CREATING IS MY THERAPY!

I have always been a creative type of gal....it just makes me feel good!  I could be in the worst of moods and spend a few hours stamping and my mood will just lift!  I especially love to put on praise music while I stamp....or Christmas music right now.   And creating with friends is the best! 

We had our last stamp class of the year on Tuesday.  I just love my stamp girls!  They have been a great support group through this year and we have molded into a fun group of friends! 

And here is what we made!  Two cards and then the stocking in the middle.  Such fun!

Before they came we (me and the Divas) had made up these cute little Santa boxes and filled them with goodies for them.  Oh, and look at my pink Christmas tree!  It's not fully decorated yet...I'll share a picture of it when it is.

Here's a close-up of the Santa boxes.  They were such fun to make!

Brenda working on coloring her snowmen.  Even big girls love to color!  :=)  You know, there's just something therapeutic about coloring!

And there's Teresa doing her therapeutic coloring!

Not too sure what Kara is doing....she must be done with her coloring!  lol!

We had a great time and food to follow!  I made the Chicken Pot Pie soup in the crock pot and Teresa brought the most delicious chocolate cake with chocolate icing (yum, yum) and cookies!  We always have such a great time!

Now that my classes are over I have a little over a week to work on handmade Christmas gifts.  I have always loved making gifts and this year am trying to do more of that.  My daddy told me that the photo calendars I made them for a number of years was the best gift I'd ever given them.  That made me feel good that they were so appreciated by him.

This year I wanted to try doing those fringed fleece throws that everyone was making a few years back.  Amazingly, I didn't jump on that bandwagon back then...not sure why, since I jump on any new creative bandwagon.  lol!  I knew they must be pretty easy when my sisters, Sheila and Pam, and my daughter, Erin, made them...because they rarely ever make anything.  lol!  Well this year I decided it would be something special to make my grandchildren and I got soccer ball fleece for Luke with a green fleece backing.  My good pal, Linda, said she had made bunches of these before and would come over and teach me.  So, she did just that last night!

Not only did she help me get started (as planned), but we just kept going and finished one up....only took two hours with both of us working on it! 

We actually didn't work on Luke's last night.  I had found this pink ribbon fleece and thought it would make a special throw for someone special (can't say who....in case they're reading this).  So, these are the two fleece designs we used for the throw last night. 

We had to start out by trimming it on the sides a bit because one of the fleece pieces was larger than the other.  We needed them to be the same size.

No, I don't always wear those glasses.  But, I always need "reader glasses" for any close up work.  I also don't always have that surgical bra on, but it just feels good right now.  I still get sore when I go without it, so I wear it around the house. 

Then after cutting a 3 inch square from each corner, we just had to cut 3" strips from the edge and tie them together to make the fringe.  Here we are tying them and finishing up our first side.  Pretty easy peasy!

Then Linda worked on one side.....

.....while I worked on the other side!

Once we had these two sides done (they were long sides), then all we had to do was the last end together.

And here it is!  I just love it!  I flipped the top over so you could see the backside and how well it compliments the front.  I made this one extra big (2-1/2 yards of each fleece.....thankfully it was on sale at 50%!). 

It's so soft and warm and perfect for anyone who is fighting or has fought breast cancer.  I love covering up when I watch tv.  I can think of a number of people who I'd love to make one for....not time for Christmas but maybe as time goes on I can make some for some special people I have met on my journey.  I would love to do that!  I so remember how special it was this year to receive my own special throw from a reader.  It will forever be a treasure to me!

Oh, and look what Linda bought me when we were out shopping yesterday! 

I've actually been sleeping pretty good, but for some reason, the night before, I had a horrible sleep night.  So, she saw this Sleep Aromethepy bath foam when we were in Bath and Body and said she was going to get it for me to use before I go to bed.  So, then I saw the Energy one and said, "Well, I need this one for when I get up in the morning"....lol!  So, I picked that one up and she got me the Sleep one.  I'll let you know how they work for me.  I'm heading in to try out the Energy one right now and then I'm going to do the treadmill.  Gotta get that blood pumping....busy day today!  Sheila is going to Greenwood with me for my bra fitting and then we'll be Christmas shopping, so I gotta be energetic.  :=)

Nothing really going on healthwise, other than the achiness has begun from the Arimidex pill I'm taking.  I knew it was a side affect, so I'm not surprised by it and so far it's tolerable.  The most exciting thing happening as far as my health is that I get to go today to get fitted for my first bra....yay!!!  lol!  Hey, it's exciting to ME!  :=)

And that's it for today!  No real cancer talk....because there's more to life than cancer..right?  :=)  Cancer was just a "little detour" in life....it is NOT my life, but will always be a part of my life! 

Tomorrow we are going to a Vince Gill and Amy Grant Christmas concert and are really looking forward to it!  Life is good and I plan to make to the most of it!

Christmas shopping is winding down and now I want to get everything wrapped up this weekend and hopefully spend next week baking and making some special treats and visiting some special people!

Until next time....think of the special people in your life and show them how much you appreciate them.  It doesn't have to be anything BIG....even a small gesture of some cookies or bagged candy can mean a lot.  It's just nice to be "thought of".  I hope you will enjoy this Christmas Season, even if it means simplifying things.  I enjoy a simpler Christmas better instead of running around stressing myself out!  It seems like I've been doing a lot of running around, doesn't it (lol), but it's been fun running around....not stressful running around!   Enjoy your holiday time and your loved ones!
Cindy