The Greatest Show On Earth

The Greatest Show On Earth

Hi there.
Welcome to our Mindful Wednesday group!
I could do with a therapy session today!
Doesn’t a day seem longer when you wake up at 3am!
By lunchtime today, I felt as though I had pulled a double shift!
That old washing machine head of mine started churning,
decided to get everything out of the wardrobe and give it a rinse.
Old stuff, new stuff.
Went into spin mode, 
woke up ALL the sleeping trolls who live rent-free in my head,
 until the only thing I could do to stop it was 
GET UP.
All because one person got under my skin yesterday.
Isn’t that absurd?
That in the wee small hours, 
when you’re left alone in the dark with your mad head on,
 one seemingly insignificant thing can trigger a massive
36-piece orchestral crescendo.
All rational and logical thought had left the building at that point.
So I came up in my art room and did the only thing which 
I know works.
Really works:
I got busy with my hands.
Started making the artwork for this month’s New Design Club.
Got productive and stayed with my hands.
Literally got out of my head and focussed on the task.
By the time the sun was up and the world was coming to life,
I had calmed my mind, and was ready for a cup of tea.
  
And later on, when I was dealing with the aftermath,
which is akin to a hangover but without the booze,
it occurred to me:
If something is niggling me,
the only thing that makes it a part of my life 
is that I keep thinking about it.
Who pissed me off?
Can’t remember.
It’s a funny old life, as my Dad always says.
Didn’t exactly have me rolling about in the aisle holding my sides
at stupid o’clock.
But on a positive note, aren’t I grateful to have a toolbox
of techniques and tricks which I can whip out in a crisis.
Years ago, I remember being in an awful situation. 
Long way from home, no money, 2 little kids.
A proper, full on crisis.
I read a book by a lady called Melodie Beattie:
Codependent No More.
It was life-changing for me.
One of the opening lines read:
‘It is never the situation but how we respond to it
which ultimately affects us’.
I wrote that on little postcards and stuck them all over the house!
On the kitchen window, on the bathroom mirror, 
on my computer monitor, on the car dashboard.
That affirmation is so deeply rooted in my subconscious nowadays,
it underpins my life.
That’s not to say I always get it right, 
but thank God I KNOW I have a choice.
I think it’s time to offer you a 
FREE DIGITAL DOWNLOAD.
And what better than 
a Colouring Project and/or Zentangle project 
of a Circus!
I composed and designed the first intricate one myself
by hand a while ago. It will be perfect for colouring in.
  
I composed the second one as a starting place for you to get doodling if you fancy that challenge. 
The trick is to break the background down into smaller increments,
then fill them with your ideas.
Of course, if you are not sure where to start, 
you can always refer back to mine; 
that’s what it’s there for. 


We actually have a brilliant stamp set of these images 
and many more.
CLICK HERE

So yeah.
It’s a funny old life. 

Have a good evening.
I will.

Love & hugs 

70 thoughts on “The Greatest Show On Earth

  1. Thank you for telling us about the rent-free rolls – you are SO right about that middle of the night rubbish. Hope tonight's better for you.

  2. Oh Barbara it's awful when you have all that stuff whizzing about in your head! But you did the right thing….there is nothing worse than lying there unable to sleep!
    Thank you for the colouring and zentangle pages! I think these may just come in useful over the next couple of weeks to keep the head trolls at bay!
    Hope you get a better nights sleep tonight!
    Love and hugs! Xxx

  3. thanks Barbara I read that book on my counselling course and I learnt a lot as I depend on my dad since being disabled thank you so much as you are my role model and love the way you share your ideas go and rest now with dave you well deserve to

  4. I have actually slept really well for the last two nights, think the grandkids have worn me out along with Fred being laid up with a bad back. He can hardly move. I hope you get a better night tonight, it is rotten when the trolls keep you awake. Thank- you for the colouring pages, will be lovely to do. I have spent an hilarious afternoon playing a silly game with my grandson, we were both laughing so much. Brilliant. xx

  5. I hate it when that happens, think of one thing then it spiralls into something else, then hours later you're thinking about something completely different. I think I'd have to get up and be done with it too. glad you forgot who niggled you. funny how silly things like that get under your skin. It's because we care. If we were all hard nuts it wouldn;t matter, I think it helps, too, to be able to write it down, talk to someone, you often fine that you're never alone. ever. All the best xxxx

  6. I had a rubbish night too. They are resurfacing our high street and crossroads at night so you can imagine the noise – and then if that wasn't enough the lad over the road decided to move out at 11 o'clock at night slamming the metal gate every 5 minutes. Grrrrrrr. I nearly got up too but decided to stay where I was and must have fallen asleep about 2.30am. So by 10.30 I was ready for bed!! Lol. Thank you for the downloads Barb will def give them a go. Hope you sleep better tonight!! Xxxxx

  7. Hello Barbara

    I feel for you. It is dreadful when you wake up like that and the world and his wife are having a right ding-dong in your head. Been there, done that.

    Here's hoping you have a better night tonight.

    Love
    Roz.x

  8. It's not good when your mind is whirring but hey tomorrow is another day, thank you for the download I shall be having a bash. Early to bed for you me thinks, have a good sleep
    Love Sam x

  9. It's not good when your mind is whirring but hey tomorrow is another day, thank you for the download I shall be having a bash. Early to bed for you me thinks, have a good sleep
    Love Sam x

  10. I write in a note book my niggles and worries and about annoying folk I'm being polite !!!! Then if that fails i get up and colour in stamped images until I feel sleepy again. Take care and thanks for the download too xxx

  11. Hi Barbara, I'm so sorry someone got under your skin yesterday and you ended up with so little sleep as a result. Good that you could get something positive from it though, ahead of the game with next months Design Club. You must be feeling dreadful by now with so little sleep and such a busy hard working life. I hope you've got nothing but chill time and early bed tonight. we don't want you getting sick too. I think you're an amazing lady, I'm trying so hard to take everything on board, how you do things, how you deal with things and how you get them away. I've never had any role model in my life ever, never had a single person to look up to and try to aspire to be like, until I found this blog of yours :-).

    Last night I hadn't even closed my eyes by 3am. My washing machine head is spinning so fast this past week that it's about to lift me off the ground!!! I made use of the time last night, no stupid computer games, instead started sorting out the huge jumbled mess of all sorts on my laptop, receipts, info, my arts and crafts and art and craft info, notes here there and everywhere for everything, spend quite a while on it and didn't really make any dent in it but it's a start. And now that I'm writing it I've just realised the totally wrong thing to do when not able to sleep as it just made my washing machine head even worse. I think I need to keep a started, or thought out Groovi project by my bed for these nights, that's much more likely to calm my washing machine head and is something I can do, whereas knitting or sewing which used to be my old ones I'm too unwell by that time of night to do these days.

    Can I be totally honest here, every time I read that someone has caused you to feel not good, I worry that I've said something in my comments that maybe upset you. I know fine well, learned the hard way, that I say things that are not right, not good, even not nice or very not nice, and I have no idea that what I've said is any of these bad things, often I've been thinking I said something good /kind etc. I have no way of knowing if I have or not, unless someone tells me straight. Barbara, if I've ever said anything to upset you or that sounded not right, not nice, I truly have not meant it, hand on heart I have never thought anything less than good about you ever. If I have ever I'm soooo very sorry and I soooo feel that big time. I don't know what else to say. And the same goes for all you lovely people who comment on here, if I've said anything not nice, wrong to any of you. Being totally honest this is my biggest fear of being on here, I'm always worrying that I say something wrong that I don't mean, because I know it happens. When I'm face to face with someone I don't always pick up that something is wrong, I've no chance of when writing here to you Barbara and all you lovely people on here. this is something I've been wanting to say /ask for ages, growing inside me the whole time, just didn't know how to. I'm sorry.

    Big bear hugs, love Brenda xx
    p.s. too many things needed sorting out today so not had time to do any craft yet but I'm about to stamp out some flowers and leaves ready for practising shading tomorrow and instead I'm going to work out Groovi designs for the birthday cards I need to make.

    1. Sorry totally missed out, thank you for the colouring in downloads very generous of you, just what's needed I think. Do you want us to send in these to you too when we do them? Donna, do you want to do these before the rose bowl /cowboy boots? xx

    2. Hey, hey Brenda, take off that hair shirt, I read your blogs and can't think of anything in them to irritate anyone let alone cause a sleepless night. Also remember that not always about what the person said or did, sometimes it is just a reaction to a stressful period. Can't tell you how many times I have gone off the deep end about a truely trivial thing like something not been put back in the place I think it should be. Hubby has learnt to give me space and my irritation will calm down and I can be sensible and rational again and actually tell him what's really worrying me. So calm yourself I am certain you have nothing to reproach yourself about. Sounds like you need a Groovi session to get those washing machine thoughts out of your head. Keep taking the Clarity train to sanity. Karen xxx

    3. Brenda, I really want you not to worry about upsetting anyone! I know you will find that hard to do, but please know that I love reading your posts and chatting with you as do many others. Keep asking the questions if you need to. Xx

      I think this is a great place to start as you can use Barbara's one as reference. Will we colour (posh pencils now you've opened them!) Or are we going for a tangle? Xx

    4. Thank you Karen and Donna, I'll try to put those thoughts and feelings back in their box for now. It's like a minefield trying to interact in the 'normal' world when you have Asperger's and no one to guide you! I like "keep taking the Clarity train to sanity", sure has done for me in the past nearly two years now.

      Donna, your decision, I'm playing follow my leader (if we're playing party games), remember 😉

      Well I don't think I should have got up today, it's been one thing after another, random stupid things. And now I've just spent over half an hour frantically looking for some stamps, couldn't find them anywhere, and I have everything organised so they are not likely to anywhere they shouldn't be. Was getting to the point of thinking I must have somehow picked them up with scrap and binned them. Then ping, I've still got a Jane art basket, problem solved. And to make it worse there are not even any flower or leave stamps on them!!!! All that worry and searching for nothing!!!! just got to find some leaves to stamp, or back up plan draw from a stencil and that's my shading pages ready. just as well it's not an exercise in stamping, I'd be ashamed to show you!!!! That's a bit worrying, I even remembered the hard side of the Groovi mat can be used to cushion, and still they are not that great, and a very sore arm and shoulder for my efforts!!! I'm going to have to work out something for stamping detailed stamps. but that's for another day, and maybe my CFS will improve by then, wishful thinking that!!! And not helped by my archival inkpad pretty dried out! I've made two pages, one on super smooth for pencils and promarkers, and one on stamping card for ink and watercolour, thought I may as well have a go with everything I've got!!! I'm going to finish the stamping and gather up the Groovi stuff, I need something positive achieved today!

      big hugs to you both you lovely ladies, love Brenda xx

    5. Brenda I look forward to you blogging each day you put things across so eloquently
      It must be our CFS because I said to my partner/full time carer Tom I wonder if it was me upset Barbara so when I read your blog post I thought it could be our illnesses
      Look how we all missed you when you didn't blog so please keep blogging each day
      Lots of hugs xxx

    6. Dear Brenda, why do we always think it's us? You dear woman, have never ever said or done or written anything that has caused me upset. In fact, quite the contrary. I am always happy to see you here, and worry when you disappear. So dear girl, the one thing you can do for me is always check in and let me know you are ok. Xxxx

    7. Wow, what special words to say to me Barbara. I'm so relieved to hear I've done nothing wrong, maybe I just should have asked sooner, instead of getting more and more worried that I've bound to have by now! I'll try my very hardest to always check in here, even when I'm hiding at the back of the cave, it's the least I can do for everything you have done and have given me since you started writing your blog Barbara. Thank you. Big hugs, lots of love Brenda xx

      And you too Sheila that you look forward to me coming here and talking to you. It's beyond me to comprehend that Barbara and you guys like to see me here every day, want to see me here every day, worry when I'm not. What a special place this really is. And I miss you guys too when you're not here or you're later in coming here.

      Wow, Barbara and all you guys are amazing, it feels like I'm the wee lost chicken and all you guys put your wings around me to cushion me and help me feel safe and protected and wanted and cared about. With the life I've had you've no idea how special this place, Barbara, and all you guys are to me, it's like I'm being given and shown here what I've not had in life. I'll be going to bed tonight feeling that warm feeling inside.

      Got my stamping done, ready for trying to shade hopefully tomorrow. I think I must be rusty at the stamping as the last ones I was much better at. Time for a bit of Groovi on Mindfulness Wednesday. But best get the bicarbonate of soda out first or it might be Groovi with black finger print embellishments!!!

      love you all xx

    8. Brenda my lovely lady, I too love reading your blog post, you've never offended, I think you have a lovely sense of humour and I miss you when you don't comment. Have you tried putting the stamp flat on the table, inking it up and then laying the paper on the stamp and running your hand over it- it might work and be less pressure on your arm. Good luck with your colouring, enjoy using those lovely pencils xxx

    9. No I hadn't thought of trying that. Breaks every rule in the stamping book, but there are no rules eh!!! Thanks for that. I could try brayering over it instead of using my hand, that would give a more even pressure. And thank you so much for your lovely words too ;-). You're all so lovely to me. love Brenda x

  12. Funny old life too true, spent most of today in therapy sessions for staff, sorting them out or at least trying to. What did it all boil down to, lack of communication. Two polar opposites who are trying to tell each other something but can't use words and end up in their little corners sulking. Hey ho, suppose that's what they pay me for. All this while trying to process the latest whiz bang idea in HQ let's all move to a new office, let's not have fixed desks and a free for all each morning to grab the available desks and let's sell it to staff as smart working or as I like to call it, emperor's new clothes. Lord preserve me from gobbledygook management speak, it's all about cost saving dressed up as new wave thinking. My cure, let's get my head out of this space and into some art, something to lose myself in. Ah perfect, some Clarity colouring, the perfect solution, thanks Barbara what would I do without you. Karen xxx

    1. What a great idea, we are supposed to start preparing for this move so I am going to run a musical chairs session.! First prize a desk pass second prize the naughty chair. Oh you've made my day we are going to have a children's party!

    2. hi Karen its not too bad we have not had fixed desks for years. people in our team tend to try and sit in the same places – some for days on end. the desks that fill up first the ones away from the bosses – the desk that is empty the most the one next to the boss. hope everything goes ok it does take a bit of getting used to. The thing we struggle to get used was having to leave no things on the desk – we came one day and the caretaker had taken all our hole punches, staples and calculators and wouldn`t give them back until our boss spoke to his boss !!! Julie

    3. Karen good luck with your office move and hot desks! I think the bosses should hot desk too and mingle with you – how soon would that change things! Don't forget to add a pass the parcel into the party with forfits – make tea for a day, whizz around the office on a chair etc! Xxx

    4. Trouble is I am a home body who likes familiarity and personal stuff about her to feel comfortable so not so sure I want to work in a faceless impersonal environment. I guess I will mainly be working from home in future. Thanks for all the suggestions for party games to include I think we will definitely have to have jelly and ice cream, musical chairs (like whizz around on chair too) and pass the parcel but no spin the bottle or truth or dare! Karen xxx.

  13. It wasn't my head whirring but the bloomin' air-con and it was cold too, no duvets to huddle into! When I finally got to sleep, I had a stupid dream, ending with a rather uppity person receiving an effective put down from moi – most unusual as my brain usually doesn't work that fast! Felt good, though.
    A cup of calming and soothing tea is what you need. Oh – and an early night.
    Bought the stamps last week and the download will keep me on the right track. Thank you. ;~}

  14. Good evening, bless your heart, it is too bad that one person or one comment could just disrupt our thoughts, we forget all the things we can celebrate… Hope tomorrow rocks for you! Xxx

  15. Barbara, sorry to hear you had a bad night. I suffer terribly from not being able to sleep well at night just too many things going through my brain and worrying about things that I unfortunately have no control over. Think we are all there at one time or another. Crafting is a great what to leave the real world and go into a fantasy world where we create whatever we want. It always allows my mind to release whatever is going on and change direction. Thanks so much for sharing your story with us and also for the wonderful colouring pages.

  16. Arrr Barbara, don't think about it anymore whoever or whatever it was that upset you needs to be in a box and forgotten about! I remember you doing this on TV and loved watching your demo. Thank you for letting us have a go, it will be fun to the colouring and the tangling. Xx

    1. Hi Donna how as your crafting gone got your card finished yet
      Let me know which mindless colouring project you start next and will join in posh pencils too big hugs xxx

    2. No crafting today, I went on a picnic and a walk along the ricer. Had a good day and a lazy evening. I will let you know what the next project will be, are you up for a spot of zentangle? Xx

  17. Hello Barbara

    I wrote a comment here but when I signed it it disappeared so all I will say is when I read your blogs sometimes I think you live inside my head. I have had many years of challenging life events causing anxiety, worry and stress and sometimes it's difficult to switch off and change my thoughts. My husband and I separated last year and so I don't have any support or comfort.

    Thank Goodness for Clarity Stamps. I've been up at 2, 3, 4 am sitting at my little desk trying to be quiet and not disturb the neighbours (dropping things) stamping or stencilling. (Another life challenge living on my own for the first time in 57 years).

    I hope you have a better night tonight.

    Best wishes
    Jacqueline

  18. What a coincidence! I was awake at 3.30a.m. because of trolls in my head. Only difference was I knew which troll it was that p…ed me off last week! Been bugging me because of a meeting tomorrow. B….. CService management!!!
    Well I got up went to my allotment. Took it out on the weeds. Came home and "groovied" all afternoon. Yes – the troll is still there but I am much calmer thanks to Clarity craft and this blog.
    Thank you and I agree with the above comment. You are perfect just as you are – warts and all! (sorry) – meant to be funny but doesn't look funny in print.
    Best wishes
    Anne (Reading)

  19. Your attitude is as inspirational as your art, Barbara. I wasn't lying awake at 3 a.m. but I was spitting bombs (as a friend of mine used to put it) about 3pm when I saw that the postman had bent an envelope in two to get it through our (old and small) letterbox, in spite of me begging him not to in the past. So the beautiful square die I ordered is completely ruined — he bent right through the cardboard and everything. Unbelievable. I've been festering, and swearing, about it all day and if I meet him tomorrow I might do to him what he did to my poor wee die. Every time I look at it I get angry. So I'm going to try and take a leaf out of Barbara Gray's book and see if I can use my hands to make something nice, rather than curling them into fists… 🙂 Hope you have sweet dreams tonight!

    1. I can totally get how you are feeling, that's something that I just couldn't handle either. Maybe the company you bought it from can send a replacement and claim back from Royal Mail if you can give them a photo of the state it came through your letterbox in? Big hugs xx

    2. Hi Kay don't know which area you live but get in touch with your local post delivery office if they haven't closed it like they did ours they should refund you to buy another one hope this helps xxx

    3. Thank you both, Brenda and Sheila for taking the time to reply. I had a word with the post woman who came today (it wasn't her yesterday) and she said she'll mention it down at the depot and agreed there was no need for such heavy handedness. I also contacted Icon, the company that sold it to me, and they were lovely… told me to try bending it back and if that didn't work they would happily replace it. So I've tried that and have put it through the GG, and although it's still dented, it cuts! I know it'll be weaker where it's still bumpy, but it saves me a lot of faffing about with complaint letters so I'll keep it for now. But thanks for your advice! Much appreciated. Here's to happy crafting! 🙂 K x

  20. Hi Barbara I know nights like those luckily for me I haven't had one for a while. I am so pleased that you have a way to cope something to stop your head going over and over what is bothering you. I know this won't help on a night like that but you are such a special lady and you give us all so much. Remember that there are so many of us who get so much joy from all the things that you do. Don't change. I would love to be more supportive I just want you to know that I care. I hope you sleep better tonight. Hugs Jackie

  21. Hello Barbara wow how can you beat yourself up over someone or something upsetting you (I did say to my partner/ full time carer today when I read your blog hope it wasn't me ) what are we like as I have just read Brenda's blog message and she thought it was her must be our illness)
    You are a inspiration to us all and after all you have been through lately with Dave your entitled to feel lost and unsure what to do I personally cannot thank you enough for all you have done for me with since I found clarity you help me cope each day with my illnesses of which I have many .my crafting keeps my depression at bay I can now loose myself in my groovi I love mindless Wednesday thank you so much for the free downloads today .
    Your a special lady I don't know if you realise I am the Sheila who sent you my story and art work for janes inspiration day think how you made that lady's last days so special .
    Like I said on my art work tree and verse leave everything on the tree and walk into the special clarity crafting family you have on here that's what matters you Dave and your clarity family and followers .
    Hope writing on here I haven't over step the mark its just that clarity is so special to me
    Lots of hugs xxx

  22. Dangerous time, Barbara, the early hours, especially with your preoccupations of late. I'm glad you have a way out that works for you. It rarely happens to me since I retired, but I still know better than watch a weepy film if I'm alone and a bit to too thoughtful.
    Thanks for the download, a really cheery image. Just the stripes on the big top make me smile. And "tomorrow IS another day" ( preferably with American accent) x

  23. I wish I could go and craft when I wake at stupid o'clock, but I know that it would just upset the dogs who would then bark like idiots. I need to find something I can do while staying in bed. Maybe a lap tray and some colouring would do the trick or try some drawing. Those wee small hours are not kind to us when we have things on our minds. Having just finished watching Anne of Green Gables on You Tube, I am ready for bed. I watched another old serial the other day as well, and that put me into a good frame of mind to sleep. Hope your demons are on holiday tonight and you can get a good night's sleep. xxxx Maggie

    1. PS Don;t forget that the stress you have been under and the worry has to be paid for at some stage in the way you feel. Learn to take a deep breath and as you blow it out, think of all that stress being blown away from you. Anything like that but above all, plenty of sleep and good things to keep your mind busy. Love Maggie

  24. I had an horrendous night's sleep last night – no, reword that – I had an horrendous night of NOT sleeping. I just couldn't sleep. Thoughts going around and around and just not tired. I really don't think I had as much as an hour's sleep all night – even wide awake when the alarm went off at 6am – thought i'd be tired at work but I was ok even at the end of a 12 hour working day. Even now at 10.30 i'm not tired so now I am worrying that I won't sleep again and the alarm will be going off again at 6am.

    I love your description of old and new going round in the washing machine, it certainly feels like than some nights. I like your mantra and how you can regain control of your thoughts

    Thank you for sharing the downloads. I really need to do some mindfulness to calm my negative thoughts that constantly go round my head whenever i'm not busy with work so i'm going to take advantage of your generosity and use these

    Thank you once again

    Hope you (and me) sleep better tonight

  25. So sorry you had a bad night last night Barbara. I am a night owl and go to bed very late most nights but still wake after two or three hours but do usually go back to sleep quite quickly and know that I can stay in bed most mornings and not have to be bright eyed and bushy tailed at the crack of dawn like you. Hope your washing machine head doesn't start up tonight and you catch up on a bit of that lost sleep. The stress of the last few weeks has probably played its part but hopefully now Dave is so much better you can uncoil those springs a bit and not let silly irritations get you down, easier said than done I know. x

  26. And I thought I was the only one suffering from sleepless nights. It seems there are a lot of us in the same boat. Yet if there's a program on the telly I really want to watch, I can nod off, no problem. As you say… it's a funny old life,
    sweet dreams
    Linda

  27. Hi Barbara
    Hopefully by now you are tucked up fast asleep in bed! I hate nights like that but how lovely to have your craft space to go to – oh sorry just having a little chuckle thinking of you in your jim jams trundling off to the garage! What must the neighbours think! Did you get to see a lovely sun rise from your window?. I hope you have a better nights sleep tonight and you can go to bed with a little less worry about Dave. Sweet dreams
    Love Diane xxx

  28. I hope you are asleep now and have a better day today. I'm listening to hubby snoring in the other room, he's wired up to a sleep monitor tonight which we have to return to,hospital in the morning. I'm hoping it will prove he has sleep apnea and we can get him sorted out with that! I'm lying here with o e of the cats stretched out width ways beside me on his back with legs in air – hes taken hubby's place! At least he doesn't snore but he keeps stretching and touching my arm – his furry little feet are quite warm!

    Thanks for the pictures to work with! My granddaughter did a Groovi card today so I posted a pic to the Clarity page of her concentrating and her finished piece. I helped with the cutting out!

    Thanks as always for your wise words xx

  29. Dear Barb, I hope you had a good sleep last night, I have been having very sleepless nights, as my Mum-in-law passed away last month, and the funeral is tomorrow, and just the sheer volume of paperwork to sort out is getting to me, but if I went into my craft space in the middle of the night, I would probably wake the whole house. I do hope that it was not something I commented that upset you (I don't think so), but glad to hear that you have pushed it away. I love reading everyone's comments, and it just shows that many of us have similar problems, and love your blog Barb, as it gives us a positive and mindful outlook. Thank you for the zentangle download, may just help me today. To all the lovely blog followers, I hope that there is light at the end of the tunnel for all of you. Bx

  30. Hope you slept much better last night. With regards to the negative comment, if there is nothing constructive to be taken from it then disregard, some people are just negative and you won't please them so don't waste your precious time. Loving the quote, must remember that one x

  31. Hi Barb,
    So sorry to read that you couldn't get to sleep because of some miserable person ( hope it wasn't me!)I hate it when that happens as thoughts just seem to escalate don't they? I also know what you mean when you said it felt like a hangover without the booze – that's what I felt like yesterday after having a migraine the whole day before. Pleased that you managed to do some crafting to clear your head and calm you down though. Hope you had a better night's sleep last night. Thank you for the colouring sheets – I remember you doing a demo on this and Nigel was absolutely fascinated by what you were doing! Love Alison xx

  32. Hi Barb,

    I know that feeling well, I have had it happen to me many times, especially now as I am back at work in two weeks and I hate being there so that is playing on my mind a lot, silly I know, I am looking for another job as this one is causing far too much stress! Love the saying.

    Love & hUgs

    Jacquie J xxx
    http://jewelscardcraft.blogspot.co.uk/

    1. Good luck with your job hunting, hope you get something better soon. It must be awful to have to do a job you hate, it's such a huge part of your life xx

  33. Everyone, working from things I've been helped to understand in the past, it's good people, the kind, caring and thoughtful people who will worry "is it me, could I have said something to upset", bad people wouldn't care how a fellow human is feeling. So, everyone, you're all good people and hopefully that thought will help to cancel out any worry. Good people don't intentionally upset or hurt anyone else, yes those things can happen, but it's the intention that matters, and what you do about it once it's discovered something has unintentionally upset someone else that matters, these are the most important things. That's how I work, because of my Asperger's there are far more misunderstanding goes on for me than most people, and I try my best to always look at it – it happened, there's nothing can be done about that, what matters is what is done now it's been discovered, and that to me shows me the true person they are. And for me, well I've spent my whole life apologising profusely often not knowing what it is I'm apologising for!!!! Don't know if that helps anyone xx

    1. Well said Brenda – that means that you are one of the good people too! I love reading your posts and your banter with Donna, Sheila, Dot and the other ladies. I've learnt so much more about Asperger's since you joined in with the comments on Barbara's blog, and realise how lucky I have been to recover from my CFS and to have had it so midly compared to others. Hope you'll enjoy using your posh pencils for your colouring in. X

  34. Dear Barbara thank you so much for your wonderful blog. You are so right about "people, places and things" living in our heads rent free and always in the early hours. Thank goodness for our love to be hands on and craft. I found your teapot colouring in so therapeutic while I was stressed with worry about Dens ankle injury. (Hopefully you have had a chance to see it) So a very big thank you for the new one.

    Big hugs Pen x

  35. Barbara I do sympathise with your bad night's sleep – I went through a phase of sleeping really badly when I was particularly stressed at one point in the past, and always used to get up to do something rather than just lie there trying to sort it all out, or trying to get back to sleep. It will make next month's club projects all the more inspiring, knowing that you crafted them to stop the spin cycle in your head! Wishing you a better day, and a sleepfull night tonight, Susan x

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