If I were a rich (wo) man....

la la la la la la la la would I be any happier.... probably not :-D and as I hardly ever remember to play the lottery I guess there's not much chance of me getting rich any time soon... but if I feel like singing then that's good enough for me.
I did just that this evening....spending time with DG and my niece scrapbooking over the weekend definitely put a smile on my face (will show you some pics of their creations later in the week) they were so funny. Kids just seem to have such a unique view of things and I roared with laughter at some of the pages they did. Oh it certainly did me the world of good having that laugh and I was buzzing tonight... yes me!!! buzzing...lol
So I turned on the karaoke machine (okay I can hear you groaning) but I find singing therapeutic... specially when no-one else is listening.
I sang to myself (saddo...lol) for an hour and I enjoyed it soooo much I think I should do it again real soon... either that or I need to get out more!!
On top of that my mojo seems to have returned with bells on so today I'm not complaining (phew bet you're glad to hear it)
I got my hands on the new digital atc kits from Lisa's Altered Art and they are so cool.
I have worn out my fingers with all my previous doodling and journalling so 'doin it digi' was a welcome change. There are two digital atc kits to play with and the Christmas one really rocks my boat... tis BEAUTIFUL.

I can see this kit being one of my all time favourites :D

Hope you all had a fab weekend.

hugs

Chris xx

He sleeps....shhhhhhhh

It just wouldn't do to wake him .... you know who I mean... that pesky black dog. Like a naughty puppy.. he yapped and tortured me... he laid down and was quiet for a while and just when I thought he would give me peace he darn well decided it was playtime. I'm too old for this... believe me!!! Anyway don't know how long for... how long's a piece of string... but finally he decided I deserved a break and settled down to sleep and if we're all very quiet he may just sleep for a while ALL Together now.... SHhhhhhhh LOL

I managed a few more pages in my journal and took time out to smell the coffee
thought about painting my nails

and even managed to get me some beauty sleep

Hope you likeeee.

On a slightly more serious note I appreciate all the support I've received over the last week... thanks to each and every one of you who have left me a comment and/or emailed me. Depression can be a very lonely illness and although it saddens me that I'm one of MANY sufferers it does help to know that others can empathise.

I know that Depression is a difficult illness to understand (hey I don't bl**dy understand it myself and I've lived with it for years... it's become a lodger in my home) but from my own point of view I don't expect people to understand... only to accept. My close family and friends try very hard but often I shut them out completely and withdraw from everyone with my demons, but the joy is that when the light shines again they're there waiting for me no matter how many times the light flickers. That's all I can ask.

hugs

Chris xx

Don't read this if you're in a cr*p mood...

Just look at the pictures.
First go at a journal for when I can't see the wood for the trees.

The black dog had got me and because this is MY blog I feel like taking my frustration out here. I have nothing in the world to whine about but the black dog takes no prisoners and I don't get let off that easily. Two hours ago I was as happy as a pig in muck.... now I'm fed up, can't sleep and wish I had a punchbag tethered to my ceiling to take my frustration out on. I have so often put my happy smiling face out there and pretended there is NOTHING WRONG WITH ME but do you know what... THERE IS and why am I hiding it. Why are we so obsessed with people being happy and why is DEPRESSION a dirty word!! I suffer from depression... I always have.... its part of what makes me me... and part of what makes the good times better. I'm tired of pretending... tired of wearing a face on the outside that doesn't mirror the inside and the confusion that goes on there.

So from today I'm changing the way I blog... I'm going to blog for ME and if you join me along the way then that's great but if you feel like jumping off then that's fine too. If I feel like cr*p I'm going to say so and if I'm happy I'll say so too but WYSIWYG from now on. Some days I wanna blog but I can't... some days I wanna blog hop but I can't and some days I wanna create but I can't and anyone who says there's no such word as CAN'T has NEVER suffered from depression. I'm not feeling sorry for myself and I don't want pity... this isn't a pity party so don't bring cake... it's just a fact. It is what it is... and I am what I am.

Rant over.... could be deleted by tomorrow but what the heck... I did it cos I could... said it cos I wanted too and feel better for it!!

xx

Doodling or Decorating?

The felt tip pens are getting some hammer right now... so relaxing this doodling lark and all I need is my pens and a sketch pad.... just as well cos I still can't find things. I've a million (ok teensy weensy bit of exaggeration there lol) boxes still to unpack before normality resumes.
It's sooooo nice for all the painting to be done though.... hopefully soon I can do a creative sort of painting instead of the necessary kind. So more pics of the refurb so you can see what I've been up to... my bedroom this time.

Wanted a white bedhead so had to paint it... enamel paint is ace!!

Lots of stripping a preparing to do but this room wasn't as major a job as some of the others...

and as red is my favourite colour of all time I had to use it here although it's more of a deep cherry red so it's not so in your face.

I painted the wardrobes with enamel paint too because previously they were teak effect. The pictures are just framed wallpaper :D Gotta be frugal sometimes and besides I had no time to make any so they will probably be updated when I do.

Had to use another huge paper lantern in this room too cos I loves them.

The curtains were a 'steal' two pair made from a £6.99 quilt cover and there was fabric left over for two cushions on the bed :D

I hate cupboard doors in a room so I painted the door the same colour as the wall so that it would look part of the wall... so need the storage though so glad the cupboard is there.

and now you can see where I'm sitting as I type up this post...lol I have got a chair to sit on only it weren't there when I took the pic.

Finally on my bedside table are these little darlings... I seem to have developed a passion for them :D
Have a great day

hugs

Chris xx

Gothic Arches challenge - Risque

It seems like forever since I have taken part in any of the challenges... what with the move and decorating etc. So as I love the Gothic Arches I decided to go for this weeks challenge of Risque. I didn't think you were going to get to see it though!! Just when I'd got my Internet back and thought I was up for some fun bloghopping...huh my computer had other ideas :( I timed my other posts so I could just concentrate on catching up and then everything went tits up. I couldn't get on me blog...waahhhh ... I tried everything I knew but not being THAT computer geeky I was almost giving up the will to live... just ask me pal Chriss...lol Well it seems I needed an update (never thought of that one...lol) to Internet Explorer 8. What the devil is that about!!! Anyway so I'm back again with fingers, knees, toes AND eyes all crossed that I can stay this time :D I got this cheeky lady from Art-e-zine and tarted her up a bit (oooh did I say 'tart' ed...rofl)
I gave her a tattoo but she earned her wings too cos she's a good girl really. She would have been very 'Risque' in her day though eh :D
Thanks for looking
hugs
Chris xx

Ok now I am in shock!!! I'm typing away and without noticing the return key on my keyboard has decided to work again.... oooeeeer there are gremlins in my house....honest!!

Halloween fun

I love to doodle and I was in need of some fun me time... so for the first time in ages I've had a play, I scanned a doodle and used photoshop to colour it and with the help of the new Halloween images from Lisa's altered art I had me a hoot. How cool are these babies...lol I did me a couple of atc's too using sections of the doodle

and these little cuties just blow me away. Can just imagine the mischief they could get up too eh :D

Thought you might like a play too so if you like you can grab the doodle sheet below... click to enlarge then right click and save and then you can print it out on an A4 sheet. Each piece is 5"x7" so can be cut into four for atc's or left the size you see. Have fun :D

hugs Chris xx

Before and afters

I now have somewhere to relax and the hard work is over... now that I have time to look around it's difficult to believe that I've done so much... so I'm glad I took the pics so that I can remind myself NEVER to move again...lol Well at least not unless I win the lottery or summat so I can pay someone else to do ALL the work for me :D There were more holes in the walls than in a malteser ;-D The 'before' photos were taken AFTER I had filled in a trillion holes and then used a coat of thinned emulsion to see where I'd missed... as you can see I'd missed A LOT rofl... told ya I needed new specs, I mean look HOW BIG some of them are!!! and I still had to put lining paper on the walls when I'd finished filling and sanding.

Preperation is a pain....

but worth it in the end

The room looks quite small

but it's just the way I've taken the pics.... maybe a bit tooo close up... as it's quite a size really :D

and do you know what tickles me fancy out of everything.... the £1.99 huge paper shades from ikea... my brother is so tall that everytime he comes in, he ends up playing headball with them(no wonder he keeps saying they're the naffest things he's ever seen) rofl
Hugs Chris xx