Rest in Peace, Little Mother...

On May 31st my mother, Regina Forsythe, nee Cowie, known to everyone as Jeannie, lost her long and arduous battel with Alzheimer's. I was with her when she passed, thank the good Lord. I miss her. She was my greatest fan, no matter what I ever did. She was creative, kind, and always smiling. Everyone loved her....

This picture was when Stephanie, now 25, was about 4 years old, and my mother, Jeannie, was just 60. Stef and I were in the musical Oklahoma.

A CASE of Beauty for the Birthday girl

I think you may need to click on this picture to see how beautiful it is with dazzling diamonds...it doesn't "read" as pretty as it is IRL...I made this for my daughter-in-law Monique and I hope she liked it as much as I liked putting it together. This card was a CASE from the talented Gretchen Barron, another demonstrator who does beautiful work. Remember, those of you who feel that they can't make these cards, all you need to do is recognize the beauty and CASE. Cope And Share Everything. As long as you are using a card for personal use, or if you give credit where it is due, no demo minds you CASE-ing her (or him - and yes there are some hims).

On a sad note, I wanted to share that the world lost a very kind, giving and great man last week. He was a father figure to me in high school and beyond, he and his wife were a constant demonstration of what a marriage is supposed to be like (53 years), his house was a haven for his children and their friends, me being one of those friends. I loved him and his wife so much, I asked them to be the God-parents of my precious daughter, and that was 24 years ago. He was taken from us by the dreaded disease of Alzheimer's. His disease was different from my mother's, but the ravages are the same. While his passing is sad, I am happy that he is with his son George, in the arms of our Lord, finally free from pain and memory loss. George, you will be missed but never forgotten. RIP.

Alzheimer's donations and blog candy alert

Please visit the site of Cammie - who is currently offering a blog candy worth 1,000's of dollars and cards by the royalty of the card world...unfortunately I found the candy late and it goes off tomorrow - but still - with Alzheimer's - the thief disease - being the beneficiary of the goodness and also the caregivers - I felt I must support it even if it goes off in 2 minutes!! I just gave a card to the staff where my mom is this past Tuesday- as they are treating her so well - and it just eases my heart no end...remember this card from my SAS? That's what I gave to Nina, my hero...

I really fell in love with this cute little set and I love flowers - my mom was a florist - and I love making the flower embellishment....plus - how can you not love the saying? So I used this card to show a small part of the very large feeling I have for Mother's new care takers....thank God for them!

Small delay in posting...

Sorry I haven't been around...things as usual go crazy from time to time...and this was a week of one of those times!! I started school on Wednesday the 3rd and that has its own issues, what with making sure I have all my supplies and getting ready for the kiddos, etc etc....And I get really tired after teaching all day and the long commute I have to readjust to.....but I really missed my kids (when people ask how many kids I have, I have taken to replying "hundreds!") and lucky for me they missed me back! I am fortunate that I have my students from two to four years...and we all grow together....but I digress....

Then a "rental" emergency that lasted several days - involved plumbing....nuff said on THAT icky sitch.....AND who planned THAT expense! Dang house was supposed to have been sold by now, anyway.... ah, but the best laid plans.....

And last but not least...we were busy with happy family stuff...AND I have been diligently putting in my time on my doctoral work...I am in the home stretch now and while its killing me, its almost over!! Thank you, Jesus!! Then throw in that my mother was moved this past weekend from the Psychiatric Hospital to a nursing home/Alzheimer's place...(my sister and I are going tomorrow to visit).... and so....I have not had an opportunity nor the energy to post!! But I have thought about it!! ;-) But I am back!! Thanks for hanging around....and don't forget...I got some blog candy coming up....almost at that 5K mark! Feels like a marathon!!! LOL TTYL!

I think I have been neglecting my studies...

Alrighty then.....I believe it is time I really buckle down and "Git R done!!" if you know what I mean...I have been working SOOO long on this degree, but having to stop out for several years due to two more bouts of cancer with Bob - then the supporter/survivor depression as well as two moves, a change in jobs, picking a topic that is difficult for me, having 3 surgeries in two years myself...sigh...ok...want some crackers with that w(h) ine?!?!?! I need to finish - rather than excitement, it now feels like a monkey on my back. It is also difficult since my mom was my biggest fan - in everything I do - but she doesn't even know me these days....I actually am dreading seeing her on Mother's day - doesn't that sound awful? It just hurts too terribly bad...I was just telling someone the other day - Alzheimer's is a disastrous disease for so many reasons - but - having been with my husband through 3 primary cancers in the past 16 years and ALL the ramifications of surgery/ illness - like surprise career and income changes - illness hits more than your body....but anyway - I feel like we had SOME control - the choices we made for the best doctors - going to NYC to Sloan Kettering - treatment decisions -all of that...and Bob and I together worked through it all....but with Alzheimer's - the person you love is still in front of you - but not there at the same time - you need to grieve the loss of your loved one while they are still with you and you are alone in your battle against THEIR disease...sucks worse than the big C in my opinion. OK - off my soapbox about illness....I have to get to my writing....it is just tooooo tempting to be on the computer and NOT go on the net....arghhhhh....I think maybe I need a 12 step for the computer!!! YIKE-EEESSS!!! Later dude!

... a belated mother's day...

...for my mother...She wasn't home on Mother's Day and so I did not get to talk to her or see her on Mother's Day, and since she can't stay home by herself, she hasn't been around as Pop is working.... however I did finally get to see her on Memorial Day when she and my step-father came to the house for our annual picnic. It is so hard to see her these days, as her focus is minimizing every day. And I was SURE she was going to love the card I made for her...remember, mom and I used to make crafts together for as long as I can remember and she was a florist, which is where I picked up skills and techniques in floral arranging....so I picked the SAB set Big Blossoms and cased a card from an SCS stamper named "debbiedesigns" because I thought it was soooo beautiful...She SEEMED to like it - until she opened it - and she started to cry....not due to the sentiment, but because she can no longer comprehend the words and it totally confused her....but I gave her a hug and she was ok....of course I wasn't...but she did like the picture. Took me awhile to even write that and post a picture of the card, but I think I most likely better write about those moments or I may just meltdown one day....AHHHHH....... hell on earth.....definitely has to be Alzheimers...At least with Bob's 3 bouts of cancer we BOTH could feel as if we could fight it together and talk to each other and offer each other support....Alzheimers is just an evil thief that leaves you and your loved ones empty....

The Start of Something Good...

As I have been inspired to create a blog by those I have seen, which all have been awesome, and by the recommendation of my SU! upline mentors, I have decided to take on this challenge for myself....not that I need another one, mind you, but since I have decided that my middle name must be "chaos", I thought I would just take the plunge and go for it. I had wanted to try this for a while, but I wanted something special for a title and it wasn't coming....but this morning I must have had enough coffee (is there ever enough?) and I came up with my newest handle, ran it by my soul sister girlfriend Kathy, got her instant approval, and decided ok, now's the time....so here goes.....

This blog is dedicated to all of my crafting gigs, and especially to my new Stampin' Up! business. Most people don't really understand how much all of this actually means to me, as crafting was something my mother and I always did together, ever since I was a very little girl....and we can no longer do that....In my opinion, she would have loved making cards and scrapbooks with me, and she certainly would have put any of my creations to shame as she was truly a crafting artist....but these days I am lucky if she even remembers who I am, let alone be with it enough to craft with me. So share with me the gift of crafting and a love of creation that I have inherited from my beautiful mother, and know that everything I do is actually a little piece of her. 'Nuff said. Onwards sista!