A New Week. A New Card

I have a new card to share today. I have always loved Crate Paper, and the Random collection just makes my heart happy! The bright florals are so delicious.

I created a card using kraft cardstock from Papertrey Ink. Then I cut a block of these gorgeous floral paper, and used a zig zag stitch to adhere it to the card base. I cut a thinner piece of kraft cardstock, used my Stampin' Up! scallop border punch and added another piece of patterned paper. The most fun I had with it was added the thank you embellishment. I can't take the credit because I was inspired by Christine Middlecamp. She is my layering guru :) I think I took apart so many different elements for this. The star and crepe paper are from The Girls Paperie (Can I say how much I miss them???) I took the crepe paper off of the star to add later. The scalloped tag...unfortunately...I can not remember who made it. It has been in my stash for a couple of years. I used a 1 1/2 inch punch on a coordinating patterned paper and adhered it to the tag. Finally, I added the crepe paper. Help me please give credit where it is due because even the yellow label I can not remember where it is from....GRRRRR! However! I do know that the corrugated piece is from Jillibean Soup. I cut it down to make it fit for my purpose. Next, I cut down a thank you sticker from SRM Stickers, and topped it off with this cut book plate from Stampin' Up!



Here is a close up:

BUT! I was not quite ecstatic with the way it turned out, and I can be known for dismantling a card and redoing it. So that is what I did lol I added a doily that I had cut from a Papertrey Ink, added a black cardstock punched circle, and then cut another piece of patterned paper. I also found a way to use the left over sentiments from the first thank you.




What do you think? Which one came out better? I apologize for the "lopsided" photos. Wish I could blame it on the camera, but I am pretty sure it had more to do with the photographer ;)

On another note, please keep my family in your prayers. We met with my grandmothers oncologist (who will also be my mothers) on Thursday. They are afraid that it may have traveled to her bones. This is all so new, so if you have any stories, advice, books, anything, I would love to hear.

Today, we will go meet with my mothers oncologist for the first time, and at the same time my grandmother will have a bone scan. Please, Jesus, keep it from being there. I am choosing to throw myself into creating, and creating a lot! It helps my soul. I have been thinking about starting a card drive. I will be spending the next few months daily at the oncology center with them, and I plan on trying to heal through creating. I would love some input!

I pray everyone has a wonderfully blessed day! Much love and huge hugs!

Happy..um..Valentine's Day?

Honestly, I am beyond worn out right now. Doctors, surgeons, oncologists, bone scans, a biopsy...Yes, it takes its toll. So, forgive me for just now posting this Valentine's card. This is a card I made for the love of my life. It is nothing spectacular, but fortunately we show each other every day how much we love each other. So simple little things mean the most.

I used Crate Papers Paper Heart Collection, and twine from The Twinery.

Like I said, it is a clean ans simple card...which really describes my cards. I hope you will like it.


I thought it came out cute for my love. Not too feminine for my very own John Wayne.

I have also decided to start submitting my applications to a couple of design teams. It's time. I need something to focus on rather than this ugly cancer. We have only begun the long journey. One that I never imagined we would be traveling. But, this is what God has dealt us, and I will praise Him every minute!

I am also going to be redesigning my blog. I want it happy and cheery and to express the true joy that no matter what the circumstances....I have a true joy that comes only from Him! Thank you for stopping by again.....THREE posts in a week!!! I think I am getting back in to my groove! Much Love :)

I Fell In Love With A Stache

I have a super fun card to share today. When I first discovered the world on online scrapbooking, I had the honor of being a part of the EAD Designs Design Team. Although I am no longer on the DT, I continue to adore their products! A few weeks ago, I was looking for some of their rub on sentiments when I came across this mustache rub on. I instantly fell in love with it. Well, I actually fell in love with the entire sheet of "staches". I wonder if this has anything to do with my Prince Charming having a mustache/goatee our entire marriage! Hmmm...





I created the card from American Crafts cardstock, and layered the card front with black and cream cardstock. I wanted to add something that would make the card pop, so I added this bold red ribbon. I stitched it to the card so the I could keep the folds where they were. Also, I used this cute SRM Sticker Birthday Boy sentiment. I love SRM because they always have a sentiment for everything!!


I love the entire mustache phenom and all of the products out there that feed in to said phenom :)

Check this out:



You can even get the mustaches in different colors!

If the rub ons are not enough....EAD even has these super cute nail decals!



Thanks so much for stopping by, and check back later this week for another new card :)

My Mind's Eye And One HUGE Favor

I have been recovering really well since this last surgery. I now have a hard black cast above my elbow, but fortunately it has not hampered me from creating. I have bought more stuff than I have used, but what is a girl to do when during and after CHA she has a lot of time to research the newest products....She buys as much as her debit card allows. One of favorite lines right now is My Mind's Eye Follow Your Heart - Be Amazing. The soft colors and pretty patterns had me from the start! So, I now own two of every product from this line lol

After this card, please continue reading. I have a huge favor to ask!


I first created the card with white cardstock from Papertrey Ink. Then I cut a block from kraft cardstock - also from Papertrey Ink. I then cut three strips of patterned paper. I used a Martha Stewart border punch on one of the strips. Then I placed a block of the graph patterned paper over that. I used the nested pennant die from Spellbinders to create the kraft banner and the patterned paper banner. What is so great about using these is that they fit (nest) perfectly inside of the other for more dimension! I also used my Fiskars scalloped decorative scissors around each of the kraft banner pieces. Also included are buttons from the Follow Your Heart collection, Crate Paper alphas, and some twine from Papertrey Ink.

Here is a look at the decorative buttons and the 6x6 paper pad....Did I say how much I loved this line :)




So, I have a huge favor to ask. But, before I ask, let me explain....

Last week, my world came crashing down. What I never imagined happening to us, happened...twice! Last Monday, after a biopsy, the doctors confirmed to us that my 90 year old grandmother (my mom's mom) has bilateral breast cancer. She has tumors in each breast. One is non-invasive and is at a Stage 1, but the other is invasive, is traveling, and is at a Stage 2. Her being 90 years old is amazing in itself, but my grandmother is beyond your typical old lady. She still lives by herself, drives (pretty well also), tends to her yard, and even keeps all of my littles anytime I need her to. She looks like a young 75 year old.



Today we met with the surgeon, and he is recommending a bilateral lumpectomy. They will remove the tumors and follow with 6 weeks of radiation 5 days a week. Her age does play into this.


On Tuesday, the wind was knocked out of me. After barely getting the news about my grandmother, after a CT scan and PET scan, the doctors diagnosed my mother with lung cancer. It is a good size mass in the upper lobe of her right lung. Tomorrow morning, she is having a biopsy so that (the way I understand it) they can stage it and determine the treatment. The actual biopsy itself will only take 30-45 minutes, but they will be keeping her to observe for any complications. More than likely she will have to have surgery to remove the mass and the lobe. We do not know yet if she will have chemo and radiation, or just chemo or just radiation. For the last couple of years, she has been losing weight and they have run test after test trying to figure out why. She is thin anyway, so her losing weight has not been good. Finally, they did the full body scan and found it. Praise God that they did!



So, back to that huge favor.....Please keep these two women, who I love more than life, in your prayers. If you get a chance, lift them up to The Healer, The Great Physician, to our Almighty God. I know in my heart that God is weaving together a powerful testimony of His grace, His love, and that He will never leave or forsake us. I can't lie. I am having a hard time understanding all of this. I am having a difficult time grasping our new reality. I am in denial, and at the same time accepting what is happening and what is to come. It's a lot. It's too much. Sometimes I can't breathe when I think about it. There will be two surgeries, two recoveries, lots of treatments, and TWO CASES OF REMISSION! I believe this! I know this. I trust God!

Thank you for the prayers that you will say in my grandmothers name and my moms. Matthew 18:20 "For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them."

It's A Wild, Wild Life

February 2012??? Already? I had the 6th surgery on my left arm this past Tuesday, and have not been able to do very much since. I had a Left Ulnar Reconstruction with Achilles Tendon Allograft. That is a mouthful. Basically the surgeon had to make a sling with an Achilles tendon from a donor. They had to drill 3 holes in the radius bone, and then tighten the tendons and ligaments that have been stretched and destroyed. It has been a little painful, but it is not as bad as some of the other surgeries. So, I am thankful for that. Next Friday I will have my stitches taken out, and I will be put in a long arm cast for 6 weeks. But, it is over and now I can focus on the recovery! I knew that the first few days after surgery I would not be able to create anything, so I was busy before the surgery! I do have all of my supplies together ready to go, and when I am able to, I will be neck high in pretty paper and glue. I have a couple of things to share today. But, I do not have any cards or layouts. These are another side of me. We have been redecorating the kids rooms, and I love to make things to match. Sometimes I have a specific idea of what I am looking for, and I just can't it. That is when I get crafty. Both of my girls have decided on animal print for their rooms. Shelby wants all zebra print accented with pink. Callie decided on giraffe print accented with red. Her combination frightened me initially because I was not sure that 1) I would like the giraffe print with red, and; 2) that we would be able to find items to match. I was wonderfully surprised! I was able to find plenty of giraffe print fabric, towels, sheets, wall hangings, wall decor, and even a giraffe print candle. Then we decided to do some other items in solid red. I found some red minky dot fabric (love love love the softness), and we are now set to make her curtains, pillows, and even a couple of wall hangings. Not sure about the color and the print? Well, check these out:

The red minky dot has also made its appearance on the seat of our hall tree. I will take pictures and post them later. I still have to find the right fabric for two small pillows to sit on the hall tree. Now for the zebra print. When she said she wanted zebra print and pink I wondered how we could decorate a little girls room without it looking like every other little girls room. So, I decided to make it more girly and dress it up. This lamp shade was purchased at Wal-Mart for $8.00. I bought the all the fabric (giraffe and zebra print, pink and red mink dot) at fabric.com. I made a template with a piece of paper for each section. I cut it out and adhered it with my hot glue gun.

I purchased the silver sequin trim at Hobby Lobby. It has elastic in it, and I usually use it for headbands, but I liked that it was a little chunky. I purchased it when their trim was 50% off, and it ended up being $1.50 a roll. Once the shade was covered I added the sequin trim to separate the sections. After that, I decided that I wanted to add some bling to the zebra sections. I love the way it turned out, and at night there is a slight pink cast over her room from the lamp. You can also see the pink silk carnations in the crystal vase. I purchased these at Hobby Lobby as well. I bought the zebra candle at Kohl's (on sale). Next I will be working on her curtains, and a huge pink minky dot cushion cover for the top of her toy box. As soon as I get these rooms finished, I will post pictures. I hope every one is happy, healthy, and over all....Joyful! I have some other fun things to blog about this week. It feels amazing to be back at scrapping, creating, and crafting. My heart is smiling :)