Me again, hellllooooooooooo. Hope you're all enjoying this lovely weather. Its so nice to see sun and it be dry. Long may it last, especially till sunday as I'm at an outdoor event with my accessories. I think we're in some sort of a marquee but it's still better if its fine and dry otherwise the field will be wet and customers will probably be thin on the ground.
I've been busy making since I last posted, I made an A4 owl notebook cover for a facebook order which has also got me another order for an A5 one when I posted the photo on there and someone else saw it.

Besides the book I've been trying to build up my stock. I've been doing father's day stars, lavender sachets, hair slides, brooches, memo pegs.  Today I made 3 sets of bunting, one for my stock and two for the Emporium I sell in.

I also made a painted sign that a customer in the emporium I sell in asked for. I've never done painted signs before but I had a sign in there that I'd bought in that said 'welcome to my garden' and a customer asked if I could make one in pink saying 'gracie's den' so I thought why not have a go.
I bought an mdf blank plaque and painted it pink last night then today I added the letters using rub on transfers and spray varnished it and added bakers twine to hang it. I quite like it although I'm not too sure about the letters I've used but we'll see what the person who asked for it thinks.

Hubby has been very busy today as he's taken this week off to sort out our loft. Matt has left a lot of his stuff here while he's staying with Abi and her mum so we need to make space for all his stuff. Its quite chocker up there as hubby and I are terrible hoarders so quite a lot of stuff needs go. He's done really well today and managed to throw about 6 big boxes of stuff away so theres a quarter of the loft clear now.
Right well that's enough from me now as getting ready for bed. So night night blogettes x

Yoohoo blogettes me again.
Hope you're all well, I'm good.  I hope you all enjoyed  the bank holiday, over here in Yorkshire it was so nice to see some sun, shame the weather has turned back to damp, dull and dreary today but heyho it's Britain eh.
Hubby and I are still enjoying the jiggler (aka the vibration plate exerciser). Its brill, pop on for ten minutes jiggle about and your done and feeling quite good. We've been on every day since we got it out of the box on Thursday, sometimes just once, sometimes twice a day.
I've not made a lot this weekend craftywise as I was busy on facebook giving away my jewellery that was left over from my jewellery making days. I offered it on facebook on Saturday for free with just a fee for p&p. About half of it has gone and someone is wanting the rest so that will be a bit of space cleared. I've no doubt lost a fortune on the cost of all the beads I bought to make them but I wasn't selling them anyway and they were taking up space so I'm just happy for them to be used/worn by someone rather than sitting on a shelf. It took quite a bit of sorting out as facebook decided not to let me know when people commented on pics so I had to go through the album looking for comments every so often and noting down who asked for what but I got it all sorted in the end.
Today hubby and I took a few more of my Andies Accessories bits into the emporium that I sell in. I love that shop its a real aladins cave with lots of different items in by lots of different sellers, crafters, vintage, secondhand clothes and furniture.
My ex hairdresser who last year started a vintage clothing shop was in the emporium today as she's going to have a couple of rails of clothes in there too. I'd asked her to save me a dress I'd seen on her facebook page and today I picked it up, while we were both in the emporium. Its a pretty simple, red and white 40's tea dress type thing, I'm just waiting for some nice weather now so I can wear it. Here's hoping we get some soon eh.
Here's a quick pic of me in my new dress, I must say looking at me in the picture I need to go back on the jiggler a LOT

Well that's it for me I think, so night night all

Wibble wobble wibble wobble Andie on a plate

Hello blogettes. Well hubby and I have had some fun tonight, last week we ordered a vibration platform, its a sort of exerciser thing that you stand on while it vibrates and your muscles work trying to keep you upright. It arrived on Monday and tonight hubby built it tonight and we had a go. I've never wibbled and wobbled so much in my life, its an odd feeling standing there on the vibrating platform that's tilting and jiggling while you stand upright, but not horrible. I was a bit worried I wouldn't like it as I'm not a fan of vibration, mum had a foot spa once and I couldn't stand it, but its nothing like that thankfully.
First off we had it on manual setting and on the first couple of speeds which was fine, we jiggled loads and I could feel my tummy muscles trying to hold me up, but it wasn't hard. Later on we tried one of the preset programmes which changes speeds every minute or so during a 10 minute cycle and got up to 49 and oh my did it move!!! And so did I!!!  I felt like my whole body was jiggling and couldn't stop laughing and neither could Paul. I could certainly feel my muscles trying to keep me upright, my inner thighs felt like they had 90 elastic bands round them along with quite a few other places, I thought I was going to explode but I stayed on and finished the ten minutes.
I'm hoping it will be something that'll tone me up a bit if I keep going on it, I have far too many wobbly bits even when I'm not on the machine. I'm not the best at exercising and this seemed like quite a good idea. I don't expect it to make me stick thin with a figure like an Olympian but if I manage to keep up using it and it tones me up a bit I'll be pleased. Its supposed to be good for circulation and improving bone density and good for aches and pains too so I was interested in it as much for that as the exercise element as my circulation is terrible and I'm hoping it might help a bit with my arthritis too. Mind you I'll have to keep going on it and I do tend to lose interest in exercisey things but its all set up in Matts old room so at least it will be ready and waiting for me. Excuse the mess of room on photo but Matts bed has been dismantled and is waiting to go to the dump.

On a crafty note I made a toddler bed quilt cover and pillowcase set earlier this week for a past customer who I've made a few things in the same style for before.

 

Also I've been making some sets of lavender sachets ready for my upcoming fairs .

Well that's all from me tonight so night night all x

Hello blogettes me again, still can't get myself back into the blogging routine properly I keep forgetting about it. Anyhoo here I am today and I thought I'd do another. Not got much to say really, I've just been working on building up my stock again ready for my upcoming fairs and to keep stocking up my table in the Peel Street Emporium in town.
I had a couple of days on the sewing machine making coin purses

 

Then I decided to do a bit of handsewing and make some yoyo puff thingys which are something I haven't made in ages. I've made some into hair clips and some into brooches

And lastly tonight I had a fun time making fabric covered badges, which I really enjoyed and can't wait to make some more.

 

 

 

 

 

New trend ~felt ornaments lol

Just a ickle quickie before I go to bed, thought I'd post a pic of the felt owlys and bears I've made since Tuesday. I really need to stock up ready for two fairs I'm doing in June, I cut out lots of things on Tuesday evening and have been sewing them when I had spare time since. So far I've managed 9 owlys and 5 bears, and I've got 8 gingers cut out ready for sewing too.

 

 

I think they look quite cute lined up on the radiator shelf lol, new ornament trend maybe do you think?
Ok well I'm off to bed now as getting quite sleepy so night night blogettes hope you all have a lovely sleep x

Bit of an emotional day

Hello there blogettes hope all are well. Its been a funny old day here. Mum, hubby and I all got a bit emotional earlier on as our nephew Matt has moved out today. He's moving in with his fiancée at her mums house ready for starting his new job in London on Tuesday.  They're planning on living at Abi's mums for a few months and then when Abi starts uni they are hoping to rent somewhere together in London.
He's lived here nearly 5 years so its a bit strange thinking he's not going to be here anymore except for visits. Abi drove up from Berkhampstead yesterday to collect him and some of his things and they left here this afternoon. I got a little tearful when we had our goodbye hug and waved them off. I'll miss him and worry about him but I hope he enjoys his new start and him and Abi have a happy life together.
After Matt and Abi left and we were all a bit teary and needed a distraction so we started looking for somewhere to go for a walk and look round this weekend and decided on Lotherton Hall. We've been before but not for quite a long time, so it should be nice to go for a look round.
Also while on the internet I came across the website for the new arena opening this summer in leeds and decided to look what was coming up. We all got very excited when we saw Miranda Hart was coming there in march next year with her stand up tour so we've booked tickets for Mum, Paul and me to go see her. We're all very excited and sure it will be 'such fun'
We also looked to see if there was anything on at the theatre in July when Paul and I are planning to go to Liverpool for a few days and found out the lion king is on so think we'll go and see that. Once we get round to booking an apartment we'll book tickets for it. We've been thinking of going for quite a while but haven't actually booked anything yet and we really need to get on with it. I was going to do it tonight but I seem to have lost the details of the city centre apartments we were thinking of renting so now need to spend more time on t'internet finding them again, but hopefully will get it all sorted and booked this week.
That's all my news for today blogettes so I'll say night night  now night night x

Bears

Just a quick one to share the bears I made last night, they are a simplified version of the care bears I did for an order recently.

Just a quickie

Hello blogettes just a quick post tonight before I pop off to bed. I need an early night tonight because I have to be up early tomorrow as I'm meeting my friend at meadowhall. It'll be the third time we've tried to meet up since February, the first two times we had snow so I hope I don't wake up to snow tomorrow or I'll probably scream lol. Although strictly speaking last time we were due to meet it was delayed and disrupted trains that actually stopped me going, but the snow we had was a worry too, anyway I'm hoping its third time lucky tomorrow.
This weekend I've finally finished covering some note and sketch books that I started on a few weeks ago. I needed to make some more as I sold a lot at my last two fairs in March and I have more fairs coming up in June which I'm trying to stock up for now. They've kept being put aside as I worked on other things and sarted my homeware items but are finally finished now. I also started some felt bear hanging decs this afternoon which are a simpler version of the care bears I did, but so far I've just cut them out and started stitching the details on so I'll share photos of them later when finished.
Anyway that's all from me for tonight so goodnight ladies  x

 

 

 

 

Oopsy i forgot I'd started blogging again

Well this isn't a good start to getting back to blogging is it. I haven't done a blog since last Monday, I totally forgot I was back to blogging. Anyway I'm here now x
So what have I been upto ????
Craft wise I've been working on an order for some little stuffed care bear hanging decorations. A lady who'd ordered from me before sent me a pattern she found and asked me to make her a set of 10 so I've been working on those. They're all finished now and the lady is pleased with them so that's good. They were fun to do but the emblems on their tummys were a bit awkward as the shapes were on a cardboard template and drawing inside the holes onto felt was fiddly especially with some of the small pieces. I also adapted them a bit as pattern said to just glue all emblems and details on but I stitched them on too as didn't trust just glueing, and also on pattern the bears were stitched together with a running stitch and then felt trimmed close to stitches but I used my usual blanket stitch to join and edge them instead.
I'll be sending the pattern back with the order but I have done a bear outline template for myself and may make some more hanging bears but without the carebear emblems, maybe with button details or something simpler on their tummys.

So that's what I've been upto crafty wise, homewise has been pretty much as normal. Last week was pretty average just cleaning, washing and ironing and sewing with a few family visits in. Although last Wednesday I did take delivery of some homeware items and that was quite exciting unpacking and photo-in all the items and adding them to my facebook page. I've had a couple of orders already and a few items are on reserve for a customer till payday. I'm not sure if I'll keep up with it yet I'll just see how it goes.

On Sunday mum hubby and I went to White Rose shopping centre near Leeds for a few hours. I got 5 new tops to wear with my leggings and a summer dress and for a change everything fit and nothing had to go back. I seem to be having a run on things not being made right and having to take clothes back lately. Hubby got some new shirts and mum bought a couple of tops too so we all did quite well.
On Monday Paul and I went to the shop I have some of my items in in Barnsley and dropped off some more of my handmade items and also some of the new homeware items I've bought in. We had a fun chat with Lisa the lady who runs it, she's really nice and bubbly and very easy to talk to. I love looking round in there as there is so much interesting stuff, there are a lot of crafty people and vintage sellers in there now and it really lives up to its name of emporium.
It was mums birthday on Wednesday, we met in town but weather wasn't great and as we'd been shopping week before in town and also to the White Rose on Sunday we didn't need much so didn't stay out long before coming back to mine for lunch and chat and some birthday cake at dinnertime. It wasn't the most exciting of days but mum enjoyed it.
Yesterday Pauls sister Julie came over for a chat in the afternoon and we had a lovely visit drinking hot chocolate and eating buns, I shouldn't have had the buns really as I'm getting fatter by the day but heyho.
So there you go bloggettes that's what I've been upto, I'll try and remember to post a bit more often.

Hello again blogettes, another blog from me.  Had a lovely day making today, I did a few fabric covered stars for fathers day and some fabric covered apples for teacher gifts.


I also packed up my first order to post using Myhermes, fingers crossed all goes well. Due to the hike in royal mail prices I've decided to give them a go for some of my parcels. Today I was posting a zinc jug, which is one of my new homeware items I'm starting to buy in to sell.
I've decided to branch out into home and gift items, its something I've been wanting to try for a while and last week decided to go for it. I'm still continuing to make things myself , I don't think I could ever give up crafting I'm addicted to it I'm sure, but now I'll be selling other items alongside them too.
Well that's all from me for now see you next time bloggettes x

Hello is there anybody there???

Wow its bin a long time since I last blogged, almost a year. I'm thinking of coming back to it again.
I got so I didn't have time or inclination to do it before, couldn't think what to put (although I still managed to ramble a fair bit when I did write lol) and also I got fed up of struggling with blogger not working properly when I tried to comment on other peoples blogs. I felt rather rude not being able to comment on the blogs I followed and also felt a little like a blogger peeping tom or stalker watching but not interacting.
Anyway my friend Eily started blogging lately so I thought I'd have a read and try commenting and lo and behold it let me !!!! I did have a bit of trouble commenting on my friend Jo's blog but eventually it let me so now I'm hoping I'm back to be able to interact in the bloggysphere again.
So here's a little hello blog from me and hopefully I''ll be back soon. I'm sure my followers will be long gone now and not notice I'm back but if you see me HELLO :)

easter break

hello ladies, I'm a day late this week with my blog, I completely forgot what day of the week it was. With hubby being off work and my sister and nephews being down for a visit this week I've found it hard to keep track of the days as our routine has been all different this week. Its been lovely having time with our Ali, William and Andrew as well as Hubby, Mum and Matt. Mum went back with Ali and the kids on friday for a couple of weeks so it's very quiet at home with only us and matt at home.
We've not had the best weather to get out an do stuff so have been playing bingo and darts and things at home, but we've still managed to have fun. We did get out for a walk around newmillerdam on sunday, mum, ali and me had a girlie day shopping at meadowhall on tuesday while Paul and the kids had a boys day playing on the wii at home, and we all went to the royal armouries museum on wednesday.

Andrew and Paul found a den

everyone had an icecream after our walk round
heres mum ali and paul with theres 

my shopping on tuesday

In crafting news I've finally made the decision to close my jewellery website and sell off most of my made up jewellery and a lot of my bead supplies that I had at home. I'm selling the jewellery at reduced prices on my Andies Accessories facebook page and the beads in an auction. I'm not going to make anything likewhat they originally cost but I just want to clear the space now I've finally decided thats it. I'll still keep my tools and some beads etc and make the occasional piece for myself but I'm no longer going to make them for sale on my site.
http://www.facebook.com/AndiesAccessories
bead auction http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.431969136829807.118253.251860708173985&type=3

Happy easter everyone xx Just a quickie today . My lovely sis Ali and two nephews William and Andrew are staying with us this week.

me and sis ali when we were kids at skeggy

Its quite a houseful with Matt our nephew who lives here with us, mum coming over too as well as Paul and me, standing room only at times lol  and the dishwasher is on almost permanent but its so lovely to see them. Sis is a bit of a shopaholic so no doubt we will do lots of shopping this week wooooooohoooooooo yay. We started our shop fest off slow yesterday with a trip to a small retail park not far away that has a few shops like matalan next boots asda living sports direct. I didn't do too well though as I only got a new pair of sandals and some undies but I'm hoping to do better later in the week. I've been really struggling to get clothes that fit and suit lately so I hope I manage to find some things later in the week.
On a making note I finished and sent out two personalised cushions that were ordered last week.  One was to say MUMMY and have spongebob on the other to say DADDY and have a man city badge on.
These were for a lovely lady who has now bought 4 of my cushions.

Just found out I've also sold one of my cushions on folksy today too. I've booked  another craft fair for may. Its at the national mining museum in Wakefield. They have these about once a month so if it goes well I may do some more.
Well thats all from me today folks have a lovely easter x

Just a quickie blog today as I'm off to do some sewing soon. I'm working on an order for another 2 personalised cushions but thought I'd pop in and say Hi.
The weather has changed today hasn't it, we went to a car boot sale today and boy it was cool, luckily I still had some gloves in my bag so at least my hands were warm. I don't go to boot sales normally as I don't like early mornings so usually miss them but this one started at 10am so we got up and ready a bit earlier than normal on a weekend and made it there with hubby, mum and my aunt before 11. Shocker to those who know me!!!!
Apart from the cold weather I enjoyed it, we bumped into a few people we knew for a little chat and I bought a few little bargains for my next craft stall, Auntie Jean did well and came away with a bag full too. I bought a couple of metal mug tree things for my hanging decs and a wooden shoe stand to use as a shelf.
I do find it intersting what people sell and buy though, I think I enjoyed the people watching as much as the shopping.

Almost forgot to write my blog

Well strictly speaking I'm late with my blog as it is officially Sunday now and I suposedly write it on saturdays but better late than never. I really should be in bed as we all lose an hour in the morning and so I could do with every bit of bedtime tonight. As usual though time got away from me while I was doing some sewing, nothing exciting just some little hearts to stick on my magnetic pegs, but I was happily sewing away in my own little world when the tv programme I had on finished and I noticed the time. I have a tendency to lose track of time especially when sewing  but basically I do it lots of times really and always have. Its as if my mind is a butterfly and it flitters about between Andieland and the real world.
Last week my mum was going through some old papers and found my school reports which she gave to me, so earlier this week I thought I'd have a read, they aren't glowing and aren't quite terrible either but looking back I obvously didn't set the academic world alight lol and there is mention quite a few times of me drifting off into my own little world (although the teachers don't call it Andieland)
The first few years at junior school are the best. I don't sound too bad on those, I was a good reader and quite good at maths, quiet pleasant and interested to learn, especially when we were doing project work where i used to get quite involved. But, they do mention my writing and presentation being untidy (it still is) and that I had a tendency to drift off into my own little world.
From the fourth year at juniors onwards though my reports get a bit worse, there is quite a lot mentioned about me talking in class, getting distracted from work and not putting as much effort into my work so I could spend more time messing about with friends. This coincided with me taking a course of iron tablets after a new doctor realised I was anaemic and finally getting better after a long kidney infection that I'd suffered with most of my childhood. With the iron tablets I remember feeling like I had all this energy to chat and play and feeling like I couldn't sit still and I think I found it hard to concentrate for a long time. It was like I hadn't had the energy to be too chatty before but now I had and I didn't know when to shut up. My nannan said it was like someone had found the key and finally wound me up like a clockwork toy.
My reports in senior school all seem to say I could have done much better if I'd tried harder and put more effort in but I was content to just do what I had to to get the basic work done and not get into trouble. I think looking back that was true, I did ok and came out pretty average without too much effort so didn't bother to do more. If I'd put more effort in I would probably have come away with much better exam results and been a lot cleverer but I was never that ambitious and ok was good enough for me.
When I read the reports this week I must say I wasn't that proud of them, they're nothing to write home about but then again they do sum me up, thats me.  Oddly the best thing I found wrote on one of them was for the third year of junior school when the teacher wrote 'on first meeting her Andrea seems a quiet unassuming girl but when you get to know her you realise she has a lovely quick wit and a wonderful ability to lighten a situation I shall be sorry to lose her.' Its not learning or study related but thats the thing I noticed and liked most which probably says something about my academic leanings or lack of them.
I think the things that are most true on those reports and still current now are that I talk a lot,  have a tendency to drift of into my own world and that my writing and work presentation leaves a lot to be desired. If I were to get a report today I think it would still say 'could do better'.
I've noticed the time again and it almost time to turn the clocks forward so I think its time Average Andie say night night and pops of to sleep and dream in Andieland
Night night  xxxx

Happy St Patricks Day everyone.I'm not irish myself but well I just thought I'd mention it in case any of you are and I didn't realise.
Not done much today just a trip to the supermarket and had my mum over for the afternoon. We've been looking at holidays on the internet, mum and her friend are looking at coach trips so I was helping her check some of those out and then I was looking at Bath as a possible idea for hubby and I's little break for our 20th anniversary this summer. It's somewhere we've quite fancied for a while but were unsure if there would be much to do. After a look online today I think we're pretty sold on the idea. Just need to make final decision and find somewhere nice but not extortionate to stay now. I've been looking online for central hotels as Paul is very taken with the idea of parking up the car on arrival and not having to get in it again till departure day. We're thinkin a nice walk round the crescent, the jane austen experience, look at the lovely buildings, visit the nice gardens/park, sightseeing bus tour, maybe a boat trip, look round the shops and a trip to the theatre will be just the job, hopefully all in nice warm dry weather. Fingers crossed we get it because we don't have much look weatherwise with our holidays.
Crafting wise I've been a bit quieter this week after my frantic weeks of making things ready for the fair. I still made a couple of lavender hearts, a couple of phone cosys, some hair bobbles with yoyo type fabric puffs and a couple of russian doll  fabric keyrings as I can't seem to stop crafting for long.

I've been looking for some more craft fairs on a site call stallfinder.co.uk which you pop in your postcode and it list all the fayres registered near you in distance order, nearest first. I've found a couple I'm interested in doing and think the next I do will probably be in May although I havent booked it yet.
Right well thats all from me ladies have a lovely Mothers Day on Sunday and take care xx

First craft stall for Andies Accessories

I had my first stall at a craft fair as Andies Accessories yesterday. Hubby came with me and we both enjoyed it. I didn't sell loads but did make sales and covered my stall and the making costs and even made a little profit so I was very happy with that. It was a lovely venue and the other stallholders were friendly and nice so it was an enjoyable day. I had lots of nice and encouraging comments on my makes and quite a few people took business cards too, so although I didn't make lots I still think it was a successful day. I had been worried I wouldn't cover my costs but hubby said don't worry its a day outand an experience so think of the stall fee as payment for a day out but in the end we sold enough to cover it anyway so that was good.
I think the fair would have benefited from a bit more advertising though as it wasn't really that busy. I'm not sure what had been done to advertise but I had only seen it on the civic website, I think they have a newsletter so it would probably have been on that but there was no mention of it in the local paper and I hadn't seen any posters around town although there could have been some I don't know for sure. The organiser did go out with flyers into the town centre on the morning and managed to get some flyers put onto the trays in costa coffee in town which did bring some extra people in but apart from that I think they relied on stalls to advertise to their fans and family and friends.
Overall it was a positive experience and I'm glad I did it and will look for some more fairs to attend. It was nice to hear what people other than friends and family thought of my items and see what actually sold, which was quite a selection of different things, more or less a bit of everything so that was nice.

Thank you to all of you for your kind comments on last weeks blog.
Hubby and I are slowly getting used to the fact that Lucy isn't here anymore, the house feels very empty without her and I still keep looking round expecting to see her walking into the room or laying on her bed but not as often now.
The first few days after saturday I kept going over what had happened at the vets and worried over if we'd made the right decision but the vet had been quite definate she couldn't carry on as she was and said she didn't want us to bring her home and have her suffer. I know she couldn't have managed and wasn't likely to live long and seeing her suffer would have been worse than letting her go peacefully and calmly like we did so I know now we did the right thing for her but I still miss her terribly.
I've tried to keep myself busy this week making things and thinking about the craft fair I'm attending next weekend. I was thinking of cancelling my stall but mum said it would give me something to do and think about other than Lucy and it has helped.
I am panicking a bit now though that I haven't got time to make some of the things I wanted to, at the moment my stall looks like it will be mainly cushions as I seem to have got caught up in making them. 
When I booked the fair the other week I didn't have much made up to to take at all so its been a bit of a rush this week as I realised I don't have long left. I still have to think how I'm going to lay out my stall and find things to put things in and package and price everything too so I think this week will be busy busy busy.
I've redesigned the chick egg holder I made the other week to hold the egg in the back and have made quite a few of these to take to the fair and also because I have a few orders for them via facebook. I've added a pic and also a few pics of some of the cushions I made (but not all as this page will be long enough). Theres also a pic of a  welcome wreath and a heart banner I did this week. Besides these I've also made some more lavender hangers, hearts, bookmarks and a couple of pencil cases and make up bags but I still need to make some more things so I best say bye for now and get sewing.
Ooh before I go I have been reading and commenting on your blogs girls but I'm not sure they are always appearing also, I had trouble getting on a couple of blogs for a couple of days but I think I caught up with them all. Keep writing girls I like to keep reading. Chrissy and Julie I hope you both feel better soon x

race car cushion

caravan cushion

fleece flower cushion, did this one in reverse colourway too

heart aplique cushion i've done a blue one of this too

Welcome wreath

heart banner

sad news

Today we had to make the sad decision to put our cat Lucy to sleep, yesterday her legs started collapsing on her and today the vet told us there was nothing they could do for her and it was best to let her go peacefully now than let her suffer.
I have written another blog about what happened but I don't want to upset people so if you would rather not read it please don't, I just wanted to write down what had happened for myself.
It is the blog before this so just avoid it if you don't want to read it
thanks Andie x

Sad day

Today is a very sad day. This morning we had to make the decision to put our beautiful cat Lucy to sleep. Late yesterday afternoon I found her laid in the kitchen in an odd position and in an odd place I thought she looked like she had collapsed and was really worried about her. She did get up and eventually walked but was very slow and kept sitting down so I was very worried. After a while she got up onto the sofa and sat on my knee so I thought maybe she was ok and I was just worrying about her.
We have been worried about her recently and keeping a close eye on her as she went blind at the beginning of the year and was still getting used to finding her way around. The vet thought this was due to raised blood pressure causing her retinas to detach suddenly because she suspected she had hypothyroidism. Other than this and a bit of arthritis she thought she was ok for her age  so didn't want to prescribe any tretment for the hypothyroidism unless she showed any other symptoms due to her age.
She suffered a setback on Sunday when she must have bumped into something while we were out shopping and ended up with the equivalent of a black eye. It was very runny and sticky when we came home so we bathed it and took her to the vet on monday which is where we were told what must have happened. She had been getting a bit lost and confused occasionally and when I told the vet this she said it was the start of dementia and she sometimes would forget and lose her map for where things were in her mind for a little bit and so this was probably how she had bumped into something and hurt her eye. We were given anti inflamatory eye drops for her and she was ok for a few days until yesterday.
Later on yesterday after she had got down from my knee she was walking round the room when her back legs gave way and she fell over, she laid where she was for a while and after a little while she would get up and walk a bit but then would either sit down for a little while or fall over again, her back legs would give way and her front legs slid too and she didnt seem to be able to correct them. We rang the vets but couldn't get an appointment until this morning so we had a worrying evening keeping an eye on her and wondering what was wrong with her.
She spent most of the evening on her bed but just before bedtime came in for a sit on Pauls knee for a little while. Everytime she got up we thought ooh maybe she'll be ok but still worried things werent right. I also noticed her eye had gone red which worried me so we didn't put her drops in just in case they had upset her eye and because we didn't want to distress her doing it. When we put her to bed last night she got up to her litter tray and for a drink without collapsing but she sat down a few times on the way back and was wobbling by the time she reached her bed so we knew she still wan't right.
At the vets today we explained what had happened and she put her down on the floor to see her walk but Lucy couldn't stand, again her legs just splayed out from under her. The vet examined her and said she thought it was a neurological problem and judging by the way she placed her front legs on the table it was quite high up and affecting her front legs too. She said the lession was probably in her brain and when she looked at her red eye she said it was blood in her eye and she had bled into it. It was heartbreaking news for us as she said there was really nothing they could do for her now and the best thing for us to do was to let her go to sleep. She said she wouldnt have been aware of what was wrong and so wouldnt have been in pain but there was really nothing they could do for her now. I don't think she would have lasted much longer and the vet said it would be best to let her go peacefully now and not let her suffer. I picked her up and she cuddle into me and the vet put her to sleep in my arms.
I'm sorry if this has been upsetting for anyone to read. I just wanted to put it down somewhere as we are heartbroken, she's been with us for 19 years, most of our married lives and we'll  miss her terribly.