CJ'S Crafts

20/02/2025

Dear Everybody,
I am so sorry I abandoned you all.

Thank you for all of your lovely heart warming comments, I have read them today and they were lovely, it is the first time I have been on social media since.

I had no idea how ill I was. It doesn’t sound like much, but the side effects have been horrific to me and I just cannot make my body do what it needs.
I had been slowing down around the beginning of Covid mostly with migraines, but I had no idea how ill I was and still am. My cognition began failing along with now daily migraines and ended up needing an MRI as they were so excruciating.
It turned out, I had several conditions at the same time, which were; severe daily migraines of every type, a severe vitamin D deficiency (which is much more serious than it sounds), allergies which thanks to the deficiency were out of control, unusual cognitive side effects to gluten after being told I could eat wheat again and also ME/CFS. It took me several years to get the first three under more control and the migraines are only every month or so now. However, it took until November 2024 to finally receive the ME/CFS diagnosis. It has been a very long road to find out what is going on, and sadly and frustratingly it is something I cannot just fix.
These conditions left me with no strength, no cognition (I was so bad, at times I couldn’t string a sentence together cohesively) no energy, and no way to complete any art whatsoever.

I have finally started writing again and the only thing I have managed to do in this time is continue with my Minecraft on Youtube. My plans for the future, are to try and learn how to live with ME/CFS and reach a stable point where I do not ‘crash’ every few minutes. My latest crash was from Christmas Eve until about two weeks ago. When they happen I can barely do anything and as a carer for two Autistic children it is a nightmare situation for me. I force my body to keep going because I have to. I do everything the children need, which doesn’t allow my own body to rest and fix itself. I am getting better at learning what rest is (it is not sitting, watching telly, playing a game or reading, these are all activities to a body with ME). I am frustrated everyday and still cannot paint or create anything, let alone have the energy to get things off the shelves and out of boxes to work on anything.
So, for now, I am concentrating on writing with the aim of publishing a book or two and continuing with my Minecraft on Youtube. These are the only creative activities I seem to be able to manage and are my ‘fun’. Hopefully as I learn from the Occupational Therapists, I will learn to manage my symptoms better and have more productive days.
In terms of the children. They are doing well. My son was diagnosed with subtle Autism in November 2023 and explains why everything was so difficult for him. I had no idea until I could pick up on the signs as we went through the process and felt as though I failed him. He is in a much better mental place than he was and now has a tutor through the Interim scheme. He still has a long way to recover fully, but the improvement is drastic.
My daughter still struggles with everything, but again, is always slowly improving.

Life as always is a challenge here, but we will make it through, it is just taking longer than I would like.
Until I finish the commission I explained about before, I cannot and will not continue my business. I have no idea when I will be well enough to return.
I miss chatting with you all and miss working on new things, but hopefully in another year or so, I will find a way to fix myself and gradually pull myself out of this hole and get back to crafting.
Thank you for having been there for me, and apologies it has taken so long to update you all.

Take care,

Carrie

13/12/2022

It is with a heavy heart I am deciding to once again keep my shop closed for the foreseeable future and likely another year. Life here is always tricky, but between the mental health of my children, the extra support they both need and the detriment that has on my own heath, causing no end of migraines and stress related issues means I just cannot commit to anything. For the first time I have let down a customer, something I can never forgive myself for. I am deeply sorry, will still continue to work on the commission and send it off as soon as I can, but it is not the point. I can only ever apologise to the person concerned, though it will never be enough.

I wrongly thought that I could be independent and earn some much needed money whilst improving my own mental health with something I love doing. Instead, I have caused pain to another and spend massive amounts trying to keep my business alive. There are so many rules to try and be within the law and insurances / other bills to pay, I always try to do the right thing, despite so many others flouting the law, but it is expensive. Therefore, I will stay closed for a while longer. I might try to sell some of my stock items but that would mean keeping my insurance active and I feel I need to close completely for a while rather than keeping the dream alive.

In the mean-time, I will again attempt to work on my website and try to get things up and running for the day that things may finally have a light shining on them.

December the 10th was Malcolm’s birthday, another year gone without him here, another year of loneliness and heartache. Another year the children have no father to offer them his wisdom and guidance too. Another year of trying to be mum, dad, carer and home educator. Another year I failed them, and now a customer too.

Malcolm would be so proud of his children. AJ attended his first football function on his dad’s birthday, an extremely painful day for me but he was fine. England were playing, his son was at a football function where they could still watch the match – Mal would have loved it so very much to be there with him. On the Sunday morning, AJ passed his Karate grading and is now a yellow and black belt – passed with merit. – Well done my monkey, you can get through this rough time you are going through, we will get there together.
His sister ‘Miku’ managed to look at a college on Friday 9th, then visit the cinema on the Sunday with her PA instead of being at grading for AJ. A few months back this would never have been possible. She has great aspirations to attend college in 2024 and they are helping her to try and achieve this dream. I am so very proud of her and amazed at how well she is pushing herself forward.
I will always love you both for eternity.

I remind myself how very lucky I really am every day which helps me push through, but sometimes, it just isn’t enough, today is one of those days.

Amongst my own heartache, I wish to send my condolences to the families of Solihull who will never see their children again, my own worst fear. I am so very sorry for your loss.

16/11/2022

Trying out some new things, here is a video showing my Robin mug as the photographs really do not give the mugs justice.

Let me know what you think....

Shop is still under construction, but I do have 5 in stock, just let me know if you would like to order.

See you soon. x

14/11/2022

Whilst working on a commission I am also trying to open up a section of my shop online (fingers crossed). Here I am working on some boards for my photographs. I had these pieces of leatherette for a project that is no longer needed, so hoping they will help with improving my photos instead…. Next stop… stinky glue. Hope it works!

14/10/2022

Allergy / Migraine Update, for those following:

So, it has been a while since my previous post, but I recently undertook the next barrage of testing at the hospital. Quite frankly I am stunned in both good and bad ways.

I am now officially able to eat wheat again!!! YAY!! The body is a marvellous thing. I was diagnosed by the GP about 10 years ago with a wheat allergy during a skin prick test and naughtily carried on eating it for several years, before gradually reducing it out of my system. I would not eat it from Feb - Oct and then the last 4 years after having to call 111 when my allergies were so bad (tingling tongue etc.) and knowing my only option was to have another antihistamine when I had already had one. I was terrified, Mal had been dead about a year and I was alone with the children then aged about 9 and 4. I didn't eat anymore wheat for around 4 years. So being told I can eat it again was a mixture of amazing and scared - also underwhelming. I expected everything to taste heavenly, but it was just ordinary, although easier to find food again.... ish....

Next came the new allergies - I discovered the raspberry allergy last time, and through the extensive blood work, have now been advised that I am allergic to Egg White!!! Really - that was one of my 'safe' foods. I love egg and is in lots of yummy cakes and things I could now eat due to the wheat!! So, back to reading the ingredients then! Very frustrating, but hopefully will find a way around it. The food I was most looking forward to eating.... Yorkshire pudding, now I have to learn to cook it without egg!! I can't tell you how frustrating that is. It already needs to be dairy free for my daughter!

Anyway, that is all the food allergies they came back with, so a relief, yet frustrating.

However, here is where is becomes complicated!

It turns out I have always been correct at struggling with things like housework. I have never been able to 'just get on with it' everything I touch seems to make me ill, I always try to use certain products to relive the symptoms as much as possible, but still I can't breathe and can't stop sneezing (often to violent results and 50+ a day in batches of 3 - 5's) - weird fact, I sneezed so hard one day, I gave myself a black eye! - I think I must have damaged a blood vessel or something! I can't explain the pain in my nose and the itching of eyes I want to claw out. So having avoided many perfumed products etc. I would try and always fail to have the perfect house. Then it would become worse as I couldn't keep on top of the hoovering etc. as it would make me too ill each time I tried in vain. I gave up on ironing years ago and only used Fairy products as I could cope better.

So, after the next batch of patch testing what wonders did it reveal...??

Well!

I am allergic to Fairy washing up liquid, the medicated shampoo (Dermax) they gave me as I was allergic to Tresume. Head & Shoulders Shampoo oh, and to cap it off Toothpaste!!! I mean come on, who is allergic to toothpaste!! Not to mention of course dust mites and Timothy grass was extremely high, and low to my cat and horses (I don't own any horses, so at least I am clear on one), but I am clear for dogs! (Refer to next post).

I live next to a large hill area full of urm.... grass (there are photos in the library area I think, and I live in the country where there is urm.... lots of grass!!!

So, I now have to make my own shampoo - I will let you know more about that once I have tested it a few more times.

I have to brush my teeth with Baking Powder until I can see the dentist to find out what to do, but I may have come up with another recipe I am going to try - again, I will keep you informed.

Basically, my doctor has advised I am clearly sensitive to many additive / chemical things which occur in absolutely all sorts, so I need to keep as natural as possible. (Easier said than done). I also need to do this with food, as I reacted things like Skips, Ice cream and Waffle Fries. It appears the additives / preservatives etc they use in the foods are making me ill, but I have no idea what they are.

In conclusion, it appears my body hates everything! I need to invest in a steamer so I can try to kill off dust mites to reduce allergens, but I also need to make everything I use to clean my house and myself with as I can't use those either. All whilst being careful what I eat.

Also, an update on the migraines!! So, with all of the allergies in mind and knowing I am to take my antihistamines to reduce the symptoms - only the Loratadine was ruled out months ago as was the Montelukast as they triggered my migraines (Montelukast the worst). So, I returned to my old Fexofenadine. This summer I have had one of the worst asthma years ever and have required steroids a couple of times, never feeling I could get it under control, always stressed as I couldn't breathe. Turns out when removing them from my system for three weeks for the patch testing. It was the Fexofenadine! My brain has been clearer, much reduced migraines and far less asthma, almost returning to normal levels! So, I therefore asked if I could try Certrizine, one I discounted years ago as it never seemed to work - well, after being clear for a while and having a couple of really bad allergy days, I dared to try half a tablet (I always do mine in halves - in the morning and at night as they wear off too quickly). Anyway - welcome back the migraines and asthma!! So now I have no clue what to do. I will be speaking to my GP about it again as I have been signed off from Dermatology as I don't present with skin issues, but I am still left with many questions. Will I ever really be able to manage the allergies properly? If I can't, I will have to take the anti-histamines, but they all trigger the migraines and asthma that leave me almost unable to function.

So good and bad results.

Here was the full list;

Food: Raspberries and Egg White

Animals: Cat, Horse, Rabbit (There are others like Guinea Pig, but I didn't ask to be retested as I wanted to concentrate on what I didn't know)

Others: Gold, Manganese Chloride, Carex White soap, Tresume, Sanex Zero, Avon Bubble Bath, Head & Shoulders, Dermax Medicated Shampoo, Fairy Washing up Liquid, and of course Toothpaste!

These are just the confirmed results and likely include more. Not to mention the raised IgE which means I will always have issues with allergies, asthma and IBS because my body says today I can react to something, and tomorrow it will be fine! Very helpful body, thank you.

Anyway, I think I should sign off with this for now by saying a huge thank you to The JPH Dermatology team who with one of the local doctors took me seriously after 25 years of trying. I finally have some answers if not all that will make a massive impact into how I go forward and manage my allergies.

I will do a follow up post on how I make all of my cleaning products and shampoo / toothpaste in the future.

Thanks for reading x Carrie

14/10/2022

Good morning, everyone, I am really hoping to try and return in January if I can. Nothing ever works as planned, but here is to hoping. A couple of updates being posted next. Thank you to everyone for your patience and I can't wait to get back to making things. x

08/09/2022

So very sad to hear the tragic news regarding the passing of HRH Queen Elizabeth II

08/09/2022

Wishing her Majesty, the Queen a speedy recovery, thinking of her and the extended family in these uncertain times.

27/06/2022

I never normally ask for help, but please if anyone can help raise funds to support 'EJ' with her puppy, we would be forever grateful. Please take time to read her story. if you can't donate, I totally understand - Sharing would be amazing, or maybe a merchandise purchase could be possible?? CJSCRAFTS.redbubble.com King Charles Cavalier Spaniel items. Every sale made will see the profits added to the funds. Thank you so much everyone. x

Weʼre raising money to Buy 'EJ' (Autistic) a King Charles Cavalier puppy (DNA tested / kennel club assured & 1:2:1 training) to help her be happy/more confident.. Support this JustGiving Crowdfunding Page.

26/06/2022

Attempt 2. Well adjusted attempt 2 anyway. I think this is much better, but my hypercritical state of mind is still seeing 1000 faults. I am going to leave it like this and move on to the next part. You can see the results soon. X

25/06/2022

Added todays picture in the sunlight. Still not happy with it. Think I may be repainting…. Hello my lovely friends and followers, I have had a quick go at a painting and not sure I have captured it right. Please offer your thoughts as I need to get this right for a special project I will let you know about in the next few days. This is the first time I have picked up the paints for months. I have a commission to complete soon and need to get back into it, but sadly life hasn’t been on my side and we are still have many issues this end. In case you are not sure, it is supposed to be a King Charles Cavalier Spaniel. Painted in gouache as always. Photo taken in my very dark house at 12.30 am, so I might try to take a better one tomorrow outside!