On giving in - not giving up!

Can you identify the packaging?

There are times when you just have to give in - and having shingles is one of them. I had no idea it was so debilitating and so vicious - or that it would last for so long. I have heard the horror stories, 2 friends of mine have had it recently, 1 on the bra line and 1 on the unmentionables but I guess until you have it yourself you can't understand what it is like.
I am lucky I got the anti viral drugs early enough and I am starting to feel better, there is less pain everyday but the rash and blisters are still spreading, but more slowly now. I may have to design myself a stunning yashmak if they don't start to clear up soon - but I can't go anywhere or see anyone as I am still contagious - I feel as though I should have a bell to ring . . . . . 

This will pass - I have to remember this is just one tiny part of my life and there are far worse worse things (though on Friday morning at 6am I would have disputed that). The recovery is obviously going take a long time and because of this I have had to cancel my 2 workshops at Foredown Tower this week. Even if the blisters had gone - which is unlikely - I still wouldn't have the energy to teach. I am still having to sleep during the day as well as at night. This is one thing I can't sort out through sheer force of personality.

You must recognise this one???

The illness has thrown up an interesting question which I regularly pontificate about when asked - " how do you keep being creative when you are feeling low - whether through grief or illness"?
My, has it been put to the test in the past few days!!!! My theory has always been that as you start to feel brighter in yourself, to just play with materials, not have any pressure on what you are going to do at the end of it. The ideas will come eventually as you work through your basic processes. My recipe seems to be mindless layering. I can't manage my heat press at the moment but I can use the iron for 30 mins or so.

So it's back to what I feel most comfortable with - heat, food packaging, painted Bondaweb and of course - newspaper.

I am working on very small samples 5" square, they are less threatening that size! While I was layering on this scale I remembered some tiny printing blocks I had bought in Sydney Museum when I was last there and of course have not thought about since. So tomorrows exercise will be to print onto my small samples with tiny printing blocks.

The blocks are no more than 1" square and are hand carved.

I have no idea what it will look like - but if you don't try . . . . . . 

x

My thanks to all of you who have emailed and sent messages. Many of whom I have never met. It is through friends, family and the kindness of strangers that we are able to keep going - I know that sounds soppy - but it's true!

More tomorrow if I can find the energy to lift the iron and the printing blocks . . . . . "How are the mighty fallen"!!!!!

x