One of my Christmas cards 2014

Hello there,
This is one of 7 cards, all very similar but with different background papers that I made for close friends and family.

I like to make special cards for family and close friends and love the layers on these.
I used a Spellbinders Poinsettia die for the flowers and the leaves are a mixture of Joanna Sheen, Marianne design and Sizzix, The berries are from The range.
The sentiment is computer generated which makes it easier to personalise. It is then cut out with a SB Floral oval die.


Thanks for popping in...Lynne xxx

Simply Less is More # 205

Hello there,
I`m back on my poor neglected blogwith my entry for this weeks Simply Less is More Challenge
which is a colour challenge.                BLACK, METALIC + ONE

I`ve gone for Black, gold and red,

I used a black base card and a white panel. I tried other combinations, white on white and plain black but prefer this one.
The tag is made using a Die-namics die and a Pink Petticoat Chevrons download printed onto card.
The heart is cut from red glitter card using a sizzix die and the small hearts are punched out.
The `love` die is from Memory Box cut from gold card.

Well I hope you all had a super Christmas and new year. Ours was...well... different. Ruby has been in LGI for 3 weeks now and has been extremely ill. The infection in her portacath was a lot more serious than first thought and even after an operation to remove it she didn`t improve at all. After a scan to investigate it was discovered that she had a `pocket` of infection, simiar to an abcess I think, quite deep seated in her chest. The doctor was hoping to take her to theatre to clean the infection site in the hope that the antibiotics would start to take effect but Rubys platelette count was extremely low and it was thought that she may not be strong enough to cope with another operation. Ruby had not eaten since being admitted so that was a major worry. She had a feed tube fitted to give her some nutrients with the hope of building her up enough to help the fight. She also developed a rash which was a worry, especially when they tested her for meningitis but that came back negative. The biggest concern was that the infection had spread throughout her body and that she had developed septicaemia. Ruby was seriously ill and quite unresponsive, sleeping most of the time. On sunday the decision was made to clean out the infected area. Almost as soon as she was back on the ward Ruby was showing signs of being more alert but by monday she was sleepy and a bit poorly again.
On tuesday morning she woke up wanting snuggles with her daddy and during the afternoon she was given a CT scan and the infection site was still clear. By late afternoon, a small miracle occured and Ruby ate for the first time in 17 days. You cannot imagine the relief we all felt, I can`t find the words to describe it. She sat in bed chattering away to the play worker and the nurses were queueing up outside the door to speak to her.
The rash is thought to be a reaction to the antibiotics so thats a huge relief. There is still along way to go, Ruby had some fluid around her lungs and her heart rate was quite high but she`s been back to theatre this afternoon to have her lungs flushed out and she`s breathing better already so fingers crossed. I know how worried I was but really can`t imagine what my daughter and son in law must have been going through. They have both shown such strength and they have supported each other which is  wonderful.
We can`t wait to get all the family home now so we can celebrate christmas together, a bit late but it will be special.

Thanks for popping in...Lynne xxx

Simply Less is More # 202

Hi there,

I`m just squeezing in by the skin of my teeth with my card for this weeks Simply Less is More challenge which has the title, SNOW. It`s also a one layer card week but this one turned out to be nice and easy.

I`ve used this lovely stamp from Lili of the Valley, James in the snow and coloured him with Promarkers.
I added a touch of Glamour Dust to the trim on his hat and on the snow flakes.
The sentiment is from a Crafters Companion Popcorn stamp set.
Thats it now, anymore Christmas cards will have to be bought ones although I think I`ve got it covered.

Ruby has been a bit unwell this week. She been very tired and grumpy which is a sign that her bloods are low. She was due to visit LGI yesterday afternoon for treatment anyway but when she woke up she had a number of bruises and her gums were bleeding so it was an earlier trip to Leeds than planned. . Poor ruby needed an adult sized bottle of blood and two teenage sized bottles of platelettes. She is now back on form with pink cheeks, talking non stop and on her way home.

Thanks for popping in...Lynne xxx

Simply Less is More # 201

Hi there,
We have a fabulous colour challenge this week at Simply Less is More 
 

Perfect for those last minute Christmas cards.

No stamping on this one but you know how much I love my dies. As I still have a few cards to make for Christmas ( I know, last minute as usual) I`m going to make a batch of these ones.
I used a Sizzix die for the star and backed it with some ice blue glitter card.
The `peace` die is from Memory Box, cut from white card.
I`ve added a few clear gems and some silver thread to finish.

Ruby is doing really well at the moment although she isn`t allowed back to school as they have chicken pox and nora virus going around. It`s a shame really because this is a lovely time of year with nativity plays and christmas crafts. The school have sent her a box full of crafting goodies to make her own at home and we have spent lots of time on pinterest looking for ideas for things to make. I`m not sure who is more excited, Ruby or her mum.

Thanks for popping in...Lynne xxx

Simply Less is More # 200

Hi,

Yippee, Simply Less is More is celebrating publishing the 200th challenge. Although I have missed a few weeks here and there, I have been entering the challenge since week 1. I`m sure I have Chrissie, Mandi and the girls to thank for the huge improvement ( most of the time) in my card making. I`ve thoroughly enjoyed every single challenge, even the ones that were more challenging than others lol. Here`s to the next 200.

Luckily for me this challenge comes in the week of my Sister in laws birthday so I`m sharing the card I made for her.
Hot pink base card from Papermill Direct.
The image is Lili of the Valley coloured with Promarkers and Spectrum Noir pens.
The sentiment is PC generated and I`ve added some tiny clear gems for sparkle.

Ruby is home from hospital now. She was tranfered from HRI to LGI mid week so they could keep a check on the infection and monitor her progress more closely. It was also thought that her emotional state could be hindering progress and this was borne out by the speed in which she picked up. Anyway she`s a lot better and enjoying being with all the family. Thank you all for the lovely comments and the good wishes.

Thank for popping in...Lynne xxx

Simply Less is More # 199

                                                         MISSING
                                     Craft Mojo

                                                 not seen for about 3/4 weeks
                                                 If found please return to this blog


Hi there,
            Well I`m here but my mojo certainly isn`t. I seem to have lost the ability to make a half decent card.
I have tried, I made cards for last week and the week before at Simply Less is More
but they were so pants I didn`t post them. I do wish it would come back. I miss my card making.
I have managed a card for this weeks challenge at Simply Less is More which is titled
                                                       JINGLE ALL THE WAY.
not 100% pleased with this one but this is what I`ve made,

I`ve used a Pink Petticoat 
Tiny Treasures for Christmas image, coloured with Promarkers and cut out with a Tag die from Die-namics.
The papers are from Do Crafts cut and fish tailed with a square nestie.
I`ve added a jingle bell from my stash and some tiny coloured gems here and there.
I`m going to have another go at this one and try to get my placement a bit better. Seems like a good design for batch making if I can get it right.

Ruby was sent home from LGI last week now the chemo is into her system and she has been weaned off the steroids.It`s unbelievable the difference the steroids have made. She gained almost 4 kgs in 5 weeks and it was such a shock to see her. She didn`t look like my Ruby anymore. They have told us that the weight will go almost as quick as it came but the chemo is effecting her leg muscles again which makes it difficult to walk and on friday she developed a high temperature so at the moment she`s in isolation at Hull Royal. Hopefully the blood cultures will come back tomorrow and Ruby can go home and have antibiotics there. She`s having a pretty rough time at the moment but is coping well and, as ever, is cheerful and giving the staff plenty to laugh about.

Thanks for popping in...Lynne xxx
                             

Simply Less Is More # 196

Hello All.
I`ve been a bad blogger again I`m afraid, in fact I`ve been a bad crafter too. Not done any paper crafting for a few days for some reason and last week I didn`t manage a card for the Simply Less is More Challenge at all. I`m back for now though with this weeks colour challenge and it`s a good one,

                                              Non Traditional Christmas Colours....no red or green

I stamped the snowflakes, from Inkadinkdo, in Versacolor heliotrope, orchid and cyan. I added sprinkling of Glamour Dust to add some sparkle.
The sentiment is computer generated but I`m not so keen on the banner now.
If I get the time I might redo it.

Just a quick (ha ha) update on Ruby. At this moment Ruby is in isolation as she has a nasty cough. We are waiting the results of an x ray and hopefully it can be easily treated. Apart from that she is doing remarkably well. There a lot of good positive things to report this week. Two weeks ago a real live Princess visited the childrens oncology ward and Ruby was chosen to meet and greet her. Princess Ghida of Jordan is the chair of a cancer trust and does lots of visits to hospitals.

Ruby wanted to know where her crown was.
Sorry about the pic, I had to pinch it off facebook.

Quite a lot of the kids dressed up for Halloween and spent most of the day terrifying the nursing staff.

Ruby dressed as a pumpkin. Later in the day she had her face painted and wrapped in a sheet pretending to be a ghost.


One thing that her mum was dreading was having to tell Ruby that her hair would fall out again. At the beginning of last week Ruby stated that she was better now her cough had gone so she could go home. Mum decided that this would be the right time to explain that the medicine she had to take would make her feel poorly and that was why Ruby had to stay in the hospital which Ruby accepted and then mum said to her,
" Do you remember last time you were poorly and all your hair feel out?"
Ruby said she did, so mum told her it was going to come out again and Ruby replied,
" Oh great, no tangles and no bobbles. Cool! "
She doesn`t let anything get her down and manages to find a positive in almost anything. The doctors had warned her mum that, because Ruby had already had a full course of chemo quite recently, her hair would come out alot quicker than last time and by friday it was falling out in clumps. It was even falling in her food so by tea time Ruby asked one of the nurses to shave it off. I think she looks beautiful with very short hair.

The chemo Ruby had the last time she was poorly is very toxic and can cause long term heart damage. She had regular heart scans both during and after her treatment. So, because she`s already had so much chemo the consultant requested a slightly different chemo that wasn`t so toxic but is extremely (and I mean ridiculously) expensive, and they were given the go ahead so that`s really good news.

Thanks for staying this long, I know it was a long post :)

Lynne xxx