Back to the blogging world....at long last!

Hello to my friends, and to anyone else who may happen upon this post and share my thoughts! It has been such a long time since I have ventured into blog land, but I am finally ready to get my feet wet and maybe even jump back in! Yes, you read correctly...it has been a year and a half since my last post. And a very interesting, busy year and a half it has been. I won't even attempt to catch you up entirely, that would be silly. But a few important things are worth explaining.

As my posts before I disappeared indicated, we moved, and at about that time life got pretty crazy around the Paisley household! We are all settled now, and quite happy in our new home, living happily and sharing our space with my mother in a beautiful neighborhood. Kids love it! But in addition to moving my life took a few strange turns, and as a result my scrapbooking and crafting really took a back seat in life. So I did not just stop posting, I really stopped scrapping. I have done a few things, and have tried to keep up here and there - but I have done very little photo taking, developing, scrapping, purchasing, etc. during this time, and am just now really getting back into the swing of my absolute favorite fun thing!

Back in February of 2009 I was diagnosed with Rheumatoid Arthritis. Of course, I knew that there was SOMETHING wrong for some time before this, but around the end of the year in 08 it became evident that I had a real medical challenge, and this is what the doctors found. It has taken a bit of time and some trial and error with medications etc. to get me on a good path to feeling like myself. A few months after this diagnosis when medications did not really resolve the problem, and when symptoms continues even when inflammation was better, it was determined that in addition to RA, I also suffer from Fibromyalgia.

I know that many of you may appreciate the challenges of chronic pain and chronic fatigue, and may even suffer some of these challenges yourself. It has been a long road for me, but I am happy to share that I have found ways to control my pain through dietary changes that have allowed me to minimize medication needs and feel well most of the time. There are still struggles, but I am finally feeling consistently well enough that I am able to enjoy my hobbies again, and to appreciate those things in life that I love most, to spend quality time with my children and family, and to be present in my days every day! (well at least almost every day!)

So now that I CAN enjoy my hobbies, I really want to begin to share them again. I can't guarantee that I will be back to frequent classes, posts, design teams, contests, etc... but I am going to try challenging myself to at least twice monthly posts and that means I need to make something to share at least weekly! AND I am scheduling classes again, which always makes me happy.

So keep a watch out for new things, I promise it wont take a year for the next post! But if I am not always timely or on top of things, just know that I am trying!!

I did have a Stamp a Stack recently, so I thought I would share a couple of the cards that we made in that class, as I don't have much else to share right now...



STAMP SETS: Elements of Style, Because I Care
INKS: Brown Stazon, Daffodil Delight, Early Espresso, Old Olive, Crumb Cake, Cajun Craze
PAPERS: Early Espresso, Daffodil Delight, Confetti Cream
ACCESSORIES: Top Note Die, Lg Oval Punch, Oval Scallop XL Punch, Scallop Trim Border Punch, Sponge Dauber, Daffodil Delight 1/8" ribbon, Blender Pen, Dimensional Adhesive

STAMP SETS: All A Flutter, Fabulous Phrases, Friends 24-7
INK: Marina Mist, Elegant Eggplant, Soft Suede, Brown Stazon
PAPER: Soft Suede, Marina Mist, Bashful Blue, Sahara Sand, Perfect Plum
ACCESSORIES: Vintage Wallpaper Embossing Folder, Distressing Tool, Modern Label Punch, Bashful Blue Ribbon, Early Espresso Ribbon, 1 1/4 Square Punch, Dimensional Adhesive

Well, that's all for today - I will check in again soon (really!)
Have an amazing day!