I'm back! Brain tumor surgery

Happy New Year Everyone!

 

It has been almost two looonnnng years since I posted.  So much has happened.  I do work a "real" job and this is my fun, and I was travel nursing for a while.  After coming home, I settled into a job close to home. 

Over the past 5-6 yrs I have suffered from "migraines".  They began to increase in frequency and intensity.  I saw my doctor.....regularly, but because I kept working (a necessity) and I kept working out (also a necessity for my sanity) I was the picture of perfect health.  I was really just surviving.....my art completely stopped.....no painting, no stamping, no designing.  And believe me when I tell you, I lived for my art time.  Now I went to bed when I got home.  Sometimes as early as 5 in the afternoon.

Anyway, I finally had a seizure, vomiting in the morning, and having vision changes so they did an MRI.  Brain stem tumor!  Very large because I had ignored it for sooooo long.  It was pressing on my brainstem and about the size of a small lemon.  I had to go to a tertiary care hospital (highest level) for surgery (October 19th 2012) and it has been a long road to recovery.  I almost lost the sight in my right eye, have trigeminal nerve pain and vertigo, but I am getting back to my old self.  I still lack depth perception as my eye is still in healing mode.   

I also lost my beloved Madison.  My faithful dog of 15 years who loved me and stood by me when I often felt alone (I wasn't but it felt that way).  I love you Maddie and I miss your happy doggy grin everyday!

I thank all of you that have stayed with this blog so patiently waiting.......I should have discussed it with you, but honestly what do you say....I feel horrible....everyday?   I would have lost you for sure!

Life is precious and my journey is still in the works, so I close this post with my usual and heartfelt "enjoy your journey in life my friend"!!!

Love to each and everyone who comes across this blog.

 

 



Tulips

I decorated this scrapbook page using Deborah's Tulips image, as it was my Mom's favourite spring flower. I used pro-markers to colour it, if you'd like more details on how it's made please visit my blog...link in the sidebar. Scroll down the previous posts and you'll find this beautiful image available to buy. 

Tulip Still Life

Isn't this a beautiful image?  It's another one by Deborah.  I'm sorry it's taken me so long to get around to sharing my work with you.  My next one will be the adorable bunny.  Look on the page down a ways, and you can some of her latest work.  She's an awesome artist.

I just had to do the vase in blue.  That's how I saw it, when I first got a look at the image.  I won't say it's my best work, but I'm fairly happy how it turned out.  Have a great day, and if you'd like to know more about what I used on the card, please stop my blog <a href="http://desigsnbydj.blogspot.com"> here</a> and you'll learn a little more about it.

Have a great day.

Hugs,

dj1952

Red Eyed Tree Frog

Isn't this Tree Frog just adorable. I've always loved tree frogs so I've looked forward to playing with this fella. I intend using him a lot and have planned to make a new home, and a get well card soon.  This card is for a Friend with Terminal Cancer, he has learning difficulties and they haven't told him how little time he has left. He's getting loads of visitors but as my daughter and myself can't see go to see him I wanted to make him a bright cheerful card that he'd enjoy looking at all day. He's coloured here with blendable pencils 

Here he is on a Clean and Simple card, so you can see exactly how much impact such a detailed image has entirely on its own. I did this one in promarkers. 

As with all of Deborah's images, he was a delight to colour, with so much detail he almost coloured himself lol. If you'd like more info on how I made the cards, please pop over to my blog, link in the sidebar. 

Free Orchid at Stitchy's

Free Orchid Design!

Stop by Stitchy's and sign up for the newsletter this week and get this as a free download. This week only! Also, all my digis are 25% off....including the tulip vase so beautifully done in the last post!

http://www.stitchybearstamps.com/

I just want to thank my designers for the beautiful work. I am looking for one or two more designers! If you are interested send me a link to your blog so I can see your work. The digis are free if you design, I just ask that you use them, and post something to the blog!

Thanks for stopping by....don't be a stranger, so come back soon!

D

Vase Of Tulips

I needed to make a Sympathy card today and felt this beautiful vase of tulips that Deborah designed would be perfect. A gentle relaxing image without being morbid in any way. I enjoyed colouring it and had fun with the vase, which I wanted to try and make look like china. I used a mixer of promarkers and Sakura pens. If you'd like more details please pop by my blog, link in sidebar. 

New Digis! A Bunny for Spring

Lop Eared Bunny

This little fellow is just waiting to grace the front of a little childs Easter card, or for any occasion. He is so cute and inviting. See the previous post that one of my fabulous designers made up using the bunny.

You can purchase this bunny here for $3. Stitchy Bear Stamps is a secure website and a great place to browse my stamps!

As always, thanks for stopping by, and enjoy your journey in life my friend!

View other designs on my blog

Lop Eared Bunny

This is one of the latest of Deborah's beautifully detailed images. The detail and shading made it easy for me to colour, despite initially being a little scared that I wasn't up to it. Took me a while to be happy with the colour I added, I wanted her to look like my bunny Lucy I had a few years ago. I've two more images to work on, so I'll be back with those soon. 

A bit of a close up because I want you to get a good look at the cute expression on her face.

If you'd like details of how I made this, and colours I used etc, please pop over to my blog..link in sidebar.  

Red-eyed Tree Frog

Hello everyone, dj here.  This is one of the newest images by Deborah Boyet.  As soon as I saw him, I wanted to color him.  I love the way his eyes just pop out at you.  I hope you enjoy looking at him, and that you will pop into the shop and get him for yourself.  I'll be working on a couple more images soon, so don't forget to stop back in.  If you want a little more information about the details, please feel free to stop by my blog by clicking on my name on sidebar.
Hugs,

dj 1952 (Debra)

A Little Chickadee

Hello,

It's been a while since I've posted a card here. However, I hope that will be changing soon, as she has come out with some new images, and plans to do more in the future. I'm dj ( Debra) and I think the designs by Deborah are fantastic! She is one of the best artists that I have been associated with. She does fabulous still life as well as, real animals, birds, etc.

This little chickadee jumped out at me when I first saw it. I love to color realistic images, as much as I like ones that are not. I colored this with Prismacolors and Gamsol. The colors remind me of spring, which many of us are ready for. The large flower on the bottom right is made with tissue paper, which is one of my favorite flowers to make because they don't flatten as easily when mailed.

I hope you enjoyed seeing another of Deborah's images finished, and that his might give you an idea of what you can do it.

Hugs,

dj (Debra)

New Digis! Flowers, and a Frog

Hello everyone, and Happy New Year!

December found me in California as a traveling nurse. I am working hard, but enjoy the change. It is warmer here than in South Carolina.

Anyhoo, it was a bit of an adjustment, and a 4 day drive here, so I have been away from my digi friends. I have been back at work and have 3 new digis!

Check them out. They are available at here (Stitchy Bear Stamps store), as well as through this website.

This little guy is just waiting to cheer someone up on the front of a card. He would also be cute on a little boy's card.

This is a lovely vase of tulips in a blue and white vase. Delicate, and inviting it will cheer up a friend or make a great Spring is Coming flower. Nice for easter, and even Valentine's day if you make the tulips red.

This is a lovely bearded iris, just waiting to share with someone. Can you tell I am ready for spring???? I love to see the beautiful coat of colors mother nature dons to show off to the world.

Please visit my blog to view other digis for sale.

Email me with questions and inquiries. Thanks for stopping by, and as always enjoy your journey in life my friend.

Camellias in Watering Can Another Beautiful Card!

DJ's Card

Another wonderfully colored and designed card with the Camellia Still Life Design.

I am so proud to have DJ as part of my design team. Here is her blurb from her blog. Stop by to see what else she is up to....well worth the side trip!

DJ's Blog

"My colors aren't showing completely true, but you get the idea of what I was going for. This image is by a fantastic artist, Deborah Boyet, over at Blackberry Lane Designs. While she is just getting her blog up and running she is by no means a stranger to art. She has been painting for several years, and her artwork is awesome. If you check out her blog, you can see what I mean.

I really enjoyed this still life of the camelias. I didn't want to do the traditional pink or red one, and here in North Carolina we have some that look like this. They are so gorgeous. Now I won't say that I did justice to them, but I enjoyed coloring them with my prismacolors and gamsol. I had already picked out the dps because I thought they would go so well together. All of the embellishments are from my stash."

This is a quick post today. I apologize to everyone for my absence. I am in California working on an assignment, and should have my internet hooked up soon....in the meantime I am using no internet as an excuse to go to my favorite coffee shop (Starbucks!) and sip on an eggnog latte. Yummy! I don't want to know, nor do I care how many calories they have....I only get them this time of year, and it is like a child waiting for Santa to arrive!

I am working on new digis and have a tulip magnolia completed and posted for sale at Stitchy Bear Stamps.

I am also working on a few other new designs, as well as making cards with my stamps to showcase the designs.

Thanks again for stopping by, and enjoy your holidays, and your journey in life my friend.

D

Email me with requests or inquiries

View other digis for sale here

Trip to California

Madison - one of my furbie girls!

She is really sweet, but likes to act like one of those tough terriers!

Hello everyone!

I hope everyone in the US has had a wonderful Thanksgiving. It is a day to truly be thankful. I have a wonderful son serving our country, and I miss him very much. My daughter also lives out of state, where most of my family lives and I was unable to be with them this year. Still, they are for the most part healthy and happy (I think, lol) so again, I am grateful.

I would love to hear and post (with permission of course) any funny holiday stories.....Thanksgiving, Christmas, etc.

I think it would be fun to share a good story.

My furbie kids and I are on our way to "Sunny" California. Uh, not so sunny right now, snow there, and around a lot of the area I am traveling through. Tons of heavy rain today, driving was tough.

I hope you will bear with me a few more days until I get to my destination, then I will be back to making new digis and posting regularly on my blog!

Warm fuzzy hugs today!

Deborah

Whoo-hoo Great News!

I have wonderful news....I have been asked to join Stitchy Bears as one of their stamp designers. You can visit the site here.
If you purchase something, and want to share on my blog your great creation email me. I will be happy to share with everyone!
Thanks as always for the support and kind comments.
Deborah
Email me with questions or requests
Visit my blog to view all of my work
Stitchy Bears has some great designs.....visit me there. Stitchy Bears

Camellias in Watering Can Card - Beautiful!

Camellias in Watering Can

Dorcas did such a fabulous job with my Camellia Still Life design! I wish to thank her for working this up and posting it on her blog.

Speaking of blogs....you should stop by her site and take a gander at the work she does! I am very impressed, and a huge fan! Visit Dorcas here!

Camellias In Watering Can

$3.00

You know, I love making art, and never thought there would be anything better than creating a painting, or drawing.....I was sooo wrong. I am getting such a kick out of seeing the creative designs others make with my digi stamps! It is an amazing, and humbling feeling!

On her blog Dorcas stated "I'm partial to camillias as our house is surrounded by them. Red, white and pink. They bloom twice a year and are in bloom now. :-)" In response, I have to say the Camellia is one of my favorite flowers as well. It is such a bright spot, in the deep slumber of winter. They are delicate, colorful, and yet so resiliant! Dorcas did a great job of portraying the pretty salmon-pink of some Camellia varieties. Those are the prettiest of them all.

Here is a little info on her materials....
She used prismacolor pencils on Kraft paper.
A close up:


She thinks the sentiment Inkadinkado.

I am still looking for a few more designers to work with my digis. Interested? Send me an email with a link to your blog and let me peek at what you do.

Digis are free to my designers!

Thanks for taking time to visit my blog

Go here to view other designs on my blog.

DT Linda's Card Made with Freebie Digi

Tulip 1, Free Digi

I've made this Tri-fold card using the beautiful Tulip digi that you can find here. For more details of how it's made visit my blog. Below I have a a simple ATC I made, you'll notice I flipped the image on this to show how versatile the stamp is. 

Holly Frame Digi Stamp

Holly Frames

1.75 x 2.5

Receive all 4 frames for only $5.00!!!

I hope you are enjoying my Holiday/Winter designs. These are great for tags, as a sentiment on a card or even inside the card. They can easily be resized as well.

Thanks for stopping by and please visit my blog for other digi designs

Email me with inquiries, or requests!

DT Cheryl's Camellia Still Life I Card! Lovely!

Camellia Still Life I

Camellia Still Life I - Cheryl's Card

Bravo Cheryl, this is so pretty, and cheerful. I love the lacy edge that accents the delicate flowers. This design can be purchased here.

Stop by Cheryl's blog get the scoop on this softly sweet card, and many other beautifully made cards!

Free Tulip Digi Stamp

Free Digi!

I have put this design back on as a freebie. I really want to have something for free all the time, so I hope you enjoy this design!

Please do not share this design. You may send your friends and family to my site so they may download their own! Thanks for your support.

Visit my blog to view other available designs.

Email me with questions, or suggestions!

Birdhouse and Holly Digi Stamp

Birdhouse -n- Holly Design

2.5 x 2.5 $2.50

I love birdhouses! I collect them, and enjoy drawing them too. I thought this would be a nice design for the upcoming holidays, and for those of you who enjoy your backyard birds, as much as I do!

I am working on a holly freebie, and should have it up in a day or two.

I am also very excited to announce that I am putting a design team together and already have some really talented ladies! I can't wait to see what they do with the designs. I will have their names and blog links up shortly, so be sure and stop by to see what they are up to, and follow their journeys.

Visit my blog to view other designs for sale.

Email me with questions, and requests.

Thanks for stopping by and enjoy your journey in life, my friend.