We have a blank pin board at home, set aside especially for school/club achievements to parade our certificates proudly.
Bebe and I decided it needed jazzing up a little, it always looks a little sad at the start of the new school year, so we made some decoupage bunting and sorted a 'High Five' sign.
I was so excited to be well enough to make a set of bunting this week. A 26 flag, 4 metre alphabet set to be precise. I didn't know how the sewing would go when I started it, because I couldn't use the foot pedal on my machine pre-surgery. I was also aware that 26 flags was no mean feat.. when I wasn't sure if I would be able to stitch them.
But stitch them I did! I was so delighted with the end result that it was hard to part with, but the best gifts to give are the gifts that you want to keep for yourself! And to celebrate here are a plethora of pictures - from upcycling an old pair of trousers, to them being hung by the recipient.
And the recipient was Mia. Elle's daughter turned 1 this week and we were very happy to go to her birthday party.
I'm sorry I only got one, very blurry shot of you Mia! Be assured you looked beautiful though x x
My girls wore their matching Christmas party dresses. Matchy matchy, so this season!
Niamh's friend Bethan, looking super cool in shades.
Niamh in said shades, also rocking the look.
And last but by no means least, a very grainy self portrait taken by Lochie.
This week has felt 'normal'. I haven't taken a single pain killer for at least 3 or 4 days - I didn't even notice when I stopped needing to take them! Things still feel 'weird', but there is no internal structural pain and I didn't notice when that became normal either!
I have been to the gym 3 times this week and I'm going to Aquafit tonight. I have been for a swim too, and managed 14 lengths, over the initial 6, before it became 'uncomfortable'. I am doing more and more at the gym, yesterday I warmed up 15 mins on the exercise bike, 15 mins elliptical trainer, 15 mins stepper, then a cool down on the hand bike and exercise bike. Some stretching and done. I properly got my sweat on and IT FELT GREAT!! I feel great! I put 12lbs on during the course of everything (8lbs of that must be the screws right?! 1lb a screw!), and I've already lost 5 of them.. I love going to the gym, I love feeling high on effort and I love not having to watch what I eat.
Whilst at the gym yesterday, I decided I feel a bit like a fledgling bird when it comes to running.. An adolescent eagle maybe, a big bird anyway. I am big enough to be able to fly, I know I should be able to fly, but I haven't tested it yet and it is scary. No one 'official' or 'professional' has told me I can't or shouldn't run, but there is something inside me that has so far stopped me from having a go.. but I can feel the hesitation leaving me and I hope it won't be long until I'm brave enough to start on the C25K again.
Being pain free and feeling good is quite timely really - Work starts on Saturday!! How quickly did that time fly! I am feeling mixed emotions about it, equally excited and terrified. I'll let you know how I get on - keep your fingers crossed for me at 10am on Saturday.
Last night Vikki and Elle spontaneously came round in the evening, and we made some button jewellery. What really pleased me, besides their company, was that it was so NORMAL! I love normal! The last crafting session I hosted I couldn't move by the end of the evening and clearing up was hideous. (Ironically, when you look at the post, I didn't mention my back at all!)
Anyway, I made a little necklace - thanks for the picture Vikki!
So. I guess you could say my week is upbeat this week. I am loving normal, I am loving being pain free and I am loving the endless possibilities. Long may it last!
As my sister and I thought about and wrote a menu and food list for the holiday week, we settled on pork taco's (Jamies, obvs!) for the evening of my Dads birthday. Tasty, easy party food. The tacos lent themselves to a Mexican theme. Cue a bottle of tequila, some Mexican hats, mariachi music, mahoosive moustaches... and pinatas.
Who wants to buy a pinata (Actually, half way through this process, when every surface in my kitchen was covered in dripping paper mache, I must confess, I did wonder at my sanity and at how spending £5 on a paper donkey would have been perhaps prudent..!) - in true Christie style, we got our craft on. The Kidlets LOVED it. Apparently there is nothing better than paper mache mush!
We followed the basics of these video instructions from youtube:
and got cracking!
They needed a second coat, but over the course of a weekend, we got some pretty sturdy looking pinatas done!
We waited to decorate them once we arrived on holiday, to ensure perfect transportation (despite their sturdy look, and given it was our first attempt at paper mache, I wasn't sure how strong they would actually be and so we saved popping the internal balloons to keep structural integrity intact)
My sister totally got on board with decorating them, and I really enjoyed the second stage!
I think we did a pretty good job!
It will be hard to see them smashed apart for the prizes inside - we thought we would take bets on whose is the strongest (Paul thinks his will be, and he may be right, he was not frugal with my paper mache!).
On reflection, despite the gloopy clearing up, we'd never have been able to buy these. Lochie loved researching and planning the whole process on the internet, they all loved the activity and they were were proud to have made something that was such a big part of Gan Gan's birthday party - the sweets and prizes weren't too shabby either!
The day of Gan Gans birthday dawned and we set to re-creating Mexico in a converted barn in Devon... This is how it went...
We had a glorious day with mariachi festival music and much laughter, I hope that my Dad enjoyed it as much as we did - I think he did!
Today is our last day of holiday, and tomorrow we return home and to reality.
Thanks for reading x x
We all chipped in and got my Dad a beautiful chess set for his birthday, in addition he got a few extra bits and bobs.
Two Christmas' ago I made all of my immediate family a pair of felt slippers each, and my Dad, bless his cotton socks (bless his felt slippers) still wears his - tatty and ratty that they know are. I love that! When I made them I didn't realise their durability and I assumed that after the initial 'Oh! You made us slippers! How lovely!' they would be put in a dark wardrobe.. But no, I have resoled my Dads slippers once, and re non-slipped them twice.. They have definitely been worn to death and I have loved loved loved that he was worn them.
For his birthday, with input from my sister, I made him a new pair. I felted a woollen coat from my mother and up-cycled it. This time I have made the sole twice the thickness, gluing two pieces together before I stitched them, in the hopes that they won't need re-soling so quickly.
Putting the 'glue' (its actually copydex, a specific type of glue that dries to a rubber non slip finish) on the sole makes them non slip and increases their life span.
I have already mentioned that my sister had surgery last week and is recuperating, and obviously I am going in for surgery next week.. We put a little ditty on the wrapping - new slippers, to take care of his feet, because we'll be keeping him on his toes for the next few weeks.. tee hee.
Continuing with the foot theme, we also did a series of foot prints this week, all of his offspring with names and current ages, which we have framed and called 'The footprints of your legacy'.. There is also space in the middle incase I am lucky enough to get another niece or nephew in the future..
I was very emotional last week, I have felt extremely shocked at the prospect of massive surgery. So we hibernated for a couple of days. We then spent last weekend visiting my parents, who are back from holiday and we celebrated my mothers birthday, and so I was not able to log on and blog.. You missed me huh!!
