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Sabrina is back and you should see quite a difference from the last time I showed you an update :o) I have the front part of her dress completed, all except the beading -
I may have to do the beading during the days when I have more light but we'll see how things go. I want to bead this area before moving on to the middle of her skirt.
I'm still in love with her and very pleased with how well she is coming along. To be honest though, I am disappointed that she won't be finished by the end of the year :o(
It seems that I have been holding out on you all because I have some fantastic news to share! I got a call last Friday and was told that my mammogram was clear :o) That means that I 'officially' have ten years under my belt! What's even more exciting is that Jean, from the Attic, will be posting pictures soon (supposedly this week's newsletter) with some of the items that will be up for auction. If you are not subscribed to her newsletter, you can view it on the web site.
Mom and Dad will be arriving this afternoon for a visit :o) I'm SO glad that the rain has FINALLY ended and it's supposed to be a sunny weekend. Since my blisters have not healed yet, I've been forced to wear my Crocs (without socks). My poor toes were purple this morning. LOL!
Due to the fact that my parents will be here, I probably won't be around very much but will pop in to check emails ;o) Have a great weekend everyone!
I was going to write about the third instalment of our vacation today but since it's October 1, I thought that I would post about the important month ahead.
As most of you may know, October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. It's a reminder to be vigilant of our bodies and to 'squeeze' in that annual mammogram ;o) Mine has been booked for October 27. Yippee...NOT! If you think you need help, then maybe this kind gentleman will do the trick -
There are a few things going on this month that I want you to be aware of :o) First off, Mary Kathryn from Handcrafts Online, has her Pink Pages up! Just click on the daisy and it will magically take you shopping...
I know that in Canada, the CIBC Run For The Cure will be held on October 3. This is a very popular event so look for it in your town or city :o) I don't take part because even though it's been ten years, I still get very upset when I hear stories from other people. I still do my part though! Every month I donate a fixed amount to the CBCF and it's automatically taken out of my bank account.
Hershey's in the US is doing a Tour De Pink :o) It also takes part across the country so check it out and see if there is one near you.
It's not too late to take part in the Pumpkin Patch & Co Breast Fund! As part of my ten year anniversary of being breast cancer free, I found some wonderful volunteers to take part in stitching an ornament and donating it to the Attic Needlework's Silent Auction For Breast Cancer Research. I'm anxious to see how our group does :o) For more details on it and how to join, check out the Blog.
I know I have an ongoing giveaway but what's one more? :o) Last year I gave out a pattern I designed but this year, since I seem to have collected two, I am giving away a Stitch Pink Needlework Accessory Kit by DMC -
I bought one myself and then in the mail today one arrived from sweet Danielle :o) Thank you for thinking of me! (Just so you know, the one I bought is going to be the giveaway prize)
All you have to do is leave a comment on THIS post only and a means for me to contact you if you are the winner. You DO NOT have to be a follower of my Blog to enter. Easy peasy :o) It's more important to spread the word! I will leave this open until Friday, October 8 and will try to post the name of the winner soon afterwards.
Finally, I want to share a quick story with you :o) DH and I were talking one day while we were eating Skittles. All of a sudden an idea came to mind and I told him that they were about the right size for a nipple. I have NO idea where this thought came from! Then the great debate... Would it be a chocolate M&M, a Skittle or a peanut M&M???? I 'think' the chocolate M&M finally won out. ROFL! Now today I was browsing the internet and I see that they have what they call Nipple Badges -
I think I could really have fun with those ;o)
Yes, you are going to see double ;o)
Here is C Is For Cure by Lizzie Kate -
The reason I stitched this one twice was because I wanted one for myself and the other is going on a trip to the US :o)
I made a few changes. I used 28 count Angel Blush Lugana instead of the 28 count Baby Lotion Lugana that was suggested. I figured they must be quite close in colour even though you can't really tell in the pictures that the fabric is a light pink. I also used Crescent Colours Baby Chick for the dots in the flower. It originally called for CC Carrie Berry but it was so close to the CC Ripe Melon of the flower that it just wouldn't have showed up. One disadvantage from having to shop online; you can't hand pick your skeins :o(
Even though it was 39 C today, I managed to finish one of these into this -
What do you think? I was able to get the same fabric that was used for the tuck but I had this pictured in my mind :o) I LOVE the ribbon that I found but like last time, it took me about 20 minutes to get a really good bow. The ribbon doesn't go all the way around the pillow though. I sewed it into the sides. I like that look a lot better.
So where is this one going? I will be shipping this, along with my felted snowman, to the Attic Needlework for their breast cancer fundraiser that will be held in November :o) I hope it's acceptable. I'm always nervous when others look at my work.
I 'had' planned on digging out Sabrina but they are calling for 40 C tomorrow. UGH! I could literally melt a pile of snow if I jumped in it right now. LOL! And then we have the threat of Hurricane Earl heading our way. Maybe he'll blow off. It doesn't make one feel too reassured when they see their neighbour put up plywood on the windows of his garage though :oS
ROFL! That's what it was 'supposed' to be but it seems that the sewing machine had other ideas >:o( It never fails...I have a project I want to finish, I know how I'm going to finish it and it's going to be straightforward...but it never is. Argh! Something that should have taken an evening to put together took Saturday AND Sunday morning.
So, after a lot of screaming, swearing and pulling more thread than I ever thought possible, here is the result of my work -
Truthfully, I am VERY happy with my results, even with all the frustrations ;o) Don't you just love the fabric?
I made Dogs Leave Paw Prints by Lizzie Kate into a pillow cover and this will be my thank you gift for our neighbours :o) It measures 14 x 14 and is a nice size. I love stitching pillow covers because there's no hole to sew together when you're done. All you do it slip it over your pillow and voila! This is what I plan on doing with mine when I get it stitched up but I may put off sewing for a little bit...
Last night, DH and I went out to dinner and a movie with friends of ours and had a great time :o) I 'finally' have a friend here! Yay! LOL! T is in the same line of work as DH so they have a lot in common. I finally got to know T's wife, K, in December after she changed jobs and got a more regular working schedule. They're great people and we have a lot of fun together.
We decided on Chinese food at a restaurant that DH and I hadn't been to yet. It was pretty good! I had the orange beef. Yum! Afterwards, we went to see From Paris With Love. I got my orange slushy and somehow two ECEs made their way into my jacket pocket ;o) Thanks K! LOL! It was a pretty good movie. Definitely action packed but it does have its comedic moments. John Travolta has been coming out with some funky looks lately and this one tops the list. He's got some great one liners too.
I want to thank those that have offered to donate to the breast cancer auction that is hosted by the Attic Needlework shop. I'm very touched that you want to help and we now have eleven people (including myself) that are officially signed up. If you are interested and have not heard back from me or received an invitation to the Blog I set up, please email me and I'll get you hooked up :o) More information will be posted soon so stayed tuned!
It's finally official, today marks my tenth year anniversary for being breast cancer free :o) Did I think I would make it this far? If you had asked me ten years ago, even five years ago, I would have said "No".
In actuality, it took me eight years to come to terms with my breast cancer. That was when I threw my Pink Party :o) Don't get me wrong, I can picture the whole experience like it was yesterday. That will never fade but the fears have become manageable. I doubt there are many cancer survivors out there that can honestly say that fear has completely gone.
As I write this post, I can picture walking into the waiting room full of people and being ushered right into the doctor's office. I was initially going to get my dressings taken off (I had had a breast reduction) but as soon as I sat down, Dr. H dropped the bomb. It's literally like being shell shocked. Luckily my mother had driven me and was out in the waiting room. Somehow I found my voice and asked Dr. H to bring her in. The rest, as we say, is history but February 4, 2000 will always be the day that changed my life forever.
Awhile ago I posted about doing something special for this milestone in my life. I have yet to figure out what I want to do for myself but I 'do' know what I want to do for others :o) If you're not familiar with Attic Needlework, I highly suggest that you sign up for their newsletter. Each year they hold an auction to raise money for breast cancer research. This past year, they raised just over $20,000!
How did they do that, you ask? Jean, the owner of Attic Needlework, takes in donated ornaments and items from stitchers across the globe. Check out one of their auction newsletters and this will give you an idea of the talent and generosity out there. This year the auction will take place on Saturday, November 20.
So to celebrate, my plan is to donate an ornament but there's a catch...I would like to recruit at least nine more stitchers who will commit to do the same :o) It's a small commitment but the rewards will be great. If there are more than ten people who sign up, then all the better! Jean says that they cannot have too many donations. I would like this to be like real ornament exchanges (although you don't get an ornament back) so please contact me if you want to participate. I will keep track of our progress and perhaps work with Jean to confirm that donations have been received.
Maybe this will give you some inspiration -
I've created a needle felted snowman who sports the breast cancer ribbon and this will be my ornament that I will be donating :o) I'm not sure if he will be the exact one because this was my first attempt and he might need some fine-tuning. Not to mention that he has no arms!
Here's another (bad) picture to give you an idea of how small this wee man is -
I hope you will join me to celebrate the big 1-0 and give a little bit of yourself. There are a few things that I have learned over the years. One, as much as you think it will never happen to you, it could :o( Breast cancer does not discriminate. It might be you, your mother, sister, cousin, daughter or friend. Breast cancer not only affects you, it affects everyone that loves you. Two, breast cancer is not the death sentence that it once was. New treatments and technology are advancing every day. Most importantly though, early detection is the key! I truly believe that if it weren't for my Gram and my DH, I would not be here today. I consider them my Guardian Angels and I want to dedicate this celebratory day to them both :o)