CD Sunday Plus Challenge #106 - Hosted by Pamela

 Good morning

Happy Mother's Day to everyone, and happy heavenly Mother's Day to all those mum's, like mine, who are sadly no longer with us.

Today, my daughter Sarah is making afternoon tea for me.  She does this every Mother's Day and it's something I really look forward to.  Sadly, Emma can't join us as she is studying hard for her final exams, but I will get to see her very soon.

It's time for our new challenge over at https://cdsundaychallenge.blogspot.com/ and we are all looking forward to seeing your creations.  Here is my card:

I used artwork from my fabulous Bree Merryn cd-rom by My Craft Studio.  I printed the image onto photo paper.  I picked out some of the colours in the 'splats' for my mats and layers, which were die cut using nesting dies from Creative Crafting World.  The animals were die cut using a die I have had for ages, but I'm afraid I don't know who it's by!  I finished the card with some Hunkydory Pearls.

Thanks for visiting my blog today.

Jo xx

Grief

Here we are, at last, in March, and for me it’s been a time of reflection.  February is a very difficult month for me, filled with birthday’s and anniversaries of loved ones no longer here.  It was 10 years on the 18^th February since I lost my lovely mum.  I am no stranger to pain, but the pain of losing her was a pain like no other.  I foolishly thought that 10 years on, this anniversary would be easier.  I was wrong.  I spent the weekend in a black hole.  John, as always, supported me through it.  Listened to me talk, comforted me, gave me space.  

The last few days of mum’s life were very traumatic.  I still vividly remembered our last conversation.  I relived the last 24 hours of her life and the crushing pain returned.  I have learnt that you never ‘get over’ the loss of a parent, you somehow learn to live with it.  Over time, the happy memories return and make you smile.  We talk about my parents every day, how could we not?  Even now, I’ll do something and go to pick up the phone to tell them!  

The day of my dad’s funeral, my lovely Uncle George said to me” Right Joanne, you’ve got to move on with your life now, your dad wouldn’t want you to stay sad, he had a good life”.  Those words pop into my head regularly and are so very true.  Mum’s attitude to death was “when your number’s up, you’ll go”.  

When mum and dad left this world they had 8 amazing grandchildren.  They loved being grandparents, their family was their world.  6 of the 8 have either gone through, or are going through University.  They will be so, so proud. 

I believe, dad sends me robins and mum sends me white feathers, as little reminders that they are still around.  ‘Grandad robin’ visits me daily.  Yesterday morning, when I went out to listen to the birdsong, there was a beautiful white feather on the step.  It’s was quite windy here yesterday, but the feather stayed firmly put. 

I can’t bring them back, but I can try and make them proud, and that is what I have always tried to do.  There is no rule book on grief, but I have learnt to be kinder to myself, to go with those feelings and cope with them in any way that I can.

Jo xx

CD Sunday Plus Challenge #105

 Good Morning

At last, we're in March!  It's time for a new challenge over at CD Sunday Plus and we're all looking forward to seeing your creations.

My apologies I was so late with my commenting for the last challenge, my health got in the way I'm afraid!

Here is my card for our new challenge:

                    

For this card I used images and backing papers from Crafters' Companion, Downton Abbey cd-rom.  To this I added some gold card for my mats.

I've been keeping my hands busy crocheting - when I've felt up to doing anything!  I find knitting very difficult now because of the arthritis in my hands, but am finding crocheting much more manageable.  This is a huge relief as I've got enough wool to rival my local craft shop!!

Please do visit our Challenge Blog to see my lovely teamies creations.

Jo xx