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Another Update

2009-11-12T14:18:00.001-04:00

Well, just when I thought life was settling down...I woke up yesterday morning to find out I had allergic reaction to the meds that I was taking to make my leg not swollen. I am now officially covered head to toe with a pink ITCHY raised up rash :(! I am taking Reactin for the rash and am hoping it will be gone when I wake up tomorrow morning but I am not holding my breath on that.

Am going to be crafty today though, I have to be, since I haven't been in a few days!!!

Inky Hugs,

Catherine

Passion For Crafts blog candy giveaway

2009-11-10T08:16:00.001-04:00

WOW, Debbie over at the blog called "Passion For Crafts" hit the 200,000 mark on her blog and is celebrating with this HUGE blog candy giveaway. Hurry on over and check it out :)!

Inky Hugs,

Catherine

My dh and a project he did for me

2009-11-08T10:47:00.004-04:00

So awhile ago I put in a request for my handy dandy dh to make me a light tent, as he saw me wandering all over my house to take the perfect card picture as well as using sheets and paper etc. Well, yesterday since I came down with this not fun flu bug he finally finished the tent part and now he is working on the lighting for it :)! I was shocked when he came into my bedroom where I am stuck pretty much to show me what he had made me, I was wowed by how big it was. I didn't realize he was making a BIG one, but that is okay no complaints here except where to store the thing :p! Any lighting ideas??

Sorry still no crafty things from me, but thought my dh's project might help with something for you all to check out. I am feeling better, I have no fever since yesterday early afternoon and no headache either but I do have this cough and am very stuffed up. Both my poor parents who were out here helping me recover/looking after us all during my knee surgery etc. are now both sick :(! Am trying to work on bending my knee more and more as I am lying in bed, am now not using crutches am walking the best I can for now.

The one thing that surprised me was having the flu, you know how you hurt everywhere?? Well, this is super weird, well I hurt MORE in my leg/knee where I had my knee surgery than anywhere else which made it difficult for me to get up when I had to. I am however, thinking my antibiotics for my knee has helped me recover faster!

While I am here I thought I would add my 2 cents for what I think about the H1N1 shot, my dd had it Monday but on Tuesday she woke up with a BAD headache and a high fever and had flu like symptoms. They tell us that the vaccination won't cause one to get it, oh yeah ours in Canada does have Mercury in it same with several other vaccinations which we have been told they don't. Anyways, Friday is when my dd had to be rushed in to the children's hospital to get checked out as she had the same symptoms as she did the day after her shots but worse in the sense that she now had a cough and found it hard to breath. So many people I know are having effects from having the needles, to only get sick with the H1N1 a few days later. Hind sight is everything, if I knew my dd was going to get the H1N1 I don't think I would have gotten her the needles. Plus, the H1N1 vaccination takes 2 weeks to kick in...so in that time you too can get the H1N1...crazy eh? I am sure I am not the only one who is confused and felt like we are left in the dark about this vaccination...

Inky Hugs,

Catherine

Update #3

2009-11-06T09:25:00.002-04:00

My lil dd, had her H1N1 shot Monday afternoon then on Tuesday she woke up with a high fever and a nasty headache. All her symptoms basically went away on Wed, but that night in the middle of the night she got a wet cough and a high fever of 102 and another headache. Yesterday, she complained of a headache most of the day but was still wanting to play with my Mom who has been out for the week helping me since my knee surgery. Last night at 11 p.m., my dd woke up with a high fever of 103 again and a nasty headache, could hardly breath and had a nasty cough which didn't help her breathing. I called the lovely 811 telehealth #, but then decided they'd tell me to go to the children's hospital and I took her in...sadly I wasn't ready for what was to happen next. She started to throw up about 15 minutes from our house, she threw up all over herself but luckily got a bag for her to hold.
We got to the children's hospital at about 12:00 a.m., there were 10 or so children all doing the same things my dd was doing and were throwing up all in cue it seemed. Poor lil one's :(! Anyways, the doctor finally saw us at like 2-2:30 a.m. and he told me anyone who has flu like symptoms HAS H1N1 as the seasonal flu isn't out yet. Plus, he kind of hinted that they are now thinking the H1N1 vaccinations may cause them to get it anyways...don't think that is likely...
My dd was given Tamiflu, we just pulled into our driveway about an hour after she had her first dose to only loose most of it but this time she didn't get it everywhere.
This morning we are very tired, and she isn't well still...hoping she won't get worse as we are getting snow here today about 15 cm of the white stuff...hoping my dd will have a nap soon.

Inky Hugs,
Catherine

update #2

2009-11-05T15:20:00.002-04:00

Well, sorry for no craftyness on my blog for the past couple of days as I had a set back I wasn't expecting. See the other morning I took my son E* out to his bus, but my shoe wasn't fitting right so I took off my sock...E* squawked "MOMMY YOUR FOOT IS HUGE!!!!" Sure enough my foot was triple the size it normally is, same with my leg...off to emerg I went and they thought I had a clot. I quickly found out that a person with a potential "clot" ranks lower on the Emerg list than someone with "possible H1N1"...anyways in the end, I have no clot but had an infection in my leg. Was put on IV antibiotics, for 2 days and they worked really well my foot is down to it's normal size...but now I am on antibiotics in pill form.

This morning I went to ER again, this time to get my stitches out and to find out I HAVE to do Physio again and so as you can see I have been rather busy and worried with my knee surgery complications. I will be back in a day or two with a crafty project for you :)! Thank you for all your kind thoughts...means a lot :)!

Inky Hugs,

Catherine

update

2009-11-02T09:51:00.005-04:00

My middle guy was out sick all last week from school, he had a flu which I am sure was H1N1 just because there are several confirmed cases in his school. There were over 94 kids out of the school last week alone, thinking that the numbers have increased because there were only 5 kids on the school bus today. He is now well, back at school but I am leary about sending him back to perhaps only get sick again!

Last night, my oldest who's picture is above has come down with : a fever, a sore throat (you should see his tonsils they are HUGE) and also a cough. He is now home for the week, getting him checked out at our doctor's this afternoon...making sure it isn't strep throat!

My dd and I are heading to get her vaccinated, my mom is staying home with the boys so I can get in the LONG line at the local clinic this afternoon...am hoping my crutches and I will get through the line faster :p. One good thing about my knee surgery!

My knee is doing better, still using one crutch (will be using two this afternoon when I take my dd in) and am doing my exercises they gave me and I have my follow up appointment on Thursday to get my stitches out. Still can't straighten my knee yet, and my leg is very swollen :(!

I also have cancelled my meeting with the teachers for parent teacher night at school, if they want me I told them they can call me where I don't have to be on my leg too much...don't want to be in the school for long where there are confirmed cases of H1N1. Lol

Inky Hugs,

Catherine

Sympathy cards

2009-11-01T17:01:00.004-04:00

I had to make 3 sympathy cards yesterday, and have to make 3 more :(! My pastor's father in law past away, my father in law has a company that they use for work sometimes and one of those guys passed away, my friends unborn baby passed away, my friends father passed away. Here is one of the cards I made from the other day, I replicated it 2 times...couldn't take a picture of the third one I made because my camera's battery died.

Inky Hugs,

Catherine

Pretty Pink Posh Blog candy giveaway

2009-10-31T22:46:00.001-03:00

Check out all these Making Memories goodies up for grabs over at the blog called "Pretty Pink Posh", hurry on over and check out how you can be entered to win these goodies :)!

Inky Hugs,

Catherine

my oldest son's mask for Halloween

2009-10-30T15:31:00.004-03:00

My son's school asks us as parents to help our children make masks for the kids, so they won't wear costumes but have a mask contest/parade at school. So here is what my oldest wanted us to make him, and my middle guy was home sick...he didn't get to go to school to enjoy the fun.

Inky Hugs,
Catherine

Embellish Mag. Owl challlenge

2009-10-30T10:39:00.005-03:00

I saw the new Embellish Magazine challenge, and just HAD to do it...especially since there was a cute owl to use that they created for us :). LOVE how my card turned out, love this color combo too and am going to have to use this combo again sometime.

Here is what I came up with using this challenge, try this color combo/OWL challenge I dare ya :)! Thank you so much Embellish for these challenges, they are a lot of fun :)!

Inky Hugs,
Catherine

Get Sketchy sketch #12

2009-10-30T09:02:00.004-03:00

Thought I would do this sketch, here is what I came up with :)! I made this first thing this morning, as I was waiting for my Mom to come out to help me out today.

We took the wrap/gauze off my knee, oh boy I wasn't expecting to find what I did. There were two big incisions, then there were 3 other little one's around the larger one's. Am thinking that sure my surgeon was a *HOTTIE* but he needs to work on his stitching, because it isn't as nice a job as one would expect. Fraken knee is what I call my knee, just in time for Halloween...don't worry I am not going to show you.

Inky Hugs,
Catherine

surgery went well

2009-10-29T07:37:00.003-03:00

For those of you who didn't know, yesterday morning I had knee surgery on my left knee...basically it is genetics and sports combo issue but something I have to live with for the rest of my life. I have Osteo Arthritis, am referred to the pain clinic to help me work with/manage the pain and the surgery was a temporary fix but would love if it lasts longer. The surgeon did a re-lateral release, as the guy who did it before did it wrong or it healed wrong or both :( plus they also looked around my joint line and cleaned out the back of my knee cap again. This is my third surgery!

My surgery went really well, can actually put weight on it which I couldn't do the first 2 surgeries and the good news is my pain in my hip I was getting because of my knee is now gone too :)! I will be laid up for a bit, but am thinking I will be up and at em again soon :D...this morning I woke up with a sore throat but that is because of the breathing tube they put in during the surgery.

Will keep you posted on my recovery, and thank you for those of you who did know about my surgery and kept me in your thoughts...means a lot :)! Today I will be crafty, get tons of things made and posted for you all...at least my hands still work :p!

Inky Hugs,

Catherine

MojoMonday sketch challenge

2009-10-26T15:24:00.004-03:00

Here is Mojo Monday's sketch for this week, and here is what I came up with using this sketch.

I know the card is simple and basic, but that is what I wanted to do a simple/basic kind of card :)! Try out this sketch, I dare ya :p!

Inky Hugs,
Catherine

Mercy's Tuesdays Sketch Challenge #44 and the There She Goes card challenge

2009-10-26T08:13:00.006-03:00

Saw these two sketch challenges this morning, and I wanted to try my hand at these challenges. Loved doing the MTSC44 challenge, it was fun and it wasn't a card I had done yet either :)! I also wanted to participate in the There She Goes card challenge, and thought I could create one card for both challenges.

So here is what I came up with for both of these challenges :)! This card is easy to do, and can be quite easily mass produced in very little time, and was fun to do :).

Inky Hugs,
Catherine

Boy card

2009-10-24T12:03:00.002-03:00

I found this great stamp set from Carousel Rubber stamp store the other day, and it is by Stampabilities. I just had to get it to create some fun boy cards :)! I used the Cuttlebug diamond print plate embossing folder for this background, and I used some tinfoil too something everyone should have around their house :). Neat eh??

Inky Hugs,

Catherine

Crafty night goodies

2009-10-23T08:21:00.012-03:00

Last night we had5 gals out including myself, sadly we were missing 3 gals and one of our gals Yvonne sadly moved away to Texas. Hope to see you guys out again soon :)! The first project we did was mine, knew I should have done something different...am a little frustrated with myself. I know the girls are going to tell me they loved it and not to worry about it...lol! The next project was Val's, she did a technique card with us and it was almost like the one we did last time with Deborah but a tad different. I am going to have to get Val to tell us what this technique was called, because I forget. Lol, my poor memory is getting worse :(! Gorgeous eh?? Thank you so much Val, LOVED this technique :)!

Then we handed out our challenge card

s to everyone, wow, is all I have to say because all the cards were gorgeous and will be going up in my crafty room on the wall. Time to change up my cards I think :)! The card you see here on the right is one that Kelly made, love your doodle...see none of the gals like to doodle by freehand. Well, I don't mind it but none of the other gals will go for it if you ask them to...lol!

This card was done by Louise, look at what she created isn't it just amazing :)! Always enjoy seeing what she has created, she is so talented and creates the most gorgeous cards.

Here is Louise's card from the last challenge that she didn't get done in time, but she had them ready for last night :)! Thank you so much Louise!!

Here is Val's card, gorgeous card and I just love the flower with the flourish :)!

Here is Kim's card, LOVE it :)! Especially love that new Martha Stewart punch that she used...thanks Kim for this fun card. Thank you for the yummy treat you brought Kim, and you can't ever just have one of them. She brought "Sex in a Pan", WOW is all I have to say...lol :p!

Here is Deborah's card, LOVE this image that she used it is GORGEOUS :)! Thank you Deborah for the wonderful earrings too, and for the lunchbox...Ethan won't put it down. Think it is glued to him for good now...

Thank you so much gals for a fun night, I look forward to the next one am hoping I will be up and doing well again by that point. For those of you who don't know, I am having knee surgery (my 3rd) this Wednesday...so I will be laid up to make tons of stuff, perhaps not the first day or second day after my surgery but after that I will have things for you guys.

Inky Hugs,

Catherine

Crafty night

2009-10-22T19:00:00.000-03:00

Tonight is Crafty night, the challenge for tonight was to make 8 cards (one for everyone) and it had to have more than 5 layers on it. I just couldn't resist to make a Christmas card, so here is what I came up with...just LOVE this old country Santa. It comes from the set called Believe by Papertrey :)! Had fun making this card for everyone, will have the other 8 cards that the other made that I will post tomorrow sometime.

I am also in charge of the project tonight, and we

are making a a notepad holder...was hoping that it would be able to stick to the fridge because of the magnets on the back of the notepads. It wouldn't stay on the fridge as it was too heavy...but if you don't want it in the notepad holder then you can take it out. I will post the tutorial for this project tomorrow once I type it up for you all :)! Here is the inside and also the outside of the notebook holder...nothing fancy but am sure the girls will do something great with theirs.

Now that it is getting closer to the time I have to do my project, I am getting a bit stressed out as I think I should have done something else for a project. I know, I know we said not to get stressed out and it isn't something to get stressed out about....but still I am a wee itty bitty bit!

Inky Hugs,

Catherie

Thank you cards

2009-10-22T15:27:00.009-03:00

I have been asked by a couple, to make 100 thank you cards for them using some or all of the colors they used for their wedding and also the flower that was on their wedding invitations. So here are a few of the cards I have made so far for them to view, so waiting to hear back from them :)!Thought I would start out with a basic card, something easy and something somewhat simple...then go from there...but it wasn't really what they were looking for.

Here are two variations of 2 cards, love how these one's turned out but we

will see what the couple says about them :)! The first two cards are the same except for the flowers, plus I embossed the cards base with a flourish flower embossing folder by Cuttlebug.

Here are the second set of cards I made, not much changed except the way the card's base is and also the position of the flowers on the card. Lol, just wanted to change it up a bit :)!

Inky Hugs,

Catherine

Tuesday Morning Sketches/ There She Goes

2009-10-21T08:32:00.003-03:00

Here is the Tuesday Morning Sketch for this week, and I loved the look of this sketch and just HAD to do it. I also decided to use the Verve free digi stamp set, all you have to do is head on over to the Verve site and download the set.

Here is what I came up with using this sketch, and I wanted to do a xmas card theme :)! Thank you to the Verve for creating a free digi stamp set for us to use :)!

Inky Hugs,

Catherine

Ty, Toni Whitnell

2009-10-20T15:38:00.002-03:00

CCE group# 5A, I received a card in the mail today from Toni and it was really gorgeous :)! I have it hanging on my wall in my crafty area, that's where I put all my cards for me to see everyday :).

Inky Hugs,

Catherine

Honest Scrap Award

2009-10-17T12:01:00.002-03:00

Thank you so much Anita, am glad that I can be one of your "live" friends :p! So I am to pass this along to 5 people and tell you 10 things about myself, and Anita take care get better soon.

10 things about me:

1) My son would probably also fit under the PPD-NOS category, but we haven't gotten even a diagnosis of that. lol, working on it and oh yeah "waiting and seeing"

2) I love to bake things, mainly sweets

3) I used to play Clarinet and piano

4) I am going to have my 3rd knee surgery on Oct. 28th

5) I love to watch movies

6) I am adopted

7) I am more of a person who likes to be in the background, not standing up and fighting for people's rights right up front. However, with our son's journey I have learned to find my "advocating" voice and am hoping to help other families/parents/ children.

8) I love Tim Horton's French Vanilla cappuccino's

9) I am not usually a dress wearing chick, I am more comfy in pants

10) I used to play soccer, basketball, volleyball, softball in high school

5 People I pass this award to:

1) Val

2)Kim

3)Deborah

4)Julie

5)Yvonne

Inky Hugs,

Catherine

CCE group #5

2009-10-16T13:19:00.003-03:00

Today, in the mail I received this GORGEOUS card from Madge Haycock :)! Thank you so much Madge I LOVE this card, it is so stunning :)! I decided to give the Canadian Card Exchange another try, I have done it several times in the past to only be kind of disappointed with some of the cards I received. So I signed up for this round of it, and so far I am THRILLED to pieces I joined this round :)! I have been meaning to give this card style a try, but just haven't gotten around to doing it...think I might just have to try one today at some point.

Inky Hugs,

Catherine

Another Mo Digital image card

2009-10-16T09:56:00.003-03:00

I got another freebie over at Mo's again yesterday, and as soon as I saw the image I knew what kind of card I wanted to make. Can't seem to get enough of her images :)! I wanted to make "waves" on the front of the card, so I just ripped up strips of different color blue card stock and then layered them.

Hope everyone is staying warm,

Catherine

Mo's Digital challenge number 2

2009-10-15T10:37:00.003-03:00

This weeks challenge is to use colors that remind you of Fall and to use only 2 embellishments. Your image does not have to be a Fallimage, although it can, just use colors that remind you of Fall. The limited embellishments will make sure that Mo's fabulous image is the main focal point of the card. Head on over to the challenge blog and check out other neat things :)!

Here is my creation for this Challenge #2, love how this card turned out...better than my first one that is for sure :)! LOVE all of Mo's digital images, they are amazing and fun to work with :)!

Inky Hugs,

Catherine

removed

2009-10-14T22:08:00.000-03:00

Sorry, had to remove the last card I made as I decided I had to do something different with it as I wasn't happy with it. Lol, so I will be back tomorrow with the redo of this card :)!

Inky Hugs,

Catherine