Seeing White

My husband, Bob, and I spent six weeks in Arizona and New Mexico starting at the end of February.  One of the highlights of the trip was seeing the White Sands National Monument in Alamogordo, New Mexico.

We left South Dakota to get out of the snow and cold but we didn't stay away long enough because we woke up to a blanket of snow this morning... the THIRD time this has happened since arriving home a few weeks ago! UGH!! Where is spring?!

I created two springy cards using some of my favorite product from Serendipity Stamps.

My designs were inspired from this weeks sketch at CAS(E) this Sketch!

I hope you have some spring in your neck of the woods!! We are looking at a full week of some pretty icky weather but I have faith that Spring can't be too far away!

Thank you for stopping by : )

BIG (((Hugs)))
Patti


Serendipity Stamp Supplies:
Floral Cuts Background Die
Birthday Die
Daisy Border Die
love you stamp
Happy stamp from Happy Birthday Simple

Hola Nieta : )

translated: Hello Granddaughter

We've sort of been adopted by a family from Cancun and with it comes the remarkable privilege of being called Abuelos! (grandparents) by, Melina, the sweetest little ten year old girl.  She sent us a picture of herself and a letter written in Spanish! Neither my husband or I speak a word of Spanish so... thank You Lord! for "Google Translate" : )

My card for her was inspired by Dawn McVey's challenge for this weeks "Make It Monday" at Papertrey Ink. The challenge: to create a pattern behind a die cut window.

It may be a little early for the children in Custer, South Dakota to head for the beach but at Melina's house it's too hot to stay at home : )

I hope you have fun plans for the day.  I'm off to the movies to see "Gifted"  with my BFF.

Supplies:
Dress Up Dolls: Summer Fun by PTI
Sun & Surf Stencil Collection by PTI
Noted: Scallop A-2 Die collection by PTI

Sending Hugs

Hello friends!! How I have missed you and all your creativity!!  Here is a card I created for all my blogger friends who have kept me in your thoughts and  prayers and brightened my days with Happy Mail!!

I have been both surprised and blessed at the outpouring of love and compassion that I have felt from so many of the people I have known in blogland - women that I thought were "just strangers".  The months I have been gone I have received dozens of cards and e-mails and they didn't stop after the first months either! It is because of this that I have decided to say a little more about what happened to me.  Many people have asked and some have told me they suspected I had a stroke.  Thankfully it was not a stroke.   

I will try to make this short.  On board ship I collapsed and was taken to the clinic where they found I was in "Diabetic Ketoacidosis" I was in critical condition and because of the Lord Jesus who used the amazing and fast acting captain of the cruise and clinic doctor and nurses - who literally never left my side - my life was saved.  I was sent by air ambulance to South Dakota where I have been diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes.

Though I know millions of people are insulin dependent living with Diabetes... I never had to try to live with it before.  It was a terrible shock and it has been a difficult road.   To complicate things the ketoacidosis damaged the nerves in both feet and my right hand.  This condition is called Peripheral Neuropathy.  It is pain that acts very strange - coming and going and causing severe burning to my skin.  My feet and right hand are numb making walking (and papercrafting) uncomfortable at best.  I am told by specialists that because the onset of the nerve damage was sudden it may get better in time. The stress to my body from the ketoacidosis wrought havoc on my body.  A couple of the less serious yet terribly difficult side effects of this ordeal has been the loss of most of my hair!  and love this.... weight gain! : ( waaaah! 

But that is all the bad news... the good news is that I have an incredible support team in my life helping me with every challenge I am facing.  And it has taken the entire team to get me back on-line! LOL  but I am here and ready to get back to the hobby and the community I love.  

Thank you so much for your love and support.

BIG (((Hugs)))
Patti

Supplies:
Big Hugs die from Papertrey Ink
Forget-Me-Not stamp set from Papertrey Ink