Hi folks, sorry I haven't been around for a while. It's been an awful start to the year as my Auntie who we share a house with got taken into hospital on New Years Day morning after suffering a mini stroke, unfortunately she suffered another mini stroke (TIA) on arrival at hospital and then a more serious stroke through the night. She was left with right side weakness, mainly her arm, but her speech on the whole was unaffected with only a slight slur when she's tired. Last weekend we had her down to the coffee bar at the hospital in a wheelchair and she was so glad to get a proper coffee at last lol! Unfortunately on Tuesday I got a phone call to say that she had taken a turn for the worse, I rushed straight over as I just work across the road, for the NHS, to find that she had taken a Pulmonary Embolism (clot in lung) and had been taken to the High Dependency Unit. I'm pleased to say that she has responded very well to the clot busting drug they gave her and is now back to the Stroke Unit again and hopefully this has just been a slight setback in her rehab. She is remarkable for 86 and although she struggles a bit with her mobility due to Arthritis, she is normally very sprightly for her age. We have always been very close, especially since I lost my Mum, also to a stroke, just before I turned 14, and she is like a second Mum to me. She really is an inspiration and is fighting back and working hard during her physio sessions, and on her own, and now is starting to get some grip back in her right hand.
Much of my time has been taken up with hospital visits as well as juggling work, family, housework, etc, so crafting has gone on the back burner. Although now that she is improving again I've started to get back into it. So apologies for not keeping up with all your blogs over the last few weeks, hopefully as she recovers I will gradually get back into the swing of it.
Here's a card I made primarily for a British Heart Foundation fundraiser we are having at work this week but I have decided to enter it into the A-Z colour challenge over on Docrafts. We are on letter 'X' so the host has decided that we will make an 'Extra' card from any of the colours that has gone before so I've chosen Fire Engine Red.
The image is a Teddy Bo magazine freebie stamp which I've coloured with Promarkers. I've had this set for ages and although I've used some of the sentiments, this is my first Teddy Bo. I think she looks quite funky! I've layered the image on to a mat made from an X-cut parenthesis die which I've inked with Tim Holtz Antique Linen distress ink. I've used an LOTV sentiment, also inked, and mounted onto an X-cut scalloped circle die cut. The hearts are die cut using x-cut dies on pre embossed red card. The papers are also magazine freebies and the wee tags are from the Me to You With Love range. I've added some satin ribbon, paper cord which is like bakers twine but doesn't fray, and red pearls to finish. I'm sure this won't be my last Teddy Bo card as
I really enjoyed colouring her in!
Great to hear from you again, sorry to hear about your Auntie, I hope she doesn't have any more setbacks. Your card is gorgeous,love the image, colours and layout. Marlene
ReplyDeleteSo sorry to hear about your Auntie, Shona, do hope that she continues to improve. Gorgeous card too xx
ReplyDeleteHi Shona - sorry to hear about your auntie's woes - no wonder you've been quiet! Your card is fabulous - lovely bright red - and teddy bea - what could be better xxx
ReplyDeleteHello again Shona and lovely to have you back, i wondered where you were, little thinking that you would be having all this anxiety about your aunt. What an awful thing a stroke is and then to have a further complication, I do hope she continues to improve. She is a marvellous age and great to here up until recently she was very spritely.
ReplyDeleteYour card is lovely, sweet little image and that fire engine red is glorious, take care, kate x