Tuesday, June 7, 2011

WOYWW 105 and Owls

After the big anniversary last week I guess we are "back to normal" again. I never had so many WOYWW visitors to my blog as last week - it was quite fascinating and I visited some artists for the very first time - and it took me until yesterday!

I'm still playing in my art journal -


I love this heart stamp - one of the "discoveries" during the "She Had Three Hearts" Workshop with Christy Tomlinson.

Blue - I do feel a bit blue. I had a terrible stomach pain attack Sunday a week ago, and on Thursday I had an ultrasound. The diagnosis is that I have multiple gallstones, one of them is 2cm big and stuck in the neck of the gallbladder which doesn't seem to be good. My doctor would love to see me in surgery sooner rather than later. So I'll have an appointment with a surgeon on Thursday and hope to get more information then. In the beginning it really scared me, I had nightmares and felt overwhelmed. After I had talked and e-mailed with several people who went through this as well, I feel a bit calmer. But still a bit blue... I found that it's very therapeutic to be creative and have worked quite a bit in my art journal. It really helps. That, and working in the garden.

Oh, and here's the latest photo of the owls. They are nine weeks old now and seem to be very ready to move on. They're really big now and can fly very well. I guess they won't be around very much longer. We believe that they are boy and girl; I named them William and Kate.


If you want to snoop around the world and see other artists' desk, you just have to hop over to Julia's Stamping Ground to get the whole scoop. Have fun! Happy WOYWW!

42 comments:

jude said...

Your journals are amazing think i say this every week..lol.But they just are!
those owls are just soooo cute.Only this week i was watching programme on the news saying they were becoming rare in the uk!
Anyways happy creative wednsday
hugs judex2

Kay L. Davies said...

Dreadful about the gallstones, Carola. Surgery sooner rather than later is such a good idea. I put mine off too long and I'm sorry I did.
If you put it off, you'll be green rather than blue, believe me.
Meanwhile, William and Kate look wonderful, and ever so very grownup, although they're still so fluffy I just want to hug them (bad idea, hugging an owl).
Take good care of yourself.
— K

Kay, Alberta, Canada
An Unfittie's Guide to Adventurous Travel

Maria Ontiveros said...

Oh now. .. I hope you're better soon.
I finally finished by grading, so hope to do some messy art journaling tomorrow. Thanks for the owl update.
Sending healing thoughts your way,
Rinda

Sarpreet said...

Gorgeous journal, great workspace. Thank you for sharing your great workspace, happy WOYWW 105, #22

Shaz in Oz.CalligraphyCards said...

Hi there Carola love those owls they are super cute that is for sure! thanks for sharing and happy WOYWW! am in middle of making an owl card! Shaz in oz.x #21

Sunshine Girl said...

Oh no I hope you are feeling better soon must be a worrying time for you at least you know what the problem is now though. My friend is the doing the She had 3 hearts course too - I might give it a go next time round. Thanks for sharing - Sunshine Girl (no. 31)

Lynn Cohen said...

I am so sorry to learn you have been in pain. I think most of my family had had either gall stones or kidney stones or both and I know the pain is BAD. My dear husband just experienced the kidney stone pain a few weeks ago and he was suffering terribly. he must have passed some as he's not complained much since. My mom had the gall stone operation and got better soon after. I do believe it's a pretty standard surgery and shouldn't be too big a concern, however, I understand that any surgery is not something we want to go through. Hope you get it taken care of soon so your life can get back to normal again.

Now to the owls. OHMIGOD, they are so beautiful. So fluffy and pretty and intelligent looking. Those wonderful eyes!!! You do take the best photos you know!!!! Bravo. it will be sad to see them leave...I hope they return to the area to visit often.

Unknown said...

I totally agree with how helpful journalling is. I started journaling in January I have a long term illness and this is very helpful. I hope your op goes well and the owls are just beautiful lucky you to be so close to nature and being allowed to get wonderful photos (have you informed Spring watch?) Dxx

Å olanje na domu-Waldorf said...

Hahaha! I love Willilam and Kate owls. :) They look awesome! And I would have never guessed thatheart was a stamp. Beautiful! :)

Anyway I hope you're feeling better. Happy WOYWW!

Dragon said...

Oh I LOVE those owls today... they are so fluffy!!! But those gall stones are certainly NOT!!! You will be better when they are out
Frankie
xx

Helen said...

Good luck with the gallstones surgery, hope it resolves the situation quickly.
The baby owls are growing fast, I love that you called them William and Kate!

Bleubeard and Elizabeth said...

Yes dear, you need surgery. My Grandmother's gall bladder burst and she had to be rushed to surgery. Of course, that was years ago, and she didn't know she had stones, either, until it was too late. I do think making art of any kind will keep you well.

Love the owls. They have gotten BIG. I almost didn't recognize them.

okienurse said...

Sorry to hear you haven't been feeling well. The owls have certainly grown double their size since the last picture. Thanks for sharing. Vickie #50

Anonymous said...

Oh they are so cute! What a "happy couple" and well named. Sorry abut your gallstones - I've heard they are mega-painful so here's hoping you recover quickly. And yes, art IS therapeutic :)

Mary Anne

Angie said...

I do hope mine doesn't grow that big ...they found it by accident and said leave it unless i have problems ???? Can yours be broken up by lazer?

I so love the owls and your journal is comming on a treat.
Take care of yourself ...hope it all gets sorted xx

donnalouiserodgers said...

hay babe - laproscopic cholecystectomies are usually only a three day stay max, and sometimes if you are Very Fit and Healthy we do them as an overnight stay (but we are the NHS and we do like to get people home asap)

it is painful in a different way post - op but so long as you are sensible you should recover quickly and in a straight forward way...

Love your using word and colour matches - try using the 'wrong' colour name it really messes with the brain hee hee.

Dx

Alicia.R. said...

Lovely journal page, and the baby owls are so beautiful. My Mum had gallstones removed when I was quite young and she is now 70 and works six days a week still. The outlook is good, but it is still scary. Being creative is such a blessing when your thrown a curve-ball.
Happy Creating
Alicia.R. (55)

Chantal said...

I like that WOYWW project since I met it here

Sarah said...

great post - sorry about the gallstones...OW! Hope you get sorted soon, loving the blue on your journal page and what truly fab pictures.
Have a good WOYWW,
Sarah at 7

Jennie -The Artistic Stamper said...

ooh I know how you feel I had gallstones, and the op more than several years ago, and I know how bad the pain is...yuck!
Hope all goes well this week, and your pif is on its way to you..(it will need to be signed for :))
Have a creative woyww day
xx

JoZart Designs said...

The WOYWW birthday fun is not over yet as we are all enjoying seeing all the lovely PiF creations.
Poor you! What pain you must have suffered... I hope they can quickly zap them with a laser for you.
Your owls are adorable and coming on so well.
Hugs JoZarty x

Kathleen said...

Sorry to hear you are not well, don't leave your treatment too long the sooner those gallstones are gone the better.
I really like whats happening on your work desk love the colour blue.
your photograph of the owls is wonderful and William and Kate just perfect names.
Kathleen x

jodpea said...

William & Kate, lol - I'm sure they'd b honoured if they knew!

Ohhh Snap said...

Fingers crossed and good thoughts for the surgery. On the plus side, I can see this resulting in a few crafty get well cards lol (sorry that should have had a pollyanna warning).

Wonderful page, and that is a great stamp... *muttering about enabling lol*. And those owls are amazing!!! Thanks for sharing :D #12

soraya nulliah said...

Dear Carola-how is your 3 hearts workshop going? I soooo wanted to take it but...just no time right now!

yoursartfully said...

Sorry to hear you have gall stones. I know loads of people who have had them and it's not as bad as you think, fingers crossed for you.

And those owls.....they are just beyond cute!!!

Anonymous said...

Gallstones suck, isn't it amazing how such ickle little things can cause us so much pain? Hope it gets resolved soon. Love the journal page and those owls are so sweet. Have a wonderful day.

Hugs
Brenda 90

Serendipity Stamping said...

Hope you are feeling much better about things, not to fret and worry, things will be fine in the end, Ahhh, William and Kate - I am in love with this pic. #100

Pam said...

Love those babies and your journals. Amber came for a visit a couple of months ago complaining of stomach pain to the extent that we took her into emergency and yep - gallstones. That was quite the vacation, but put her on a plane home a week later and she's right back to normal - better than normal - no more stomach pains. Take good care.

MaggieC (Silvercrafter) said...

Those owls are fantastic, and looking very well. Poor you with those horrid gallstones. Hope things soon get sorted for you.

Spyder said...

Love Wills and kate! and of course your fab heart journal. and all your inky craftiness, yes sooner rather than later. They might be able to do 'keyhole' surgery, it depends, in out out in the same day or the next, I've been there, done that...etc etc but was in for the full op and that was about 12 days. It would've been shorter but that was their fault. Happy WOYWW
(Lyn)

Linda said...

The owls are adorable! I hope you are feeling better soon!

The Crafty Elf said...

From what I hear the surgery is really quite simple today. I think the anxiety of all the unknown is worse than the acutal surgery. I do hope you feel better soon and the whole thing is behind you sooner than later. Thanks for the pic's of the owls. Just amazing and they are gorgeous!

JoZart Designs said...

Thanks for your lovely comment... I too cried when I saw the Mutperlen as it really brings home all she has gone through.
Last night we watched a TV Nature Watch programme about owls so then I showed my husband all your back pics and we were fascinated watching your's grow, week by week. Beautiful collection of great photos.
lv Jo x

sandra de said...

Hello, kindred spirit, I love the 3 heart workshop and your journal is gorgeous and you have the heart stamp!! Lucky girl. I have found this workshop interesting but it can be hard to find time to watch all the videos and woyww. I do wish you all the best with your possible surgery. PS love the owls.

Marcie said...

Sorry to hear about those gallstones...but and altho the surgery is scarey..it'll be good to have them removed. And - the owls are amazing!!!

Tertia said...

Sorry to hear you are having health problrms - hope it get sorted very soon. Love your journal page and the owls are just gorgeous!

Molly said...

I'm so sorry to hear of your health issues. I wish you a speedy recovery! {{{cyber hugs}}}

Unknown said...

Love your journals and I love owls too. Get well soon.

Ciara said...

Having just seen you've gone for your surgery, I'd like to wish you all the best and hope you have a speedy recovery. We're all here in blogland thinking about you, xx

Love the owls, they are adorable, xx

Jackie said...

Great workspace :)

Ginnie Hart said...

So sorry I'm late on reading this, Carola, because I had no idea what you were going through. Please hang in there and let your owls inspire and comfort you. They look so precious...and wise. :)