Rocking Your World Friday - 35th of 2018

Good Morning World - tis Friday and I'm here for another 

So for those that blog follow - this time last week I was literally in day ward recovering from my op at this moment in time.  The hospital were amazing (God bless the NHS) and put me at my ease, I met with the surgeon, the anesthetist, nurses etc and was second in the queue for my op.  It all went according to plan and by 11.30am last Friday morning I was sat up in bed supping a cup of tea and eating a ham sandwich, which proved much more difficult to swallow than I had anticipated. 

And by 4pm last Friday afternoon I was on my way home, a bit battered and bruised and little on the tender side but home is definitely where I wanted to be.  

Hubby had bought me not one but two bunches of beautiful flowers

for when I returned home

And I've been a very good girl and taken my painkillers and heeded all the warnings, one week on and I'm slowly starting to return to normality, albeit that this morning was spent checking with the hospital and then the doctor with regards to a 'new' pain I have in my back, they believe it is because I've been holding myself strange - but time will tell.  I'm hoping it is that because spending half the night wide awake really isn't much fun.  Thankfully hubby got hold of the Docs for me, then he has gone to get tablets etc - I don't know what I would have done without him - he really is a star.  So another grateful that his work place were so understanding as at the moment I can't walk very far and I can't drive. 

Next up a photo of these two in hysterics watching a program about making weapons, who knew it would be so amusing! 

I got a gorgeous card from said 17 year old's girlfriend on Saturday

Hubby, said 17 year old and his GF tootled off to see if they could find the name of my Dad on this heart which is due to be installed in a huge metal sculpture hopefully soon.  

This photo makes the names look huge, but it is tiny tiny tiny, so glad they found it though

Next up a new magazine, I do love this magazine a good blend of plant information mixed with ways of making your garden pretty with non-planty items - my kind of gardening! 

The other morning when I woke I was treated to this glorious sunrise

I also enjoyed a gorgeous smoothie made with fresh bananas and some pineapple juice and some baobab powder that I bought when we visited the Eden Project

Thursday evening and I really hadn't done enough moving around, so hubby suggested we go out on our way back we popped to have a look at the heart and find another name we were trying to locate for a family member that lives in America. 

The sunset last night was stunning and I managed to capture this on our way home

There was also a maquette of the Steel Man to have a look at near the heart which hubby had missed when he visited it earlier in the week.  I'm really hoping they make some progress on it soon! 

Other positives from the week, messages from work checking on me.

Said 17 year old passing his driving test first time - absolute star, I was so very pleased for him!

Making a start on my Christmas journal preparation, I thought this was the earliest I'd ever worked on it, but a Facebook memory this week told me that that wasn't the case! 

Reading last year's journal and realising for the first time since I left my other job, how very unhappy I was in my old post even before last Christmas.  My journal is a mix of answers to Christmas prompts and real life and the days where work has been put into the mix was a bit of a sharp shock to read if I'm honest.  It was very obvious that once the change had been made to the organisational structure, that my days were definitely numbered, so why on the grateful list you might add.  Well I'm glad I have some evidence that reminds me that my decision was the right one and that severing all ties was the best option for my mental health, it means I have been able to move on and that my lovely people is definitely a positive, plus I feel valued and appreciated where I am now and you can't buy that kind of emotion for anything in the world!  I'm feeling very blessed! 

And that my lovely people is the week that was, a bit of a quiet one but then I have spent most of it laid on the sofa! 

Rocking Your World Friday - 34th of 2018

So it's operation day tomorrow and I'm very tired this Thursday evening, but still time for a rocking post. I can't find my rocking button on my phone so please forgive me on that front.

The week has been crazy mad and very busy overall.  We had a brilliant open day last weekend a lot of work but well worth it. Hubby and son were out on the boat and I was doing refreshments and let me just say we never stopped all day.  One of the other volunteers fell poorly and we needed to call an ambulance, thankfully he is back out of hospital and on the mend.  

Here are a few more of the canvases completed for the 1400 Flower exhibition which occurs this weekend marking 4 years since the Jay report was published.  

Some of the pictures have sold already including the 3 tree ones done by said 17 year old!

Sunday was a day of rest for us all and was very much needed. Said 17 year old was over at his girlfriend's house on Saturday and they both headed back Sunday so we had a lovely evening sitting putting the world to rights.

I managed to grab a photo of these two when we were in Ikea, both off to University in September, ready for the next chapter of their lives! My niece got the grade she needed for her course which is brilliant news!

We headed to hobbycraft to ogle the art supplies on Monday.  A few might even have fallen in my basket, I just hope I get to use them very soon!

And the rest of the week has been work work and a but more work.

I forgot to show a picture of the items hubby and son made (I think I forgot - apologies if you've seen these before).  These are the items they made at a recent leathercraft taster session.  

Said 17 year old had us in stitches when we headed into the Range when he tried this?

If you fancy joining in pop a post together, pop back link up and we shall come and visit. 

Rocking Your World Friday - 33rd of 2018

Good Morning lovely people - tis Friday time for

So it has been a busy busy week at work, we are preparing for two events, the first an open day this 

Saturday and the second an event on the 26 August 2018 to mark 4 years since the Jay report was published we are filling the gallery with 1400+ flowers.

I shared a couple of the canvases last week with you, here are 3 more completed by said 17 year old. 

Next up the fabulously fun play we went to see last week, I forgot to share a photo of the set pre-show, we always try to sneak a single picture so we can remember the show better.  Here is said shot

Trip to Ikea when this sneaky chap appeared to be following me around, we saw one (and only one) in the toy section and then we saw this one in the plant pots on the way out of the market hall, mmmmm do we think he was following us?

Me and hubby went for breakfast

Fab company and fab food

When I popped into see my Mum, I ended up with another bag of tissue paper flowers for the event, which was great but I knew that the canvases were now 'spoken for', which left me with the dilemma of what to do with them.  So I set to coming up with other ways to display them.  First up this one.  An over sized Powertex heart with 7 of the flowers displayed on them, I love how it looked on the wooden floor if I'm honest. 

Me and hubby had a wander around the local shopping centre, we saw this which made me smile, particularly when I overheard someone explaining that it wouldn't fly - really! 

Sunday morning we had a naughty breakfast - cheese on toast it was lovely, but I did suffer afterwards (operation date one week and counting). 

Then we had some of that wet stuff that comes out of the sky, not seen it in a while and we were struggling to remember its name, but then we remembered! 

So a rainy day, so more flower arranging, first up in an Ikea crate

Then in an easel box (yay I finally got it used)

Then in an Ikea plant pot

And then in a set of three, I think they all looked great when they were done

Said 17 year old decided to make some with electrical wire, first up - copper

and then a blue tulip

I've enjoyed reading my illustrated Harry Potter book

I also made some handmade cards (remember I'm not a card maker by any short stretch of the imagination).  Using up a 6 x 6 pack of Blonde Moment papers, I loved these papers (and the pink and grey set that they did)

I managed to make 20 in total and these will sell at the charity (all being well) to raise much needed funds.

We've also got a badge maker at work said 17 year old has been preparing badges for the Open day, but we were running out of ideas, I asked for some funny sarcastic quotes from my brother, he came up with this one which literally made me laugh out loud, apparently it is too offensive for the open day, but I

 made some and bought them myself.

We also did some zombie badges from some designs my brother did years ago, again not appropriate for the open day, but I was happy to pay my dues

And finally it isn't very often when you get this visitor at work, she headed down to the boat and waved at the big boat coming through, 

Said 17 year old was out on the boat and we also had a Fireman in who was helping us make tissue paper flowers - as days go - this one was definitely a strange one! 

I've had loads of lovely comments recently, but also a few questions so I thought I'd try and answer them all in one go

Gina - time to work and do all the things we do there is only one answer my time turner must actually work (ps I assumed everyone else did what we did, is that not the case?  Followed by the words - I'm not sure how long I will be here on this earth so I've got to cram everything in). 

Lisca - I do get your comments but always want to read before they publish and if I'm having a crazy hectic day (see note to Gina above), it can take me a few days to get to them and read them properly and publish them - but I do so love the comments, so please don't stress.  I will share the paper marbling photos (once I've taken them she says adding to her to do list).  Love at first sight - yes it was and we are still in love today as the day we met, I feel very blessed to have this amazing human in my life, blessed to have an amazing son and I never ever take any of it for granted and I love the story of you and your hubby planning your wedding so soon after meeting, it took us 8 years to get married, but I always knew he was the one!   As for the corn bread I wasn't keen as it was both sweet and spicy and being served as a savoury if that makes sense, on the other hand my hubby loved it! 

Kate, thanks for the info on the paper marbling, they are still oily - so I shall continue to wait to use them.  Said 17 year old has had some fantastically positive feedback on the tree art canvases he did for the display which has been a real boost to his confidence if I'm honest.  The Tempest is definitely a hard work play to watch, but when done well (which it was), thoroughly enjoyable!

Gina - graffiti versus mural - a very good question.  I love graffiti art (not tags - that to me is just vandalism), but actual spray can art.  I have no idea when graffiti goes from graffiti to mural - is it the legality side of things that differentiates the two?  

Lisca the Sheffield trams are fabulous, the only way we travel when heading directly into the city! 

Gina - charitable organisation for workplace question.  In answer to this one my work history was legal secretary, then I moved to work for the Ministry of Defence, then I ended up in finance initially I worked in the service industry and then manufacturing before starting work at a charity in 1998 so this year I celebrate 20 years of working for charities.  My first charity job was in Stafford working for an alcohol agency, which subsequently became an alcohol and drug agency (and eventually an alcohol and dependency agency), I brought part of that job with me when we relocated back to Yorkshire and promised hubby faithfully that I would take a year out, that year lasted 12 weeks before I found a part time finance job working for the local YMCA, that job lasted 9 years (which on reflection was too long), I then moved to yet another charity this time around homelessness that was Sheffield based and I also found another job at the same time working at my current charity.  The homelessness charity work came to a close this year when I wanted to concentrate on just one job.  As for how you can help, I share posts to do with work on Facebook so I'm always grateful if they can be shared.  

Kate I didn't know the flowers were Kusudama flowers, are these the ones you made out of fabric?  I would never have thought of doing them out of fabric, if you did I might have to give them a whirl!  I also hear you on the art teacher front, I couldn't draw still life, so I decided I was lousy at art, my art teacher never chose to disagree with me so I spent years cleaning the stock room and making it tidy rather than creating art, it was only as an adult I discovered my love of all arty things!

So there you are lovely people, all caught up hopefully on the questions front and that was definitely the week that was. 

If you fancy joining in with me, Lisca and Kate, pop a post together pop back, link up and we can come and visit. 

Rocking Your World Friday - 32nd of 2018

Good morning lovely people (I'm prepping this the night before so it will be at least morning when it goes live). 

Time for 

So the gift that me and the girls from the WW group arrived at its recipients house safe and sound, so I can show you the cover of said book.  I agreed to pull the ideas together to send to our lovely friend and her hubby who were celebrating a special anniversary. 

One of the inner pages, this is the one I did. 

Last Friday night I paid for us to attend a paper marbling course at the local print club.  Something none of us had done - me, hubby, said 17 year old and said 17 year old's girlfriend had a fabulous couple of hours playing with marbling inks. 

We got very messy and I love this sequence of photos - this one of said 17 year old looking very happy

This one of his GF showing her inky hands

And this one when she realised I was taking a photo!

Hubby also looked rather mischievous

We brought all the papers home, we are just not sure what to use them for, I was thinking base papers for cards but they are 'oily' due to the nature of the inks and I'm not sure the ink isn't going to bleed.  If anyone has experience of marbling ink and knows a way around this etc, please let me know. 

The journey home gave us some gorgeous night skies

Next up a gift from said 17 year old's GF as I'd never come across them (they were nom and didn't last long). 

Me and hubby celebrated 28 years of being together, this was taken on the night we met. 

And this is 28 years on (older, wiser? still as in love as the day we met and definitely blonder on my part). 

We decided on date night, so first up a meal out together, I had a gorgeous banana cooler mocktail

We ordered starters including bread starter, the corn bread confused me it definitely tasted cakey - apart from the lumps of sweetcorn and the chilli taste!

We then had tickets to see this, if you get chance to see it, it really is the funniest theatre I've seen in quite some time - absolutely brilliant night! 

Sunday morning we went for breakfast, a typical sign of the city is the Hendo's on the table, people draw comparisons to Worcester Sauce but it's nothing like and made locally! 

Next up Saturday tasks, I decided to do some lino cutting.  The idea was balloons but the print pull isn't great if I'm honest, but I had fun. 

I also managed a gelli plating session

Hubby then fancied having a go with the lino cutting

Whilst I carried on with more gelli plating

Which resulted in this bundle

Sunday night tea - courtesy of hubby was...

We also enjoyed this film, a really lovely feel good film with a big nod towards Beatrix Potter, beautifully filmed, great actors, lovely story - what more can I say...

Monday we had decided to head into town to check out the Bricktropolis, hubby who had got to work, promptly came home again as he really fancied a day out. 

The lego buildings were amazing, this was the first one which was the City Hall, there was an app which had had issues and unfortunately mine failed, but said 17 year old's GF managed to clock every one. 

The Chrysler building and the Empire State Building

The models have been created in a 1:125 scale, seeing the size of the vehicles gave an indication of what the buildings must look like!

Said 17 year old loved the pyramid

This was one of my favourites, I loved the red colour

The attention to detail, quantity of bricks and time spent was amazing

There were lots of families doing the trail

Although I think our group potentially had the oldest 'children' in it

It also meant we went off the beaten track which was lovely

This building wasn't very pretty but it had been created to be earthquake proof. 

I loved the model of this hotel from Dubai

and this one called Turning Torso

This one had had extra struts added in real life as it moved in high winds

This was my absolute favourite

and the Leaning Tower of Pisa

We had a fabulous if not a little tiring day.  Tea ended up 'simple', a cheese salad sandwich 

Said 17 year old did a couple more canvases for work and I finished them off. 

Said 17 year old has done soooooooo many hours in work this week with me, helping prepare for an art installation/exhibition/event that is to occur at the end of the month.  

This is another of the canvases he has done

The turquoise canvases were up

And loving the tonal colours

Wednesday found us watching Shakespeare outdoors at Chatsworth.  This time the Tempest. 

Lord Chamberlain's Men - all male cast, did a fantastic job.

It was much cooler and we got to enjoy the beautiful night sky

The light levels were dropping near the end. 

Me and hubby managed a selfie

And these two made sure they were warm!

Said 17 year old has spent most of today sorting this

and this

And overall we have had a very busy busy week. 

I'm truly grateful for a day off tomorrow, as I'm rather tired if I'm honest. 

I hope you are all well, if you fancy joining in pop a post together, come back and link up.