5 Years Ago Today -

Howdy -

Time flies by doesn't it? It was 5 years ago today that things changed for me. A split second accident that seems so unbelievable when I think back -

5 years ago while home alone, I was out with the animals and was hit in the eye with a bungee cord. I know most all of you have been with me through it all and remember. I look back and count all the blessings that I have. And how blessed I was that day. Leaning over a fence while watering the goats, I reached to get a stick out of their water bucket. The pressure down on the fence let loose a bungee cord holding the bucket down. The back side of the hook hit straight on to my right eye. Something so simple and things all changed. Thank God a neighbor who was a resident doctor just happened to come home moments after it all happened. She was far from me on her property but just close enough to barely hear me calling out.

Long story short... I lost my eye. Many surgeries later I now where a prosthetic eye. A odd but now "normal" part of me. Took me a while to figure out my new depth perception and learn that my klutzy life before the accident had additional complications. Steps - curbs - heck, even holes and bumps in the ground now gave me more to concentrate on and try even harder to not fall on my face. Something that yes I did before and now do more often as those around me can attest too. Bumping into store displays and reaching to pick up and grab things only to drop or knock them over... that too is more me than ever before. Today life is back to "normal" and all though Hubby is much more protective over me, things are simply every day life and don't stop me from doing pretty much all that I want to do.

The biggest change - I feel blessed. Each Day I thank God for the blessings he has given me and the blessing of that day. 1/4 inch more and I may not have survived. 10 minutes later and my neighbor would have been inside and never heard me calling out. And Blessed by the family and friends that supported me through the entire situation. Not once was I allowed to get depressed and the mail support from many many many of you readers was the positive personal touches that really brought my daily struggles in recovery easier and gave me smiles and hugs through cards, emails and calls.

I don't relive this day every year, in fact I am not sure why the "Anniversary" of the date stood out to me this year. But it did and I thought after 5 years I needed to thank everyone once more. I pulled out the images that where created by the companies that I loved before and adore now. These images mean so much to me and I love working with them.  I will try and use a few more of them as soon as I can -

Today I am using one from Whimsy Stamps - "Sweet Little Donkey" was given out through A Spoon Full of Sugar from Whimsy and artist Meljen's Designs. I miss the challenge A Spoon Full of Sugar, was a great group of DT and lots of people joined in each week. You can purchase the image now straight from Whimsy Stamps - HERE

I used papers from Farm House Country Kitchen collection. Sewing down the layers, I then cut out the donkey with a Nestie Circle, and matted with another Nestie. The Heart Border is from Whimsy - love it -  The sentiment is Whimsy - Ticket Notes, and it cut out with the coordinating Ticket Die.

Inside more of the same papers -

And the image was colored with Copics - colors here -

Thank you again for being a reader - and your support. It means the world to me -

Off now to get back to normal activities and life -
Hugs and-

One Year Ago Today - I had an accident

It has been a year today. A year of change, a year of being blessed, a year of learning so much about myself and those around me. My life now is pretty much back to "normal" - I do just about everything I did before - No getting out of chores around the farm, no special treatment. And that is all ok with me.

If you had asked a year and a day ago if I was a strong person. I probably would have said nope, I am a big baby. And yes, when I have a spinter, or a sunburn, or a scratch I whine about it and drive Hubby nuts. But actually what I have learned about myself is that I can handle more than I ever thought. More than I could have imagined.

I lost my right eye. After two major surgeries it is gone. Bungee tie down straps are BAD. And now I live a life with a prosthetic eye. That most can't even tell isn't real. That helps with adjusting. But it is cold when it is cold outside. It is dry and hard to blink when I am hot or in windy areas. And well... we won't even go into when I have a cold or allergies. Lets just say it isn't pretty. But I feel very blessed that I have it. And that my life has returned to same old same old.

There are many to thank for my strength. My getting through the past year with good spirits and not crying through the entire process. My faith in God that he was going to get me through. And the total 100% support from Hubby. He was there by my side, from surgeries to being my nurse. He was my rock. Still is. Then I have an amazing family. MIL, Mom, Sister, SIL and even my BIL working day after day so Hubby could stay home with me. And then my best buddy Tracey visiting me and keeping me laughing. A special thank you to my neighbor Mical, the Dr. that came home at that very moment she was my angel who saved me and drove me a million miles an hour to the ER (that was a scary ride in her one ton farm truck), and had all the appropriate Drs. waiting for me. And a big thank you to those Drs. as well. Then all of you - I was touched beyond words on the support I got from all of my Internet Friends. The emails, the cards and the art done to help support me. I can never express the joy this all brought to my and Hubby each day.

Ok, so I only have one eye. Things could have been worse. I am blessed that I was able to survive and get through it as I did. I am a stronger person now. I know that I can conquer more than I ever imagined before. I know that I have amazing family and friends, and I know that getting through my slap in the eye with that bungee cord will not slow me down in the things that I want to do in life. Well... maybe a little slower on stairs and driving at night... but other than that nothing will stand in my way!

Thank you again - for all of you support and prayers. You were a big reason I came through and returned back to my love of crafting.

Here I am... ME, MYSELF and MY EYE

Ok, I know I am long over due for showing off my new eye.. It really isn't my eye I haven't wanted to show! LOL I really really really hate having my photo taken! So I have sucked it up and decided it ain't gonna get any better than this - so here I am...

First let me start off by saying this is early in the morning here... LOL what else can as and excuse for a really horrible photo. I can blame it some on Hubby - he isn't really great at taking photos... but I guess I just have to admit.. this is me.

So can you tell which eye it the real thing? ( I have that Sesame Street Song in my head right now... which of these things ain't like the other.. )

Need a close up?

Damn now that is scary!!! Way to close for my comfort! OH and here is my new second glasses! Word of advise... don't let your Husband and MIL pick out your glasses for you while you are on very strong meds! :0)  They were worried about me though... and wanted the safest glasses they could get - really close to goggles here people!!! As soon as I was able I went and exchanged them for these.  I hate wearing glasses! Contacts - I got my first pair when I was 13, and never looked back at glasses. Hate them. But now, they have taken my contacts away - won't let me wear them, even if I can now get twice as long out of them - only need one at a time and they are sold in pairs you know. Nope they say no way, I can't risk any eye infections in my one good eye now. Super cautious and have to be really careful from hear on.

So you figure it out? I lost my RIGHT eye... so looking at the screen the eye on the left is the prosthetic eye.  Freaky huh? So other than being totally blind on my right - and avoiding going down flights of stairs. I look and I am pretty much back to me. (I can't tell how deep a step is.. could be 4 inches - could be 4 feet... very scary!)

Thought this would also be a good time to show you all the love you sent me -

I just wish that I could really show how many cards this is! I tried stacking them, laying them all out - the photo just really doesn't show the quantity of cards here! Hubby was so funny about them, we had to make sure that every card went back into the envelopes - he loves all the postmarks and return addresses :0)  So did my rural country post office, they got a huge kick out of seeing all the cards from everywhere coming through.   So from the bottom of my heart - Hubby's Heart and my post office - Thank you for all your wonderful Support!

This Summer is over - done and now I am just trying to get use to the new me.. and my new vision. Over all - doing pretty darn good. I only bump into things maybe once a week now... and not while I am driving, just me walking - and honestly I probably bumped into a few things with two eyes..  I just take doorways and shopping isles a little to close from time to time. LOL

HUGE HUGS TO EACH OF YOU - and -

Just Magnolias - Cracked Glass??

It is Friday and time for Just Magnolias! This week is our monthly technique - Cracked Glass! Now don't let this worry you. We have decided that since sometimes the technique challenges have products that you many not have on hand we don't want that to stop you from joining us in playing. So if you have the products and want to join us for the technique great - or if not, we say Anything Goes! Now how is that for making it easy?

For the Cracked Glass thingy - - - It has been forever since I have played with my UTEE and this technique and I had a lot of fun. Did have a mess to clean up, warning... don't turn your heat gun on pointed at the open UTEE bottle... LOL

Now for all the instructions on how to do Cracked Glass - visit the Just Magnolia's site - see all the DT's work and the link is there for the instructions. 

While deciding my plan for what I wanted work with and give the glass look - I came across the port hole from the summer stamp club... seemed like something that could be cracked so I went with it. How I came to this I have no idea...HA!

My pattern papers are the new DCWV Blue Jeans stack, really fun papers, I thought for a country- cowboy look.. but well - I guess the sailor bad girl look too! :0)  I sewed down the layers, the brown leather is actually part of the red paper - so that was easy there. I added my port hole, with the cracked glass, and then I cut out my Tilda on her rope ladder and tried to make her like she was climbing the wall. The "bling" was part already a flourish, and part me cutting it apart and making it fit. I love the epoxy sticker, it is from Creative Imaginations. I don't know who I would send a card saying "No Boundaries" too... but Tilda seems to have no boundaries so it works right?

Here is a close up of Tilda and my cracked glass port hole -

Was fun - I think I will leave the supplies where I can get to them and do this again! Now pop over and see the other DT's Cracked projects - WOW these girls blow me away! I love their work!

Ok, EYE Update - - yesterday was my "fitting" for my new eye and well... I am wearing one of the two she made! Fits perfectly, now I am still wearing a frosted lens on my glasses, why you ask? Well this eye is the model and not painted, so it is clear. Not something to show off. I was thrilled the fitting went so well, and to not get weird.. that my eyelid started working again as soon as she put it in! That was something I didn't know.. your eyelid will not open and close if you don't have an eye... she explained it like this...  Will you windshield wipers work with out the glass windshield in? Never thought about it, but uh no I guess not. :0 )  So anyway, now that I have an "eye" again I can blink - wink and everything that I am suppose to.  Saturday I will go in for a morning of painting the "real" eye and then later Saturday afternoon I can pick up my finished eye and will be all done for at least 6 months! (Then just  a check up and an eye polishing/cleaning)  YEA!!!

I'll see you tomorrow for some Animal Crackers!
HUGS and-

Just Magnolias - Getting Sentimental!

Love that Just Magnolias is Sentimental! Ok, so it sounds so sweet and wonderful - what it really means is that you are pretty much wide open for the challenge this week, just have a sentiment of some sort on your card - :0)

I inked up a new Tilda - well new to me, as this is the stamp I got Sunday at the Stamping Store.  I just loved her hat.. LOL  I colored with my Copics, then inked all the edges and the shadow behind her with Distressing ink Antique Linen - Then for her little veil I used Smooch Illuminate - love that stuff!! And I love how it came out as her see through veil.  Very sparkly!

My card went a bit distressed this week, I love that look but have such a hard time pulling it off. My pattern papers is where I started with that thought. Graphic 45 - I KNOW I CUT INTO A PIECE!!! I love this paper so much I have to really know where I am going with it and make SURE I am going to like it before I make any cuts. LOL These two patterns are two sides of one piece, no thinking coordination! I matted each piece with brown card stock, after distressing the edges of each and inking each with the Distressing ink. They were all sewed together as well. My image is cut out with a Nestie and I inked around the edge with a dark brown ink.

When matting the image with the pattern paper, it saddened me that so much of the pretty paper was being covered up, so I cut around the clock art with my craft knife and slipped the image into the pattern paper. A Satin ribbon is wrapped around the paper, and then a bow added.

My sentiment is from Stampin Up - I love it! Found this set at an antique/estate shop a few weeks back, I was so happy!! It was cheap too.. I think it was like $6.00 for the entire set. Score!

NOW... Eye Update:
Doctor appointment was Wednesday afternoon, he was very happy with how I am doing, and said I have healed perfectly. I do like to do things well you know :0)  He said I was able to get back to everything I felt up to doing - that is WONDERFUL!!  I did say I wasn't sure I was up to vacuuming and dusting yet.. he laughed, Hubby didn't.. LOL  I now have an appointment to have my artificial eye made on August 27th. YEA!! So things are moving again - and by the end of the month I should "look" more normal - He said I have to go back every 6 months for a eye exam for my good eye - now that it is the only eye I have  - I need to keep it healthy and make sure I take very good care of it.  I agree.

I again want to thank all of you for the support you have given me. I only wish I could thank each of you personally - seriously, I know this is why I have gotten through this so easily. I had each of you behind me :0)

HUGS - see you Saturday for Animal Crackers!

So... I aged today....

Yes, the calendar rolled over - I aged today. But you know after all that I have gone through this summer, it is ok by me - 43 is just alright with me :0)

So here is an update... went out driving yesterday - TWICE, just me and my pick up truck. Now I didn't venture out onto the highway - LOL but things went well and had no issues, I think the highway and I are gonna be just fine. The main thing I had to do is to get my right hand mirror in the right spot. I do have to look to the right more than I use too, or should I say should have done. And I even passed a man on a tractor with huge load of hay, and didn't rub tires with him! (I had to pass him, he was only going 10MPH) Distance judging didn't seem to be an issue at all. I feel pretty comfortable with what is real distance. Now first time I park in one of those straight, tight, very busy parking lots... I'll report back and let you know how me and "real distance" are doing.. LOL I probably will be getting lots of exercise in the near future... parking WAY out in the lots!

 So that is one big check mark on my list. YEA! And Wednesday is the big DR. day to get the ok to visit the ocularist - learning new things.... this is the person that makes the artificial eyes, from what I have read and heard from people they are more artist than anything.

So what are we doing today for my shhh "birthday"  - Hubby is taking me out for a day trip. Animals have to be fed remember, morning and night, so day trips is about all we can do. We are going antiquing, to a small town about 2 hours away - I have always wanted to take a trip there, and well.. we always get sidetracked and never make it there. And ... there is a stamping store there too.. wink wink so I am sure I will venture in and see what I can find there too wink wink!! 

Well - sorry to post and not show off something, a card, a project, a furry child. For some reason it just didn't feel right to not post today.

Thanks so much for reading my rambling...
HUGS and-

Just a little bit of Normal.....

Hi - I thought I would pop on and share that we have a just a little bit of normal around here the past couple of days.... a tiny bit of normal... but hey I am taking it!

First to report from my doctor's appointment, he said things are healing perfectly... keep things going the way they are.... still no lifting, or bending - just take things slow and gather my strength. Then we go back to him in one month for a final visit before we then visit the people that make the artificial eye - a month... sounds like a long time especially when I am not allowed to do anything... but in reality - this coming wednesday will be a month since the accident! Wow... really doesn't seem like it at all... time flies when you are on really good pain killers! LOL  ( actually haven't needed them in a while )  But I am getting much stronger and feeling better each day - I think I may even pull out my Copics this week and give some coloring a try :0)

We also went and found me a pair of glasses this week... ordered them anyway, will get them in a week or so - and then I actually went to the grocery store!!! See a little bit of normal :0)  Ok... so it totally wore me out and we only were picking up a few items, but it did feel good to push the cart and walk up and down a few of the isles... normal.....

Then this morning Autie and Libbie had a little bit of normal in their lives. They got a bath!!! They have been very spoiled this past month, in fact they have put on a few too many pounds with Daddy and Grandma both feeding them... and all the treats everyone has been sharing with them. So they are now on a watched diet... and back to a schedule, which one was a much needed bath!

Autie was up first.. he was an angel...

Libbie watched close, thinking uh oh... I bet I am next...... and she was, and she was not such an angel... she jumped ship and ran out of the bathroom... LOL I told Dad she would... he is learning so much during this time :0)

Gato really watched close... I could tell exactly what she was thinking... "What a disgrace! I would never allow that done to me!"


I want to again say thank you for all of the wonderful cards!!  It has become our favorite time of the day.. Hubby goes to the mail box each afternoon and we sit in bed and go through the beautiful cards... we talk about where each comes from and how different and fabulous each are. They have really lifted our spirits and brought hours of smiles to us. I will try and take some photos of the piles of envelopes to show you this week! They have been an unbelievable joy to this whole experience.


So things are going well... and I am feeling better... my main goal this week is to get my new glasses so I can spend hopefully a little time on the computer, just a few minutes now and I really can feel it in my good eye and my head.. ouch!

So from me to each of you.. HUGE THANK YOUS and HUGE HUGS!!!

I have made it through my surgery....

Sorry it has taken me so long for an update... last week was tough. Headaches.... but I had my surgery on Friday and things are getting much better.

Now that being said - when a doctor tells you that you will have a couple of "bad" days after surgery, then things will get better. Well... that is an understatement. WOW  - But here I am on Monday and I can "see" the light at the end of the tunnel. I feel much better today. I vaguely remember the phone ringing a few times over the weekend and Hubby saying "Well she is having a rough day, she is just a little Crabby" .... well I think that was an understatement as well :0)  He has been such a great nurse... I think pretty cute too...

So what is the future now? Lots of little steps, we go on Thursday for my first check up after surgery, then we start the procedures to getting my artificial eye. They have said you will have to really know it is not mine these people are so good at making them.

I have to now say again a huge Thank you - the out poring of cards, emails and well wishes I cannot even express how much it has helped me through this. I truly feel each of you are with me. And it makes me stronger knowing I have so many across the world helping get through it all. And I really cannot even speak about how generous you have been with the donations - from the bottom of my Heart as well as Hubby's Thank you -

Sorry this is short... but the computer screen is making my stomach do flips... so it is time to sign off... I will try and pop back in a day or so- -

Thank you - Thank you - Thank you .... HUGS