My Nan.. breaking records

My nan is still recovering at a fast rate. She is bright and chipper and talkative (still with dementia though) and she is now walking using the frame with wheels (she calls it her wheelie). I'm visiting her every second day after work on weekdays, and in the afternoon on one day on a weekend.

I've gone back and forth a bit and burned a bit of petrol; a whole tank in 1.5 weeks. That's a record for me.

Nan's hip is healing well and some of the bruising is now turning yellow. She dressed every day, sits up in a chair in her room, does her physio, and I've just taken across her crochet and organised a TV for her in the room. Hopefully that will stop her being too demandinig on the staff; at the other hospital she shouted out to a nurse as she was helping someone else "hey you. you there - you girl! come here!" at the top of her lungs.

She's not bedridden or depressed (yet) and some people who see her wonder what she's doing there. Anyone else with her injury wouldn't look like she does (certainly not me!).

It's still a waiting game though. Until the assessment is done in a few weeks I won't know if she gets to go back to her aged care home or not.

All digital scrapbooking community ?

I've done a bit of trawling on the internet but can't really find what I'm looking for. Can anyone recommend an all - digital scrapbooking community with challenges? Would prefer one that allows material from other kits, but all of them so far seem to have their own kits and comps limited to those kits.

I'm more interested in creative digital scrapping than using templates.

Thanks in advance!

Kylie

it's a wedding... digital layout

One of my best friends at work recently organised her daughter's wedding (whom I have known since she was about eight years old). I wanted to do something special for her. I did this page for The CSI Case Files #47, but then tweeked it into the bridesmaids colours so I could give a copy to the MOTB for her desktop pic on the computer.

Chanel is trained in graphic design, so I'm sure she could do alot better than this, but I thought the proud MOTB might want something special on her computer for a bit.

glowing 2012 (CSI # 46)

glowing (in orange) 2012 for MOTB

Evidence (for CSI comp #46): grid design, animals (swallows), frames, textured element (background paper), translucent elements (white ribbon), glows (the bride?), Testimony: used word "glow" in journalling.

for glowing (in purple) from CSI

for glowing (in purple) from CSI

Ingredients : Indigo Always In My Mind no 17 (heart), [Yalana Design Light Feelings No 15 (yellow green ribbon), no 13 (mauve flowers)], [LDW Inner Peace Element bow beige (on hearts), Flower2 (white rose), Branch (changed to white and edited), Rolled Flower (changed to several colours), Ribbon White 2, Handle, Round Frame (changed to oval), Paper8 (edited to green/white)], DBDesigns E flower 5 (hydrangea), TMD Sunset Ornate Frame (white), CSI swallows, own grid pattern, CSI dictionary text patterned paper, etc

card for my nan 2012 digital

I created my first digital card (based on a Scrapville card sketch nov dec 2012), printed it out, and stuck it in a black card and wrote inside it with a white gel pen. (then I also put it in one of those plastic pocket card protectors as last time Nan was in hospital and I gave her a card she got it all wet and it buckled!)

I did a prompt message inside. Something you give someone with dementia; explaining why she's in hospital, that she's had an operation, what she needs to do to get out of hospital, that i love her, and who I am (not that she ever forgets who I am when she sees me)! That way, whenever she picks it up it will answer all her questions and maybe for a little bit not be as anxious with the not-knowings.

2012 card for my nan - digital scrapbooking. I'm not thinking clearly enough to list the ingredients. A mixture of Pickleberrypop & CSI Coordinates I think.

It's a card thing... Thinking of you with bunnies & Dad

This is the first card I created this year just a month or so ago. It wasn't for easter - I just like bunnies!!! I used the sketch from Scrapville, and it fits nicely into the Color Throwdown CTD218 comp - but I didn't create it for that, so it probably wouldn't count.

I used to love doing cards, then I started scrapbooking. Now I struggle with cards. I haven't scrapped at my table for almost 3 months (mojo gone), but I've got into digital scrapping now so at least I'm still creating and learning about that world.

Thinking of you with bunnies... 2012 card, scrapville sketch

2007 card for my dad for father's day.. strange.. similar colours..? (Thats me and Dad there)

Virtual Garden 2012 digital

My Nan slept most of yesterday, recovering from the pinning of her hip operation after a fall. She is 98 years young. I was with her in the hospital all day yesterday and the day before. All I'm hoping for is the best outcome for her.

From the moment I learnt of her fall and hospitalisation, I started to see this visual in my head, as I place I can go to and be with Nan, and I've used it alot over the past few days to escape to.

I used the Once Upon A sketch Nov 2012 sketch http://onceuponasketchblog.blogspot.com.au/2012/11/november-challenge-group-b-reveal.html#comment-form, and The Color Room Palette #136 (with added white and french vanilla) https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Color-Room/113674121988240?ref=hl.

I don't think it will actually qualify for the Once Upon A Sketch comp - they say "traditional pages only". I don't know exactly what that means, but I suspect that probably means no digital pages. It doesn't matter if I can't win anything. I just loved the sketch and wanted to share it!

Virtual Garden 2012 digital page

Ingredients: [IndigoD Always in my Heart:  lillium flowers(also did a white mask of same flowers), leaf outline, patterned paper 3 (was originally brown)], [Feli Designs Inner Peace: bird (created mask of), Tull Lace Flower, Filigree)], [Yalana Designs Light Feelings: #123 crochet flower, #7 dandelion], CSI #44 coordinates wooden frame (was originally blue), CSI #32 coordinates spotted patterned paper, The Color Room palette #75 digital giveaway kit 'This is the life' journal block (edited), etc

my nan

Although she was in some pain before the op, the operation looks good so far and she is doing really well. I've bawled my eyes out 5 times today around other people, and had lots of hugs. Nan is sitting up eating a meal 5 hours after the operation. Good on her!

I'm beat. I'm having trouble winding down. It may mean another digital scrap page before I go to bed.

I'm still seeing that visual in my head of Nan and myself on that park bench in that amazing garden. That might have to be my next page.

sad

my nan is in hospital with a broken hip. she was so good when I saw her on sunday and gave her the new clothes. I am so sad. But I am so angry with my family who refuse to come and be with her. I'm sick of hearing their feeble excuses. I've had to tell work I just don't know if I'll be in today; I just don't want Nan to be all alone and I'm going in to just be with her and hold her hand. Her sister was there yesterday.

I keep getting a visual of my nan and me sitting on a bench in the most beautiful garden I've ever seen; so many wonderous perfumed flowers, sun shining, bees buzzing, birds singing, and my nan is crocheting a rug and she is asking me how everyone is (every 10 minutes or so because she has dementia). It is so peaceful and feels so wonderful.

I don't know what is going to happen. My family don't want the operation to take place. They would rather be cowards and hope that nan will just pass away, but worse case she may linger on pain killers for the rest of her life (even if that is weeks, months or years) with no hope. Even if its not possible to recover, at least if she has the operation and survives she's got something to fight for and can go down fighting like she always has in the past. I don't know. I don't know what is best. I just feel its wrong for her to be on her own at this point in time, so I'm going to the hospital today.

I don't know if I'm strong enough. I don't know what to say. But I'm going.

New Clothes 4 Nan digital

I used the Nov 2012 sketch from Orange Paperie & Co at http://orangepaperieandco.blogspot.com.au/2012/11/kims-november-challenge.html for this page. It went through several drafts before I had a design I was happy with. I can't show my Nan with her new clothes on as they have to be labelled with her name on them before she can have them in her wardrobe! So I cut her head out and pasted it onto the clothes that I took on my floor at home! Cheating I know.

I am now also teaching myself how to use masks. Used on this page in background. Yay.

New Clothes 4 Nan. Nov 2012

Ingredients: [PickleBerryPop: TMD Sunset paper pack (orange background paper), Indigo Always in My Heart no 18 (fancy frame), DB Designs jewel scatter, Yalana Design Light Feelings (string bow), Inner Peace Elements (round antique frame, flowers)], CSI Coordinates No 45 page of text from dictionary, CSI Coordinates #43 (journal block), buttons & birdies from The Color Room digital kit, ChipChopShop plastic crochet doily (i scanned it), Prima packaging plastic doily (I scanned it), corrugated cardboard (I scanned it), etc

Self Portrait 2012 TCR #135 Digital

I loved this palette from The color Room challenge no #135 - it seemed to be dripping with vibrant colours, and although i'm not a great purple fan, it does go really well with the tan and the pink in the palette. The tan was a bit confusing to me for a while - it seemed to be called Advocado and I actually had to check the colour coding to make sure it was tan and not some kind of green, and my printer had just printed it wrong.

This is another digital layout. I still can't take myself to my scrap table and scrap. I can't do alot of things at the moment, so I'm kind of glad that some of the creative me bits are coming back after such a long absence.

Self Portrait 2012 digi page

I spent some time on this page trying to get paper-based-like effects to work. It was kind of fun. My Pickle berry pop kits have been a Godsend. I still can't quite believe the change in the quality and variety since I last looked (about 4 years ago).

This page is kind of self explanatory. This was a series of pics I did about 4 weeks ago when I was realy depressed. Stuff happens. But I've got forced smile pics to use afterwards for scrapping.

It's a bit more messy than I would have liked. Maybe I lost a bit of patience in the end.

***WOW. This page was featured for TCR #135. I'm honored!***

Ingredients: Adobe Fireworks, my pics of my petunias, my own created tags (trying to copy those on the sketch), my own created staples, Free Scrapbooking "Font" capital S and capital P, Pickle berry Pop kits : Love Birds, Inner Peace, Always in my Heart, Light Feelings, Tallula Moon Sunset, and buttons from one of The Color Room digital kits.

smaller file for those with less computer grunt:

A bit of art.. mine!

This painting just came to me in my mind and I just had to paint it - about 5 hours on Friday night. This is the first actual painting I've done for 12 months (except for the Illuminated text project) on paper.

I don't really understand what its all about yet. Something to do with change, I think. Do you want to see it? I've decided to call it Change.. with Butterflies. The more I look at it, the more confused I get - like there's a message there somewhere but I don't know the language to interrupt it. I feel a kind of saddness when I look at it, but other people I've shown feel its more on the inspiring side. Oh, well, maybe one day my artistic side of my brain will let the other side know what its all about.

I used to paint like this in the old days. Bright colours. More niave art than anything else.

Change.. with Butterflies (c) 2012 Kg Waldon

digital scrapping.. more


 

I did another layout - this time with all Pickle Berry Pop digital elements. WOW. It's so amazing what is on offer now. I just sat there for 2 hours and put it all together. I love the control over the colours and the freedom with the flowers. If I want tiny wee eye candy flowers to soften it off I just re-size some and then chop them up and spread them where I want them. Amazing!
Used Photoshop - but there were just too many limitations. I think Fireworks is the go.



Sad pics? 2012 digital layout. Yummo. Love the bits and pieces available now!



digital scrapping?

I've been trying for weeks to scrap something, but just can't. And then, out of mere frustration, I took the CSI co-ordinate pack and screen grabbed bits out of it and took it into Adobe Fireworks and just started making something up out of it. I was inspired I think by the gorgeous moulded frames. That seemed to work.
Then I tried a layout using Photoshop - but I wasn't really happy with it, and it was darn difficult to do any texty, drop shadows, etc. But I thought, hey, looks like I'm on a roll here - but I don't have anything digital to use except for what is in the CSI co-ordinate kit. (which sometimes is lacking in flowers)
I found Pickberrypop online and saw their amazing digital kits, picked four, and then bought them online, downloaded them. WOW. Digital scrapping has come a long way since I last looked into it (about 3 years ago). I bought Always in my Heart, Love Birds (loved the patterned paper), Inner Peace, Light Feelings, Photo Textures 1.1, and Talula Moon Sunset.
I love using my imagination to use what I've got to fit whatever the comp is asking for. Fireworks really fits with how I like to work;

• you splat everything in that you want to use
• then you play with layers and sizes and flipping and rotating
• you play with the colours (if you're using a comp palette or you just want to reduce the number of colours on the page)
• then you make all the layers disappear and start at the bottom and turn each one on and place it where you want it, making a few extra bits here and there as required
• you do the final touches (like text or shadows)
• you export it out

My brain is just loving this. Course, it means writing off the whole weekend to be either in front of the computer, TV or painting (I also have a painting on the go).

YAY.

Serenity - My first ever all digital layout I did in 2011 with a kit provided from The Color Room I think.

2012 stuck - my first digital layout this year using Fireworks and the CSI co-ordinates pack #43

mmm chocolates 2012 digital layout in Photoshop. Much more difficult to get it how I wanted it. Used CSI Co-ordinate pack #42.

My Home 2012 - digital layout in Fireworks. This is more like it! Used mainly the CSI Coordinate pack #44 as well as pieces from PickleBerryPop's Always in My Heart (yellow flowers/leaf outline), Light Feelings (crochet flower), Love Birds (leaf patterned paper), Inner Peace (white ribbon, swirl) (** GOT FEATURED AT CSI FOR THIS WEEK**)