Friday, December 17, 2010

15 years ago.....

today I was laying in an ICU awaiting emergency brain surgery.

Looking back to the 16th of December 1995 it was to be a day of celebration. My in-laws were about to celebrate their 25th wedding anniversary. Breanne, who was about 6 months old at the time, had the most perfect red plaid dress for the festivities. I woke up early in the morning to the familiar headache on the right side of my head and an ear that had gone practically deaf. I made it up the small flight of stairs in our town home and landed on the couch which would be my home for the next several hours. We only had one vehicle and my in-laws, who were in town from Tulsa, Oklahoma, were borrowing it at the time I had decided a trip to the emergency ward would be the best place to get a prescription for something, anything that would take this six month headache away. We phoned my parents to drive me but they totally thought I was faking it LOL! Rick, my husband, was supposed to give a toast at his parents party and he totally didn't want to...they saw this as "his out"!

We decided that because I could no longer stand on my own that an ambulance would be the quickest route to getting that prescription! I arrived at The Foothills Hospital early in the afternoon on December 16th only to be told that "there were sicker people here than me so I could wait for that codeine". I had no problem waiting as I was basically comatose. Many hours later I finally received that pill and was almost discharged...we would make it to the anniversary party! I got up to use the bathroom and I collapsed. The nurse decided to call neurology for a consult.  Within minutes I was under a CT scanner and was told if they didn't find anything the next step would be a spinal tap. I prayed that something would be found on that CT scan because a spinal sounded very painful. Sure enough, a tumor the size of a baseball was found on the left side of my brain. Rick called my parents, who were at the anniversary party, to tell them that they needed to come back to the hospital and speak to the neurology resident. The same nurse who told me that there were sicker people in the ER was called to start my IV. I laid in that small bed thinking I was going to die.

Before I knew it I was in the ICU. The neurosurgeon, Dr. Sutherland, soon arrived to let me know he would be removing the tumor the next day (which was a Sunday) as I wouldn't make it until Monday.

I'm pretty sure I got a bit better drug than the codeine I was hoping for as I was so out of it! The last thing I remember was being taken down to surgery with my husband at my side and finally in the room where the surgery was to take place. There was loud music playing in the room..this struck me as very funny!

Several hours later I woke up and I was the most thirstiest I've ever been in my life! My husband spoke to the anesthesiologist who told him that they lost me for a bit...my heart breaks when I think of this news and feel very happy to be alive.

I felt so blessed to have a wonderful family around me as I learned to walk all over again.

Each year I reflect on the 17th of December on how my life was saved. The MOST amazing part of this and my most favorite is the fact that 4 years later I surrendered and trusted Jesus with my life. Praise HIM!

In all honesty I never thought I'd be here 15 years later...a happy, loving marriage and three completely amazing children. Dr. Sutherland asked me if I wanted to have more children after Breanne and I said "no!". Am I ever glad that God proved that wrong :)

Our 2010 family Christmas card...



Enjoy today, I know I will!
Love,

Tuesday, December 7, 2010

Peace Banner Layout

Making banners has become a slight addiction of mine! I thought it would be fun to add a little one to a layout...


I wrote a little tutorial for the Maya Road blog on how I made the banner...

http://mayaroad.typepad.com/dt/2010/12/peace-mini-banner.html


Have a really great day,

Wednesday, November 17, 2010

Notebook Tutorial...



I made a tutorial on how to decorate these simple coil notebooks over at the Maya Road blog...


http://mayaroad.typepad.com/dt/2010/11/fun-al.html

Have a blessed day!


Thursday, September 23, 2010

Fall Fair on Saturday!

 
I'm so excited to share that I'll be selling cupcakes at the Gellatly Nut Farm - Fall Harvest Fair!  The weather for Saturday seems like it will be perfect for a fall fair, about 23 degrees :)

I'll have pumpkin cheesecake, caramel apple, chocolate hazelnut, maple walnut, and chocolate orange cupcakes all ready to go!

Here is some more information about the harvest fair (borrowed from Castanet)...


BC's oldest nut farm hosts the annual, Fall Harvest Fair from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Gellatly Nut Farm Regional Park just off Gellatly Road in West Kelowna.

Volunteers from the Gellatly Nut Farm Society will also be on hand selling nuts and trees from the orchard.

As well you can check out the booths displaying the works of local artists and the produce of local farmers!


*****

I can't wait to get some chestnuts for Thanksgiving (October 11th)!
Blessings,

Thursday, September 16, 2010

Sunday, September 5, 2010

September at The Story Matters!

The September kit over at The Story Matters is AMAZING!!!! Take a peek...


Here are a couple of layouts that I made with it...



Have a happy day!

Thursday, August 26, 2010

very brave!

I made this layout for the 2 page layout week challenge over at the American Crafts blog!

left side...
right side...

Supplies Used...
Pattern Paper: American Crafts
Paper Flower: Sassafras Lass
Brad: American Crafts
Trim and Buttons: Maya Road
Stamp: Studio Calico
Pen: American Crafts

Blessings,

Thursday, August 19, 2010

[a] Photo Cube Tutorial

These photo cubes are so fun to make that I had to share them with you ♥ They make a very cute alternative to giving a card!


Supplies:
12 x 12 sheet of patterned paper
trimmer with scoring blade or stylus
scissors
double stick tape
embellishments, photos, punches, etc.

1. Using the ruler on your trimmer, measure in 2 3/4 of an inch from the left hand side of your paper and make a cut stopping 3 1/4" from the bottom.
2. Turn card stock 90° and insert paper into trimmer to measure 3 1/4". Measure 2 3/4 of an inch from the top, insert your trimmer blade and cut until you reach the bottom of your paper and you are left with an "L" shape.
3. Starting with the side of your paper that is 2 3/4 of an inch wide (place paper in trimmer like a backwards "L"), score at 1/2", 3 1/4", 6", 8 3/4", and 11 1/2".
4. Turn card stock to score that other side at 2 3/4", 5 1/2", 8 1/4", and 11".

5. Hold your paper to form an "L" shape and trim 1/2" off of the right hand side.
6. Trim the corners and tabs as shown.
7. Decorate as desired.
8. Add sticky back tape to the tabs, form your cube and you are done!

Supplies for American Crafts...
Cardstock;  Pattern Paper (Compliments, Reply, and Sincerely from the Letterbox collection; Opal and Blanche from the Botanique collection);  Flair (Postcard);  Printed Chipboard Shapes (Letterhouse);  Paper Flowers (Dear Lizzy Springhouse);  Dimensional Stickers (Giddy);  Brads (mini jewel brads and pearl brads).



Supplies from American Crafts...
Pattern Paper (Roosevelt Way from the Abode collection and Radical Raspberry, Maverick Mango, Citrus Chill from the Heat Wave Collection);  Dimensional Stickers (Giddy);  Brads (Dear Lizzy - medium glitter brads).  Other (cork).

Have a wonderful day!

Wednesday, August 11, 2010

Border Punch Flowers!

The American Crafts blog is having a "punch challenge" this week! The flowers on my card are made using a Martha Stewart border punch.



Supplies: Papers (American Crafts Letterbox Warm Wishes, Botanique Amelia and Betty); Flair (American Crafts Postcard); Stamp (Hero Arts); Lace (Maya Road)

Blessings,

Thursday, August 5, 2010

[a] Special Delivery portfolio!

I've been promising my Mom that I'd make her a book to store her take out menus and it finally happened!  It is my parents 39th Wedding Anniversary in a couple of days so I thought now would be a perfect time to make it for them.  It was so fun to make that I couldn't help but share a how to!  Enjoy :)


Supplies:
chipboard
pattern paper (about 4 - 12 X 12 pieces)
cardstock
paper clip
3 X 3 Post It Note pad
3 inch strip of ribbon
letter stickers
pen
adhesive
paper trimmer
X-Acto knife
Zutter binding system, binder rings, or ribbon

Steps:
1.  Trim your chipboard pieces, one to measure 6 X 11 and one to measure 7 X 11.

2.  Trim your pattern paper to measure 7 X 12 and 8 X 12.  Adhere these using Elmers Spray Adhesive to your chipboard.  The 7 X 12 piece goes with the 6 X 11 chipboard and the 8 X 12 goes with the 7 X 11 chipboard.

3.  Miter the corners of your paper. Fold the sides of your paper to go around the chipboard.  Adhere these sides to the chipboard.



4.  Trim two pieces of pattern paper to measure 5 3/4 X 10 3/4 and 6 3/4 X 10 3/4.  Adhere the 6 3/4 X 10 3/4 to the inside of your 7 X 11 chipboard.


For the 5 3/4 X 10 3/4 paper, using an X-Acto knife, make a small slice the width of your paperclip at about 6 inches from the top and 2 7/8 in.  Insert your paper clip and adhere pattern paper to the 6 X 11 chipboard.  For added protection, attach a 3 X 3 piece of cardstock under your paperclip.





 5.  Bind your portfolio either using a binding system such as a Zutter or you could use binder rings or ribbon.


6.  Cut a piece of pattern paper to measure 3 X 9.  Score at 2 1/2, 3, 6, and 6 1/2 inches.  Fold on score lines and attach Post It Note pad in the centre.  Fold over to protect your Post It Notes and keep in place with a Velcro circle.  Decorate as desired.



Fold your ribbon in loop that is wide enough to store your pen and adhere to the back of your covered Post It Note pad.


7.  Adhere to the inside cover of your portfolio.

8.  Trim a piece of pattern paper to measure 6 X 6.  Fold the top down and apply adhesive to keep in place.


Trim two pieces of cardstock to measure 2 1/2 X 5.  Score at 1/2", 1", 1 1/2", 2", and 2 1/2" and accordion fold.  Apply these pieces to the left and right backside of your pattern paper. 

9.  Apply adhesive to the accordion folds and the bottom of your pattern paper and adhere to your covered 7 X 11 chipboard piece.  Use clothes pins to hold in place while it dries.


The finished inside...


American Crafts Supplies:
Pattern Paper:  Magnolia Lane, Chateau Court, Cobbler Cover, Rocklin Lane, and Sugar Blvd. (Abode collection)
Chipboard Shapes:  Craft Fair (My House)
Thickers:  Leg Warmers
Ribbon:  Everyday (from spool)

Other Supplies:
chipboard; Spray Adhesive (Elmers); Cardstock (Bazzill); small binder clip.

Have a happy day,