Altered Art

I was cleaning out the pantry and there were just a few cashews left in the can. As I started to dump them into the trash (can't eat them due to the continued weight loss), I contemplated whether or not to add the empty can to my goodie stash. I decided this can deserved to be much more than just a cashew can and rather than just add it to the stock pile I altered it immediately. Right now I have no idea what I am going to use it for, but I am sure it will come in handy some day ( my motto for never throwing anything away). Maybe it would make a nice birthday package with a little something inside.





The butterfly and roses are pre-made. The butterfly was a " I can't find anything else to buy with my 40% off coupon" and the manufacturer is Ashland- Classic Traditions.  The roses were from a dollar store. I think Dollar Circus and they are made by TRICO. I must have too much if I wonder around Michaels with a coupon and can't find anything I want- let alone need. The DS paper is Making Memories Navy Stripe Brocade and the white is pearl card stock from JoAnns. The punch I used is a MS deep edge called Embroidery and I believe it is one of her newer ones. The navy card stock was punched with EK Success Acanthus Leaf. A few pearls and rhinestones for the added bling.

We received some rather upsetting news this week. My oldest son was just diagnosed with a rare form or cancer called Synovial Sarcoma involving his shoulder. The high grade stage 3 mass is entangled around the nerves and connective tissue in the shoulder and they have already told him to start learning to do everything with his left arm because after they do surgery he will be disabled with his right arm. This is a young 31 year old who does construction as a living and is a single father. His wife passed away 4 1/2 years ago from breast cancer. The prognosis is very poor- only a 30% chance of making it past 5 years. If it spreads the prognosis is typically 1 to 1 1/2 years. He will have a port put in tomorrow and then chemo two days a week for 3 months to try and keep it from spreading. After that is it surgery and then radiation. It just tears me apart when I hear him say "mom, it's not IF it spreads, it's When it spreads" is highly likely.

It still hasn't sunk in and I feel like someone is just telling me these things. As all bad news we usually can't believe it is real and it certainly isn't happening to us. I wish I could bury myself in my work to keep from thinking about it, but in my line of work I am around it all day long. I may not be up to posting every week as time goes on but then again that may just be what gets me through this. I came across a quote the other day that seems so fitting.

"You never know how strong you are until Strong is the only choice you have"