A very heavy heart today. Our community lost a fine young man yesterday, in a tragic work related mva. Good friends with my daughter, kindergarten to grade 12. My heart aches for his whole family; such a lovely family who raised such a wonderful young man. I just want to hold my daughter and never let her go. Life is so cruel.

I made this birthday card for someone I actually don't know. New SU cardstock, inks and ribbon. SU stamp, Viva las Vegas butterfly background stamp, Cuttlebug embossing folder, misc buttons. I hope she liked it.

My handsome little man who loves to sleep on my bed with me.

“The more one does and sees and feels, the more one is able to do, and the more genuine may be one's appreciation of fundamental things like home, and love, and understanding companionship.” —Amelia Earhart (1897-1937); aviator, author

“Make it a habit to tell people thank you. To express your appreciation, sincerely and without the expectation of anything in return. Truly appreciate those around you, and you'll soon find many others around you. Truly appreciate life, and you'll find that you have more of it.” —Ralph Marston

Ten points to Improve your own personal intuitive ability


1. A strong sense that what you are feeling is right! If you have a real hunch about something, nine times out of ten, you will be right :)
02 A feeling of high energy, or a natural high.
03 Visualizing probable outcomes and being amazed at your accuracy.
04 Never second guess yourself. Go with your first impression, it's usually the right one!
05 Keep track of your predictions if you're right 70 - 90% of the time, you're using your intuitive ability very well, and soon you will be improving the quality of your life.
06 Concentrate on the times you are right and don't harbor on the times you were wrong. Remember you are allowed to have an imagination, and wishful thinking is natural. Be happy when you are wrong occasionally, as I am, that way you know that not everything you think is going to happen.
07 Dare to verbalize what you think, don't worry about getting any one's approval.
08 Pay close attention to your dreams; they are often a sleeping version of your life.
09 Find a friend that thinks along the same lines as you do and share intuitive experiences.
10 Most importantly, -- "Have Fun with it!"

submitted by my freelancing blogger, Jan!

I wish....

- I had central air conditioning

- that I didn't have to work full time plus pick up OT to make it

- that I was a better homekeeper

- that I could have some "do overs"

- that I had time to scrapbook, and could enjoy it again

- I was a better friend and remembered everyone's birthdays

- that I could have just one more day with Pappa

. . . . .

more than anything, I wish I had been a better mother

A card that's been a work in progress over the past week, just working on it a little bit day by day. New SU Medallion background stamp, stamped twice, black portion cut out Prima flowers, QK tag and photo corner, unknown stamp. Birthday sentiment inside from Viva Las Vegas stamps. SU cardstock.

update on my little slice of life...

• 8 more shifts before I start vacation! woo hoo! Hope to pick up one more OT in that period, but that shouldn't be too difficult.
• have a nice catch up visit with some of the "quality girls" the other night. very relaxed. wine, pizza and laughs.
• at that get together, I found out about an upcoming white water rafting trip, and I have since signed up. awesome!
• morning after that, I met up with the "Fab Five", another group of women near and dear to my heart. Was far too short of a visit as I had to go home to bed, as I had picked up a nightshift here in town. These women are gold.
• I worked a nightshift in my old ER and I really feel like I've lost my mojo; makes me not want to keep picking up. Which makes me sad to think in just one year, how quickly I've lost that "edge". It was a steady shift with some interesting situations. Best part, was having DQ with the ER doc and the floor staff, just like old times!
• So this set of days off, I've had two turn around days which is lousy because they are such wasted days. And so far to sleep with this weather. I'm so heat intolerant. I dream of air conditioning.
• got a couple of big chores done this week; one showing me how my future can look like and so that is positive. Can't wait for a new life, out of this town!!!

“You can do anything you think you can. This knowledge is literally the gift of the gods, for through it you can solve every human problem. It should make of you an incurable optimist. It is the open door.” —Robert Collier (1885-1950); motivational author

PLAN: lots of new purses in Vegas!

Can't remember if I posted this or not, but I will be looking hard for this Jessica Simpson purse!

dreaming about one of my happy places......

Made this card this afternoon. The picture really does not do it justice. The colours are much more vibrant. I used SU's new 2010 Medallion background stamp; I see so much potential with this stamp. The green part of the medallion is actually raised up. I tried to ink a chipboard heart with my inkpad, and now that I see the card, I see I should have distressed the happy birthday. As always it didn't turn out was I had in my head.

I am leaving all my new SU products on the kitchen island in case I feel creative after I get home from work. Unlikely but I'm sure it will make me happy to see the goodies out.

“Compassion is the ultimate and most meaningful embodiment of emotional maturity. It is through compassion that a person achieves the highest peak and deepest reach in his or her search for self-fulfillment.” —Arthur Jersild; professor of psychology and education

• I spent the day with my mom today, which was really nice. We got a fair amount of shopping done, a lovely lunch and I also gave a tour of the hospital where I now work. I wish I could take her out of town every week so we could spend time together.
• I am quite pleased; I got a lovely white sheet set, egyptian cotton, 700 count. Nothing like fresh sheets! Looks so inviting and fresh. And maybe I won't notice the cat hair so much.
• Got two new sets of pjs for Vegas as well, with a savings of $45!
• Also bought two Christmas gifts!!!!!
• On arriving home, there was my big Stampin Up order waiting. I am excited to play with my new stamps, inks and papers.
• My darling daughter has received a promotion and raise at her job; am very proud of her!

Part of a large parcel that was delivered today from Stampin Up; am so excited to go play with all my goodies tomorrow

Raja, enjoying the sunshine

A quick masculine sympathy card I put together.

loving these new Spellbinder label dies... not sure when they will be available! I love seeing the new products. I was in my studio the other day to make a card and it felt SO GOOD to be crafting. I just wish I had the energy to go in there, clean it up and then scrapbook! I do have a rather large SU order coming in a few days so maybe that will be my motivation...

happy Tuesday

50 ways to get rid of stress, by Oprah magazine

Talk, walk, or drive at a slower pace.
Get the first appointment of the day—this decreases the chances you'll have to wait.
Turn off the television!
Buy more underwear so you don't have to do laundry as often.
Let someone do you a favor.
Consolidate errands and chores.
Cook in large batches and freeze it.
Listen to music you like.
Create art or look at some.
Wear comfortable clothes.

Keep a photograph from your vacation at your desk, or keep a card from a loved one in your briefcase
Forgive and forget a grudge.
Have breakfast in bed or take yourself to lunch.
Walk in a park, appreciate nature, watch the clouds.
Get a massage.
Take a time-out to get away mentally or physically.
Schedule more time than you think you will need. Allow twice as long to get where you are going or to complete a project.
Let someone else drive.
Cry. Crying can restore chemical balance in you body.
Begin and end the day with prayer, meditation, reflection.

Keep it simple.
Keep your house picked up.
Don't over schedule.
Strive for realistic deadlines.
Never make a promise you can't keep.
Allow an extra half-hour for everything you do.
Create quiet surroundings at home and at work.
Always carry something interesting to read.
Breathe—deeply and often.
Get moving—walk, dance, run or find a sport you enjoy.

Be, instead of do.
Set aside one day a week for rest and renewal.
Laugh more often.
Luxuriate in your senses
Always opt for comfort.
If you don't love it, live without it.
Don't answer the telephone during dinner.
Start pleasing yourself.
Stay away from negative people.
Don't squander precious resources: time, creative energy, emotion.

Nurture friendships.
Don't be afraid of your passion.
Honor your aspirations and set achievable goals.
Surrender expectations.
Savor beauty.
Don't worry; be happy.
Embrace happiness as a living emotion.
Choose serenity over security.
Care for your soul and cherish your dreams.
Express love every day.

Next month, this is where I'll be hanging, with some wonderful girlfriends!

4 quick cures for crankiness

1. Listen to your mom Save favourite voice-mail or answering-machine messages from people you love so you can listen to them anytime -- or simply dial up a friend or family member. The voice of a loved one can quickly dissolve crankiness, explains Robert Gifford, Ph.D., a psychologist in Victoria who studies noise and mood. That's because pleasant sounds can decrease the tension that triggers irritability and distract you from annoyances. On the flip side, unwanted noise raises blood pressure, cortisol (the stress hormone) and, over time, even your risk of cardiovascular disease.

2. Order the suicide-hot wingsSpicy or hot food or drinks (think Thai, Hunan) can raise your body temperature and relax your body. So if you're starting to think that AC is short for Arctic Circle at work, grab some hot ginger tea, wear a wool or fleece top or take a sauna or longer shower at the gym. Exercise will also warm you up (see tip #8 on the next page). Increasing your body temperature can help calm your mood by reducing muscle tension, changing brain wave patterns, inducing hormonal changes and causing vasodilation (relaxation of blood vessels), which increases blood flow to extremities and circulation in general, explains John Raglin, Ph.D., a kinesiology professor at Indiana University who specializes in exercise and mood. And when you're comfortable, you're automatically less cranky -- just ask a dry, fed baby.

3. Get rocking Ever wonder why Grandma looks so serene in her rocking chair? Rocking yourself is a natural antigrouchiness mechanism, says Witkin. The rhythm allows the brain to relax and your heart rate to slow. If you don't own a rocker (or want to), try this rocking yoga move: Sit on the floor, draw your knees up to your chest, join your hands under your knees and tilt your head forward toward your knees -- now rock forward and roll backward onto your rounded back. Find any calming rhythm to shake your bad mood -- literally -- such as a mantra, humming, rocking or dancing in a swaying fashion. The clincher is that any music you listen to should be slower than your heartbeat -- just think slow, soft rhythms.

4. Take a powderSprinkle on some baby powder after your shower to chill your mood before you step out, or choose baby-powder-scented antiperspirant, car fragrance or drawer liners. Why? The smell of baby powder can quell a bad mood by evoking feelings (and memories) of safety and comfort, says Dr. Alan Hirsch, M.D., a neurologist and psychiatrist who heads up the the Smell and Taste Treatment and Research Foundation in Chicago, Illinois.

from msn.ca

after a nightshift...

One of my favorite body washes, from Sephora. Of course! Coffee and Cream. yum... I so love shopping at Sephora and am pleased to hear they have now opened two shops in the city. Will they be as good as the ones in Vegas??? Being in that store makes me want to be more of a girly girl.

Happy Friday

update time?

• I just finished six 12 hour shifts in seven days. What a kicker. There is so much OT available for nurses. At times hard to refuse, but the burn out is there as well. I keep telling myself I am doing it to pay off the bills and help the unit. In reality, I spend more, the more I make. And still go paycheck to paycheck. *sigh* I sure wish I could sell this house and get a fresh financial start. I would love to attend a Suze Orman session.
• Have finished all four of the twighlight books. The first book was the best. My daughter has now lent me a book her boyfriend bought her, so I hope to start that on my next set of days off.
• So thrilled to come home the other day and find the new Stampin Up catalogue on the kitchen island. Love it!!!
• Had a run in with an older lady yesterday who felt it her right and duty to inform me I was doing a bad job of raising my daughter. "she's wild and unsupervised"... "you should have tried harder to make your marriage work" "children need a parent at home; you shouldn't be working all the time". I came home and bawled and bawled. Then got mad. Like I had any choice years ago. I never dreamed I would be a single parent.
• I so miss scrapbooking and stamping. It really saddens me I am so tired all the time on my days off that I can't summon up creative energy to go and scrapbook. What is the point of taking all the pictures I do if I don't scrapbook the memories? Hopefully on my vacation.
• Speaking of vacation, I am going to go away to Whistler with my daughter for a few days. Just depends on what days she can get off. Then the last week I am going to Las Vegas with some friends from work. It's going to be a blast!!! I already have two new swimsuits, 40% off!
• One of the extra shifts I worked was back at my old hospital in the ER. Nice to see everyone; it's like coming home. Had a 2nd year ESN student so she did most of the work but it was still nice to be there.
• Yesterday was a chore day. Gassed up the truck, did the banking, grocery shop and the mail. Today is laundry day. I'm not a daily laundry person, I'd rather let it pile up and deal with it over one day. Which isn't fun either. Thankfully happens only every two weeks because I have enough uniforms and unmentionables to last me.
• One of my last night shifts I worked with two fun nurses. OMG, we laughed and giggled all night long. Makes me smile now thinking about it. I think it's important to have fun and laugh at work, as long as it's appropriate and not disturbing anyone. We work such a high stress job; humour is a good release.
• nothing happening with the house.................... so no point looking at places down below. But I get daily emails from my realtor and so I have a good idea on complexes I am interested in.
• It's back to work tomorrow. *sigh* I hope they have managed to fill in all the empty spots. I should start a count down for how many shifts off until I'm on vacation!

This image resides on my daughter's ankle. She had it put on last week, on Pappa's six month anniversary of his death, to pay tribute and honour him. My father was a RN in the Norweigan Royal Navy and so my daughter chose the anchor; he always loved the ocean and being on boats. Not thrilled about all the tattoos, but proud that she loved her grandfather so, that she wanted to memorialize him.

Tuesdays with George

A lovely floral arrangement from a patient's room. One day soon I plan on doing a layout about my love of floral photography that I inherited from Pappa, hopefully to include some of his pictures he took over the years.

Happy Friday!

“You may be deceived if you trust too much, but you will live in torment if you don't trust enough.”

Here are my top three favorite new SU sets from the catalogue released today! Can't wait to have one in my hand...