Failure

I feel like such a failure.

I was doing well with the whole photography thing but with work and my Mum's cancer it all seemed to fall away and I didn't feel like doing much of anything.

I thought about stopping blogging altogether but I like doing it though I don't seem to be doing it as much as I have in the past. I've decided to pick myself up and start all over again. I'll try taking a picture a week - a little more realistic. I am still going for reading books off my bookshelf but have only managed one so far lol.

I am still in the states - sort of holding on and waiting to see what is going to happen next with Mum. The waiting is awful. She's had a couple of tests recently - one came back not so well. Her kidneys are still not working right so no more chemo - she only had one round. The other one - the big one - came back yesterday. The cancer hasn't grown and hasn't spread. Very good news. I was nervous all week.

I am going to get my creativity back! I have plans for this weekend - maybe I'll have something to post.

Updated Photography Page

So far I am keeping up with my daily photographs. The longer the week drags on the harder it seems to take the pictures but I am doing it. Once my two days come around I'm raring to go again. I don't think I'll be popping outside much this weekend to take pictures as it is so cold and snowy. I miss taking walks in the woods. I miss seeing the wildlife.

Spring will be coming :)

New Pages

I've added my Photography 2015 page and my Book shelf reading page 2015. Let's see how well I stick to these goals!

2015 Goals

Another new year - how time flies!

Lot going on with Mum and work and home, but I have a couple of goals for this year. Well, I probably have more than a couple but realistic blog goals are the following:-

Reading Challenge - I'm going to read 5 books from my to-be-read pile (pre-2015) per month. I will then filter out at least 5 books per month.

Photography Challenge - at least 1 picture per day. It will be something to do with my life. I'm looking at a couple of prompters right now but will decide on a theme - or not - later!

Card for Mum

I finished a Christmas card for my Mum. Hope she likes it!

It was made with a Sizzix Cut n Pop base. I found a really nice verse on the web. It was only my second time making a card like this and I like the way it turned out!

Christmas Projects

I did start on a couple of Christmas projects. I've been watching Britishcraftnetwork.tv. One of my favourite 'presenters' is Kay Rutter of Hougie Crafts. These are from one of her programs. I filled them with goodies for family/friends.

The boxes are really easy to make once you get the hang of them.  Kay makes it so easy to follow! The bottom stamp is a Penny Black stamp. The top is a stamp by Dyan Reaveley from the Christmas Words collection. Love them!

Absent again...bad news

I keep meaning to post on my blog but life got in the way again. Found out that my Mum has cancer. Been feeling down as I am so far away and there isn't a lot I can do to help. I'm worrying a lot, not sleeping but that doesn't help.  I feel so helpless not being able to give her a hug and support her. Skype just doesn't do it.

Crackers

Last week while I was looking around on the web I came across British craft Network and found a lovely woman Kay Rutter of Hougie Crafts. She was making Christmas Crackers. I've been looking for an easy way to make them for years. She made it sooo easy! The only problem I had was that, as I am in the states, A4 paper isn't the standard size paper. I cut down some 12 x 12 and made my own. I do own a little A4 stash so I used that too. Haven't decorated any of the crackers but I'm getting the hang of making them. I ordered some Bath and Body work minis to put inside and I think I'll do lottery tickets and maybe chocolates for guys.

Here are a few of the ones I made. She showed how to make circular ones, square ones and triangles! Really fun.

She also shows how to make the gift part larger or smaller. She also showed a Christmas Cracker card and envelope I'm going to give a try.

Back again

It's been too long.

I had an extra day off this week and got some crafting in. My DD is away at Uni. She's not too far away but she's busy with school and work and we're busy with work so we don't see one another as much as I would like. We chat and text quite a bit. She loves squirrels so I thought I'd make her a card to say hi. I pulled out my new Sizzix card design die.

 

 I'm going to write my sentient in the blank spot at the bottom.

Here's another card I did - a fun one.

Got caught in a downpour...

I ran errands most of the morning. I'm trying to find a dress for a wedding I am attending while in England. I'm not really a dress sort of person and trying to shop for one is horrible. So far I have bought two skirts, one pair of trousers, one dress, three shirts and a shrug. Still not sure what I'm wearing for the wedding lol.

I decided to take a walk in the afternoon just to relax. I grabbed my camera and headed to the nature preserve. I was meandering along on my way back when it absolutely fell down with rain. I got drenched. I was hurrying back to the car and almost there when I startled a deer and it startled me! We sort of both looked at one another. The deer stopped to eat and I stopped to take pictures. Rain be damned. The deer was worth getting wet - and dirty!

I had actually seen a couple more while I was walking around the lake but they weren't close up.