S.O.S.

I have a history of when things get tough, climbing into my shell and trying to deal (or control) whats going on in my life. This has been my so called strenght, not bothering friends who have enough on their plates and of course I didn't want to be seen as weak, not being able to cope..... this led to major problems emotionally for me but I have been working on it with loads of help!

Yesterday and for the first time in my life I sent out a distress signal to my friends, just letting them know that I wasn't the best, that I was feeling alone and needed comfort. I was taking a gamble that they might not return my S.O.S. and I would feel even more alone but I needed to do this.

I still can't believe it, the text's, emails and calls from near and far. My Friends telling me they love me, that they are thinking of me. They listened to me, and how I was feeling, they let me cry without hushing me. We talked about themselves too and things going on in our lives... I heard myself laugh about something funny, it was like a revelation! Even in the pain I was in, I could still laugh, and I will laugh again. I have to go through this pain, experience it, but it will subside and I will laugh again.

Yes I am weak, yes I cry, yes I feel like crap, YES I am HUMAN!

One's friends are that part of the human race with which one can be human.

~George Santayana

Thank you all!

Eva x

Crop 'n' Shop

We were so tired last night after a fabby weekend in Youghal that I didn't have the energy to post up some photos. Tigger had asked Shona and I down to her place for a Crop 'n' Shop, and knowing Tigger's (& family) hospitality we said yes straight away. On our way down on friday we collected Caroline in Mallow. It was brill to have adult company for the journey and to catch up with Caroline too :-)

On Saturday morning Ruth and Donna arrived at Tiggers and after a few hours of scrapbooking we all headed to the Craft Mills in Lismore for a little retail therapy.... ok alot of retail therapy. We were like children in a sweet store!!! Laura's shop is amazing! She has some wonderful papers, embelisments, inks and stamps. Gosh, Its so much nicer seeing crafty stash in real life. Once we left a wee fortune behind us it was off to have a yummy lunch in Foley's.

After our feed we went around the corner to a Church of Ireland, where I got some gorgeous photos not only of us girls but of course of the church itself (surprise, surprise!) The light under the trees was delish and I got some gorgeous photos. I love the one of Ruth, Tigger, Caroline and Donna!

We got loads of scrapping done, well most of did ;-) alot of the LO's are for Scrapwest over the next few weeks so the only one I can show is the one dedicated to the weekend. I used the yummy Basic Grey Pheobie collection, really loving these papers!!!

Oooops - this is an 8x8 DLO (thanks Audrey)

Thanks Tigger and family for looking after us! A huge thank you to Eugene for supplying our tummies with the most scrummy food over the weekend. It wasd a fab weekend catching up with the girls and I'm looking forward to the next one :-)

Tags

This weeks Scrapwest was set by Annamarie and was called 'Tags' incorporating them into a LO, mini Album or card. I made this mini album using the yummy Pheobie papers, chipboard flower, ribbon and lovely pink envelopes. The mini book is to celebrate Shona's Communionn with photographs of her at various times of the day (the later ones are so funny), the tags in the pocket have even more photos.

Open Road

There is nothing better than the feeling of freedom with just a simple thing like the open road and no plans to where you will end up. After spending the week in the hospital with Shona all I wanted to do this bank holiday weekend was hop in the car and drive. Luckily for me I had a driver who kindly obliged to let me sit back and watch the scenery.

The first place we ended up at on Saturday was the Cliffs of Moher along with a 100 or so other soaked to the skin tourists. The sign below is dedicated to the last person I was with at the Cliffs, way back in the late 80's (LOL!).

Can you imagine all those tourists who stop to look at one of the most famous landscapes in Ireland (with one of the most expensive car parks in Ireland) only to be met with nothing but mist. Lucky for them there was plenty of plastic tourist ornaments to purchase in the shop to make the journey worth it! Oh and lovely wax hats to keep the rain off too :-)

On one of the bi-roads we came across one of the most breath taking views (of course there would have to be a building included). I got a close up shot too of the castle but the private sign we noticed might indidcate the owners wouldn't want us posting it up, or evidence that we were on private property :-o

Doolin had the most spectular natural elements. I am always amazed at how anything grows in the Burren. Peeping through the rocky landscape you can always find a little bit of nature thriving....

... but what Doolin offered the most was nature at its best!!! We stood there totally spell bound by the strenght and power of waves crashing against the rocks. After a few photos I had to put the camera down and just experience it. If the weather had been better we wouldn't have known this :-) thank goodness for the Irish weather!

After our car picinic in Doolin, it was back on the road to Ballyvaughan. On the way I really made the moat of being a passenger. The scenery in Clare is so rough and rugged and truly beautiful! We had a nice meal in Monks followed by a walk and a drink in a local where there was some trad music.

The next day it was off to Galway for a few hours, coffee on Shop street, just chilling and making the most of the better weather. There was loads of street entertainment, music, markets and street artists all competing for customers. The guy below had the right idea, it made him stand out from the crowd sitting on the australian's lap (LOL!).

We finished off our tour by heading to Salthill to soak up the sun and have a little fruity tart picnic. I came home feeling completely relaxed and ready for whatever the world holds! Thanks goodness for bank holiday weekends :-)

Scrap West

This weeks Scrap West theme was set by Ruth and is called Birds of a Feather. I love this photo of Shona and I, she thought it was soooo funny to wear my glasses, which I think makes her look so grown up! I used the gorgeous Piggy Tales collection from Crafteire which includes tags and the most gorgeous coloured chipboard letters.

I also used buttons, the Heidi Swapp flowers and white chipboard letters that Tigger got me as a b-day gift nearly 12 months ago (its the gift that just keeps on giving). I hi-lighted the flower on the tag with glossy accents. Thanks for looking and have a wonderful weekend!