Face Ache!

I have been having severe pain in my jaw since having a tooth removed after failed root canal treatment, seven weeks ago. The dentist said everything was healing and there was nothing wrong. He said to keep taking the pain relief. I was going to work and then to bed managing little else.

They still said there was nothing wrong at the hospital after an X-ray and consultation last week and gave me antibiotics, anti inflammatory medications and stronger pain relief.

Since seeing the doctor at the hospital last week and using the pain killers, the pain got more frequent and far worse. I have not been able to sleep and in the end Alan took me to A & E last night where I saw a doctor who said that the problem I described was 'Trigeminal Neuralga' (TN) and pain killing tablets were not going to help at all. So I have been started on some medication that would normally be used for epilepsy to stop the nerve problem, but I have to build this up slowly to find the right dose, so I am at the point now where I am pain free for about three hours three times a day!

I went back to the max fax team today and they are referring me to the specialist, who I saw years ago for my Temporomandibular joint disorder (TMJ). I see him on Thursday.

I can't work as I can't drive and I'm still in a lot of pain or drowsy. I have to find the right level of this medication and then wait until I am taking it without the side effects, so in the mean time I am trying to catch up on some sleep. I also need surgery to deal with a piece of bone protruding through my gum near the socket, which is pretty sore but the least of my worries at the moment. For someone who rarely takes medication - you should see my pile of drugs! At least now I can get rid of most of them and just take the one!

Sorry this is a bit of a negative post, hopefully better news tomorrow!

Faeries at the bottom of the garden!

On the evening of Friday 3rd July, the Mojo Holders design team published their layouts lifted from a super page by Edleen Maryam. Above is my layout using a Fancy Pants 'A Little Daydream' transparency and 'Daydreams Wish paper for the background. I used the tags and tiles sheet from the same range for the green flower and the pink heart, I cut the wings and the green heart from other sheets of PF paper using the die cut wing and heart as templates. The bracket was cut free hand from the flip side of another sheet of 'Wish' paper. Then I raised the journalling strips, bracket flower and one of the hearts with pop dots. I also used a few brads for the flower centres.

The photo is another of Emily taken by her friend Nadine at the photo

o shoot. I thought she looked like a fairy at the bottom of the garden! I took a quote from one of her favourite books by the artist Brian Froud. It reads: "Faeries are

seen not by the eyes but through the heart." Not my usual style but I did enjoy creating this one.

Here is Edleen's original layout and the sketch.

Is it Really 27th June!?!?!

I have not long been home and was preparing to go out again, after a bit of blogging! Sitting in the loft extension which has a flat roof and wondering what all the loud banging was on the roof! Looked out of the window to see very large (marble size) hail stones crashing to the ground! The grass was quickly covered in what looked like snow! I don't think I have ever seen weather like it! This kept going for some time.























Photos show 1. A hand full of fast melting hailstones. 2. The leaves were smashed off the trees. 3. Front garden & stream of water running down the hill. 4. Back garden. 5. & 6. Shenstone Park.

Exciting News & My first effort

I was very flattered and excited to be invited to join the Mojo Holders Design Team earlier this week. I have been busy working on my first lay out.
The talented scrapper chosen for this weeks inspiration is Nancy Van Den Berg, I have admired her work for some time. The layout selected was called '5 months' - here is her adorable lay out and the sketch, followed by my layout:

The photos I chose are of my daughter Catherine, dressed as a Spanish Dancer for one of her parts in the Disco Inferno Show - the fancy dress scene at the Bob Hope Theatre this weekend. She was trying on her costumes for a photo shoot in the garden. I can't wait for my chance to see the show tomorrow night. I have worked hard helping at the Liz Burville Performing Arts Centre with the costumes, although I have not had so much time free to help this year as I usually do.

For my layout I used a sheet of Bazzill, and a selection of Cosmo Cricket, Early Bird papers - Apron Strings, Brunch, Farmers Market and Elements. I also used AC leaf, Thickers, fabric, alphabet stickers. and a selection of blossoms and gems.

Fabulous Rainbow Colours

No challenge today, just a link to some great digi kits by Tia Bennett's work on Two Peas. Just for fun and because I love colour here are some rainbow shots I have collected together along the way this month. This colourful parrot was outside on of the shops at the Craft Centre we visited at the beginning of the month in Essex. The school shop sign belongs to ASDA!

Repair in my sun umbrella after the moth had chewed it while stored away in shed over the winter.

Emily's watercolours before she opened them.

Playing with Paint

Today’s challenge from Shimelle's Month of Colour is to make something with acrylic paint—in any colour—and share a link. See Shimelle's blog for a tutorial on 'Playing with paint'!

I use acrylic paints with chipboard letters. Here area two lay outs where I painted the letters before treating them with other techniques.

These chipboard letters were painted white acrylic and then stamped with black swirls. I added a layer of Glossy Accents to polish them off!

This LO uses a variety of different Basic Grey papers and is a scrap lift of a LO by Gabrielle Pollacco (having trouble linking to her blog today, but the link is on my list and it's called 'Such a pretty mess'.

The word 'LANE' is created with chipboard letters painted with acrylic paint, then stamped with swirls. The word 'Wisteria' was added with Basic Grey Wisteria alphabet stickers. The whole LO uses Basic Grey Wisteria and several sheets of Bazzill. The photos are of the set of Wisteria Lane, Universal Studios, CA.

Disco Inferno Photo Shoot

Catherine had a rehearsal today for the summer show. This was the last session before they move out of the Liz Burville Performing Arts Centre and into the Bob Hope Theatre Eltham tomorrow. There are more rehearsals after school and the show starts on Thursday and runs until Sunday, one show Thursday and Friday evening, then two shows on both Saturday and Sunday.

After the rehearsal, Catherine dressed up in some of the many costumes she needs for the show and Emily took photos in the back garden. Here are some of Catherine's favourite shots.

Lots to scrap here!