Cancer, Crafts and Chalking...

This is a rambling post today...Lots on my mind...so hang in there with me through it.

Today is one of the saddest days in my life.  My Mom, a very strong person, is sick...very sick!  I never thought I'd see the day that she would be getting older and not be healthy.  Today...she is not healthy anymore.

Two weeks ago she went in to the doctor and found out she had stomach cancer.  They live in a small town in Arkansas, so they had to travel to Little Rock but had to wait two weeks for a PET scan to see how extensive the cancer was.  Yesterday, she had the scan and got the news and it is not good.  The cancer is a tumor where the esophagus meets the stomach, it is inoperable and radiation will not help it.  The only option is chemo and that will just keep it in check, not get rid of it.  It has spread to her lymph nodes as well so now it is just a waiting game to see how her body even reacts to the chemo.

I am numb from all this news and my heart is breaking for what she will have to go through as well as my Dad.  They have been married for 42 years this March and they do everything together.  Plus...they live 12 hours away with no family around them.

I'm struggling with all of this because I have been out of work from my surgery for a month and so money is tight right now.  To go down there will be tough...money wise, emotionally and work wise.  I want to see her before she gets too sick to enjoy the visit and I don't want my kids to see her sick and remember her like that.  I want them to see her as she always has been...that loving Grandma!

I ask that everyone please send prayers, thoughts, well wishes...whatever you feel like sending!


{Dealing with Sadness through my Creativity}

The last couple days have been hard...very hard, trying, draining and sad.  But...my creativity is pulling me through all of it and letting me express some of my emotions.  My mom is an artist, painter to be exact.  I feel blessed that I inherited my creativity through both my Mom and Dad.  Mom, a painter and my Dad a painter, drawer and woodworker/ craftsman.  Here are a few things I've been working on.  Some are sneak peeks to projects still in the works.

My desk is a mess with all my projects but I am letting myself be scattered and just going with the flow of things.

I am also working on a wooden Mod Podge bird house covered with Chatterbox scrapbook paper.  It is in the process, so check back to see how it turns out!

A new flower chipboard album is also in the works!   Here is a sneak peek at how it is turning out.  Watch for future posts with both of these projects finished.   Thanks everyone for your support!   ~Jen









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Thoughts Needed and Purple Lunch Bag Album

My thoughts today are scattered and I decided I needed to do something for my Mom.

Two weeks ago, she found out she has stomach cancer.  Tomorrow she has her PET scan to see how bad it is and what steps will be taken.  I've been trying to keep a positive attitude. She is 68 and has always been very healthy but several months ago she started having a hard time swallowing but thought it was acid reflux.  She finally went in and they found ulcers and an area of cancer where the esophagus and stomach meet.  If you can send good thoughts tomorrow, I would appreciate it!  I thought she could use a little reminder of who loves her as she is going through her tests and away.


Purple Lunch Bag Album

White or Brown Lunch bags
Plastic craft bags 4x6 size
Photos
Coordinating paper/Embellishments
Hole Punch
Ribbon

1. Gather several coordinating papers and embellishments.  
2. Go through your scrap paper to find smaller pieces of coordinating scraps.
3. Rub an ink pad in desired color around edges of white paper bag to add a little color to the bags.
4. Trim photos down to smaller sizes.

   
     5.  Measure baggies and cut desired number of pages to size.
     6.  Create pages and place in order into baggies.
     7.  Punch holes in paper bags (start in middle of bag and then do outer holes.  Line up bags and punch holes in back bag.)
     8.  Line up plastic baggies and punch holes in each one.

     9.  Now that holes are placed, decorate the front of album.
    10. Line up entire album.
    11. Run ribbon through the album, lining up holes.  Tie in bows or knots.

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