So…..

December 8, 2010 | Category: Uncategorized | Leave a Comment

It is so weird to make a post here that is totally unrelated to my designs in some way, shape, or form. I have to admit, I am kind of missing the creative outlet right now. I have been trying to get in the mood to scrap, but it hasn’t hit yet.

I wanted to take a minute to put out a little warning to everyone. There are people out there putting out claims for need of help that are not exactly legit or fully true. The holidays are naturally prime time to target good-hearted people, and the scrapbooking world and other work at home moms are apparently a very popular group to target. Please heed my warning and do your homework. Research your particular charity before giving money or offering to run auctions for someone to get money. There are some real scumbags out there willing to take from the legit charities. I would hate to see people give their money to non-deserving folks with a pity story that is fabricated. Save your money for the legit people that truly need it and have actual needs.

I’m off. In case I don’t post again before Christmas, I hope you all have a wonderful holiday season. See you soon!

Thank you!

December 3, 2010 | Category: Uncategorized | Leave a Comment

Wow! I have to say it again – I truly have THE BEST fans in the digi world. You made my outgoing week wonderful, and I really appreciate all of the purchases and kind words over the past week. It means the world to me to know I touched so many people over the past four years. Thank you!

Sadness

November 1, 2010 | Category: Uncategorized | 4 Comments

I don’t know what else to say about how I am feeling right now. Just pure sadness. My grandfather passed away on Friday. He was an amazing man with so many people that loved him. He is already missed so much. I am so blessed to have been able to spend so much time with him and my grandmother when I was growing up. I was even more blessed that I got to spend just as much time with him as an adult and my children were able to as well. Not everyone gets that privilege, and I know how lucky we are that we did.

Before I go, I wanted to share something. The week before Gramps went into Hospice, I took the kids over to fish with him. That was one of his favorite past times. He lived right on the St. John’s River….just step off his porch and throw in a line. He loved that! We took some pics, not knowing at the time that these would be the last pictures we would get to take with him. I’ll treasure them forever. I wanted to share just one of them.

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Announcement and rants

October 21, 2010 | Category: Uncategorized | 1 Comment

I have some new products lined up and ready to go over the next couple of weeks. I may not be able to post them here on the blog, so I encourage you to check out the store each Wednesday, as well as my Facebook page (see link on right side of this page). My CT is wonderful and a couple of them are helping me out to keep you informed over there on FB.

I will be taking another sabbatical from designing. My grandfather has had quite a rough year and has been battling cancer. This is not his first or even second battle in the past 6 years. This is the third. We’ve all been on an emotional roller coaster. He had a total laryngectomy this summer and was on the road to recovery. Just as we were starting to see a light at the end of the tunnel, he had to be rushed back to the hospital a few weeks ago. His airway was practically closed up and he had emergency surgery. I made it there just in time to hear the doctor’s news. There was what appeared to be another tumor growing. The past few weeks have been spent trying to find some way of diagnosing and treating him, but last week brought the news that there was nothing more they can do. This time it is terminal.

It’s a very aggressive cancer, more so than I think the doctors even realized. We were told as recent as Monday that we were looking at a matter of a few months to a year left with him. Yesterday it all changed. He had been readmitted to the ICU due to shallow breathing and bleeding. The doctor is now saying it is a matter of days left due to how quickly the tumor is growing and how more keep popping up.

I’m extremely close to my grandfather. Not only is he my last living grandparent, he’s the only grandfather I ever had. I was blessed enough to have grown up near enough that we were able to visit every week. Over this past year and a half, I was at his place up to three times a week helping to cook and clean for him. There is very little I wouldn’t do for my Gramps. My children are handling the news pretty well right now. I, however, am not doing as well. I have been there almost every step of the way, and this is just breaking my heart.

I think the worst part is how extremely unpeaceful this is. I was there every single day for weeks before both of my grandmothers passed. We had time to say what needed to be said to each other. The last days were difficult, but there was a sense of peace. Hospice said Gramps’ situation is one of the most difficult cases to deal with. He will have to be sedated the final days. I was there yesterday to see just a glimpse of how things will be from here on out, and it is not going to be easy to watch.

Unfortunately, family will be family. Some are supportive of one another and are trying to make the most of their time with him while he is here. Many who live out of the area are doing the best they can to come and say their goodbyes. A few others are being their typical selfish selves and making trouble rather than realizing that this is nothing to do with them. They are the ones that will have to live with the guilt that they didn’t bother to say goodbye and make the memories when they had the chance. I pity them, I truly do, especially those that were given the opportunities and didn’t take them.

One person in particular has chosen to take this situation and make it into a way to personally attack me (remember the severed branch I talked about previously….yep, those thorns are showing themselves again). I know she frequents my blog, so to her I say abuse comes in more than one form – I will NOT be your victim anymore. There are no excuses for your behavior, and your insincere apologies will not be accepted. When you are ready to be sincere in your apology, I will be happy to accept it. Apologizing because you didn’t expect to get caught won’t cut it with me. You can’t expect me to forgive you just because you say the words “my bad, I’m sorry”. There has to be sincerity behind it, and you did not have that yesterday. You have to live with the guilt of your actions. I would have thought the time away from here would have made you mature a little bit. Your actions yesterday proved to me (and all of the other family members that saw it, btw) that apparently still has not happened. I will NOT be your scape goat, nor your victim. You will have to find someone else to be your punching bag. You ought to take this time to make amends with Gramps so that you can take a little REAL guilt off your shoulders. You can’t take away the hurt you have caused, but if you are smart, you will finally try realizing what you have done to the people here who loved you even at your worst.

As for the designing, I will be back as soon as I can. I am going to be spending as much time as possible with my grandfather. He will be sedated in the final day or two, so I want to make as much of the time we have with him. Please keep our family in your thoughts and prayers. Be sure to hug those you love a little bit tighter today.

Much love!

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