Just a little update on the hen's teeth shop at thewearhouse. and this week's makes.... 
I have been feeling pretty awful for a long time now and have been finally diagnosed with Hypothyroidism (underactive thyroid) and secondary Fibromyalgia, carpal tunnel etc. etc. Feeling constantly exhausted and in pain, I have decided to move out of my little room at the Wear House and rent a cabinet and rail in Zani Sue's area of The Wear-House, which is a lovely space, full of gorgeous vintage French textiles. My handmade pieces and textiles fit in a treat, so I am feeling excited and relieved to have found a happy medium.
The Carpal tunnel is a real nuisance, as my sewing fingers are constantly numb and tingling and the Fibromyalgia has knocked me for six with the pain...has anyone has any tips on relief for these pesky problems??? I would appreciate any advice.
Anyway, enough self indulgence and onto this week's makes....
You may remember that a while ago I made this felt flower corsage. I have received some lovely compliments when wearing it, so I decided to have a go at making more!
This is the original...
My original source of this gorgeous felt has dried up, so I purchased a lovely wool mix in vintage colours...
and another...
decided to add little slithers of Liberty lawn...
verrrrrrry time consuming, so I will see how they go. Costing is always such a problem!Then onto another needlecase...
and brooches... I bought this lovely 'Moda' fabric and I believe it will be featuring in many more of my projects in the future, as I think it is stunning. It has a blue background and birds in various poses... oh, just gorgeous.
and other brooches...
Well, that's about me for now. Thank you so much to all new Followers, readers and commentors, it's great to have you stopping by. x
and brooches... I bought this lovely 'Moda' fabric and I believe it will be featuring in many more of my projects in the future, as I think it is stunning. It has a blue background and birds in various poses... oh, just gorgeous.and other brooches...
Well, that's about me for now. Thank you so much to all new Followers, readers and commentors, it's great to have you stopping by. x
63 comments:
I love the felt flower corsages, you are very talented. So sorry to hear you are suffering with carpal tunnel syndrome. I can sympathise, I had 2 operations years ago as mine were both bad, the op is simple and easy and gives 100% relief - I would recommend it if it is offered to you, as the problem will just get worse
Heather x
Sorry to hear you're not feeling so good. Your work is beautiful as always.
So sorry to hear that you are not well. I hope that the docs can help.
I love your little posies, so delicate and I can imagine very time consuming.
Hope you have a good weekend.
x
sorry to hear you are not feeling well. I have one of your needle cases, which I love x
I love your flower corsages. Sorry about the carpal tunnel, I know it's very difficult to sew when suffering from it. I have MS and my hands are often numb or tingly, but I still manage to get something done. (My DH says I'm pigheaded, and he might well be right) lol
What gorgeous new makes. You are a really talented lady. Really hope they find something to help with all your aches and pains.
A x
Oh dear - poor you, having all those diagnoses. So sorry that you aren't feeling well, and what a nuisance that there isn't a straightforward answer to make you feel better (((hugs))). It is amazing that you are still managing to make such stunningly gorgeous things - I adore those brooches, and everything that you've shown us really (and the little bird fabric is delightful).
So sorry to hear that you too are suffering from hypothyroid. My family and I all suffer from it. If you care to hear how we have managed to improve with lifestyle changes and doctor's visits please email me. I would be happy to tell you about our experiences.
I adore your work and love to see whatever you have been up to. The corsages certainly look very pretty and I can understand that they must take a great deal of time.
emily xo
em(at)smartcall(dot)no
Love your makes and if you can do those whilst feeling below par think what you will achieve when you feel better!! Those little felt flowers are fab - are they on etsy or anywhere? I can't comment on the carpal tunnel but I do know how debilitating the thyroid problem can be but with levothyroxine in the correct dose you will be amazed at how different you will feel. Bon courage and hope it won't be too long before you are 100% again.
Jane x
Lovely work and I think the cabinet is a good solution..keeps you in there without too much input.
I love the felt corsages. So pretty. They should do well.
Lovely work and I think the cabinet is a good solution..keeps you in there without too much input.
I love the felt corsages. So pretty. They should do well.
Oh Viv I'm so sorry to hear you've been feeling so rubbish I hope it can be sorted asap. On a lighter note your lovely things looked super in the wearhouse when i went last week, what a beautifully quirky place! The corsages are lovely and I know how long they take to make and soooo fiddly!sending you lots of love xx
Love the corsages and the brooches!!
Only thing that works/that I've really tried if my fingers get tingly-usually if I've been knitting too long- is taking a break for a few days or more.
Hope you find something that works for you :)
Oh, I'm so sorry to hear of your health issues! I have fibromyagia as well..I just take OTC pain meds (Tylenol, etc) because of all the "side effects" on the newer prescriptions for fibro..
There are days that I am hypersensitive to anything touching me..cloth..hugs..elastic waistbmand, etc. and I just tell my family it's a "no hug" day..
I know it's hard, but try to keep your body relaxed and get plenty pf rest - I notice mine gets worse if I "over-do"..
I loved the blue fabric..but I am sooo in love with YOUR birdies..I prefer them over the new fabric.
I'm soo inspired by what you are doing..I acually made some birdie cards from your examples..hope you don't mind. I don;t have a shop and don't sell anything....these are just for me and my little family. So thank you for the inspiration. I'd like to shoe my cards on my blog and lead other readers to you, if that's OK..if not, I certainly understand.
Take care and have a fabulous-fibro-free week-end ;-D
Ooo, that birdy fabric is just soo tasty- love it. Am off to your etsy shop right now for a bit of window shopping.
Hope your aches and pains are improving.
Ax
Sorry to hear you are not feeling well. I have one suggestion and that is to get hold of a book called Coconut Cures by Bruce Fife. It has helped me and other with all sorts of conditions. Best of luck with getting a good balance in life.
I hate to say it Love, But your body is telling you to take a break. Some artist that develop these problems use it to try a different medium or tool. My wrist has been given me the beginnings of trouble so I invested in some new equipment to ease the repetitive motion. Maybe now is the time to look into that wonderful Jonme felting machine ( I love it ) or some other new sewing machine you have been lusting after!! Just a thought . Or maybe it has been the work environment and you needed one different space so good move !!! I am so sorry .
Viv, I'm speechless, your little posies are just wonderful.
Oh and I'm terribly sorry to hear you've been feeling so poorly. I do hope there is some treatment that can help x
Dear viv, beautiful work, the needlecases always 'get' me.
Simple helps: hand massages to get blood cirulating; Asperecreme helps a bit, switching what muscles you use, (doing your sewing for awhile, then on to something else) submerging your hands in hot water. Feels wonderful and theres that circulation again.
xx
I'm sorry to hear about your health problems but hopefully now they've been diagnosed they can be treated.
Love the new flower corsage brooches - just beautiful!
Jayne
:-( hope you find something that helps, I think I am at the beginning of carpal tunnel as i get tingly hand and muscles tensing when not even using them anymore - odd sensation. I find resting it is the only way to calm it down.
Sorry to hear you're not feeling well! Hope things turn around soon. Your work looks wonderful!
Hiya, Sorry to hear you're not so well at the moment. I've heard the op is really brilliant and the two people I know who've had it subsequently were completely better. Do you know Sally? (featheronawire?) Theres a link on the sidebar of my blog. I think she's been recently been diagnosed with something similar to your fibromyalga and you might like to compare notes! She mentions it on her blog so I'm not being indiscreet.
Hope you feel better really soon :)
You must be feeling very frustrated Viv, I totally sympathise, because there's nothing worse than not being able to do what you love doing most, i.e. stitching. But maybe, like some of the other comments say, your body is telling you to rest up awhile? I do hope things improve for you soon. Big hugs x x
P.s. The Boys of Summer is one of my fave tracks - I have to listen to it at full volume whilst driving!
The corsages are just delightful,sorry you have not been well, I have been feeling just awful for a long time and sometimes thought I was going a little mad,a diagnosis this last week of overactive Thyroid gave me an answer at last,hopefull you will get some relief to have several things go wrong at once must be very hard.Blessings and peaceful times ahead for you.arole
j'aime beaucoup ton travail avec les oiseaux.
Bonne semaine
Manon
Maximum strength Cod Liver Oil capsules. It has to be cod liver- not any old fish oil, and the strongest dose available. I kid you not. My husband developed it a few years ago while contracting. If he wasn't working- we weren't earning. Couldn't take the time for surgery. It improved within a week. Good Luck.
I have fibromyalgia too and the bad news is that there isn't a whole lot you can do about it, except PACE YOURSELF really really carefully. If its any encouragement I continued to hold down a job with it for more than 12 years, so hope you find that too!
So sorry to here about your health. I do hope that you get some relief from the pain. As always, loving your work.
Exquisite work as always. Love the moda fabric.
Sorry to hear you aren't feeling very good. I find arnica gel is good for all sorts of aches and pains, and no side effects.
Carol xx
I enjoyed visiting your blog! Your brooches are beautiful! and I really like your coin purses! Hope you feel better soon.
Viv, I do hope you get some good treatment for your problems. You work so hard and produce so many wonderful pieces. Thinking of you. x
Lovely work Viv - and all of this has been achieved when you have been so under the weather. Hope that your health problems ease soon and that you get some relief from pain. Lesley x
Lovely, lovely makes, I don't know which is my most favourite!
The new brooches are even betterer!!
I wonder if your F word problem might be less painful when your Thyroxine levels rise, I assume you are on some form of Thyroxine medication?
Hope it all settles down some anyway for you.
Sandie xx
Viv sent me over...I am so glad I stopped by! Lovely!
Oh Viv I am so sorry that you are having health problems...is there anything they can do to ease the pain?? I am really glad that you have found a compromise in the wear house...please take care...lots of love H PS Love the felt flowers I have some made by a great aunt they are so lovely
I love all your new creations - what talent!! I hope you soon find help with all your health problems - its amazing, just reading your comments on this post, how many folk suffer from similar probs.
So sorry to hear about your dratted health problems. I sympathise with you (having worsening arthritis and just recovering from tennis elbow in my main arm which has lasted for 3 months!). These niggles can really get you down.
Once you are on your Thyroxine, you should start to feel a lot better from an energy point of view anyway.
Your work is beautiful as ever but I especially love the little hearts - they are so pretty.
We will be staying near Ludlow in a few weeks' time and hope to visit the Wearhouse, so I might see you there! Hope you feel better soon.
Barbara
Hello Viv - This is my first visit here and just think your work is so sweet. Like you I have been selling needlebooks on Etsy very different though in beautiful velvets, taffeta etc. So hard to keep it up with carpel tunnel. I have developed a similar thing with tendons in my left hand but am getting lots of improvement with Cod Liver Oil plus massage.
All good luck!
Suzy
DEAR viv,
So sorry that you are still not feeling well. I am glad that you persevered and found out what was going on. Once you start you thyroid meds you may find that it helps with the aches and pains. It took about a year for me but I am feeling so much better. My pains in my hands and knees are so much better. Be patient, as it takes awhile to get the right dosage.
Of course, your work is so lovely and I think your needle cases are one of my favorite items that you make.
Please take care of yourself and dont forget to rest and daydream a little.:)
hugs to you xxxxoooo, Amy
Oh poor you Viv. So sorry to hear that you have been under the weather. A friend of mine (a knitter) had carpal tunnel - had an operation - and has been fine ever since, if that helps. Hope you feel better soon. Beautiful work as usual.. i love the heart with the black and white dog xxx
these are wonderful projects! i love your work! i think my mom had something like fibromyalgia and she used alternative mediciane to treat it. not sure exactly what kind of supplements she was given but it might be worth looking into.
Apart from carpal tunnel and your obvious talent, we have a lot in common [at least disease-wise]! If you get any interesting ideas for relief of the others, perhaps you can let me know. Pain and exhaustion are not funny - I feel for you in more ways than one.
Your work is wonderful.
I've had fibro for 20+ years and just recently had to quit working. My one piece of advice is to be stubborn and not give in. Rest when you need to and go niney-to-nothing when you can.
Best to you.
Dear Viv, Look at all the beauty that you give our world even when you are in pain.
I take thyroid and my life got back to being my life once I was restored to normal energy levels.
I got carpel tunnel and more when I was finishing my last book and illustrations. I didn't feel like I could pick up a brush or pen or type one more word on the computer. I used essential oils on my wrists, shoulders, arms, aspercreme to allay the pain and reduce inflammation, and I wore a brace on both wrists. It all helped, but what really helped was taking fifteen minutes a day to dream, walk, think, I guess some people call it meditating.
I wish you healthy joy,
Sharon Lovejoy Writes from Sunflower House and a Little Green Island
Dear Viv, Look at all the beauty that you give our world even when you are in pain.
I take thyroid and my life got back to being my life once I was restored to normal energy levels.
I got carpel tunnel and more when I was finishing my last book and illustrations. I didn't feel like I could pick up a brush or pen or type one more word on the computer. I used essential oils on my wrists, shoulders, arms, aspercreme to allay the pain and reduce inflammation, and I wore a brace on both wrists. It all helped, but what really helped was taking fifteen minutes a day to dream, walk, think, I guess some people call it meditating.
I wish you healthy joy,
Sharon Lovejoy Writes from Sunflower House and a Little Green Island
I recommend you have the surgery on your hands as I waited 10 years to do so and also had to compensate for the numbing and giving up sewing and other crafts I loved. This past spring I had the surgery on both hands 3 weeks apart and would do it again in a heart beat. I can now feel again and able to do alot of the things I was limited to do by carpo.
Such beautiful work, it's always a real pleasure to see what you've been creating. It's so hard to price accurately things that are beautiful to make, but time consuming. The corsages are delightful though.
I'm afraid I have no advice for you. I really hope you do find some kind of solution to all of this so you can truly enjoy your work.
X
I saw a link to your blog from another blog and as the title was from one of my favorite songs, I couldnt resist checking your out. Your felt flowers and other items are quite lovely. I have just recently begun my own blog, inspired by Amy Alkon--though not at all in her style. I have long had a fondness for all things English, am a great fan of Ken Follett and other writers of the ancient times. Is it really always rainy there? That is what they say about here too (Oregon, USA), but it is not. Thanks for the beauty and encouragement I got from this post!
I also love the felt flowers, they are wonderful and i can imagine would be a great idea for a wedding or similar, as they can be kept afterwards as a momento. Wonderful idea.
I have fibromyalgia too - horrid when we are embroiderers. I take 3 x 300mg Gabapentin capsules every day.
I know it means I take tablets - but it does take away the pain and make life (and stitching) bearable.
Maybe you could see your doctor and see if these work for you?
Good luck.
Hi Viv,
I have been a longtime admirer of your gorgeous work. Your Etsy shop is usually the first stop I make when visiting there. I just adore the sweet embroidery flowers that adorn your pieces.
I have had problems with my thyroid as well. I take thyroid medication and it has helped immensely. I had severe problems with carpal tunnel syndrome and went through a lot of physical therapy on my wrists to relieve it without going through surgery. After researching and reading about carpal tunnel I found that the operation's success rate is not so great.
After about six weeks of physical therapy that was not helping I did some more research and found that carpal tunnel can be caused by low thyroid. I talked to my doctor and asked him if he could increase my Synthroid a bit because I was still feeling so tired, had dry skin, itching, brittle nails, hair falling out, and now was suffering from extreme carpal tunnel that was keeping me from getting sleep. He increased my dosage slightly and within a few weeks most all of the symptoms of carpal tunnel had subsided!
It is amazing how something so seemingly small as an imbalance in thyroid can wreak havoc in your life. I also read that fibromyalgia can be tied to low thyroid as well as glaucoma, which I started to show suspicious signs that it could be developing. That was the scariest thing. I have since gone back to the eye doctor and there has been no advancing or change in my vision. Thank goodness. I am an artist and I need the use of my vision!
Anyway, I hope that you are feeling better and that things will resolve once you get your thyroid to behave! It has made such a difference in my life!
As I said, your work is amazing and fresh and sweet!!
So sorry Viv, to hear of the pain you are experiencing. I often have pain, (in hands, arms, back, etc.) and worry about a similar diagnosis, so for now I have stayed stubborn in my refusal to see a doctor, (not sure if that is smart or stupid on my part.)
The work, as always is brimming with joy and sweetness. The little bouquets of posies are simply gorgeous. xo
Dear Viv, so sorry to hear you are not feeling well, I´m sending my prayers to you and asking for your completely recovery.
I came to visit you when I saw you liked my blog, which I thank you so much and I´m so happy you did because I can enjoy so much your soooooo beautiful work, gosh, it`s so pretty!!!!
Blessings to you my dear,
maria cecilia
Hi viv,so sorry to hear you have been poorly for some time now..l haven't been in touch with you for ages for just the same reason ..Hypo thyroid..l have had a rough 21/2 years since l was diagnosed and still not right.l now no l have ben like it for at least 15yrs!.have you had your antibodies tested?( which would tell you if you have hashimotos disease,quite likey if you have carpel tunnel,another autoimune desease..) l was so pleased to have a label and thought it would be plain sailing till l FELT WELL! wrong!you must be so tired ..have you joined thyroiduk.org
SO helpful along with there new help blog.l will email you with some info..ps the floweres are AMAZING...
Oh Viv, so sorry to hear about your health problems. And you make so many wonderful creations despite feeling so bad. Have you seen the gloves on Cotton Patch which give support to your hands when sewing, might be designed for people who just have a few aches and pains rather than an ongoing condition though.
Sending healing thoughts.xx
I love the fabric brooches. Hope you are feeling better! Have seen your work on the Quilting Arts download emagazine!
I totally empathise!
Hypothyroidism makes you feel like the pits doesn't it? :o( It affects the whole body in so many ways!
Once your levels are built back up by medication you will gradually improve and feel like your old self again. It can take a while but you will get there. :o)
I sorry too that you are having such a rough time; despite this your work looks as good and individual as ever.
Gosh the corsages are lovely well done you
I came to blog the way of zibagz's blog. I have the same thyroid condition and once I started my medication I felt so much better more energy etc... wishing you the best with the other two aliments, try to rest yourself, it seems as though all three of these haven't slowed down the beauty you create. hang in there! kt
I have had fibromyalgia for 20 years, and have had the best results from ibuprofen, Lexapro, and now SAM-E. You could ask for more info from your doc. But also very important is rest, exercise, and not overdoing it (without being prepared for the consequences! Some things are worth it!) Not that I always follow my own advice! Good luck~ I really enjoy your work!
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