google cutie

I was selected as one of the top 3 picks last month at the My Scraps & More Sketches blog and was asked to be a guest designer this month. :) Today is the day we got to play along. I had a lot of fun creating this layout for sketch #74 and just love with what everyone on the team, as well as what the other guest designers, did with this fun sketch. You really should go over to the blog and check it out. I admit I found it a bit intimidating at first, but once I got an idea it was all good from there. I am also entering this into Rachelle's "Anything Round" challenge on the sketches4all site.

what a cutie

Hello! :) I have a layout to share using the Tuesday, March 18th sketch from Stick It Down.

Thanks for stopping by! :) 

Ready for surgery

I decided to play along with a great sketch, Make It Monday No. 12 over at The Memory Nest. As soon as I saw the sketch, I knew I would be using these photos. Ashlyn has had several procedures done throughout the years, and I haven't really thought to scrap about them, let alone take pictures, but I really should be documenting this journey. It is a huge part of her life as it is a daily battle for her. (That being said I am not sure a colonoscopy/endoscopy is something that she really wants to remember- lol- she's a pro, having had 8 full scopes with biopsies at this time in her life with many more to come, although I am sure she will be fine with me omitting these.)

When I showed this layout to her of her recent surgery, her face lit up. That is really what it is all about. :) I am just impressed about the fact that I brought my camera and my turnaround time. ;) I am also going to enter this into Cheryl's "Use Green" challenge over at sketches4all.

It has been a rough week for her. She hit a speed bump. She sailed through the surgery and did OK the second week, but this week has not been so great. She has continued to have low grade fevers and some additional symptoms which has led her doctors to believe that she is either having Gallbladder problems or that our biggest fear happened and she is having a Crohn's flare. All we can do now is wait and do this:

I have one word: YUCK! But this is the only way to get answers for my sweet girl and I will do it. I have become pro at this, sadly, but it does not get any easier. It will probably be about 10-ish days until we have answers, but thankfully I have learned the art of patience throughout the years. Maybe we will get lucky and her body will decide to behave. 

awesome job {card}

I have another card to share today. I entered it into Stacy H-W's March Card challenge at sketches4all.

I have been trying to add a few props to my card photos. I still have some learning to do, but I think it makes a big difference on presentation. 

I'm so lucky {card}

Happy St. Patrick's Day! Although I have some Irish in my blood, I am not one to celebrate this particular day doing anything special. That being said, I decided that for the first time ever I would create something with a St. Patty's day theme and this is what I came up with.

Thanks for much for stopping by. :) 

poke the goat

I got a wonderful surprise in my inbox this morning. :) I was selected to be a design team member for The Curtsey Boutique!!! You can check out the Curtsey Boutique store here and the blog here. I absolutely adore the items in the store and am looking forward to sharing my creations with them soon!

Here is a layout I created using sketch #72 from My Scraps & more sketches. I really like this sketch, this is my newest favorite layout. I am also entering this in Giorgia's March challenge- use butterflies, on the sketches4all forum.

she {hearts} to ride

Here is my take on sketch #71 from the My Scraps & More sketches blog. I am not overly thrilled with this layout, but they can't all be our favorites, right?

See you later! :)

way to go! {card}

Here is a card I created using the March 11 card sketch at Stick it Down. I love the curved edges. I also added this to Stacy H-W's March card challenge over at sketches4all, where the theme this month is anything goes. I have been a member of the group for a little while now, but this is my first time participating in a challenge. I had a heck of a time figuring the site out, but the owner, Fia, was nothing but helpful and I think I am slowly getting the hang of it.

I don't know about you, but the past few days here have been gorgeous! sunny and in the low 50's. I loaded Ashlyn up in her wheelchair today and took her for a nice walk. She was happy to get out and enjoy some sunshine and fresh air. Next week I plan to take her out several times. It's good for the spirit. :)

distressed jars

Hello. :) The last several days have been a bit hectic and quite frankly exhausting. Ashlyn was released from the hospital on Friday afternoon and we have just been trying to get back to "normal" along with tackling the learning curve of her new g-tube. It looked wonderful in the hospital, however it is not healing as well as it should which has caused us some distress. Her abdomen has had a lot of swelling that has not subsided, but like her surgeon said, they caused a lot of trauma and it's going to be a few months before she is really feeling well. Even amid all the intense pain and minor bumps, Ashlyn is so happy that she had the surgery done. I hope this is the start of a whole new life for her. She has been miserable for 3+ years with just a handful of "great" days. I am looking forward to a reversal of that. :)

The day before her surgery Ashlyn wanted to work on a project to keep her mind busy, so we spent the afternoon prettying up some canning jars. Here are mine. I LOVE how they turned out. Super easy to make. I plan to make a lot of them and maybe with some luck I will be able to sell some.

I plan to make some time to create today so I will be back soon. I need to find my groove again. 

100th day of school

Hello! I have a few things to share today. :)
First off, I am beyond excited about this http://clearscraps.typepad.com/my_weblog/2014/03/introducing-amazing-new-clear-scraps-designers.html!!! When I initially saw the DT call I almost didn't apply, but I wanted to apply last year and didn't, so I figured I should at least try this year. It is better to apply and not be selected, then to not and wish I would have. I am really honored to have been selected, and eager to stretch and grow my creativity. :)

Secondly, I created this layout last week, but time really got away from me I forgot to post it. I used sketch 69 from My Scraps & More sketches as my inspiration and even pulled out papers I had been hoarding. lol

Lastly, Ashlyn had a pretty big surgery early Monday morning (March 3rd). For those who are aware of her history know that the last 3 years have been full of ups and downs and big health struggles with Crohn's disease, malnourishment, and Scoliosis. Although her Crohn's is not currently active (thanks to Remicade!), she was still having a lot of issues with eating, nausea, and not being able to maintain her weight, so another ng tube was placed back in mid December, with a consult for a more permanent feeding tube to be placed shortly thereafter. We decided to wait until she had gained some weight and strength back, and in mid Feb. we took her to a surgeon for a g-tube consult. At that time the surgeon reviewed her history and she went back to look at multiple tests she has done over the years and discovered that Ashlyn has severe acid reflux, enough so that even while we have been treating it with medications for the past three years, it is continuing to worsen causing her major issues. The surgeon highly recommended that she have a surgery called a Nissen Fundoplication to try to alleviate it, at the same time she had a permanent feeding tube placed. Ashlyn was all for it as she is so sick and tired of feeling, to put it truthfully- sick and tired.  

She handled the surgery well, the only issue being that the feeding tube that was planned to be placed was not an option once the surgeon was able to look inside her abdomen. Unfortunately, Ashlyn has scoliosis and this has caused the right side of her ribcage to turn inward, as well as shifting the entire ribcage to the right  thus leaving little extra room in her ribcage area. The Fundo already moved part of her stomach to fill that area, so there was not enough room to pull the mid area of her stomach to the abdominal wall, therefore she had to place the tube in the lower part of her stomach, requiring a more bulky tube. 

This photo shows her g-tube, which is where she will have all of her nutrition pumped through. They made 4 incisions, along with the g-tube site to perform the surgery. 

this tube sis about 15" long and about the diameter of a pen. It's big and bulky, and even in three months when she is allowed to "fold" it up, it will still protrude about and inch from her skin. 

I found this image on the web, and this is what she (we) was expecting:

It's a radical difference, but as Ashlyn always does, she has embraced this big chance with grace. We have a huge learning curve ahead with both the tube and the Fundo surgery, but these are positive changes and should greatly impact her quality of life. :)

She is still in the hospital and will remain here for at least another day or so. She is in a lot of pain and walking, talking, and sitting are extremely difficult for her, but she does everything she needs to do to help her get well. She is a warrior! The best part is that she hasn't had any acid or bile taste and burning, which she is beyond excited about! Even better for her is that she no longer has the ng tube. She spent a lot of time Monday and Tuesday just rubbing her face and smiling. (she's also pretty heavily drugged- lol)

This was taken right before they wheeled her away. Her last photo with an ng tube. :)

Thanks for making it through this. Blessing to all!!! I am feeling pretty hopeful and it is such a wonderful feeling! :)