Two Christmas/Holiday cards

I felt like a little creating over the last few days, so here is what I made ( and a few ATCs)

6 x 6 gate fold card, on textured card stock from CALIFORNIA PAPER GOODS, Red speckled paper, rec'd as a RAK, embossing folder by CUDDLEBUG, Holly Ribbon from ALPHA STAMPS, other ribbon from WALMART (it is NOT pink), Black Embossing Powder for Stamp by STAMPIN' UP, Stamp by THE ANGEL COMPANY, markers are glitter vellum markers by AMERICAN CRAFTS, metallic gold marble paper by ATD SPECIALTY PAPERS, Stickles by RANGER.

entered in: Digi Darla Challenges ...Holiday cheer w/ embossing

 Merry and Bright on Navy Mica card stock, pre-made card by CALIFORNIA PAPER GOODS,

Merry & bright stamp by CORNISH HERITAGE FARMS, Holly Angel Stamp by WHIFF OF JOY STAMPS, snowflake stickers, and 3 different colored stones by RECOLLECTIONS, Tinsel from stash, silver embossing powder for stamps by STAMPIN' UP.

entered in: Digi Darla Challenges ...Holiday cheer w/ embossing

Thanks for visiting, extra thanks for commenting!

Happy Holidays to everyone!

Where I've been...

Hello friends and followers, I thought it was about time, I took some time to post to my blog. I've been trying to stay fairly current on at least Facebook, as it it so much quicker to just post an update.  However I know not all of you are on FB, or are not my friend on FB.  Sooo here is what has been going on. 
(Plus some art)

Starting in June, June 14th to be exact, Hubs was not feeling like himself. On the evening of the 15th we found ourselves in the ER. His symptoms...feeling a little constipated (which is NEVER, EVER a problem for him) and just feeling "sick inside".  Well they stripped him down and put on a gown, and the doctor and I both noticed his right foot. IT HAD BEEN AGES since I have seen him without socks or shoes on his feet.  I HAD noticed he was walking a wider step than usual, and told him a few times, bring your foot in, why are you walking like a duck?"  I should have looked closer. His foot was totally contracted.  They told me it was "ankle roll". (later when a podiatrist came in to see him, he told us it was almost complete ankle roll...severe case, and a bit of foot drop, and ankle roll was starting on the left foot)  BUT, that was not the reason for being admitted. Blood work came back, showing he was "septic" - infection throughout the body, in the blood. He was in the Hospital for 8 days and rehab for 10.  He kept falling, and retired during this time. 

Ron continued to have falls, and near falls, and finally had 2 out patient appts. with PT. Got a walker, and the CORRECT foot and lower leg brace that he needed. There was a trip to the ER during the month of August, and he was send home. Another on September 8th, and he was admitted...Glucose extremely high. Hospital 7 days, transitional care unit (in the hospital) 11 days (was supposed to be 14)  (I am NOT going to discuss my outrage with certain actions or inactions, or people involved with Ron's care, or I'll be here forever)
It was now Mid October.  On October 16th, I trimmed his toenails, and checked his feet (which I wasn't trusting him to do any longer on his own...due to the contracture being so bad, we could have helped it, had I known) His feet were fine.  On the 19th he decided to BBQ a steak on the Grill.  He fell...leaves, dirt, tree roots, stacked crab traps and yard tools etc. Our son was an hour away. As most of you know, I can not lift anything over 17 lbs.  I do push it sometimes to 20 or 25, but I pay for it.  I am missing bones, ligaments and muscle in left wrist (and permanent nerve damage) and 4-5" of muscle in the lowest part of the upper right arm and elbow area. (this is on top of lumbar spinal stenosis and cervical disk herniation etc and bad knees)  I used all my might and grabbed him by his belt loops in the back and together we tried to get him on an outside chair, it was soo hard and took me forever to dot it. Called my neighbor, she said her hubs would be back in 15 minutes, and she would call his cell and tell him to come directly here.  he did come, but it was 30 minutes or more, she walked over to help also. It took the three of us and his "yard walker" 5 minutes to reach the driveway and switch to his good walker, and then they walked him behind me into the house...another 10 minutes, and I took him the rest of the way to the LR and into his chair. He had some blood on his jeans which was coming from a gash on his pinky finger. he said nothing was hurting him. (keep this in mine for the next segment)


On October 27th, he felt ill all day, and towards evening started vomiting...this is a key symptom of his glucose being through the roof. Our son and I begged him to come downstairs in case he got worse, all day! he refused. then at about 10pm, he called for my son, out of his bedroom, and he wasn't answering, I asked what is the matter, what do you need from Tom? He said, "I have to go to the ER" ...It took Tom almost 10 minutes to get socks and shoes on my hubs and a flannel shirt, and then the two of us over an hour to get him from the upstairs hallway to the bottom of the stairs, then out to the porch. He was slurring his speech...I called an ambulance. I am glad I did, as it turned out he was in A-FIB. I wrote the last couple of glucose readings down for them, and told them I gave him some REGULAR Insulin. (I was in a LOT of pain this night, so I didn't go. I stayed in contact with the ER by phone)
Turned out he had a necrotic (gangrene) big toe, which was broken in two places and the next toe was broken at the base. I told the nurse the above story and she said it sounds feasible, that perhaps I was right and he got some dirt or pine needle, etc. in his shoe, which then rubbed and irritated his callus (RT foot, so he has a large callused area due to the contracture, and his gait) got infected and couldn't heal with his sugar the way it was.  

All specialists were  called in...the toe has to go, we have to clear him for cardiac reasons for the surgery.  He was in CCU again, then moved to telemetry the day SANDY hit!  NOW I am stuck in the house. But I was glad he was improving enough to get out of the CCU, he didn't even remember me being there with him on sunday afternoon/evening.  A stress test showed some irregularity BEYOND his previous 2 MI's and double bypass, and some other test showed a possible blockage in the lower right leg arteries. He was sent the following monday to DEBORAH HEART & LUNG HOSP. they catheriterized his heart and put a stent in is right coronary artery. Two days later they did and angiogram of the right leg only, found the main artery in the lower right legged block almost completely for the length of it, they ballooned it open, and then amputated his rt. great toe.  The head of the vascular team, told me it was this blockage and lack of blood flow that caused the toe to go bad, not his sugar, but the toe turning bad made his glucose go through the roof, and also gave him the A-FIB. 
The following Wednesday he was sent to HEALTHSOUTH Rehab hosp. in Toms River NJ... much to our distaste...we wanted him back at our hospital's rehab unit.  They kept telling us they didn't have a bed...for reasons I won't go into, I think the charge nurse didn't want to shuffle any patients around (which is done all the time) for my husband, her and I have butted heads a few times. They called in a different podiatrist instead of sending him out to our guy. This QUACK, never even took the bandages off to look at the wound (which was open, you could see his metatarsal bone) he was supposed to come back the day after TG, but never showed. hubs was discharged on the monday after TG. and I was handed a huge bag of bandages and stuff and told to change his dressing every night. I was told by the surgeon that the podiatrist may make the decision to close up the wound on that first visit.  OBVIOUSLY he did not want to be held responsible as not being the surgeon etc.  Our Pod. told us it was waay past time for closing it up, now, when he saw him in wound care.

He was in the hospital for about 30-31 days that do round. he was in for SANDY, (good place to be) in for Halloween, Our 27th Anniversary, veterans day, and TG.

The 2nd trip to wound care showed that the infection was making a come back, he was put on new meds , and a medicated patch was put over the wound. However the sugar kept climbing so back in the ER he went last friday, and he is still in there now. He had a PICC Line put in and will be on Vancomycin for about 8 weeks.  He may be discharged today.  

During the last 2 weeks of his 30 day stay. both of our trucks died 4 nights apart. I lost a front capped tooth during the night, and can't find it (think I swallowed it) tooth next to the eye tooth. 3 night later I broke the same tooth on the other side, this one had been root canaled but only had a vaneer on it.  so now I look like a hill billy (olbviously I'll be getting this fixed). Tom was unable to get to work, and I was unable to get to the hospital. My daughter's friend lent me her car so I could go on TG and spend the Day with Ron. Sadly I was coming down with something.  By the time we had eaten the TG luncheon. I was running a fever and had the chills, so as to not spread more sickness I left, cutting our visit short.  It was a sinus infection, and within days it was starting to move into my chest...augmentin and good cough med. prescribed!

This seems to be rearing it's ugly head again now, not sure, but the cough is coming back.

We have had a HORRIBLE year, and these last 6 months are the worst!  We appreciate any prayers, good thoughts, candle lightings, energies sent, spells and incantations etc!

Additionally, we have NO CLUE on how we are going to afford to live, we owe everyone, I mean EVERYONE is on the past due list.

Here are the missing pieces of art I created for  THE GAME:

Dress up-  Halloween

6 x 6 canvas, distress ink, and tattered angels mists. I started this project a few years back at a friends, but never put it all together. The stamp is hers, I do not know the company's name.  This is Tom  his Sr. year of HS as Charlie Chaplin for Halloween.

Name that Tune

Decorative birdhouse. very old sheet music, acrylic paints, Black Enamel Accents by RANGER, flowers by both PRIMA MARKETING and WILD ORCHID CRAFTS. Bird from MICHAEL'S and ribbons from my stash.

 Back

 both side views

Duck, Duck, Goose...er Turkey

(quick and dirty sample, as hubs was in Hospital and I was not feeling well either)

Thanksgiving card with embossing (Unknown, received as rak), stamping(STAMPIN' UP)  and stickers (COLORBOK).  I gave this to My daughter's friend, as I was soooo thankful for her gift of lending me her car to visit with Ron on TG.

The 2 December creations will be posted over the next 2 days

Sharing SANDY with all of my followers and friends

This is my home, my state, My beaches, my family outings, my childhood, teenage, young adult, newlywed, newlywed again, family place and fun memories...totally devastated...
















I lived in Middlesex county, and spend many days in SEASIDE HEIGHTS in the summers. Then I lived in Brick, NJ...spent soooo much time at Pt. PLEASANT Boardwalk.
Moved to Lacey township...again SEASIDE HEIGHTS played  a big role, and OCEAN GATE and TOMS RIVER. Even now in Barnegat/Waretown...Seaside heights, and LONG BEACH ISLAND have played major roles in OUR lives.

LBI:

 The beginning of the storm!










Holgate, southern most tip of LBI...the streets are NOW the beach!






There are sooo, sooo many images and videos...but I just wanted to share some!

MANY more towns along our beautiful coastline were ravaged...but seaside and LBI took the worst of it!

Breast cancer Awareness ATCs for a swap

***scroll down 2 posts for Halloween party post***

Hi everyone just sharing some ATCs, I hope you enjoy them. Breast cancer generally touching everyone, and I am no exception, my maternal grandmother died from it, my mom, is dealing with it, and my SIL is a survivor!!

here we go:

 All 6 for the swap

all images are from ALTERED PAGES

all digi stamps are from A DAY FOR DAISIES

German Scrap from COLLAGE STUFF

brads from MAKING MEMORIES

Card stock from STAMPIN' UP

Stickles by RANGER

I printed the digi images first on white card stock, and colored them in with markers by STAMPIN' UP, then also printed them on vellum, I glued the vellum over lay down on top of the colored image. With an extremely fine point marker by FABER-CASTELL I wrote "HOPE" and "BELIEVE" on the ribbons of the image. if that ATC had a ribbon that said "Hope" then on the ATC with a calligraphy tipped marker I wrote the other word..."Believe"  etc.

 closer...group 1

closer group 2

left-hostess, right- me

Thanks so much for visiting!!

entered in:

Altered pages challenge blog ...Think Pink
Through the craft door ...anything goes

Challenge #11...THE GAME - Punch Buggy (late)

***Please scroll down for the Halloween party post***

Hello, sorry this is late. Once again things have been CRAZY around here, and I have had to pit and choice what and where to go with my computer time.

Saturday Ron went to the ER again, and was put in the CCU, his sugar was super high, he also had A-fib (from the sugar and apparently a BEYOND badly infected toe)

Thankfully, he is not Critical any longer, and is in the telemetry unit. BUT...they have to take the toe. It is the big toe on his bad foot...so we think the fall on the 19th (outside) perhaps he got a little something in his shoes, which started an irritation, and then his shuffling of that foot kind of on it's side when not in shoe and brace (bed time and in the am) for bathroom trips, most likely opened the irritation.   I saw both of his feet earlier that week, and they were ok...no red spots no sores no nothing.

They are going to do a cardiac work-up before the surgery.

So here is my 

PUNCH BUGGY PINK!!

This is an 8" X 10" piece that will be put in a shadow box frame, which will also be decorated.

Image from DEZINAWORLD

Card stock from STAMPIN' UP

Printed paper by Dove Craft

most of the flowers are from ALTERED PAGES (and they are all PRIMA MARKETING and BAZZILL)

the pre made Yo-yo's are by  "On the Dot"

Reflective hearts are from Crafty Chica

Misc. buttons, beads, key, stickles (RANGER) charm, cufflink, net ribbon, bakers twine

*******************

Some close-ups

Thanks for visiting!

entered in:

AlteredPages challenge blog ...Think PINK

Through the craft door ...anything goes

Halloween Party 2012 hosted by A Fanciful Twist

 be sure to visit all the parties!

Thanks for Hosting Vanessa!

Come with my Coven on Halloween

Welcome, Welcome!

come be seen

by my Coven

this Halloween.

We are all strange

we all be funny

fur and tails

and me, the mommy!

Only four be mine

but others join in

but only through bribery,

a treat they hope to win!

Enter now enter,

all beware

it's food they want

so they will stare.

Our Coven's home has

webs and dust

it's creepy, it's old

but that is a must.

There's nothing to fear

so hurry along

have treats handy

to ward off an awful song!

S. E. Guzy © 2012

Time for Introductions, there are types of witches many

The guardsman...Tom-Tom (bigsislilsis.com)

Dino- Head Guardsman  (childrensmuseum.org)

The Twins (lacarmina.com)

Angry man (cha-cha-gigi.blogspot.com)

Our resident Clown (craftmylife.blogspot.com)

Arial Security (annaleegallery.com)

Living Door Knocker (ebay.com)

We have entertainers amongst us also

The Trickster and SHOW-OFF (cafepress.com)

Star- the exotic dancer (on break right now) (bothhands.mu.nu)

we are an EQUAL OPPORTUNITY Coven

this one suffers from being anal-retentive and being a bit OCD (buzzfeed.com)

SSHHHH, she's a ghost, but refuses to believe she is dead (funfamilycrafts.com)

Gay and proud of it! (footage.shutterstock.com)

The Friendly Alien (petco.com)

My dear friend, she is a lesbian (also proud of it, and who can blame her!) (buzzfeed.com)

This handsome guy suffers with low self esteem & separation anxiety (facebook.com)

Now, my own dear family

 Pico

 my grandson

 yes he will, he NEVER turns down food!

 But he is also shy

***************

 Pretty, my daughter

 getting up there in years

 she is SOOO OVER all of this!

"aww, mom just leave me alone"

 Caesar, my other grandson

 sooo sleepy!

 good, he is awake now

 what a yawn!

"ok, I'm coming, let's get this over with"

 Midnight, our baby

 still rebelling!

"jeez mom, do I HAFTA wear this?"

Time for the ritual meal

"Witches Stew"

Bubble, blubber, squirm and gloop, Boiling broth of bat's tail soup. Wobble, slobber, liquid goo, Add the sole of one old shoe. Spooky shadows dance around, Of frogs and rats and snarling hounds. Steam swirls rising to the roof, Add one small ear and one old tooth. Gnarly, scratchy, tickle and itch, Stir round and round to make it rich. Mushy, sticky, sizzle and stew, They're making mischief just for you! ©2002 Gareth Lancaster After our Samhain/All Hollow's Eve  ritual and meal...  **{one lucky commentor(that is a follower) will win this ATC, along with another surprise ATC or 2} We always have a story... WAILIE-TAILIE ©KingPoetry.com 2008 Hear ye, hear ye, all and sundry hearken to my tale of woe, here I stand, all groanie-moanie dealt a bitter witch's blow. There was I, a golden oldie, wifey, son and daughters two, simple life all cuddly-wuddly, enemies were far and few. Then last Apple-blossom Sunday in the woods to gather fruit, youngest daughter, lucky ducky, finds a ring beside a root. Back at home for munchie-wunchie daughter's ring her finger fits, dances round with hokey-pokey, loves that ring to dong-dang bits. Door bursts open - bitchy witchy! Says we stole her magic ring, daughter's heart goes achey-breaky wicked witch begins to sing: "Eye of newt and toadie-woadie, spider's blood and mad dog's mange, conjure with me, creepy-crawlie, make these thieving children change!" Next day early, wakey-wakey, feels just like a nasty dream, at the table, brekky-wekky, daughter Minnie starts to scream. Slowly she goes shrinky-winkie. ring falls off and rolls away, thinner daughter - holy-moley! I don't quite know what to say. Daughter Dawn is snoozy-woozy, can't quite get her brain awake, great idea from Mumsey-wumsie, gives her coffee-flavored cake. Brother Bill is mamby-pambie, laughs aloud at nothing there, sees my face, gets giggly-wiggly, sits there laughing in his chair. Wife blames me, gets snarly-warly, spell has gone straight to her head, grabs a knife, goes swishy-wishy, I run out before I'm dead. Now my life is topsy-turvey, knifey-wifey's gone insane, sits and stares all airy-fairy says that spiders eat her brain. Yawnie Dawnie's sleepy-weepy, Silly Billy thinks it's fun, Skinny Minnie's teensy-weensy, can't you help me - anyone?   THANK YOU SOOO MUCH FOR VISITING!! {This was NOT the party I had planned, sadly time, finances and transportation were not on my side. so I did all this between 5:30 am and 7:50 am EST.  I HOPE you all enjoyed yourselves :) } *** Remember, a follower who comments will be winning the above ATC (Samhain Greetings), plus 1-2 other ones. Drawing will be open until Next Saturday night, 11/4 at midnight.