REFLECTIONS OF THE PAST YEAR

Looking back at this last year I have to say I am glad it is over!
Our health problems took their toll and are still not resolved as far as my hubby is concerned.

The shingles he got back in March left with Herpetic Neuralgia which is pain caused by the shingles that doesn't go away. He has been to many doctors and had many tests done but still he suffers.

Next week he will have a nerve block to see if that helps and if by chance it does the doctor will probably cut the nerve or insert a device like a TENS unit that can be controlled by remote control.

I can honestly say that pain does strange things to a person. My poor hubby has been suffering for almost a year now and it wears on him in so many ways. Depression and a feeling of hopelessness. Seems like when he tries to keep busy he can work through it but in the evening when he tries to relax it takes over and Mr. cranky comes out. He is so painful I literally can't touch him. He doesn't sleep well and that adds fuel to the fire so to speak.

We had a huge loss in our stocks this past year due to neglect on our agents part and this has affected our income and our financial future in a big way. We are in the process of a legal suit to recover this loss but it is a very scary feeling. I feel we will recover some of our losses but the fact of the matter is someone our age should not have to endure this sort of thing when we trusted that our money was being handled by a professional. If you have dealings with Jeff St Clair at Cetera my advise is to RUN!! Our hearing will be in February and with the help of our attorney hopefully things will go well but the bad news is, he will get 50% of the money he recovers! Guess it is better than losing it all but it NEVER should have happened.

A mistake we made 10 years ago was to take out Term Life Insurance. Never ever do that!! The affordable payments on this insurance was great for 10 years but we got notice this year that the payments went from $130.00 per month to $1500.00 per month. Needless to say, we had to drop it and now that my hubby has lymphoma and leukemia he can't get life insurance.

My health is good. No more problems with my heart since my quadruple bypass. I continue to go to Zumba for exercise three times a week and watch my weight. 

I continue to alter Altoid tins and still have my Etsy shop Altered State of Tin)  http://www.alteredstateoftin.etsy.com that does okay but not as well as past years. I also have a second Etsy Shop, (Elegant Whispers), http://www.elegantwhispers.etsy.com which is where I have some of my art for sale. This shop is not doing well at all and I will probably close it or maybe change the name and put some vintage things in there instead. The problem with trying to sell art is there are just to many artists out there and way to much art for sale. I also opened a Gallery (Patricia Creations) http://www.patriciacreations.com this past year and have many of my better pieces in there.

I did have one of my pieces published in Living The Photo Artist Life Volume 9. I am very proud of this and continue to take the online art class.

I enjoy my Digital Whisper Blog and the challenges we have each week. I adore my artist friends and look forward to their participation in these challenges each week.

I am looking forward to a new year and a new president in the white house. I think our country could use a change for the better. I can't wait to see what God has planned for us in the new year and I trust it will be good whatever it is.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

2016

For the challenge at Digital Whisper this week

Background from Foxeysquirrel

Photoshop brushes

ALTERED MASTERPIECE

For the challenge at Three Muses this week

Leonardo da Vinci's  St John the Baptist 1513 - 1516
Photoshop distortion filters and brushes 

RED & GREEN

Take a Word Challenge this week

Just a simple black and white image with red and green added
Fun challenge

CHRISTMAS THOUGHTS

For the challenge at Digital Whisper this week.
The challenge was to create a piece using what you think of when you hear the word "Christmas"

This is a Christmas card I created back in 2013
The first thing that comes to my mind when I  hear the word Christmas it the birth of Christ.
Merry Christmas everyone!

RAINBOW

For the Three Muses Challenge this week

Rainbows are common where I live here in Coos Bay, Oregon. Lots and lots of rain from November to May.

Photo taken from my kitchen window

WINTER

This is for the challenge at Take A Word this week

 All from kits by Teddi
Photoshop Brushes

CHRISTMAS STOCKING

For the challenge at Digital Whisper this week
You are invited to join.

Background by Teddi
All stockings from the internet
Photoshop Brushes

GAMES WE PLAY

For the challenge at Three Muses This week

Background by itkupilli
Jester is a Photoshop Brush
Ace cards from the internet as are the spades and hearts

SEPIA

For Take A Word Challenge this week

Image from my collection
Background by Lil Owl and the tree branches and the flowers are Photoshop brushes

FROST

For the Challenge at Digital Whisper this week.
You are invited to join this challenge.
Show us your Frost!

I did these back when Kimmie Draper owned Digital Whisper. She taught me so much and when she resigned Digital Whisper she ask me to take it over and I was very honored. She has gone on to bigger things and has a website now that teaches artists .
Not sure I remember the credits on these two pieces but it was a lot of fun and early in my experience with Photoshop.

MARAAKESH

For Three Muses challenge this week

CONTAINERS

For the Challenge at Take A Word this week.

FLYING

For the challenge at Three Muses this week

Background art by Robert Stone
Cute panda and kitty are from my collection
Photoshop Brushes

SILHOUTTE

For the challenge at Take A Word this week

Background fron Lil Owl
Silhouette from the interent
Photoshop Brushes

BEST FRIENDS

This is for the challenge at Digital Whisper this week
You are welcome to join

Background is and the elements are from EmentoMagical Kit
The boy and his dog are from the Boys will be Boys kit by Teddi
Photoshop brushes accent this piece

TOM TURKEY

This is for the challenge at Digital Whisper this week.
Happy Thanksgiving to you all!

Background by Teddi

Word Art from one of my Word Art Kits

All turkeys are from the internet and of course Photoshop Brushes finished off this piece

TRANSPORTATION

For the Three Muses Challenge this week

Background by Lil Owl

Rusty Car from Pinterest

Snake, border and the little boys from Teddi

SHOES

Created for the challenge at Digital Whisper this week.

Background, and all elements are from Rebecca McMeens Carson Kit

Shoes are from the internet

Photoshop brushes accents

AMERICAN INDIAN

For the challenge at Digital Whisper this week.

Background from Teddi

Images from the interent

The moon is from Pinterest

Photoshop brushes

THINGS WITH WINGS

For Take A Word Challenge This week

BALLOONS

For the Take A Word Challenge this week

WINDMILL

For Three Muses Challenge this week

BALLERINA

This is for the challenge at Digital Whisper this week

Anyone can join this and each challenge we have every week.

Background by Teddi
Image of the ballerina from the the Morgue Files
Photoshop brushes

NATURE

This is for the challenge at Take A Word this week

Background from Pinterest
Butterfly from my files
image of the giraffe from Wikipedia
Embellishments from EmentoMagic Kit
Photoshop brushes

FAVORITE FASHION ERA

This is for Three Muses challenge this week

I have always dreamed of living in the days of Cleopatra and wearing the attire.
My favorite
Background from DW Journey of the Butterfly kit
Image of Cleopatra from the internet
Embellishments are from Emento Magic kit and Teddi's Forest kit

HAPPY HALLOWEEN

THRILLER

My all time favorite!

ORANGE AND BLACK

This is for the challenge at Take A Word this week.

I did this back in 2011.

ART INSPIRED BY MY FAVORITE ARTIST

This is for the challenge at  Three Muses this week

This was created by the inspiration of my favorite artist Teddi Rutschman.

PARROT

For the challenge at Digital Whisper this week

Everyone is welcome to join the challenges each week.

Background is from  Foxeysquirrel's kits.
Vintage image of the boy is from my collections of vintage images
The Parrot is from the internet
Photoshop brushes

ANGELA MARIE

My second to the youngest Granddaughter is getting married!

She is such a strong, independent, responsible girl. She graduated from College with a degree and has worked for an attorney for over three years now. Studied while working and gave up a lot to get where she is today.

 
  She has a beautiful Sister, Melissa and of course her fabulous Father, my oldest Son and his wife Lisa were always so supportive of her decisions.

 
Angela just got engaged yesterday and we could be happier. Congratulations Angela and Thomas!

CASTLE

This is for the challenge at Three Muses this week

Background and stars from Teddi
Castle I found online
Image of the girl is from the Morgue file

BEWITCHED

For the challenge at Take A Word this week

This is a piece I created back in 2012

It is appropriate for this challenge so I used it

I call it "The Good Witch"

HAT

For the challenge at Digital Whisper this week
The theme is HAT and you are invited to join!

Happy Creating

This little sweetheart is an artdoll I found on Pinterest
Hat is from my steampunk files
Leaf and background plus the stars and flecks are from Teddi

LUGGAGE

Created this for the challenge over at Digital Whisper this week

You are all invited to participate

Happy Creating!

Background is a photo of Luggage I found online 

The New York letters and the lady sitting on the luggage is part of a poster

Photoshop brushes and filters applied

GAS PUMPS

This is for the challenge at Digital Whisper this week

You know you want to participate so jump right in and go for it !

I know there are many talented artists out there and I would love to see your art posted on 

 Digital Whisper !

Ready, Set, GO !

Background from Nadine Archer Allen

Kitty from Gatsby Kits

Tricycle and the glasses on the vintage women are from one of our Digital Whisper Kits

Image of the women is from my vintage collection of pin up girls

Photoshop brushes

POSTAGE STAMP

For the Three Muses Challenge this week

Two vintage images here
Both are from my collection
Photoshop brushes

MAIL

For the Take A Word Challenge this week

Vintage image from my collection
Photoshop brushes

GOTHIC

For Lunagirl.com Challenge this Month

Created using a Luna Girl image and Photoshop and Ana Von Holt brushes and filters

"VIOLET"

MUSIC

For the Three Muses Challenge this week

Background from my private collection
Image of the skull and violin are from the internet

MOON

For the Take A Word Challenge this week

Background and image of the women are from my private collection

GOLD FISH

This is for my challenge on Digital Whisper this week
Please feel free to come join the fun!

Background and elements from Foxeysqurriel's numerous kits
Gold Fish from the internet
Photoshop brushes and filters

MEMORIES FROM MY PAST

This is for the challenge at Take A Word this week

This is a photo of me at age 6, my brother at age 3 and my precious Daddy on our farm where we raised chickens.
I used some techniques I learned in the Photoshop Grunge Class.

THINGS ARE GETTING BACK ON TRACK

I have sort of let this blog go as far as personal things. I already have an art blot at
Digital Whisper but I also am a member of two other fantastic art blogs and the challenges there are so much fun so I post the artwork I have done for them here. Some of my artwork is also on Flickr and I have my own website of some of my better pieces Patricia Creations

But I don't want to lose the personal side of this blog so I need to post here more often.
As most of you know, my husband has had a very hard time since March after he contacted Shingles and was in so much pain and numerous ER visits and doctors appointments and medication did nothing to help.

The last ER visit in April was gruesome. The doctor that night treated us like we were just looking for drugs . My husband was not himself and had been vomiting all morning and was incoherent with a high fever of 104 and when we arrived at the ER we had to wait for 30 minutes to see the doctor. I was concerned and tried to explain all that had gone on over the past two months and that he was in terrible pain but nothing was helping. I know that doctor (I won't mention names) thought we were wanting "drugs". He said to me " you know, he is not going to be without pain for awhile since he has shingles and it can take up to two months if not longer to go away" he sent us home and in less than 8 hours we were back because my poor husband was so confused and could hardly get out of bed and was still in pain and still had a fever.

When we arrived back at the ER they finally did some tests. MRI, CAT Scan of his brain and blood work and found that he had encephalitis. The took him via ambulance to Portland, 4 hours away and he was there and eventually in a coma and on life support for two weeks. I was so upset about the way that doctor treated us the night before that I filed a complaint with the hospital and I think he got dismissed because I haven't seen him there since.

While he was in Portland his B/P was really high and his heart rate was off the charts and his kidneys were shutting down. I was there alone and scared to death! They didn't know what was causing the coma or any of the other symptoms that were happening. They called me into the conference room which you know is NOT a good sign. They ask me if I wanted them to preform CPR or do everything possible to save him if necessary. Of course I said YES! This man is strong minded, willed and physically he would want to have the opportunity to fight and he did.

I prayed so hard day and night in the chapel for God to spare my husband and the next few days he started to improve. He had three teams of doctors round the clock working on a solution and finally after numerous MRI's Cat Scans and blood work they found that he had a lesions on his brain caused by SHINGLES!! They were able to take him off life support and he woke up and we were able to come home.

 A week after this happened I had a GI bleed and was in the hospital for three days. That was scary also.

Two weeks later he ended up back in the hospital with pneumonia and then in June he had that horrific accident and God was with him for sure...how eles could anyone survive this..

 Sadly this was caused from the medication he was on for the encephalitis. He fell asleep. His license was suspended. Since then he has it has been reinstated with a perfect report from the doctor. He has had some injections in his back for the after pain of Shingles (hepatic neuralgia) and they haven't completely worked but it is better. This man is so strong he says "I will just keep busy and work though it"

I have had no more problems with the GI bleed and things are calming down and getting back to normal. It feels good :)

Bottom line my friends....go get your shingles shot ASAP.
Hugs to you all

APPLE

For the challenge at Three Muses this week

Backgrounds and scrap by Foxeysquirrel

Overlay by me

Apples from the internet

Image of the little girl and her duck from my vintage image file

Photoshop brushes finished the piece

LITTLE RED WAGON

For the Digital Whisper Challenge this week

You are all welcome to join

The background photo is one of my many barn photos. I love barns!
Vintage images of the children and the Little Red Wagon with the chickens I found on Pinterest
Photoshop brushes and filters