*Tracy Made Me*

On Friday I challenged the CalGals to do Julie's colour challenge...  it was a good challenge for Tracy since she had already done a card using the colours that Julie put forward.  When I finished my first card, Tracy thought it was only fair that I do a second card too.

So I did.

I think I like card #2, better than #1 (which I posted yesterday).

Items Used:
*Cardstock:  Stampin' Up! Very Vanilla, Real Red, Certainly Celery, Bashful Blue
*Images:  TPC Studio Playful Expressions
*Tools:  Martha Stewart border punch
*Embellishments:  Kaiser Rhinestones


I really like how this card turned out.  This is the first time I've used this border punch... I should have bought something with a smaller design for the size of cards I normally do.  It sure is pretty, though!

*I Challenged the Gals*

Happy Saturday everyone....  I had a great time with the CalGals last night.  I actually managed to make 3 cards in one evening!!  Woot Woot!

We sat in the basement with the big screen TV showing the Canadian men playing hockey (after we watched the Canadian women take silver in curling), eating some yummy banana bread that Tracy made, and of course chit chatting and laughing.  I love our monthly get togethers!

I was supposed to do the challenge last month, but I was in Regina and not able to join in the fun.... so I hosted the challenge this month instead.  Tracy suggested that I use Julie's colour challenge and I did...  And it challenged the girls a little!  Merlie found it a little difficult without a sketch to use as well.  I was lucky because I already had an idea in my head thanks to a card I saw elsewhere.  Tracy was a little surprised as she had already played with the colour challenge and didn't know what she'd want to do for another card.  It was fun to make them work a little ;-)

Items Used:
*Cardstock:  Stampin' Up! Very Vanilla, Certainly Celery, Bashful Blue, Real Red
*Images:  TPC Studio Playful Expressions
*Tools:  Big Shot; D'Vine Swirl Cuttlebug folder
*Embellishments:  Stampin' Up! grosgrain ribbon


I got the layout for the card from a card I saw on Tammy's Blog.  I loved the simplicity of the layout.  I think my card could have used some texture or something on the Celery layer, but otherwise I am quite pleased with it!

Stay tuned tomorrow for another card using this same colour palette...  Tracy figured that since she had to do the challenge twice, so did I LOL!

Enjoy your day!

*Ribbon Ribbon Ribbon*

Hey Everyone.... thought I'd pop in with a quick post while dinner is cooking.  I am really looking forward to the CalGals (minus Shannon) coming over tonight.  I missed the last gathering so I feel like it's been almost forever since I had a chance to play with the girls!  I've got the challenge ready for them... and the Canada Olympic Hockey Game ready to turn on!

I saw the Everything Old is New Again Challenge over on Allison's blog this morning and knew exactly what I wanted to do.  The challenge was to use scraps of ribbon.  Truth be told, I don't keep ribbon scraps.  But I have lots of ribbon so it was OK!

Sadly, the idea is not my own... and I see that Sue used the same idea... but that's OK!  We both got the idea from the queen of simplicity, Susan Raihala.... I love her ideas!

Items Used:
*Cardstock:  Staples White
*Images:  TPC Studio Playful Expressions
*Ink:  Rocket Red Brilliance
*Embellishments:  American Craft Ribbon
*Challenges:  EONAC7


Now, if I did have scraps of ribbon, this would be a wonderful use for them!!!

I hope I get at least a little something accomplished tonight.... wish me luck!

*Getting Caught Up*

I made a promise to myself in November that I would participate in Tracy's Christmas Card Challenge each month... and of course the wheels fell off the bus in January and I was away from my crafting space for 3 weeks... and I totally missed out on the first challenge.

I played with the second challenge last week and decided to do challenge #1 as soon as I was done challenge #2.

I had a lot of fun playing with some Christmas images, and with the easel card idea.  I really like the easel cards!

My Mom received a beautiful easel card in the mail while I was there a few weeks ago and on the back, the creator had put a label she printed telling the recipient how to display the card.  I will have to go back and find that card when I head back to Regina and I will share it with all of you... with thanks of course to the person with the idea!

Anyway... on to the cards

And a close up...

Items Used:
*Cardstock:  PaperTreyInk White, Spring Rain, Spring Moss
*Patterned Paper:  Imaginisce
*Images:  MFT Digi; Impression Obsession
*Ink:  Versafine Onyx Black; Copic Markers
*Embellishments:  Snowflake Brad by unknown


When I was thinking about what to do with this challenge I saw my sheet of images that I'd printed off months and months ago.  I had printed them, just to see if it would work in my laser printer (sometimes I have trouble with cardstock... figured out that I needed to change a setting when printing on cardstock).  I have always loved this image and it was a digi freebie back before Christmas one day so I scooped it up.  I wasn't honestly sure I'd ever use it.

But like Merlie, I can't let my PTI white cardstock go to waste!  It costs too much to get it shipped to Canada!!!!

I am looking forward to a gathering with the CalGals on Friday.... I've missed them!  I'm sad that Shannon won't be able to join us, but I'll get my "Shannon Fix" with a date for tea tomorrow afternoon!

Enjoy the rest of your Monday!

*I Can See!!*

I was worried I wouldn't be able to see this afternoon... I had an appointment at the eye clinic today to get an ultrasound done on my left eye and I was under the impression they'd be using the dilating eye drops.  I was happy to find out that they wouldn't be.  I ended up with an ultrasound on each eye that involved the numbing eye drops, a plastic cup like thing and a lot of gel.  It wasn't fun, but it wasn't too bad.

My eyes feel like sandpaper right now... making it a little tough to want to keep them open.  I see a cold compress and some eyedrops in my very near future!

I managed to play a little last night and again this morning.  I'm trying to get in a little bit of papercrafting when I am feeling up to it, or when the mood strikes since I've done so little so far this year.  I miss it when I don't craft.

So, let me share with you the card I made this morning before I went off to the eye clinic.

This card is for the Everything Old is New Again Challenge that Allison and Sue have been hosting for the past few weeks.  The challenge was to use Prima flowers along with the Midnight Madness Sketch Challenge.  I hope we didn't have to use an old stamp... I hope that the Primas I bought about 5 years ago will be enough!

Items Used:
*Cardstock:  all PaperTreyInk
*Patterned Paper:  Magenta
*Tools:  Big Shot; Sizzix tri-dots embossing folder; Sizzix Daisies #2 die (Stampin' Up!); D'Vine Swirl Cuttlebug Embossing Folder
*Embellishments:  Kaiser Rhinestones; Prima flowers
*Challenges:  EONAC6; MMSC41


And for those still following the shattered wrist saga, Bruce is doing somewhat better today.  Still in pain, but it's coming along I think.  I've banished him to resting for most of the day, which is what I think his body needs.

I am off to find my eye drops......  enjoy your day!

*Tracy's Christmas Card Challenge*

I don't know how I  missed the post yesterday, but I was thinking that Tracy should have had her February Christmas Card Challenge posted this week.  I took a boo at her blog and sure enough, it was there.  I'm not honestly sure how I missed it.

I commented on the post and told her that I hoped to get to play along this month.  And instead of sitting here thinking I should be crafting, I got out the colours that she challenged us to use (she was inspired by the colours of the 2010 Olympic Games in Vancouver) and started to play

These are my five cards, all lined up in a row....

And a shot of one, a little more up close and personal.

Items Used:
*Cardstock:  Stampin' Up! Whisper White, Bashful Blue, Brilliant Blue, Green Galore
*Images:  Inkadinkadoo
*Ink:  Stampin' Up! Brilliant Blue
*Tools:  Big Shot; Snowflakes Cuttlebug Embossing Folder
*Embellishments:  Stampin' Up! sheer ribbon


These were quick and easy to throw together and honestly, I really really like them!

Thanks to Shannon who gave me the stamp just before Christmas as a thank you from her cat Missie for going over and feeding her while Shannon and Ian were away.  She knows my love of snowmen and swirls!!

I had thought about adding a sentiment on the right side instead of the ribbon, but decided against it since the main image already says "Let It Snow"

Let's hope we don't get any more snow for several more months (like 9!)

In other news, Bruce is feeling a lot of pain today in his arm and wrist.  Not sure why he's hurting so much more.  I'm worried about him.  He is now out of the good pain killer (that wasn't dulling the pain as much as hoped) and is now taking Tylenol 3s....  if things don't improve I think we'll head to the hospital tonight to get his arm checked out just in case they focussed on his wrist and missed a break in the arm (which is where the pain is today).  Poor guy....

*Another Card In The Mail*

A big thank you to Theresa D for the great acetate card that was in my mailbox today....

*I Got It Right This Time*

After messing up the Everything Old Is New Again Challenge once this week, I decided to play again and get it right.

I'm not actually a fan of orange in any way, but I do kinda like the colour combination of the Kiwi Kiss with Tangerine Tango.

I think I like my messed up card better, but that's OK...

Items Used:
*Cardstock:  Stampin' Up! Whisper White, Kiwi Kiss, Tangerine Tango
*Images:  Stampin' Up! Gently Falling
*Ink:  Stampin' Up! Tangerine Tango
*Tools:  Big Shot; Swiss Dots Cuttlebug Folder
*Embellishments:  Stampin' Up! Tangerine Tango ribbon
*Challenges:  EONAC5


In other news, Bruce had surgery on his wrist yesterday.  We were at the hospital at 7am to meet with the orthopedic surgeon and then sent to wait in day surgery...  if they could fit him in, they would.  If there was a major trauma, he'd be bumped.  We waited until about 5:30 when he was finally called down.  He ended up spending the night in the hospital since his surgery was so late.  We found out this morning that the guy who was supposed to have surgery after him was bumped because of a major trauma.  He was close to not having surgery after waiting all day (and not eating!).  He has four pins and some wires in his wrist.  He is experiencing some pain so we are trying to get on top of that so that he's not suffering for to long.

In other medical news, my Mom was moved to the Palliative Care ward yesterday and is enjoying a more comfortable and "homey" private room.  The care on this ward is much more personalized.  They are working on changing her pain meds again with the plan that this will be the medication she'll go home with.  They have recommended that she stay on the ward until after her radiation treatments are over.  She will have a total of 5 treatments, just not sure when they will be starting.  I think her favourite part of the new room is that she has free internet access... Heather took her her laptop this morning!

While I don't like she's in the hospital, I am glad she's more comfortable now and getting good care.  It also helps me right now since I kind of need to be home to take care of my family now that Bruce has his broken wrist... I can have a few more days at home without worrying too much about Mom before I head back to Saskatchewan.

*Cards In My Mail*

I hadn't checked the mail in a few days.... and was so surprised to find five cards in my mailbox today!  I thought I would share there here with all of you..

This one is from Tracy  Z....  love it!

This one is from Diane Y... love these colours together

This is from Sandy R....  love the background paper

This is from Toni W (check her link on the right)

great colours!

This is from Allison (check her out under CalGals)

I saw this card on her blog this morning

and wondered if it might be for me LOL!

Thanks so much ladies... I appreciate you sending me some love with all the crap I've been going through...

*I Blew It*

I don't know how I managed it, but I completely missed the whole sketch part of the Everything Old is New Again Challenge (see link to the right)....  I was all excited to use an old stamp and orange!  I knew I could do it.

And now I gotta do it again.

But here you go.... my card of orange with an old stamp (set)

Items Used:
*Cardstock:  Stampin' Up! Whisper White, Tangerine Tango, Kiwi Kiss
*Images:  Stampin' Up! Island Blossoms; PaperTreyInk Mega Mixed Messages
*Ink:  Stampin' Up! Tangerine Tango, Kiwi Kiss
*Tools:  Big Shot; D'Vine Swirl Cuttlebug folder; Labels 5 Nestabilities
*Embellishments:  Stampin' Up! Kiwi Kiss ribbon


And on a completely different note... Bruce took the boys and joined friends of ours skiing at Nakiska yesterday.  I was a little sad to spend the majority of Valentine's Day on my own, but it wasn't bad... until the phone call from Bruce saying that he'd hurt his wrist and was at the Medic Station.  Alex, who thankfully has his learners permit, drove them back home and then my father in law took Bruce to Urgent Care who took Xrays and then sent him to see an orthopedic surgeon at one of the Calgary Hospitals.  After several hours of waiting, Bruce was told that this surgeon doesn't specialize in such severe wrist injuries.  Bruce was sent home with the wrist immobilized and some pain killers.  This morning we had a call saying he has an appointment with a surgeon who can help him on Tuesday morning at 7am.  Surgery is required, just not sure if it will happen tomorrow or not.  He is to prepare to have it tomorrow (no food after midnight)

The Dr yesterday said something along the lines of "Imagine you could temporarily remove your hand.  Then, take a hammer and smash the end of your radius.  That's what your wrist looks like"

Pretty, eh?

*It Wasn't Easy!*

It took a long time, but I managed to make a card.

When I decided to stamp, I wanted to do two things:
1.  I wanted to use  my Copics
2.  I didn't want to rely on a sketch or other challenge (which I do a lot of lately)

So this card isn't spectacular, but it's something I did, all on my own, over the course of a few hours.  I am very pleased with the colouring I did. Love that I used I stamp that hasn't seen ink in more than a handful of years.  And I'm happy that I did it without aid of a sketch or using someone else's card as a guideline.

It's simple, but that's OK

See... simple...

Items Used:
*Cardstock:  Stampin' Up! Basic Black and Summer Sun; PaperTreyInk white
*Images:  PSX
*Ink:  Memento Tuxedo Black; Copic Markers
*Tools:  Big Shot; Nestabilities
*Embellishments:  black ribbon
*Challenges:  EONAC4


This card uses a stamp that I had to have many years ago...  a beautiful stamp by PSX.  I just love tulips and this image screamed to me when I saw it at the store.  I used it quite a bit with Radiant Pearls back in the day.  But it's been sitting on my shelf for quite a while now.  I could never part with it...  it's far too beautiful!  Thanks to Allison and Sue, I had an excuse to play with this image again.  

*Finally, A Card*

Again, I apologize for posting so infrequently...  there's just so much going on in my world, and only this one last card for me to share with you.

Now that I am home for a few weeks, I hope that the Mojo Gods will bless me with some creativity and that my schedule will allow me some good creative time.  I could have created tonight with the kids off at TaeKwon Do and the hubby with them, but I'm busy doing laundry, catching up on Google Reader and watching some of the TV I didn't watch on my computer while in Regina.  Maybe tomorrow... after a good nights' sleep in my own bed!

I really love how this card turned out...  I used one of the sketch challenges from Splitcoast as my starting point.

Items Used:
*Cardstock:  Stampin' Up! Whisper White, Basic Black
*Images:  TPC Studio Playful Expressions
*Ink:  Versafine Onyx Black (set with my heat tool)
*Tools:  Big Shot; Nestabilities; Swiss Dots Cuttlebug Folder; Border Frills Cuttlebug Folder
*Challenges:  SC263


I love the simplicity of the black and white in this card....

*I'm Home... for a bit*

I am so sorry to have been gone so long.  I have one lone card in my folder to share...  sigh

I am home in Calgary, for at least a few weeks.  The news on Mom has not been good at all... she has Stage IV cancer of the submandibular gland which has spread to the throat, jaw, mouth and at least 2 lymph nodes.  She was admitted on Friday so that she could have a feeding tube inserted as she will either be getting surgery to remove her lower right jaw or her jaw will eventually break.... not to mention the issues with the cancer in the throat making it increasingly more difficult to swallow.

After a chat with Mom and my sisters, it was decided that I would head home today... my husband drove out to Regina on Friday with the boyz as my Mom wanted to see them...  and I came home with them today.  Heather will have to head home in a few weeks and I will head back to Regina at that time.

Mom should be discharged tomorrow (Tuesday) and has a bone scan scheduled for Wednesday and then a CT on Thursday morning and a meeting with the surgeon from the cancer clinic on Thursday afternoon.

The prognosis is not good at all...  This cancer is too far spread to be curable.  Right now, we are deciding on the best course of action to keep Mom as comfortable as possible.

There have been a lot of tears shed.... I am about 3 seconds away from crying at any moment in the day.

Mom has decided that she will not cry about it anymore.  She doesn't want to die, but she's come to terms with it.  She will live the rest of her days the best she can.

I'm so proud of her for that attitude... I can't imagine how difficult it would be....  I hope that I stop crying one of these days... or at least feel like I can breathe without wanting to cry.

If anyone would like to send my Mom a card to brighten her day, I know she would appreciate it.  She is also a card maker and always loves to get beautiful creations in the mail.  If you'd like to, please EMAIL ME for her address.

Thanks for letting me ramble....  I'll post again with a card.