Wednesday 30 November 2011

nice november news!

Yes, I do also have some nice news to share too!

Little MissG and I enjoyed a lovely day at the Knitting and Stitching Show in Harrogate.  She had already been to the show on the Thursday with her school's textile department and she came home telling me how much I would have loved it.  So... on Saturday off we went to Harrogate.  I couldn't believe the size of it - there was stall after stall of all sorts of crafty things.  A joy to the eye, I should say!

The stall holders were really helpful and were happy to share the techniques used in their craft.  I feel inspired to try needle-felting and machine embroidery. 

We bought buttons...

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Decopatch paper...

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Christmas ornaments to decoupage...

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Christmas stars to decoupage...

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A needle felting kit...

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A freindship bracelet kit...

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Little MissG is already wearing her first attempt and is happy with the results.  She'll have to crack on though to get one finished for each of her friends for Christmas!

Have you been watching the Kirsty's Homemade Britain series?  I wasn't so interested in the baking or flower arranging episodes but the one where she joined her local WI to enter three craft pieces based on The Secret Garden book was very inspiring.  I loved the mosaic mirror, silver leaf and key and most of all Kirsty's needle-felted robin.  I think I'll go and get my kit out and have a go....

not so nice november news

Well, what can I say? Not the news I was hoping to share with you. I don't actually know if I should be sharing this with you but my blog is a form of diary and it may help for me to put it in writing. We have had the most devastating news about my Mum and it has shaken us all to the core. 

Mum went see her Doctor at the end of September as she was feeling anxious and had a shortness of breath so she was treated for anxiety. The shortness of breath became so bad that she was taken to hospital and it was discovered that she had fluid on her lung. That was treated and she was released from hospital after a week but was told that the fluid was due to an infection and she had to go back in for a CT scan to see where the infection was coming from. Well, we got the devastating results on 14th November. Her breast cancer (from 5 years ago) has spread to her lung, liver and brain. As you can imagine we are in a state of shock. 

I can't believe it. My lovely Mum. I have been driving up to Carlisle to see her as often as I can and have taken her to the various hospital appointments. She has had radiotherapy on her brain and chest and has numerous tablets to take. The doctor is pleased at how well she is responding to the treatment so far. Apart from feeling very tired she is quite bright and chatty. I love you Mum x.

Meanwhile, on one of my trips to Carlisle my husband phoned to say that the results of a recent blood test have confirmed that he has diabetes. Can you believe it? He has been to see the diabetic nurse this week and has been given dietary advice and a little machine to read his blood three times a day for the next week or so. He is a 'shower, shave, dress and out of the door' sort of guy and can't be doing with all the parping about!

I think while I'm at it I will get it all off my chest here and now and also add that my son (16) has just been for a blood test on Tuesday as he keeps feeling dizzy and faint - results should be back next week. My sister has been diagnosed with PBC (primary biliary cirrhosis) and feels really tired and drained - she needs regular iron infusions. Then her daughter has just had a scan which showed that she has stones in her liver - she'll need an op to remove them.

We have been a relatively healthy family until now and for it all to be diagnosed over the last couple of weeks is just too much!