Welcome! I am so glad you made it to my blog for the blog hop!
A small blurb about . . . EDS. You might be asking yourself . . . "What is it?"
Simply put, Ehlers-Danlos syndromes (EDS) are a group of thirteen individual genetic conditions, all of which affect the body’s connective tissue. Connective tissue keeps everything in place and provides support, like the mortar between bricks. Our bodies create faulty collagen (the stuff that makes your ligaments into snappy rubber bands) so for people with EDS we have no snap back in those ligaments making it impossible to keep our joints in place.
We can dislocate just about all of our bones on a regular basis as well as many other symptoms. OUCH! EDS is often an invisible disability. Symptoms commonly include, but are not limited to, long-term pain, chronic fatigue, dizziness, palpitations and digestive disorders. If you're wondering why the zebra is associated with EDS it's because in medical school doctors are taught "When you hear hooves think horses not zebras" In other words, it's very unlikely you will come across a rare disease so think of the more common diseases.
I have lived with this disorder my whole life and because it is not widely known, not even in the medical field, I was only diagnosed 6 years ago, and I am 50! It's been a long brutal road and I still struggle to understand how to care for my body daily because depending on what I dislocate it changes daily. So, you guessed it . . . I am a walking ragdoll! LOL It's a serious disorder that my family and I have chosen to approach with a certain amount of humor, to keep from going crazy! When I found out about this blog hop, I jumped at the chance to be a part of it and help spread the word about EDS. With that said, let's get crafty!
I used an old stamp set that I created for a stamp company I was once a part of, and it is near and dear to my heart. It features this adorable little zebra tucked in bed. I really wanted my zebra to stand out so I thought I would stencil the inside of the card and cut a circle out of the front of the card and cover it in transparency sheet. Then cut a smaller circle and glued it in the center of the larger circle, where I place my zebra!
First step was to stencil the inside using a zebra print stencil and Catherine Pooler inks in Something borrowed and Flirty Fuchsia.
I stamped my sentiment on a circle I cut from white cardstock and adhered it, but the same thing could be achieved by laying down a circle mask inside the card before you stencil.
First, I glued down black cardstock to my card front, and then I cut a large circle out of the front of the card and covered the inside with a transparency sheet. (You could also use a sheet of clear plastic that comes on the back of most stamps). I adhered a smaller black cardstock circle to the center of the large circle. Next, I stamped my image and colored my little zebra using Copic Markers.
Zebra's face and hair - C1/C2/C3/C7/100
Flowers - B000/B00/B05 (center flowers - B66/V04/FV2/B05)
Pillow - B000/B00/0
Blanket - B66/B05/FV2
I used foam tape to adhere my little zebra to the center circle and added a sentiment and some stamped flowers as little embellishments. I also added Crystal Stickles to the center of each flower for some sparkle. To finish it off I thought it needed a small silver glitter sticker border.
Please be sure to check out everyone's videos for lots of inspiration and there is also a giveaway! Alison and Michele will be offering giveaways on their channels. Winners will be chosen by Alison and Michele on 2/11/22. Comments will close on 2/8/22 at 12 pm EST. In order to be qualified to win, you must comment on each of the ten videos and be subscribed.
You can find the videos for the other designers Here:
I would like to leave you with a final note. Anyone with a rare disease or chronic pain disorder will tell you that support from caring friends and family is everything.
If you aren't sure what you can do, try these simple things:
Ask them what they need,
listen and believe them,
love them as they are,
be flexible with plans,
and send cards!
We all love getting a handmade card, but chronic pain and rare disorders can be crippling and leave you feeling isolated and alone. A card really can make all the difference and make you feel like you aren't battling your disease alone. Reach out and give someone battling this horrible disease, or a chronic pain illness your love and support. You won't believe what a difference you will make.
To learn more go to:
Home - The Ehlers Danlos Society : The Ehlers Danlos Society (ehlers-danlos.com)
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