Friday 6 November 2009

Invisible friends and planning a giveaway!

Happy November all!
Can you believe another week has just gone by? I have been mad busy this week and so I haven't had time to keep up with everyone as much as I usually do So if I have left anyone out I am so sorry! I will be catching up hopefully today, when I catch up with myself!

Also, I am seriously considering doing my first giveaway soon so keep checking back! It will probably involve one of my hand sewn designs and maybe a signed drawing. Not sure what I will be giving away yet, but I can feel one coming on! I have the urge! Or should I say the itch 2 stitch! Ha ha!

I must mention again before I go onto this weeks post, I received this lovely award from Tracey at Tracey's -craftyscraps. Please look at my last post for all the details. Thank you again Tracey!

Good news .... At the weekend I took my last pill after five years of Tamoxifen and Aromasin.Yay!  I am mentioning this, as I think it is great encouragement to anyone at the beginning of their journey with breast cancer. I am still here, I have finished my treatment at last and I am almost (!) back to normal! If I ever was!  And the bits that are not normal and never will be, I have at last adjusted to with grace and acceptance. I just wish I had known someone like me 5, nearly six years ago!


                                  Image sourced from the internet.

Yesterday upon the stair
I saw a man who wasn’t there
He wasn’t there again today
Oh, how I wish he’d go away   Hughes Mearns 

This weeks post was inspired by a post from bad penny at The Hen House.  Penny asked if any of us had an invisible friend when we were children.  Well this brought back a memory, of course!


As a child of about the age of 8 years old, I had an invisible friend. A boy.  He was around about the same age as me and he was called Junior. I am not sure if he came ready with that name or I called him such, but that was his name! He was mostly thoughtful and studious, sometimes he would sit and read, but sometimes....he was a little Monkey!

 

One of my doodles!


Now once Junior came to live at our house, life became a little complicated. You see nobody seemed to be able to see him apart from me, and this caused quite a rumpus at times in the Calderbank house!

My brother, who to be completely honest has always thought his Sister to be a bit mad at the best of times, used to be quite peeved as he would go to sit in a chair and be told that he mustn't, as Junior was already occupying it and he wouldn't want to squash him, would he?! To which of course, my brother being a brother, would promptly sit on Junior and squash him!


Ha ha. look at that jazzy 60's decor folks! My brother is probably sat on Junior right at that moment. He does look rather pained the poor chap! Or does he look quietly resigned!!! Notice how my Mum's fluffy slippers match the colour of her dress. Very trendy Shirley!


Gosh my Mum was patient! Perhaps because she was a teacher, or maybe she was just a saint! I hope she has got her reward in heaven! I remember once when she was telling me to hurry up and get ready for school. I explained to her that Junior's cousins had come to stay in the night, and it was really difficult dressing six small boys and getting them all ready to go to school with me! Goodness me Mum, what do you think I am ... an octopus!



               Image sourced from the internet, thank goodness! Phew, thats a lot of children all at once!


I  can't remember what happened to Junior, he just disappeared one day, perhap's Grahame really did squash him! But I never saw him again, or his troublesome cousins!

These days I stick to flesh and bone kind of friends. Real ones that you can have a good conversation with and a lovely hot comforting cup of tea! Although, hmmm it would be nice to have another invisible one!


 This is about the level of my knitting skill! A woolly tea cosy with buttons on it!

Here are some christmas hanging hearts that I have been working on this week. I have done them in bright reds and greens for a cheerful look. They have little shiny hearts and stars on them and are finished off with a natural shell button and jute string. Ignore the bulge on the side of the two that have been made up, I haven't finished sewing up the sides yet!







 

I will  show some more next week, but for now I will show you all another heart I have been busily sewing. This one is going to Ireland to live with the other fairies which are on the stocking I sewed recently. I hope all the fairies will be very happy together in Ireland!



 

Next week she will be sewn up and finished properly!

Well thats all for another week! Now don't forget to treasure you friends, but remember that invisible ones have feelings too! If you don't already have one, go and find one! I hear that they hide behind trees and clouds! My friend's little girl used to say her's was behind the radiator! So If you don't have an invisible friend, you have obviously not been looking in the right places!

What will you all be doing this weekend? My brother is coming around for dinner on saturday,  so perhaps when he goes to sit down I will say, NO! you can't sit there, thats Junior's seat!!!

Bye til next week! Love and happiness to each and everyone of you!
Suzie. xxx

45 comments:

  1. Hi Suzie,thanks for a another lovely post, I always look forward to taking five minutes out to read your latest post. Wonderful news about taking the last of your medication, you will be such an inspiration to anyone reading this at the start of their journey. Have fun with your brother.
    Ann x

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  2. Hi Suzie! Congratulatons on taking your last pill, I bet there is relief in that. Being fairly new to blogging, it's taking me a while to catch up and hadn't realised you have been through such a rough ride. You seem to have such a beautiful and wise spirit...I am in awe! You have such an amazing talent too Suzie! Your hearts are amazing! Becoming a blogger has been the best thing in my life in the past couple of years. Reading posts fills me with laughter, and sometimes with tears, but constantly inspires me and brightens my day! I love your blog, I love your talent and think you are a true inspiration! Have a lovely eveing with your brother and a great weekend! Love and hugs Vanessa xxx

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  3. Congrats Suzie

    On taking the last of your medication. You truly are an amazing person and such an inspriration too. Sending your big hugs through cyber waves ((()))).

    Loving your hearts too they are all so lovely. And the tea cozie as well love all the buttons on them.

    I was smiling through your post today, about imaginary friends. As a child I didnt have an imaginary friend oh no that would of been too nomal, no I had a imaginary HUSBAND! called Geoffery would you believe. I have no idea where he came from, but if memory serves me right he was a thorn in my side always getting himself into trouble! He ended up apparently being put out for the rubbish! And that was that no more Geoffery. So Mr Boo Bear better watch his step obviously! lol:0)

    A great post as every have a great weekend with catching up with your brother.


    MBBx

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  4. I absolutely love your doodles and omg the hearts are so wonderful! Hearts and stars are my favourite shapes and you did such lovely ornaments with the hearts. You are such a fabulous artist!

    I need to learn how to make these blog awards so I may come knocking on your computer one day soon. :) Hope you have a good weekend! Congrats on taking your last pill and I do hope it truly is your last ever. Big hugs~

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  5. Hello, what a beautiful post today Suzie. I enjoyed reading every word and seeing your wonderful Christmas hearts and your knitted tea cosy - so adorable. Love the colours. So glad you don't need to take those horrible pills any more. Take care, love, Carolyn ♥

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  6. Hi Suzie ~ I'm so joyed to know that you have taken your last pill for your treatment. Wonderful news !!
    Your post is so delightful, it made me smile :)
    I hope you have a lovely weekend and I'm sure your Brother will have a chuckle when you mention Junior again.
    We've nothing planned for this weekend, just letting it unfold.
    Thank you for dropping by mine, it's always a pleasure.
    xo, K.

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  7. Wonderful Post! I haven't heard that rhyme since I was little & my granny used to say it, thanks for reminding me. You are so talented, you can turn your hand to everything!!
    XXX

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  8. I am so glad you have taken the last pill for your treatment.
    I really enjoyed reading your post , and love the sewing !
    take care,
    trudette

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  9. Oh Suzie this is priceless !

    I think your brother IS sitting on Junior ! Do say that when you see him...what a giggle.

    I'm thrilled for you - off the pills. Well done you !

    Those hearts are beautiful....are they for Sale?

    Can't wait to enter your give away.

    Lovely post as always Suzie , love one of your invisible bloggy friends xx

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  10. You are soo clever!! I love the christmas hearts, especially the one with the Christmas tree. I also love looking at old photos, I just love your Mum's fluffy slippers!!

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  11. Suzie can't wait for your giveaway woohoo I love giveaways ;0)

    Have a wonderful weekend.

    Blessings,
    Heidi

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  12. There's always so much to comment on when you post I hardly know where to begin!

    First, congratulations on taking your last pill, I'm sure it's been a long 5/6 years but you seem like an incredibly positive person.

    I never had an imaginary friend, I wonder what was wrong with me. (My sister did though, and it was Donny Osmond!)

    The christmas hanging hearts are absolutely gorgeous, I'm especially loving the christmas tree - you're far too talented!!

    Have a lovely weekend and a great dinner with your brother, maybe Junior will make a reappearance for old times' sake!

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  13. Oh Suzie!!! Congrats on taking your last pill. What a truly lovely gift that is! I am most happy for you - I cannot even imagine the immense joy you must be feeling. (HUGS)
    A giveaway? You definitely should do one - it will be a most resounding success! You are quite talented, and I am sure that whatever you choose will be absolutely wonderful...I will do what I can to help you promote it. I am getting ready to do another one, myself. Need to finish that up today. :)
    We have some fun plans for the weekend...tomorrow we'll be going hiking at a new destination. Then, on Sunday, we're going to a museum to forage on their grounds for wreath making (bittersweet, milk weed pods, etc. etc). That should be a lot of fun. :)
    Have a lovely weekend and congrats again...again many hugs to you!!!! :) Theresa

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  14. I am so happy for you that your are done with the tamoxifen. You are so sweet to say all those encouraging things on my blog.
    I never had an invisible friend but the way I talk to God when I am alone anyone listening would think I do... Hey, I guess I do! God.... :-)
    Have a Wonderful Weekend!
    Love,
    Marilyn

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  15. Hi Suzie, So glad you're done with the pills and that has got to give you encouragement galore. The hearts are beauties. They look so happy and simple, tho I know they are time consuming. You just have the touch ya know. Thanks for sharing Junior with us. I don't thnk I ever had an imaginary friend, but always hoped to find a wee pixie friend I could keep in a matchbox and take out only for me and not for anyone else to know about.Have a good weekend and coming week. Warm hugs my sweet friend, Mollye

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  16. Son 2 had an imaginary horse one summer! He left it behind in the town next door once when we were out shopping...

    Lovely crafts, and a great story!

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  17. I am sat here with tears in my eyes. You are truly an inspiration. Congratulations on the last pill, what a milestone, what an achievement indeed. What doesnt kill us makes us stronger and that is what I keep on focussing on. I am so blessed to have you as a virtual Friend ineed I am. I never had an imaginary friend, but then I am strange enough on my own and neither of the boys has one yet either. I am loving the hearts they are fantastic. Anyway must sign off as the mini's are asking for a family cuddle and I couldnt disapoint now could I?

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  18. hi Suzie,
    What fab news - I am soooo pleased for you! One huge celebration needed there - even if a big bar of choccie!!! gorgeous hearts and so beautifully sewn and photographed as always!
    Very best wishes to you
    BH xxx

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  19. A wonderful post for so many reasons! I always wanted an imaginary friend but never did. (But I did like to pretend I was a horse I must confess! Odd!!)
    I love the hearts you are working on, and if you'd like to do a "practice" give away, please send one to me and I'll let you know how it goes!! LOL!
    As always, your work is wonderful!
    Maybe one of these days I will finally come up with an imaginary friend for myself-one who eats too much chocolate just like me-but only imaginary chocolate, so I can have the REAL chocolate myself!
    Lots of hugs to you:)

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  20. Wonderful news about the medication Suzie! I have a very good friend who had a double mastectomy years ago and her attitude now is so positive, as is yours I think. I'm sure you are a true inspiration to others in a similar situation. xxx

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  21. Hi again ...can't seem to find your email mine is

    Pennysteel@talktalk.net

    I'd like to buy the hearts with the star & the heart on please !

    Glad the story of my aunt's ample - purple bottom made you giggle !

    xx

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  22. I loved your story of Junior and your brother! It reminded me of my imaginary friend, Jimey and how my dad would always say that my sister never needed an imaginary friend because she had me, and I was already strange enough! I feel as though we were in the same boat!

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  23. Hi Suzie, glad you're on the mend now!
    Love all your precious makes, you're a star!

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  24. Oh wow, taking your last pill - what a feeling that must me. You must mentally feel so much stronger now that you have been through breast cancer and survived. You can do anything now!

    Love those hearts you've been making, very sweet. And I would love to have one of your drawings as a give away prize. Fabulous!

    Your stories about your friend were funny. Dare you to say that to your brother! My older brother had a friend called Duster!! My mother had one called Mrs Jones. How funny. Her Mrs Jones didn't get off the bus one day and that was the end of her. She must have been getting tired of her maybe. Heck, maybe they were seeing spirits! I've heard children often do.

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  25. Congratulations on the last of your pills! Party time :-)
    Love your photo too - your mums slippers look fab. I'd love a pair like that, so nicely co-ordinated with a frock!!
    Cheers, Karen

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  26. Congrats on the end of your treatment, it’s fantastic news.

    I never had invisible friends but I was forever talking to imaginary people in my games. Even now I plan things out in my head as if I’m talking to someone! The funniest thing I used to do was when cooking, lay out all the ingredients and pretend I was doing a cooking show!!!

    Victoria xxx

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  27. Thank you all so much for your kindness and good wishes to me, I am so lucky to have so many wonderful people who come on here and comment. Thank you all! suzie. xxx :)

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  28. I love the things you have made - will you share the pattern for the tea cosy? And congratulations for reaching such a milestone.

    Pomona x

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  29. Hi Susie, firstly I wanted to send warm wishes and congratulations on winning this long battle. You must be a great comfort to many still fighting the horrible C. sorry cannot say it.
    I love your tea cosy very much, so much nicer than the mass produced ones.
    I love your hearts too, very pretty and we can always find room for more hearts can't we.
    I like the tree heart the best.

    I had invisible friends, being the youngest by a gap of 12 yeats I felt quite lonely at times, I longed for brothers and sisters my age. Now I long to be left alone! funny that.
    Carol x

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  30. Hello lady, no more rattling like a bottle of pills then? What good news, I am sure you are a real inspiration to those going through it.
    What a bumper post, lots to look at, I wish I could embroider, well I can but not nearly as well as you! Have a lovely week,

    Sarah x

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  31. I love your work, you really have to do this giveaway... it is going to be exciting!!! When I was small I was jealous at imaginary friends, like your Junior, I wanted to have one... But probably I was too busy fighting all day with my big brother ;O)and never really invented one... Wishing you a lovely and very creative November Suzie! ;O)

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  32. Suzie, I am so glad you have completed your treatment, congratulations on surviving what must have been a long and sometimes scary 6 years. You must have some private little ceremony to celebrate and mark your triumph.
    I love all of your creative little bits and pieces, you must be so busy to get so much done. The tea cozy looks great, love the button detail, I wish I could knit something with shape. My humble little wash cloth isn’t even finished yet!

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  33. So glad you are past that milestone moment... mum has just had a patch of malignant skin removed and now I have been informed I have to go and get all my moles and freckles checked... one more thing to worry about!

    anyhoo I love your tea cosy.. I am on the lookout for a new teapot and then I will make a crochet cosy.. and your hearts are beautiful...

    My three year old has 3 or 4 friends... RJ, Sam, Lewis and aparently RJ's guinea pig comes to stay too! RJ gets very annoyed with me when I don't let Danny play Xbox... so I get it in the neck from everyone now... lol

    x Alex

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  34. Hi Susie,
    Im so pleased you have finished your treatment and are feeling back to normal! also love your hearts, Joshy has an invisible campervan and a car called hector which he drives us to school in!! fliss xx

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  35. Hi Suzie,

    Your hearts are fabulous :-)
    Congratulations on taking your last pill!
    I hope that you now have the all clear?
    A friend of mine had breast cancer (several years ago now), and is now OK after a mastectomy and completing her treatment, they have said she no longer has to have routine checks as she is all clear and can go back to the "normal" checks everyone else has to have.

    I don't think I ever had an imaginary friend as a child... Rianna does talk to her real friends from school as if they are here, when they are quite obviously not! Not sure if that counts! lol

    Hope you have a great week :-)

    Rose XXX

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  36. I lovbe the festive hearts...pretty!
    Thank you for popping by..always lovely to hear from ppl...have a good week!xxx

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  37. Yeah for being done with the pills! And wow, those hearts are just adorable...so cute!

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  38. I totally forgot to mention, I LOVE your family photos, they are classic! And I cant wait for your give-away!

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  39. What a lovely post , thankyou . Huge congratulations on finishing your medication that is fantastic news .

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  40. I loved this post. I never had an invisible friend. I guess there were too many live cousins and siblings around for any invisible ones to appear.

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  41. What a great story! I hope you do have a give away. They are so much fun and you meet so many new people. I want to say thank you for your kind words. You are a very special lady and a I appreciate you. You are a constant source of encouragement for me. Blessings, Martha

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  42. Loved your blog suzie. i came here via a wander through a couple of other blogs and have now added you to my list of must reads. Congratulations on getting to the 5 years survivorship! I am now a nearly 17 year survivor - I am not suggesting it is a competition, merely to encourage others that a good life is possible both during and 'after' bc. I like many feel that I have been blessed and have grown through the process - not that I wouls have wished it on myself or anyone else of course.
    I also love your drawings and craft. I am an aspiring patchworker and love cross-stitch but due to business and other reasons, not at all prolific. I am in awe of those that are, like you.
    I look forward to visiting again and send you good wishes and continuing good health. All the very best Barb

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  43. Thank you Barb! I would love to respond properly but can't find a link to you! I am so happy to here that you are still here and happy after 17 years, fantastic, that is an inspiration to me! Suzie xxx

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  44. And you too Julia, when I click on your profile, it doesn't show anything at all. but thank you so much for visiting and leaving your lovely comment too! suzie. xxx

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  45. Your gorgeous hearts arrived ...so lovely thank you ...naughty girl popped an extra one in for me .

    I've sent a cheque off.

    Thank you Suzie love Penny xx

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I love getting comments and I read and appreciate every one of them. I always try to answer them, but if you don't get a response it will be because I couldn't find a link to you. Suzie. XXX :)