Well - its a week later and still the pain continues

I had my surgery last week and am disappointed to tell you that the pain is still there - but all is not lost - my Dr has prescribed a 6 month treatment with injections - hopefully our insurance carrier will pay up or you will see an extremely destitute Sara !!!

After 3 months we will find out whether more surgery will work - so watch this space - but this is all boring so will try to post some fun stuff for you tomorrow :O)
Sending smiles your way

Just to keep you up to date . . .

. . .  I am back into hospital today for yet more surgery :O(  It is 5 months and 2 days since I was last in there and I haven't had a pain free day yet. I am so utterly exhausted by it all.So hopefully after looking inside with cameras etc my new Dr can figure out just what is causing the pain and fix it !!

So my usual apologies for not posting for a while but I am sure you understand. Will let you know how I get on x

Apologies for my every changing blog image . . .

. . . .  I have been trying to import a calendar to my blog so that you know when I am teaching - if you want to join a class - who knew it would take nearly 5 hours to work out the code and sync google and outlook calendars which just the information I wanted - yuck - there were a 101 things I would have rather been doing but never mind it is done. Now to keep it updated LOLOL :O)

So if - every time you have looked at my blog today - it has changed and you think you are losing your mind - no you are not (well you may be but I am not sure I am to blame).

I will try to keep improving it and if there is anything you want me to put on here - just let me know :O)

Back from Extravaganza - and able to blog again WOOOHOOOO :O)

Did you miss me??
I know I have been MIA again - I have spent weeks and weeks and weeks creating and shipping all of my artwork ready for CTMH's 2011 Convention - which I was greatly honored to be asked to teach a class. I loved teaching my subject of the My Creations line of products which include 2 new fun items. I was given new paper, new 'bling', new ribbon - oh my goodness - total awesomeness !

I do hope that everyone that listened to me waffling on and on, enjoyed my class and learned a little about out fabulous products - some new - some not so new. And I hope you LOVED the fascinator hat I wore as much as I did.
You also know that I can't post photos until August 1st - so you'll all have to be that little bit patient  - but hopefully it will all be worth the wait :O)

I was also THRILLED to be awarded #6 in sales for the entire US and receive an award for Centennial Club (which means I have held over 300 classes/gatherings in the year - actually I held 110 !) and was also recognised for earning the Hawaii cruise which will take place in March 2012 and I will be taking my daughter along with me. I can't wait :O)

So now that I am awake again after a very hectic 5 days in Anaheim, CA with Mickey mouse at Convention - I will be able to start posting some fun stuff.
Sending warm thoughts your way
Sara xxx

Update . . .

Well you all know what I am like - can't be still for any length of time . . . so I have manages to totally overdo things and am back in bed again. This is so frustrating. I feel well but obviously my body doesn't so back on bed rest :O(
But on the bright side - did make some pretty cards over the last 3 days - just not allowed out of bed to photograph and post them. Sorry :O(

What a week !!

As many of you know - I had surgery last Wednesday so today is the 1st day I have felt like turning on the computer. I will try to post some artwork over the next few days - but I feel like I have been hit by a train right now. Even cleaning my teeth is hard work lol. It actually seems really strange not to be working - I have 2 weeks off before my Dr will consider letting me work - she actually want me to take 4 - 6 weeks off but I would go stir-crazy if I stayed at home that long. Each day gets a little easier so hopefully I will be back to feeling great very soon :O)

So what do you think of the new blog design I have??

Apologies to those of you if you were cruising around my blog and it kept changing. I was trying out different looks, buttons, apps etc. I love this background - it is so me :O) And JuliAnne - just for you - the font is called Cherry Cream Soda.
Hope you like it too :O)

Happy New Year

Good morning - wow I can't believe that it is over a month since I last posted. I have had both of my sisters and their families staying with me for the Christmas period so with 11 people in the house it has been a little crazy as you can imagine!
I also have some health issues which I am trying to take care of which is also slowing me down - so my apologies for not posting in the last few weeks.

Anyway - I have some artwork to post - so I am off to charge my camera battery and I will post on here later today - I have some gorgeous cards featuring the new Stamp of the Month so pop back a little later and come and see what I have :O)

My Favorite Close To My Heart Product. . . . . .

 . . . . .   now that is a tough one - Close To My Heart sells so many awesome products - how can I narrow it down to just one!!!!   Okay I think we need to do this by a process of elimination:

Versamat? - I love it 'because it makes it so easy to line items up and place them in the correct position - plus the added bonus of the foam back is perfect as a stamping surface - but that's not my favorite.
Clear acrylic stamps and blocks?  They are totally awesome - you can see where you are putting your images - plus the high grade acrylic made clear and crisp images every time - but again - not quite my favorite.
The 60 exclusive colors of inks, markers and cardstock - now that is getting nearer - I love the fact they they all match and co-ordinate with each other - but no - that's not it.
The level 1 & 2 scrap-booking kits - they too are so cool - the Level 1 kits are perfect for both beginning scrap-bookers AND those of us who need to complete a beautiful layout quickly. and the level 2 paper packs are just perfect for scrap booking and card making alike.
Okay - I think we are there - I think my favorite product is probably the mini medleys - yummy little packets of embellishment goodies. ribbons and buttons and brads and fun accessories which match the colors in our inks, cardstock, paper packets and more. But wait. . . .
No sorry - changed my mind again - It HAS to be the Prisma glitter - oh what fun I have with that. You can truly add glitter to anything:O) And you can use it with so many different adhesives. how about adding it using the glue pen as snow or to form the glass in windows or as dragonfly and butterfly wings, or over the top of liquid glass for a 3D look. For perfect stripes - run a length of Tombow Mono Adhesive and sprinkle the glitter over the top - or to 3D foam tape for perfect squares and rectangles of glittery blocks. You can add it to embossing powder and heat set it - you can add it to the pearl paint for even more shimmer.
So yes Glitter gets my vote - what's your favorite item??

Good morning

and yes I am still having camera issues - good grief - just how difficult is it to find a good camera which takes decent pictures and which is affordable. My apologies to all for my serious lack of blog items - added to which we have had a crazy busy week with Marching Band for Leo - they competed in the band of America Regionals on Saturday - Leo was at school by 8am and we didn't get home from the competition till 12.40am - a very long day !  But give me just a few minutes and I will post some fun artwork :O)

Hello :O)

Hi guys - I am sorry I have been MIA again - I had a major problem with my camera and had to go back to Costco to sort it out. They didn't want to deal with me but needless to say - I won and have a new camera. Now to figure out how to use it - give me a couple of days and I will give you a wonderful post of photos using the new October SOTM :O)

Apologies for the ever changing look ....

. . .   if you have been visiting me here over the last few hours you will see some changes.   I am trying to reorganize my blog so that it is easier for you to navigate so please be patient with me :O)
Let me know if you like the changes I have made and any other things you would like to see x

I'm back again from Convention 2010 . . .

. . . .  and I had sooooooo much fun. Not much sleep but lots of giggles, learning, friends, awards, and so much more.    Close To My Heart does such a wonderful job of providing us with a fabulous few days - wish it could last longer. I will start posting photos from convention now that I have finished teaching.  And I will put you out of your suspense - WHAT DID I TEACH???    Well what else but GLITTER :O) I don't think they could have found me a more perfect subject do you LOL.
Most of the artwork from the class will be posted AFTER September 1st when the new idea book comes out - It's a surprise - but the other artwork I made I will post soon :O)

Im off to DC tomorrow :O)

Hi everyone :O)
Again more apologies that I haven't posted on here - but finally everything is finished and packed - I can't wait to post all of the artwork in September when the new book comes out :O) Then you will have more artwork than you can deal with LOL. I fly tomorrow and will be back late on Sunday so will post come cards on Monday :O)

Hello everyone :O)

I thought I would post a little note to let you know that yet again I haven't fallen off the planet!  I have worked the last 20 days and evenings without a day off so things are just a little crazier than usual.

Leo started Marching Band today - so I took him to his 1st rehersal - I can't believe how time has flown by - it doesn't seem 2 minutes since Robyn was doing Marching band. So between Leo and then with ELliott taking up an instrument and will be doing MB too - I will have another 7 years of this - bring it on!!

I am still creating frantically for my teaching at our coporate event in Washington DC - 2 weeks tomorrow - aaghhhhh. Just when I think I have finished, I then decide to put another piece together just in case I don't have enough LOL

I have used a lot of liquid glass in the last few days - it makes such a fabulous adhesive - for attching buttons, ribbon, sealing the ends of hemp. The list is endless - I think it is my favorite product (this week anyway) so here is a question
What is YOUR favorite CTMH product???

Missing In Action !

Yes I have been missing in action for a week or so - life has been so crazy this lest few weeks. I had by 14 hours long stamp camp on Saturday which was great fun but as you can imagine takes a large amount of preparation.

Added to that - I am so very excited to have been asked by Close To My Heart to teach at our annual convention in Washington DC in July - so again there is lots of work to be done before hand so that I can show  the consultants attending some great ideas with the gorgeous new product.


And THEN - tomorrow I fly to the UK for a week to spend time with my Mum and Dad, sisters and friends. I haven't seen them for 18 months so I am so looking forward to going. My close friend Victoria is coming with me and we are going to spend 2 days in Paris. I went about 20 years ago and Victoria has never visited so as you can imagine we have loads planned.

So please be patient with me - I promise that I have some fun things to post and will try to show you some of my fun photos from 'across the pond'  Have a wonderful week while I am away and I will catch up with you when I get back.

Good morning :O)

Whew I have got a crazy couple of days coming up as I work plus try to get ready to leave for my Caribbean cruise of Cozumel and Grand Caymen. This trip is the 2nd trip that I earned from Close To My Heart and I am so excited to go on it. My friend from the UK Mandy is coming to join me along with 10 of her friends and you know tht there will be so many friends on the cruise from here in the USA -so all in all - a good time is going to be had by all!
SO please excuse me if I don't post for the next week - I promise to get on top of it when I get back - I have so much fun stuff to show you.

My new Storage area

This is my darling husband Richard as he builds me shelves and storage for my CTMH scrap and stamping items. My daughter has left home and moved into her new home in Southfield so that left an empty bedroom. Perfect as an area for me and a guest room if anyone comes to stay.

And here it is nearly full of all of my stuff. I still have some sorting out to do - I had a lot of stuff but the end is in sight - Woohoo!  I have to confess to being a bit of a scrap pack rat and don't like to throw stuff away in case I need it - but in this case I have been positively ruthless!

I will be MIA for a few days

Yes I am off to New Zealand early tomorrow morning and I can't wait - but more importantly the dog has chewed the cable which I download my photos from my camera - so I have a camera with photos on it for you but can't get them to my computer - darn animal. When I get back from NZ I will go and buy another cable and post photos for you - please be patient with me - so sorry about this :O(

Happy Christmas Everyone

Just a quick  note as I sit here next to the Christmas Tree listening to Christmas Carols on the CD Player. It makes me realize just how blessed I am to have the life I have. A wonderful husband, 3 healthy children and a job which I LOVE. I am so lucky to have customers who have become such good friends and still stay in touch even though they are no longer in the USA and are scattered about the world.
I am so grateful for the friends who are also consultants who share a bond started though our love of CTMH but have become so much more.
I send you best wishes for a wonderful Christmas and hope you have a fabulous day wherever in the world you are.xx