Simply Less is More # 194

Hello There,
Once again thank you all for your lovely, supportive comments regarding Ruby. I`m sorry if I didn`t get around to you last week but I`m sure you`ll understand what a trying week it`s been. More later.

This weeks challenge at Simply Less is More is to make a card using LITTLE CREATURES
Well....I had a good root about and found this set of stamps I bought years ago from Creative Expressions ( I think) and only inked up once. Although the stamps are quite a good size, mice are quite small creatures aren`t they?

I started by stamping the two mice then, after masking them I stamped the lamp post. I also made a mask for the lamp so I could sponge the background with decorative chalks.
I coloured the image with Promarkers and added a sentiment from the same set. Unfortunately I caught the edge of the stamp and left a tiny mark so I`ve covered it with a clear gem.

Right, back to Ruby. Last week she had a lumber puncture and a CT scan on her head. There was some concern that she may have a tumour in her nasal passages aswell as she was still having some trouble breathing especially when laying flat. Anyway both sets of results have come back clear so that is a bonus. The steroids seem to be working and her breathing has improved over the last few days but she has ballooned. Her face looks like the moon bless her, she does look healthy but we are aware that it`s the steroids and she will lose weight once the treatment starts.
Because she has already had a full course of Chemo and quite recently, the effects appear alot sooner so she will start to lose her hair almost immediately. Not sure how she`ll deal with that this time but I`m sure we`ll get round it somehow. So this is the start of another 2 year treatment plan which will probably last at least 6 months longer because there`ll be times when treatment is delayed because of infections. By the time it`s finished poor kid will have spent more than half her life having treatment.
 Apart from that Ruby is fine. Loving the attention, making friends with the nursing staff and eating like a horse.

Thanks for popping in...Lynne xxx

Simply Less is More # 193

Hello There !

I`d first like to say a very big thank you for all your lovely comments and the support and prayers you`ve sent for Ruby. It means such a lot to us all. More later.

This week it`s the dreaded One Layer Card at Simply Less is More and we are asked to include,
                                                        2 of Something

A pretty basic card really. I`ve used 2 leaves.
A simple panel chalked with yellow, orange and a touch of red to keep with the autumnal theme.
I stamped 2 leaves from Hero Arts, in clear ink and embossed them in detail gold EP.
The sentiment is There She Goes stamped in Black Versafine ink.

Ruby gave us quite a scare last monday when she went to theatre.The doctors were hoping to do a biopsy, a lumber puncture and fit a port in one operation but she stopped breathing under the anaesthetic. My daughter rang in a mad panic because they`d been told Ruby might have to go into intensive care. They`d managed to do the biopsy but had to bring her round quickly because the tumour was blocking her airways.After a couple of very worrying  hours Mum rang back to say that Ruby was back on the ward and chatting away after eating her way through a plate full of fish fingers and chips. Phew!
Doctors decided to give a few days rest and after scanning on friday she was taken back to theatre for the rest of her procedure. She has a T-Cell Lymphoma which I think is a form of Leukemia but we are still waiting for the results from her spinal fluid to see which type it is. Apart from that she is fine. Mum and dad are being as honest as they can with her, answering her questions and she seems to be taking it all on board for now. I think the worse thing for Ruby will be when her hair falls out again but we`ll deal with that when it happens.

Thanks for popping in...Lynne xxx

Simply Less is More # 192

Hello there, it`s a thoroughly miserable day today over most of the UK so not a day for getting out and about. What better excuse to stay put and craft.
The challenge over on Simply Less is More this week is a colour one and perfect for this month as it`s title is,
                                                                AUTUMN BOUNTY

I used decorative chalks in red, orange, yellow and green on Papermill White Linen card before cutting it out with a Spellbinders Hexagon die.
I cut a larger hexagon in white and mounted them, one on top the other using foam pads.
The leaf is cut from a X Cut die in dark yellow card and I`ve chalked the edges with orange.
Finished off with a sentiment from There She Goes.

We had some really devastating news over the weekend...Ruby has cancer again. After being cancer free for over a year the evil disease has come back to have another go.I can`t begin to tell you how we`re all feeling but especially her mum & dad who are, understandably, devastated.
Ruby had a really bad, chesty cough for about 3 weeks which didn`t respond to antibiotics or an inhaler so on friday her GP referred her to Hull Royal for an X ray. HRI liased with Leeds General where all her treatment will take place and they admitted her immediately.
It was thought to be a secondary wilms tumour that had settled in her lungs but apparently it`s a new cancer altogether, thought to be caused by the radiation she had for her last treatment, and is in her upper airway and pushing against her lungs but is easily treatable. It just means she has go through all the chemo and the side effects that go with it all over again.
That`s about all I know for now exept they have put her on steroids to control her breathing so they can do a biopsy and a lumber puncture and also to fit a port, which is left in to admit any medication she needs.
Because Ruby was only 3 last time her treatment started she just got on with it and accepted everything that needed doing but now she`s 6 and can remember things she`s a very frightened little girl. I`m sure the staff at LGI will deal with that as they are wonderful there.
So... not a very happy post today, sorry about that.

Thanks for popping in...Lynne xxx

Simply Less is More # 191

Hello There,
Well it`s a good week for me this week over at the Simply Less is More Challenge. It`s recipe week and we are asked to make a card using MOSTLY WORDS.
I had decided to make my batches of  Christmas cards for friends and neighbours over the weekend, keeping them simple and using text as the main focal point. Basically all I`ve had to do is put this card together. Simples!

Cuttlebug Snowflake EF on panel.
Words PC generated and cut out with a SB nestie oval die.
Snowflakes, lge Crafters Companion die, two smaller ones punched from pale blue glitter card.
Finished off with a small gem in centre of larger snowflake.

Time permitting I`ll be back during the week but don`t hold your breath. Enjoy whats left of the week end,
Thanks for popping in...Lynne xxx

Simply Less is More # 190

Hello There,                                                                

We went away for a few days early in the week and I didn`t have time to join in last weeks Simply Less is More Challenge so I was more than ready for this weeks. It`s theme week and this time the title is,

                                                     FACE THE MUSIC AND DANCE

After a lot of thought I came up with this,

The ballet shoes are an image I found on Pinterest, coloured with Promarkers and I`ve sprinkled a tiny bit of Glamour dust on them.
The music is a stamp from Hobbycraft, stamped in Versafine Black.
I`ve cut both images out with a tag die from Die- Namics and added a pinkbow.
The sentiment is PC generated with a touch of Lady Ga Ga.

I have two birthdays this week so I`m hoping my mojo holds out long enough to make cards. It`s a bit hit and miss at the moment.
 Thanks for popping in...Lynne xxx

September is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month

Hello All,                                                                

No card today I`m afraid, I wanted to take this opportunity to let you know that September is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month.
It seems the media in the UK are somewhat reluctant to advertise this
campaign so my daughter Cheryl and many of the "Oncology Mums"
from Facebook are on a mission to let the world know.
With all the press coverage about Ashya King and what his poor parents have been through, you would think that the news programs would be full of the Gold Ribbon campaign but no, nothing. The This Morning program and Loose Women websites have been bombarded with requests to give it a mention and Holly and Phillip have been sent Gold Ribbons but there hasn`t been any sign of them.
Cancer Research UK only changed their facebook header after protests from parents of children with cancer and infact our local  Cancer Research charity shop are not selling gold Ribbons and the staff were not aware of the  september gold ribbon. Considering the amount of children suffering from this dreadful disease it`s about time more was done to raise awareness.
For instance, did you know that only 4% of the total raised by Cancer Research UK goes towards finding a cure for childhood cancers? In the last 20 years only ONE new treatment has been approved for children with cancer. This is ALL the  cancers that children suffer from and they are numerous.
The fashionable adult cancers i.e. Breast, Ovarian, Cervicle, Testicular & Prostate seem to get all the attention and we cannot deny that they are terrible conditions but surely our children are just as important and deserve equal funding for research and treatment.
All I`m asking is that you lovely lot spread the word. So many children and their families are going through hell every day and many people don`t realise.

Thank you for your time...Lynne xxx

Simply Less is More # 188

Hello there,
First let say a very warm welcome to my latest follower Jane. Thank you for choosing my little blog to follow.

It`s a colour challenge over at Simply Less is More and this weeks colours are;

                          

CHOCOLATE MINT

                         
Mmmm lovely colours but how to use them on a card was a tad baffling. So...when you run out of ideas, make a Christmas card.

I`ve also got a bit greedy and have plain and milk chocolate.
I used dark chocolate card for the base, made a panel from white linen card and rounded one corner.
The tag is made from an offcut of white linen card using a Die-Namics tag die.
I made the banner from Pink Petticoat 
Swiss Dots DP in milk chocolate using the corner of a square nestie to make the fishtail.
I stamped the sentiment, Papermania`s Joyeaux Noel set, in Versacolour Brown ink onto pale green vellum and embossed with clear EP before wrapping it around the tag.
I punched a snowflake from pale green glitter card ( think it should`ve been a bit bigger now) punched a hole in the top of the tag and tied some green twine to it and there you have it.
Definitely a non traditional Christmas card is ever there was one.

There is mention on more than one of the design teams blogs of chocolate goodies like Aero and After Eights which is far too tempting for a chocoholic like me so I`m off to see what I can find in the treat tin.

Edited to add; I got so carried away thinking about chocolate that I forgot to thank the girls for showcasing my sketch week card. So sorry, I`m chuffed to bits.

Thanks for popping in...Lynne xxx