Nayu's Craft Time #237 A season of illness hopefully over

I've been quiet the last few months as I kept getting ill, more than usual. It was very annoying and I still have an ongoing situation I can't talk about that affects everything too. I haven't done much craft, I'm slowly doing a little more although on a few project I can't show in public for a long time, but I am doing some craft which helps distract me. I'm gaming a fair bit too! Needed to take life slower than normal but truly hoping I'm over the worst for now. 

I recently got a Hobby Craft kit for a guinea pig, which is super cute and very appropriate since I have two, Tulip and Snow. This one looks more like Tulilp, and with a plastic needle was definitely for a younger age group but was fun to make over a few hours. The stuffing puffed up so much from the vacuum packed bag. The felt was easy to work with and I'm hoping to maybe create one for Snow one day. The back was just plain orange (for some reason the photo file was huge, no idea why so not including it). The front orange stripes were meant to be black but that looked too much like their droppings (and therefore odd) so I switched it to orange and almost ran out of orange thread as a result but had just enough to finish up. It's so cute! Hope you've all had a healther autumn/winter season than me.

Nayu's Craft Time #236 Fresh naan & plushie laundry!

cooked vs raw

 

It's been a week and a bit of stuff going on, some I can't share but I'm about to share what I can. So I managed to make naan bread! I'd wanted to try it, and found a bread friendly recipe. Unfortunately mine ended up drier than it should be and overkneaded (4 times...) due to not realising it was meant to be a wet dough. I used some shredded coconut as a flavour, to make it a little like peshwari naan. I managed to get the shapes how I buy them in the supermarket which I was pleased about. 

 They took time to fry and I was exhausted by the end, took more than a day to recover but I feel they came out really well. I've frozen most of them (had a nice stack) so I won't have to do that for a long time. The taste is worth it but might try oven cooking next time, or bribe my family to use their air fryer. 

 

These caused a few tears

 

Next up in the baking department was the easiest dish. I got my family to chop a load of onions, I coated them in a tiny bit of olive and vegetable oil (price of pure olive oil is a little eye watering), popped them in the slow cooker and cooked on a mix of medium then high heat for around 11 hours. They t
20.urned out as wonderful caramalised onions that I'm slowly dividing and freezing in large and small chunks so I can throw them in curries and stirfries. 

So tasty!!!

The other productive activity was taking advantage of a final heatwave before autumn and washing my most used plushies! I try and do it once a year - apparently plushies can get mishapen and damaged in a wash but thankfully all mine remained in tact, fluffy and held their shape ok. It was quite amusing washing them, I just used the quick wash feature, I guess I could have used the handwash one too. It looked like a toy shop carousel by the time I'd done the 3 loads! 

Plushies and clothes ready to get wet!

I'm busy with a review game so not done much craft but the next post will be an update on my current projects, so stay tuned! 

Drying time!

Nayu's Craft Tme #235 Medical Mayhem

 

Mikuru from Aikatsu! anime

Feeling sleepy today(nothing new)  so not quite in the mood to take pics of my latest craft projects so I will do that in the next post but wanted to do a little catch up. 

The other week I had a routine hospital appointment for my contact lenses. Upon arrival I was a bit a anxious as the waiting area for the covid screening was busy and almost everyone in front of me was given a pager to wait. Thankfully I wasn't. I was instructed to go to the purple waiting area. Usually it's the green area, so I double checked in green and yes they were full so it was purple. Off I went to the pretty coloured chairs in purple. I waited a while, nothing new there. My phone rang, I felt bad I had turned it off but it turned out that was a good thing: the caller was the hospital reception asking where I was as they were searching everyone for me. I had become a missing person!!! 

Madoka from Aikatsu looking horrified

It turns out there were two purple waiting areas in that section of the hospital. How stupid!!! I apologised, and all was fine they were just relieved I was ok as the doctor knows I'm super reliable and don't usually wander off without letting someone know. If i'm directed to a different coloured section I will double check I'm in the correct. 

Mizuki collapsed in Aikatsu 

 

 

The second medical drama was far less pleasant and partly my fault. I'm not naming the provider who I get my medication from, but the short version is due to the app not having an automated system to catch double orders I was without my opiate medication for almost a week. It was extremely unpleasant and I felt awful. I thought the situation was sorted, until the Saturday I got a message and of course it was a bank holiday weekend so I had to wait until the Tuesday to sort it out. I thankfully had a few tablets spare so simply halved them as half was better than nothing, although a quarter of my usual dose made an unpleasant few days. I have been recovering from that drama, medication arrived safely, and life is back to what counts as normal for me. Going to be playing a lot of the new Zelda game, Tears of the Kingdom once it releases tomorrow but plan another post next week with craft updates so be sure to tune in then! 

Sora from Aikatsu

Nayu's Craft Time #234 October 2022 Update

 

It's been how long????? (Madoka surprised in the anime Aikatsu!)

Massive apologies as I thought I had posted sooner than April this year. Life is happening, albeit it slowly. I mostly chat on my Twitter feed. I will be back here with craft posts hopefully soon. There's life stuff ongong that I can't talk about which does affect my daily life a lot. I hope one day I can talk about it, and it's why I'm sporadic with blog posts. While technically I am anonymous here I could say what's going on but I feel until the issue is resolved (no clue when that will be) I don't mention it online.

However, I do have some upcoming posts I hope to share soon. I have started a new weekly (if the next issues turn up soon) crochet project, it's a Disney Crochet magazine with weekly magazines providing yarn and pattern for squares in a crochet blanket. I also finished a cross stitch project of an old fashioned looking girl (think sepia tones) and started a cute hamster which reminds me of a guinea pigs.

My girls Tulip and Snow are doing wonderfully. We survived the heatwaves this summer much better than I expected. My flat stays relatively cool, I only used my fan twice to keep the temp down. I did wrap ice blocks in fleece and pop them in the cage but they mostly ignored them. Snow kept having haircuts since she is long-fur, she looked rather funny at times! My two zebra finch males, Tomoya and Hibiki are both doing great too.

I am gaming as much as ever, trying to read more, and relaxing as much as possible.

Unfortunately due to the Queen dying, my intended ketamine infusion on 19th September couldn't happen. My next one is in a few weeks, it is much needed now and dealing with extra pain is not fun but I'm managing.

Hopefully the next update will be really soon! Take care until then. 

Nayu's Craft Time #323 Explained Absence

 

Mimi Citron from the French version of Strawberry Shortcake series

Hello! Part of my not new year resolutions is to blog a bit more. I realise we are halfway through February and this is the 2nd post of the year - sorry for that. Life was a little busy, but then recently I haven't been well. A mix of it being winter, and, sadly, me needing my next ketamine infusion. It was due on 7th February, then for reasons I do know but am not explaining here it got rescheduled to 11th March, and as of Friday pushed back to March 21st. The rescheduling is for an understandable reason, I am just thankful the clinic is fitting me in vaguely soon as if I'd waited for my usual consultant clinic I'd be waiting until at least May. 

I'm not looking forward to a whole month and bit before getting that important pain relief, as the wait after a few months makes matters worse and me feel rubbish. I can't do anything though, I have gone through a similar wait last year so I know can survive. Just might be quieter than planned. 

Not today, but soon I will post as I have some fun craft things I'm making and stuff will be happening in my garden too! I'm loving living in my own little flat ^u^ 

Nayu's Craft Time #322 I'm Growing Things!

 

Time helps things to grow! Keep reading to find out what is growing in these pots

 Hello! Been far far far too long since I've said hi. Yes I blame life for being it's crazy self. The really good news is at the end of the month, a major life thingy that's been going on for 18 months will be over! I may not get the outcome for a while, but I promise as soon as I get it, I will explain what's been so stressful since Feb 2020 - no it's not covid. I've kept quiet because it hasn't been resolved but I got news this week when the resolution will be. Honestly it's crazy stressful and I've hated every moment. To have a date that it will almost be over is amazing and I'm thankful to God that will be soon - truly I didn't necessarily expect it to happen this year due to covid. Yes I'm sure you're all curious but I will tell you when I can. Partly for my sanity I don't want to discuss it until it's resolved, and legally although I can't be identified online it's probably better than I wait until it's all finished before sharing anything. Sorry I can't say more now, but in August I should be able to! A few of my friends do know  what's going on, but if they can please keep it quiet I'd appreciate it. 

The seedlings started like this

 I'm trying to find the time to squeeze in more blog posts, life depending, of course. As the title and picture suggest I've been busy growing things! A few weeks ago I put 10 seedlings in two starter growth coconut coir/cuir towers. I love watering the discs and watching them expand. The fact I got some seedlings to grow feels like a miracle - just look at them now! 

This one may not make it...

 They are thriving in their full pot of coconut cuir soil (I got a small bag for my plants, its really nutritious but it really stinks when I first use it. Thankfully the smell disappears fairly quickly with an open window. The seeds like the smell as they are still growing! These will hopefully become flowering African Violets or Violas. I can't remember which and I'm too comfy to move and get the seeds. According to my phone they were planted 21st April. Bit worried about one seedling which looks like it may not make it, but 2 out of 10 is good enough for me! 

This one is doing well!

If the second second does perish I'll plant another 5, even if it'll take a few months to know if it has grown.

 

Growth when I first sampled the cress - I couldn't wait for it to grow taller.

Other seeds that are growing and almost at their full potential are my cress seeds! I started them off a few days ago, was a bit worried I'd put too many on the plant pot tray but they are growing well! Need to set another off today so I will have a constant supply of cress. In my grocery haul yesterday I got some plain white paper towels - I'm sure the ink on the one I used isn't harmful but would rather have plain white towels to grow the seeds on. They need watering several times a day at the moment as it's rather warm and the water evaporates fast.

Usually have more in a sandwich but I didn't have loads so this is what I did have!

 I'm enjoying growing my own cress - it tastes better knowing I've grown it from seed, with God's grace, of course. I'm not letting myself buy any more in my groceries so that I have to keep growing them. So long as I've the energy I'll plant some lettuce tomorrow too! Waking up and seeing how the the plants have grown overnight is something fun to look forward to. 

The latest growth - it is getting tall! Will try to remember to take pics of when they are seedlings this time.

Not done much craft recently, but I plan to try a new project soon as I have until the end of September to help out with that caure. More news in a few days (hopefully). I've been gaming lots and will compile a list of my most recent reviews soon. Time to ping across the photos for this post, and then gaming! 

Hoping my seedlings will look like the African Violet (or Pansy) on the right one day!

Nayu's Craft Time #321 Virtually No Snow Days

 

Seeing as my last post was the start of this year I figured I needed to put up a post. I tend to forget to since I tweet what I'm up to on Twitter. This year I'm determined to post more often! Craft isn't happening yet due to it being winter and my low energy reserves are in non-existent, especially over the last week when the temperature plummeted well under zero for a good 7 days. Anything below 5C makes me feel awful, but with the real feel down to at least -9C some days my body nted to hibernate extremely badly. It wouldn't be so bad but as you can see even when it was supposed to snow, the snow was a mere sprinkling, blink and you miss it type job. 

 

But that's no excuse for not posting! The day before yesterday I baked some yummy white rolls which look something like this. They usually rise quite a lot, creating beautifully white fluffy rolls. I actually do not enjoy a super crispy outside to a roll, so get it less crispy I put the warm rolls in the biodegradable looks like plastic but isn't bags I regularly use, and close them. The condensation from the steaming rolls prevent the outside staying crispy! It doesn't go soggy, it just isn't crisp. I discovered that trick a while back by accident. Now I do it on purpose! The dough is made in the bread machine and I divide it up into 8 plump tasty roll shapes. Can't be fresh out the oven hot buttered white rolls!

 Today I am gaming! Mostly playing review games that I can't talk about, but I'm really enjoying my farming games more than ever. Having fun with Harvest Moon: Light of Hope which I adore (I always marry Gabriel the animal shepherd type person) and is keeping me going until March 2nd when the new HM game One World comes out. It looks so epic guys! I had the privilege to attend a demo event and oh boy I just want to farm my heart out.

 

and Stardew Valley where I avoid the mines as all the bugs freak me out.

 

 on my Nintendo Switch Lite. Yes it is a different colour to my yellow one - I got coral because my yellow started having significant joycon drift. Lite's can't be swapped out for a new joycon, and since my Lite means so much to me as a distraction from my health issues I'd always known I'd get a 2nd one. I will send my yellow off for repairs at some point, not just now as got some life stuff regarding money going on, but once a resolution is reaached I'll send it off or save to send it off for fixing. I may end up using one for review games and one for other games, I don't know yet.

I currently have a very unhappy cat under my bed. There's building work going on, and since builders need to come in and out the house (wearing masks, and yes outside my bedroom I wear a mask unless I'm in the middle of the kitchen for a meal) and Belle hates people and any upset to her routine (almost like me), I unceremonially put her in my room earlier, along with her litter tray. I'll grab water and biscuits shortly for her. She happily came out to munch on some yesterday. Shouldn't be for too much longer, weather permitting. When I brought her in she slunk straight under the bed I think in disgust at me shutting her in. To be fair she is nice and cosy under there, she sleeps most of the day, evident from the not so little snores around my pillow area. She is less disturbed under the bed than if she is on it beside me. For the moment she is fed at crazy o'clock (before 5am) when family go to work so we know she actually eats something in the day besides biscuits before the workmen arrive. Sometimes in life I totally wish I could join her under the bed. The photo is of her on my bed as I can't reach her underneath. Have a good day!

Nayu's Craft Time #320 Crafting is happening!

A 4mm clover hook (don't think the photo is by me)

I feel rather bad that I have barely blogged here all year. I am sorry! I shouldn't neglect this blog for Twitter, where I do share all my news. I am making the effort to post more regularly - I get new followers each week and want content for you all to enjoy. I blame the weird way that 2020 has panned out. Certainly nothing any of us expected. And, in truth, I think it has changed life permanently. But that's pretty much all I'll say on the matter. I am high risk for covid, but I am alive which is a blessing.

Time to show you some craft work which I did not post on Twitter but I did do yesterday (Friday). Friday's are my time to work on a secret craft project involving a needle and thread. Unfortunately when the weather is really hot (which, for the record, my malfunctioning body lives for - being warm is a real joy! Not to need a blanket is a rare and precious occasion) I don't sew because thin needles feel too weird against my skin. I have always been like this which is why I haven't done much embroidery lately.

Crochet I can do because I don't really touch the metal part of the crochet hook. I dived back into working on a crochet blanket for a local cat charity, Cats Protection who always need blankets for each new arrival and have branches all over the country, so see what items yours is taking for donation and please help them out if you can. It is lovely to hear the blankets go with the cat on to their new home, so they have something familiar with them. I do not know when I will be able to give them the blanket, but I plan on making a few then donating them, which will be some time. I added 1 row which you can see here, created some more pink squares, and turned a skein of yarn into a proper ball.

I love crochet because I use the same stitches for the granny square, a few chain stitches and treble stitches (UK terms). I use the join by crochet method of attaching the squares together. They had been in alternate colours, but yesterday I got so engrossed watching the wonderful American Pioneer series Little House on the Prairie that I forgot to pay attention to which square I chose. Ordinarily I d unpick it, but because it is a patchwork blanket, and not all the squares will be the same colours I left the out of sequence square where it was. The cat who gets it won't care what it looks like, only that it is warm and cosy.

As much as I need the hot weather for my health, I do hope it gets cooler because I have so much fun embroidery to start! I will talk more on that in another post. Hope you all have at least one fun thing to enjoy this weekend, and I hope to post again in a few days. Side note: this is made using the new style of Blogger, which is certainly different to the old style, but it mostly makes sense. I will get used to it soon enough. I am less keen on the new Windows update, it seems I can only crop and reduce a photo, I can't simply remove a bit from the top or bottom, so I edited the blanket picture on my phone which does what I want it to.

I firmly believe this! Picture artist/photographer unknown.

Nayu's Craft Time #320 Let's keep hibernating!

Credit to whoever took this photo online. The clock is gorgeously pretty!

Despite the deceptively sunny days and the changing clocks at the weekend, my body still feels it is winter due to the temperature so I am cosily hibernating away. Staying in due to a certain pandemic isn't too different for me, as I am mostly home and have plenty of hobbies to stay busy. Once the temperature starts increasing more reliably (it is the minimum temperature which I have to pay attention to) I will blog a bit more with what craft projects I have on the go. I can be found on Twitter daily @Nayuleska

I pray you are all staying as safe as you can, staying home where you can and only going out when you absolutely have to. The world is crazy but we will get through it. I expect it to be like this for a while. Take care and let's hope April is a bit kinder to the world than March has been.

Nayu's Craft Time #319 Random Online Grocery Info

Generic grocery bag

This is probably a random post, but then a lot of my posts are random so it doesn't matter! I want to talk about the online shopping. I have only used Sainsbury's, so my experience doesn't extend to other supermarkets/companies. I started using the service this summer when I was too ill to go shopping. It is super convenient, I love being able to pick a time that suits me and, on most occasions, pay less than £1.50 delivery charge, 50p if I am really lucky.

Photo source unknown

 Random observation #1

99% of the drivers are super friendly and helpful. I had one who was a bit odd, but I put it down to them having a bad day. The majority are more than happy to take my shopping to the kitchen which is a bit of a way from the front door. Some help unpack, some don't. I honestly don't mind either way. 

I have had all these Sainsbury's bags for life!

Random observation #2

If you don't like something you can send it back! This applies to any item, if it has too short a useby date, if it is bad, if it is damaged. Best part you then get an online coupon for money off your next shop! I used 2 coupons in my recent order because I had forgotten about them. I got some frozen strawberries for free because the bag had burst in transit. I still accepted it as they looked safe and I only had the one packet. Haven't got sick so it was the right decision! 

Every shop I pray my bread doesn't get substituted as I am very particular about it. Unless it is part-baked bread

Random observation #3

Having items switched to another of a similar type due to the original not being in stock doesn't happen that often. Once I had several items swapped, some I didn't keep as I had specifically wanted the original item. You will be notified of substitutions by email...although if like you me you don't always check your email you can then get a big surprise. Related to this is...

The yummy white stuff! All bottles are plastic though.

Random observation #4

Store brand milk allegedly isn't always in stock. This is a bit hard to believe, that Sainsbury's own milk is not available to order online. That was the case this week for the 1 pint organic whole milk. I ended up choosing a different brand that I had never had (but is delicious) and it was cheaper by volume too! I know which Sainsbury's my order gets chosen from, and I know they always have that milk. Maybe they have a set amount they have to keep in store, so say no to further online orders. 

Love!

Random observation #5

Favourites become your friend! Putting items you regularly buy into favourites is so useful, makes it rather quick to make a subsequent order with your usual yogurt/bread/frozen fruit already set aside so it doesn't have to be manually searched on. 

Those are all the observations I have for the moment! I am recovered from my 4 month summer illness, but I am still using Sainsbury's online shopping because it saves me going round a large store and carrying heavy items. While being ill all summer sucked, something positive came from it. I'd love to hear about your experience with online shopping!

No idea who the artist is but love this silhouette swing image!

Nayu's Craft Time #318 Necessary flu jab & lots of gaming

Not got wellies but my boots will keep my feet dry today

I am around! You can find me on Twitter most days. I had the flu jab which affected me sooner and stronger than it usually does, that was last week. I have been a bit busy, I am about to head out to town and a car service but here is a gaming post over on Nayu's Reading Corner to find out what I'm enjoying at the moment, if you miss my tweets/aren't on social media. Craft is happening slowly too, no update photos yet but hope to do some today. Have a super day! 

This is hilarious!

Nayu's Craft Time #317 Sunlight and squirrels

It is so grey and dim outside I have had to put my main light on, which I almost never use. It looks like my own personal sun! 

Today I really would rather not be schduling up blog posts, but with a major hospital appointment on Thurs in London and the weather not improving until after that I really need to do this today. Making some orange juice in an hour or so: got the oranges precut in the freezer, just need to whizz with icecubes and water. The appointment is a fun one - I am not being sarcastic. I love my specialist team, they are really supportive and their can do attitude is refreshing. It will still be mega tiring but that's okay. 

So cute!!!

Squirrels are adorable, aren't they? What's even cuter is squirrel ears that change colour with your hair, out today for 1 month in Animal Crossing Pocket Camp on android & iPad!

My ears are blonde!

 Whoohoo! Hope I can have enough for a squirrel tail too, but the ears come first. 

I love my fairy wings but would switch out for time to time.

I had something super cute arrive at the weekend, but I am doing a dedicated post to it so not including it here. It is on Twitter though! 

Mostly been gaming lots, as I was blessed with both new games from Boomerang of the new Zelda game: Link's Awakening 

 and Ni No Kuni on Switch. Ni No Kuni is getting more play time now as it isn't one I can relax with before bed (can be weird in a nightmare inducing way), apart from yesterday when I did just that and thankfully didn't have crazy dreams. It's winter but I am trying to do a bit more jigsaw puzzling etc. Will keep you posted on any progress on Twitter! 

Magic is rather cool! (my own gameplay photo)

I hope however your weekend has been that you have some happiness in it!

Nayu's Craft Time #315 Cornflakes, Game reviewing and Other Stuff

It has rained a bit lately

Feeling a bit uninspired with titles, so hopefully you'll forgive me for that, and as usual for the longer than liked time between posts. Those who follow me on Twitter (link to the right of the post) know what's been going on with the pain clinic. I'm afraid of you who didn't see the news will have to wait a bit longer. I am still recovering from being ill over the summer, it is a slow recovery, online groceries are a must and I am waiting to be well enough to go visit friends again.

I know it isn't fair, but at the moment all I can think about is Hurricane Dorian. I am praying for all those caught up in it, as I would any disaster I hear about, but it has me extremely worried because a dear friend lives on the West coast of Florida. Her house was wrecked by hurricane Michael, there have been months of delays and she was due to move back in after nearly 1 year in various hotels later this month, and then Dorian appeared. I am worried for her safety, for the inevitable memories from last year, and superficially I don't want her house to be wrecked again. 

I am aware of my slightly selfish prayers, but believe me natural disasters are completely different when you know someone who is likely to be affected by them. It is all I can think of. I am trying to stay distracted but I check updates at least every 2 hours, sometimes every hour, although at the moment I am not sure why I bother because Dorian is moving at one mile an hour so change won't be fast. It is terrifying watching Dorian grow from a cat 3 to a mega strong cat 5 hurricane (cat 5 is the highest, although personally they should now make a cat 6 on the hurricane scale).

My dream house would have a gorgous swing like this!

I don't currently have the emotional capacity to talk you through the disaster of a hospital appointment. Let's just say for now it didn't go at all well and I am concerned about my future pain relief. Although I really am trying not to think about it because there are so many directions the situation could go, unfortunately just like Dorian which needs to start shifting north ASAP. My body hates stress and it means I have to try and rest more so I don't get sick.

Dorian has taught me a few things though: that storms have various speeds they pass by places - 1 mile an hour is super slow, which means the Bahamas are enduring Dorian for far longer than initially expected. 

I've learnt that scientists (albeit slightly nutty ones mean in the nicest of ways) take planes and through through hurricanes into the centre to gather vital scientific data which helps predict where the hurricane will go. I have to point out that weather prediction even in the modern world is still unpredictable and I do think the flap of a butterfly wing could change it's course, that's how fickle it is. I had the honour to speak on Twitter with an ex air force mechanic who explained about negative gravity: it is complex but the simple version is when winds are so strong planes look as if they are flying backwards. Yup, crazy. 

Time for some good news: there is enough doom and gloom in the world that I don't want to put you off reading my blog posts. Again this has been said on Twitter  - I really do post daily there because it is easier than a full blog post. I am officially a reviewer for the website Cubed3! It is a video game and anime review site who approached me the other week and asked if I would like to review for them. I checked them out and then said yes! I am currently playing my first review title, which is enjoyable although I am only playing when I have enough brain power to concentrate as I will need to pay more attention than normal because I am reviewing it. 

The review will still have my style, albeit a little more professional and without random anime/other gaming thoughts. Writing for a professional site is quite different to writing for my blog, but everyone on the team is super supportive and eager to show me the ropes. I expect it will take a frew reviews for me to find my feet, but I am thrilled to have been asked to join the team, and can't wait to share yet more fun games with you all. 

Those of you who still remember this post's title are probably wondering what cornflakes have to do with anything. I eat them for breakfast! Okay and this is a non-review because I feel something has to be said. I am enjoying Sainsbury's basic cornflakes which are 55p for an extremely large bag. They taste so yummy! 55p guys, it is a mega bargain. 

My point for mentioning this at all is that well, as some reviewers have pointed out, when you open the bag there is a musty smell which honestly is yucky. However, I generally do not sniff my cereal, and it doesn't taste as it smells at all. That's the point I wanted to make. 

I hope everyone has some happiness today at the start of a new week, despite the major life hurdles we all face. 

Credit to Princess Sassy Pants and Co.