Let's Celebrate Freedom Blog Hop!

We want you to join us for a week of techniques from the Design Team at The Hens' Den.  Each Design Team member will be showing you how they made something and in the process give you a look at different ways of documenting such a wonderful day in the lives of Americans.

 

The blog hop will start on the 1st of July and end on the 6th of July.  On July 7th, we will pick a winner at random from all of those who follow the rules.   Here is what you need to do.

 

You will start here at The Hens' Den Blog then you will visit each of the other blogs:

 

Anita Mulcahey

Moriah Macdonald

Carolyn Lontin

Lori McClellan

Janet Bagnall

Nicolle Kramer

Charlie LaBonte

Facebook Page for The Hens' Den

 

Each DT Member will have the next link on their blog that you need to move onto.   You need to leave a comment on each blog so that we know you where there.  The LAST step is to go to our FB page and leave a comment about the blog hop. 

 

On Sunday, July 7th, we will pick one random person who visited all the blogs and they will be our winner.  

What can you win in addition to all the inspiration?!?

 

A bag full of goodies from Tim Holtz , Dyan Reaveley and Claudine Hellmuth, Tim Holtz Distress Ink, Distress Stain, Dylusions Ink, Distress Paint, Studio Acrylic paint and a hand full of tags to play with. 

You don't want to miss this.  It is sure to be a fun, inspiring, and inky good time!  If he's up to it, Cad might even join in the fun! :D

 

 

 

 

 

Fun and Games 'til Retirement

One of my fellow Reading Specialists is retiring this year.  I'm happy for her, sad for us!  She's going to have lots of fun spending time with her grandbaby, traveling to see the US Open, and sleeping in on Monday mornings!! :)

I dipped into my June stash Charlie sent to make one of 2 book-style cards for the folks at school to write their "I'll miss you" messages.

There are about 80 staff at my school, so one little card isn't going to do it!  I decided to adhere 3 card bases together using Score-tape.  The extra pages will give people lots of room for signatures (I had to make 2 of these 'cause the first one filled up in 2 days!).

I wrapped ribbon around the "card" so it could tie shut with a ribbon 'cause it's so stinkin' cute with a bow!!

I just love how this turned out!  The sentiment says it all.  From this point on its all fun and games for our retiree!  We are all so jealous happy for her! :)

Got a friend you need a ?  Grab these goods:
My Minds Eye- The Sweetest Thing- 6x6 Pad
My Minds Eye- The Sweetest Thing- Label Stickers
My Minds Eye- Collectable- Unforgettable- Enamel Dots


CAD UPDATE---- He's Home!!!  I was able to bring him home last night and he is already acting like his old self. :)  I had to put together a spreadsheet for all the pills he is taking.  I told our family that after all is said and done we may have to have A&E come do an episode of Intervention with all the pills he is on!  Some are 3x's a day, some 2, some only once.  Some are 12 hours & others 8 hours.  3 are for pain and 2 antibiotics.  One is a "just in case" drug because they don't really know what's wrong.  Bottom line, it'll be at least a month before we know how this all pans out, but right now we are basking in the joy of having my "furry little brother" home! 

I tried to pay forward all the prayers/thoughts/vibes you have been sending our way to the night crew of Ward A at Tufts Vet Hospital in N. Grafton (it's open 24 hours a day/ 365 days a year).  I hit the new Wegman's and came back to them the other night with a bunch of yummy goodies (some healthy & some just delicious junk food) and a big box of coffee.  I thought it was a small gesture of thanks, but honestly you would have thought I brought a winning lotto ticket!  It was wonderful to know that I could give them the same warm fuzzies that all of you have been giving us.  It is amazing how small gestures can mean so much and impact your whole outlook on the day.  May all of you feel the warm fuzzies of thanks our family is sending your way throughout this weekend!

Medical Mystery

 Cad sleeping at home back in March 2013

Well friends I have good news and bad news about "Cad Watch 2013".  I want to again thank all of you for your incredible comments & emails.  They really truly help keep us in positive spirits.  When this calms down some I fully intend to pay forward all the kindness y'all have shown our little furry family!!! Good news first (I usually go with bad first but we all need a boost). Cad does not seem to be getting worse and, if all goes well, he will be coming home tomorrow night! :)

 Now the not-so-good-news. First, he has DM (degenerative myelopathy) which essentially is Lou Gehrig's disease in dogs and just like in humans there is no cure. That isn't what has him at Tufts right now though. He probably has 6 months left, but who knows. Could be longer, could be shorter. We've decided in this house to make this the best summer ever and sneak him on the beach whenever we can, do lots of cuddling, visit family so they can say goodbyes, and in general run with Tim McGraw's song. :) We'll do whatever we can to stave off the disease, but we will also do what we can to enjoy the time we have.

Second, not sure if this is in the "good" bin or "bad" bin of news. They don't know what is wrong with Cad yet. It's like we are living an episode of House MD. He is having a biopsy done on his neck muscle because they can't figure out what virus it could be, or if he has lymphoma.  The docs tell me that if it is cancer he stands a good chance of recovery with chemo.

Long post short, please keep up with the prayers/thoughts/vibes.  None of the millions of tests they have run have had results come back yet.  Some won't be back 'til next week for sure, so this is an extended prayers/thoughts/vibes request.  As soon as I hear anything I will post more news.  There will be a prearranged project post on Friday- but if I can I will add an update to the bottom.  'Til then, keep your fingers crossed.

More Prayers Needed

Cad post surgery 2011

 

Dear Readers it is with a heavy hear that I post yet more sad news. Not 24 hours after losing our beloved Amy, our precious Cad has been again admitted to Tufts Vet Hospital. We brought him in at 7 on Sat night and he is still there. Since it is the weekend, the neuro experts are not all available. He will need at least one or two MRI's and surgery.

I am fighting tears as I post this news. I had hoped to post the video of Cad with his new wheels (we got him a wheelchair on Friday morning).  My plan is to hold off and show it (fingers crossed) when I can share happier news of his health.  I should be hearing from the experts tomorrow morning and I will update y'all as soon as I can.  So many of you have commented & emailed me with your touching words of comfort about Amy.  I have every intention of getting back to each of you personally with thanks- I hope this massive shout out of gratefulness will hold y'all over for now.

Our Amy Crossed the Bridge

Hello dear readers.  It is with a heavy heart that I share the sad news that our beloved Amy lost her battle with bladder cancer today.  I thought I would share a few pictures of her and her favorite things to do.  The pic above was her favorite morning spot on the guest bed.  The sun hit a spot next to the pillows and she would curl up to take a nap.  If you came in she would chatter at you until you pet her and then she would start purring.  :)

She loved sitting in front the screen doors in the front of the house and at the back.  A perfect day for her had both doors open so she could go to the front to see the neighbors walk by and then to the back to stare at the birds and chipmunks.  The heat wave we had a couple weeks ago found her still alert enough to watch the animals outside with a titchy tail.   :)

Tom and I were talking about a favorite memory we have and it is of Amy with "Her Tree" at Christmas.  We have a tree in our bedroom that she liked to "guard".  She'd sit on the tree skirt and we would get out the laser pointer for her to play tag.  We jokingly called it "Tree Defender".  She wouldn't leave the tree skirt but would pounce on the light if it touched the skirt.  Many time she would only move her front paws like she was playing a video game. 

Tom was reading this over and wanted me to mention how she had THE softest fur of any cat we've ever had.  The vet even offered to clip a lock of fur for us.  :)  She also had a routine of saying goodnight to Tom and then coming to sleep next to me on the edge of the bed (which he liked) and a bad habit of saying good morning to me about an hour before my alarm (I swear she heard when I was setting my alarm for and could read clocks!)  Whenever we went up and down the stairs we had to "pay the toll" by petting Amy.  She liked to sit in the loft area by the stairs where she could lord over her kingdom. :)  I keep looking for her as I walk on the stairs. :(  

I can't say enough good things about our vet.  They are so thoughtful and caring.  Everyone was crying with us.  IT was incredibly touching.  We are getting Amy cremated, like we have done with our other pets who have crossed The Rainbow Bridge and the group that takes care of that was wonderful as well.  It's so nice to have such caring folks at such a sad time.  :)

The hole in our hearts is big, but we are so glad to have had her in our lives.  She added so much personality to our home and we are better human beings for having known her.  :)

Happy Father's Day (early)

This past weekend we celebrated a bunch of family days- belated Mother's Day, belated youngest nephew's birthday, early SIL birthday, and *drumroll* early Father's Day!  I thought I might share the card I made for my FIL with y'all today.  :)  (Phew- all caught up until July, I think!)

 

These are the goodies I got from Charlie at The Hen's Den and I knew right away they'd be perfect for Father's Day.  You might at first look and say, "But I see flowers and lace!".  There is so much more on this set!!!


I cut the card base so that it was 4 1/4" X 4 1/4", then cut the white & blue paper 4 1/8" X 4 1/8", and finally the golden mustard paper was cut 4" X 4".  The layers were simply stacked and adhered together using Score-tape.

The stickers were used cause they all describe my FIL.  He's a happy guy, who loves to tell stories, is willing to try anything, and we all know we are loved.  :)  I totally lifted Carolyn's confetti idea using the enamel dots.  Love how it all came together- and so quickly too!!!

Wanna make one too?  Grab these goods:
My Minds Eye- The Sweetest Thing- 6x6 Pad
My Minds Eye- The Sweetest Thing- Label Stickers
My Minds Eye- The Sweetest Thing- Tiny Word Stickers
My Minds Eye- Collectable- Unforgettable- Enamel Dots

"Vintage" Christmas

No, don't adjust your monitor!  Yes it is still only June!  I'm doing my best to keep up with Christmas cards this year and I'm happy to say I have another one to share today with a mid-century twist! :)

This card was sooo much fun to put together.  I got to use all stuff from my stash and the color palette is one that I think I will be using in my teaching space next year.  The funny part is that I HATED when my mom used to mix red and aqua/light blue/turquoise when I was a kid.  Now I think of it as a fabulous combo.  I think she'd give me what-for if she were around to see this post, probably only fair for all the harassment I gave her. ;)

So do you use Pandora?  I have 2 different channels I created for myself for Christmas music.  Yup, I'm that person who plays Christmas music all year.  I realized when I was a kid that those were the songs where I knew all the words and I would sing them to myself in the shower, when cleaning my room, or playing in my grams garden.  I do try to be nice enough to not subject others to the tunes out of season though. :)

What seasonal secrets do you have??? ;)

I'm humming Deck the Halls and wandering here with some *gasp* Christmas cheer:

Festive Friday- Vintage Christmas

Scooting By...

It's been a bit crazy this week!  Poor Amy has been up and down with how she has been doing with her cancer and I've been on the phone with the vet a few times, DH was on travel in CA all week, I'm trying to clean out (read weed out) my classroom to get ready to move at the end of June, and there is a stomach bug going around (which I thought I might be getting yesterday).  So for sure I have been scooting around all week!  T-G-I-F!

DH is back and things are settling down a bit.  Sounds like a good time to squeeze in another set of cards I made using the May 2013 Kit Club kit I got at Ink About It.  Loving those polka dots and that giant chevron!!!

Isn't this scooter so stinkin' cute!!!  I'm sure I saw it on Jessica's blog The Paper Parade ages ago and HAD to get it (I search her blog for an hour and can't find the post, but I'm sure it was one of her cute cards that got me inspired in the first place :) )  This scooter is part of the set that includes the golf cart I love so much too!

I had so much fun creating this set!  I'm in the process of making a more girly/flowery/pinkish set. :)  So what are you up to this weekend?