The Past Year

So the past year has been an extremely difficult one for me.   I lost my dad and my best friend.    In six months he was diagnosed with a Glioblastoma.   He did surgery and radiation to battle the tumor in his head, but it was no match for this cancer.     I spent the last year care giving and taking care of the most important man in my life and the last six month grieving the loss of him.    In the past 5 1/2 years I have lost two men to brain cancer.   The first one was my boyfriend, David.   He had a longer battle his was lung cancer that went to his brain and stayed there for 4 years.   Two very different cancers and both took different paths.   I unfortunately had a front row seat to cancer taking the both of them and watching them day by day decline while the cancer took them.   

The one thing I learned after David is that crafting helped heal me.  I started creating projects for others and then scrapbooked our memories together.    Something about paper, ink and stamps.   Maybe it is keeping my hands busy.   Maybe it is making something beautiful while you are hurting.   All I know is I am happy I am at the stage that I can start working through my grief.   It doesn't mean it doesn't hurt to see photos of my dad.   He is missed every day.    

So even when I am at my worse, I still find time for my love of creating.   I have been a demonstrator for almost 20 years.   March will be my 20th anniversary.   I am truly grateful for the friend that shared Stampin' Up! with me.   It is a big part of me.  It makes me happy to create.   I have been a career demonstrator and just a hobby one.  I have had downline and sold my homemade projects.    I have made so many amazing friends through the years who shared my passion.    

Here is my first page dedicated to my dad.    It was made with the Love for You stamp set.   Scalloped Contours added some special touches to the page.   Matted dots also added a touch.   The sentiment So Glad that You're My Dad comes from the Gone Fishing stamp set.  

Thank you for letting me share my store of my dad and how important Stampin' Up! has been to me through out the years.    

My goal is to start creating more and more, so stay tuned for more future projects.