I'm having a blast from the past!

The last few weeks have been trying to say the least. Having no broadband for two weeks didn't help, I could only get on-line for a few minutes every day from work. All sorted now - phew.

Dad has been staying here in between hospital visits. I don't know how he does it. I took him in for two appointments for 8am two days in a row and he went in himself for a third day. This is his routine....hospital 3 times one week, twice the next. It's a gruelling schedule even for a health person. BUT, it's been a blast from the past having him here. I've been dragged back to my childhood and all the things he made us do......can't leave the dinner table until you say "may I leave the table please". So now my son is doing that! Darling son somethings heads straight for his trampoline after eating and never listens to my advice. But Dad only had to tell him once, to wait an hour, so now he does! I got the same thing as a kid, but it was normally in relation to not swimming after eating and also about chewing your banana well!
Last night we watched the Late Late show and a lady was singing "Forget your troubles, come on get happy" and Dad did his backing vocals bit. I love when he does it..he can jump into any song and do a Chloe Lane type harmonising or whistle in perfect tune that actually suits the song. I can't believe the difference in him since a few weeks ago. But he is still terrified to have another attack if he is on his own.

The plans for my web site have been on the back burner for a bit. I've registered the company name and the domain name, but I've just got to many card orders to give it my 100%

I won a competition for a Lay Out. I'm just so delighted. The win was my hat-trick. Entered 3, won 3. I did enter for the card one two, but the winning card was brilliant and so deserved it. In fact, all the entries were fantastic.

Ladettes, sorry I missed the last get together, but thanks Niamhie for the text message at 5.30am!!! Hopefully we'll all be there on the 30th to bless the new dining room table.
I had a great night in A&E. Sat there in agony for 3 hours on a hard seat till and freezng waiting room till I finally decided to head home after finding out other people were still waiting who arrived 4 hours before me. Still don't know if is was appendicitis, will have to wait till it flares up
again.

Well, it's coffee time and a little phone call to sis in Itlay is in order. MMMwwwaaahhhh

Friday

Still no news on Dad. He's had test after test and the Doctors still can't find the source of the infection. He looked a bit brighter yesterday and has managed to eat.He looked tired but that's to be expected - he got little or sleep with all the goings-on in the ward.

Niamh - I'm dying to hear all about Hong Kong, glad you decided to go in the end. Looks like the next full get together will be well into April. Like Jackie, I'm a bit pushed for time before that.

Glad to see weddings aren't going out of fashion. I still haven't finalised my wedding invite web-site, but haven't had to either. Another bride chose her invites this week and TG, she picked nice simple ones!

And finally, Thank You , to the Ladies and Gents of the Seniors Group. A took a group of them to and from church and to lunch on Good Friday and they sent me a gorgeous card. they are a fantastic bunch and have great fun and craic with each other.

Monday - it's a day off

Hooray for Bank holidays.

I've had a busy weekend and an eventfull week.

Like most crafters, I am a member of a couple of forums, Cara Craft Supplies Group and an EBay group. Sadly, things fell apart in the EBay group, one day we were one happy family, the next splat!! I was a moderator in the group and myself and the group leader had a complaints issue to deal with. In the end, it turns out we could have handled things differently, so now we know....but it resulted in one member letting rip on me, and totally blaming me for everything. I can get over the likes of her no problem. The best part is, that myself and the "friendliest woman on the planet" have started our own EBay Group - Celtic Crafters - all new members welcome.
And the whole experience feels so refreshing. A new beginning, and leaving behind bitter women, with sewer mouths.
From a crafting point of view, I was busy stamping ..bride and groom images for wedding invites. Got to stamp and heat emoboss over 200 times...so it may take me a while. I also got some work done for a competition and played with my new craft robo for a bit to do some cards for charity.

I'm stuffed, with lamb and easter eggs - but can't think a nicer mix to be stuffed on.

Thanks for calling by - don't forget to leave your mark - all comments are taken with a light heart.
Enjoy your day of relaxation tomorrow.

Easter

As a follow on from the ladettes night - yep, you guessed it - not the fittest the next day. More tired than hungover. Never actually got to bed and was luckily driven home the next morning. Gawd, can us lot talk.
Anyhoo, Easter is upon us and apart from too many chocolate eggs, it really doesn't have a major significance for me. but I did have a few card orders, here they are:

Note to any family members who read this : I LOVE DARK CHOCOLATE!!! LOL

Ladies Night

The ladettes get together tomorrow night (friday) well, all except Niamh (bottom r/h) gawd love her, she had to go to Hong Kong to accompany her in-laws half way to Australia.
So, for the other four of us, it's off to Lusk to chomp our way through 3 courses at Fionas (top L/H) all washed down with one or maybe two bottles of red heaven!
So, it'll be hangovers galore me thinks. We do start off with the best of intentions but by 3am we couldn't give a damn! And by 6am when the sun is leaping in the sky, we'll sit there blurry eyed still debating something we started at 12.30, and I will have consumed 8 espressos fooling myself into thinking I won't have a "head" on me the next day.
Anyway, buddy friend Nancy (bottom L/H) is collecting me at 7.30 and Jackie (midddle top) will meet us there.
I've a funny feeling that a drunken phone call to Hong Kong will happen at about 4 a.m.
Will someone record what happens on Saturday, because I'll probably have no memory of the day as I'll be catching up on hours of lost sleep. But it's so worth it - that's what friends are for.
This is one of the rare pics of all of us together. It was taken at "The SnowBall" - a charity event, aparrently held every year. Sadly, there were too many Tarquins, Jeremy's and Chantelles there for my liking, so won't be going again. It wasn't their false poshness that put me off - just their blatant rudeness. Despite the Tarquins having fat cigars in their mouths, they still could talk so loudly we couldn't hear a moving plea by the charity principal - Christina Noble. I'll shut up now otherwise I'll just rant about the horsey set and their "daddies" who paid for their tickets and frocks!

Mothers Day

My Mother Monica - love you, miss you. Happy Mothers Day xxx


Mothers Day on Sunday and I think I shed a tear for every mothers day card I made for orders. My own darling mother Monica passed away almost 6 years ago and I miss her more today than I did yesterday. It doesn't get easier, you don't get over it - you get through it. I took up card making after she died and I know she would have been so interested and would have tried it herself. She, is where I get any artistic ability from. She was a fabulous knitter (I never could) . My Dad's relatives in Australia still brag about the Aran jumpers they have that she knit- not many of us had the pleasure of owning one of her creations because she knit them for a shop. She had a great interest in creating things and over the years we tried many ventures together. We did a floral arranging course and I went on to do more. We made "dolly" hair slide holders and I sold them in work - we made a fortune! Most of my family have an interest in my card making ventures but she would have loved it and I miss not being able to show her or to even ask her opinion. So, sadly none of these cards are for her, but I know that she knows, if she was still with us, she'd have received the most special of my efforts.

And here a few cards, some lucky people had the chance to send:

Cards for the Famous!

It's not very often I get order for cards for "famous" people, then 3 orders came together.
A christening card for comedian, Tommy Tiernan's baby: For some stange reason I didn't take a photo of it. Some day, I hope to bump into him because there is a funny story about the card. I used a new "swirly" font on the card and it was only when I had the whole thing done that I realised the "swirls" where shadows of posing naked women!!! I had to use a lot of gems to cover them up!

Then a thank you card for childrens book author Judi Curtin:
I decided to go with a book style card. The verse is in Irish, and luckily a native Irish speaker spotted a typo before I handed it over (thanks Neasa) - phew




Then, I was asked to make a congratulaions card for hat designer Philip Tracey. It HAD to be in the Galway colours of maroon and white and feature a hat. I was so nervous making this. The hat is made from stripes of maroon velvet with a jewel embellishment. Apparently, he was quite impressed with it. I made similiar ones for his brother and other people at the G Hotel who were involved in his first solo hat show in Ireland.