Special Prayers and Positive Vibes

Feeling helpless when your child is ill has got to be one of the worst feelings ever. There is nothing you can do to make them feel better and nothing you can do to make the pain and problems go away.

I have been dealing with this since November 15th. Things started out with a fever, and now we are admitted to the hospital not 100% sure what has happened, just knowing that we have some sort of inflammatory process happening that we have to get fixed.

Joel is being such a trooper. He has not complained at all. The only time I see anything negative from him is when he is trying to tell me something and I don't understand. He has lesions all inside his mouth so he is unable to speak. He has a little book that sits beside him that he uses to write down things when we can't figure out his sign language.

We are still unsure as to how long he will need to be in the hospital, but I will be here for as long as he is here.

I must say it is comforting knowing that we have this wonderful health care organization to come to and all the staff that work here are amazing.

There is a very large team that works with all the patients. There is a Child Life Specialist - she comes to explain anything the kids need help with. If they are going to undergo a test or a procedure that they are unsure of, they just need to call her and she will come down and help them through it. The Pharmacist came in and spoke about the meds he is on and because this is a teaching hospital he has seen quite a few students and residents. All in all they are providing him with great care and we are appreciative of the time they spend.

Anyhow, it's time for night time meds which sometimes prove to be a little challenging with all his mouth sores.. so I'm signing off and hope to post tomorrow.

If it's something you do, please say a little prayer for my little guy, and if it's not something you do, please send positive vibes our way.

Cyber hugs to all

Jacqui

Holiday Lineup

Well, this past weekend I drove up to see my best friend, Vicki!! We had a great weekend. We hung out and did some stamping and lots of visiting!!!

This was the card I created for a die cut swap that I am in. I couldn't decide which die cut to use, so I used 3 different ones!! I used the Top Note die, the snowflakes die and the Peace & Joy & Love & Cheer die - I just cut off the love and cheer.
The base is Chocolate Chip card stock wheeled with white ink using the snowflake wheel. A piece of Bordering Blue is the next layer, also wheeled with the snowflake wheel using white ink. The top note die was used to cut a piece of Chocolate Chip card stock, which was also wheeled with the snowflake wheel in white. The snowmen from Holiday Lineup were stamped on watercolour paper and coloured with re-inkers. The snowflakes were cut using the snowflakes die and then attached to the card using brads.
This was a fun card to make and I am pleasantly surprised with the way it turned out. I get inspired when I stamp/create with Vicki and I appreciate the way she gives me feedback on my cards.
She has taught me so much - I'm so glad to have her in my life.

So we went to see the movie Twilight on the weekend. It was AWESOME. I am soooo happy that Stephanie Meyer ensured that the screenplay was as close to the book as possible. I hate when you read a book and then go to see the movie and it is totally different than the book. If the author wanted it to be like that, then they would have written it like that. So like I said, I was very happy that it was just like the book. There were even exact quotes from the book.
I was very pleased with the choice of actors and actresses they picked for the parts. When I saw Edward for the first time, he was not what I had pictured in my head of what he would look like, but he did a great job; and the girl that played Bella - awesome. I could have sat and watched it again and again.
It's been a while since I have seen a movie like that. I've seen some good ones, but not one that I could go and sit through right after I watched it for the first time.
So for those of you who have not read the book - READ IT. For those of you who have read the book, but have not seen the movie - GO SEE IT. Don't wait for the DVD - check it out at the theater!! You won't be sorry!

Okay, I'm signing off for tonight - I got a sick little boy at home and need to give him some cuddles.

Chow for now,
Jacqui

Remembering Poppa

Yesterday was the anniversary of my Poppa's passing.

I think about him every day and miss him like crazy. He was a wonderful man. I don't think I have a childhood memory that he is not in. He and my Granny are such a huge part of my life and such a huge part of who I am. I remember bath nights when we were little and my Granny would shampoo our hair and then make funky hair styles when it was all shampooed and we would ask "would you take us to the dance if we looked like this?" Meanwhile we are sitting naked in the tub looking like little trolls with our hair spiked up on the top of our head!!!!!

We used to go to our Granny and Poppa's house every other weekend and we would spend all summer with them as well. We would go to their house on the first day of summer vacation and we would pile into the car and drive (well Poppa would drive) all the way to Cold Lake, Alberta to visit our Aunt and Uncle. We pulled the trailer behind the car so we camped all the way out there and all the way home. We saw so many fun and interesting things and spent so much quality time with them; it was very special.

This picture was taken on my wedding day. I remember when I saw Poppa for the first time in his nice white tuxedo ready to escort me down the aisle. He looked so sharp. I remember dancing with him at my wedding and I remember the tear he shed as he gave me away.

I was so very lucky to have him in my life and wish with every ounce of my being that he was still here. I wish he could see how happy Joe makes me; I wish he could see how beautiful my kids are; I wish he could see my new house; but most of all I wish I could wrap my arms around his neck and give him the biggest hug ever.

I love you Poppa, and miss you very very much,

Jacqui

Bunny Challenge!

Here's another challenge card I created for one of the challenges over at Paper Craft Planet.

This challenge was to use Old Olive, Certainly Celery and Whisper White or Vanilla.

I used Certainly Celery as the base for the card. I applied Certainly Celery ink using the direct to paper technique. I then made the second layer using Old Olive. I applied the Old Olive ink using the direct to paper technique. I then used an Old Olive Stampin' Write Marker to ink up just the flower on the Serene Spring stamp. I then stamped the flowers randomly on the inked up Old Olive paper. I then cut a smaller piece of Certainly Celery paper and inked it up with the direct to paper technique as well. I stamped the "Thinking of You" sentiment from the For a Friend stamp set. I stamped the bunny on Whisper White card stock and coloured the image using blender pens and re-inkers. I then cut the image out and popped it up on the smaller piece of Certainly Celery card stock. A piece of organdy ribbon was tied around the top piece of the card stock as well.

I am enjoying these challenges, I hope you enjoy seeing what I come up with.

Chow for now,

Jacqui

I have recently joined Paper Craft Planet www.papercraftplanet.com What a fun place to be.

I joined a couple of groups within PCP. One of these groups is a colour challenge group.

This is the card I made for the colour challenge for the week of November 10, 2008 (I'm playing catch-up!)

The challenge was to use Kiwi Kiss, Baja Breeze and White or Vanilla.

The base card is Baja Breeze with Baja Breeze ink applied direct to paper. The next layer is Kiwi Kiss with Kiwi Kiss ink applied direct to paper. The Baja Breeze horizontal strip is textured card stock. I stamped the sentiment on a piece of Kiwi Kiss. I used the Serene Spring stamp set and stamped the image on Whisper White card stock. I think used the blender pens and re-inkers to colour the image. I then punched the image out using a 3" scallop punch and adhering it to the card using dimensionals.

Back to stampin....

Chow for now,

Jacqui

Hope ya feel better....

One of my friends at work, Chad (hey Chad!!) has the cutest son named Josh (hi Josh!). He has blond hair and has an infectious smile and just makes me smile every time I see him. It's funny how kids remember things or remember certain people. I met Josh for the first time when he and his dad and mom came to the kids Christmas party that our work puts on. We have our Christmas parties for the kids at the Boys and Girls Club in London and the place is awesome. We rent the whole building and the kids come and do whatever they want - they can play in the ball room or the foam room - basically it's a big room with large sunken floors and on one side of the hall they are filled with balls and on the other side of the room they are filled with foam. And trust me, it's not only the kids that end up jumping in the balls and the foam!! They can also swim in one of the two pools, do any activity in the gymnasium, floor hockey, basketball etc. They can also rock climb, Foosball, pool, ping pong, arts and crafts, you name it, they can play it! They see Santa and he gives them presents and the last few years some of our talented staff have put a "house" band together and they entertain. But back to Josh....I met him at the Christmas party and Chad introduced him to me and he is such a little gentleman he shook my hand (his manners are very good!). Then I don't think I saw him again until one day when Chad brought him into work to visit on his day off. Then one day Chad didn't have a sitter so he stayed home from work to care for Josh but he had a meeting to attend, so he brought him in with some colouring books and crayons to colour while Chad had his meeting. I offered to let Josh hang out in my cubicle with me while Chad did his meeting. Since then we have become friends!

Another day he came to see me and the first thing he said to me was "Oh I've been missing you!" How sweet is that....this coming from a 5 year old. He is such an old soul and very very smart.

Recently, Josh has taken up football. I guess he got tackled by a bigger kid and when the bigger kid landed on Josh, he broke Josh's arm. Chad was telling me the other day that he and Josh were sitting on the couch watching TV and Josh said "I wonder what Jacqui would say if she saw my cast". I just think it is so cute that he thinks about me! So anyhow I made a card for Josh and I am gonna send it in the mail. All kids LOVE to get mail!!! So hopefully this card will put a smile on his face.

I used Chocolate Chip as the base. Layered Creamy Caramel Stamped with the pine trees from Lovely as a Tree over top. I then stamped and coloured the Riley's using the Copic markers (which I love more and more each time I use them!) I cut the Riley's out and adhered the one in the tent right to the Creamy Caramel piece. I used my Grass punch to punch out a line of grass, and then I cut along side Riley's arms so I could put the grass along the tent and his arms over top of the grass. Then I popped up the Riley with the marshmallows with dimensionals, and punched some more grass for in front of the fire. I put white liquid applique on the marshmallows to make them puff up!! And I coloured his little oven mitt with RED!!!!! Safety first!!

So thanks for looking, and I hope this card will put a smile on Josh's face.

Chow for now,

Jacqui

Kiwi Snowmen

Well since I am allergic to kiwi.....making cards using Kiwi Kiss paper is the closest I get!!
I have not been to a doctor to get a concrete diagnosis, but I'm pretty sure I am allergic and if I'm not....well food really should not make your body react like that!
It's odd how you find out you are allergic to something. I was at work one day eating lunch with my good friend Joan. I peeled my kiwi, being very proud of myself that I was eating something healthy for lunch!!! I ate my kiwi and then as we were sitting there talking my throat started feeling weird. We thought maybe I didn't get all the hairy covering off the kiwi before I ate it....seemed like a reasonable answer to me. So I just drank and drank and tried to dislodge the "kiwi hair" from my throat! A few weeks later, someone at work had a birthday so there was cake. It was a yummy looking cake. You know the kind....white cake...very light....with a creamy fruity centre. So of course...Jacqui gets a piece of cake on her plate and eats it up.....then later my throat started feeling wonky again. So I went back and had a closer look at the cake and sure enough...that tasty creamy fruity centre was a strawberry-kiwi mix. So off to drink some more liquids to try and get the "kiwi hair" out of my throat again. So I concluded that maybe I shouldn't be eating the kiwi. So I have been careful keeping an eye out for "kiwi infested" foods!!

Then another time.....(this one time at band camp just kidding!)......I had a bunch of people over to the house to stamp and they brought snacks and things. My friend Sarah brought a fruit salsa with cinnamon chips for dipping. Oh my goodness it smelled and tasted sooooo good. Yep, you guessed it....I am stamping way and there it was....the damn "kiwi hair" in my throat again.....I was like...um....was there kiwi in that salsa? Sarah's eyes got all wide and she said - oh oh...are you allergic? But I'm still here so the kiwi hasn't got me yet!!!!

Alrighty then...enough about my kiwi issues!!!

Here is the card I made up yesterday while I was at home by myself in the peace and quiet of Remembrance Day.



The base of the card is Kiwi Kiss cardstock. The snowmen are stamped on Shimmery White cardstock and coloured using the Stampin' Write markers. The Shimmery White stamped piece is then mounted on a piece of designer paper from the Ski Slope collection. The designer paper was coloured "direct to paper" with Kiwi Kiss ink. The base card was wheeled with the Snow wheel in Kiwi Kiss and in White craft ink. The snowflakes were cut using the Big Shot and attached together with a gold brad and adhered to the card with glue dots. The sentiment was stamped with Kiwi Kiss ink and punched out using the square scallop punch. It too was mounted on a piece of designer paper from the Ski Slope collection. It was then adhered to the card using a Stampin' Dimensional. A strip of Kiwi Kiss paper was coloured with direct to paper using Kiwi Kiss ink and adhered to the base card across the top of the card.

Chow for now,
Jacqui

Remembrance Day - November 11, 2008

As you are all aware, today is Remembrance Day. I thought today's post should be a little tribute to those people who risk their lives each and every day to ensure that we live in a free country.

BX93 radio station in London, Ontario does a very nice job of playing songs that relate to Remembrance Day. Right now they are playing Tim McGraw's "If You're Reading This". When I listen to these songs it really does make you sit back and think about all the people who have made the ultimate sacrifice.

I remember when we were in public school we would have an assembly in the gymnasium and we would have to recite the "In Flanders Fields" poem. I thought I would share it with you today.

In Flanders Fields By: Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae, MD (1872 - 1918) Canadian Army

IN FLANDERS FIELDS the poppies blow

Between the crosses row on row,

That mark our place; and in the sky

The larks, still bravely singing, fly

Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago

We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,

Loved and were loved, and now we lie

In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:

To you from failing hands we throw

The torch; be yours to hold it high.

If ye break faith with us who die

We shall not sleep, though poppies grow

In Flanders fields.

Thank you,

Jacqui

Another event under our belts!

This past Friday evening, November 7th, myself and 3 other demonstrators, Kim Pargeter, Tami Coyle and Laurie Markham hosted a Stamp-A-Stack event at the CAW Hall in Woodstock. When we were deciding on what cards to make, we challenged ourselves to come up with 3 cards each, and try to stick with a "traditional" Christmas card, a "non-traditional" Christmas card (that could be non-traditional colours - or whatever you could come up with) and a "Whimsical" card. I'm not 100% certain that we stuck to those rules, however each of the girls created 3 cards each and then we also had each of the ladies make a criss-cross box to store their cards in.

The evening was a success and I am pretty sure all of the ladies who attended had a pretty good time. It was great to see some of the girls who attended our scrapbook day, come back and it was great to meet the new girls too!

So this is the card I cased for my "whimsical" card. I 100% cased it from Lana Lepinski. I love the designer paper in the mini catalogue - very cool colours. I stamped the reindeer on watercolour paper and used the watercolour crayons to colour them.

This is the card I made for the "non-traditional" card. I was inspired by a card that "Bingaling" posted on SCS. The colour in this photo is horrible, but the base of the card is Creamy Caramel, with Chocolate Chip and Taken with Teal accents. I used watercolour paper and the markers to colour the snowmen and I stuck to only the colours of the card stock I used to colour the snowmen - except for the orange carrot noses!!!!

This is the card I did for the "traditional" one. I love the set Lovely as a Tree. It is so versatile.

It is hard to tell from the photo, but the base of the card is Pacific Point. The trees and the sentiment are stamped with Pacific Point ink on Whisper White card stock and then glitter is applied to random areas on the trees and then to the "S" and the "G" in the sentiment.

Thanks for taking the time to check out my blog!

Chow for now,

Jacqui

Bonbon Riley!

There is a new Riley that is being released on Thursday evening over at Hanna Stamps. The members of the design team are making some awesome cards with the new stamps that will be released. A couple of weekends ago, I had the pleasure of having Kristi Ferro at my place for the weekend and she brought me a gift!!! She gave me one of the Rileys being released this week!!! I was giddy with excitement. How fun to have the inside scoop!! It was also comical because one of my very good friends at work, Rob Jesson, and I always joke about lounging around eating bonbons! (We figure that with all the sarcastic comments we have made about people we are going straight to hell...do not pass go...do not collect $200!! So we figure when we get there we can just veg and lounge around and eat bonbons!)

Anyhow, this is the card I made with the new Riley. I used designer paper from 6 X 6 Basic grey pack, and a chair from a retired Stampin' Up! set.

Chow for now,

Jacqui

Twilight Riley

So....... I kept hearing everyone talking about the "Twilight" series of books by Stephanie Meyer. I read the little blurb in the newspaper about them and thought they might be a good read. So I have been looking at the library and they have always been out and the waiting list is till like some time in the next millennium, so I just figured I would wait. Then when I was reading my sisters blog she was talking about how good the books were, and we have quite similar tastes when it comes to books so I thought I'll start looking for them again. So back to the library I went and sure enough the waiting list is even longer. So I started hounding my next set of resources..... my kids!!

One of Jades friends has a couple of them and one of Joel's friends have them too so I am borrowing them from the kids to read.

And......"a good read" is an understatement. HOLY CRAP. I do quite a bit of reading and I read a lot of good books, but these ones....I feel like doing nothing EXCEPT reading them. I do not want to put them down. I am now on the 3rd book of the series! This one is called Eclipse and it is just as good as the first one Twilight and the second one New Moon. I think I will need to purchase them to have in my ever growing collection. I LOVE books so when I find an author that I enjoy - I MUST have all of their books and I MUST read them in the order they were written - a little anal ya might say!!! But I find there is nothing worse than when you start reading a book and they are mentioning people that you have no idea who they are and you find out they were in the one of the previous books....pet peeve...hate that...... hence the " I must read books in the order they were written" decision!!!

Anyhow, these Stephanie Meyer books are great, and I would recommend them to anyone who likes to read.

Jade will be taking the second book I borrowed back to her friend on Tuesday evening, so I made a little thank you card for her to give to the girl I borrowed the book from.And it just so happens that Hanna Stamps has a little Riley stamp just perfect for the occasion!!!

I used Basic Black card stock for the base

Added a piece of designer paper from the K & Company Halloween collection/

Punched out circles of Perfect Plum

Stamped the "thank you" and "you rock" sentiments from the "Things Hanna Would Say" stamp set.

Stamped Riley - coloured with the Copics - then cut him out and popped him up!

It turned out kinda cute I think.

I'm pretty sure Jade's friend will like it.

Have a great Sunday evening,

Chow for now

Jacqui

Jactopia Invites

I hope everyone had a great Halloween! I was looking through my posts about Jactopia and realized that I did not post the picture of the invite for Jactopia!

Anyhow, here's the pic of the invitation and a couple close ups of each Riley!!

These were fun to make. I always try to make an invitation for the event and try to come up with different ideas for the invites as well as what to put in the goody bags everyone gets when they come!!!

So this year I settled on using Riley for my invitation!! Partly cause he is so stinkin' cute and partly cause Kristi Ferro (http://www.hannastamps.com/) was coming and I thought she would get a kick out of it!

So I used all of the Rileys that I have that had anything at all to do with travelling!

I made a long card -which fit in a legal size envelope.

I stamped the single tree from Lovely as a Tree in the background a few times, put a piece of basic black cardstock that had been embossed using the cuttlebug along the bottom, using the white gel pen to make the highway centre lines, then stamped the Rileys, coloured them with the Copics and cut them out and popped them up on the card.

I then used my Karen Foster snap stamps to stamp "Jactopia or bust" in the flag that flies behind Rileys airplane.

Now those Karen Foster snap stamps - why they were discontinued I will never know. They are the best things since sliced bread - and really like sliced bread - so you know how much I love these little suckers.

Chow for now,

Happy November 1!!

And for those of you who have to do it.....don't forget to turn your clocks back tonight!

Jacqui