When Life Has Other Plans

I've been absent from the weekly CC2C challenges for the past few weeks.  I hadn't missed a week since the challenge began but something came up and I couldn't find the inspiration.  After various doctor appointments and procedures, for something I thought would be relatively benign, I found out that I had endometrial cancer.  The doctor said that it was detected very early but when you hear the word "cancer" you kind of don't hear anything else after that.  A week later I was sitting in an oncologist's office hearing the words "aggressive" and "lymph nodes" which, when combined with "cancer", form a pretty scary picture.  Another two weeks later brings us to last Tuesday when I was wheeled into an operating room for a full hysterectomy and lymphectomy.  I haven't yet received the surgeon's final report but, post-surgery, he told my family that everything looked really good and he would be shocked if any of the pathology indicated that the cancer had spread anywhere else. So I'm going with that for now!

The piece below came out of that wholly unexpected experience.  I'm submitting it to this week's CC2C challenge, hosted by Linda at Studio L3, which is Kraft Resist.  The details can be found on page 41 of Tim Holtz  A Compendium of Curiosities Vol 2.  If you don't already have the book, please get it. You'll be glad you did!  I'm also submitting it to Frilly and Funkie where the fortnightly challenge is How Can You Resist?  And to Simon Says Stamp and Show-Inspired by Summer Distress.

The TH Sizzix In The Bag die was cut from TH Idea-ology Kraft Resist paper.  The Distress Inks used are Seedless Preserves, Victorian Velvet, Picked Raspberry, Broken China, Peeled Paint and Mustard Seed.  The opening was cut using the TH Sizzix Movers and Shapers Mini Tickets die. The flowers and scrolls are from the TH Sizzix Tattered Flower Garland and Festive Greenery Strip dies and the TH Sizzix Bigz Tattered Pinecone die.  The small label is from the TH Stamper's Anonymous Apothecary stamp set with the TH Idea-ology ChitChat stickers. 

On the tag I used Ranger TH Distress Stains in Picket Fence, Victorian Velvet and Pumice Stone.  This has become a favorite combination!  The stamps are from TH Stamper's Anonymous Artful Flight, Fairytale Frenzy, and Stuff to Say.  I used a piece of plastic packaging with the butterfly stamp in Ranger Archival Ink and then colored it with Ranger Adirondack Alcohol Ink.  I attached it to the tag with the TH Idea-ology Tiny Attacher.  For the finishing touch I added the piece of stained trimmings that was included with my order from The Funkie Junkie's Boutique and a TH Idea-ology Muse Token!

I hope you like it!  If you're still reading at this point I have some good news!  My local scrapbook store, Whim So Doodle, recently had a call for designers for their very first design team.  I hesitated to throw my name in the hat since I wasn't sure what would happen with the surgery and afterward. I waited until the last day and decided to go for it.  I'm so glad I did because I made the team!  It is my first time participating on a design team and I'm very excited!!  Wish me luck!