April Catch-up

Above: The inside of my brain currently.

I thought I would make a little catch-up post (I know it's May now but it was April when I started it), though it’s a collection of woes to be honest. Currently I have tennis elbow in my left arm and a frozen shoulder on my right. As you can imagine this is a little trying. I have anti-inflammatories which are not very effective and some exercises which are not fun. It’s a work in progress.

I have a 2Tb external hard drive on which I store all of my craft and art references, my downloaded patterns for knitting, crochet and all kinds of needlework, my videos, e-books, inspo pics for all kinds of everything and, you’ve guessed it, it’s borked. Fine one day and then clanking and stopping the next. I’m kind of beside myself about it to be honest. I think I could send it off to a specialist who could get all the data off it but it would cost a few hundred quid and I am after moving back up north so it’ll have to wait and I will have to manage. It’s hard though, I had no idea how much I relied on that drive. Oh yeah, and my blog posts were on there too, for some reason when you download your blog from Blogger you only get the pictures back but not the actual posts which is weird. Luckily I do have my photos backed up in about five different places as I’ve lost them before.

My mental health took a bit of a nosedive and took my motivation with it so I’ve not made much stuff. However, I have made a few phone wristers and keyring/charms. So I haven’t been completely out of it.

Above: Three phone wristers, the one on the right is mostly natural materials.

Above: Three new bag charms.

Also I started playing Stardew Valley a few weeks ago and I’m a little obsessed with it so that might have contributed to my lack of motivation to do anything else ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

I have finally binned off Instagram. They persisted with the ads in the following feed and I just cannot deal with them I don't know how other people just scroll on by and can ignore them, they drive me insane. I am posting a few pics to Blue Sky until people get used to me posting a bit more often and then they can have the full spectrum of sycamore photos.

Above: Speaking of, here she is in full bloom, a magnet for bees at this time of year.

Right, that’s it, pity party over. It is May! My favourite time of year, everything is so green and the days are getting longer, it is the run up to my birthday but I’ve not yet been disappointed by it so it’s still potentially good. I know they say birthdays are for kids but they also say that about Christmas and frankly, people who say such things can get in the sea.

Above: Free plants from the universe. I was cutting the grass and found a fern and a tiny holly seedling that had planted themselves. There was also a primrose which had planted itself at the front but I didn't get a picture of that.

I am expecting a little box of treats ordered from DirectCosmetics which will be a little cheer up, I’m excited about that even though I know what’s in it.

(There should be a "Treat Yoself" gif here but I don't seem able to do that on leaflet)

I might fire my sewing machine up and finally put together the things I cut out last year (why am I like this?) and hopefully get a couple of other things made. (edit from the present: I still have not done this as of 07/08/26 sigh).

I also need to cast on another Rowan project as the current one is just too big and warm for knitting in the summer months. I’m thinking maybe Stella, which is a little cropped ribbed jumper knit in DK weight yarn. (edit: haven't done this either, still working on the chunky job).

Hopefully summer coming in will bring my motivation back with it, in the meantime though, I’ve got livestock to feed and crops to plant 😊

Thanks for listening! Here's a bunch of catch-up pics.

Above: I found an unmoving bee on the path, I gave it the tiniest of pokes and it waved a little leg at me so I got it some reviving honey and it went on its way.

Above: I have had this peace lily for 20 years and it has never flowered since it was new. I turned it the other day and look! A massive flower! I couldn't believe it, it smells amazing too. I have chosen to take it as a good omen.

Above: My box of treats has arrived! Perfume minis, tinted lip balms, a notebook, and the wee pot has some cactus seeds with it, there's also an Elizabeth Arden tote at the bottom which was a pound. One pound!