Downtime

At the moment I trying to have some downtime, this is so hard for me, I am such a workaholic and don't spend enough time making or doing things for me. I am now trying to spend sometime each week doing small projects or starting more long term ones. Last summer I spent alot of it revamping furniture and other little things, which really hit me with the bug for making and doing more things for me.

All the revamping last summer started off with my late grandma's knitting holder. I was just going to give it into the charity shop and suddenly thought what am I doing! Having lots of her knitting needles and loads of wool I had been collecting needing a home, I got my white egg shell paint out and searched ebay for some bargain dandelion clock fabric. Pictures to follow, I thought I had some of the finished thing, but not.

I have so many projects planned now for the start of Easter and this summer. I am starting early though and here's a wee list of what I am planning:

• add a backing to my white bookcase I painted last year, a whole year that poor bookcase has been waiting for a back
• an old chair to revamp
• a rocking chair made by my dad needs new strapping and a good clean, its been in the garage for years, which is such a waste
• a lovely tall boy that was my late granny's (her first piece of furniture) that I want to sand and stain to store my bed linen
• make some quilts for my bed during the winter from all my scrap fabrics
• make some skirts and get stuck into using my knitting machine
• continue with crocheting a blanket for my sofa, 9 squares down, a lot lot more to go

I am sure you are thinking, Heather this is not what I would call downtime, but for those of you that know me I always need to be making or doing and I would like to at least be doing something to improve my environment. Along with all this madness, I have been doing so much more walking and swimming, which is so nice and relaxing.

I don't like to waste a minute eh.

So the picture above is the backing for my white bookcase, it took so long to find some wall paper that I liked for it and this was some scrap wallpaper I picked up at Top Drawer when I was there. It was on the entrance to the vip area and was just ripped off at the end. I don't even know who the designer is, which is such a pitty, as it is amazing and would love more. Some pva glue and half and hour its all ready to be nailed to the bookcase this weekend. My tool box gets another outing.

Penny

Oh its been weeks again since I was here last and lots of things have happened, good, bad and one very sad moment. My family and I lost our beloved dog Penny to a massive stroke a few weeks back, so that is very raw in mind.

She was such a lovely dog, who had a very horrible start in life before we were blessed in having her and to have been able to give her a home. Living to about 14 years of age (we think, she was with us for just over ten) she lived a full and happy life here in our mad house. Never a dull moment with her around and she was never sick, old age stuck her fast and hard. Will miss her so much, she made such an impact on us all.

As hard as it is, life must go on and this I have to keep telling myself, along with holding back the tears sometimes, like today when the vets phoned to say her ashes were ready for collection and now as I type this. She will never be forgotten, Penny you were so fab, gentle and innocent.

Now things are busy again with BCTF coming up in less than 3 weeks and my last teaching module due when I get back, there's not a moment for anything but work.

So work work work it is for the next couple of weeks and who knows I might be able to have a wee holiday this Easter, since its so late.