Yesterday we had our taxes done . A little late this year due to my leg mishap but still done before the April 15th deadline YAHOO!
Speaking of my leg here is an updated photo of what it looks like now . This was taken last Thursday March 28, 2013 I am still amazed at how great it looks .
I would have never guessed it would look this good with what it started out looking like 8 weeks ago HERE Yikes !!!
Here is a little sneak peek of my classroom hubby is doing for me. I am so excited ! He just put the lights up into the tray ceiling and OH my goodness it is sooo bright we may need to wear sunglasses while stamping LOL!
I have been making a video on this journey but change of plans we will only be doing the classroom as of right now since we need a new roof on our house this summer and that takes priority .
So I will be posting the video of what has been done on the classroom part in the near future . Still have a few things to do flooring /trim /doors but will share it as soon as it's done .
Tomorrow I will be finishing up my April newsletter which will be sent out Tuesday morning . Boy I missed making my newsletter for you this February & March ... But I'm getting back on track one step at a time right ? Praise God !
Also a quick update :
The Single stamps HERE will now be available until July 31,2013
Not only do I love this stamp set But I love the name of it too .
Topsy-Turvy Celebration
(w)# 126470
(w) # 125822
Its's on page (41) in annual catalog .
I didn't show you these card last week because they were in transit to 3 of my team members for having high sales in level 2 for Feburary .
I did use the Sale-a-Bration ribbon from the Sycamore street ribbon & button pack... But other than the Pool Party ribbon that I used on these cards everything else is still available in the annual catalog .
You could use the Pool Party Seam Binding ribbon # 125582 instead if you didn't get the SAB pack .
Here are the other items I used on the cute cards :
I had one of those priceless moments this past Friday morning . I have to rewind back to the day I fell on January 31, 2013 .
When hubby got me in the car and was driving me to the ER I thought I had better call my Doctor that did my 2 knee replacements back in 2005/2007 ( Dr Nichols ) . When I called his office I told his secertary I had fell and did something to my knee/leg and she mentioned he was in surgery and to head to the ER .
When I arrived to the ER within 25 minutesDr Nicholas came to see me and all I remember ( due to the medication) is him telling me there was no way he would be able to fix my leg and that he would find someone who would .
My hubby told me Dr Nicholas stayed there with me/us for over an hour to get me stable and also got the doctors who would do my surgery and also got everything in line for the ambulance ride to the other hospital. Dr Nicholas also got my leg into a stablizer for the ambulance ride . Praise God for Dr Nicholas . Having a familuar face there with us in the ER and taking me under his wing to help when he didn't have to ... Now thats what I call Above and Beyond .
This past Friday we went to see Dr Nicholas and I hugged him and Thanked him for everything he did and he said it was no problem and I gave him the card I posted above with alittle gift inside . He looked at my leg and was amazed how wonderful it looked . After our quick little visit we both hugged again with all three of us (Hubby , Dr Nicholas and I) having tears in our eyes .
I am so very Thankful for the people who have been taking care of me and for all those people who are put into my path for whatever reason I hope I also become one of those people that go above and beyond . There is a Purpose for everything and I want my purpose to mean something for God and to touch lives, Just like Dr. Nicholas did for me and my family . You know what's even better ? He ( Dr. Nicholas ) had no idea he was doing something that meant so much to us . He just thought it was normal/ just the right thing to do .
Praise God for all those people out in the world that Just do the right thing without even knowing it or knowing anyone else would notice . No matter if NO one notices the right things we do, Just know God see's it ALL and that's all that truly matters !
I am so happy I could tell Dr. Nicholas face to face how much I appreciated all he did for me and my family.
Stamp set used on todays card is called
Open Sea
(w)#123030
(c) #123032
One in a Million stamp set
(w)# 126380
(c)# 126382
Some of the items used on todays card are no longer available since I used the same card posted HERE I just changed a few things to give it to Dr. Nicholas ( Love this card ) .
Also this past Friday I found out I got (4 ) more weeks of Physical Therapy Praise God ! I also reached 111 degrees in my bend and I am offically now working on the leg press machine YAHOO!
I Still have alot of swelling BUT I did finally get into my jeans for the 1st time last week . I can't tell you how Great that felt too . Yeah my right leg is snug in them jeans BUT Hey I really don't care ~ just sayin ~ LOL! When I told Ashley she even high fived me .. Yeah we do that alot at therphy too ~ LOTS of milestone happening !
Here is my Sunday Share ~ AWESOME!
P.S I love HUGS too :)
If you subscribe to my blog feed Please click HERE to view todays Sunday Share video ~ you will be glad you did :) .
Click on over to my STAMPING STUDIO for todays video and supply list as well as the Valentines version of this card I didn't get to post due to my accident .
P.S Don't forget today is the last day for Sale-a-Bration !
Look what showed up in my mail box this past Monday after I returned home from my Doctors appointment . My Paper Pumpkin welcome kit ~ So much fun!
I seriously Love love love the Hey there Friend stamp . I will be using this stamp on many future projects .
I tell all my stamping friends at my workshops and clubs that there are NO mistakes in Stamping, and this kit You can not have anything BUT fun!
Stampin Up! has taken all the planning and color combos and made it into a simple and easy kit to make fun and super cute projects . No complicated stamping / heavy duty techniques Just simple fun and easy stamping .
When was the last time we sat down and stamped for fun . No need to dig out everything to whip up these cuties.. everything is included BUT you will need Adhesive/ Glue dots.
I also used on my finished cards some linen thread But you don't have to It's what ever YOU want to do to make them your way . SU! just gives you the idea and we run with it ~ LOVE IT!
For my cards I changed them up a bit as you can tell in the above photo Just a slight change of layout from the directions that came in the kit and it totally changed the whole card don't you think ?
You can sign up for the My Paper Pumpkin HEREand I would love for you to Pick me (Dawn Griffith) as your Demonstrator when signing up .
All the stamps, ink, paper,and accessories to create aborable projects. (Adhesive not included) Create stuff like cards, journals, décor, and more!
A Free Gift in Your Very First Kit
The Welcome Kit is the very first Paper Pumpkin you will receive in
your first month of membership. The Welcome Kit includes a free gift-a
clear acrylic block!
Paper Pumpkin by Stampin' Up! is a new monthly kit program that anyone can enjoy!
You will need to sign up by the 10th of each month to get the next months kit . ( Let's say you sign up on May 10th, we'll send your kit around May 15th.
If you sign up on May 11th, we'll send your first kit around June
15th.)
It's a great time to sign up if you haven't already and you will 1st get the welcome kit ( shown above) then every month you will get a new paper pumpkin kit sent to you.
There's no commitment, you can cancel your monthly Paper Pumpkin at anytime. You can also skip a month if you want.
Here is a card I made over the weekend using one of the super cute Single stamps which you can see them all HERE .
I also got the Foxy one just because my maiden name is Fox ( betcha didn't know that huh?) so I thought the cute Foxy stamp will be fun to send to my Foxy side of the family LOL mainly my Momma and my Uncle Bernie.
Back to my card today.... I used Whisper White card stock # 100730 & Pool Party classic ink #126982.
I also used the In Color 2011-13 Designer paper Pack #122384
Ok now that may be a little scary especially since Spring "break" (No Pun intended ) is going on LOL~
I have been stamping that last week and a half getting things ready for my Stampers club meeting this past Saturday . What normally took me a few hours to prepare for my girls coming over seems to have taken me over a week .
I wanted to share with you the cards I made for my Hostess this month Gina . I used the following items on her (5) cards .
Last night we had our stampers club get together . OH boy did I need this . It is so much fun hanging out with all my girls and stamping / laughing /crying . We missed you Holly & Laurie .
My club girls were also the 1st to see my hubby's handy work in my new classroom he has been working on . All the dry wall is up and it already looks so AWESOME!
This morning I will be going to church for the 1st time in 7 weeks I am not sure how I will be during church with the sitting~ We shall see .
This week I will be posting some of the goodies I have made over that last week or so .
I found out it isn't so much my hip thats causing my sitting problems but more my hamstring . I swear I feel like I have been getting a crash course in all my leg parts and how they are all connected .
I am going to be starting my 4th week of out patient and Ashley will be submitting another perscription for an extended PT not sure how much longer ... but I am thinking maybe 3 more weeks~ IDK yet .
Apparently in home care and out patient are 2 totally different services so that's good for me .I am currently at 105 degrees on my bend and still so much swelling .
We had some snow Friday / Saturday and this has cause a flare up with my RA . If it's not one thing it's another I tell ya .
My hands are so puffy and swollen I can hardly bend my fingers . But if this is like any flare up's in the past by the 4th day everything should be okay .
Have a Wonderful Sunday friends and Happy St. Pattys day !
Right off the bat I would like to Thank & Praise God for getting me through the last 5 weeks . For all of you who have went through a surgery you may have felt like how I was feeling .
Down in the dumps/ Pitty Party / Crying / Emotional roller coster .
My Mom had mentioned to me well you know you are getting close to that whole COL ( HOLD on are you kidding me .. One thing at a time please !!
Okay we are fast forwarding to this past week...
or should I say rewinding ?
Whatever "IT" was~ it lifted and I feel MARVELOUS! well not 100% back to normal but seriously so much better. I wonder if it is all the medication they gave me in the hospital IDK But I do remember I felt like this with both knee replacements too. It just didn't last as long as this time ... maybe it was the trauma with this one ~ I wish I knew ~ whatever it is I do NOT like it !
It all started last week when I was told by my PT girl ( Ashley) I should start practicing driving YAHOO!
So this was my practicing ... I asked hubby to go with me around the subdivision so I could see if everything was good to go and well it didn't quite make it around the sub ( just mainly down the road out of the sub LOL) cause the next thing I hear hubby saying is ... well I guess you practiced enough cause we were on the main road LOL! It was amazing and YES I was alittle EXCITED ( Alot excited) Praise God!
Also on Tuesday Ashley told me to lose the cane I kinda looked at her weird and thought really ?? you sure ? It's my secruity.. she just shock her head yes and smiled . Praise God!
This past Friday I got my knee to bend at 100 degrees I seriously started to cry and we high fived each other . I am so very Thankful .
This past week I also got to ride the stationary bike at PT. I rode it for 5 mins and the 1st minute or so I couldn't quite get it up and over the hump to petal ( was told that's normal) but then once I rocked it a bit then Up and over it went ( What a feeling ) I don't know why in my mind I assoicate that Bike and driving with I am getting better . Don't get me wrong both are BIG things BUT like Ryan at therapy said we are not ready to run around the block yet LOL! YEAH -YEAH -YEAH .
Trust me Ryan is not a debbie downer just a realist and he knows how excited I was to ride the bike so the running around the block was more of a joke .. Like I am going to do that..1st of all I do NOT run LOL!
So the other morning I am watching myself walk in my mirror and notice my right foot is pointing in slightly . I am not sure if its me seeing things or what .
I ask hubby and he said yes it is just slightly .
At therapy I am talking to Ashley she she working on the deep rub / and my scar tissue and she asks me what my least favorite excerise is ?? ( She does this to get my mind off the pain of the deep rub ) OH yes there is 1 that I will call the leg torture .
I am not even sure what they call it BUT think of it as a leg lift to the side BUT laying down on your good side on a table with your back / butt / head right up against the wall and bending your good leg then with your bad leg toes pointing down then slide it up and down the wall as many times as you can . I can only do 18-20 and 20 is pushing it . Ashley said everyone Hates ( even those that are very active in working out hate it too) that one it really works your quads and your hips .
Still having a hard time sitting for long periods of time in that whole quad/hip area but that will get better too .
The video below is what it is BUT I slide my foot on an acrylic wall which is behind me with my butt and shoulders against the wall . It seriously BURNS! by the time PT is all done I will let you know what my count is on this one . Hopefully it will be better than 20 in a few weeks.
So while we were chatting about that I mentioned to her that I think my foot is slightly turned inward and she said it's because of my hip/ quad everything in that area was to be built back up and is still weak . so I asked her what excerise helps that and she gives me the head nod towards the leg torture area . Oh great! Her and Ryan both tell me it is all still so fresh from surgery and it will get alot better in time . so now Ashely has me doing the slides in sets of 5 and then resting instead of sets of 10 and I must admit it still BURNS like crazy but it was slightly better on Friday.
My most favorite time of PT is the Ice and E-Stim machine for 15 mins . After 2 hours of PT I can NOT wait for Ashley or Ryan to say are you ready for ice Ahhhh YEAH!! Hello my best friend ! Ashley is looking into me getting the E stim machine for me to use at home even if I have to rent it I would be willing to do that but really would love to buy one or maybe my Ins. will cover it we shall see. hopefully this week we will find out .
Notice all my stri-strips are off ( yahoo!) BUT there is one spot at the very bottom of my leg that had a scab which fell off after Ashleys rub down ...so I have another stri strip on that to help bring that together and close up .
My Scar is looking for Fabulous :) . It's funny when looking at it~it seems to be starting to fade in parts . The inside by my knee cap and just above are still very tender areas and OUCHIE when the deep rub takes place still . The whole right side of my outter knee area is totally numb.
Thank you all for your prayers, your well wishes and cards / gifts . I can not express how grateful I am. I am truly Blessed with your friendship and thoughtfulness.
I filmed a video for you this upcoming week Plus I have my club girls coming over this next Saturday so yesterday was a fun stamping day But I did over do it a tad .
I did get (2) club projects designed and a video filmed Just need to pre -cut everything this upcoming week for Saturday .
Very soon we will be back to 2 videos a week ( Thursdays and Fridays) Thank you all for your patience through all this . I wish I could HUG all of you !!
I am all caught up on my Thank you notes from January 31, 2013 - current PLUS I have mailed all our New Glitter Queens welcome packets out ( finally) so sorry for the delay .
Thank you for picking me to be your SU! Demonstrator .
Here is my Sunday Share video . I love this commercial it reminds me of our Jessie when she was little and Bowzer
Have a Wonderful Sunday friends !
PS I have started a category for all my leg stuff if you want to get caught up on what happened click HERE
I wish I had done that with my last knee replacement surgery so I could compare all of this now to that one.
The posts will still be in my Sunday Share categories BUT you will have to scroll through all my Sunday shares to get to those about my leg .
GUESS WHAT? Stampin Up! has a brand new stamp set called
Designer Typeset Photopolymer stamp set # 132956
Check out the flyer HERE and see what makes this set soooo FABULOUS!
Check out the video below or click HERE to view if you subscribe to my blog feed
What makes them so great?
They're entirely transparent for perfect placement every time!
They are durable. The photopolymer material is designed to last.
Can you say sticky? (Don't worry; in a good way.) These stamps stick amazingly well to our clear blocks.
They're age tested. They won't yellow or cloud up over time.
They use FDA, food-safe material. How far can you stretch your stamping creativity?
Photopolymer stamps will be offered on a trial basis. Based on
popularity, we hope to release more photopolymer stamp sets over the
coming months. At this time we don't plan on offering a line of
photopolymer sets as expansive as our wood-mount and clear-mount lines.
Available on all order types beginning March 1, 2013.
Not available in wood-mount or clear-mount.
All photopolymer will be packaged in cello bag w/insert, but don't forget you can store them in our clear cases.
Q: How long will each stamp set that's released be available for purchase? A:
Since this product line is being offered on a trial basis and is not
currently included in our catalog, we won't have a standard amount of
time that each set is offered. We'll let you know when each set is no
longer available as well as when new ones become available.
25th Anniversary Stamp of the month :
Click HERE for March Stamp ~ Best of Flowers #133342
Oh my goodness can you believe it is only (17) days till the 1st day of Spring . I am thinking by the way our winter has been this far we may not be in the warmer temps and snow free even if the calenders says we should be .
Either way just saying it makes me feel better already .
I thought I would share with you the photo we took the day I arrived in the ER and when they ended up having to cut my jeans off of me as you can tell my right leg is really swollen compared to the left . Here is another photo of what my jeans looks like after all the cutting was finished .
I ended up keeping them since they were my favorite jeans and hubby said we will get me another pair just like them later .
I am happy to report I survived my 1st week of out patient therapy . I got (3 ) more weeks (3) times a week . I was quite surprise how much the word spread around the office that when I came in on Thursday 4 therapists wanted to see my X-rays and were also amazed that I wasn't in a cast .They all said they don't see what happened to me very often.
The most painful part so far of therapy is when Ashley works on my scar tissue around my knee cap inside thigh YEWWW sends me to the moon I tell ya ....But when she works on my outer thigh muscle rubbing that~ feels amazing! So you know that old saying Good with the Bad right ? LOL! swear she has the boney-ist fingers in the world and gets right down the business .
Thank goodness for all the warm up excerises I do for 30 or so mins before she gets me . Then the ice down is also a top favorite .
I must say we have gone through so much ice in the Griffith home . I do not remember using this much ice with my past knee replacements . Frozen peas and frozen popcorn kernals don't last as long as regular ice . Thank goodness for Sams Club 20 lb ice bags which lasts almost a week .
On Friday I got my bend to 97 degrees and I am so excited about that ...BUT I still have so much swelling in my leg .
Click HERE for a updated photo of my leg and what it looks like as of yesterday evening The Stri-strips are coming off now . It looks So much betterto me now and its amazing there is no itching,But where is does itch is behind my knee which is weird.
Yesterday I was hoping to get a video filmed for this upcoming week for you But Fridays PT had me icing alot and laid up for most of the day yesterday and standing while I film wasn't looking to promising . Maybe today will be better.
