Not Much Improvement Yet

This is what my foot looks like 10 days after the fall that caused the sprain and chipped bone. Have been to phys therapy 3 times for treatment for pain and swelling and would have gone more except for the holidays shutting down the office. I have 3 appointments scheduled every week for the next month. Lots of icing, elevation, light exercises, VERY light massage - you wouldn't believe how overly sensitive the nerves are in my ankle. Can't hardly stand to have my ankle touched.

Good friend Karla took me out yesterday to see A Dolphin's Tale and that lifted my spirits. First time I had been out of the house since the fall except for phys therapy appointments.

Will do a Make & Take at the store today and see how that goes. It's only 2 hours and I should be able to elevate my foot. Have to depend on husband and friends for transportation and most everything else in my life. That's almost as hard on me as the pain! FOotunately my arm has healed so that I can use crutches. Not a happy camper.

Make and Take today - Nov 26th

Today there's a Make & Take at All About Pictures - rubber stamp and scrapbooking store. I'll be showing you how to use a Tim Holtz die cut to make a rosette that we'll use to decorate a gift bag. $1.00 each. Drop in between 1 and 3:00. Also going on at the same time is a great project for kids using alcohol inks to make a small picture frame.

Samantha won't be at the Make and Take event but was great help as usual in putting together project kits - (NOT).

A forced break

I fell yesterday and sprained my ankle and chipped a bone. Elevation and icing for now and then an immobilizer and crutches. Won't be doing any rubber stamping for awhile. Thank goodness I don' have a class at the store until Nov 26.

Two surgeries just a few months ago and now this - is difficult to not be crabby !!!

Copic Markers

I don't go to bed until 1 or 2am. I stay up watching old movies and working on craft projects. Lately I've been practicing use of my Copic Markers. I stamp an image on paper and then color it in with the markers. These are great markers - they use alcohol inks and are refillable. I'm a beginner at this - I have a ways to go in shading, but sure do love to color. I took a series of about 8 classes at the stamp store where I teach. They are now re-running that series and have added a second series where you can learn more advanced techniques. Check it out if you're interested. 364-4141.

Singing Praises

Probably like you, I get SO SICK of automated this and that, the lack of personal attention by businesses, the every day greed and incompetency of so many businesses - and recently I've had a lot of that to deal with. Just makes me want to sit in my chair and watch worthless TV programs all day long while eating junk food !!!

So I just have to sing the praises of Ellison/Sizzix because of the repeated good, personal, friendly, generous service I've gotten. Hallelujah !!!!

1) I took a class from Karen Burniston, a witty, friendly, talented Sizzix designer, http://karenburniston.typepad.com/, who helped me get an "educator" designation from Sizzix, which now means that I can purchase dies with a very nice discount, the order is processed within 24 hours, the Fed Ex cost is CHEAP and I get the order in 4 days !! WOW. Plus I have access to new products and to lots of ideas and inspiration to help me with my classes.

2) At a Make & Take at the stamp store that I work at, someone broke my beloved Big Shot - probably by forcing something too thick through it - and the crankshaft broke. I called Ellison and since I had paid for it with Paypal, I was able to send the receipt that same day to the woman from Ellison. There was no charge for the crankshaft or for postage. If I hadn't had a receipt, I would have been charged only FIVE DOLLARS !

3) The crankshaft was sent out the next day after they got the Paypal receipt, but the package never made it to my house. I was in a panic because I had a class to get ready for. After waiting 10 days, Ellison sent me a BRAND NEW BIG SHOT that I received in 4 days, giving me plenty of time to get ready for class.

4) I placed my first "educator" order late last night in an email and got a return email this morning regarding it. I called in my credit card number and was told the order will go out today or tomorrow.

Thank you Karen, Sizzix and Ellison. I can get so discouraged (and really crabby) having to deal with incompetent, uncaring, impersonal companies, and it is SO NICE to deal with people who CARE about good service and just being a decent person.