Look .... my new blog layout

What do you all think? I am still fine tuning it and are having one or two slight problems, but on the whole love the graphics of this layout.

Would love to get your feedback.

Oh no, I've been tagged!

One of my new 'sisters' Debby has tagged me.  This is the first time this has happened to me though I have seen it happen on a lot of the blogs I keep track of.  However, please don't make a habit of doing this to me as I'm not that interesting.

Here are the rules:
1. Link your tagger and list these rules on your blog.
2. Share 7 facts about yourself on your blog, some random, some weird.
3. Tag 7 people at the end of your post by leaving their names as well as links to their blogs.
4. Let them know they have been tagged by leaving a comment on their blog.

Okay, so now you want to know 7 facts about myself.  Well, you asked for it:

1.  I am a 35 year old female living in a 65 year old body (mind you recently it has felt like an 85 year old body!!!)

2.  Family folklore has it that I carry everything (including the kitchen sink) in my handbag.

3.   If I start to read a book and it's good, I keep reading until I finish it totally ignoring mealtimes, sleep, earthquakes, and yes, even my husband.

4.   I admit it - I'm a procrastinator (is there a Procrastinors Anonymous I can join).  I will find any excuse possible to delay doing jobs I don't enjoy, such as housework and grocery shopping.  Doing some stamping and cards are definitely a priority to those chores!

5.   and ... I'm also a hoarder.  I hate throwing anything away that may be useful later (though it rarely is!)

6.   I always cry at the movies.  Can't help it even if it is a happy ending.  I've also been known to cry at a kid's movie.  How sad is that!

7.   Love ..... books, flowers, birds, dogs, family and friends, stamping, cardmaking, scrapbooking, travel, blue skies, trees, mountains, beaches - in short, practically everything.

Now for the hard part - who do I tag?  Seems most of everyone I know have already been tagged.  Some of the people I have picked are probably not aware that I have been reading their blogs, so their inclusion in this list will come as a big surprise.  Anyway, here goes:

1.   Megan Finer - http://thestamphouse.blogspot.com/

2.   Jodie Collins - http://stampingalatte.blogspot.com/

3.   Kim - http://www.inkinfun.blogspot.com/

4.   Theresa B - http://embracingplay.blogspot.com/

5.   Michelle - http://n8tvtexan.blogspot.com/ 

6.   Vanja - http://justheather-valems.blogspot.com/

7.  SORRY JUST RUN OUT OF NAMES!!

Sisterhood of the Blogging Stampers-SBS Group #25

Well Karen has talked me into joining her in the Sisterhood of the Blogging Stampers! Should be most interesting and rewarding. Why not have a look and perhaps join up yourself - go here to the SBS site
This will also give me the motivation to post to my blog more regularly than I have been.

Now a little about me:

• Married and retired (giving me plenty of time for scrapbooking, making cards and playing with my stamps!!) Luckily my husband never asks how much I spend on stamps and supplies.
  
• Live in West Auckland, New Zealand. A lovely, friendly area with great neighbours.
  
• Have two grown-up daughters, two son-in-laws, four grandsons and one dog. Love my family who are so supportive and caring.
  
• Healthwise have been having a bit of a battle with recurrent ovarian cancer but am confident that I will be fine in a few months. Can't wait as it has been interfering with my stamping!!!
  
• Passionate about my stamping, cards & scrapbooking. I have made so many wonderful friends all of whom are extremely talented and a real inspiration to me.

Here's a big HELLO to all my new sisters!

Heartfelt thanks to everyone

 

It is now four weeks since my operation and I am only just starting to feel "normal" again.  Thank goodness I had no prior idea of how painful and hard this op was going to be and what a toll it would take on me otherwise I might have chickened out!

BUT the upside has been the incredible love and support I have received from family, friends and neighbours. Visits, phone calls, magazines, flowers, home cooking and, of course, beautiful cards expressing so much caring.

I can't share all of the above with you, but I can share the cards.  The first cards shown are all handmade by my very  talented friends:

        

 

My neighbour and friend Joan made this card for me - neat eh!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Found this lovely card from Karen together with some yummy chocolate muffins on my doorstep one morning.

 

 

 

Remember the adorable teddy bear (Huggy) that Pauline from Napier sent me?  She also sent me another card to wish me well.

The curled and distressed edging around the roses gives this card a soft and feminine look, don't you think?

 

 

 

Received this one from Jacque and her family. She also sent me the latest Up2 Scrap magazine via Karen. Thanks Jacque, really enjoyed reading this.

 

 

 

 

Janine came to visit and brought this matching card and box containing ....  delicious fruit jellies.  And no, I haven't eaten them all yet!

Isn't she clever?

 

 

 

Not sure how Tracey (Karen's sister) knew but I was reading a book and couldn't find a bookmark so was using a torn off piece of paper.  Then I received her cute card and ... yes, a matching bookmark.  Just what I needed!

 

 

 

 

Not to be outdone, my cousin Ann in Australia sent me this handmade card.

Though not made by her, it is rather sweet and she had put a beautiful message inside.

 

 

 

 

These cards also deserve a place in this blog as I think we may have two young and upcoming card designers!  These came from my niece's two daughters, Nakita and Toni.

You are both so clever.

 

 

Cards don't necessarily have to be handmade to be special.  The cards below also mean a lot to me and contained some beautiful messages.

Last, but by no means least, is this card made by my youngest grandson, Tyler.  I just love, love, love this card as this little boy was so worried about his Nan and his first words to me after the op was to ask if the doctor had got rid of all my cancer.  The card he made reflects the joy he felt at knowing I was going to be okay.

     

I just wanted to share the above with you as it has been quite overwhelming.  I still can't believe that I am so blessed to be surrounded by such wonderful, caring people.  All your thoughts and wishes will sustain me through the next stages - another, hopefully smaller, operation, and probably chemotherapy (I have an appointment with Oncology next week so will find out then).

My heartfelt thanks and love to you all.  xxx