Another Up-date

Hello all you wonderful Crafties, hope all is well out there in Crafty Blogland!

Just thought I'd up-date you again - second treatment completed yesterday and dare I say there is a little improvement?  It is certainly showing in my blood tests, although it might take a while for it to filter through to my body!  But I woke up this morning and my knees weren't as stiff and swollen, although there's still a way to go with the rest of me!

Still don't know how long it's going to take before I'm back but, in the meantime, here's another card I've managed to produce this past fortnight.  My middle niece has just moved into her first home with her darling baby daughter and when I saw this beautiful image by A Day for Daisies, it so reminded me of the pair of them. 

Stamp: A Day for Daisies, 'Sweet Boy' (but I think it could be either boy or girl!)

Papers: Digi Papers by Sarah Smutchz, 'Dainty' 

I wanted something delicate and pretty to put with this image and these beautiful digital papers were just the thing.  The stamp could be either girl or boy, I think, and it certainly looked like my little grand-niece to me. This image is so like a photograph we have of the two of them, it was uncanny.

I told you I'd been gathering colouring tips whilst I've been away and I hope I've managed to use some of them in this 'portrait' - I certainly feel I've got some reasonable shading going on here.  I hope my niece will like it.

I wish it wasn't such a struggle to create at the moment - my head is full of ideas but it's too tiring to do much with any of them.  Still, there's a glimmer of light at the end of the tunnel now and I can't wait to see if this new drug lives up to the promise.

Might I also take this opportunity to say a big 'thank you' to Christine, Bron and Lin who, in my absence, have given me awards for my blog.  It means a lot, ladies, and I promise I'll publish them properly once I'm back.

Take care, my crafty friends.
Happy crafting.
xx

Today's The Day!

Hello my Crafty Blogland friends.  Just a quick note to say that today's the day - I'm starting my new treatment at 1.00 p.m., not a moment too soon, I can tell you.

It'll take a few weeks to kick in and make the long-awaited difference (so I'm told) but this does mean that, if it works (and we'll just have to wait and see) this could be the little miracle I've been hoping for.

I've not been a slouch whilst I've been waiting - I've been blog hopping every day, seeing what wonderful things you've all been creating and picking up colouring tips and inspiration along the way.  I'm looking forward to getting back to some creating of my own!

I did manage to make a birthday card for my mum, though - thankfully I've a stock large enough to cover all occasions but Mum's birthday card had to be a special one. 

I have always loved this photograph of my Mum, taken when she was about my daughter's age (20):

Very 'Gina Lollbrigida'!  Beautiful!

So I had the idea to turn it into a digistamp - me and my big ideas!  Anyway, I traced the main features and scanned the resulting tracing in then printed the image out and worked with that.  I don't think I've quite managed to catch that 'Mona Lisa' smile (she's looking a little stern, perhaps) but here's the result:

The most exciting thing was that Mum immediately recognised the picture!

Just for info, papers from the new Cosmo Cricket 'Circa 1934' range. Gorgeous!

The cardigan was paper-pieced (that was fun! Scissors are not easy!), the rest was coloured with my Copics and, of course, the shading was added with my Prismas.

As usual, the photograph simply does not do it justice.  IRL it is much crisper.

Despite all that, I was delighted with the end result.  And it felt good to have created something worthwhile. 

Right, off to watch some rubbish telly until the nurse arrives to administer the first dose (and teach me how to use the needle myself - ouch!).  Wish me luck!

Happy crafting.
xx

A Little Update

Hello my dear Crafty Bloglanders - oooo, I miss you!  Just thought I'd give you a little up-date so that you know why I'm not posting at the moment.

I'm still having problems with my rheumatoid arthritis - the darned thing just won't get better at the moment.  I'm waiting for my new drugs to start but I haven't got a date yet and, boy, am I getting frustrated!? Still, hope to have some news soon.

The current flare is making it really difficult for me to make anything.  I can't colour in the lines with my Copics; I can't put enough pressure on to colour with my Prismas and using a knife or scissors is just hilarious at the moment!  So you can see that it would be pretty hopeless trying to keep up with my usual timetable. 

My design teams have been just marvellous about the whole situation and I can't say a big enough 'Thank You' for their patience and support. 

It's so frustrating not being able to take part in Crafty Blogland but I'm stocking up on new papers and gathering inspiration along the way and I hope that my mojo will be bursting at the seams by the time I get back.

Thanks for keeping me delighted, inspired and entertained with all your lovely blogs - I sit and read them regularly and often and you are all so fantastically talented!  What a great place Crafty Blogland is!

So, keep your fingers crossed for me that I'll hear some news soon.  In the meantime...

Happy crafting!
xx

Help For Katie - You Can Make A Difference

This is my first post for 2011 but it's not yet time to say 'Happy New Year'.  I've ventured out of my rest to join in with an amazing piece of blogging by many of your favourite crafters and illustrators in aid of a very special lady.

You can read more here, at Jak Heath's blog.  Today we are joining in raising funds for a special lady and her family.  Katie is a young mum, wife and crafter who has been dealt the biggest blow - she has been diagnosed with stage 4 stomach cancer and is currently undergoing her only option, which is chemotherapy.  Many of you will have come across Katie in your blog hopping - she is an inspiring and inspired crafter.  You can see her work and read her story in her own words on her blog, My Paper Heaven. 

This is how you can help.  Jak and her many friends and contacts have put together an awesome selection of digi stamps and you can have the whole lot for a donation of just £15.00.  The value of the package is way more than your donation, but the value of your donation is immeasureable in terms of what it can do for Katie and her family.  We're hoping to be able to raise as much as possible to help Katie with her treatment and to provide a wonderful treat for her darling children.  Please, check out Jak's blog where you can see all the images and learn more about what we are trying to do.  I know you wonderful Crafty Bloglanders have hearts of pure gold and you are so good at helping and supporting those in need - please, please do what you can for Katie.

For my part, I'm hoping to inspire you with one of the collection of images donated by Clear Dollar Stamps:

This is a great collection of cooking and lovin' stamps - Lovin' From the Oven'.  The minute I got it, I knew what project I would use it for. 

Over the years I have collected and concocted all sorts of recipes that have become firm family favourites but they're all stored in a nasty plastic sleeve, shoved down the side of the 'real' cookery books.  So it was time to do the thing I've been wanting to do for so long - get a box ready for some recipe cards.

I have to say, dear friends, that this is not my finest work! I'm still having some trouble with my hands and so things are a bit shaky. Once I'm better, I'll tart it up some and re-post but it was important to show it to you today.

I've been preparing to do this task for some while - I even bought the index card box. So what better base to start with - a plain black index card box.  This is what I did with it:

Papers: October Afternoon, 'Modern Homemaker' collection (new and very yummy!)

I can't wait to get it filled with recipes - it will look so much prettier on the shelf than a tatty plastic sleeve!

Again, I can't say how much your donation would mean to this wonderful family at this awful time.  And just as an added 'thank you' for your kindness, there are prizes to be won.  Every time you donate you will be entered into the prize draw for a full set of Letraset Promarkers (worth over £200) or a prize package donated by Paper Temptress of paper packs and a $25.00 gift voucher. 

Thank you for reading and thank you for caring.
Hugs to you all

Happy crafting
xx