Something Personal

I know this is a creative space and not a "personal" blog, but I need to share what is happening with our family at the moment.  A little background:  My mother and her husband (my stepfather...although I do not recall using those words until now) live about 5 minutes from where my husband of 5 years moved to in 2007.  All of us were rather surprised when we found out my mom's then winter home was just down the road from my then boyfriend's winter home.  Fast forward:  Greg and I retired, moved to SW Florida, and got married.  During this time my stepfather got Alzheimer's, and he and my mother moved to their winter home full time.  Fast forward to this week:  Here's an update from my mother...in her words...

Tom was admitted to the hospital Friday AM with diagnosis of intestinal blockage.  They operated this morning and he did well. That's the good news....

The bad news is that it is colon cancer which is being checked for aggressiveness.... etc... I will know more tomorrow.  He is in intensive care tonight maybe tomorrow.... He is also in soft restraints to keep him safe and to keep him from tearing out all the tubes and IV...

I am so thankful for all your prayers as it helped keep me from crying all afternoon.  I will go back to the hospital in the morning to hold his hand as it helps soothe him even though he does not know I am there.  I don't know how all the drugs will affect him as they leave his system.  They are needed now to help keep him calm. Will keep you updated as I learn more... Love, Dee

I'm sharing this with you because I want to ask for your prayers for my family, and to understand why my posting will be sporadic for awhile.

Hugs to all,

Tress

Outlawz Friday's Copic/Promarker Challenge DT New Member!

After some nudging and an invitation from two of my crafty friends, Dawn of Lily Pink Scraps, and Carla of Carla's Stamping Spot, I've become an Outlawz DT member!  I'm excited and terrified at the same time!  Both of these ladies create fabulous cards and art projects, and I'm thrilled to be working with them and the rest of the team on the Friday's Copic/Promarker Challenges.  You can check out the challenge here.  You do need to sign up at Outlawz to join the challenges, but I promise the ladies there are fun and supportive!

This week's theme is ICE CREAM!  For my card, I chose to use Simply Betty's Ice Cream Lilly.  Just look at that tower of ice cream she's licking!  Back in my younger days, I'd have ordered the same.  These days it's the baby cone for me, lol.  Since I wanted the ice cream to be the standout, I kept Lilly rather neutral with her white bikini, ultra blonde hair, and white out sunglasses.  And by keeping the sentiment to a simple "Sweet", I have plenty of options for the use of the card.

Have a fabulous weekend, and thank you for stopping by!

Feel Better Soon

In taking stock of my stash of cards, I realized I had very few Get Well cards.  Having several on hand would be nice rather than scrambling last minute to make one to cheer up a friend who is ill.  And who wouldn't feel better after seeing this little guy?  He's a From the Heart Stamps digi entitled Sick Chick.  I colored him up in yellow Copics, as I usually would for a chick, but since he's not feeling well, I added a hint of green over the top.  Poor honey, he really doesn't look very healthy, especially with his green tinge.  The design layout is Deconstruction Sketch #103.  I opted for buttons instead of a bow at the top, but I think it keeps the same vibe as the sketch.

Sweet November June Release Preview - Day Four

We've saved the "Fairest" Little Princess for the final day of the Sweet November June Release.  Miss Margriet is fair of skin with hair as black as ebony.  Remind you of anyone?

How could I not color this dear princess to resemble the beloved Snow White?  What little girl, or big girl for that matter, wouldn't like to open a card with the sentiment, "You're the fairest of them All"?  I used a printed digi frame to create a mirror upon which to place the sentiment.  I used grey chalks to give a slight ripple effect to the mirror.  Despite having many layers, the design is simple.  However, the card is bold with the addition of the rather large yellow and white checkered bow.

 

So ends our journey with the Little Princesses.  Thank you all for visiting!  Please stop by Amy's blog, A Thousand Sheets of Paper, and Nancy's blog, Creative Palette to see their amazing cards featuring Little Princess Margriet.  And if you leave a comment here and on both Amy's and Nancy's blog, you'll be entered three times in the drawing for Amy's candy!  Margriet, along with the three other Little Princesses, is now available for purchase at All That Scraps. 

Sweet November June Release Preview - Day Three

Sweet Little Princess Williamina is inviting you to a Princess Party!  She's wearing her favorite pink party dress and has the ballroom decorated with gorgeous pink and yellow flowers.  She even had the castle staff add some pearls and glitter around the room for extra sparkle.  Won't you accept her precious plea and attend her gala?

The underskirt portion of Williamina's dress is paper pieced.  A glittered trim (colored yellow with Copics) was added to the Vintage Floral border.  I also colored the top corner embellishments with Copics and layered them over the same pink paper framing Williamina.  The banner and wording were printed off the computer, hand cut, and raised with foam dots.

Please stop by Amy's blog, A Thousand Sheets of Paper, and Nancy's blog, Creative Palette to see their amazing cards featuring Little Princess Williamina.  And if you leave a comment here and on both Amy's and Nancy's blog, you'll be entered three times in the drawing for Amy's candy!    Williamina, along with the three other Little Princesses, will be available for purchase at All That Scraps Wednesday, June 5th.

See you tomorrow with the last of the Little Princesses!

Sweet November June Release Preview - Day Two

Today we meet the proper and reserved Little Princess Eleonore.  With the castle's banners flying high behind her, it's her duty to greet the guests arriving for the knights' tournament.  Will she meet her future husband today?

Since I didn't want the scene to overwhelm Elenore, I kept the castle (a digi by Kinley's Scraps) as a graphic black and white image.  The sentiment is from Create with TLC.  To give Elenore a more formal and regal look, I drew a design on the front of her skirt with a Spica glitter pen.

 

Please stop by Amy's blog, A Thousand Sheets of Paper, and Nancy's blog, Creative Palette to see their amazing cards featuring Little Princess Eleonore.  And if you leave a comment here and on both Amy's and Nancy's blog, you'll be entered three times in the drawing for Amy's candy!    Eleonore, along with the three other Little Princesses, will be available for purchase at All That Scraps Wednesday, June 5th.

See you tomorrow with another Little Princess!  

Sweet November June Release Preview - Day One

Meet Little Princess Gwendolyn!  She is the first of four little princesses by the talented Amy Young of Sweet November Stamps.  Holding her skirt up so as not to soil the hem, little Gwendolyn is daintily walking through her garden of flowers.  Will she pick one or two to take back to the castle, or will she be content to leave them in the garden for all to enjoy?

I paper pieced Gwnedolyn's dress, and added just a hint of shading with Copics.  The flower stems and frame were cut with my Silhouette.  The flowers are brads with a gold pearl added to each center.  The sun was hand cut from a printed digi paper, and the cloud/sky background is also a printed digi paper.  A puffed bird and a sentiment finished the card.

 

Please stop by Amy's blog, A Thousand Sheets of Paper, and Nancy's blog, Creative Palette to see their amazing cards featuring Little Princess Gwendolyn.  And if you leave a comment here and on both Amy's and Nancy's blog, you'll be entered three times in the drawing for Amy's candy!  Gwendolyn, along with the three other Little Princesses, will be available for purchase at All That Scraps Wednesday, June 5th.  

See you tomorrow with another Little Princess!