Punch Potpourri

 

 

The flowers on this card are from the Level 1 Hostess set – Punch Potpourri.  So easy to use as you just stamp then punch out using the Boho Blossoms punch.  Cute aren’t they?

I have used the Pear Pizzaz and Concord Crush cardstock and inks.  I really love these two colours together.  Think these are going to be used a lot in the future.

I have also used the new corner scallop punch.  I am still trying to perfect making squares and rectangles using the corner and border scallop punches together.  I did come across this tutorial which you may all find useful:

http://gretchenbarron.typepad.com/my_weblog/tutorial----scallop-trim-border-and-corner-punch----cutting-squares-and-rectangles/ 

Update:

I had a hospital visit yesterday to see the thyroid surgeon.  He wants to proceed with the operation urgently (even with it being urgent could still be up to 6 weeks wait) and will be doing a total thyroidectomy.  Once this is done and they have the lab results then a decision will be made as to what to do about the rib lesion.  Just have to be patient although naturally, I’m not in a rush to be operated on again but would like to get it over and done with so that I can enjoy Christmas.

In the meantime have fun creating.

Hello and thanks

  A couple more cards I have just made – the first is a Hello card to cheer up a friend of my husband’s in Sydney who is in a rehabilitation unit after having suffered a stroke.  As we are not really sure of his prognosis and condition, preferred a cheery hello rather than a more sombre get well card.

I have done the sponging on glossy white cardstock which I find easier to work with than the Whisper White.  For some reason when using the WW I end up with very patchy colouring and if I sponge too much find the cardstock starts to rub off.

The second card is a thank you card I had to make in a hurry.  That’s the joy of ‘wheeling’ – it is so quick and easy.  You will notice that with these cards I have used a combination of current and old Stampin’ Up product.  This is something I do if I am making for non-SU friends!  I have so much retired stock that is still lovely so I have to use it!  The wheel I have used is no longer available – it is Leaves a la Carte but doesn’t it go well with our new Sweetest Stem embosslit die – an exact match so it’s a shame that we can’t get the wheel anymore.

Hope you have all had a good weekend.  Mine has been very quiet which has been good – lots of time to indulge myself with playing.

A Funky Forest and Elements of Style

I got some more goodies that my courier man delivered to me from Stampin’ Up this week so naturally, I have had to try some of them out.

I already had Forest Friends stamp set and when I received my Funky Four set this week wondered how I could combine the two.  The answer was there in front of me in the form of Karen’s swap card (see my previous post) so thought I would use that concept and this is what I came up with.  I think it is rather cute – do you?

Another new set that I had been eyeing up and now have is the gorgeous Elements of Style & this is the card I made using it:
     

I still have some other stamp sets yet to be christened as well as the white shimmer paint, the Shimmery White cardstock not to mention the cardstock in the new colours that I haven’t really played around with yet.  What else – there must have been more because I know it was a big boxful of ‘toys’ – oh yes, the new matching border and corner punches.  Have to get to and make something using all these new things before the mini catty comes out otherwise I won’t be able to justify buying from it (and that would just not do!!)

Have an appointment at Auckland Hospital on Tuesday with the Thyroid surgeon (in the letter they call it the Otorhinolaryngology Department – now you try pronouncing that!!)  Guess crunch day is looming closer.

On a happier note – woohoo Silver Ferns – fantastic win and you all fully deserve your gold medals.  Talk about an adrenalin rush!!

Have a great weekend all.

Team Talent

I know, I know it’s now Thursday and our team training was last Sunday – no excuses but as usual I’m all behind in my posting.

Sally invited us to have our team training in her new Stampin’Studio – Sally’s Stampin’ Studio, glad I don’t lisp!  Well I think I must belong to the most talented group of stampers – check out these lovely swaps I received (the theme was Christmas):

 

First up is this lovely sidestep card from our fearless leader and upline Karen.

I love the Christmassy colours and the way this all fits together perfectly.

  

 

Very elegant card from Sally.  Love that Pacific Point cardstock and once again the Delightful Decorations stamp is ideal for so many different types of projects.

 

 

Debbie always manages to come up with something really original as in this case where she has used the crimper just on the top portion of the card front.

 

 

Claire is limited in her Christmas stamps but still managed to come up with this lovely card.  Looking forward to seeing what she will come up with when she has more stamps to chose from!

 

 

I think Christmas decorations are the theme this year as this card from Sarah shows.  I really am starting to get into the festive spirit even if it is still 2 months away.

Did I tell you that I belong to a talented team of stampers – I did!  Oh well, just telling you again.

We also made one of Rachael’s lovely scallop circle boxes – looky at this:

Have I missed anything – oh yes, my card that I swapped:

 

 

 

Glad I used a different theme to everyone else. SU’s extra-large bird punch is ideal on Christmas cards.

I would also like to take this opportunity of welcoming Lisa to our team.  Check out Lisa’s blog, she is multi-talented and I am really looking forward to meeting her and seeing what wonderful SU creations she comes up with.

Thinking of you cards

Well I had my oncology appointment on Wednesday – and saw a different oncology doctor this time.  Good news first – my scan the other week doesn’t show up any new lesions, just the ones on my thyroid and rib which they found previously so this means that they are isolated cancers but still not clear whether they are from the ovarian cancer or whether this is thyroid cancer.  Also my CA125 levels only went up very slightly this time so I’m glad that this has slowed down.  The downside is that yes, I definitely have to get the thyroid removed and the pathology results of this will determine which type of cancer it is and will then enable the doctors to know whether they need to remove the rib as well or whether that can be treated with radioactive-iodine therapy.   From what the doctor was saying, this op will probably happen fairly quickly (well as quick as it possibly can be in a public hospital).

Just have to be patient because, as he said, this is a complex case and they will just have to do one thing at a time because they can’t predict in advance what the next step will need to be.  So I am just going to have to go along with everything and be patient.

At least it wasn’t the worse case scenario that I was dreading.

But look at these two gorgeous cards I have received recently from two very sweet and caring SU demonstrators.  The one on the left is from Pauline and the one on the right is from Bron.
       

Thanks so much for these Pauline and Bron and for the lovely messages inside.

Receiving these prompted me to make a card for another lady who has been having an equally hard time lately so I sat down today and made this which I will post next time I’m out.  For this card I used Lee Conrey’s Crimped Diamond technique (check it out on the Splitcoaststampers site) although I slightly altered mine.  The cardstock and ink is in the new Cherry Cobbler colour (love it) and the stamp set is Vintage Vogue.

Thanks everyone not only for your love and support but also for letting me ramble on – it is nice though to be able to share my thoughts and feelings – much better than bottling them up!

Have a great weekend