Back From A Long Hiatus*

Good morning everyone!!  And it has been a long time since I've posted! A lot has been going on :)  I haven't posted since March. I was getting ready for surgery.

On April 21st, I had Bariatric Bypass Surgery; I had the RNY procedure. I chose the RNY for various reasons: one being that sugar is a real down fall for me, another being the amount of weight that I needed to lose and another being that I was borderline Diabetic. I had a wonderful surgeon, Dr. Jean-Pierre, who works for WellStar (which is where I work). That whole office, Comprehensive Bariatric Surgery, is just wonderful!! My highest weight was 295 pounds in October of 2014. With a lot of hard work and support I was able to get down to 277 pounds as of surgery. The surgery went really well and I was in the hospital for two nights after. I was up and walking the night of surgery, I didn't have a lot of issues with gas and not a whole lot of pain. My sister stayed with me while I was in the hospital and encouraged me to get moving. She was fantastic!

Once I returned home from the hospital is when the hard work began. For three weeks I was on a liquid diet and that was the hardest thing through all of this LOL!  An all liquid diet is horrible! I was so tired of drinking my meals by the end of the three weeks. After the first three weeks I was able to move on to soft/mushy foods. It was eating things that you could cut with a plastic fork. That was much better! And I was able to experiment with some things. I was just happy to not be drinking everything!

Another three weeks later I was able to begin eating regular food again. Although, I am unable to eat a lot of sugar, so I have to be really careful with that. I still can't have raw vegetable, although I'm hoping I will be able to have that soon. I am not suppose to eat anything bread for another 7 months or so. And I REALLY miss bread! And my portion sizes are very small. I can eat about 1/4 cup at a meal. I eat every three hours and I focus on protein. I have to get in at least 60 grams of protein each day, so I focus on getting that first. I take a Flintstone Complete vitamin twice a day and my calcium three times a day. I was on medication for high blood pressure before the surgery, but I am off of that. I was off of that medication a few days after surgery.

I have worked my daily exercise up to at least 60 minutes a day for at least 4 days a week.When we are kayaking, I am doing 6 days a week, but we are waiting on wiring up the trailer so we can get back to that. Exercise has gotten so much easier as the weight has come off. I've been doing a lot of reading when I go to bed and while I walk on the treadmill. I also do lifting every other day. I've managed to keep my muscle mass so far, which is a good thing! I have been feeling really good for the most part. I have gotten sick only twice. There are times when I don't chew well enough and that hurts.. so I try to really pay attention to that. All in all, it has been a great experience so far and I feel great!

It was really hard to get back into a routine and I still think that is a work in progress. I struggle with not weighing myself every single day. I am not losing as fast as I would like to, but that is because I am lifting. There is so much focus on the numbers that it is hard to not focus on that -- the numbers on the scale! As of Tuesday evening, I am down to 237 pounds. I can't remember the last time I weighed that. And 200 is in sight! I'm closer to 200 pounds now instead of 300. That makes me really happy! And my family has been so amazingly supportive.. especially my wonderful husband!!

I completely lost my creative anything until just about a week ago. I'm really glad to be crafting again!! So, I decided it was time to get back into creating and posting! So, this is my first post, post surgery LOL!

I am posting a card that I made for Faery Ink. This was using The Bubble Fairy Queen.  Here are some photos:











I used Copic markers to color this amazing image of Amanda's. The paper is a stack that I bought at Michaels. I can't remember which stack it was. I added some Diamond Glaze on her wings and the bubbles. I added some pearls to her hair and paint dots. There is glitter around the circle. There are pearls and gems on the inside of the card. I also layered the image a bit. Hopefully you can see some of that in the photos.

Copic Markers Used:

• Bubbles: Y15, V05, BG34, BG07
• Hair: C1, C3, C5, C7, C9, BG13
• Clothing: BG11, BG13, BG18
• Wings, Dragon Wing, Belly and Pearls: RV10, RV21, RV23, V0000
• Lips: R00, RV34
• Dragon: YG01, YG03, YG05

Challenges:

• K For Kind Thoughts (1) @ Alphabet Challenge Blog.
• Challenge #36: Anything Goes (1/3) @ Art By Miran Challenge Blog.
• Challenge #87: Anything Goes (1/3) @ Creative Fingers Challenge Blog.
• Challenge #115: Anything Goes (1) @ Sister Act Card Challenge.
• July: Anything Goes w/Glitter, Flocking and/or Embossing Powder (1/3) @ Sparkle N Sprinkle.
• Challenge #7: Anything Goes (1/1) @ Doodle Pantry LLC Challenge Blog.
• Challenge #271: Anything Goes (1/3) @ Craft Your Passion Challenges.
• Things With Wings (1/5) @ Incy Wincy Designs*
• Anything Goes 07/21/2015 (1/2) @ Through The Craft Room Door.
• Anything Goes (1/3) @ Crafty Sentiments Designs Challenge Blog.
• Challenge #136: Anything Goes (1/5) @ AUD Sentiments Challenge Blog.
• CMC #70: Anything Goes (1/3) @ Card Mania Challenges.
• July: Anything Goes (1/5) @ Crafting By Designs.
• Challenge #43: Anything Goes (1) @ Inspiration Destination.
• Anything Goes (1) @ Kraftin' Kimmie Stamps.
• July: Feature A Creature *Dragonet* (1/3) @ Stamping Sensations.
• Challenge #193: Anything Goes (1/5) @ Word Art Wednesday.
• Challenge #27: Anything Goes (1/1) @ Crafting Musketeers Challenge Blog.
• Challenge #2: Anything Goes (1/3) @ Crafting With Friends Challenge.
• July: Anything Goes (1/3) @ Your Scrapbook Place.
• July: Use A Digi or Stamp (1/3) @ Crafts Galore Encore Challenge Blog.
• July: Patterned Paper (1) @ Craftyhazelnut's Patterned Paper Challenge.
• July Challenge #114: Anything Goes (1/3) @ DigiStamps4Joy.
• DSC #140: Anything Goes (1) @ Digitally 'Sweet' Challenges.
• July: Anything Goes (1/3) @ DL Dot Art.
• Challenge #14: Anything Goes (1/3) @ Lil Path of Crafty Friends.
• July Challenge #22: Anything Goes (1) @ Not Just Cards Challenges.
• July: Anything Goes (1/3) @ Sisters of Craft.
• Challenge #136: Anything Goes (1/3) @ Artistic Inspirations.
• Challenge #29: Anything Goes (1) @ CCC Digi Creations.
• Anything Goes (1/3) @ The Paper Shelter Challenge Blog.
• Challenge #44: Anything Goes (1) @ Creative Craft Cottage.
• Anything Goes (1/3) @ Petal Lu Challenge Blog.
• Challenge #200: Anything Goes (1) @ Use Your Stuff.