Back to school .... hoorah

Twas the night before school started, when all through the town,
the parents were cheering...It was a riotous sound!
By 8, kids were washed and tucked into bed...
Where memories of homework filled them with dread!
New pencils, new folders, new notebooks too!
New teachers, new friends... Their anxiety grew!
The parents just giggled when they learned of this fright
- and shouted upstairs: Go to bed. its a school night!

These aren't my words, they were being passed around on facebook! I thought you might enjoy them, I know I did & brought back many memories of when my 4 sons were still at school :)

Thanks for dropping by

Jane ~ xXx

Simple Card

This card looks so much nicer in real life, I just can't get the editing on it quite right today & the light for taking photo's is not good either.
I still need so much practice with my promakers, but I am beginning to get the hang of the blending of them.
For this card I have used Basic Grey Papers ~ sweet threads range
plus paper & lace from my odds box.
Flowers from Wild Orchid Crafts
Gems & Crystal Pin from my Duck Pond Craft Kit
Nestie & Promarkers
I am entering this card in the the I <3 Promarkers Challenge

Thanks for dropping by
Jane ~ xXx

My August Blooms Kit

Lots of yummies arrived on my doorstep a few days ago, in the form of my august blooms kit from Karen owner of Duck Pond Crafts
The blooms kit always comes delivered in a pretty chiffon bag & when you open it all the lovely blooms & ribbons come tumbling out. Karen pops the pins, charms, buttons & gems in a little cellophane bags to prevent them from damaging the other more delicate contents!
As you can see the August kit is made up of pinks, blues, black & creams .... so pretty!
In the cello bag this month you will find buttons, crystal topped pins, gems, charms & dew drops, I am really looking forward to using the kit. The blooms kit retails at £11.00 incl P&P
Karen also produces cardmaking kits too & stocks a large range of charms, she prides herself on trying to find charms & other items for her kits, that are just that little bit different.

A little card for a friend

At last I am wanting to craft again, I made this little card for a friend. I have also discovered promarkers & am slowly building buying them & hope to have the complete set soon. I am OK with just colouring with them, but need a lot of practice with the blending. So, I think this image still looks a little flat ... Still, I had fun making the card & there was a lot of love put into it too & that's the main thing, plus it brought a smile to it's new owner :)

Someone gifted me the stamped image, so I don't know the name of the stamp, but I used Basic Grey papers & flowers purchased from Wild Orchid Crafts I used Stickles for the wings & of coarse nesties to cut out the circles!

Thanks for dropping by
Jx

Meet my new Grandaughter

This is Yasmin, isn't she just the cutest little darling ever.
Welcome to the family princess, you have your big brother Mason to protect you, a Mummy & Daddy to comfort, treasure & guide you, so many lovely cousins to play with & huge adoring family to love you.
Yasmin you have the whole world to explore in time & Nanny Jane knows that you & Mason will conquer it together
<3 <3 <3

End of an Era for Wiltshire

I had a few tears this morning :( being silly I know but, it's always been there, all my life & part of the Wiltshire sky, everyone knew Fat Albert, as they were fondly known as round these parts. .... Yes, I am talking about the closure of RAF Lyneham Wiltshire ... Fat Albert is the Hurcules aircraft that has always supported the Troops & Repatriations as well as Relief Aide air drops around the world.
Staff & personel are moving to RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire, as part of the MOD cuts. The Wiltshire skys just won't be the same anymore!

When I moved back to Wiltshire 2yrs ago after a 10yr break, I saw a Hercules in the sky as I came off the M4 motorway & instantly knew I was home, now all that will be gone.
I have just seen 4 of the planes fly past now, that's what brought the tear to my eye. What a spendid sight it was, as they reached the open fields over the road from my bungalow, they banked, all 4 of them turning on thier side together ..... wonderful.!!!
You will all probably be familiar with the the repatriation ceremonies, with all the crowds come out to pay thier respect, as the funeral cars pass through Wooton Bassett, all that will now stop, because the repatriations will take place in Oxfordshire. However, I am proud that the town of Wootton Bassett now has Royal status.
Sorry if this is boring, but I was born & bred here in Wiltshire & my children & grandchildren, so Lyneham & the Hercules aircraft are part of me & I will miss them along with so many other people!

Where were you then..?

Where Were You When?

Where were you, when the world stopped turning that September day?

Out in the yard with your wife and children

Working on some stage in LA

Did you stand there in shock at the site of

That black smoke rising against that blue sky

Did you shout out in anger

In fear for your neighbour

Or did you just sit down and cry

Did you weep for the children

Who lost their dear loved ones

And pray for the ones who don't know

Did you rejoice for the people who walked from the rubble

And sob for the ones left below

Did you burst out in pride

For the red white and blue

The heroes who died just doing what they do

Did you look up to heaven for some kind of answer

And look at yourself to what really matters

I'm just a singer of simple songs

I'm not a real political man

I watch CNN but I'm not sure I can tell you

The difference in Iraq and Iran

But I know Jesus and I talk to God

And I remember this from when I was young

Faith hope and love are some good things he gave us

And the greatest is love.

Where were you, when the world stopped turning that September day?

Teaching a class full of innocent children

Driving down some cold interstate

Did you feel guilty cause you're a survivor

In a crowded room did you feel alone

Did you call up your mother and tell her you love her

Did you dust off that bible at home

Did you open your eyes and hope it never happened

Close your eyes and not go to sleep

Did you notice the sunset the first time in ages

Speak with some stranger on the street

Did you lay down at night and think of tomorrow

Go out and buy you a gun

Did you turn off that violent old movie you're watching

And turn on "I Love Lucy" reruns

Did you go to a church and hold hands with some stranger

Stand in line and give your own blood

Did you just stay home and cling tight to your family

Thank God you had somebody to love

I'm just a singer of simple songs

I'm not a real political manI watch CNN but I'm not sure I can tell you

The difference in Iraq and Iran

But I know Jesus and I talk to God

And I remember this from when I was young

Faith hope and love are some good things he gave us

And the greatest is loveI'm just a singer of simple songs

I'm not a real political manI watch CNN but I'm not sure I can tell you

The difference in Iraq and Iran

But I know Jesus and I talk to God

And I remember this from when I was young

Faith hope and love are some good things he gave us

And the greatest is love

The greatest is love

The greatest is love

Where were you when the world stopped turning that September day

song and lyrics by Alan Jackson

Job Vacancy - Craft Stamper Magazine

Job Vacancy - Assistant Editor Traplet Publications is seeking an assistant editor to work on Craft Stamper magazine and any of our other papercraft-related publications. Applicants must be passionate about papercrafting and demonstrate sound knowledge of rubber stamping, as well as other papercraft disciplines such as cardmaking, scrapbooking and altered art. You should also have an excellent command of the English language, good attention to detail and be able to work under pressure and to deadlines. Ideally the appointed candidate will work full time (37 hours per week), based in our offices in Malvern, Worcestershire. However, for the right candidate we may consider a job-share (18.5 hours) appointment and/or some limited home-working provision. Salary negotiable depending on skills and experience. Please apply in writing, enclosing a CV and a covering letter stating your suitability for the post, to katy.fox@traplet.com or Craft Stamper Magazine, Traplet Publications, Traplet House, Pendragon Close, Malvern WR14 1GA.

My Daily Life with Fibromyalgia

It is difficult to put into words what I go through each day, so here is a copy of a letter that was written for the purpose of letting others know what it is like;

LOVE LETTER TO NORMALS

by Claudia Marek

Here is my letter written to explain to family and friends what it’s like to have fibromyalgia. It won’t work miracles: it’s hard to understand our illness from the outside looking in. But it is a start and can open the door to important dialogues. You are all welcome to use it, either as is, or as a basis for writing your own. Remember that you have a responsibility to tell those close to you what is wrong and communicate as clearly as you can how you feel and what you need. The best time to do that is when you are not upset!

Fibromyalgia isn’t all in my head, and it isn’t contagious. It doesn’t turn into anything serious and nobody ever died from fibromyalgia (thought they might have wished they could on really awful days!!) If you want to read articles or books about fibromyalgia I can show you some that I think are good. If you just want to learn as we go along, that’s fine too. This is definitely going to be a process. The first step is for you to believe that there is an illness called fibromyalgia and that I have it. This may sound simple, but when you hear about my symptoms I don’t want you to think I’m making this all up as I go along.

Fibromyalgia is a high maintenance condition with lots and lots of different kinds of symptoms. There’s no way to just take a pill to make it go away, even for a little while. Sometimes a certain medication can make some of my symptoms more bearable. That’s about the best I can hope for. Other times I may take a lot of medication and still won’t feel any better. That’s just the way it goes. I can’t control how often I feel good or when I’m going to feel terrible. Lots of people have been cutting new drugs advertisements out of magazines for me and I appreciate the thought, but I’ve seen them too. Look at the list of side effects and the few symptoms they help in return. Even in the best studies those expensive compounds didn’t help over half the people who tried them. No matter how happy the people in the pictures look, there’s still no miracle drug available.

There’s no cure for fibromyalgia and it won’t go away. If I am functioning normally, I am having a good day. This doesn’t mean I’m getting better — I suffer from chronic pain and fatigue for which there is no cure. I can have good days, several good weeks or even months. But a good morning can suddenly turn into a terrible afternoon. I get a feeling like someone has pulled out a plug and all my energy has just run out of my body. I might get more irritable before these flares, and suddenly get more sensitive to noise or just collapse from deadening fatigue. Weather changes can have a big effect on how I feel. Other times there may be no warning, I may just suddenly feel awful. I can’t warn you when this is likely to happen because there isn’t any way for me to know. Sometimes this is a real spoiler and I’m sorry. The sadness I feel for what my illness does to those around me is more than I can easily describe. You may remember me as a light-hearted fun loving person — and it hurts me that I am no longer what I was.

Fibromyalgics have a different kind of pain that is hard to treat. It is not caused by inflammation like an injury. It is not a constant ache in one place like a broken bone. It moves around my body daily and hourly and changes in severity and type. Sometimes it is dull and sometimes it is cramping or prickly. Sometimes it’s jabbing and excruciating. If Eskimos have a hundred words for snow, fibromyalgics should have a hundred words for pain. Sometimes I just hurt all over like I’ve been beaten up or run over by a truck. Sometimes I feel too tired to lift up my arm.

Besides pain, I have muscle stiffness which is worse in the morning and evenings. Sometimes when I get up out of a chair I feel like I am ninety years old. I may have to ask you to help me up. I’m creaky and I’m klutzy. I trip over things no one can see, and I bump into the person I am walking with and I drop things and spill things because my fingers are stiff and my coordination is off. I just don’t seem to connect the way I should. Hand-eye, foot-eye coordination, it’s all off. I walk slowly up and down stairs because I’m stiff and I’m afraid I might fall. When there’s no railing to hold on to, it’s terrifying.

Because I feel bad most of the time, I am always pushing myself, and sometimes I just push myself too hard. When I do this, I pay the price. Sometimes I can summon the strength to do something special but I will usually have to rest for a few days afterwards because my body can only make so much energy. I pay a big price for overdoing it, but sometimes I have to. I know it’s hard for you to understand why I can do one thing and not another. It’s important for you to believe me, and trust me about this. My limitations, like my pain and my other symptoms are invisible, but they are real.

Another symptom I have is problems with memory and concentration which is called fibrofog. Short-term memory is the worst! I am constantly looking for things. I have no idea where I put down my purse, and I walk into rooms and have no idea why. Casualties are my keys which are always lost, my list of errands, which I write up and leave on the counter when I go out. Even if I put notes around to remind myself of important things, I’m still liable to forget them. Don’t worry, this is normal for fibromyalgics. Most of us are frightened that we are getting Alzheimer’s. New kinds of brain scans have actually documented differences in our brains.

I mentioned my sensitivities earlier and I need to talk about them again. It’s more like an intolerance to everything. Noise, especially certain noises like the television or shrill noises can make me jittery and anxious. Smells like fish or some chemicals, or fragrances or perfume can give me headaches and nausea. I also have a problem with heat and cold. It sounds like I’m never happy but that isn’t it. These things make me physically ill. They stress me out and make my pain worse and I get exhausted. Sometimes I just need to get away from something, I just don’t know how else to say it. I know sometimes this means I will have to go outside, or out to the car, or go home to sit alone and that’s really all right. I don’t want or need you to give up doing what’s important to you. That would only make me feel worse. Sometimes when I feel lousy I just want to be by myself. When I’m like this there’s nothing you can do to make me feel better, so it’s just better to let me be.

I have problems sleeping. Sometimes I get really restless and wake up and can’t get back to sleep. Other times I fall into bed and sleep for fourteen hours and still be tired. Some nights I’ll toss and turn and not be able to sleep at all. Every little thing will keep me awake. I’m sure that’s confusing to be around, and I know there are times when my tossing and turning and getting up and down to go to the bathroom disturbs you. We can talk about solutions to this.

All these symptoms and the chemical changes in my brain from pain and fatigue can make me depressed as you’d imagine. I get angry and frustrated and I have mood swings. Sometimes I know I’m being unreasonable but I can’t admit it. Sometimes I just want to pull the covers over my head and stay in bed. These emotions are all very strong and powerful. I know this is a very hard thing about being with me. Every time you put up with me when I’m in one of my moods, secretly I’m grateful. I can’t always admit it at the time, but I’m admitting it now. One thing I can tell you is it won’t help to tell me I’m irrational. I know I am, but I can’t help it when it’s happening.

I have other symptoms like irritable bowel, muscle spasms and pelvic pain that will take their toll on our intimacies. Some of these symptoms are embarrassing and hard to talk about but I promise to try. I hope that you will have the patience to see me through these things. It’s very hard for me too because I love you and I want to be with you, and it makes everything worse when you are upset and tired of dealing with all my problems. I have made a promise to myself and now I am making it to you: I will set aside time for us to be close. During that time we will not talk about my illness. We both need time to get away from its demands. Though I may not always show it I love you a million times more for standing by me. Having to slow down physically and having to get rid of unnecessary stresses will make our relationship stronger.Link to the original letter

Easter Card

I made this card up from a design that the very talented Sally Booth designed for sale on Crafts U Print. This is such a simply, effective, quick & very pretty card to make, so it's ideal for any last minute Easter greetings that you might want to make up. After printing out the design on to shimmery silk card & cutting out the pieces, I left the eggs in the back ground quite flat by just using glue, but the bunny I decoupaged to make him stand out. I toyed with the idea of glittering some bits of the design, but in the end I didn't bother ... maybe next time :)
Thanks for looking
Jx