Fe-Fe's World Of Craft, Creations and Kids.

This blog was started mainly for my crafting, however I also find myself writing about my family life too and in particular about my son Josh. Josh is just Josh to us and we're used to his quirky behaviour. As I don't want to have to mention Josh's autism every time I post about him, I thought I'd mention it here. Hopefully you will bear this in mind as you read and it may give you a little insight into the wonderful world of the autisic child in a very gentle way!

Sunday, 3 August 2008

Raspberry Ribbons DT Call

I've decided to try out for the Design Team for Raspberry Ribbons as the other DT I'm a member of is a bit slow at the moment and doesn't seem to be showing any signs of picking up again any time soon. I really need something to keep me crafting on a regular basis as I've been very slack recently with no DT challenges to work on and to be honest I really miss them.

A friend of mine, who knew I was looking let me know about this one and this is what they asked for:

All we need for you to do is create a card using the sketch on post below and tell us on the comments where it is for us to look at. There is only one thing we ask and that is to use ribbon on your creation whether it's a card or Layout.

I decided I would do a layout as I really wanted to make a ribbon flower and knew that it would be too big to use on a card. So I used these great papers by Blonde Moments. Unfortunately when I shrunk the first photo, to make it the right size for a web page, it made the photo of Max go very dark so you can't see him very well.

So I just took the photo again but a bit lighter and now you can see Max but the colours of the paper are a bit light. So if you can imagine the real thing is somewhere in between the two.

See I should have done a card as they are much easier to photograph you don't have to worry about the light bouncing back off the photograph! Doh!

10 comments:

Dawn said...: aww Fiona this is a great layout - I like the Blonde Moments paper too they are so bright and summery; 3 August 2008 at 19:49
Dawn Wheeler said...: Ohhh Fe its gorgeous ,love the papers and the flower ribbons ,great work xxxDawnxxx
i have not forgot about you xxx; 3 August 2008 at 20:31
Dee said...: You go girl................. love the LO and colours. Fingers crossed for you....

Love Mum X; 3 August 2008 at 21:34
Deborah said...: Adorable! Love the light cheerfulness of this card! Best of luck to you on this submission! Deb; 4 August 2008 at 01:11
Nikki said...: This is lovely...good luck!
Nikki; 4 August 2008 at 17:42
Emma said...: These are gorgeous. x; 4 August 2008 at 17:57
~Emma~ said...: Hi Fiona! Well if they don't accept you after this then they need their heads seeing to...its fab! Hope you are ok. Hugs Emma.x; 4 August 2008 at 20:18
Deanne said...: Its a great LO Fe, love the papers you've used x; 4 August 2008 at 23:06
Deanne said...: rather than trying to comment on every post, i'll comment here lol
Just had a major catch up on your blog and your cards are awesome, love your images, and wow your pup really is growing up fast xxx; 4 August 2008 at 23:08
Pink Blossom Creations said...: Love the colours you have used and the way you have used the sketch.
Thanks for joinig in the DTcall/sketch

Caroline (raspberry-ribbons)x; 9 August 2008 at 21:00

Ode to Special Mums

Ode to Special Moms(by Erma Bombeck)

Most women become mothers by accident, some by choice, a few by social pressures and a couple by habit. This year, nearly 100,000 women will become mothers of handicapped children. Did you ever wonder how mothers of handicapped children are chosen?

Somehow I visualize God hovering over Earth selecting his instruments for propagation with great care and deliberation. As he observes, he instructs his angels to make notes in a giant ledger.
"Armstrong, Beth, son, patron saint, Matthew.
Forrest, Marjorie, daughter, patron saint, Cecilia.
"Rudledge, Carrie, twins, patron saint, give her Gerard. He's used to profanity."
Finally, he passes a name to an angel and smiles, "Give her a handicapped child."

The angel is curious. "Why this one, God? She's so happy."

"Exactly," says God. "Could I give a handicapped child to a mother who does not know laughter? That would be cruel."

"But has she patience?" asks the angel.

"I don't want her to have too much patience or she will drown in a sea of self-pity and despair. Once the shock and resentment wear off, she'll handle it.
"I watched her today. She has that feeling of self and independence that is so rare and so necessary in a mother. You see, the child I'm going to give her has his own world. She has to make it live in her world, and that's not going to be easy."

"But, Lord, I don't think she even believes in you."

God smiles. "No matter. I can fix that. This one is perfect. She has just enough selfishness."

The angel gasps, "Selfishness? Is that a virtue?"

God nods. "If she can't separate herself from the child occasionally, she'll never survive. Yes, here is a woman whom I will bless with a child less than perfect. She doesn't realize it yet, but she is to be envied. She will never take for granted a 'spoken word.' She will never consider a 'step' ordinary. When her child says 'Momma' for the first time, she will be present at a miracle and know it! When she describes a tree or a sunset to her child, she will see it as few people ever see my creations."I will permit her to see clearly the things I see...ignorance, cruelty, prejudice...and allow her to rise above them. She will never be alone. I will be at her side every minute of every day of her life, because she is doing my work as surely as she is here by my side."

"And what about her patron saint?" asks the angel, pen poised midair.

God smiles. "A mirror will suffice."

"Welcome to Holland"

"Welcome to Holland" By Emily Perl Kingsley

I am often asked to describe the experience of raising a child with a disability - to try to help people who have not shared that unique experience to understand it, to imagine how it would feel. It's like this......

When you're going to have a baby, it's like planning a fabulous vacation trip - to Italy. You buy a bunch of guide books and make your wonderful plans. The Coliseum. The Michelangelo David. The gondolas in Venice. You may learn some handy phrases in Italian. It's all very exciting.

After months of eager anticipation, the day finally arrives. You pack your bags and off you go. Several hours later, the plane lands. The stewardess comes in and says, "Welcome to Holland."

"Holland?!?" you say. "What do you mean Holland?? I signed up for Italy! I'm supposed to be in Italy. All my life I've dreamed of going to Italy."

But there's been a change in the flight plan. They've landed in Holland and there you must stay.

The important thing is that they haven't taken you to a horrible, disgusting, filthy place, full of pestilence, famine and disease. It's just a different place.

So you must go out and buy new guide books. And you must learn a whole new language. And you will meet a whole new group of people you would never have met.

It's just a different place. It's slower-paced than Italy, less flashy than Italy. But after you've been there for a while and you catch your breath, you look around.... and you begin to notice that Holland has windmills....and Holland has tulips. Holland even has Rembrandts.

But everyone you know is busy coming and going from Italy... and they're all bragging about what a wonderful time they had there. And for the rest of your life, you will say "Yes, that's where I was supposed to go. That's what I had planned."
And the pain of that will never, ever, ever, ever go away...because the loss of that dream is a very very significant loss. But...if you spend your life mourning the fact that you didn't get to Italy, you may never be free to enjoy the very special, the very lovely things ... about Holland.