A new penpal...

Remember my Artful Penpals post? Well, my penpal's letter was delivered today. I want to start this post off by telling Jen (that is my penpal's name)... Jen, I haven't forgotten you! I can give you excuse after excuse, but I want you to know I haven't forgotten and plan to get your letter out in the next couple of days! This guy here was in my mailbox today. What a lovely letter to find in my mail box amidst the junkmail and bills. I just had to share this fantastic envelope with you! Jen's letter was so fun to read. She is an artist through and through. Cool little people were drawn to add expression to her letter and the doodles down the side of the paper were a nice added touch. Jen collects vintage photos and shared this one with me. On the back she wrote a quote (everyone knows I love quotes)! It says: While we try to teach our children all about life, our children teach us what live is all about. ~Angela Schwindt (from quotegarden.com) Amen to that. I have learned more from my children than any other time in my life that is for sure! Jen also included one of her water color signs that says "I approve of myself". LOVE IT! My scanner isn't cooperating with me this evening. I am sure it is OE (operator error), but I am just too tired to figure it out. So...you can see it by visiting her blog called My Heart is Full. It is on the right hand of the page. While you are there, take a look at all her fabulous photography, collages and watercolor drawings. Jen is very talented! Thanks again Jen for brightening my day. My letter will be on it's way soon, I promise!

A try at domino pendants...

Katie wanted a domino necklace like her little friends have. Since I had all the supplies, and was wanting to try this anyway, I made each of the girls a little pendant. Katie's is a free stock photo of kittens I printed on regular cardstock, cut out, modgepodged to the domino and covered with diamond glaze and placed the little rhinestones while the glaze was still wet. Nikki's was her name printed on scrapbook paper, then adhered to the domino the same way. A fun and easy project. You can do these with Scrabble tiles too!

I was wondering....

If you all would be able to help me out in lifting someone's spirits. As you know, my beautiful mother has battled ovarian cancer valiantly in the past year. We thought for the past 4 months, that the cancer was gone as the CA125 blood test as well as her PET scans were not showing any. However this past week when the doctor did a bowel re-section to rid her of the colostomy bag, they found several small tumors still there. Mom is having a difficult time physically recovering from this surgery as well as facing what the future holds. She isn't sure she wants to continue with chemo treatments. We are supporting whatever decision she makes. I'm not sure I would want to after the fight she gave in the last year being in the hospital for 6 months straight with a wound in her belly getting chemo treatments at the same time which are enough to knock even the healthiest person to the ground. She is tired, and I understand this. I am hoping that she will be stronger once she heals from this surgery. What I would like for her right now is to experience the peace and love of all of you who have been praying on her behalf. Tabitha at I Choose Bliss requested this a couple of weeks ago for her aunt who has been told there is nothing more they can do for her cancer. She said she heard a smile in her aunt's voice when she talked to her. Now I would like to ask this on my mother's behalf. If you would like to help out, I am just asking for a simple sweet uplifting card or message to be sent to my Mom to help lift her spirits as she makes these difficult decisions. Please let her know she is being prayed for. If you are interested, please email me at lanieintx at comcast dot net, and I will give you a P.O. Box to send your card or note. Tabitha wrote: I know that LOVE CAN CONQUER ALL. I know that LOVE CAN push through the darkest day. I truely believe this. I pray for Mom's healing, comfort, peace and for her to know she is so very loved.