A creativity block ...

I think it must be due to all the problems I am experiencing at present (see previous blog) I seem to be lacking in creativity at present.  I did go to my good friend Karen's place last Saturday where she held a Stamp-a-stack afternoon and we managed to make 10 cards in 2 hours!!  Not bad eh!  It was great to get out and forget about things for a couple of hours, so thanks Karen.  Check out Karen's blog for photos of the cards we made - real neat aren't they.

The only card I've made other than the above in the last three weeks or so is this one - but I'm not very keen on it - as I said before I have a real creativity block at present. The colours don't seem to 'gel' and it looks a little bit too fussy for my taste.  Still it's all a learning curve, isn't it.

Last night my daughter and I went up to the hospital to visit hubby and got caught in a hailstorm with claps of thunder and lightening hitting the car - quite frightening. Anyway on returning home about 1-1/2 hours later found the hailstones had formed a real ice patch in the garden and as you can see from the photo - it was still frozen solid.

Karen has got another card evening this Monday so hope to be able to go to that and maybe get back some real enthusiasm and ideas.

Another of life's challenges

Well I finally made it to Melbourne (see photos though there are none with me in ) but not without a major hiccup. I was due to fly out on Tuesday 10th to have my PET scan the following morning and then have a couple of days R&R before returning home on the Saturday.

However on the Saturday evening prior to leaving, my hubby Neville suffered a heart attack and was admitted into hospital.  After he was stabilised and the doctor came to discuss his case, I told him my circumstances and he said that as Nev was in good hands and it was crucial for me to have this scan, to proceed with my plans.

It was very hard leaving him behind in hospital - the timing could not have been worse, however, I was able to talk to him whenever I liked by telephone and that helped.  He was told he would be sent for a angiogram and then they would probably perform an angioplasty and insert stents, then he would be as good as new.  However it hasn't turned out that way, the angiogram showed that the blockage was worse than they thought so he is still in hospital (over 3 weeks now!!!) awaiting transfer to Auckland Hospital for either a triple or quadruple heart bypass operation and he could have to wait there another 2-4 weeks before this can be done. They won't let him home as it is too risky.

In the meantime I have received the results of my PET scan and they have confirmed that the tumour that was evident in earlier CT scans is definitely the cancer back again.  The good news is that the cancer is confined to this area and has not spread elsewhere - the bad news is that it is located very deep in the pelvic region and is right next to the bowels so any operation could necessitate removing some of the bowels to get to it.  So now I too am waiting (again!!!) for the oncologists and surgeons to decide what they are going to do.

Perhaps we will end up having operations at the same time.  I jokingly suggested that we be given a penthouse suite but that was met with a blank stare!

I would be lying if I said that I'm coping with it all - mostly I manage but I do have some bad down times when I wonder what's going to happen to us both and how were are going to handle his operation and recovery, my operation, recovery and months of chemotherapy.  At present I just can't see a comforting light at the end of the tunnel but I have to believe that there is one there.

Our family and friends have been wonderful and we have also received so much kindness from strangers.  Thanks everyone.

Melbourne here I come ...

Well at long last I'm due to leave for Melbourne next Tuesday for my PET scan on the Wednesday. My friend Anne is coming with me and we are then staying on until the Saturday so hope once the scan is over to do some well deserved retail therapy and perhaps take in a show - and maybe a short tour somewhere.

In the meantime I have made another couple of cards but think with all the other on my mind that my heart wasn't really in it. Either that, or my creative powers have been severely diminished! Anyway, this is them:

Saw a similar card somewhere - probably on SCS but not too sure about it after making four of them thinking they would be great standbys for a male card.

This was made using the Birthday Whimsy stamp set and 3 squares of SU DSP.

Had a plan in my mind for this but somehow veered off in all directions while making it. This was also intended to be a male card as there are a lot of boy birthdays coming up.

I used the large Baroque Motifs stamped in Versamark and clear embossed on River Rock, mounted on Chocolate Chip with the base card being Blue Bayou. The round stamp is from the Riveting set.

Last night we had a watercolouring lesson at the lovely Jacque's. The first card we made had a pirate theme. I will have to put this away for my youngest grandson's birthday next year - he'll love it. Haven't lined the circle stamp up on the photo very well as the card was open but when closed it fits perfectly.

Now for my favourite little girl stamp - doesn't it look gorgeous but I won't tell you about my big 'boo boo' when making it because I don't think it shows up in the photo and I was able to correct it so that you can't notice it.

I am hoping that over the weekend I will have the time to go to the Dunkley's Craft Show on the North Shore.

My friends/demonstrators from Stampin' Up have a booth there and are demonstrating hands-on projects for visitors to join in and do. If you're reading this blog and live in Auckland do go as I know you will have a ball!

Bye for now.