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Holiday Celebrations & Christmas Lists

Eric's home from the hospital. He arrived home yesterday afternoon after finishing up his second BBBD treatment. He's still exhausted from the anesthesia and chemo. Lots of sleeping and short conversations. The house is quiet. Today, I spent time getting ready for Ethan's birthday party (this Saturday). I cleaned parts of the house, did some grocery shopping, and sorted through supplies. Will do some more of the same tomorrow + cooking. Rumor has it that it's going to snow tonight and that a big ol' snow storm is heading our way for Saturday..could the timing be any worse? Laugh. Life is ironic that way...the one day I throw a party and what happens? Snow. Go figure. Gotta luv this state. Good Ol' Minnesota.

I'm sure that many of you have been putting together Christmas lists. What's on your list this year? What is santa getting you? I've not really asked for much this year. Just a few little things. A gift certificate to Archivers, a warm fuzzy blanket, some coffee money, Autumn Leaves 2008 Calendar, and a few 7 Gypsies items. I didn't have anything "big" on the list. My focus this year is "family". Spending time with Eric and those that love us. The presents are just the icing on the cake. So when you put together your Christmas list this year, don't forget the truly special gift; family. Celebrate life. Celebrate each other...and good health.   

I did a layout last night about a cute pair of overalls I picked up for Ethan last week. I had a heck of a time finding them in his size. I wanted them for Thanksgiving and for a photo session we're having in a few weeks with family. I managed to find a rugged looken' pair at "The Gap". He wore them at his first birthday party. Proud Mom.

I got a little carried away with the pop dots on this layout. The whales and waves were callen' for some fun. So, I cut them up and layered them under the photos. The effect was better than I had anticipated. I will admit that I overloaded this layout with more stickers and goop than one should ever use on a single layout. I even managed to use an "old" bookplate that's been sitting around my desk for years. You don't always need "new product" to scrap. 

I get to share..finally.

Each month, I get a gorgeous kit in the mail from Studio Calico. I'm always ordering the extras, so when the box arrives, it's packed to the brim. I usually lay everything out on my desk for a few days before I start working with the product. I luv looken' at it. Once I get going, I can't stop. Miraculously, I get a few layouts created and I send them over to Studio Calico for the "Grand Opening" of the designer's gallery which showcases the 28th of each month along with a new monthly kit. Well, the 28th was today and that means I get to share the layouts here at my blog. Here is my DT entry for December:

Will also be posting another new layout tomorrow night.  With caffeine in hand, I managed to scrap for a few hours today. Thank goodness for coffee. Lately, I've been too tired to scrap. Doesn't help that I have one of those icky, annoying colds. Woke up with it a few days ago. I morph into a zombie at about 6:00 pm and all I want to do is sit on the couch and be lazy. I never get off the couch and before ya know it, I'm snoozen'. Sounds lovely right now...think I'll go that direction. Have a great day everyone! Stay warm. Stay inside. Scrap.

Can Anybody Say "Multi-Task"

This week is a test for me. I'm hosting a b-day party for Ethan at our home this Saturday. I've been preparing the details and running errands to get ready for the big event. Eric's in the hospital for his BBBD treatment. He went in on Sunday. He's coming back home tomorrow mornen'. I've been cleaning house like no tomorrow. Visiting Eric. Visiting family. Caring for the sick, little one. It's a crazy week. Luckily, my brain is still intact and I'm feelen' motivated...even without sleep. Getting things done..ask me how I am next week. He,he.

For the big party this weekend, I've been hunting down delicious recipes. I'm usually not one to cook. I'm just never motivated to cook something from scratch. It always feels like a lot of work to me. All the prepping, mixing, baking, serving, and cleaning one has to do to make it happen just isn't me. Now that I have a child to feed, I'm realizing I need to cook. It's not an optional activity anymore. It's something I need to do. Children get hungry and instant food isn't always going to cut it. So, as I've been reviewing various recipes online, I came across a blog that has me feeling optimistic about the whole cooking thing. The food looks Divine and the instructions are easy to follow..she posts a ton of photos too. One of my favorite recipes from the blog that I found today is this one. This pasta primavera dish made my mouth water the instant I saw it. I have to make this dish. I'm a pasta junky. The various other recipes on the site also inspire me. It's total comfort food. In Minnesota, that's a good thing, especially on cold winter nights. If you luv comfort food as much as me, be sure to bookmark this blog. Num. I also came across a warm, cozy hot apple cider recipe. Tried it and guess what? It's as good as the reviewers say it is. I was a little wary about adding  "maple syrup" to my apple cider, but it brings the flavor alive. So So GOOD. I'm officially hooked on this liquid combo. Here's the link to Mr. Cozy Hot Apple Cider.

I'm off to scrap for the night..got a really eclectic color combo going on right now. Something totally different for me. Will share it soon.

Lastly, if you know of any fabulous recipes online that you absolutely love and are easy to make, post some links in the comment section. I'm also looking for recipes that cater to young children. Thanks everyone!

It's that time of year...

Ear Infection. Cold. Sore Throat. Runny Nose. Coughing. Sneezing. Yep, it's that time of year. The little guy's been sick this week. That would explain why I haven't been updating my blog much this week. I've been spending lots of time cuddling and comforting Ethan. It's the first time he's ever had a cold. We've been really lucky up until this point. Within the last few days, he also got an ear infection. He's been miserable, but finally things are getting better for him. He's on a high dose of antibiotics and sleeping once again. Thank goodness. This mom is exhausted!

I did manage to get one layout done this week. I worked on it over a period of a few days. It was slow going..it felt like one of those layouts I was never going to finish. Had to keep myself motivated to get it done. Sometimes, I'm not always in the mood to scrap. This is especially true when my energy level takes a crash (like this week)...it's difficult for me to be creative when I feel drained and tired. My brain goes into reserve mode. I can't scrap. I can't even make basic decisions. This is when I avoid my scrappen' area and run to the other side of the house to do something else. Sleep. Read. Knit. Whatever. That would explain why it took me so long to get this layout done. Finally..I get to share it here:

I "heart" doodling. I don't do a ton of it. I add a little bit here and there. I usually do some outlining of images, labels, letters, borders, frames, etc. I use a .02 or .05 Zig pen for outlining and use various gel pens for coloring..I have an obsession with the "Souffle" gel pens. Love them! They dry opaque on everything. They've been one of my best investments. They totally cater to my style too. I used this technique on the turquoise label above. Note the light purple "frame" around the label..that wasn't there..I added it. Just another little detail to see and enjoy.

Another example of coloring with a "souffle" gel pen. I colored in a few of the letters using the light purple pen once again. You can color on all sorts of materials with souffle pens. I've colored on chipboard, shiny stickers, stamped ink images, flowers, and more using souffle pens. They dry on just about anything and look great.

We celebrated Ethan's 1st birthday on Thanksgiving day with Eric's family. He wasn't feelen' so hot during the celebration, but he still managed to fill up on a slice of cake. Note that in this photo, he doesn't look all that messy..after he was done, he had the cake everywhere..even in his hair and ears. Laugh. It was so adorable. Happy First Birthday Ethan!! 

Happy Thanksgiving

What are you thankful for this holiday season? Here's my list:

1.  A Loving Husband
2.  Family
3.  Tomorrow
4.  Today
5.  Friends
6.  November's MRI Scan (no new growth)
7.  Comfort Food
8.   Healthy Son
9.   A Full Night Sleep
10. To Know True Love
11. Home sweet Home
12. Capacity to Create
13. Scrapbooking
14. Learning Opportunities
15. Decaf Coffee
16. Warmth on a Cold Winter Day

and so much more....

Joy

This was a little something I did for the front door last year. It's been hiding in my front closet for months. Now I finally have an excuse to pull it out. Christmas is just around the corner. If you're looking for something fun and festive to add to your home this year, this is the project for you. It's actually quite simple to put together. Here's the details:

The Supply List:

Pattern Paper (choose a mix of various size patterns, styles, and colors)
Solid Cardstock
Fiskars Circle Cutter (any circle cutter will work as long as it cuts up to 8" in size)
Cutting Mat (So you don't cut up your table)
Ranger Distress Ink Pad (Walnut)
Making Memories Word Chipboard (Joy-though this is last year's product. You may have to substitute with other large chipboard letters)
Fine Glitter
Acrylic Paint (to paint the chipboard/and wood circle frame)
Diamond Glaze/Glitter Glue
Wooden Circle Frame (base of wreath-I picked mine up at Joanns in the wood department)
Wide Ribbon (match color with wreath)
Pop Dots/Wet Adhesive
Staple Gun

Instructions:

1. Paint the wooden base of the wreath with acrylic paint (something dark that won't be noticeable if seen through the front). Paint on two coats. Let the first coat dry and then add the second coat.

2. Cut out various size circles from pattern paper and solid cardstock. Distress the edges of each circle with Ranger Distress Ink using a sponge. Combine and layer circles to use on the wreath. Don't adhere them to wreath just yet.

3. Paint the word "joy" (or letters you've purchased) with acrylic paint using a color that will blend well with the glitter. Sand edges of word/letters with sandpaper. Distress edges with Ranger Distress Ink using sponge.

4. Coat painted word/letters with wet adhesive (that bonds well with glitter-I used Martha Stewart's Glitter Glue). Sprinkle on glitter and shake excess off. Set aside.

5. Now we're going to start adhering the circles you made in step #2 to the wooden wreath base. This takes a bit of creativity and experimenting to get just right. Do this slowly and carefully. Don't glue down the circles immediately until you know for sure that the placement of each circle is correct and where you want it to be. I added one circle at a time. I moved them around to make sure I felt ok about my placement choices. Think balance. Keep the wreath circular in shape. Use pop dots to adhere some of the circles to the wreath as shown below:

8. Adhere word/letters to wreath as shown with wet adhesive.

7. Cut two long pieces of wide ribbon. Staple ribbon pieces to back side of wreath base with staple gun. Tie the two pieces together at the top. Finished.

Hang your wreath on the front door or in your home on a wall. Feel free to send me a pic..I would luv to see what all of you have come up with. Keep the photo's small in size though cause my email box will crash if you send me really large file sizes (keep'em at 72 dpi/500 x 350 pix). I invite you to tell other's about this project...Share some "joy" this Christmas season.

Now for some sneak peaks from Studio Calico's December Kit. This kit arrived at my front door a few weeks ago and when I opened the box, I was so excited. I loved everything in it, especially the paper. Everything about it was so enchanting and delightful. A creative escape to celebrate winter's arrival. Now, I can't give too much away..but be sure to check out the sneak peaks posted at Studio Calico to get an idea of what's to come on December 28th. In the mean time, this is what I've been creating these last couple of days:

A Little Early...

We're getting ready a little early this year for the holiday season. We had to put up a small Christmas tree this year. We had thought about putting up the large one, but with Ethan running wild around the house, it just wasn't an option. We're playing it safe and keeping the tree off the floor. We picked up one of those old fashion shimmery silver trees. We added a bunch of bright, whimsical ornaments to it along with some white lights...very modern and hip. A definite change from last year's tree.

Spending some time on the computer...that would be Eric! Smile. I love seeing him spend time on the computer...I remember I used to gripe about it cause I thought he was spending to much time playing "World of Warcraft". Now, I encourage him to play the game and hang out on the computer. It's the familiar things that bring me comfort..him being on the computer is one of those things. Whenever he's on it, I'm at peace. Home sweet Home.

I have been doing a little scrapbooken' here and there. Working on design stuff for Studio Calico...got a couple layouts done. I'll post a sneak peak tomorrow. 

I've been meaning to share photo's of a holiday item I made for my front door last year. I keep forgetting to take photo's of "the item". I'm currently working on instructions for the project and will post'em right here on my blog (along with pics). Stay tuned. 

An Update

Eric is doing better today. The day started slow, but his energy level is increasing with the passing of time. His neurological functioning has improved a great deal, which is a relief. I did have a phone conversation with his nurse this afternoon. Eric's doctors reviewed Eric's CT scan and no significant changes were seen, though inflammation was a concern. When the brain experiences inflammation, neurological dysfunction is very common. It would account for his recent loss of short term memory, his difficulty processing information, and his slow response times. He started a steroid regimen last night. It's to help decrease inflammation within the brain. I have noticed a recognizable difference in Eric this evening. He's been spending time on the computer, socializing with friends and family, and is actually eating dinner. I'm thrilled. He even managed to give me a hard time about the way I place dishes in the sink and how I failed to put the mats back under the litter boxes. Never have I been so happy to hear him complain. Smile.

We are looking into a new chemo treatment/trial that's being hosted by the Mayo Clinic. Eric's mom had been researching trials these last few weeks. She got in contact with a coordinator today over at Mayo. She was told that Eric may be a good candidate for one of the trials (out of several-options are very limited because Eric's regrowth is inoperable). We're looking into it. Tomorrow,his records go out and we'll get an answer as to whether or not he qualifies for the trial. We'll find out in a few days. If he qualifies, he'll receive the experimental treatment at one of the local hospitals. We won't have to drive out to Mayo to participate in the trial. This is a huge plus for Eric. It also means insurance coverage...we're keeping our fingers crossed.

Thank you everyone for your continuing support. I love reading all your comments. You give me something to look forward to as we continue along this difficult journey. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.

The ER

I brought Eric into the ER today at Fairview Hospital. He hasn't been feeling well these last few weeks. In the last 48 hours, he's been non-responsive (delays in thought processes), fatigued, not eating/drinking, having headaches, and woke up this morning with hives. I decided to take him into the ER for a full work-up. We ended up waiting 5 hours for the neuro resident on staff to examine Eric. They did a full head scan and bloodwork. The scan showed no changes. The bloodwork was normal (wbc count low-as expected). I asked the resident (who has been following Eric's case since day one) why Eric was exhibiting all these symptoms if there were "no significant" findings. He told me something I wasn't expecting to hear (or wasn't ready to hear); Eric is experiencing declining health because he's undergoing the later stages of brain cancer. He may bounce back with the help of steroids, but it may only last for a short period of time. Combine that with experimental chemo, depression, lack of appetite, pain, and immune suppression...the visit confirmed my fears.

I cried. I cried hard. One never really thinks about "the end". One knows it's going to happen, but it never feels "real".  I looked at Eric in the ER bed and thought to myself, "How will I ever live without him? This is really happening...I can't stop it." So, I just let myself cry.   

We left with steroids and pain meds. We managed to stop by Arby's for a quick dinner on the way home. The IV fluids gave Eric a boost of energy. I soaked up the minutes I had with him while we sat there eating dinner together. He was tired and fatigued by the time we got home. He went to bed right away upon walking in the door. I'm very tired myself, but I felt it important to share this update with family and friends. I will post another update in the next few days. It's time to retire.

Friday night at home...

Gone are the days of "Date Night Friday".  Eric and I used to hit up the bookstore on Friday nights along with a few good cups of coffee. Ohhhh, how I remember those days..he,he. They're sooo long gone.  I don't even remember what it's like to have that kind of freedom. To get in a car and drive some place without having to worry about kids. Never thought I'd get to this place in my life so quickly. Here I am and man, do I miss those "Date Night Fridays". Those were the days (as my dad would say)....then again, I'm one lucky mom. :)

Enough rambling, I'm finally getting around to posting the layout I just finished up yesterday. I sort of went back and forth on a lot of ideas with this layout. Part of the reason is because I was feelen' really creative this week. I had a constant stream of ideas going through my mind. This doesn't happen too often for me. Usually, it's the other way around. I can sit and stare at a blank piece of paper for hours and feel intimidated by it's emptiness. I also give myself an endless supply of excuses to play around with supplies in an attempt to avoid being creative. I think this is something we all experience as crafters/artists. It's the rise and fall of creative thought. This week was a good week for me. I felt absolutely no fear. No panic. I gave myself permission to do whatever my heart desired...

I started thinking about something this week as I was creating this layout. It's simple enough to share a photo of a layout, but I want to do something more. How about a few technique ideas to go along with the layout? Just a few simple ideas you can take with you on your creative journey. I'll start with this layout.

I like to cut up bits and pieces of paper and glue them together. I actually hand cut most of my smaller pieces of paper. It gives the layout a more playful feel. I glue them on my layout in a not-so-straight fashion. I don't care if something is crooked or precise most of the time. This is especially true for me with this layout. Almost everything on this layout is "hand cut"; the circles, the bits and pieces of paper, the borders, etc.

Lot's of little stuff happening here. If you don't have something "big" to add to a layout, use "bit's and pieces" instead. I used lot's of small things here in this photo. I'm always using a combination of rub-ons, stickers, doodling, flowers, stamping, chipboard, and more when I'm creating "clusters" on my layouts. I don't always think about where I'm putting things either..I just lay it down. One of my favorite little elements in this section is the light turquoise circle frame. Note the center starts off with a epoxy sticker. It's framed by a purple circle rub-on (went on first before the sticker) and filled in using a gold gel pen. Really simple..and totally unexpected.

Another experiment that went well...the sparkling glitter border that characterizes the hand-cut golden circle outline. Num. I used a grey souffle gel pen to draw the scallop edging. I then filled in the scallops with diamond glaze and sprinkled on some pink glitter. I didn't worry about letting it dry too long..just enough to make sure the sprinkles would stay and the ink wouldn't smear. About two minutes or so.  Long enough to get glitter everywhere.

Have a great weekend everyone! Stay warm!