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, 13 March 2011

Less is More Challenge

This week's Less is More Challenge is "Off The Edge"

I don't have many stamps that would look ok "Off the Edge". In fact I looked through all my stamps and didn't think I had any that would work so I'd decided not to do this challenge. Anyway I was messing around on the old interweb, as you do, and I came across some Christmas stamps and then I suddenly remembered my new Christmas Tree stamp that is part of a set my mum bought me for Christmas.

So I stamped it off the edge in Black Stazon and added a Penny Black Sentiment which says "have yourself a merry little Christmas" then added some small green gems to the tree to add a bit of bling - hope that still qualifies as one layer otherwise I'll have to pick them off again!!!

Stamps: Penny Black, Papermania

I've just been to upload it to the challenge blog and realised it's not that different to the example card. Doh! I did try putting the sentiment in various different places but it didn't look right. Oh well it's the taking part that counts! :0)

12 comments:

Susan said...: Fe-Fe...totally adorable card! Love the curved sentiment!; 13 March 2011 at 19:32
Seafield Jo said...: This is a great card, love the wavy sentiment, and I think the gems look great. Jo x; 13 March 2011 at 20:34
Chrissie said...: This is great... and gems are perfectly acceptable! Don't go picking them off!
Love the sentiment too!
Thanks for joining us and we hope to see you next time!
Chrissie
"Less is More"; 13 March 2011 at 20:38
Michelle said...: This is a lovely card and fits the bill perfectly, and its never too early to start on those xmas cards xx; 13 March 2011 at 20:50
Sammie said...: I'm glad that happens to other people and not just me. I love this. That off the edge design works so beautifully. I hope the bling was legal. I'm not quite sure what the exact rules regarding layers are. I think this is great and well done for persevering when you thought you wouldn't be able to join in!; 13 March 2011 at 21:18
Kathyk said...: I agree that it's never to early to start on those Christmas cards (to avoid the panic in November!) and this card is super duper

Kathyk; 13 March 2011 at 21:26
Stamps and Paper said...: Simply elegant....

Anne; 13 March 2011 at 22:35
Mandi said...: Hi Fe-Fe
Great CAS card and no don't take the gems off they are fine The rule of thumb is minimal embellishments, which thy are and they serve a purpose, they aren't 'just in a corner' for instance
Thanks so much for entering again
mandi
"Less is More"; 14 March 2011 at 08:23
Vicky Hayes said...: I think it's great and the gems are just right to finish the card! I love that curvy sentiment too.; 14 March 2011 at 11:53
Sarn said...: Love the simplicity and elegance of this card. GREAT for duplicating lots of 'em at Christmas!
Hugs, Sandra; 15 March 2011 at 14:01
Suze Bain said...: Wow, a beatifully elegant card.; 16 March 2011 at 12:31
Anonymous said...: I love the simplicity of this card. Less IS More!; 11 April 2011 at 17:17

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.