WELCOME!


Welcome to Squirrel's slightly nutty world of rubber stamping, papercraft, cats, Formula 1 and a variety of other off-the-wall topics. It's fabulous to see you and I hope you enjoy your time here. Please do pop back and visit me again soon!


Saturday 31 August 2013

"Mothgate" and Squirrels

Hello all, hope you are having a sunny Saturday!  I think the kids at No 6 have just worked out that it is back to school this week (hurrah) and have spent the morning trying to kill each other - well, that's what the screams sounded like anyway.  How can small people make so much noise?

Anyhoo, a few of you noticed something I blogged a couple of posts ago about almost killing myself on Tuesday so I thought I had better own up.  But you have to promise not to laugh.  While you are preparing yourselves, I thought I would share a "necessity is the mother of invention" card with you.

Those of you who have seen the new Lili release will have spotted the squirrel stamps - well I had to have those didn't I?!  And I made this little CAS card today


Painted with Distress Inks (ReInkers)
Sentiment is also Lili from Christmas Handwritten Phrases
Matting layer is white card edged with Pine ProMarker
And the snow.....well that's where the invention came in

I thought I had a pot of FlowerSoft that I could use, but I couldn't find it and reckon it must have gone to Church in a bag of donated craft stuff for teenagers with disabilities, so I had a think and a rummage and found a pot of sparkly embossing powder.  I used some quite thick glue so it kept dimension and sprinkled.  Hey presto!

Are you calm yet?  Are you sitting comfortably?

"Mothgate"

I toddled off to bed on Tuesday night about 10.30, got myself sorted and settled down with my book for a little while.

As I was reading I became aware that I wasn't the only one in the bedroom - you know, you can sense it.  And then I saw it.  Well, I say "saw" it, I didn't have my specs on and anything beyond two feet is a blur but I could make out a black shape whizzing around the room.

I don't do bugs.  In any shape or form.  So I got out of bed, toddled off downstairs to find the flyswat.

Back upstairs this "creature" was all over the place, and it was big.  Ugh.  I took a couple of poorly aimed swats at it but naturally missed.  Then it decided the safest place for it was to hurtle about up near the ceiling.  I'm short.  Even with the flyswat it was out of reach.  So I did what any sensible, short-sighted, middle-aged woman in a nightie with bare feet would do.  I climbed up onto the bed.

It's at this point that I ought to mention my poorly knees.  I broke my right leg badly (is there a good way to break it?) in two places in 1988 and was in plaster for six and a half months.  Because the breaks weren't pinned, the tibia (shinbone) healed but with a slight outward curve to it.  Because of the curve, the knock-on effect is a knackered knee full of osteoarthritis.  Which lead to the opening-wedge-high-tibial-osteotomy surgery I had.  Basically the hospital broke my leg and re-set it, this time with pins and a plate.  The osteoarthritis is still in the knee (and the joint will need replacement in about five years) but the realignment of the bone has postponed the replacement surgery.  Everyone who suffers with OA will know how painful and debilitating it is.

Still with me?

I took a half hearted swipe at the bug.  Missed.  Tried again.  Missed.  It came a bit lower.  I took one almighty swipe at it that Andy Murray would have been proud of.

And lost my balance.

Time freezes.  Honestly, it does.  In that nano-second, your brain can actually work out that if you fall forwards you are going to kill yourself by head-butting the bedside cabinet, and that if you go backwards there is every chance you will land on your Kindle.  So I sat down.  Literally dropped my bum to the mattress.

There was a horrible and grusome cracking and popping noise from my knee of bone grinding against bone, which is now bent up an at angle it hasn't achieved in many years.  I am now rolling around the bed in agony thinking I've broken the bone, popped the pins, dislocated my kneecap ...... and trying not to scream because Toad is asleep in the spare room.

After 20 minutes of silent weeping, I sat up and tried to put my foot to the floor.  Ok, that's not too bad.  I shuffled forward a bit to put more weight on it and stood up.  Ice cold fire shot up from my ankle to my knee.  I sat down again.  Another 20 mins or so and I tried again.  This time I could stand.  Well, it's not broken.  I've probably pulled a ligament or something.  The pain eased enough for me to try and get some sleep.  I didn't want to wake Toad to take me to A&E or anything because trying to explain that to the hospital ........ you get the idea.

Anyhoo, the pain subsided and sleep I did.  I am pleased to say that apart from a very swollen knee on Wednesday and feeling like I have been sat on by a hippopotamus, I seem to be ok.  I just have to be careful and think about where I'm walking.  

Oh come on, you PROMISED not to laugh .............. and yes, I did get the bug!

Hugs, Squirrel xx



14 comments:

Mandy said...

Firstly your card is adorable hun and so beautifully coloured.
I admit to laughing, it's the way you tell it lol. I did stop laughing when I read you actually hurt yourself & flipping heck that must have been painful.
Was the death of that poor innocent moth worth all that pain lol
hugs
Mandy xx

Sue said...

Oh dear Squirrel! Thank goodness you were not too badly hurt and hopefully there is no long term damage.
Your card is gorgeous, as soon as I saw that cute image I knew you get it. I love the CAS design and wonderful colouring.
Take care and steer clear of any moths.
hugs Sue xx

Lorraine said...

Yep ....I'm laughing!! I have an image of you in my head in your nightie but as I don't actually know what you look like other than a reddish brown colour with lots of fur...! Laughing aside, I'm glad to hear you're OK. Next time, wake Toad!
Gorgeous card , those little squirrels are so sweet.
Lorraine x

Chrissy said...

I adore your wee Squirrels, Squirrel!!Fabulous colouring...and kept myself totally under control reading your post, not even a smirk as can releate to the danger we sometimes put outrselves in without realising it...but when you got to the hippopotamus bit,well, I exploded..sorry,but I did...but so glad you are okay and so glad you got the little blighter flying round your room...also this is the first time for a loooong time that I connected to your blog,but answering your emails when they post...hope you get them...
take care..

Luv CHRISSYxx

kay said...

Oh poor you,do hope it has eased today. All that for a moth! Loved your squirrel card x

Deborah said...

Hello Squirrel. Firstly your card is gorgeous and secondly I hope your knee is easing. Take care and don't go after anymore bugs.

Deborah A

Daisychain said...

Sorry, I too laughed until I saw that you had hurt yourself. I hope you are feeling better now. I'm a right coward where moths are concerned as I have a phobia about them so I would have been right out the door screaming!!! You were very brave to battle it.

Love the squirrel card, so beautifully coloured.

Have a great day
Hugs Christine x

Marianne's Craftroom said...

Fabulous cas card. Oooooh Squirrel what a numpty but thank goodness you didn't do more damage. Why was Toad in the spare bed? You must take more care of yourself x

Annette said...

I can't believe that he slept through all that. I'd have been screaming the place down at the moth, let alone the pain! I really hope you're feeling better now, but you really should have got it checked out.

ps the Andy Murray bit made me nearly choke on my breakfast - so funny!!

pps - I've just bought that image too. I thought of you when I picked it, and I'm really looking forward to using it. Love your version in your beautiful C&S style. Hmmm, I'm not sure I will do it justice now after seeing your beautiful creation and stunningly coloured.

Have a lovely Sunday, and try to keep that leg relaxed.
Hugs
Annette
xx

Faith A at Daffodil Cards said...

Firstly the card, it's so YOU, I love it. AND coloured so beautifully as usual. Love the Xmas greeting with it too, like they are passing on the message.

Now for the book, OK the story, I could see everything as it happened your description is so vivid, I tried and tried not to laugh, but have to admit to a hand over mouth to stop it.

However perhaps you should go and see if it is OK. That is if you could spare the hours and hours to sit and wait to be seen in A&E! There again, you hold a class there on stamping, it would take the boredom out of waiting for so many.

Take care Squirrel, hope it doesn't hurt too much today.



coops said...

oh my goodness hun that did read quite funny, but so pleased your knee is feeling better.toad sounds like he can sleep through anything.lol.
i love your card, the squirrels are too cute and fabulous cas design :D

xx coops xx

KraftyKoolKat said...

Oh sweetie I feel sick and I am imaging the pain you were in and what could have happened. Glad you are on the mend (hopefully) Try to keep in one piece from now on.

Your card is gorgeous, was the image hard to colour, please remember I am useless when you answer. When I saw it on the L.O.T.V. website I thought it might be one of these difficult ones. You have done a lovely job sweetie.

Hugs
Cathy
xxxxx

Kat W said...

Oh Squirrel, what a tale of woe! I am so glad the outcome wasn't worse but I'm sorry to say I may have laughed a little bit - bad Kat...into the naughty corner I think!
Hope your knee is better soon.
Big hugs, Kat xx
P.S. LOVE the squirrel card of course :-)

thecraftycavalier said...

You're totally crackers. I know I'm not telling you something you don't know. My leg hurts just thinking about it. Next time you see a bug, wish it well and LEAVE IT BE!!!! Seriously woman stop endangering yourself with crackpot pursuits. I'm going for a lie down. I'm too old to be this traumatised. Biggest of hugs, and healing thoughts for your leg, chunky fairy xxx

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...