Everything Happens for a Reason

Good morning friends!

I am celebrating another victory today.  At the risk of once again jinxing myself, my platlets counts have been stable and high for 3 months now.  I saw my hematologist yersterday and he was very happy with the results.  I am to go for blood tests every second month and will follow up with him in 6 months.  If my platlets stay up, I will see him yearly.  Fingers crossed!
Life has been busy these last few months.  I had a few setback professionaly, we adopted a dog and we welcomed a new exchange student into our home.  I don't have many scrapbook layouts to share with you, but I hope to be able to share a few next week. In the meantime, here is one on my favorites from this fall

I pride myself in being a positive person, but in September, after facing another fall in platlet levels and after losing half of my clients at my dayjob, I had trouble seeing the positive side of things. I was scared and sad and felt broken and defeated. I was watching a favorite daytime talk show of mine and they were discussing how the phrase "everything happens for a reason" was overused. They were saying how we say it almost automaticaly to give ourselves and others comfort and we don't really think of the meaning behind it. Some were saying that it simply is not true, basically a lie we tell each other.  I tend to disagree somewhat.  I don't think that we all deserve the challenges that are put in front of us, but I do think that we can learn from all of them. I think the challenges sometimes gives us the opportunity to make things better.  That instead of feeling helpless, we can always find something to be thankfull for, that in living the sadness we can fully appreciate the happy times.  I can now say that I lived through one of the toughest year of my life and I can take from it a new clarity. I am a stronger person now. It has helped me put things in focus and made me appreciate my life, my family, my friends, my job and my body so much more. I am ready for whatever come my way and look forward to the end of 2015 and the beginning of a new year.

Roller Coaster

Well, what a year it has been so far.  Remember last blog I wrote?  My hematologist saying that the risk of me having another flare up was low?  Well I think he jinxed it, because I was in the hospital again a couple weeks later, my platelets had dropped to 14 (reminder : a normal count is above 150). What a roller coaster! The doctor decided to try a treatment designed to have a longer term effect- since this ITP thing was chronic, auto-immune and not a one time thing like he suspected.
The treatment called Rituxan is usually given to athritis patients, but it has shown great results in some chronic ITP patients.  The treatment is given once a week by IV for 4 weeks.  I responded really well (like suprisingly fast, the nurse was amazed!) to the first infusion and went through the treatment with platlets above normal for a few weeks.  By week 3, my platlets dropped again even on the treatment.  The doctor thinks it is too early to say if the treatment worked or not- it could take up to 3 months to see lasting results.  So now we wait and see.  Unlike with the prednisone, I feel great. The side effects, mostly from the steroids that they infused to lower the risk of allergic reactions, were short term. I sleep well and have more energy.

During my last Rituxan infusion- Smiley got upgraded to a window seat

I always thought of myself as positive person who had lots of patience. I can tell you that the past months has tested that patience to the max. Waiting on blood results, waiting to see if my body is going to respond to the treatment, waiting on phone calls.  I am also getting a little paranoid, always questioning if a new bruise is a result of a bump or if my platlets have dipped again. Through all this I am smilling. Despite the uncertainty, it is way better than the first flare up and dealing with the prednisone side effects. I am thankfull that I have an awesome support system.  I am greatfull that my family has been there every step of the way and helped me keep my mind off the purple dots and bruises and help me focus on what's important. All through this, life has handed me a few more lemons to juggle on top of the ITP but I happen to like lemonade. I will get through this and keep smiling.  The doctor is very optimistic and reassures me that there are lots of options available in the event that this treatment does not work. He told me not to worry and that is what I am trying to do.  I am now going for weekly blood test to monitor my platlets and will be seeing the doctor for a follow up in 3 months- I'll keep you posted!
A sign that I've been doing better is that I actually scrapbooked!  I should make more time for it as it is very therapeutic, espcially when scapping with my amazing scrappy friends. I made a few layout using the new Zoe collection.  I love the colors of this collection and all the coordinating elements are so fun.  So cheery!

We had to cancel a week long trip we had planned to Quebec because of my Rituxan treatment.  I was really bummed about it, but we did manage to go to Halifax for a weekend during the Buskers' festival.  We had a blast!

We also spent some time on the soccer field this summer.  I love that my daughter loves soccer so much, and she's quite good at it too!

That's it for now.  I have a few more layouts that I want to share with you- stay tuned!
I still have some idea books in stock if anyone wants one, let me know.  I am also looking for a few more people to participate in my hostess club- Get 45$ in free stuff, a half price item and all you have to do is to make a 25$ CTMH order suring 9 of the next 10 months.  For more details or to participate, send me an e-mail at joce.b.roy@gmail.com

Have an awesome day!

100th post!

I find it funny that I'm writing my 100th post while my daughter is celebrating day 100 at school today. It does not feel like I wrote that may posts. I still feel like a Newbie when it comes to blogging.
Today I'm going to feature some of the kits I prepared over the last couple months.  Every Sunday night is reserved for my scrapbooking time.  I open up my space for others to join me and I feature an optional 2 page layout kit every month.  I sell the kits for 7$ and it includes everything you need to make the 2 page layout.  I still have a few kits of each left.
The first one is this month's layout.  It features the new Jubilee paper with this month cute Stamp of the month Wild About Love

 The next layout was January's kit.  It features the Sarita paper.  I also made flowers using  Sarita textile and some Base and Bling jewels and adhesive dots

The next 2 layouts were the November and December layouts.  I still need to get some snow and Christmas pictures developed to finish them.  The paper used to make those are now retired. 

If you want any of those kits, feel free to comment or send me an e-mail, or simply come on over any sunday night at 7PM to make the kits on site.  Consider yourselves all invited!
I hope you all have an amazing day!

Reno update

I'm seeing the light at the end of the tunnel!  My scrapbook room will be ready in just a few days!  I'm hosting a crop on Saturday to celebrate.  As for the rest of the renovations, they are progressing.  We slept in our new master bedroom for the second time last night.  It's not completely done, still a few details to take care of, but it's coming along.  We painted our old room which is to become Marianne's room.  That room should be done by the weekend too. 

Despite not having a functioning scrapbook area.  I managed to make quite a few layouts on my kitchen table, and at LCOM's last crop.  Here are a few :

Fist here is a layout using LCOM sketch no 17. 
Zoé loves her rythmic gymnastic classes.  These are a few of the pictures my father in law took at one of her classes.  I used some Bo bunny and Authentique paper along with some Webster's pages ribbon

Another LCOM sketch was used to make this layout.  Zoé is a very affectionate little girl.  She's always hugging me.  She is my little velcro.  I used some Kaisercraft and CTMH to complete this layout

We were presented with a few challenged at the last LCOM crop.  The first one was a sketch challenge using a PageMaps sketch  I had just received my Dream Pop kit from CTMH and was eager to use it.  Love the colors and the resist cardstock that come with it.  I used pictures from when Zoé met her favorite Disney Princess, Merida. 

And this last layout was the result of a one hour challenge.  I used some Bo Bunny paper that I flet went perfectly with the pictures.  I often bring the little ones I babysit on the bus to go to the library.  they love the ride!

I also made a card for a dear friend who celebrated a milestone birthday recently.  As I did not have any Graphic 45 paper, I had to settle on this pretty Webster's Pages paper.  I decorated it with pretty Prima flowers and leaves. 

 

LCOM Blog Hop

Hello!

We have a  little something special this weekend to celebrate National Scrapbooking Day! We are having a Blog hop!  If this is your first site, I suggest that you head to the LCOM blog and start from the beginning as the order is important for this particular blog hop as we are gathering some clues to our sketch reveal today!

Please leave a comment on each one of participants along the way in order to WIN!!  As you hop along, each of our 5 designers will have a "piece of the puzzle" to the LINK that will take you to our fun sketch reveal today.  So following along with our list of designers in this exact order in order to receive your clues in the correct order:

Aurélie Cormier
Jocelyne Roy
Melissa Williams
Shirl Tait
Isabelle P. Doucette

The easiest way to collect your LINK letters is to copy and paste them into a document until you have all the pieces!  Then copy the link into your browser and take a gander at our sketch! Have fun!

For this week's layout, I found the perfect picture to go with this Fancy Pants collection.  Those two cuties came to my house wearing the same outfit.  They are best friends and sometimes seem to speak a language that only they can understand.  

To complete the layout I used hearts from CTMH's wooden trinkets, sparkle ribbon, Basic Grey letters and some flowers that I purchased at a yard sale.


Here is my clue for you...

r.com/npuz/puz

Now that you have visited my blog today, please hop along to Melissa Williams blog at :  (http://missmelissaw.blogspot.ca/).


But before you do, post a comment on my blog for you chance to win a CTMH pennant letters stamp set.  You have to comment by Sunday May 12th in order to qualify for the draw.

Happy NSD DAY!

countdown is on

Well the countdown to our Disney vacation is on!  Can't wait.  I think I'm more excited than the kids.  I've started to pack the bags and figure out what we need and even went on a little shopping spree to buy cute little outfits (and a bikini!) fit for Florida weather.

We have involved the kids as much as we can in the planing and one thing they wanted to do this time that we did not last time was collect autographs.  I went to the store and purchased a small sketch book and I decorated one last night.  It was so much fun and less than half the price than the Disney autograph books that they sell in the parks.  Plus it has way more pages and are one of a kind.
I have one down, and I'll be completing the other one today

I also complete a few layouts for Let's capture our Memories  here is sketch no 3.  I used son CTMH paper and cardstock, a Bo bunny bloom and some Websters pages trim

and here is sketch no 5.  My first 8X11 layout.  It was fun to make something different.  I used some Bo Bunny paper, blooms and stickers, a few My little bit of Whimsy bees and CTMH bling

I have started my Sunday night crops and layout of the month club also.  I love having a day dedicated to welcoming friends into my scraproom.  It's fun sharing ideas and just talking with fellow scrapbookers.
Here is my layout for February using the new CTMH Buzz and Bumble kit.  I love the new Seals and wooden embelishment sets! 

Reliving Christmas

First of all Happy New Year!!!  I took some time off from everything suring the holidays and it was quite refreshing.  I'm only now getting in the routine of things again now that school, daycare, gymnastics and swim classes all started again.  I had even taken a break from scrapbooking!  Lukily
I had the chance to scrap with a group of very special scrappy friends to help me get into the swing ot things again.  It felt so good to sit around a table and just talk and scrap. We even took a break to drool over some of the reveals that were posted during the CHA.  It motivated me to start using my stash and create to make room for all the goodies I'm going to need.
I then relived Christmas sifting through the picture that were taken during the holidays. Here are some of the layout I was able to complete :

My first layout if inspired by Isabelle Doucette's LCOM sketch #1.  I used some older Basic Grey.  It seemed like the perfect paper to showcase a couple of BFFs with their matching dresses.

The next 2 layouts feature pictures taken at my parent's house. The second one only has CTMH products.  I love the glitter alphas and the matching chipboard die cut stickers.  The fist one uses paper from the same collection but I embelished it by using a Bo Bunny blossom,  Prima chipboard and accent flowers, Thickers as well as some trim from Webster's pages

The girls taking a TV break waiting for everyone to be ready to open the presents.  they were so patient and I just had to take a picture of this moment of calm before the storm of wrapping paper that was about to hit.  I used the Gorgeous Serenade collection by Basic Grey as the base for this layout along with Kaisercraft bling and Prima flowers

Thanks for looking! 

Makeover!!!

I love my blog makeover!  Thank you so much Kristine Davidson for making it so pretty!
Now that I'm here, i should show you some of the layouts I created since the last post.  I managed to create a few Halloween layouts.
The first one is a LCOM sketch, I was featured in the reveal today.  I used som My little shoebox.  Went perfectly with Marianne's costume.

The next one is of the cutest pumpkin I've ever seen!  She is such a darling, I love her so much.  The Bo Bunny Apple Cider coordinated perfectly too!

And this last one I used some CTMH paper and brads.  I love this line as it is Halloween paper, but you could possibly use it for other occasions as well (using the backside of the owl paper of course).  I also used embossed stickers I had lying around. 

Well, that's it for now- off to make Christmas decorations. Have a great weekend!

LCTS- Sketch #152 reveal

Good morning!

Today is a very special day.  It's our wedding anniversary.  As of today, I've been married to the love of my life and best friend for 11 years.  Sometimes it feels like it was only yesterday, sometimes I feel like I've known him forever.   So a great big HAPPY ANNIVERSARY!!!  to my very loving and supportive husband, Love you!!!

Here we are during our trip to NYC last month using some new Bo Bunny 

OK, enough with the sap :)   I'm here today to share with you this week's reveal wich I was a part of over at Let's Capture These Sketches.  It's sketch # 152, and it's absolutly gorgeous!

 And here is my take on the sketch.  I decided to try a Manhattan while in Manhattan.  Just not for me, lol.   I used CTMH's Avonlea collection : the paper pack, and the stickers.  Added a few pearls and finished it off with the canvas alphas.  LOVE those alphas from CTMH also! 

Here is a layout i did using  Creative scrapper's sketch # 225.  It sure was foggy on Marianne's first day of school! 

And this last layout I used a sketch using CTMH's Jeannette Lynton's new sketch book : Make it from the heart.  If you loved Magic, Imagine and the  other sketch books she published, you are going to love the new fomat and gorgeous new sketches included in this book.
For this fun layout, I used Simple Stories Summer fresh kit.

Well that's it for today.  Hope you all have a great long weekend and see you soon!
 

Studio J and discounted products

First of all, let me inform you that there has been discounted products added to my website, (SALE!!!) and more will be added in the weeks to come!  My favorite is the heartfelt wonder that normally reatail at $11.50 that are now on sale at $1.75!!!  Plus with every order of $20.00 or more, you get a D size stamp free! 

Secondly, I want to update you and Marianne's penny drive.  It has been extended to mid January since we had the great news that Catherine will be the campaign's poster child in January.  Her story will be featured and she will be photographed with the big H.  Look for her on billboards!  It's all very exciting!  Now I am working on convincing Marianne that we need to roll all the pennies she collected.  For some reason she wants to make a huge pile with them before.  I took this picture of her in hopes that she would let me start rolling them, but they are still in the tins. 

And finaly, I've been busy doing Studio J layouts.  I had loads of pictures to develop, so I though I would scrapbook some of them on studio J and save on developping fees.  Here is 2 of them.  I'll be posting more over the weekend and next week.

You can try Studio J anytime for free on my website.  You only pay per layout you print out.

Have a grat Friday and I'll see you in a coupel days!

Still going!

To think that all I needed to get myself motivated to complete those stagnant layout was a self imposed challenge and a blog to hold myself accountable! Here I am posting 5 layouts that I've completed in the last 2 days! I'm pretty proud of myself to tell you the truth. I've always though of myself as a self-motivated person. I guess this in a way, proves it.

Seeing how easy this challenge has been so far, I'm going to be giving myself more challenges for the coming year, the first and biggest one being earning the 2012 incentive trip. As announced at convention this year, the trip will be a cruise around Hawaii! How cool would that be! I'll keep you posted on my progress starting in October when the qualifying period starts. The other challenge is to earn enough with CTMH to fund a family trip to either DisneyWorld or Dineyland in spring or summer 2011. Having convention in Disneyland in July 2011, I'm hoping we can combine the 2.

Anyway, here are the layouts that I've completed since last posting:

This layout is from the Daydream Workshop on the go. Ive had the pretty pins since last sping when they came out but never used them. I think they work great with the princess them I was going for.

Here is a layout from the Emporium workshop on the go. I had lots of pictures of Marianne, my eldest making goofy faces and just laughing, so this layout was really easy to complete.
This one is also from the Emporium workshop on the go. I used pictures from my 2009 austria trip.

This one is from the Aspen Workshop on the go, perfect for the sledding pictures from last winter.

And here is another one from Aspen. The pictures are from out March trip to Quebec with the girls.

I hope you like them and hopefully I'll see you tommorow with more completed layouts!