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Hello again.

Today, against better judgement, I made a card for the color challenge over at splitcoast stampers. They wanted dusty durango, so saffron and rich razzleberry to be used. This is the card I created for the challenge.

The reason I say it was against better judgement is because when I went walking today, holding the umbrella of all things just aggrivated my arms to no end. My left arm has always been the better of the two, but even this arm, holding it in a still position holding an umbrella for 15-20 or 30 minutes at a time, took it's toll on me.

I know alot people think I complain too much about it, but you know, you have 4 surgeries between two arms and tell me how you feel. They hurt every day, some days are worse than others. I am still waiting for my fifth surgery, hopefully the last. It is not a picnic. That is for sure.

But recently events have happened to me, where I am trying not to focus on the pain so much, and focus on things that will better my life, my health. I have been walking for 4 weeks now, and it really has boosted my self-esteem. I really hit bottom, and now, I am picking myself up and moving forward. I'm finally out of the depression that has plagued me for so many years. Bad marraige and bad health just made it unbearable. But the marriage is over (good for me), and my health is better, nearing the end of this long road of endless surgeries of my arms, so now, positive thinking.

Life is too short not to live it to it's fullest. I realize it now. It has been a rocky road over the past several years, but now my life is finally turning a corner, and only better and brighter things I see for my future.

Have a wonderful day, and God Bless

MMSC53

I made this for Precilla's midnight madness challenge.

I used kiwi kiss as my base, then layered it with pretty-in-pink. I used SU dsp.

I stamped my inspired by nature image using certain celery for the reeds, then old olive, pretty in pink and regal rose for theflowers.

I had this pretty ribbon that looked like regal rose, so I cut it and mounted it on pretty in pink.

The butterflies are regal rose and attached with glue dots.

tfl

New life

As I wonder down yander way,

I look down and say hey,

Life is good

Life is grand

Let's live our lives hand in hand.

Little poem came to my head so thought I'd share it.

Anyway, I've been given a new lease on life. I had had a tough road over the past few years. I was in a failing marriage, and had 4 surgeries to date between both of my arms. I hit the lowest of the lows. I thought I would never get out. But the one thing that kept me going was "faith". I always had faith in God. Even though I got away from going to church, and even reading the bible, I still believed in God, and when it really got bad, I always looked to Him.

Now, my life seems to be heading in the right direction. I'm finally out of that slump. I am starting to feel good about myself again. I AM living life again! I'm not hiding under the rock of circumstances that wanted to keep me down. I am living, and I am loving life again! What a joy!

I started exercising. I do a 4 mile walk every day. I just bought new sneakers too because the other ones are shot. I'm feeling good about myself, and I am truly happy in my heart. I haven't been happy like this in probably 14 years! Granted, you have the happiness of God in your heart, but I feel happiness for me. I finally feel good about myself. I'm tackling the weight that has been holding me back for years. When I got sick, I gained 50 pounds from the medication. I AM going to loose that weight. I have goals set for myself now. Wow, goals! Who would have thought that goals could bring so much joy to someone.

When talking to my lawyer yesterday, he said to me " you've been through a lot, you are very lucky to come out from the bad days, because so many of his clients never do". 14 years in a bad marriage, 4 years of living with pain from my arms, 4 surgeries, that is a lot. Thank God, I have God! I never would have made it without HIM!

So now, as I walk my 4 miles a day, I dream of brighter days, and hope for my future. I am dreaming again, and planning for wonderful things. I think I might go back to school again, this time for either phsychology, or sociology, or both! Life is good! I know I have only brighter days ahead of me.

I made this card for mothers day for my mom. I got a chance to talk to her last night. She is very happy that I am on the right path now. She did say to me, she was surprised at how positive I was during such a bad time. Because when I talk to mom, I laugh, and try to be the happiest I can be for her, cuz she is my mom, and I love her. But she agreed, I have not been dealt very good cards over recent years.

Here is the card I made for her:

I used mellow moss as the base of the card, I used barely banana on the inside and stamped my sentiment and a pretty flower.

I used melon mambo for the mats with barely banana, pink pirouette and white for the design. I used 2006 SU dsp. I used green galore and melon mambo for the hummingbird and cut him out and popped him up using pop dots.

I stamped the flower in black, and colored it using various pinks and green galore, and finished it with a ribbon.

I hope my mom likes her mothers day card.

Have a great day, God bless, and live each moment to the fullest. Life is too short not to appreciate all the beauty it has to offer.

Lester's get well

I am a member of a private club, and I am on the sympathy committee. (I guess they call it that for lack of a better name) Anyway, the president of our club, and a dear sweet man is in the hospital. I'm not sure what the ailment is, but from what I hear, it is pretty serious. He celebrated his 85th birthday last year, and has pretty much been healthy until then. He had a bout of something a while back, had a surgery, and took about 2 months to recover, and now he is back in the hospital with complications I believe. Don't quote me, but I'm pretty sure that is what is happening. Anyway, I think of Lester like a grandfather. He is so sweet, and he will tell you like it is. I really care about him, and hope he gets well soon.

I made his card as part of the splitcoaststampers sketch challenge. I used vanilla as my base then kiwi kiss as my mount. I then took another piece of vanilla and ran it thru the cuttlebug using one of their folders, then split the image the way the sketch asked us to. I then stamped the dragonfly in always artichoke, and added the get well sentiment, some hodgepodge hardware and a ribbon on the bottom. I really hope he likes his card.

thanks for looking.

MMSC45

This is for the midnight madness challenge found here:http://priscillastyles.blogspot.com/

I used white as my base, then black as my mat. I measured my bg with a ruler so it would be even. I used rose red for my flowers from Pretty Amazing, cut the and popped them up using glue dots. The hummingbird, I stamped on a previously stamped image that I didn't like, then I cut it and popped it up. I added brads because the corners needed something.

Here is the card:

This card I made for splitcoaststampers sketch challenge.

I used white as my base, black as my mat, then stamped my flowers using bravo burgandy, rose red and old olive. The bg is stamped in mellow moss.

Creating again!

Hello fellowette bloggers! I decided to actually blog about my latest creation today. Splitcoast stampers had a challenge, "technique lovers challenge" I never do these, but I thought I would peek to see what it was. It was a challenge to make your own designer paper. So, I decided to use a technique I made up maybe 2 yrs ago or so. It is a combination of elements from like three different techniques.

I call the technique, SMOOSH, SQUISH AND SPRAY:
As you can see from my card, there seems to be a lot of movement on my background panel, that is due to the technique.

1. take a baggie, cut it along the side and along the bottom. I feel ziplocks work best.
2. open the baggie like a book
3. find coordinating colors, I used regal rose, and pink passion (stamp pads only)
4. on one side stamped the regal rose using your stamp pad, cover the side of the baggie
5. then stamp pink passion on the other side using the stamp pad, cover this side of the baggie
6. close the baggie, smoosh the colors together using a bone folder, go over the entire portion of the baggie with the bone folder
7. open the baggie, take a spritzer full of water, and a few drops of red food coloring, shake to mix, then spray one spray on each side of the baggie
8. close quickly then open again
9. take watercolor paper or glossy photo paper. Use glossy side out 2 pieces, otherwise fold your watercolor paper in half.
10. place on inside of baggie
11. close baggie, use bone folder to squish all the colors together, do for several seconds until desired effect is achieved.
12. open baggie, take paper out, if you use watercolor paper, you may want to take a heat gun to dry the paper, it will be soggy.
13. go rinse out your baggie for next use
14. use your new smoosh, squish, and sprayed image for your project.

Too long

It has been way too long since I have blogged last. I try not to stay on the computer too much because it just irritates my arms. I have another doctor appointment in about 2 weeks. I'm wondering if he will suggest another surgery. The PA, gave the inclination that doctor would suggest that due to the deterioration of the muscles in my arm. He suggested that the doctor might want to get rid of the dead tissue. I'm sure I have a lot since this is a chronic issue I've had for 4 yrs. This next surgery will hopefully be the last one, as it was always the secondary issue to the insides of my elbows. 4 years is way too long to deal with this.

But anyway, I'm not hear to blah, blah, blah about my arms all day, too sick of it. I'm here to showcase my latest works. I was invited to participate in a midnight madness challenge, and this is the card I made for it

I used melon mambo as my base, then added bella blue dsp, my mat is lavendar lace and my image is stamped in rich razzleberry. tfl and all your nice comments.