been ill, so haven’t been able to do it. Sorry Lynsey, who was the only person to do it! The rest of you – feel shamed.

I had a nice day in Edinburgh on Sunday meeting lots of new people, talking to customers, selling lots of emobroidery and getting very wet feet in the torrential thunderstorm that thankfully didn’t last very long.

In the early hours of Monday morning though, I awoke to terrible stomach pains and a pain in my shoulder, which I’ve encountered before. Then the projectile vomiting started and continued for about 6 hours. UGH.

Cutting to the chase, I managed to drag myself to the doctors and it turns out that I need to have my gall bladder removed! I thought it was just a stomach bug or something, but it’s either gall stones or the actual gall bladder that needs to be whipped out. I’ve got to wait for an ultrasound to confirm which and in the meantime am dosed up with painkillers, anti-sickness tablets and feel like I have a permanent stitch the sort I’ve not experienced since cross-country running at secondary school. Very painful and most uncomfortable!

I’ve been off work for the last few days as that’s how my shifts had worked out, but will be back tomorrow, to see how I manage. And then I suppose I am just waiting to hear what it’s to be. BOOOOOO.

It also means I am immediately on a strict diet, cutting out as much fat as possible, no dairy, low sugar – i.e. no fun at all! It’s Lee’s birthday on Friday, so I won’t be able to indulge in cake even (well, maybe a mouthful). I’ve organised a smaller cake just for him though – he better not make me watch him eat it!

If anyone has any tips for fat-free low sugar cake, send ‘em my way!

He’s got a lovely soft Irish accent. He sounds like a cheese

Ooh, a crafty post! Just a quick one mind.

Here’s some work I’ve done recently.

Mini anchor gold framed cross stitch sampler – Nautical is in this season!

A custom order for Sally for her Manchester/Madchester friend.

New shelves for display! Here they are working out very well at Say No To Plastic recently.

And finally – Jeff’s first attempt at some images. Not bad for his debut.

More crafting soon! Really busy with preparing for Edinburgh this weekend just now, so more to follow, I promise!