Getting Ready For Christmas

I'm sorry it's been a little quiet on the blog over the last few days. I had hoped to blog every day this month and had so many posts planned, but I've been completely out of action for over a week (so far), struck down by some of the most unbearable chronic pain I've ever had. I haven't been able to take blog photos for the rest of my Christmas blog posts yet or felt up to typing, so a lot of posts have had to go out the window. It totally sucks, but there isn't anything I can do about it, and I (reluctantly) have to put my health first.

I basically started getting severe pain tingling electrically like pins and needles in my back after wrapping up some presents last week, which spread from a small area to my entire back over night. Over the weekend it finally died down but quickly evolved in to scalding hot pain in my lower back that literally feels like I'm being scalded with boiling water or being burnt with an iron. On top of that, my sciatica has began raging in both legs from hip to toe, and I'm having similar electric tender pain in my arms now, too, which began a couple of days ago. The pain hasn't been this bad in years. I've been living in extreme pain for over five years, but even as a chronic pain sufferer, I'm finding the pain unbearable. I am beginning to worry that something is wrong, but it's hard to know whether it is, or if I'm just having a particularly bad flare or just over did it trying to get organised for Christmas. I probably should go see a doctor, but I'm going to see how it goes over the next few days before I consider it, as I don't particularly want to spend Christmas waiting around for hours in a hospital waiting room, or worse, getting scanned or finding myself hospitalised. I'm hoping it will just magically improve on its own so I can enjoy Christmas and life can get back to normal, but I guess we shall see.

Anyway, thanks to my health, I haven't really been able to enjoy the festivities, or do an awful lot, but I have managed to do a few bits and pieces from my sick bed, mostly lots of crafting, so I thought I'd share some photos of how I've been preparing for Christmas this year.

I've not been able to decorate the house for Christmas this year- for the first time ever, which I'm so sad about- but I was determined to put decorations up in my bedroom so I could still enjoy a little festive cheer from bed. It did take me almost a fortnight to get all of my decorations up, and apparently my bedroom looks like Christmas has thrown up on it, but it looks so festive, and I'm loving it, so who cares? I'll try to blog a little Christmas bedroom tour in the next couple of days so you can see it for yourselves.

I made a start on wrapping up Christmas presents just over a week ago, using the loveliest Cath Kidston mid-century style wrapping paper, ribbons, and jingle bells. I powered through and did some more yesterday, but I still have more to wrap before the weekend.

I wrote all of my Christmas cards last week, using the cutest fifties-style Christmas cards I picked up on sale from Cath Kidston earlier in the year. They're actually from a few Christmases ago but I don't mind because they're lovely. I couldn't resist stamping the envelopes with a Christmas stamp and gold ink.

Last weekend, I spent a relaxing half an hour linking colourful polka dot paper chains, which, shock horror, were also from Cath Kidston. What can I say? I may have a slight Cath Kidston addiction. The paper chains are now hanging up across the beam in the kitchen, as I felt it needed brightening up with some colour.

I spent almost every night during the first half of the month cross stitching dozens of tiny Christmas trees and snowflakes on to my Christmas sampler, and finally finished it last week. I didn't think I'd have enough time to finish it before Christmas, so I'm feeling really pleased and productive right now. I'll blog the finished project as soon as there's some decent daylight to show it off properly.

I've also found time to stitch another one of my Riverdrift House Christmas cross stitch cards, and have made a start on a second. I'm hoping I can finish it and the last two I have to make before Christmas, but with so many other things to do, I don't know if I'll find the time to make all three. I have done a little more since I took this photo yesterday afternoon, though, so who knows.

I also got started on making some festive hoop art over the weekend, using embroidery hoops, felt, and the adorable fifties-style Christmas fat quarters I bought from Hobbycraft a few months ago. I feel like I'm on a roll with crafting at the moment! I still have a few more to make and need to add ribbons and some kind of embellishments to finish them off, and I need to re-do the large blue hoop as the fabric has loosened, but I'm really pleased with what I've done so far. I impress myself sometimes with what I can do when I set my mind to it! I've never made hoop art before nor have I ever tried to blanket stitch (to finish the backs), so they're not bad for a first attempt! 

And that is how I've kept myself busy over the last few weeks. I still have presents to finish wrapping, Christmas crackers and table favours to make, and a couple of parcels to post, but apart from that, I'm just about organised for Christmas now. Just as well, really, as I haven't got the energy for anything else!

How have you spent your free time so far this Christmas? Are you organised for it yet?