Saturday, September 24, 2011

Some cards....

I haven't been doing a lot of crafting but I've been doing more than I was. I am sooooooo looking forward to going to New Hampshire next week. We're going for a week so I wanted to make sure I had the October club cards finished. I did that today and I did a cute Hallowen card at Annettes last Friday.
This a "stair" style card (or step card).



These card bases were only $1.50 for 8 with envelopes at Michael's. My group will make 2 of each at club class. I'm getting stuff together now for classes for my fall retreat.

Saturday, September 3, 2011

Halloween Banner

I spent all day working on this and packing kits for the club to do it as well. It sure doesn't look like a days work when you sit back and look at the pictures.haha

Wednesday, August 24, 2011

Summer is almost over

I don't know where the goes....in 2 more days it will be 1 year since I was diagnosed. The year has been a blurr but I am still here. Weeks of chemo and radiation, a port-a-cath "installed" that didn't work and had to be removed weeks later, a pick line that got infected and developed a blood clot and then there was the surgery. There were days when I thought I would die but after 2 weeks they sent me home, only to catch the stomach flu from the kids and send me back to hospital for IV fluids. After some weeks of recuperation chemo started again but I couldn't tolerate the drug, (large rash) so after 2 days and 20+ IV attempts in my hands and arms they stopped it so they could figure something else out. I then started on the once every 3 week regime. I was pleasantly surprised when I was finished after 6 treatments. Apparently since I had 2 doses of the first drug, 6 was enough of the second drug. Tears of joy were rare this past year, but I had them that day.
So no more chemo for me.
I am starting to feel more rested because that was 3 weeks ago. The day after that last treatment we went to the states for a few days, it was nice but rushed, not a lot of time to relax. When I got home I crashed for 2 solid days.
This is us in Maine.
It seems like I did nothing this summer, it just went by so fast. Quinten and I took a weekend and went to Yarmouth. This was a very relaxing weekend for us. It was nice to just spend time together.
This is Quinten when we went to see a local lighthouse.
I didn't do much scrapbooking, but summer is never really a time when I do much paper crafting. I did make some cards though.

Sunday, June 26, 2011

I know I know I know

It's been 2 months since my last entry and the time has flown by. So since last entry I have had my 4th chemo treatment. They consistently give me the same side effects. I always have then on a Tuesday and the next day I am tired and my appetite starts to decrease, then by Friday I have the usual joint and muscle pains that last a few days with some queasiness. The next week I am usually drained  of all energy and take frequent naps. I usually have a few good days before turning around and doing it all over again. I still realize how good I have it compared to so many people. My chemo doesn't make me puke continuously or make me lose my hair, give me sores in my mouth or peel the skin off my hands and feet. There are so many others out there going through all of that. I am thankful I'm not one of them.

The community (Bonnie Croft organized) another benefit evening in my honour. They did a variety concert and dessert night that brought in more than $1000. Such a wonderful community I live in. Right now we are getting Brandon through graduation formalities. He took a longtime friend (Sam Daniels) to prom with him.
 This is them at the fire hall before they left.
Graduation ceremonies are Tuesday evening, we are all going to Pizza Delight for dinner together beforehand. He just recently started a new job with the Weed Man and he seems to like it and on Thursday he is moving into an apartment with his girlfriend. I think it will the best thing for him, he'll have a chance to be his own boss and learn the value of a dollar. It'll be a big eye-opener for him.

I've been wanting a patio set for years and I could never settle on one so on Friday evening Moyal made me go to Bridgewater and pick one out. We looked everywhere and the one we liked the most was at Zellers. We also bought  gazebo to put over it. It really looks nice. We had a dinner party with Kathy, Cory, Mike, Shelley, Cindy and Craig last night and we couldn't even use the patio set because it rained......go figure...... We had a great time though, it was the first time we'd all been together in a very long time. I made lasagna and fruit pizza for dessert.
This was the only picture I took all evening. It sure was yummy.
I did the Relay for Life a few Fridays ago. I raised about $300 through selling my cards at Stews and the Crop Annette I did at the Fire Hall. The relay was a good time, I will do it again, I just couldn't stay all night, it was so cold. I crawled into bed around 2am.
I did walk the track more than I thought I would, probably about 6 times.
I haven't been doing a lot of scrapbooking or card making except for my 2 clubs. One of them just finished and the other is taking a month off, so I will try to do a few classes here at the house during July and August until we start up again. I need to work on Brandon's album this summer, it was supposed to be his grad present and I know I won't have it done by Tuesday......yikes, like I said before - time sure flies.....


Friday, April 22, 2011

I'm such a slacker

I have been so slack about writing in here. Mind you I have been quite busy this week. On the go everyday until now. I started the new chemo drug this week. Number one side effect is flu like symptoms with aches in the muscles and joints. I certainly had that, but the weather was real crappy too, so who knows what it was from.....anyway, I feel better today. We're not doing anything special for Easter, the kids are too big to do anything with, they'll get the usual junk, but that's it. Mom and dad are coming up for brunch on Sunday, so I'm making a carrot cake today for dessert...mmmmmmm.....hopefully there will be some left for them.
I've sold quite a few cards at the store so far, I plan to get some more ready today and delivered just in case anyone needs some last minute Easter cards. Pictures to follow in a little while.

Friday, April 15, 2011

Relay for Life



Here are some cards I made to sell to raise money for the Relay for life. I joined the Oncology Team and we relay on June 10th. I sold $25 worth the first day. Annette and I are going to do a Crop day to raise money as well.
I am really happy with these. There are a lot of layers but quite easy.


These were time consuming with the coloring with watercolors, but otherwise very simple.

This is a card I made a couple years ago, but I thought it was worthy of being added with the others to sell.

This is another one of the bunny stamps from the Sensational Season SOTM from CTMH.

There's not much sense in making just one of a card, I make 3 or 4 of the same one once I start.

These are all older cardds I had in my stash except for the bottom center. That was Annette's card idea from the crop for compassion from last weekend.

These are more of the older cards and 2 of Annette's again. Hers are the 2 on the far right, well the ideas were hers but I made these!
 

Sunday, April 3, 2011

Creative Block, April 3, 2011

I don't know where the time is going, here we are into April already. I've been struggling with doing a scrapbook layout and I think the only thing to do is to pack it up and put it away. It's been sitting out for days now with no progress. I need to focus on some other things right now. I am going to a crop for compassion in Chester Basin on Saturday, so I need to come up with a few things to have for classes. Thank God for Annette's help. After that I need to start making some cards. Stew is going to sell them for me to raise money for the Relay for Life in June and then Annette and I are going to do a Crop fund raiser at the firehall on May 7th. On top of that I have my regular club gathering that I need a 6x6 page layout for in a week and a new group starting this month as well. Creative block better go away soon, I also need a little ambition. I had lots yesterday. Got groceries in the morning, came home and after putting them away I scrubbed the bathrooms. Moyal put new doors on all the bedrooms, which made lots of mess. I swept and vacuumed all the bedrooms, cleaned Quinten's room and then made 3 big homemade pizza's for supper. Needless to say after I ate I crashed, when I got up I went to bed. Now I have to sweep downstairs again because the dust has settled again and mom and dad are coming for a visit.
Tomorrow chemo starts again. Again it seems like time is flying, I thought it would be forever before I got to this stage. I take the chemo everyday for 5 days and then take 3 weeks off and then do it all over again. This goes on for 4 months. I'm not nervous or upset. I feel quite confident it will go well. I didn't have too many side effects last time from the chemo, so hopefully I won't this time either. So by the end of August or the first of September I should be ready for my next surgery. I still haven't gotten my disability to kick in and I'll soon be able to go back to work. What a pain. Well, I must get my work done and get dressed and start the day.Hopefully I will have a photo of something scrapped to add later today.

Tuesday, March 15, 2011

Surgery is finally behind me

I know it's been a long time since I wrote, but I am just starting to feel like myself. The night before my surgery I didn't sleep at all, we were up at 3am and on the road by 4am. I was the first person to check in for surgery once we got to the VG. I sat in a corner in my Johnny shirt and hat waiting nervously to move to the operating room. Around 7am or 7:30am they introduced me to the residents and my OR nurse and told me it was time to head to the OR. Moyal walked me to the doors, I was shaking like a leaf and Moyal had tears welling up in his eyes. He kissed me and then I went through the doors. I never wanted to run more than I did right then. I got up on the stretcher/bed and they started trying to get an IV in me. It's never easy to get an IV in me, my veins are miserable. While they are poking me they are trying to decide what they are going to do with my legs for the surgery because my knees don't bend and normally you have your knees bent up in stirrups, but I wasn't able to do that. They called Dr. McIntyre into the OR and thought they would keep me awake to get me in position, but, thank GOD he said " No, put her to sleep". It was right after that I was gone.....................When I woke up in the recovery room, I don't remember feeling pain, I actually don't remember feeling much of anything. It seemed like time was standing still. As it turned out I was in there for a very long time. It was suppertime before they moved me to a room. I remember seeing Moyal when I was in the hallway of 9B waiting to go into my room. He had spent from early that morning until then waiting for me and the nurses made him wait even longer until they get me situated in my bed. I remember thinking, " how am I going to get into a different bed when I can't even lift my head?" Well, they put a backboard under me and lifted it and plopped me on the other bed and then pulled the backboard out. After doing my vitals they Moyal in, Annette and Mom came in to see me and then they left right away. I don't really remember those first few days, except Moyal was always there. Early in the morning helping me get cleaned up until late at night when I was ready to sleep, ( not that I didn't sleep through the day while he was there too).Surgery was on a Friday and I think it was early on Sunday morning when the resident came in to see me I was so nauseated I couldn't breathe. He told me I would need an NG tube. Well I didn't know what that was but I needed relief. The nurses came in with this tube and a glass of water with an elbow straw. One nurse stuck the straw in my mouth and said "drink" while the other nurse proceeded to feed this tube in my nose and down my throat. Not pleasant, especially when it got stuck halfway and she had to reposition it to get it in the right spot. This tube then gets attached to a very noisy machine and sucks the green bile out of my stomach. It was really gross, a litre came off in no time and just kept coming. I thought at first it was going to be pulled later that day and I could start trying to have some fluids, boy was I wrong. I had that tube down my throat for 8 days. On the last day I was allowed to have a Popsicle. It was the first thing I had to eat in 12 days. During those 8 days I developed an external infection in my incision and the doctor had to open it to let it drain and then the dressing needed to be changed a few times a day. The holes would be packed with gauze and lots of it, it grossed me out so bad, it hurt too. I had dalotted hooked up to a push button, so I would push my button a few times before the dressing change to get a little relief. After a few days they thought my ostomy wasn't working the way it should so they sent me for a CT scan and found that I had a blockage. Just when I thought I couldn't be shocked by what they do to my body, the doctor pulled out a catheter that he was planning to put in my stoma and through my intestine. I thought I would pass out just at the thought. As it turned out it didn't hurt and it did work on the blockage. It took a few days but it finally slowed down to close to normal output. Every night I was in there I would have hot and cold sweats. It was aweful, I would wake up drenched and freezing, my temperature was up and down all the time. After about 5 days with the tube down my throat one of the nurses seemed to think I was still expelling way too much bile so she had the doctor order an x-ray to see if the tube was down too far. It wasn't until the next day that they came and told me indeed it was down 10cm too far, so they pulled it up 10cm. I remember having a really bad day on the Thursday after surgery, I had company that day, Stew had come in the afternoon and Mike and Shelley were there in the evening. Quinten had taken the day off school to come in and visit with me, luckily he was asleep in the afternoon when I started throwing up the green bile, even with the tube down my throat. That is a taste I never what to experience again. So finally after 15 days in hospital they finally let me go home. I was so home sick at that point all I could do is cry even though I was packing to go home.

Thursday, February 10, 2011

Tomorrow is coming closer

I just want to go to bed and when I wake up have it all over with. Last night I didn't want to go to bed because I didn't want today to come. No more eating for a while. My last meal consisted of salad, mashed potatoes with lots of butter and salmon with homemade lemon meringue pie for dessert. It was yummy. Today I get to have consomme, apple juice, water, power aid....you get the picture. They told me I won't have anything even to drink for a couple of days. I guess everything I need will go through my IV, I just hope I don't have to deal with hunger pains, maybe they'll keep me drugged enough I won't know I'm hungry. I keep trying to imagine what the change I am about to experience is going to be like. I can't imagine how I will feel. I know pain, so I am not afraid of that, but I am afraid of what I don't know. I know a lot of people live with a colostomy, I just need to find a way to deal with the change in lifestyle.

Monday, February 7, 2011

1 day closer

I've been a little on edge today, a little pre-occupied a lot on my mind, and a lot I am trying to put out of my mind. I had to go on line to see what a colostomy looks like.....not what I expected to say the least. I did a lot of surfing and reading and watching videos. Tomorrow is my pre-assessment appointment in Halifax, they'll be doing blood work and a lot of paper work. Probably a teaching on how to care for the colostomy as well. They said I'll be there 3-4 hours. I just want this all over with. I can't image what it'll be like on Thursday for me, I can barely focus now.
I did spend some time this morning preparing for my Conquerall group gathering on Monday night. I won't be able to be there so I got everything together and passed it over to Angie and Nancy to teach for me. They are quite capable of figuring it out without me and hopefully next month I'll be able to be there. Here is a picture of the layout I came up with:
I used CTMH "wings" paper and the SOTM from January and February, unfortunately I wasn't very creative today. Maybe I'll come up with something on Wednesday or Thursday.

Friday, February 4, 2011

Happy Friday

One week from today I'll already be in surgery. They want me there for 6am and surgery at 7:30am, that means I have to leave at 4am from home as long as the roads are good, if they are bad we'll need to leave earlier. I am trying to cross a lot of things off my list between now and then. I am doing the mini album class here tomorrow, I have 5 people coming, maybe 6, so that will be fun. I am making plans for the crop in March and I have 2 SOTM groups, well technically only one running right now but I have to prepare for the second one to start in March or maybe beginning of April.
I keep trying to imagine what it'll be like after the surgery, I am not obsessing but it's definitely on my mind frequently. I have been keeping fairly busy the past few days and today I am going to head into Bridgewater for some groceries and a few other things that I will need when I am in hospital.
I made some cards yesterday to occupy myself and here they are:
I'm not super happy with these, I had something else in mind but they didn't quite come together the way I planned. I think I have enough Valentine cards for this year now. Here is another card I made with someone in mind for her upcoming birthday:

I used CTMH product for all of these except for the purses, I used a faux suede from SU that I've had for ages. It was one of those things I never wanted to cut on. I'm over that feeling these days, I really want to use what I have as opposed to hoarding.

Thursday, February 3, 2011

Liverpool Scrapbook Retreat

I have just confirmed the dates with the Liverpool Best Western and I am happy to say we are booked in for the weekend of March 25th,26th and 27th. Crop begins at 6:30 pm on Friday and runs through until Sunday at 3:00pm.
There is a class offered on Friday evening and on Saturday morning which are included in the crop price of $85, as well as a mini album on Saturday afternoon for an additional $15 if you want to sign up.
There will be a treat on Friday evening, lunch and snacks on Saturday and the hotel offers a lovely breakfast free with your room. Rooms are $89 per night. Please contact me with any questions. I will be unavailable between February 11th and February 22nd but I will respond to any emails after the 22nd that arrive in that time frame.

Wednesday, February 2, 2011

Hump Day/Ground Hog Day

I don't think any sane minded Ground Hog will venture out today anywhere in this mess! Another 6 weeks it is! I suspect we are in for a lot of snow, no school again today and maybe not tomorrow again.
Not having a great day today, I went back to sleep this morning after listening to the radio to confirm there was no school and when I finally woke up at 9am I felt like crap, I had been having one of those dreams where you try to talk and can't, try to scream and nothing comes out and you try to move and you can't. Needless to say I woke up in a panic. I am just started to feel a little better now.
I need to make a few more cards today and prepare for my SOTM group for this month and next in the next couple of days, before I know I will be on my way to the hospital. I have to spend Tuesday in the hospital for pre-assessment and Thursday.....well....that day will be a complete write off "preparing" myself for surgery.
I had a wonderful surprise the other day, the community, the church community, had a benefit concert at the church with proceeds for me. I was given a very nice amount of money to help with my expenses. It sure did come at the right time, I haven't any income for awhile. Moyal is going to be taking a fair amount of time away from work while I'm in the hospital too, if I know him he'll be in everyday even though I told him he doesn't have to.
So here are the cards I made yesterday:

It's just as easy to make 2 of a card as it is to make one.

This is a picture looking down my driveway right now, you can't really see the snow falling but it is.

Monday, January 31, 2011

Good Monday morning....

Well I didn't do anything creative yesterday like I had hoped. Mom and dad came to visit for the afternoon. I did spend a lot of time at the cricut though, I cut a lot of things out for mom. She is making tags for next Christmas. I've had the cricut for years and I am just starting to use it now, it sure is nice to have. After looking around on SCS this past weekend I came to the realization that I now need to start collecting Nestabilities. Those things are used everywhere and they are so nice. Just when I thought I didn't need any more tools of the trade......One of the girls that signed up to sell CTMH under me showed up yesterday with a CTMH apron for me, it's quite nice, thanks so much Carol.
I have to get ready to drive Quinten and a friend to school in the next few minutes. They're making smoothies at school today and they have a big cooler, fruit, milk, etc to carry so the bus would have been difficult to bring all of it. When I get back I have to clean the scrap room for me and Cindy. We are working on calendars today.

Sunday, January 30, 2011

Countdown to surgery

I can't believe I already have 6 weeks of chemo and radiation behind me. I was really scared when it was all new to me but now it seems like it was nothing. The 2 hour drive one way to the hospital every day was worse than the treatment itself. If it wouldn't have been from the complications every time I turned around things would have been a breeze. Now I have almost 6 weeks of "healing" from radiation behind me as well and it is time to switch gears and start thinking about surgery. I had it out (or in the back) of my mind since the new year but now it is becoming a reality I am starting to think about and prepare myself for. I have had surgery before, even ones that I was scared to have but this tops them. I know a lot of people right now that are doing countdowns, but they are all planning to take a glorious trip south, but not me.......next year though. We are thinking of Jamaica, but still in the very early planning stage. I have to have something big to look forward to. I am also planning a weekend crop in Liverpool the end of March. I am looking forward to that for right now. I will make plans and send the info around and post it here as well before I go to the hospital. I plan to be creative today so I will post what I come up with later. Have a great Sunday all.

Saturday, January 29, 2011

Heart Cards

I started these cards the other day but had to work on perfecting them. Along with everything else, cooking, cleaning, refereeing, laundry, etc. time got away from me. I was going to make the dress at Peggy's party last night but unfortunately no one was able to make it out. So here they are:
They are made with either a heart punch ( as they were in the blog where I found them) or as I did with a cricut cartridge. You can find the tutorial on http://valitasfreshfolds.blogspot.com/. The card with the 2 hearts could be used as a valentine card, a wedding card or an anniversary card.
 The dress card could be used for a girl birthday, shower card, graduation you name it. I just had to make them both, they are soooo cute. The little rose I made with the scallop punch from SU. It is so easy to do. The tutorial for it is also on Valita's blog mentioned above. 
Let me know if you have any questions about making these, you really need to see the video tutorial to see how easy it is to do the shading with ink on the bodice. I used blush CTMH ink on the dress and as the base CS. The card is 5x7. On the card with the 2 hearts I used tulip CTMH CS and ink. That card is standard 4.25x5.5.

Thursday, January 27, 2011

Jan. 27, 2011....Storm Day

No school today anywhere in the maritimes as far as I can tell, even Community Collages and Universities. We're getting lots of rain and freezing rain because the temperature is hovering around 0 degrees C.
 Anyway enough about the weather, it's a good day to make a big soup for dinner ( which I plan to do) and get comfy in my scrap room making a project. I started it last night but will perfect it later today and then post it.

I know a few people were trying to become followers on my blog and wasn't sure what to do, so I investigated and it looks as though you need to first of all click on "sign in" just behind where it says " already a member". Then go down to the bottom of the box and click on "Create a new Google Account". It will then prompt you to add your existing email ( you don't need to create a new one) and then add a password ( I always try to use the same one everywhere...less chance of forgetting). Continue filling in the rest of the info needed and at the bottom of that box click on " I accept. Create my account." You'll then need to go to where it has the word "Followers" and below it " with Google friend connect" and enter your email and password you just created. Hopefully you won't have any problems.

The rain has turned to snow and lots of it, so I must get bust playing with paper......

Wednesday, January 26, 2011

Jan. 26th, 2011

Where has January gone? It looks like there will be lots of time to craft in the next 48 hours, big storm coming in. I want to share with you some pictures of a class I am doing on Feb.5th at my house.

This is the front of the album. I used CTMH Magnifique paper pack with Lagoon, Sky and Pacifica ink colors.
Pages 2 and 3

Pages 4 and 5

Pages 6 and 7

Pages 8 and 9

Back cover.
I started the album by painting all around the edges with antique white paint ( dollar store stuff) and then sponged the edges with pacifica CTMH ink. The pages are 4 3/4' square. I also got to use my cricut a lot in this project.
There are only 6 spots available in the class so contact me asap if you to join in and make one of these for yourself.


Tuesday, January 25, 2011

In the begining......

Well, I always wanted to have a blog of my own. Here I am, blogging.....I want to do a few things in this blog, I want to share my love of scrapbooking and card making and keep you all posted on my cancer journey. For those who don't already know I was diagnosed with rectal cancer August 26th 2010. Since then I have left my job, temporarily, I have done 6 weeks of chemo and radiation. Finished that just before Christmas and was able to relax and enjoy my holidays with my family. My surgery is scheduled for February 11th. I try not to think about it right now. I am spending my days scrapbooking either alone or with Annette, my sister, or with my friend Cindy. Today was an exception, I have a terrible sinus headache so I lounged in my pj's today. I do a lot of surfing SCS for ideas and inspiration ( http://www.splitcoaststampers.com/).
I just received an anniversary note from Close to my Heart congratulating me on entering my 4th year as an independent consultant.