Looking After Yourself Giveaway

As the UK enters it's 2nd lock down I decided to have a go at the NHS app from Couch to 5K, a running app designed to get you up off the sofa and running. Usually I visit the gym at least 3 times a week exercise being an excellent way to keep my body and mind healthy.

Before I left the house I mentally ticked off what I needed:

inhaler, water bottle, phone and earplugs, keys, running shoes, pockets for all this stuff.

It soon became apparent I had forgotten one of the most important items of clothing... my sport's bra. Luckily I am not blessed with a generous bust or I may have knocked myself out. However, I am gifted with enough to feel uncomfortable. and give a few a laugh. 

The app eases you into exercise by starting  with a 5 min walk to warm you up then a jog for 60 seconds followed by a brisk walk for 90 seconds. this is repeated 7 times and finished with a 5 minute walk to cool you down. Firstly OMG I thought I was relatively fit secondly; I only actually ran for 8 minutes and I felt exhausted and thirdly running is so unforgiving on the knees as well as being totally different from exercising in the gym.

But my did I feel good, sweating and breathing heavily I returned home on a cloud of calm euphoria. Far too tired and relaxed to feel the general level of anxiety that, usually plagues my every waking hour away from playing with clay. So yes after my one day of rest I will be running again abate with a new pair of running shoes.

As a little treat I have decided to launch a giveaway for one of my:

One of a kind Polymer Clay Embroidery Style Pendants finished with polished wax. The pendant includes a 10mm black velvet ribbon or 2mm black waxed cord with a silver plated lobster clasp and chain extender. You can choose the length of velvet ribbon you would like. The Pendant measures 35mm by 25mm (1″ 3/8 by 1”) and the length with bail 40mm. The mount is silver in colour and is made of zinc and copper.

For a chance to win this dainty little piece please:

1. Subscribe to my monthly newsletter by sending me your email address via the contact link at the side of my blog. I will then add your email to my mail chimp list of Newsletter subscribers. I will not share this information with any third parties.

2. Visit my shop and add an item to your wish list (make your wish list Public so I can check)

3. Like my Facebook page Skylark and Bluebell Creations

On December 1st I will randomly pick an email from the list of subscribers to my newsletter and providing they have fulfilled the other criteria. I will notify them of their win.

What’s Your Covid-19 Story?

Please click here to read my Covid story. It will take you to my sister blog where I originally published it back in April.

How are you coping with the uncertainty created  by Covid-19?

Crafting! No seriously, of course crafting helps to focus the mind and relax you. However, if I am ultra stressed I cannot even attempt to sit still let alone craft.

My mantra during these unprecedented times is “Be kind (especially to yourself), go for a walk and exercise."

Being kind to myself allowed me to put a few pounds on and deal with my ever changing reflection without the normal visits to the hairdressers and beauticians. Trips to the beauticians were solely for hair removal. Being a lady of a certain age the odd chinnie chin hair and slight "tache" are never far from the door.

For me being outside in the open is paramount for my well being. A little green space helps to clear my troubled mind and calms my anxiety. Unfortunately, I live in a space hungry, tangled urban jungle of a city. So my local park and canal path had to suffice. Walking by the water watching the cygnets slowly transform into swans has been just one of the simple pleasures I have allowed myself throughout the pandemic.

Finally Thank Goodness the gyms are open again. Exercise is the one thing that keeps the ugly shadow of depression from my door. Yes I did try: the odd on-line gym class; going for a run and cycling but, those adventures will keep for another time.

So to recap if I had to sum up my coping mechanism during Covid-19 in just three words. They would be Kindness, Outdoors and Exercise!

What would yours be?

Meanwhile this week I have been working on Autumn Candles. I put together little displays of Autumnal leaves, conkers from the Horse Chestnut tree, red berries and pine cones to produce a festive background for the candles.    

                                                                         

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The leaves are a mixture of either paper or polymer clay. There are Oak, Holly and Sycamore leaves which have been painted or dusted with gold to give the effect of changing colour. The cones are real tiny cones collected during my many walks. The conkers are made from clay and the berries are glass beads.

 

The displays would look great in a Fall, Thanksgiving, Halloween or Autumn scene.

Why Do I Bother

Day started well, thought I would wash the sitting room’s curtains. As the room needed a refresh and to be honest I could not remember the last time I washed them. It was a lovely warm morning they would be sure to dry. 

Managed to safely get the curtains down and remove the hooks. But this act introduced me to the detritus of human life that was busily developing into a new eco-system between the curtain rail and ceiling. As much as I tried to ignore the cobwebs and strings of dust. It was no good I had to get the hoover out. 

I rammed the curtains into the washing machine and forced the door shut without a thought that maybe, I should wash them one at a time. Hoovered the curtain rail and ceiling. Only to realise the whole ceiling needed hoovering. Unfortunately this madness spread to all the ground floor ceilings.

Huffing and puffing and covered in dust with bruised shins (up and down the ladder) I attempted to hang the curtains on the clothe's line to dry. All good lots of space after the first was hung. Just put the second curtain on the line and it...... snapped. Depositing clean curtains on the lawn. 

After the internal screaming, rant of expletives and return to serenity I noted firstly, I had been Mis-sold said washing line, it was supposed to have a steel core;  secondly the  disaster was not so bad, lawn dry curtains not muddy. What to do now? Light bulb moment “Let’s tie the snapped ends together.”It is enough to say after much toing  and froing it did not work and curtains were back on the lawn. 

Now had to go and purchase a new washing line but, what to do meanwhile?

On my return clutching my brand new steel cored clothe's line I decided to re-wash one of the curtains as packing the machine so tightly had not been One of my best ideas for the day. With new clothe's line in place and now two clean curtains hanging merrily on it. I could finally start crafting. 

It would seem the moral of this short story is “For goodness sake do as little as possible housework and leave more time for crafting!”

After my somewhat stressful morning I managed to get these finished and listed.

Earrings and Gingerbread Houses

For more about my earrings click here.

For more details about the dollhouse miniature food click here

Dementia Stole my Mother

My wonderful mother

My son and I went to visit my lovely mum at the care home today. She was so pleased to see us well, I say us but, to be honest it was Ollie she was pleased to see. I was just happy mum was having a good day.  Sadly during some visits mum’s dementia is foremost leaving her once beautiful, animated eyes devoid of any life and her mumbling go away!

Dignity

Smelling of shite, my nappy needs changing.

Breath like a sewer, a cap lost from my tooth.

Plaque and food detritus ruining my smile.

Hair greasy and frowsy, I don’t want to shower.

Slouched, nodding off in my chair.

Mouth agape dribbling and catching flies.

Large purple and yellowing bruise to my forehead.

I fell again or so they say.

My feet like overstuffed sausages 

protruding from my sandals. My shoes have been lost.

My handbag caked in remnants of yesterday’s meals.

My mind, what mind, who’s mind?

You call it living, I call it abuse.

Where is the dignity

Then I had an epiphany moment mum is not suffering, she is as happy as can be in whatever world she now occupies. It is only those that knew her before this, awful plague on humanity stole her wits and left behind a shuffling shell, that suffer.

Childhood Revisited

I am warm, I feel safe, I can hear music.

Pugs, Jugs and Cufflinks

Mr Wilbur I have just one question how can someone so small produce so much poo?

Here in London in the UK we have had consistent drizzle with intermittent torrential downpours for, what seems like forever. Although, in reality it’s probably more like three weeks but, together with the shorter days it’s taking its toll on my pessimistic disposition. Instead of my glass being half empty, it’s now cracked and empty.

So I am being extra kind to myself with hot water bottles, candles and little treats of creams, potions and the odd minuscule cake.

 Today I am working on the launch of my Pug and Jug Cuff links inspired by my very own naughty Mr Wilbur. this is what I just found when I went to check on him.

It's a long and often frustrating process getting to the finished article. I have been experimenting with colours, painting techniques, and varnishes with a few disasters and the odd expletive. For example: twisting a stuck lid off a paint tube only to have paint sausage out at an alarming rate covering my hands; not to forget the obligatory item stuck to your fingers with superglue and of course the most frustrating of plagues dust.

Despite these inconveniences I have just managed to list 3 pairs on my Etsy shop Dollhousekitchen. I am continuing work on the Jug cuff links and  personalising of the cuflinks

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Mirror, Mirror on the Wall Who's the Fairest of Them All?

Today I have finally gotten round to booking myself into the hairdressers for the full works. Well I say full works if only it were possible! I mean a colour, cut and blow dry. Last month  I decided to try and grow my hair out to it's natural colour as, I am sick and tired of having to go through the rigmarole of once a month sitting in that chair and being forced to look at my aging reflection for 2 hours. While the hairdresser at least makes my hair look youthful.

Roots need doing

Acceptable

I am a 51 year old woman who, I am ashamed to say, is hating the effects age is having on my body. The little wrinkles creeping around my eyes, the lines appearing around my smile and the crepe like skin playing peek-a-boo at various sites are slowly dissolving my confidence.

In a society where youth and beauty are synonymous where, does that leave me? I have achieved many things in my 51 years except, it would seem, the secret of eternal youth? I will tell you where! Queuing up for botox, fillers and the latest creams, potions and snake oils that promise to plump up that old, saggy skin.

Written down it reads like a line from a slapstick farce. 

Not much time today for mini making only had time to throw these together and get them listed.

Dollhouse Halloween Chocolates

Dollhouse miniature Halloween Candy

World of dollhouse miniatures where age really doesn't matter but, size does!

Good Morning and welcome to my chilly, wet, world of indecision, forgetfulness and tears. Here in North London (UK) we have had nothing but rain for the last week. I have lost account of the times I went out in a light drizzle to return soaked by a torrential downpour. Mr Wilbur, my darling little Jug (Jack Russell\Pug cross) absolutely hates the rain and still has not forgiven me for his last drenching. Even after his warm shower he sat shivering on the sofa. So I wrapped him in his favourite blanket.

Mr Wilbur wrapped in his blanket

I booked tickets to see the film "Downton Abbey" for Sunday 29th Sept at 2.15pm for myself and my husband. Then promptly forgot until the said Sunday at 5pm. What concerned me the most was the fact they had cost £29.50. The last time I went to the cinema it only cost £5.50. As I am a lady of a "certain age" I put my forgetfulness down to the big M. At the grand old age of 51 years I am experiencing the best and the worst of what, it is like to be in the menopause. Sorry yet to experience the positive aspects but, how long have you got for the negatives.

Decided to go back on the HRT patches after the fiasco of poor Mr Wilbur experiencing the symptons of estrogen poisoning from my topical HRT gel. He lost his belly hair and his nipples swelled to the size of large grapes. What a shock that was!  I googled dog hair loss and HRT and there it was.  He was absorbing the estrogen from my arms. I did not realise that I should have covered my arms for up to one hour after application, to stop this from happening. I thought once the area was dry to touch all was ok.

So now I have one sad, cold and partially bald little dog and a very nervous partner who definitely does not want to develop large nipples and lose his most precious head of hair. 

But on a happier note I have found time to sculpt, photograph and post these little houses. Simply click on the caption for more information

Halloween Dollhouse Miniature
 Gingerbread House 12th Scale

Halloween Dollhouse Miniature
 Gingerbread House 12th Scale

Why Life Interferes With Mini Making

Why is it that the world and his miss's always seems to get in the way of mini making? All I really ever want to do each day is throw myself wholeheartedly into mini making. However today firstly, I had to deal with the accountant. I am still responsible for a business set up by my ex partner, who I split from January 2016. When he left our 24 year relationship to marry his child bride of 22 years old. I am not bitter that at 50 years old he preferred her supple plump flesh to my aging saggy equivalent. I just wish he would stop bullshitting and stick to our Deed of Separation. So that we can finally be rid of each other.

Sorry I digress now back to business my next diversion. A trip to the post office and a slow walk and sniff along the canal with my little dog Mr Wilbur. He is the one obsessed with sniffing I just listen to my DAB personal radio. That is until he misbehaves and needs luring away with a tasty array of treats. They do not always work and on some occasions I am forced to chase the little devil while admonishing him to come.

The Master

Next emails to my Residents Association and neighbours updating the progress on reporting and monitoring the damage caused to our properties by a greedy construction company building 1400 housing units on a plot of land probably more suited to half the number. Talk about feeling overwhelmed, I am by nature a borne procrastinator. If it was not for the fact that a hairline crack in my hallway plaster has, morphed into a whooping great crack. I would still be debating whether it was in fact a problem or not. Rallying neighbours and speaking at meetings really is not me. To be honest at times I am not sure how I have all of a sudden been galvanized into action.

Cracks

Then of course one has to eat. What a palaver that is, all I really want is cake. Bowl of delicious branflakes forced down and finally it is time for my addiction.

Photography, edit, list and promote. No making today then!

Halloween 2019

 

 

 

 

 

Halloween Candy

Halloween Chocolates

For more information about the Halloween candy please clink on the text. So another day begins

Easter Giveaway

Good morning this year for Easter I am giving away one of my little Easter themed cakes

Click here for more information on how to win

Click on the link and it will take you to my Facebook page:

Simply Like the page and Share the image.
A winner will be randomly selected and announced on Easter Sunday on my Facebook page.

Good Luck

St Patrick's Day Delights

Well I say I have been busy making minis but the truth is my little puppy has been hugely distracting me. Currently he is hunting under my work desk for anything to play with. So far we have had pens, tissue paper and now a little accident. His house training is not going too well.  Here is a picture of him relaxing in his puppy bed.

Some of you may know my name is  Sarah Jane Maloney and with a name like Maloney you just know there is some Irish in their somewhere. My father comes from a little island in the West Indies, Montserrat which is nick named the Emerald Isle and where St Patrick's Day is celebrated in style.

Here are the bits I have been working on.

My St Patrick's Day Collection - Click here for more information

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St Valentine's Day Giveaway at DollhouseKitchen

I have been very busy with my new puppy he is a Jug a Jack Russell\Pug cross and only 9 weeks old. He is not yet fully toilet trained lets just say it is a bit hit and miss.

This month to celebrate St Valentine's Day I am giving away one handmade chocolate box with every order from www.dollhousekitchen.com

So pop on over and treat yourself.

In the odd moment I have found some time for mini making in between cuddles and clearing up after the little devil.

To see more click here

 Here is a selection of  whats new

My little puppy Wilbur

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Happy New Year

If like me you are experiencing the Winter Blues with the dark, damp and cold days seeming to be never ending. Together with the harsh reality that you may well have to lose those couple of pounds that miraculously appeared just after New Year. Well why not treat yourself to a calorie free box of St Valentine's Day chocolates.

I started back at work Monday 6th January and have been busy ever since creating bits for my St Valentine's Day 2015 Collection. Oh yes as well as the dreaded administration work - updating websites.

Now on to the fun bit here is a taster of what is to come.

Simply click on the caption for more information.

St Valentine's Day Chocolates

St Valentine's Day Chocolates

St Valentine's Day Cookies

St Valentine's Day Cookies

Dollhouse Miniature Chocolates

St Valentine's Day Collection

Christmas Collection Snowflakes and Ice

  Introducing my new 

   Collection Snowflakes and Ice

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Goodness me I have been so busy preparing for a miniature Christmas I have not even thought about preparing for the full scale one. Not a single present bought nor a festive decoration hung and as for the Christmas food well that is always a last minute affair. Standing in queues for ages vowing to do it earlier next year. Trouble is if I buy the festive fayre early it is eaten and I have to replace it.

Click here to go to my Etsy Store