Well I can't believe how long since I posted on Blogger and they actually have not deleted my account, thankyou! A lot has happened over the last 4 years and has left me in a state of confusion, more than normal, that I need to sort out. I have a number of health issues that I am coping with but now and again they rear their ugly heads or things you take for granted and become accustomed to flare up without you knowing.

Moving Home
About a year ago I found myself on the wrong end of the bedroom tax. I had to give up our family home of over 20years, move from an estate I had been a part of for over 30 and uproot from a 3 bed to a 1 bed flat. Well as everyone knows a 1 bed flat gives you just 2 rooms, apart from your kitchen and bathroom of course. I am downstairs with a lovely size garden with patio doors and just 1 layer above me. In fact it is a block of 4 in a corner looking like a normal house. Have an outside shed block and I purchased one as I moved in. These are where the remaining few pieces of my former life now reside ...mainly crafting materials.

My Health Matters
Diagnosed with COPD, due to Alpha 1,  a few years ago I have since discovered or found the reasons for many other health problems throughout my life, in fact that is how one doctor spotted Alpha 1. Having been diagnosed with a lung age of 97 my surgery and myself set about getting this reduced. Many exercises and courses later, I went back to work a different job this time. However over the years although my lung age improved to 76, I found jobs difficult and was constantly having to try something new. Then along came a charity shop job. Starting off as a volunteer I was then fortunate enough to be offered a pt paid job and that took me off of job seekers. Hated that journey every fortnight ... All was going well until I found myself feeling extremely unwell and unable to cope, most of the time. My doctor, who had recently taken over, was of no help to me whatsoever which didn't help my manic depression or fibromyalgia. Let go from work I went on to sick benefit. Had row after row with my doctor so decided to leave. Wrong end of town now and a bus ride away I found a lovely surgery just like my old one was before the takeover. After 3 months my notes have still not arrived but in the interim it was immediately discovered that my high blood pressure had soared enormously and in 3 years he had never treated me for it. Take monitor home for week, then a 24hr test and have already got an appt to see a cardiologist as diagnosed with a murmur on top of the heart and lung probs I already have. Still off sick for many reasons and again on the road to recovery. I now see a counsellor once a week and he has helped me to start putting my emotions in order, then hopefully health will improve a little. One of the reasons I finally left my old doctor was that in 2 years my lung age had deteriorated so bad, p to 86 that I had to double my medication. I have been fortunate in that there has always been something new to try just in time for me. I must stress that I am in no way as bad as this may come across. I have my arms and legs mobile, most of the time, no hump from the osteoporosis and not oxygen dependent. This is due to many years of help from my last surgery and of course chemist and hopefully this will carry on again. There are many other health issues but they are of no consequence. Thanks for listening and caring and I hope that I won't mention it again lol but thought it might help a lot of my friends out there who are going through similar things. Keep going and stay strong and alive!

Anyway!......
What brought me back on here today? Well I have been getting my mojo back and thought that if I could do it maybe others could. I have knitted 2 jelly babies, I had made some before and care bears but picked up my knitting again. Also I have started to teach myself to sew again using a sewing machine. This took about 3 weeks and still recap now and again, basically because by the time I've finished watching or reading, back to machine and it has all disappeared with the other information fuddling my brain. I have always had a brain of a goldfish anyway haha. That's why life is beautiful to me... it's like seeing things for the first time again. 
Now I have made 2 little skirts for a beautiful 1yr old dgd and presented. Am in the middle of making 1 for her older sister too, I made her a dress a few years back. Making a 3rd skirt, each slightly different btw, I keep having to unpick haha, so decided maybe I should leave it for now and start again while I still have a sample sitting there.
A FB friend of mine is running a pocket letter swap, more another time, so have just completed that and need to post. About a year ago we agreed to swap a pretty wall hanging pocket thing, half accomplished it was lost in the move, discovered and a little more done until it completely disappeared, well that has been found and along with letter is ready to be posted. That is the worst bit....Remembering to take it when I go to the PO next.
Back to today, that's if you're still with me of course. I went out with a friend this morning and got soaking wet running from the car. I was freezing cold too so changed into something warmer. In the old days I would not stop nor sit down when I got in as that sends me to sleep haha, so decided to do the same today. I made a coffee and grabbed a few biscuits to help it down, but I stood in the kitchen to drink it! Meanwhile I put some grated candle, that I had done a while ago, into a saucepan, over boiling water, and left it to melt. I then chopped rhubarb, picked from my own garden yesterday, and put that to stew. Dipping another biscuit I prepared my candle jars and filled them accordingly. On the melting trail I found another 2, different colours and smells, candles and melted them together along with other bits and pieces of candle parts in a glass waiting for a purpose. The rhubarb needed strawberries, as I had used once before, but alas I didn't have any. Never mind strawberry jam. Opening the fridge I found an opened jar with mixed fruit jam. Perfect! I mixed this in with the warm rhubarb, placed in a dish and covered with crumble mix (packet) when it was cool. Never tried this before so an experiment which I shall have to remember to tell you about another time. I might add I left out sugar, the jam as a replacement. All the time whilst I was doing this I was talking myself through it, as you do when on your own and a little busy in your head, so I decided 'Why not write to your blog if it's still there?' So here we are.....And that is what Nana's done!
Now I've put 4 years of my past down in writing I shall carry on with the present and into the future.... another day maybe....
Pictures to follow somewhen. Pick yourself up, dust yourself down, and start all over again
Love and Hugs to you all xxx

My last week......

What a busy time I seem to have! Monday and Tuesday had work done in the house, nothing major, Wednesday I spent the day at the Charity shop helping out where we were very understaffed. In fact, I forgot, I even went in on Tuesday and worked! Love it there, everybody so friendly whichever day you work. Met my family in town after and brought my eldest DGD home with me to stay for a while. Thursday I spent most of the day shopping and at Job Centre. Gets easier every week but still too old for this....:( The cousins managed to spend some time playing together in the afternoon while I visited at a local hospital ( lovely lady I visit every day except weekends). I collected 4 grandies and brought them back to mine to play in the park and craft. Friday, my youngest DD and DGD visited for the day. So nice as this doesn't happen very often. That evening my DGD and I were up late creating for Saturdays Craft Fayre.
What a long day Saturday was.... My friend and I didn't sell anything all morning....However my DGD made 50p selling a cone of sweets bless her! Returning home in the afternoon, made lunch and awaited the arrival of 2 more DGD,s! 6 months and 2 years. Spent a few hours feeding and entertaining, bathing and changing again lol. Then mum and dad turned up to take them home for the night. The eldest still wanted to stay on :)
I said I wasn't going to do a thing today! But coming downstairs and seeing the state of my kitchen!! No washing up done, boxes still to unpack and put away, front room like a bomb site! And that is only my mess! Lol. Oh... did I also mention I had a Queen with 2 three week old kittens?
Well I can hear footsteps upstairs now so will soon peek round the door to make me jump, lol. Let them be little!!! 
Sun is shining here everyone so have a good day wherever you are


Jacqs x

Citrus Cleaner

I have just finished my citrus vinegar cleaner. Smells lovely and fresh with only a hint of vinegar to it. In case you want to try it yourself here is what I did..


I used leftover and fresh fruit but you can of course just use the waste. Satsumas, limes and lemon chopped and squashed into a large neck jar, mine was an empty pickle jar. Cover with white vinegar and leave for 4 weeks shaking now and again. Strain, probably twice, and I actually used a wooden spoon to squeeze more liquid out. Pour into spray bottle and label. 


Use neat for grease and diluted for general cleaning. 1cup per gallon of water, I shall probably use half and half until I get used to the capabilities. Will arm myself with 2 spray bottles, 1 diluted and 1 neat.


Will start another soon and may add grapefuit this time as I love the smell of that. Or maybe on its own, or with lime..... or the possibilities are endless.... Actually I have seen a recipe for a citrus enzyme cleaner, takes about 3 months tho, may have to get that one started first. Good luck if you try this, it is so easy x

New Year, new challenges

Hi again and Happy New Year. I hope you all had as great a holiday time as I did. Surrounded by family and friends daily.
This year I have made 10 resolutions and written them down so that I may look back next year. Not too hard just simple, achievable and hopefully fun. Also I will try to learn and develop my blog here by aiming to post around the 1st of each month! Now that will be the hardest thing of all as I find the task quite daunting. 
I have become a follower of some other crafting blogs and hope to attempt the challenges even if I don't display them. I have made quite a few friends on here am hope to continue these friendships and more throughout the coming years.
Well that is all for now so until the next blog take care and have fun with whatever you do 




Jacqs x

Hello and Welcome

Hi everybody and thanks for stopping by.
This is my first attempt at a blog so please bear with me as haven't really got a clue what I am doing lol.
Any tips and advice would be greatly appreciated :)
Bye for now while I find my way around.