Favorite stamp

I learned from Lin's blog that there is a challenge on Simon says Stamp to use your favorite stamp, so I thought that was quite an easy challenge to give it a go.

I used the Simple Frame which is a definite favorite of mine these last days. These make nice and quick thank you cards to have ready on any occasion.
Secondly,

I love the dictionary definition stamps from Hero Arts and have used it on this card. First of all I distressed it and then stamped it in the middle of the diecut (thanks Suzz). Then I stamped some of my other favorite Pink Paisley stamps around it in different color distress inks. I added a white flower layered with a transparent one (thanks Barb). I made the die cut dimensional, as that adds to a card.

I am so happy with all of your lovely comments. I am getting some nice advice too and will be noting everything down and doing my inquiries. Today I wanted to craft and did not let any form of sickness get in the way!

We are having cold weather all of a sudden and lots of rain. Hope the sunshine comes back!

Much love to you all!

You brighten my days!

Every comment helped to brighten my days and help me feel connected this week - thank you all so much!
The nausea has eased somewhat although it's still playing a role and I feel tired, not feeling like doing much. Lost my appetite, so I eat what and when I can. It's so much like being pregnant! I was so glad with some advice I got about changing the medicine against nausea and although not 100 percent, it is better than what I had. If anybody has any input about what to do to increase the white blood cells or just against tiredness, I would be grateful!
I have to avoid the hottest part of the day, not to walk or lay in the sun, wearing long sleeves etc.What I can do is be outside, of course in the shade, but after five I can do some exercise in the swimming pool, wearing a hat of course.

Wish I felt more inspirational with card-making. Thanks to Brenda who sent me some Graphics 45 tags which I used on this card. I am so happy to have this outlet of crafting therapy. Thank you Judy, I used the K&Co pp pad you send for the background panel (LOVE the Burt's Bees Milk & Butter soap too!). The dimensional panel is from the Graphics Fairy. Stamped Butterfly is HA.

Hope you are all fine! Have a lovely Sunday.

First sick day..

Dear friends,
Without your prayers, yesterday might have been worse! What a day, full of nausea and tiredness. I couldn't do a thing and had to try not to think of different smells to provoke the sickness. I seemed to have a little break in the afternoon, but it came back again. It took me back to the days of being pregnant - so over-sensitive with different smells. I remember not even being able to stand in front of a building because the cement smell made me reach... I am still sweating a bit as I type. I don't know what type of pill they gave you Lin B which helped you so much, but the ones I had were far from efficient.

I'm still going to share a card though, not one made too recently. I couldn't make a card today if I tried :)
I used HA stamps for the two panels left and right, and the strip along the bottom is a scrap.

Slowly picking up on strength for a new day - please keep me in your prayers!

Little update

For those who might want to hear how my first Chemo treatment went today. I was in the Polyclinic around 10 o'clock and arrived home again at 3 o'clock this afternoon! I sat in a rather large room with about twenty five other ladies, all on the infuse. On the day of the operation, I met a lady who had to have the same operation as me so we sat next to each other today to exchange our news. I happen to know the lady who prepared the treatment I had to have, she is in our Church, so she came to say hello too. That was nice.
Not so good news about the ice-cap though - the hospital only had a limited amount and they were all in use, so when they had to be changed every 15 minutes, the new ones were not cold enough! I'm believing it might just be enough but I noticed on the nurses that they didn't believe in them at all.
So, I am o.k. at the moment... will update again soon.
Thank you all once again for the support, it went really well today.

Spring collage

This will probably be my last Spring themed collage as the weather is very hot these last days and is much more like summer.

I have used some of the goodies I received and stamped a Rose image in the middle which I colored in with a marker pen - first time I've ever used this as I usually use a paintbrush and distress inks to color.

I still have three more photos to share of the beautiful cards I received. My MIL came looking for her card the other day and couldn't find it!

This is tea from Sri Lanka. Once again thank you ladies!

Just wanted to share a little something I have been thinking about lately. It's that black and white thinking pattern. Do you recognize it in yourself? I mean it goes something like this... the Bible invites us to believe, for example, for healing - so we take up the invite and then it doesn't happen. That is black/white thinking. But God is so much bigger than that!! There is a whole area which is as Derek Prince describes in his book 'The Word of God heals' that we forget about. God is sovereign and we can't dictate to Him how He should handle. It's not black and white in His Kingdom, it means that we live in complete surrender to Him as He forms our characters through every situation in our lifes. God might need us to keep on believing and never give up. He is able to keep our hearts soft and loving towards Him by just letting Him be God and trusting in WHO HE IS, not in WHAT HE DOES! God is Love - no doubt about it - and I think the only way UP with Him is TRUST, SURRENDER, PRAYER and FAITH. God's Word says - I will honor those who honor my Word - I reckon that is something to build on and I have always seen that God's Arm is not to short to deliver us in our daily walk with Him.

Hope to be back later in the week, I don't know what to expect and how I will react to the Chemo, so it's until then!

Missing you all!

Hi dear friends, I have missed you! From Friday to Wednesday evening I have been in Holland with DH. We had a speaking engagement for a Christian Conference on Family and Marriage, which we did twice. We saw our sons at the Bible School too, they had just returned from a Mission trip to Romania with their class.
We were invited to stay in the perfect spot with a lovely Dutch family near Zeeland in South Holland in the countryside. It was nice weather and we had a very enjoyable time.

When I arrived home, once again I was overwhelmed with your kindness in the form of cards and packages!! I feel truly blessed! I am doing my best to thank everybody personally for this boost and support. Here are a few shares from the last week. THANK YOU SO MUCH! I have not even been able to photograph everything, so more next time.

Today at four o'clock I have a check-up for my heart, and Monday the treatment begins. Monday morning I have been told that no Chemo-angels are allowed inside, so I will have to trust in the invisible ones to be with me :).
Several of you have informed me of the possibility of wearing an 'ice-cap'. It is put on the head during treatment and could prevent hair-loss. I have already phoned and they have them available, so it is worth a try!

I did manage to make a card before I left for Holland but couldn't finish it, so I did today to share with you.

Susanne, do you recognize the black paper panel and Tiffany I have used two of the flowers you sent me... thanks girls!

I have been too occupied with priorities to pick up card-making since I've been back, so waiting for the inspiration to start flowing again.

Thanks once again for standing with me!
Have a lovely weekend!

On a mission

Hope this post finds you all well. A special Happy Birthday to my friend Andi - don't know whether she will see this.
I am going to be occupied for a little while but hope to post late next week sometime.

I'm going to leave you with another share of the smiles I have been receiving in the form of cards and little gifts this week. I am so blessed.

Lastly a little ATC which I managed to fit in during the middle of appointments and travelling back and forward to the hospital. I happened upon some false eyelashes yesterday - I hadn't thought about loosing my own until yesterday. They were a good deal and the last ones left on the shelf!

O yes, I got introduced to my Chemo-Angel this week!! He's tall, good-looking, charming and has the most gorgeous brown eyes.... guess who?? Yep, my darling, caring hubby!

Update and share

My little share for today

Just to give you a little update - I went to the Oncologist yesterday and will start the first Chemo treatment on the 23rd of May. I have six sessions, once every three weeks. I must say the doctor put me right at ease and was very laid back about the whole process. Tomorrow I have an appointment with a nurse who will explain all the details to me for the preparation. He said that 90 percent of patients loose their hair... so praying that I may be in the 10 percent that doesn't, but will look at hair pieces as soon as I can. They are very forward here with wigs, and can make them look so natural. He also told me that the form of cancer I had could possibly react positively to a new drug that was discovered in 2005. They are checking it out in the laboratory in Montpeillier. If so, I will be receiving injections after the Radio therapy for even more protection for the future.

Its a whole new world actually. It's like having a Down Syndrome child - until you enter into that world, you are closed to it and have your preconceptions and opinions. When you have to enter into it - it opens you up to new blessings and a changed mindset - gives you compassion for handicapped people and prayer! Many forms of  suffering can be blessings in disguise! So too, with cancer - it is a world I would avoid, having a negative mindset about it, now I have to enter into this frame - it has softened me and opened my horizon to understand cancer in a new way. God is a good God, He doesn't send sickness but I have seen He can use it. On the other hand, God is the Healer, He can heal it too!  It fills me with so much love for the One who created us!!

May I ask your special prayers for the first three days after the 23rd May - I need the courage to not expect the worst and to get through it. I have been getting so much positive input from so many survivors that has relaxed me. Also the psychological effects, which I am quite sensitive in. Once again thank you for sharing this journey with me.

Ending with a little tag;

Bless you!
Jacqueline

My cup overflows... Ps.23:5

I am sharing the uplifting and beautiful gifts I have received this week. A huge thank you for the support, the prayers and just thinking of me. My son made me a huge cork message board for my craft room where I can hang everything up and look and enjoy what you sent me!

Thank you!!

Going romantic...

Today I was back at work for a couple of hours and as my boss is my hubby, he was very kind to me :)

Using some of my go-to colors in a romantic card today. The Frame is a Penny Black stamp and the velvet pink and mahogany colored flowers are Pink Paislee stamps. Image is from Graphics Fairy.

Hope you all have a very nice weekend and thank you all once again for your support in many ways!

Getting stronger!

Well, it's stronger than me, the need to create so I have made some more cards and have decided to enjoy the Simple Frame as much as possible as it gives me so much inspiration. The stamps I used are from the Pink Paislee Butterfly Garden set. I LOVE these stamps! Background ink is scattered straw distress.

Yesterday I had my bandage removed and everything looked fine. I was meditating with the Lord this morning and found how easy it is to focus on the negative while on the other hand it is possible to focus on the positive. Like yesterday a knock on the door brought a radiant angel to my aid (my lovely Dutch friend who lives in the area) and within ten minutes there she was doing all my ironing! Or the phone call from a lady who carries the family on her heart - or the other lady who prayed extensively for me over the telephone.... oh yes, not to forget that I prayed for the pain I felt on my scar only to find that the pain had gone and remained painless the rest of the day.... I mean - if we could count our blessings then we get a whole different look upon life. And then the cards, the e-mails, beautiful people who take their time to send me words of encouragement on my blog - it is just overwhelming!
AND, I am up and about, I have left my bed and partaking in the daily routine again, I have seen that it is better for me, just to rest in the afternoons.
THANK YOU all once again for popping in, it helps pass my day and gives me hope and encouragement.
Hope you are well ladies!

Little update and Lillies of the Valley

Hi dear ladies,
Thank you for all the new comments I received this weekend. You are such a bunch of comforting, lovely people, I feel surrounded and uplifted which so helps in the process!
Friday morning I was fiddling with something near a cupboard and tore at the drain tube fixed in my right arm for the after-operation fluids. The plastic bottle lost it's suction and I had to go to the hospital. It was too late to fix it because I had pulled a little hole into the wound. That hurt, but the blessing is, they removed it, which took away a lot of discomfort and made sleeping easier! To think I had to live with that painful tube until this coming Tuesday was unbearable.
I was low these last few days, probably the backlash, I know it is quite normal. I cried out to the Lord, I need Him to hear my voice, but I mean really hear my voice. I want to touch His Throne of Grace with my heart, I want to touch the hem of His garment. Sunday afternoon I went for a rest and when I woke I felt revitalized with new strength in my body - I felt it was a miracle, and it is holding! I believe it is an answer to prayer and I thank you all!
I also tried a bra and can't even really see the difference in size!

 A couple at church gave me these Lilies of the valley because it was 1st of May yesterday, which is officially a public holiday.  Lilies-of-the-valley are sold throughout France on this day. You give a bouquet of flowers to friends. Loving the label of the bottle of wine that came with them  - 'Plan of God'.

I also have a little share of a couple of cards I made.
I am so enjoying the Simple Frame stamp from Hero Arts

Here it is off centre, stamped on Pink Paislee pp.

Here I used a little stamping with the Silhouette spray and added various cut-outs waiting for a home from my scrap basket.

Hope you have a lovely day!