Journey's End

Eternal Sleep has finally arrived

for our dear Andrea!

All that is left of her gentle smile, her sweet soft voice

and her strong presence is what we hold in our

memory.

May her spirit dance like fire in the eternal light!

In memory of Andrea and for my own good

I created this collage in these soft shades of grey

also with the idea of linking up with

 Grey Dey Thursdey with
Petite Michelle Louise
and
Timewashed.com with
Blissful Whites Wednesday

as the dark grey days slowly begin to lighten.

Her memory will live on in our hearts.
♥♥♥♥♥
Thank you dearest blogging friends for your most wonderful
love and support through my absence in going
through all of this -
there is much to share ahead 
with the dawning
of each 
new precious day of living!

I've found my wings and am now getting ready to fly again!

A warm welcome also to all of my new followers -
I hope you enjoy my creative journey here too!

Love and hugs, Suzy♥

Feelings of Gratitude

Firstly I would like to heartfully thank all of

you wonderful bloggers who have left such supportive

and loving comments and sent emails

 as you stay with me on my journey with Andrea.
As I haven't been able to visit you all personally
I am using this post as a means of expressing my fullest appreciation!
Just "thank you so very very much"!

♥♥♥♥♥

It is times like these that all I have to do is look around my studio

 and see just a few of the very beautiful creative gifts

given to me over the last couple of years

 both by dear blogging friends

as well as other wonderful friends from around the world

to remind me just how fortunate I am

and continue to be for having friends like yourselves

and also for the fact that I am gifted with this wonderful life
of creativity and a studio
where I can express my heart's desire!

These are a few embellished boxes

in which I store some goodies with which

to create different works such as these hearts

as well as framed collages

from particular images that I find so appealing. I feel so blessed!

I'm learning how to really appreciate

what the squeeze of a hand, a tiny  

gentle smile or even a change in breathing

with unspoken words really and truly mean!

How to be able to go for a short walk and collect

a few simple seed pods, a feather, a bird's nest, some stones and shells

and favorite bits of wood can bring simple joys -

the joys that mean more than words can express

as I continue to compile and create in my

 Friendship Collage Lace Book

and

to show you just how thoughtful friends can be I

received these most beautiful parcel of doilies this week

from a most generous Australian blogging friend, Judy

who thought I just may like to incorporate them.

Thank you "heaps" Judy - you are just so wonderful!

Some were stitched onto pretty papers

Oh these beautiful blue wrens too!

and so beautifully hand painted.  How gorgeous are these

Superb Blue Wrens

and these dear little Scrub Wrens!

This last piece is another collage I am creating

in the hope of bringing some new inspiration

and positive moments of relief

in lifting our spirits high

as onward we 

travel!

Thank you dear friends for just being there!
It means so much to me!

Much love and hugs,
Suzy ♥ 

My Current "Therapy"

The saddest time

is approaching fast and beyond any care we personally
 can now offer our dear Andrea who is now
 in Palliative Care.

Andrea was able to share some special moments 

in her garden here at home

sitting below this beautiful flowering Cherry Tree, 
listening to the Springtime bird song, 
the humming of the bees in the blossoms
 and taking in the scents on the breezes

whilst eating her favorite home made gingernut biscuits 
and sipping on a chai late

watching the new Springtime growth appearing.

I am still just grateful to be able to sit beside her
 holding her hand with barely any recognition from her now
and fill her with my love -
there is little else that matters!

♥♥♥
I am grateful for the fact that my muse hasn't left me during
these very difficult times because it is in creating
that I am recharged to meet the next
challenge.

I felt it was time to gather all of these beautiful gifted collages,
cards and tags from some lovely blogging friends

and start to assemble them all into one large
"Friendship Collage Lace Book".
What better therapy could I undertake as one of my
dearest friends looks towards her journey's end
with me!

We all go "home" eventually,

our friends and family too
so making each day count as the best
is a wonderful thing to do!

I can't thank you all enough dear friends for the
kindness and care you have shown in supporting me
through this part of my journey.

I have found it very difficult time wise in responding to your 
sweet comments and just know that I will be 
back visiting you all in the near future!

Much love and appreciation!
Suzy xox