Long Time, No Post....

Hello!  It has been quite a loooong time since I have posted and I'm sorry to say that I have, unfortunately, had a very good reason to be absent.  My husband took very ill on a recent trip overseas and subsequently had a very extended (10 days!) hospital stay as well as surgery.  He is doing better now and we look forward to, most hopefully, a full recovery.  But, I won't lie, it has been very hard and very scary.  I really expected alot out of my three children during the time that I stayed with their dad in the hospital and I am so grateful that they all rose to the challenge.  My husband will have been released from the hospital two weeks the day after tomorrow and each day we see a tiny bit more routine creep back into our lives.  Who knew that "routine" and her friends "boring and mundane" would be such welcome guests in life?  Anyways, I hope to begin posting/blogging/sharing again....and really, most of all, and simply-selfishly for my own sanity....I hope to get back to crafting again.  I am anxious to get back to my messy table and work on scrapbook pages and cards.  It is precisely that quiet and alone time that helps me catch my breath in life.  Funny how scraps of paper and little bits of color can be so soothing and restorative to one's soul.  It is like the assemblage of a crafty project, whatever it is you choose to craft with, tends to work as an artful "attitude adjustment".  Well, whatever, I wax philosophic here.....I did want to share with you a few little cards I made over the last week....except for one...my lovely daughter's birthday card.

This card was made for my daughter Bessie's birthday.  She turned 21.  She finished her college finals on the same day that she turned 21 and this all occurred on May 5th...which just happens to be Cinco de Mayo!  When Bess was really little she thought that Cinco de Mayo was totally for HER birthday....I just love that.  Anyways, my husband was hospitalized on  the 3rd and on the way to what we thought was just a doc  appt we stopped and mailed out her card.  I love this card....so pretty, so soft but bold, fun and fabulous.....just like Bess.
          

This next card I made for a person who is undergoing some real health concerns.  I try to send her a card a week...oftentimes with a little "somethin'somethin" in it.  I like the overall design of this card but am somewhat displeased with how "bold" the flower looks when photographed....it is actually softer looking in person and more light reflective...I think though, as a rule,  my oranges usually tend to get too blaring and bright.  Have to work on toning them down I believe.

                                        

This last card makes me sad.  I made it for an older friend of mine whose daughter died very suddenly.  I wanted to send it to her but now think I will bring it over in person.  We had a nice talk on the phone and I think in a week or so, it will be nice for her to know that people out there still have her in their thoughts.

And, that's my post. Hopefully, (and I  am keeping my fingers crossed), I'm back :-D !