Photo A Day - Day 298 - 305

So some more catching up towards the final reveal of 365.

Each photo has been taken on the date specified and while there have been a few gaps so I cant claim a true 365 challenge I am still proud of my achievement and that I didnt give up.

June 25 2012 - Missed

June 26 2012 - Day 298

Quiet time

June 27 2012 - Day 299

Dandelion

June 28 2012 - Day 300

Snuggled up in bed

June 29 2012 - Day 301

Much needed

June 30 2012 - Day 302

Time for a little snooze

July 1 2012 - Day 303

Bunnies can be very naughty

July 2 2012 - Day 304

Earrings

July 3 2012 - Missed

July 4 2012 - Day 305

Bracelet, beautiful and bold

Some Sad News

Today I decided that I would do the final push to sort through my photo a day photos to get them published. 

It was never my intention that they would be so delayed.

I realised that I had completed my 365 challenge by accident. I have been running a parallel challenge on Blipfoto that I started a short while after starting the blog challenge (yes I know I like to make more work for myself). So this was my Blipfoto 365:

I was all excited and ready to shout out that I had also completed the challenge on here when I realised that actually my blog challenge would have finished on another day, so I would need to sit down and sort through my photos to find the one.

But a viral infection and craft fairs meant that my time was limited and the pictures would be there waiting for me, for when I was ready.

Now I am guessing you are wondering where this is going. I almost didnt sort through them because I knew that it was going to be hard. 

Last week we noticed that Queen Zara had a sore eye and took her to the vets. We didnt know what was wrong we thought it was either an infection or a prolapsed gland, we pre-booked her in for an operation just in case, we were really worried but hopeful as the eye drops seemed to be making an improvement her eye was looking better. Then on Friday we discovered that it was far worse than we realised and we had the hardest choice to make.

Friday 12 October - Goobye.

A word we did not want to say.

So I faced the photos and over the next fews days I will be doing the final count down and Zara will be there in amongst them, nibbling post, being naughty and the best and most beautiful bunny girl.

Queen Zara 2010 - 2012.
A big girl who stole our hearts when we adopted her.
Pampered and loved.
Ate post.
In the Summerlands.
Love always.

Photo a Day - Day 288 - 297

My last photo of day catch up was back in June and I know that I have reached the magic 365.

So last push to get the rest of the challenge photos posted - they are all free choice while I loved the themes and the challenge that they posed due to the difficulties that I have had this year I needed to take a little of the pressure off.

I think I will revisit the themes that I missed some time in the future.

June 15 2012 - Day 288

A little baby bunny Belle

June 16 2012 - Day 289

Ferd

June 17 2012 - Day 290

Fairy pendant

June 18 2012 - Day 291

Pansy Earrings

June 19 2012 - Day 292

Belle

June 20 2012 - Day 293

Ferd

June 21 2012 - Day 294

Polymer Clay Mice

June 22 2012 - Day 295

Necklace

June 23 2012 - Day 296

RIP Belle

Sadly Belle was poorly and not with us for long.

June 24 2012 - Day 297

Ferd

First Class

A while a go I decided that I wanted to actually make something for me. I found a fantastic fabric that I fell head over heals in love with, isn't it just gorgeous!

I have a bad back - I believe the technical term these days is mechanical failure. Anyway for me its a chronic condition which I manage with physio and medication. I also get sciatica and often use a microwave heat bag to help relieve the symptoms when I am in a flare.

Now my normal sofa cushions (as in square) just weren't cutting it, I found a bedroom pillow a better shape but a bit too big. Queue a trip to Ikea as I knew they do lumbar support cushions to compliment their Ektorp sofa range - which is handy as yes we have an Ektorp sofa. But I also knew that they sold cushion pads in that sort of shape.

So this is what I came up with:

Its vital statistics are 24" x 16" and has a simple envelope opening. After posting pictures over on my Facebook page this fabric and the cushions themselves caused a little bit of a stir and a few commissions later more fabric had to be ordered :)

If you would like your own lumbar cushion I have lots of different fabrics and I can always source more to suit your requirements, please contact me to discuss your requirements (I can be contacted via my Facebook page)

Now I ordered a little extra fabric so I could create these:

I am currently getting these listed over in my Folksy and Etsy shops.

Its beginning to look a little spooky

The days are drawing in and the air is defiantly getting a little crisp and the month ends with the feast of new years eve - Samhain.

But the children will only interesting in one thing....


.....Trick or Treat.

I am getting some designs together for swag bags.

Eye of newt and wing of bat, a little bit of this and that.
A pinch of boy and a smidgen of rat.
Combine all together and turn into a cat.

Treating Mouse

I have been having a bit of a rubbish time of it again which included a little melt down on twitter the other week.

I discovered that I had yet another viral infection and a new side effect of infections - swollen lymph nodes on the back of my head on both sides which made sleep difficult as they were so painful. On top of that my body decided to throw one of my 'hell' periods at me as I have mentioned before I have Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) and for me this means I get heavy and painful periods and this in turn has thrown my back into spasm :( 

So with all of this I decided that I was due a little treat. Now I had seen the adverts for the new colour match service for Boots No7 foundation and as I popped into Boots yesterday for a new toothbrush I noticed that the counter was free and thought why not.

Because of having very pale skin I have never been able to find that right shade of foundation and I had given up. I had also pretty much stopped wearing make up (apart from a gorgeous lipstick but even then rarely). I used to wear make up all the time when I was younger, but over the years I have lost my confidence partly due to aging (ok I am not old but I was afraid that the colours I was drawn to were too young for me) and also because I stopped wanting to draw attention to my face because of other side effects of PCOS I get acne and I have mild scaring on my face but also *gulp* I suffer from excess hair growth. 

The medical term for this excess hair growth is hirsutes and occurs in more than half of woman with PCOS, its mainly on the face, chest and lower abdomen - I get it on the face and lower abdomen. It doesnt make me feel very feminine and I am embarrassed by it, I pluck, wax and epilate which in turn all has its problems and can leave my skin sore and slightly red and open to infection - queue acne. I own that many pairs of tweezers that I may have a tweezer addiction. 

So my dream has always been a foundation that would work - yes it wont melt the hairs I still have to deal with them but it would blend away the redness and the scaring. 

So the colour match service is really fantastic - they use a little gizmo that takes pictures of your skin on both sides and then it works out the best shade for you, it also gives an alternative. The No7 consultant also listened to what I wanted out of a foundation and took my combination skin into account. 

So the result - I am calico which is the lightest shade and the consultant recommended Essentially Natural Foundation and did my face for me giving me tips on application of foundation - when I looked into that little mirror it was amazing - didnt look like I was wearing anything and the areas I wanted blended away were well and truly blended it looked like I had perfect skin.

The consultant also said that my skin isnt as bad as I think it is (that was nice to hear). I then decided that I would get some new eye-shadow and lip gloss - but I was a little bewildered by the choice and the consultant was again lovely and went through some tips - and suggested colours that would be a nice gentle start to getting back into make up but said that I would suit anything it really depended on how daring I wanted to go.

I didn't feel pressurised into making a purchase, I felt that I was listened to and I am happy with the advice that I received.

It may only be a little thing, but sometimes a little thing can make a world of difference.

Liberated Art

Sometime ago I found out about the Liberate Your Art 2012 Postcard Swap (you can find out more about the event here and Kat the wonderful event organiser - go on have a little nose around and if you like what you see here is her facebook page and maybe you can join in next year).

At first I was a little should I, shouldn't I. Despite all the lovely comments I get and selling my illustrations I guess I am still a little bit shy (and of course readers and followers will know about my anxiety struggles), I know it doesnt make sense, but I am just a little country Mouse after all.

I bravely signed up and then then deliberated the postcards to send - a selection of my illustrations, some photography, or some shots of my creations. This time I went with a selection of my illustrations.

I packaged my cards up and entrusted them to the Royal Mail to get them across to America in time and eagerly awaited for the swap to officially begin.

I need to say a huge thank you to Kat - oh my god the task you had getting these all sorted, sticking on address labels and stamps (this is how she did it) thank you, thank you, thank you :D

So then it was the waiting.

First glimpse of post cards arrived on the facebook events page - how exciting to share this with everyone.

Waiting.

Waiting - yes I know the postcards had to fly all the way here so I just had to wait patiently.

And eventually Postcard One made it:

Its journey saw it leave Australia to head on over to America and then on to me in Nottinghamshire its a real globe trotting card and I love it:

Copyright magnetisedbylife 2012

The quote on the back of the card was "share your passion, follow your dreams"
Like what you see? Want to see more well here you go etsy, facebook, blog.

Postcard two:

Copyright Jenna Kanna 2012

...and you garden will always have sunshine!

Such a cheery card and a perfect antidote to the rubbish summer that we've had.
For more check out her blog and etsy.

Postcard Three:

Copyright Cinda Bauman 2012

I have bored people for many years with my desire for chicken so this little guy will help to remind me of that and one day I will get there. You can check out Cinda's webite here really great illustrations I was specially taken with "...he turned with a twitter, and raced to the trunk of a tree"

Postcard Four:

Copyright Janice Darby 2012

"hello from the coast of California"

This little guy popped through the letter box just on the right day I had woken up in pain and had been reduced to tears, he just made me smile and wipe those tears away - art is very powerful.
You can check out more of Jancie's photography on her blog.

Postcard Five:

Copyright Maria "Rinda" Ontiveros 2012

Rinda's message was to "enjoy this photographic taste of my coastal community". And enjoy it I am, its a really interesting shot. You can find out more about Rinda and see her work on her blog.

and last but in no way least postcard six from Kat:

Copyright Kat Eye Studio 2012 

I am already looking forwards to next year :)