THE ONLY WAY NOW IS UP!

Well, things haven't gone quite to plan over the past few weeks hence my delay in posting Happy New Year wishes to all of you and fingers crossed that 2011 will be both happy and healthy for all of us!

I hate posting messages of doom and gloom so I'll keep this part short and sweet ~ our Christmas in Florida was enjoyable but DD was poorly Christmas Eve and Day with a suspected tummy bug and on our last day DH fell ill and was admitted into hospital for a couple of days and we were unable to fly back home as scheduled.  Without my 'rock' beside me and 3 children to find beds for, food for and keep calm,  I felt very vulnerable and very frightened but with the most excellent care and support from the Virgin representatives both sides of the Atlantic and immediate help from The British Consul we were looked after, made comfortable and returned home with a much healthier looking DH on New Year's Eve.

I guess the experience knocked me for six and feeling so low gave the rotten tooth abscess time to sneek back yet again, as before the antibiotics have not been able to do the trick and end of last week saw a very unwell me necessitating an emergency extraction and a very sore mouth!  The culprit tooth was not right at the front and the gap left is not too noticeable when I talk but I am concsious that it is visible when I really smile or laugh so no more of that for a little while whilst a replacement is looked into!

So, being that low means only one thing ~ THE ONLY WAY NOW IS UP . . . .

And a good start was a lovely, lovely gift from Michelle of http://theraspberryrabbits.blogspot.com/ waiting for me on the mat when I returned :

Michelle is the most talented Textile Artist ever and her designs and creations are gorgeous, made even more so by the fact that she is 'bunny mad' and her 2 adorable bunnies Sugie and Sir Walter Harrington are adored by Tilly and I.  Shell sent me a most beautiful pair of embroidery scissors in the shape of a rabbit with a hand-sewn embroidered heart, fresh tea and raspberry chocolates and a handmade Christmas Card in her trademark colour of white with beautiful ribbon and a snowflake embellishment.  I was chuffed to bits with my package and it's all so pretty I'm too scared to open and use any of it all ~ I'll treasure it forever Shell, thank you so much xxx

Next I was thrilled to be nominated for a blog award by Denise of http://riversidestitching.blogspot.com/

I love Denise's blog site, she always makes me giggle with her thoughts (remember Denise, no smiling or laughing at present) and her stitching projects are awesome and well worth popping over to see!

The award comes with the usual requirements, one to nominate fellow Bloggers with fab blog sites and the other to tell you 7 things you didn't know about little 'ole me?

Well, I'm so late in posting that it seems everyone has beaten me to the first requirement but how would I choose anyway, I love reading all your blogs, sharing all your happy (and sad) occasions and seeing all your wonderful pictures ~ you're all truly inspiring ~ but the second requirement I can do, not easy, but here goes:

1.     I have had Type 1 diabetes (insulin-dependent) most of my life and it makes my ability to fight infections poor ~ hence the persistent tooth abscess ~ however, although it can cause hiccups, I have never let it rule my life and feel I have missed out on nothing, I lead a full life and although I have calculated I have given myself over 51,000 injections I still don't sprinkle out water through all the injection holes when I drink !!!

2.     No laughing! I'm actually terrified of injections and can only cope with them if I'm doing them myself - TV,  real-life ~ no! I'm out for the count !!!

3.     Florida ~ my second home ~ we have visited now for the last 10 consecutive years and hope in later life to live there !

4.     Favourite colour ~ boring I know but it has to be cream, it's safe, quiet, peaceful and clean !

5.     I was born on the 11th day of the 11th month at 11am (and was such an easy birth for my Mum that she was eating fish & chips an hour later) !!!


6.     I passed my driving test on my first attempt despite going through 4 Instructors before doing so! #1 was an elderly gentleman who had taught my dad and brothers but saddly passed away the week before my 1st lesson, #2 was his daughter who wore so much perfume it gave me asthma attacks, #3 who gave me lessons after finishing work at 6pm and would eat his tea whilst doing so, this involved crunching an apple every time in my left ear and when I slammed the brakes on too hard in practicing an emergency stop he through the apple at me*!*! and #4 fab guy with a brilliant sense of humour and a great taste in music ~ success!!!


7.     I only had one job between leaving school and raising my family and that was a designer at a printworks.  I designed the titles and logos for companies and today many of my 'works of art' are still on display at their factories and offices.


and number 8.     just in case I forgot to tell you, you hadn't noticed, it had passed you by or had slipped your memory . . . . . . I LOVE BUNNIES!

So, now to sewing,  I'm afraid not a lot to show you other than my start on 'I Love You Little Rabbit' :

I love this design but changed the fabric from the yucky yellowy 14-count Aida provided with the kit to soft white 32-count linen and yes! there's a little something missing, I've saved the little bunny 'til last to stitch so next time it should be a happy dance and talking of which:

Tilly!  I missed her SOOOO much whilst we were away but she had a great Christmas with the rabbit nurse and made friends with the lady's own rabbit Dave, she kept me constantly updated and even sent me photos of the two of them playing together, ahhhhhhhhh!

Santabunny had left her a prezzie on her return ~ a willow house with removeable roof :

Willow is great for bunnies, it helps maintain healthy tooth growth and doesn't pile calories on their tummies BUT Tilly has decided house renovations are needed and has since created a window to the left of the front door, virtually disposed of the flooring and is requesting a softer finish of carpet and is creating a hole in the roof so that Santabunny has easy access next year!!!!

         

Okay, enough rambling for this time but I've still so much to tell you : Florida and yeh! I got to see the Wizarding World of Harry Potter and a new cross-stitch shop find, more stash and even a start of a new hobby so please stop by again soon when hopefully full-smile mode will be resumed.

HAPPY CROSS STITCHING

xxx