Card Making is Therapeutic

It feels so go to make a card. It's not a very good one, but I am thrilled that I was even able to concentrate enough to pull it together. :D

This card is for three challenges. The first is SCS Ways to Use It (use handmade flowers); the second is for Less is More and the third is for my lovely blog friend, Jules', Sunday Snippet challenge.

The handmade tissue flower is my first. I've admired them for some time but I think mine is a bit off; I might have used a bit too much tissue. The tissue paper comes from Verve; however, its not purchased, it's actually the paper Julee wraps the stamps in for shipping. Instead of tossing the tissue, I set it aside from my last two purchases to use for just this purpose. The tissue is very close in color to SU! Cool Caribbean (one of my all time favorite colors). After cutting and placing the brad, I sprayed the tissue with Smooch Spritz simmer, sponged some Tempting Turquoise and Pacific Point around the edges and let it dry.

The brad was in the bottom of my stash, so I don't know where it came from. The leaves are Certainly Celery edged in Pear Pizzazz; the strip with the sentiment is Cool Caribbean. The sentiment is stamped in Tempting Turquoise (I should have used the Pacific Point, but oh well); the embossing is one of the Cuttlebug folders and the punches were all Martha Stewart.

So this is my first card in weeks and every bit of it is from the scrap bin. Though its never going to make my personal top ten, I have to admit it was nice to actually start and complete a card, and most importantly, to "want" to make a card. :)


So for any that want to know why I have been away, here is why.
I was schedule to take a vacation the second week of March, but unfortunately I came down with another bout of Vertigo. Vertigo is not life threatening, but it does take me down. Watching TV or working on the computer is very hard. Something about the screens intensifies the dizziness, so TV was completely out and very little time was spent on the computer. There is nothing they can do, I just have to let it "run its course". GRRR.

Then on the 14th, I got a call in the middle of the night; my Dad who has been in assisted living in Oregon was taken to the hospital. Before my brother could get to him (my brother lives in Northern California where I am originally from) my Dad passed away. Because I can't get on a plane with Vertigo, my brother had to take care of everything. I feel so horrible to have left him to deal with that all by himself. To top it off, he had to deal with our older half brother, who is vile. Our half brother did nothing for our dad his last year of life, in fact added stress to my dad's final year. After dad passed, his only interest was in the will and the money. My brother is awesome and handled it all with dignity and grace. I talked to him each day trying to lend support and once he was home, I called to tell him how much I love him, how proud I am to be his sister, and how much I appreciated how well he took care of dad in his final year. My younger brother is a wonderful example of how family should treat their elderly parents in their final days. He has shown his children, by example, how precious family is, even after they have passed.

So there it is; the vertigo is still hanging on and I have good days and bad days, but hopefully it will move on soon. I will try and catch up on all my saved blogs over the weekend and probably catch up on some challenges, even if they are closed.
Thank you for stopping by.
Carole