Valentine Love: Great News, Good News, Some News!

Today I worked with one of my peg stamp sets from Rubber Stamp Tapestry called Heart Deco. It has such fun little hearts and foliage to make such pretty wreaths and borders. The inks I used led me to the cardstock colors, and then to the ribbon. I love the combination of pinks and greens, but when I was all done, it turned out a little Christmas-y perhaps. That's okay, because by the time I send this as a Valentine, Christmas will be long gone!

I added two rows of pearls to the sentiment frame to coordinate with the pearls in the corners of the main panel. For a fabulous tutorial on how to make a card similar to this, visit RST's brand new blog: Tapestry Stamp Techniques. Susan Walton, the owner, of Rubber Stamp Tapestry does a marvelous job of showing how easy it is to work with peg stamps to create beautiful projects!

AND, if you scroll all the way down, you will see my card there! Yep, I am a new designer for Rubber Stamp Tapestry! (That is the GREAT news!) I am thrilled about this, as I love their stamps, and the way that one set can make oodles of different, beautiful wreaths and garlands, as well as any other design you can think of! HERE is a detailed description of how I made my card, with measurements and ink colors from RST. Check out the RST website - they have so much to offer, from stamps to inks, to accessories, to Nestabilities too!

End of stamping news/beginning of personal news!

And now for the rest of the news today: Many of you have been praying for me and know that today I had my second appointment with the hand surgeon to talk about the results of the nerve test I had last Friday. He has determined that I only need surgery on my left hand, and that it will fix the numbness and tingling I have there (good news!). He does not recommend surgery for my right hand now (also good news!), because the pain from my right hand is from osteo-arthritis (not great or good news, but some news!), not carpal tunnel (great news!).

He told me that I will need six weeks of NOTHING with my left hand (no stamping, no piano playing, no keyboarding) and that surgery will need to be scheduled two weeks in advance. Since I have an elementary music program coming up March, it isn't going to work to have it done before March 31. I am going to CHA and Disneyland in about two weeks and I need my hands to hold on when we ride the Indiana Jones ride!

But I am really happy that my right hand will keep me going after the surgery. I think I can stamp with only one hand (esp. the right!), I can type (albeit slowly) with just one hand, and I can play one-handed too! So that's the news!

And by the time I direct "My Fair Lady" this July, I will be all done! Thank you again for all your concern and well wishes. You all are wonderful!