Three Muses Word Challenge

There's a new Challenge on Three Muses.

Marie has come up with a Word Challenge and the word this week is Time.

As we are in November now and coming up to Armistice Day

I made this.

Remembering all those past and present who have given their lives for us....

Autumn in Vermont..

This beautiful photograph was taken by my long time friend

Debra Travers at   http://www.heartseasebears.com/

She makes gorgeous teddy bears, do go and have a look, and from there

you can go to her blog, called Where are my Ears?

Such a lovely name.

So this pic is just for you Deb, with my love. xx

My Sweet baby..

Just as you think everything is going swimmingly.....

Freddie is coming home tomorrow but I've just had a phone call to say

his only dear sister passed away suddenly yesterday.

I'm not going to tell him until he gets home.....

An Artist's Eye View..

Art Creations Friday Challenge..

Art Creations Friday have given us this lovely picture of a Spring maiden by Alfons Mucha. I think it would be extremely hard to improve on Mucha so I've taken a different route and made a Mucha Wraith. I think she looks pretty ghostlike....

I've put up six collages today! I think I must have been wearing

my dancing shoes!LOL!



Christmas Fairy

June at Dezinaworld has posted her new Golden Christmas Sheets,

images, backgrounds and words.

Do pop over and have a look.

I made the Christmas Fairy and the two below for her.

Golden Christmas 1

Golden Christmas 2



Who said............?

I  wonder why  Victorian  mothers felt the need to dress their boys in

frills and flounces and curl their hair?

Do you think they really longed for a girl?

It's a sad story that sometimes, when our hearts are at their most full, we find it hardest to tell God how we are feeling.
I was pleased to come across this quotation which seems to say it all:

'God understands our prayers even when we can't find the words to say them.'

It's not known who first wrote these words, but it's certainly a comforting thought to remember when the problems that surround us seem too big for us to cope with.

A Mother's Love..

Who can deny that one of the greatest loves is the one

a mother gives to her children.

I think this is such a gorgeous Victorian photograph.

No wonder I am always into Vintage art.

(Perhaps it's because I'm getting pretty vintage myself!! LOL!)

DW Blog Challenge

This week Kimmie gave this lovely picture of a wood in Autumn colours.

I have turned it into a Babes in the Wood scene.

Two lovely vintage babies, you can almost hear the one

on the right chuckling!

Lovely image Kimmie!

I had the biggest disappointment this afternoon.

Freddie could have come home today but his 'care package' won't be ready

until Tuesday morning. That means he will come home Monday afternoon.

I know he was devastated but at least we know the day now.

I am so thankful for that.

Perhaps it was for the best as I have really hurt my back lifting and can hardly move

.

A few days will make all the difference so patience June!.

Treasures..

Just look at these beautiful things that came in my post yesterday. Treasure indeed! My dear friend Cheryl at  Cheryls, Creative Cards and ATC's 

sent me these as she thought I needed cheering up!  These came in the prettiest blue voile bag with gold butterflies. For some reason I can't get the link to work but if you type the blue letters into Google you can find her site and see her delicious work!

Above is the tiny book-box and you can see the front, back and inside. Also a lovely flower ATC.

The photo below shows the larger book-box, all painted gold with the most beautiful elements attached and a real leaf on the front. Inside is a mini Alice notebook.

I haven't shown the CD booklet, with 4 sides of cd's beautifully decorated with gorgeous papers, ephemera, charms, jewels and flowers. Breathtaking.

Thank you dear Cheryl from the bottom of my heart. I've never seen such pretty things!

Treasures!..

Flowers..

Card front..

Three Muses Challenge..Hats..

I thought this French sailor had the cutest hat!

Sisters..

I'm glad you liked the pictures of my home village yesterday.

I've added a few comments in answer to your questions.

My granddaighter is trying to get the petrol lawnmower started at the moment.

Our grass has grown beyond belief.

I'm hoping Freddie will soon be home. They have got a care package for him to get him up, washed and dressed every morning at 6.30am. Good job I can get up early!

Last night he seemed depressed. He has even stopped watching his TV. He so wants to come home. I think he would buck up a bit then. Fingers crossed.

Jessie come home..

Risque lady..

From June's new collage sheet.

Risque Ladies..

 A couple of collages I've done for June at Dezinaworld. She is now showing her sheet of 'Risque' Ladies.

I live here..

I thought just for a change today I'd give you a tour of where I live.

Designated as a place of outstanding beauty,

We are inundated with visitors most of the year, in cottages and caravans,

for sailing, birdwatching, walking and the like.

There is nothing between us and the sea but marshes.

Years ago my family and I would trek over the mud and marsh at low tide to spend a day

on the beach and trek home in the evening tired and happy.

I would spend hours walking the beach picking up pretty stones and shells.

One hot summer, my friend Marion and I swam every day, either

in the sea or in the Channel.

So many happy memories.

Children still spend hours on the quayside fishing for Gilly crabs, hauling them up, putting them in a bucket and then putting them back in the water.

I swear they are the same crabs my own children used to catch and put back!

The church is gorgeous and you could fill a book with its treasures.

I do so hope you enjoy the pictures.

Hugs

June xx

Day Out..

I found this vintage picture of a little boy, coloured him a bit and here he is.

His little pouty face gave me such a smile, can you imagine what he must

have been thinking when that photograph was taken!

Having a play..

Just been having a play, searching through some of my many digital

scrapbooking sets I've bought.

I had a wonderful lunch at my daughter's yesterday. She's a superb cook

and it was so nice to go out.

Freddie doesn't seem able to ring me but I have phoned him several

times and he seems to be doing fine.

I've ordered my groceries online to come tomorrow. What a great help

that facility is. The Asda drivers are so helpful and bring the bags right into

my kitchen so I can take my time putting things away.

Silhouette..

Memories..

As we grow older we have even more memories.

I don't know about you but I try to think about the happy ones

and the bad memories fade into the distance.

Of course they are still there, but constantly thinking about them is so bad for you.

They become a tight knot deep inside that can cripple.

If bad things happened, they happened, in the past..... so move on, put your bad memories into an imaginary casket, cast it into a river that takes them out to sea

and they will be lost forever.

Watching over you..

When we are ill it's all too easy to feel sorry for ourselves.

John Donne, the sixteenth century writer and poet would have had every

reason to wallow in self-pity while seriously afflicted,

but instead he wrote 'TheDevotions',

which include this uplifting passage.....

All of mankind is of one author and one volume. When one man dies, one chapter is not torn out of the book but translated into a better language, and every chapter must be so translated.

Some pieces are translated by age, some by sickness, some by war, some by justice. But God's hand is in every translation and His hand shall bind up all of our scattered leaves again for that Library where every book shall lie open to one another.

The Power of Prayer.

I saw my husband last night and we were all very surprised. He looks well, a much better colour, he can walk with a stick and can raise his right arm. Aside from Yes and No he only makes a few very short sentences. But there's a lot he can remember and we laughed and joked and he laughed too. And he has a good appetite.

Amanda the OT nurse rang me yesterday afternoon to report on his progress and to ask me how he normally behaves. Obviously he is not entirely normal yet. I paid for him to have TV and phone and he even remembered my number but he seems unable to make a phone call yet. I have rung him a couple of times already, he's quick to answer but I can hear from his stilted manner he can't collect his thoughts as yet. He asks no questions at all, which is so unlike him. It would be the first thing he asked, how am I and how is the dog!

Amanda will assess him again on Monday to see how he would manage at home and what help he may need at first. Stanley and Jenny are back and will call and see him tonight.

He has come so far in less than a week. So what would you make of all this? I truly believe it's the  Power of Prayer.
All you faithful Prayer Warriors out there from all over the world, men and women.....you really cannot imagine how much I have appreciated you all, doing this for someone you have never met. I never believed when I asked for your prayers I would get such a response! Your words have been such a comfort to me. So to all you wonderful people, I thank you from the bottom of my heart!

God bless you all,
Big Hugs
June xxx

The Swan

I had to dig up a couple of oldies for you today

as I have been busy this morning making several phone calls.

And a picture in Black and White with

a touch of Red...

Dezinaworld..

June at Dezinaworld has a new collage sheet out with what you could only describe as pretty Steampunk elements. Do take a look.

I only made one picture this time but it's

Steampunk Romance!!

Dear little girl..

Such a sweetie with her ribbon in her hair and clutching her dolly.

She was a freebie from Pringle Hill Studio.

Thank you Terri  xx

Several of you have asked how I can continue to make pictures while I am

so worried about Freddie. Fair question.

I am alone in the house, apart from my little dog who misses his walks.

And once I have done my few chores I come in here to make pictures.

To me it's a Therapy. I almost forget my physical pain. My mental anguish

doesn't go away but it saves me from going up the wall, so to speak!

I can't just sit and do nothing or watch TV all day.

My daughter came and cleaned through the house yesterday and changed

my duvet cover and beddng etc. The washing maching went on, then into

the tumble dryer. My grandson came down at teatime and lifted it all out for me

so I just sat and folded everything and put away.

I'm just going to find something for my lunch and I can wash up from

my wheelchair. So everything's covered as far as possible.

I bet a lot of you wish you had as much time on your hands as I do!! LOL!!

Thank you for all your wonderful comments. You all make my day!!

My dear SIL and daughter are taking me to see Freddie this evening so I can

at last see for myself how his memory and speech are faring.

I am so looking forward to seeing him.

Love and Hugs

June xxxxx

Two little boys..

I've gone with a children theme today.

I adore little girls but to me there is something about little boys.

I feel I'd like to grab them and plant many kisses on the back of their necks!

Anyway I made up this picture using four pictures in the foreground, 

combining them together to make the group.

I hope you like it.

Leaving party..

I think I mentioned that my dearest granddaughter has gone away and her many friends all got together to give her a leaving party. This is just one of the many photographs taken that night, I thought you might like to see.

Rebecca is the one on the left.

Sisters..

I thought these were the sweetest little sisters in this photo.

Angel of Hope..

I made this pic this morning....thoughts wandering....

Last night we had better news. My dear daughter Sally managed at last

to speak to a doctor and get a little more information.

They are very pleased with his progress and have got him walking

with a stick! Sally was so surprised she had to ask twice!

He seems to understand but can only say Yes or No so

will need Speech Therapy.

It was a sroke but not a bleed. They don't say but I wondered if

this could be after the ops on his legs....

Now this morning when I rang the nurse was new on the ward

and more forthcoming. She told me he was wondering, couldn't find

his room again and seemed agitated. She said she would keep an eye on him.

So I'll ring again after lunch.......

DW Blog Challenge..

Kimmie gave us a beautiful rose for her Challenge this week.

I chose to make a roses and lace picture, with her roses

reduced as accents. Thank you Kimmie.

Fairies in Autumn

This is all I did yesterday. I thought the autumn colours were pretty.

The Challenge I did for Three Muses was a bit of a quickie the day before.

I've removed the blog button,. Quite honestly I'm not in the mood for fiddling with it.

It's like getting blood out of a stone trying to get any information from the hospital. It seemed like I was on the phone most of yesterday, just trying to find where he was.

Finally he has ended up in a private room in the Stroke Unit. My sister visitted him last night as she lives near. He is eating and thank God he's not at all distressed. He can move fingers and toes on the right side, he seemed to understand her questions but could only answer yes or no.So knowing he looked relaxed I did sleep better last night.

This morning I was told he was in a chair and is going to have physiotherapy today.

Explaining I was housebound, disabled and not able to get to see him until Friday evening I asked if the doctor could ring me any time so I could get my questions answered.

But I'm not holding my breath......

I was so upset yesterday but feeling a bit calmer today.

Thank you all so much for your prayers and good wishes.

Hugs

June xxx

Three Muses Challenge..Winged Things..

Another Update

Well yesterday turned into a miserable Monday for us.
Yesterday afternoon Freddie refused to speak and God forgive me I thought he was being awkward. When he did speak all he could say was No, No, No and it was then I phoned the paramedics.
His face didn't change, if it had I would have known sooner.
When he tried to get off the settee I realised he couldn't stand or grip with his right hand. I placed my wheelchair beside him and lifted him under his arms and placed him in the wheelchair.

So Freddie has had a small stroke. They took him to hospital and it was past 11pm. before they got him a bed and now he is in  the stroke unit and will have a brain scan this morning. 

Please pray for him.

Love June xx

Collage Obsession Challenge..Man

Dreaming of My Man.

Sweet Nina..

Wasn't she a beauty?

October..

October is a month of clear, cold, night skies, sprinkled with stars and frost touched early mornings which make us appreciate sunny days.
It's a month to enjoy delicious newly made bramble, plum and apple jams and jellies, not forgetting the delights of country walks.
It's a month of rustling drifts of fallen leaves and in my garden I have bright pink Nerines, known to many as Guernsey Lilies. They flower happily, tolerant of unpredictable weather.
We are over half way through this lovely month. November is just around the corner and I really don't know where the time has flown.

I love October and have fond memories of picking luscious ripe blackberries and eating quite a few.
Then my blackberry and apple jam bubbling quietly on the stove and making pounds and pounds of chutney.
I made up a lot of my chutney recipes and wrote them all in a book, with how much the ingredients made and any little comments I had. One day last year my daughter asked to see it and was filled with enthusiasm for chutney making. I gave her my recipe book and she was away, making some of my favourites which are quite delicious.

A Card..

Just a quickie card made for a friend.

The Helper..

Nothing's too much trouble as he moves about the place

With an earnest dedication that shows clearly on his face.

He's so enthusiastic in the things he's asked to do.

Complaints are non-existent as his eagerness shows through.

Although he's only five years old, to him the cause is just,

For helping his old grandad in the garden is a must!

J.M.Robertson

My Son...

I had a little fun yesterday. This is my son Stanley and his wife Jenny.

I showed them this picture and Jenny said ' Who took that?

Where were we?'

Stanley smiled knowing I had manipulated two pics he had sent me,

see below.

He said 'It's a wonder you didn't turn it into a SteamPunk picture.

I'd like to see myself in those goggles.....'

Well you know me, no sooner said.........

2 Top Hats...

So this is the final result.....

The divers helmet is supposed to be sitting on his shoulder.

He was a police diver and his Great Grandfather was a deep sea diver!

He is also a wonderful photographer, hence the old camera.

My Angel Box..

Several years ago our WI had a small auction and I bought this

 beautifully made wood cutlery box. It's quite heavy and large.

I padded  inside the lid and lined the bottom.

Then I painted the angels, roses and swags in a sort of

decorative painted style with acrylic paints.

Sealed the outside for a little protection and there it is,

my Angel Box.