Nayu's Thought of the Day #10 Quiet few days

My cat Belle knows how to relax!

Today and tomorrow is a very quiet restful day because I took my strong pain medication, ketamine, yesterday, so it needs to get through my system. I may or may not continue with the project I mentioned yesterday - it all depends whether I'm safe to operate my sewing machine! If I'm too weirded out I won't do any. I will at least do some embroidery and cross stitch, so keep an eye out on my Twitter page for updates! I'd love to hear if you're up to something fun today!

Nayu's Craft Time #119 The week ran away with me..

Good old Eeyore expresses how I feel! Picture source

It did! It really did run away! Or rather I had a few days getting my super strong pain meds ketamine through my system. Usually I feel rough for a few days. This time I felt hyper (like I used to feel) on Tuesday, rough on Wednesday, and fine but extremely exhausted yesterday. Guess I'll stop trying to predict how my body will feel and just go with the flow, something else Eeyore does.

Yes there is always something, but there's always a positive aspect when plans

Due to the volume of reviews I've been putting up this week, and to various issues that required more than a simple reply by email, this morning I haven't been able to post any reviews on social media! 

Again this is an Eeyore thing and a life thing that there is always something that crops up. Initially I

was a teensy bit frustrated because I like my schedules going to plan. I suppose it went to God's plan today, rather than mine, which is fine as He is the best planner there is. As I'm being stricter on time spent online I'm going to simply post everything on Sunday, or, possibly tomorrow afternoon after I've had lunch out with a friend (resting up lots beforehand in prep for all the chatting!). On second thoughts I try and keep Saturday's as my non work day so won't be doing that!

Days off are important. Saturdays I try to avoid doing blog work which while fun uses up brain cells & energy.

So feeling a bit 'behind' even though I'm not really. I'm sure most of you can relate to that! Plus side is getting unexpected Amazon credit due to a Kindle update issue which did muck the review books in my carousel which has me hoping that I haven't missed one out. Tomorrow I'll figure out what to buy with it ^o^

Craft has been on the backburner this week as I've had zero energy for anything other than watching stuff & reading. It's annoying but I know tomorrow I'll be doing lots of cross stitch (Yay!). I wanted to do something today but I'm still not quite on what is normal for me, plus I have to do laundry and sort my now once a month organic box, both of which need zap arm strength. Might just cross it off today's list so I'm not frustrated by not being able to do any. 

What I am going to do today is do my weekly email to a friend, who only gets a regular email because she puts together a blog post for me using the info I give her *waves at Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers*. My actual email list is a long one I'm very slowly tackling. Then it's rest with Aikatsu anime as I'm a bit too tired to play video games today. Oh & I need to sort out the stuff in my room that piled up from the days of not being able to do anything - think I'll do that relaxing otherwise I may get distracted by Other Things to do. I'd better stop babbling and let you get back to whatever you need to do!

Nayu's Craft Time #107 I Sort of Return

I'm going on a trip! I wish this was my suitcase.

Hi everyone! I'm back, kind of :) Going away Fri-Mon for a family weekend hence my 'sort of' return. Weather still isn't my friend right now, and I still think I may be in aftereffects of ketamine on Sunday (my mega strong pain meds) at least that's what I'm telling myself! but I'm doing what I can when I can, which is all any of us can do. 

This morning it took extra long to wake up because my cat appeared. I started stroking her, but then she kept wanting attention so every few moments I'd stop I give her a few strokes. So it was partly her own fault that breakfast was late! 

So far this morning I have renewed my driving licence. Needs to be done by 10th April so I realised I needed to get a move on. While family members used the post office for renewal, a friend had used the online renewal which uses your passport photo, so in the name of expediency (is that a word? Is it the right word? Sorry if it isn't) I spent 30 minutes sorting that out. I had to change the details several times because I managed to make mistakes, including calling myself a Doctor instead of a Miss. That's a case of the cursor going down a few options by accident on that particular drop down menu. >o< It says I should get one within 2 weeks....let's hope that's true! 

Yummy!

I've made a load of yummy lemon meringue truffles, some like these ones (round) and others a variety of shapes. It can be a little tricky getting them out of the moulds as the truffle part is soft (there's a layer of white chocolate underneath so they can be picked up), so it will be much easier making simple chocolates (melt chocolate, pour in mould) after lunch today. All of these are for the weekend, and I'm sure they will be enjoyed, along with some flapjacks. 

That's another part of the this post's title. I'm going to try and schedule posts until Tuesday, since I don't know how much internet access I'll have at where I'm staying. That's the theory, anyway! Will wait and see what happens ^o^ Rapidly using up my energy reserves today so will save post writing until tomorrow. These posts require thought, whereas the reviews for my other blog, Nayu's Reading Corner, don't since I write the main review shortly after reading the book so it's a matter of copy and paste.

(+ Good Afternoon + Good Evening!)

Nayu's Craft Time #28 Flower power!

These are my African violes in full bloom when I first got them. No flowers a the moment, hence the older picture. Which makes me amazed at how long they've lasted, as I don't have the greenest of fingers

I don't know about you but I love flowers. They are uplifting, cheerful and always make me smile no matter what kind of mood I'm in. As part of expanding my crochet skills I've eyed up making flowers, but thought I'd wait until I have more time in July to focus on them. Last night, however, I was a bit overtired from being up since 3.30am which was offset by my 5 weekly dose of mega strong pain meds which make me hyper & loopy the following day, so I got into the mindset that I'd try flowers last night, since that's exactly what I do after a busy day of work (not!). 

I picked a pattern that sounded easy from this cute book which was a bargain at £4. I appreciate some of what I'm saying next might not make much sense but I'm including it as it's important. To start the flower in the centre of the ordinary granny square I did the usual single chain plus slip stitch to make a ring. Then I nearly gave up as I had to do 11 double crochet stitches around the ring. 

I was determined to succeed!

I'm guessing you may be thinking the double crochet (dc) stumped me. I don't usually do dc, but with a quick refresher I was fine. I got a bit stuck at 11 stitches. The reason I currently don't follow patterns and stick with my beloved simple granny squares is because by the end of the day (and, to be fair, most of the day) my ability to concentrate is usually hampered by what is called brain fog - I lack the energy to concentrated and think straight. Counting to 11 can be hard to remember. That's why I nearly gave up, as the first time I lost count. 

Meow? Why have you stopped?

Thankfully the second time of trying I didn't lose count - yay! As I formed the petals I became super happy that it was relatively easy. I'm sure that I haven't quite sussed out how to create the final four loops at the back of the flower which will be the start of the granny squares, as my flower isn't quite lifting up (that's the only way I can think of describing it) as the one in the picture but I'm thrilled it ressembles a flower - check it out! 

Mine is on the right, you can see the sample on the left.

Doing the granny square part of the pattern was easy...although I discovered something new as this pattern used 3 instead of 2 chain stitches at the corners. Here's my first finished granny square with flower! 

Not bad ^u^

Since it was nearly time for bed I knew doing another flower wasn't the wisest choice, so I made two small squares, one using 2 chain stitches at the corner and one using 3. The difference is subtle, it makes it a bit more defined so I'm going to use 3 stitches from now on! 

2 chain granny square on the left, 3 chain cranny square on the right

Today I need to work on my final Spring Collection blanket (yes I know it's late but summer doesn't exactly come fast here in England), but since I'm going to be up until 3am Sunday (I have to since my medication makes me hyper and if I don't do it then I'll sleep too badly on Sunday night to be able to go to work Monday) I'm going to get some flower making practice! I'm going to try one part of the flower pattern differently, putting the stitches in the centre of the petals rather than at the centre of the edge to see if that makes my flower 'lift up'. I'll keep you posted on Facebook and Twitter, and report back here later in the week. I'd love to know what you think of flowers and how you incorporate them into your life!

Being a florist remains a dream job due to hayfever & my not entirely reliable way of looking after flowers. I know a friend who is one and who loves it! Check out her work on Blooming Marvellous Flowers