Tuesday 18 November 2014

It's mainly a knotty tale...

Hi everybody, it's a chilly November day, here in north Kent, I shall get my thermals out soon I think! 
I'm resisting as long as I can ...once they come out I practically live in them until the summer starts... not the most fetching of looks LOL ~ I have given in to the aching joints a bit, and I've fished my old padded knee supports out of storage! 
I've been struggling to get my little Etsy shop up and running, because of the fibro/ME (myalgic encephalomyelitis), so it's with much relief that I tell you it's now open! WOOP WOOP :)
I've still got some more items to add on, but there are a good few pieces listed & ready to post/ship.
                                 
This pic is one of my Facebook cover photo's, the mask is in the shop (with its own special decorative box) and a galleon will be on there very soon.
I've finally made my first beaded wire wrap/shawl pin... I'm so pleased with it! 
Now, you've got to understand that this was another learning curve, a lot of trial and error and a real struggle because of my hands ...but I did it AND I've designed a second one, a dragonfly.  I've made the main structure & hope to start beading it in the next day or two.


Why do I love it? am I blowing my own trumpet? not a bit of it! 
I mainly love designing, making and finishing something because I'm just so enthusiastic about creating something new; seeing it materialise and finding out if the design works or not. It's really the design process I love, the solving of any design problems etc that gives me the 'feel good factor'. 
Now I know my little creations can't be compared to the likes of a potter or a jewellery maker, for example...  their skill sets and materials are so different. 
My crafts are really more akin to cottage crafts, but never the less I am proud of what I do.
I've designed these pins so that the actual pin is an integral part of the design. In my research I found that many of the designs had a pin that could be added anywhere, to fix the garment together, so an owl pin may have the pin itself going through the side of the owl... not very owl like :)
My second design is a dragonfly, I've made the wire frame, selected my beads (from my very limited stash), now all I have to do is do the beading. If these two designs get a good response I shall invest in some better tools and materials. 

        

The owl pin coordinates with the wrap and has little pearl like beads, wire wrapped, onto the main wire shape. I've also made the pin its own packaging. I've recycled a chocolate box with wallpaper and silver cord, it's finished of with a plaited decorative fisherman's knot .

         

When I was a little girl we used to visit my gran' s brother. My great uncle George had been a merchant seaman and he was accomplished in many areas. One of the things he made were ships in bottles. I recall him showing me a huge book, all about fisherman's knots... with alluring names like 'Turk's head' and 'Monkey's fist'. His ship's bottles were always beautifully finished of with a decorative knotted closure. I also remember the fresh water well in their garden. It had a huge rope knot, instead of a handle, on it's hatch... it was a Monkey's Fist!
I've had a fascination with decorative knots for as long as I can remember, it just goes to show how a childhood experience can colour your adult life.

 
Turk's Head
Monkey's Fist
Well folks, that's about all I have for the moment... I need to get motivated, so it's back to 'Dream it, Make it, Love it' to add some more of my goodies. Pay me a visit, why don't you... you may find that little Christmas present you've been looking for. 
www.etsy.com/shop/DreamItMakeItLoveIt

Until next time bloggers, take care x.

Saturday 8 November 2014

I ache to do something more with my life...

This is an unashamedly, totally Fibro/ME post... perhaps because I want people to get some idea of how I feel, personally.
I've been pushing myself recently, to finish some small craft projects, I've also taken it upon myself to create some items for friends and family... adding to the work load and stress and I answered several pleas for creative help, when perhaps I should've said no. 
The upshot of all of this... I'm now depleted, miserable, my pain relief is non-existant because I've got out of my routine, my ME is running riot and to top it all I've been snappy and totally unbearable to live with (when I've been awake)... that calls for a deep sigh!




As most Fibro and ME sufferers are aware, pacing oneself is key to getting through any day. This is easier said than done, especially if you're having a 'good' day. Having a good day means waking up with at least some resemblance of energy, not waking up feeling as though you've got full blown flu, with motivation and pain levels at a workable level. 
Because these days are few and far between, when they appear most sufferers make the most of them, joyful that they feel 'normal' and determined to make the most of such a gift.
This is 'living' not pacing and nearly always results in at least 2-4 days of intense pain, sleep problems and numerous other conditions careering out of control.


One of my dilemmas is that I'm the only one that drives... so if we're going out anywhere on an 'iffy' day... and I'm going to drive,  then I can't take my pain relief... which results in a very miserable & unhappy bunny!
After a day of such activity I usually have days on end where I'm homebound with IBS, sleep deprivation... or I have sleep encased days where I don't even wake to eat or take my medication... days where I can't walk without my sticks, sit or lay because of sciatica and other joint pain, or take a bath because I'm just too exhausted. 
These are just a few of the symptoms and these are typical days/weeks/months for most Fibro and ME sufferers... and gradually this becomes the 'norm'.


So, where am I now.... still in my pj' s (not at all unusual!), it's 8:30pm & I still haven't had my bath, dinner was a delivered pizza (thanks to m'Stevie), I'm miserable & downright ashamed of my waspish & grumpy behaviour recently but determined to try and remedy that... increasingly, when I'm in constant pain & discomfort, I'm really not myself, so I guess I need a plan of action again! 
Maybe a trip to my local gp is in order, for more effective pain relief? 
At the end of the day I'm alive, not at death's door... I have my family, m'Stevie and our furry, four legged entourage... so I have something to be grateful for.
Until my next post people's....