Card Love!

I just love making cards. Of course, I'm terrible about sending them. Ask anyone that I owe a "thank you" card to. Seriously. Why is it so darn hard to actually get them into the mailbox. I'll never know. :(


This first card is an Engagement card. I'm seriously in love with textures. Love the diamonds, the flower, and the fabric tag. So fun be able to create art and send a loved one a card (again, if I were the type to send them).











This second card is from the new Deja Views Fresh Print Cherry line. It's all about colors and sophisticated designs. Doesn't this just scream "girl?" I am so in love with this paper line.


















And the last card is to satisfy my doodling need. I tell ya I'm not really a doodler unless little flowers with a few blades of grass drawn over and over again count as doodling. (Really, that's all I ever doodle.) The font is by Miss Purkey over at Scrapsupply.com. Too cute, huh? Those metal circles are a new release from Karen Foster. They have little tabs that fold over, but I put large pop dot squares underneath them to give them depth. And guess what? I actually pulled out my chalk for this card. Wild, huh? Old things are new again. LOL!

Deja Views CHA 2007 Release:

Here are a few projects that I created for Deja Views this show. I am totally in love with the new Fresh Print line and the Little Ones line. Both are so very versatile, and the tablets contain more product than you'll ever know what to do with. Love the fun embellishments, pretty letters, and gorgeous papers.

The "believe" acrylic box was created with the "Cherry" Fresh Print line. Yummy pinks, greens, and blues make up this line. What's not to love?



The next line is "Plum." Sometimes I struggle with purple, but this line is just too gorgeous not to fall in love. I stained the wooden frame (Provo Craft), and then added the paper and embellishments.



The final color for this line is "Mango." Also gorgeous, it contains a gorgeous orange color, blues, and yellows. I think this line is the most masculine, but really can be used for any type of project.



I really had fun creating with these new lines. I love it when a product is so inspiring. I couldn't wait to share!

People actually read this dumb blog?

Seriously. Who'd a thunk? ;)

So I really shouldn't be here. I'm supposed to be in the hospital right now since Joey was scheduled for surgery today. Didn't happen. Things never happen the way you think they will when it comes to medical things. So tired. Always tired.

The surgeon had an emergency liver transplant, and I'm completely thrilled for whatever patient is getting the liver they probably so terribly need.

But I do not shift gears so well. I'm slow to change. Don't remind my husband of that. (Like he needs reminding.)

So instead of being thoroughly thrilled to have more days with my little guy, I'm a bit bewildered. Don't quite know what to do with myself. Told you I was slow to change. LOL!

Joey was EXTREMELY happy. We're scheduled for Valentine's Day, which in a way is sad; but really is good since it's the first holiday we've ever spent in the hospital (except for a couple of hours in the ER one Christmas Eve). And knowing Joey's medical history, that really is a small miracle.

So to celebrate (or maybe procrastinate doing anything truly productive), I'll post a layout that I finished recently about my son's cancer. Man, I love that little boy. I'm blessed with the most amazing children. I don't know what I did to deserve them, but they are truly amazing!

The journaling talks about how many people e-mailed me right after I shared my son's diagnosis on 2Peas. I was astounded at the kindness of strangers. I am truly blessed.

This is where my life is right now!

What a whirlwind it has been the last two months. On December 1, 2006, we took our son into his Gastroenterologist for a routine check-up. He's had Ulcerative Colitis since he was 2 1/2 years old. He was feeling well, had been complaining of pain in a very specific spot in his abodomen and was looking quite dehydrated.

She sent us right over to Primary Children's Hospital where we had a CT Scan. In the scan we saw that his colon was extremely enlarged. They sent us home for the weekend and we checked back into the hospital on Monday, December 4. After blood test, and IV's and such, they performed surgery and removed his colon. He has a stoma (an ileostomy) where he uses a bag for his bowel movements.

In the process of doing the surgery, the surgeon found a mass the size of an apple. How did we not know that he had a mass in his colon? My poor boy.

After sending it to the lab, on December 8th, we learned it was cancerous. Adino Carcinoma, Colon Cancer. What a devastating month, December was, as we learned and dealt with the idea of our 12 year old having cancer.

We were released on December 13th (my birthday). :)

Thursday, December 14th, we drove to LDS Hospital in Salt Lake City to receive a PET scan. The scan revealed cancer on Joey's liver, which was something the surgeon had also spotted in the surgery and had scraped in order to try and remove as much as possible.

Joey had his first chemotherapy treatment on December 27th, just two days after Christmas. My husband, Brett, took a turn after my 10 day stay during Joey's surgery. I was exhausted and anxious and needed some rest.

Joey had his second chemotherapy treatment two weeks later and I took a turn. They changed medicines and Joey was a little nauseous, but did pretty well. The hospital has Game Cubes and Cable TV which helps to keep him occupied.

Last Wednesday, we went for round three but stopped for a CT scan first. The scan was difficult to read, and Joey's blood count revealed an increase in cancer activity so they sent us home. Thursday we returned to LDS Hospital for another PET scan.

The scan revealed that Joey's cancer in his liver is growing and there is cancer on his Pancreas. There may also be a bit in his colon and in his lungs, but it's difficult to tell at this point.

Joey was admitted Saturday with a new chemotherapy medicine: Areno Techan (I know I'm not spelling that correctly). Brett stayed again this time. Joey was a little more sick this time, but with the right anti-nausea medicine was even able to eat a little bit.

We are shocked but working through all of this. We rely heavily on our faith, and from support of our friends and loved ones.

I am grateful to have such an amazing little family, and I thank my Heavenly Father every day for them.