It’s looking a lot like…

Christmas? Yes, I’m making Christmas cards in July. Why? Because I can. Also,  I don’t have the energy for mass crafting yet so but doing a card or two at a time is manageable.

I bought three new rubber stamps recently, designed by Jo Firth-Young. These are only ATC size so the cards will need more than just this image (I think…) I love their hand drawn quality. I tried a couple using Copics but prefer colouring them with pencils.

I’m thinking of torn embossed borders, layers of patterned paper, ribbon, or mounted on plain kraft cardstock maybe? Who knows how these will turn out…

I actually paper crafted!

I have been doing a weekly art journal page, and some knitting, since my last hospital trip but haven’t really had the energy for paper crafts. I miss it and know doing art is good for me – but the thought of packing and unpacking and just *doing* has been too much. Until today…

I only managed three cards, but that feels like quite an achievement. I used my Stampotique stamps on Stampin’ Up cardstock, and for one I used a Distress Oxide background. The hare was originally on a plain background but I stuck some text on, didn’t like it, removed the text and tore the card base. I was going to throw it out, then thought better of it and just kept going – I think it turned out ok. Are they fairly basic? Yes, but a good feeling all the same.

CMP17 week 29

This week I used Dylusions paints, Simon Says Stamp stamp pad, Ranger embossing ink, Ranger  white embossing powder and a bunch of stencils. The original quote referred to God but of course I had to change that…

CMP17 week 28

I’m right back on track with my CMP art journaling and it feels great. Now to get some crafting time in, because that’s part of me being truly well again. I’m not physically 100% yet but I’m getting there – and tending to my mental health is part of the healing process. If I’m not doing art and craft, there’s no way I am totally well…

This page screamed out for glitter, but I don’t use the mucky stuff. What I do have tucked away is some Pipe Dreamink Opals embossing powder – perfect!

 

CMP17 art journal catch-up

I’ve been doing these each week but not posting. I normally do a coloured background and the text but this week’s deserved a photo because the quote describes Tony and I perfectly (bottom image).

A stroke, vocal cords & knitting!

It’s a month since I blogged, which tells me all kinds of things. No, I’m not 100% yet. Yes, I’m keeping up well with work, but it takes a toll. Yes, it’s too cold in my home office to spend much time in here!

I went to the Dr after seeing the ENT and she confirmed the stroke diagnosis because I have “foot drop” on the same side as the frozen vocal cord and lazy hand (which has healed already). She’s sending me to a neurologist for a check-up. A month on from the ENT specialist appointment  I keep telling people my voice is healing but, in reality, the improvement is pretty minimal so this is certainly a long husky road.

Over the last couple of months I have edged ever so slowly towards my goal weight of 75kg. I’ve felt okay being 77-78kg but it would have felt like a giant fail if I didn’t meet the surgeon’s goal weight for me. I’ve read about a lot of people who never got there, or regained, and I am determined not to go down that path.

In the last couple of weeks I have reached my goal weight, which just feels so good. And now, bizarrely, I am losing weight a bit quicker again, and am down to 72.8kg this morning. I was told I’d probably go lower eventually, and suspect I may end up sitting around 70kg.

On the doing side, it’s too cold to craft much in my office so I have taken up knitting again – something I haven’t done for 25+ years and something I was never that good at. I’ve competed one jersey, the front of another, and am taking a break from the 12ply and big needles to knit a 4ply Merino jersey for a library friend. It’s nice to sit in the lounge in the evenings with Tony and have something to do.