Inspired Pink

MIA Lately

2010-08-07T09:58:00.002-05:00

If you have had back pain and troubles then you know how all consuming is the pain. Back while going through my breast cancer treatments I also ended up with a herniated disk somehow. That was in 2005 and I have lived the past 5 years with several flare-ups. The disk will push on nerves and send shooting pains down my leg all the way down to my foot. In the past, I have been able to reverse this through physical therapy.

For probably the past 4 months I have been dealing with another flare-up. This time it got so bad that there were times that I couldn't even walk or stand up for periods of time. I went back into physical therapy, but this time nothing seemed to work and I was beginning to have nerve damage in my foot. The next time I saw my doctor he told me I needed surgery. Not another surgery! After having an MRI and a second opinion I went in for a diskectomy. As soon as I woke from surgery I was able to walk and had no pain in my leg!! I didn't want to stop walking because it was amazing to finally be pain free after so many months.

So, now that I have recovered from surgery and feel great ~~ I'm back!

Jalapeno Ranch Dip or Dressing

2010-07-04T07:55:00.004-05:00

This is a huge crowd pleaser! I make a double batch every time we have company and there is never any left ~~

1 1/3 cup mayonnaise

1/3 cup buttermilk

1/3 cup chopped tomatillo

1/3 cup jalapeno (canned, not fresh) & a little bit of the juice

1/6 bunch of cilantro

1 pack Hidden Valley Ranch dressing mix

** Mix in blender until smooth. The longer it sits, the hotter it gets. Enjoy!

Funky Lips Bag

2010-05-16T20:58:00.003-05:00

I really enjoy being creative and making things to sell. Of course I'm even happier when I sell something! I feel like each item I create has a little piece of my heart since I spent my time and energy making it. I always love when I sell some of my supplies though. I think of somebody in their house with their creative juices flowing and I wonder what will become of that supply. Whether it is fabric, findings, or some other supply, I imagine it going on an adventure to another home and then being used in someone else's creative masterpiece. I love for my customers to send pictures of what they have made with a supply I've sent. Here is a bag made out of the funky lips fabric I have for sale that was made by Anita Distel for a speech pathologist friend that has a room covered in lips! How wonderful!

Cat, Welcome to the Dog House

2010-05-04T12:17:00.002-05:00

I can use some helpful advice. I had what I called my 1/2 cat. Our next-door neighbor owned a mostly outdoor cat, but wasn't home very often to feed and give the poor little guy any attention. Ken and I stepped into the role of giving Miles, the cat, attention and making sure he was fed. The neighbor moved away and we agreed to keep the cat that has settled in nicely to his outdoor surroundings. We love the cat and he has become part of our family.

Now, on to the dilemma ~ a very spoiled dog has run our house for the past 6 years. We would like the cat to be able to come inside without our dog eating Miles. I have been online and have read some ideas, but I would like to hear some success stories from actual people. Please leave me a comment or send me an email. I'd like our furbabies to get along!

I'm Having Another Giveaway!

2010-04-25T09:14:00.005-05:00

I'm having another giveaway! One of these days I'll actually sell something instead of giving it all away :) You have a chance to win this matching set of magnets and eyeglass holder ~~

My friend Fantasy Dream Knits has done a great feature about me on her blog, which you can read here. Simply post a comment and that enters you into the giveaway! So easy even a Caveman could do it! Make sure you also check out the beautiful items on Fantasy Dream Knits site. She has a huge heart and spends all her time promoting others instead of her own business. Let's show her some love!

Nice Cans!

2010-04-22T07:53:00.002-05:00

Well, it was a tough choice, but the bra has been named. It is now officially titled "Nice Cans!" The winning comment for adding the exclamation point came from mandylifeboats. I think the punctuation adds some Oomph and strength to the title. Thank you to all those that added a comment and thought about the name. Like I said, it was a tough choice and all the suggestions were good ones. Congrats mandylifeboats!

Name That Bra!

2010-04-14T16:48:00.003-05:00

Okay, so here is my Graphic IV art bra for this year. I need help with a name or title for it though. I love people to get a little chuckle out of the name so the bra for my first year was named "Under the C cup" with an ocean theme and last year's bra was titled "Silicone Valley" which was made out of computer components. This bra has been made out of pieces from La Croix water cans. I was first thinking of "Water Bra" but then I thought of "Nice Cans". So, I would like to hear from you. Do you have an idea for a better name? If not, which of my two do you like best? Please leave me a comment with any suggestions. If I use your name you'll receive 20% in my AftFire studio. If I don't use anyone's name then I'll do a random drawing from the people that commented and they will receive 15% off from my ArtFire studio. Put your thinking caps on and here is the art bra ~~

Graphic IV Event is May 22nd

2010-04-13T07:21:00.006-05:00

Once again it is Graphic time of year! This is Graphic IV, held May 22nd, and the event is the biggest fundraiser we have for our young breast cancer survivors group, the Pink Ribbon Cowgirls. The event is an evening of art, music, food, silent and live auctions, and the real highlight of the of the night is the runway show of survivors modeling art bras! I've been working on my art bra lately, as well as my modeling figure :), and I'm pretty excited about the results so far! This year's event is going to be the best so far with a new venue, the Bob Bullock Texas State History Museum, and some art bras from some very famous people that I'll reveal after the event or at least once we have them in hand.

My art bra is made up of discs of tin and here is a picture of how my start went and yes that is the tube of Super Glue glued to my fingers as well as the discs ~~

Let's just say that they are serious with the warning labels on the back of the Super Glue tube! I'm almost done with my bra so I'll post pictures then and I might even have a contest to name the bra! Stay tuned . . .

Delivering Cards

2010-04-12T09:08:00.004-05:00

When I first heard about Cards 4 Cancer sponsored by Spirit Jump, I wasn't sure if I would have the time and energy to become a Team Leader. I was afraid though that if I didn't represent Austin that nobody else would so I signed up for the position. I can't put into words how happy I am that I made that decision. As team leader I have the privilege of actually delivering the cards to cancer patients. I am in awe at the generosity and outpouring of volunteers that made cards and the sentiments written in those cards. My team is amazing and truly understands the goal of these cards in uplifting the patients.

My friend, also a cancer survivor, and I went on our first delivery on Friday. We were there for about an hour, but what an amazing hour. I was scared that as I approached someone in the waiting room that I would get the standard wave off and "I'm not interested". That never happened and all I got were big smiles and then I witnessed a couple tears after they opened and read the cards. I felt such warmth in my heart. I met Jennifer who was responsible for allowing us to deliver at this center and she expressed the gratitude of the patients and responses that we weren't able to witness as they went in for radiation treatment.

I am writing this just before going off for our second round of deliveries. Today we are going to the center where I was treated and will be able to visit with the patients going through chemotherapy. This has memories flooding back to me, but knowing that I am going in there to spread encouragement and smiles reminds me of the positive message we are there to spread.

More on our deliveries later! I hope everyone has a wonderful week!

Andrea T Jewelry on ArtFire

2010-04-06T19:59:00.005-05:00

I received a batch of great cards from one of my dearest friends from ArtFire. We're so close to delivering the cards that I didn't get pictures before they were sealed in their envelopes, but her ArtFire shop has so much more to offer. Take a look and make sure you don't leave without picking up an item or two :) Here are some of my favorite items from her studio ~~

I actually own a pair of earrings very similar to these that I wear all the time. Her jewelry is great and very well made.

Stay tuned to hear about how I Super Glued my fingers together!!!

Cards From Cuspdesigns

2010-04-02T15:31:00.002-05:00

I received another batch of amazing cards. These not cards are I think the cutest that I've seen so far. They came from Cuspdesigns and feature little animals holding glitter hearts. Her ArtFire shop is full of beautiful and amazing items for sale. Her photography is to die for! She also makes origami jewelry and as I've seen first hand gorgeous cards. Here is part of the set of note cards that she sent to me for Cards 4 Cancer ~~

Please take a look at her ArtFire studio and see what wonderful works she has for sale. Remember, when you buy from her, you're buying from someone with a giving heart.

Newest Batch of Cards for Cards 4 Cancer

2010-03-29T15:02:00.004-05:00

I think a professional made the last group of cards I received! Pam with Bay Breeze Designs sent the most amazing cards for Cards 4 Cancer. Take a look at her Etsy shop to see more of her cards, magnets and gift tags. They are stamped and look perfect! I wish my stamping skills were up to her standards. Here is a picture of the cards she sent in for Cards 4 Cancer ~~

Again, please take a look at her Etsy shop and purchase some of her items. You know when you are buying from her that you are buying from an artist with a giving heart.

Cards from the Other Side of The World!

2010-03-26T10:14:00.002-05:00

I have enjoyed seeing the cards that are arriving from all over the world to be delivered to cancer patients in Austin, TX. The outpouring of kindness just give me goose bumps and warms my heart. The last batch of cards came in from Malta and was made by one of my ArtFire friends, Crystal. Her cards had the most heart felt sayings. She has a beautiful shop on ArtFire with more great cards for sale. Crystal also has a huge selection of earrings that are available at t fair price. Make sure you take a look around her studio on ArtFire and buy from someone you know has a heart! Here is a picture of the cards she sent ~~

Cards 4 Cancer Card Making Night

2010-03-24T14:22:00.004-05:00

I'm getting more excited about delivering cards to cancer patients for Cards 4 Cancer. We had a card making party last night and in 2 hours with only 4 people we were able to make 32 cards! They are all absolutely gorgeous. It's interesting to see everyone else's creativity as well. Here are some pictures of the cards, although it's tough to get them all in so you can the beauty in each card ~~

There is still time if you are interested in sending me cards for the cancer patients in Austin, TX. Please email me at hillcountryspiritjumpers@gmail.com for more information. Thanks for the big hearts to all those that have already donated!

Incoming Cards for Cards 4 Cancer

2010-03-18T10:21:00.003-05:00

I just received the most precious package today from Hong Kong. It was filled with 10 of the most beautiful handmade cards by Valmade. I got goose bumps and almost started crying at the special messages that these cards will bring to cancer patients. It warms my heart too to think that people all over the world are pulling together for this one cause. Here is just a sample of the the great cards from Valmade (click on image for larger picture) ~~

Valmade has a studio on ArtFire that is filled with more great cards, hand knitted cuties, cross-stitched items, ans some adorable beanbag toys. Please go check out her studio and give some business to someone you know cares about those patients going through cancer.

2010-03-14T23:26:00.003-05:00

This is a yummy recipe that I found in a Diabetic cookbook. I wanted to share because it is easy, fast and delicious!

BLT Cukes

3 slices crisp-cooked bacon, chopped
1/2 cup finely chopped lettuce
1/2 cup finely chopped baby spinach
1/4 cup diced tomato
1 tablespoon plus 1 1/2 teaspoons fat-free mayonnaise
Pinch salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 large cucumber
Minced fresh parsley or green onion (optional)

1. Combine bacon, lettuce, spinach, tomato and mayonnaise. Season with salt and pepper; set aside.

2. Peel cucumber. Trim off ends and cut in half lengthwise. Use spoon to scoop out seeds; discard seeds. Divide bacon mixture between cucumber halves, mounding in hollowed areas. Garnish with parsley. Cut into 2-inch pieces.

Nutrition info per serving (1 piece):
Calories: 26, Calories from Fat: 50%, Total Fat: 2g, Saturated Fat: >Cholesterol: 3mg, Sodium: 72mg, Carbohydrates: 2g, Dietary Fiber: >Protein: 2g

2010-03-11T12:02:00.009-06:00

I have been busy spreading the word around town and the web about Cards4Cancer presented by Spirit Jump and Bloggers Unite. The goal of Cards 4 Cancer is to deliver at least 100,000 cards to cancer patients on or around April 10th. Spirit Jump has done an amazing job helping those going through cancer by having donors send a little bit of cheer their way. It's really heart warming to see how many people have been involved and how far this even reaches around the world!

There is less than a month left until the official Cards 4 Cancer day! I've started getting cards in and of course have been using my creativity for making my own cards. I have a lot more verbal commitments than have actually signed up, but I think a lot of people sign up at the last minute. Please let me know if you would like to join our team and help bring a smile to cancer patients in Austin, TX. You can join my team at www.cards4cancer.org and my team name is Hill Country Spirit Jumpers. I'll send an email to you with the address to use to send cards.

Here are a handful of the cards I've made so far ~~

I also have the machine embroidered cards available on my ArtFire shop and $1.00 will be donated back to Spirit Jump!!!

Do You Think IRS Will Accept Handmade Instead of My Taxes?

2010-03-07T11:48:00.003-06:00

I've always enjoyed numbers and math. I was probably born with that crazy gene which makes math fun for me. My Dad is also a numbers man, so maybe it isn't the genes, but that I picked it up from him over the years.

I have my corporate taxes due in 8 days. Yikes! Ummm, can't really say that I've started them yet. I've been attempting to start for about a week by clearing off a table to sort receipts and stuff. The craziest part of all this is that I can't tear myself away from my sewing machine! I have so many ideas running through my mind that I can't stop being creative and settling in on those now boring and non-creative numbers.

So wish me luck on getting those taxes done. I wonder if the IRS would like a nice set of embroidered coasters instead of all my paperwork? Please, tell me to, "Just step away from the Bernina"!

Off the Rack

2010-02-28T19:01:00.004-06:00

I had a wonderful weekend with some good friends. A friend and I went to the book signing of a dear friend of mine named Genae Girard. Get to know her name, because she is a talented, funny insightful and intelligent author. Her first book just came out and I read it with my morning coffee today and I could not put the book down. It truly is a page-turner. She is a young breast cancer survivor so this book chronicles her battle and shows her true warrior side. As a fellow breast cancer survivor I have a real hard time reading books about the disease and what others went through. Those types of books all seem to be "woe is me" and remind me of the negative side of the disease. Although she still had to be treated for breast cancer and had some set backs along the way, Genae's humor and way of expressing herself had me laughing and I couldn't put the book down until I was finished! Please pick up your own copy here and enjoy the musings of Off the Rack!

Happy Dog Biscuit Appreciation Day!!

2010-02-23T17:16:00.003-06:00

I have become addicted to Twitter. I use TweetDeck and it's the first thing I open up when my computer boots up in the morning. I have to go and read each tweet that comes in to make sure I don't miss anything. Anything as in I might miss that somebody is at the Barnes & Noble on some street in Oklahoma or some other random thing about somebody I don't know. Truly there are a ton of tweets that I actually follow the link and learn something or find a great new crafter. One Tweeter that I follow is @AnswersDotCom. I just wanted to share with everyone that today I learned from @AnswersDotCom on Twitter that today is International Dog Biscuit Appreciation Day! See what you're missing if you're not on twitter :) Come follow me on Twitter!

Yummmm, peanut (not peanut butter) dog treats! These are made by Buckaroo Bones, which is an animal rescue assistance based business. They started the bakery as a means to help finance their dog and cat rescue efforts. Check out their rescue pages under Empathy Program Lab Rescue at www.petfinder.com. Buckaroo Bones is continually doing research for dog friendly, all natural human foods that are nutritionally beneficial for dogs. You won't find fad ingredients or dubious claims of health benefits here. Click on the above picture to see the actual listing for these delicious treats that come in a 1/2 lb. package and you can find Buckaroo Bones on Etsy for all of their delicious and fun treats. Make sure you take a look at their profile page there to see where else you can find them.

Birthday Sale!

2010-02-06T11:48:00.002-06:00

My birthday is coming up next week so to celebrate I have marked everything down in my ArtFire and Zibbet shops! My birthday is on 2/8/10 and that adds up to 20 so everything has been marked down 20% off! All Christmas items were already marked down 40% so they are now 60% off! Now that is a great deal and I'm practically given those items away. Stock up now for next Christmas.

Spirit Jump and Cards 4 Cancer

2010-02-04T11:05:00.011-06:00

Cancer just sucks. Plain and simple. As a two-time cancer survivor I know this firsthand. Even when the best support group surrounds you, the diagnosis, treatments, doctors, emotions, etc. can really bring you down. There is a great organization that is working to lift the spirits of those battling cancer. The group is called Spirit Jump and please watch this great little news clip that explains how they help.

Spirit Jump has partnered with Bloggers Unite for the 1st Annual Cards 4 Cancer day. On April 10th patients at cancer centers all over the world will be honored with cards delivered from volunteers. It's amazing the impact that a simple card or gift from a stranger can do to brighten the day of someone battling cancer.

I have signed on to deliver cards in the Austin, TX area. I am looking for team members to join Hill Country Spirit Jumpers to make this day a huge success! Please send me a card, tell all your friends and neighbors, hold a card making party, and inform everyone you know. Tweet, Facebook. blog about this day and lets make it an awesome experience for all the cancer patients that need their spirits lifted. You can contact me at hillcountryspiritjumpers@gmail.com for my mailing address or any other questions you have about participating. I look forward to hearing from you soon!

Winner of My Twitter Giveaway

2010-02-02T15:24:00.004-06:00

I had a giveaway to one of my Twitter followers at the end of January. Homespun Alley was randomly chosen as the winner! She received a $20 gift certificate to my shop! She sells here on ArtFire and also here. One of her newest listings is these cute little matchbook notepads. They are even refillable!

I also adore this pocket photo holder ~

Wondering what she picked from my shop? She chose these great machine embroidered drink coasters.

Click on the pictures to take you to their listings.

Winter Wonderland Winner

2010-02-01T11:59:00.003-06:00

Well, the voting ended on January 31st for the You Can Sell It Guild contest. The theme was "Winter Wonderland" and my Blue Ice Bracelet won with over 50% of the votes!!! Here is the bracelet and now that the contest is over, you can own this award winning piece of jewelry! Find it on my ArtFire or on my Etsy.

Machine Embroidered Greeting Cards

2010-01-30T13:37:00.005-06:00

I've been busy at the embroidery machine the last couple of days. I added more cards to my collection of machine embroidered greeting cards. I have everything from birthday to get well cards. Here are a handful of them, but make sure to stop by my ArtFire shop to see what else I have in stock. I'll be adding more so stop by often! I can take special orders for different color combinations and give a discount when you order more than one card.

Winter Wonderland Voting

2010-01-25T11:13:00.008-06:00

I'm involved with a guild on ArtFire called "You Can Sell It", that works hard at promoting the other guild members. We held a creativity contest for all those that wanted to enter from the guild. The theme was "Winter Wonderland" so please look at the photos below and vote for your favorite piece! The voting will end January 31 st and the winner will be announced February 1st. The pictures are in random order and the voting poll is on the right hand side so please take just a second and cast your vote!! Yes, one of those items is mine :)

Twitter Giveaway

2010-01-14T15:01:00.002-06:00

I just started Tweeting finally. At first I felt like I was talking to myself with no followers. Well, my mom was following, but she already knows what's going on! I am having a giveaway on January 20th to one of my Twitter followers. I'll have Ken pick a random number and that follower will receive one of my items or several that equal about $20. So, come follow me here on Twitter and join the giveaway!

Take a Look

2010-01-13T21:35:00.001-06:00

It's a new year so I decided that I needed a new look for my online shops. I created a new banner and avatar for my Hill Country Collection stores on Etsy and ArtFire. Stop by and let me know what you think of my new look! Hopefully this fresh change will be the start of a great year!

Silicone Valley is Back in the Headlines

2010-01-06T14:24:00.005-06:00

My art bra titled Silicone Valley has been featured in this weeks Beader's Showcase on the website Beader's Showcase. There are now 13,300 photos on the site and my art bra was chosen! Actually this is the second time so I guess the judges really like the bra!

Here is a picture of the bra, but make sure to go to the website to see the other 5 beauties ~~

After Christmas Sale

2010-01-05T17:11:00.005-06:00

I have marked down all my Christmas items 40% off! Go to my ArtFire studio to take a look at the Christmas sale section. Hurry though because things are selling fast. All the Christmas items in my Etsy shop will be marked down soon as well.

I finally set up my Twitter account too! You can follow me here. I sent out my first Tweet today and I hope that I can keep thinking of things to say other than mundane what I'm doing at the moment!

Welcome 2010

2010-01-04T07:10:00.001-06:00

I hope everyone had a great holiday season! I got completely wrapped up toward the end of the year and neglected my blog unfortunately. We had a wonderful Christmas with the whole family together. This Christmas will also go down in our family history as the year that my dog took a few chunks out of the Christmas ham! Everyone was enjoying our time in the family room when I heard the tags on my dog’s collar making noise in the kitchen. I went to investigate just as he was running out of the kitchen licking his lips. I wish I had caught him in the act and gotten a picture! My dad was able to carve off the affected area and there was plenty left for dinner.

I’m really looking forward to this upcoming year. I am feeling a new energy and excitement about 2010. I am planning on posting more here, do more promoting of my online shops, actually send out tweets to my Twitter followers, set up a Facebook page for the businesses, and hope to create tons of new great products! It will be really interesting to see where I am this time next year. I hope for all of you that 2010 is your best year yet!

Check Out My New Clutch Bag for Sale

2009-12-08T05:32:00.009-06:00

I’ve been playing around with a ton of new ideas and products lately. My mind is full of things that I want to get done and just feel like I don’t have the time. I woke up at 3 a.m. because I couldn’t sleep and felt like I was wasting time instead of beading! I have several bracelets I need to finish before Christmas and that deadline will be here before I know it! One of the new things I have made and am so excited about is a little clutch purse. It could also be used as a make-up bag or whatever you want to carry inside. Here is the one that I just listed for sale in my shops ~~

It is so pretty is person and measures about 4 3/4" x 6 3/4" when closed. I'm having a hard time not keeping it for myself! Okay, now that I’ve had my coffee and procrastinated long enough I need to get back to my beading.

Thanksgiving Sale

2009-11-25T08:55:00.001-06:00

I can’t believe it is that time of year already, but it’s time to start your Christmas shopping if you haven’t already! I am having a sale in my ArtFire shop through the Thanksgiving weekend. I have marked everything down 10%! I am busy making some more Christmas items including some adorable mini stockings that are the perfect size for gift cards. You can even have them customized with a name. Those should be listed in my studio soon and here’s a sneak peek at one that is almost finished ~

I am frequently adding new items as I make them so check back often! I also have a bonus for my blog followers when you shop in my studio! I have listed a coupon on the right to use in my ArtFire shop. Hope everyone has a great Thanksgiving!

Still Sewing

2009-11-06T09:14:00.004-06:00

I cannot believe how much time I have been spending at the sewing machine. I’m surprised because I have spent about 15 years saying that I hate sewing! Now, I can’t seem to get enough. I have beautiful fabrics, but I’m having a hard time deciding what to do with them. I want to create stuff that people will want to buy. I know that I need practice and that beautiful craftsmanship doesn’t happen right away (well, in my mind that’s how I like to think). I designed a very basic piece, not even sure what to call it, that is made using simple rectangles. I figured the best way to get started was to try to sew a straight line! :) I tried putting together something in the cute 1930’s fabrics that are popular right now and we saw all over the International Quilt Festival in Houston. Here are a couple of the almost 40 fabrics that I used ~~

Hopefully it will turn into something cute that I can post a picture of, but keep in mind I’m still in practice mode and this might be a little over my experience level!

Last year once I learned the peyote stitch in beading, I created one of my all time favorite bracelets. It took me forever to make and I still just love it. A friend of mine asked me to make one for her so I did last Christmas. Well, she wears it all the time and gets so many compliments. She just bought 2 more from me to give as Christmas presents this year! Yay! I love making this bracelet, but crazy as it sounds my first thought was that the bracelets would cut into my sewing time! Here’s a little sneak peek at the bracelet~~

New Direction of Ideas

2009-10-21T11:19:00.001-05:00

I just got home from Houston where I attended the International Quilt Market and Festival. My head is just spinning with ideas! I even got up this morning about 5 because I could picture a quilt idea in my head and I just had to get to my computer and start designing. I know I’ve said forever that I hate sewing, but I’m starting to view it in a different exciting way. I don’t see myself sitting down and spending months on one quilt, but I do have in mind some smaller quicker projects. My mom was great and sat down with me in front of a sewing machine and went over what each of the presser feet do and showed me all the wonderful things I can do with my Bernina. While she was at dinner with some friends one evening, I made this block from some of her fabric scraps using the paper piecing method ~

Mom made sure that I came home with just about every notion made under the sun so I can continue exploring. We’ll see what I come up with now that I know how to use my “crafting machine” for other purposes.

Yum, What is that Smell?

2009-10-08T14:55:00.002-05:00

That smell is Uplifting, Refreshing, Fabulously Fresh and Just Divine. Seriously. Those are just a few of the creative names that Jenn of Jennuinecandles gave her 100% Palm Wax candles. The candles come in a variety of shapes and sizes. This is one of my favorite containers she has listed ~

Take a browse around her ArtFire studio and maybe you’ll find a new Annual Tree-Dition ;)

October is here

2009-10-07T08:16:00.002-05:00

It is Breast Cancer Awareness month, or as my dear friend calls it “The Month of Breasts”. For some of us survivors, it is all year round though. I know that I am aware every day when I wake up until I fall asleep at night. Please remember to do your self-exams and get your mammograms as suggested by your doctor. Early detection can be a lifesaver.

I finally got my MissBerly’s Designs studio up and running on ArtFire. MissBerly’s Designs are all of my pink ribbon creations and all this month I have my items on ArtFire marked down 10%! I have hundreds of items to list so new ones are being added all the time. Come over and take a look!

Great Greeting Cards

2009-09-25T07:22:00.004-05:00

Are you looking for a nice card for someone special? If so, then I’d like to introduce you to A Special Touch on ArtFire. This studio is full of fun, unique and creative handmade cards for just about any occasion. She is even willing to custom make something for you if you don’t see what you like or want one of her designs for a different event. Here are a couple of my favorites...

Check out her studio and enjoy!

Storms

2009-09-22T12:06:00.003-05:00

I have been staying with my parents in Houston for a few weeks now while I have some extensive dental work done. I met them at their store yesterday afternoon and hung out for a while letting a storm pass over. We were all in separate cars and headed home about 6. I passed 4 different accidents on the way home and what is usually a 15-minute drive took about 50 minutes. Once I turned onto the main road in the neighborhood there was no power and all the stoplights were out. That’s not very fun in rush hour traffic especially in a neighborhood of about 70,000 people and there are only 3 ways to get in and out of the development! Our subdivision looked like a disaster area and all the neighbors were in their yards picking up debris and looking around at the mess. I turned onto our street and I was greeted with this in the driveway...

It was awful! My Dad just paid to have all their trees trimmed about 3 months ago and unfortunately all the branches in the yard came from neighbors that don’t have their trees trimmed. That company was ringing our doorbell this morning at 7 am once they saw lights on and knew someone was awake! Well, they came back with their crew about 9 and ended up sitting in their trucks for a couple hours because it was raining. They are now working and as I’m writing this I’m listening to the sounds of chainsaws and men walking on the roof. Good thing we weren’t home or else we’d probably have 3 pretty messed up vehicles in the driveway!

I've Been Featured!

2009-09-17T11:15:00.003-05:00

I am so flattered. One of my listings in my ArtFire studio has been selected as “Item of the Day” on Handmade News! They chose the machine embroidered lace angel that I made. You can read the full article here . Make sure you vote and give the article a thumbs up!

Featured Artist Today - Grand Prairie Woodworks

2009-09-16T16:37:00.003-05:00

I wanted to share with you the talents of a fellow ArtFire seller. Meet Grand Prairie Woodworks whose studio features cutting boards, kitchen utensils, clocks, lighting and other home decor by a master builder of Mission furniture. My fiance does woodworking as well so I can appreciate the time, precision and talent that goes into these pieces. Here are a couple pictures from his studio ~

Make sure to visit his ArtFire studio and start your Christmas shopping today!

Beading Again!

2009-09-15T15:00:00.002-05:00

I have been so busy enjoying my new crafting machine that I haven’t had a chance to get in any beading. I was having withdrawals so I whipped up this quick and fun spiral bracelet. I used red and white seed beads and added black drop beads for a little twist.

I just listed the bracelet on Etsy and ArtFire so hopefully someone will enjoy it soon!

Name That Delica Number

2009-09-08T11:38:00.007-05:00

Color inspiration shows up when you least expect.

My parents gave us an invaluable gift for Christmas this past year. We went on a family vacation to Florida in July! This was the first vacation for all 8 of us to enjoy spending together for a week. It was my parents, my fiancé and I, my sister and her husband, and my niece and nephew ages 7 and 13. My Mom is in love with an amazing resort in Ft. Meyers and has been there 5 times over the past several years. She had been wanting to share the wonder with all of the family so we finally got to go and experience it for ourselves. If you’re interested in a vacation spot, check out Pink Shell Beach Resort & Spa. We are all now checking the web cam on a daily basis daydreaming of going back!

On our second day it stormed for a couple hours. Our room overlooked the ocean and had floor to ceiling windows. We watched this storm roll in over the horizon and it was a spectacular range of blues and greens! Funny thing, my Mom and I at one point both looked at each other and said, “What are those Delica numbers?!?”. The colors of the storm over the ocean were just amazing and we both imagined a rich project using those colors. I took many photos as a reminder of the brilliant color combination although it was much prettier in person. Amazing how our minds are always working toward that next favorite project! :)

After the storm, we were treated to this beautiful sunset from our balcony......

I Hate Sewing

2009-09-02T11:01:00.003-05:00

As long as I can remember, my Mom has sewn. She made clothes for my sister when we were little and then I was lucky enough to wear those clothes once I grew into them. My sister and I wore the same outfit in our kindergarten picture and she is 7 years older than me! She is probably going to kill me for posting this picture, but I can’t resist. Here we are about 30 years ago wearing matching denim jumpers my Mom made for us. I’m the chubby one on the right!

Mom even had her own pattern company in the late ‘80s. The whole family would work on copying the pattern, folding the pages and stuffing them into bags for selling. I even got paid 5 cents per pattern that I got ready! My mom got interested in quilting and now my parents own 3 amazing stores in Houston. Shameless plug – visit them online at www.itsastitchonline.com for all your quilting wants and needs.

I have never liked to sew. I go through little spurts where I get really excited about sewing up a project and then about 20 minutes into it I remember that I hate sewing. Although, I have just discovered the joy of machine embroidery! Since I don’t sew, I call my sewing machine “my crafting machine”. :) Check back soon for photos of what I have been making on my crafting machine.

Back to School

2009-08-25T16:50:00.001-05:00

So how in the world did that happen? One day I’m staring at the calendar wondering why time is passing by so slow and how it feels like we’ll never be in Florida for vacation. Then here we are with school starting already. I don’t have any children so I don’t have to worry about the school supply list or the back to school clothes or trying to get on a new early schedule for school. However, I do have to drive through THREE school zones to get from the house out of our neighborhood. There is only one road that leads out of the neighborhood. Ugh! It’s time to schedule all my appointments, errands, shopping, etc. around the school zones!

Summer Vacations

2009-07-07T14:49:00.000-05:00

I am finally back to work after an extended vacation. It’s been hard to get back into the groove of the everyday grind. I went to the huge Bead & Button show in Milwaukee with my mom and then I hung out with my family in Houston for a few weeks. It was a nice time off to get some beading done and enjoy quality time with my family. I’ll be posting soon about the wonderful classes we took at Bead & Button and also pictures of the items I’ve been making recently.

Now that things have settled down again it’s time to get ready for another vacation! Ken and I are heading to Houston in 1 week and then my entire family is flying to Florida for a week! I haven’t been to Florida in about 15 years. I can’t wait to just sit on the beach and do nothing!

Featured on Beaders Showcase!

2009-05-26T19:46:00.002-05:00

I received an exciting email yesterday. One of my photos was chosen for “This Week’s Showcase” on Beader’s Showcase! There are over 10,260 photos on the site and my Silicone Valley Bra photo was chosen to be one of the 9 featured this week! It was chosen based on the ratings from other members. I’m proud that others enjoy the bra as much as I do and I’m already coming up with fantastic ideas for next year.

My First Herringbone

2009-05-15T15:06:00.006-05:00

The first beading stitch I learned using a needle and thread was the herringbone stitch. I followed the directions in a kit sold by Tapestry Beads and I loved it immediately! I never finished that bracelet from the kit because I got so excited about the possibilities of patterns that I moved on to make my own design. I made my first bracelet a couple years ago in which I used colored pencils and blank herringbone graph paper to design the pattern. I actually wore the bracelet today which made me think back to how excited I was to take an idea from my head and see it come to life. Here are some pictures of my Coral Over & Under (yep, I know it’s a catchy title)

I ended up making the same design in pastels for a Spring Fever bracelet and converted the pattern to peyote for the bracelet I made to donate to the Graphic II event.

Art Fire

2009-05-13T16:24:00.002-05:00

I’ve recently opened a new shop on Art Fire. Art Fire is a fairly new, started in 2008, handmade venue online that really focuses on the seller and the handmade community. It is growing and changing with feedback from the artists that use the site. The founder was a seller on another large online venue and knows first hand what is important in a site to a seller of handmade goods. The people in the forums have been so nice and welcoming. There is a ton of good info and help coming in from all the other sellers. One thing that I have liked so far is the eagerness and willingness of everyone to help promote each other’s shops. I think I’ve found a new home for selling my items!

Please check out my Art Fire studio frequently for new items and also shop around the rest of Art Fire to buy handmade!

2009-05-02T17:59:00.004-05:00

We decided to take advantage of this overcast day to do some much-needed work around the house. So Ken is finishing the lofts in my studio and I’m posting to my blog, obviously not getting much work done :)

The big Graphic III event was one of the most wonderful nights this year! We sold out and packed the venue with about 500 guests. Click here to see a brief video about the evening and you can see me up on the stage with the auctioneer. There were 19 models/breast cancer survivors that walked the runway in gorgeous art bras. Six of those bras were auctioned off live immediately following the runway show. I wore my creation Silicone Valley in the runway show and it was auctioned off live for $600! Here I am right before walking down the runway in my art bra.

The night was a huge success and we raised over 40% more than last year! We weren’t sure what was going to happen due to the economy. I made a beautiful herringbone bracelet for the silent auction. I used metallic pink Delicas and hematite drops to add some depth. Here is the bracelet.

Calendar Photo Shoot

2009-04-03T19:05:00.005-05:00

What a beautiful afternoon! I can hear the wild turkeys gobbling across the lake.

I had my first photo shoot today for the 2010 Art Bra Calendar. I wore a bra called Glamour Eyes that had funky beaded eyes with zebra print. This great salon called Avenue Five Institute took care of our hair & make-up in the morning before the photo shoot at the Umlauf Sculpture Gardens. The salon team was awesome and I think they had a good time making me look “fierce”! Here are a couple pictures of me getting made up and with the salon team –

The shoot today was with 3 other breast cancer survivors wearing black & white bras and our wonderful photographer Rocky.

I’m still finishing up my auction item. I’ll have to turn it in on Monday morning so it will be done this weekend. I was inspired by all the hematite I used in my art bra so I am making a beautiful herringbone bracelet with metallic pink Delicas and hematite drops. I’ll show photos once I finish.

Silicone Valley

2009-03-20T17:53:00.012-05:00

Yay! It’s the first day of spring! The weather is amazing. It’s about 5:45 on Friday afternoon and I’m enjoying a little down time in the sun after such a crazy week.

I haven’t been able to post in a while because I’ve had a needle, FireLine, and some random shaped/sized hematite colored bead in my hand! So, Ken was right this time and I didn’t finish my art bra in by the March 16th deadline. I knew it was going to be close, but I thought without sleep or food for a couple days that I could have it finished. Reality set in and I decided that food and sleep were sort of a necessity. I did finish the bra Wednesday night though! Yay, Silicone Valley is complete! Well, I do have one or two minor adjustments to make over the weekend, but if the event was tomorrow and the bra entered “as is” then I would be extremely proud!

Here are a couple pictures of my masterpiece ~~

I love to see everyone’s surprised look that I made something like this!

Okay, now off to my next project. I have to come up with a piece for our auction by April 1st. I’ll have to come up with something quick & easy that looks like it’s worth a million bucks!

2009-03-09T15:15:00.003-05:00

It’s official. I am now in panic mode over this art bra. I have exactly one week to complete “Silicone Valley” and have it be the most beautiful piece of art I have ever created. I can’t believe how much I have procrastinated over this project! Oh well, I did it to myself. Ken doesn’t think that I’ll have it done in time and he might just be right for once :) Here are a couple pictures of what it looks like so far and I am off to bead as fast as my fingers will let me!

2009 Young Survivor's Conference

2009-03-03T12:40:00.004-06:00

I just had a wonderful weekend! I attended the 9th Annual Young Survivor’s Conference in Dallas, TX. I flew up to Dallas on Friday with a survivor friend and then we met up with a couple other survivor friends. There were about 800 women there that have been diagnosed with breast cancer under the age of 40. We attended workshops, networking opportunities and got in some shopping! It was amazing to see all these strong women and was quite an emotional trip as well. Here is a picture of the girls (I'm on the far left) ~~

I finally started working on my art bra. Yep, I only have two weeks to complete the whole thing. Uh oh! It looks great in my head, and I just hope it turns out and that I’m able to finish in time! I’ll post some pictures once I have more sewn on since right now it just looks like a bra!

2009-02-23T15:12:00.001-06:00

Last Wednesday, we went to the UT women’s basketball game against Oklahoma State. The game was a special pink themed night for breast cancer awareness. I was actually able to go down on the court with other survivor friends to cheer on the team while they came on to the court! It ended up being a close game and unfortunately UT lost, but it was still a fun night.

I got to see some of my beading friends on Friday. We have a small group that meets on the third Friday of the month at a local library to bead together. I haven’t been able to attend since last fall so it was really nice to see everyone and see all the work they’ve been doing. This group is so full of talent!

I finally decided on my art bra idea. I thought I had a dozen times before, but now I’m about ready to start working on the actual bra. Ken had suggested this idea before and I hated it, but he thought of a clever/cute name and it all makes sense now. The title is “Silicone Valley” and here’s a little hint of the design.....

My friend Theresa and her family brought over a big box of obsolete computers and other components this weekend. Ken and I spent about 3 hours Sunday taking apart everything to get to their inner parts. It’s actually been an interesting project so far. Ever wondered what the inside of your laptop looks like??

2009-02-12T10:18:00.000-06:00

Interesting. I have no idea how that happened. How could it possibly be two weeks since my last posting??? What have I been doing for the past two weeks? It seems that I have been swamped, but no completed projects to show. I had this million-dollar idea that just hasn’t seemed to work out once I tried to make it in beads. It’s beautiful in my mind!

We’ve been busy getting auction items and sponsors for our Graphic III event coming up in April. I of course haven’t started my art bra. I am awful! It’s due March 16th and I obviously still have a lot of work left to complete.

I’ve signed up for the Young Survivors Conference, which will be held in Dallas the last weekend of this month. I’ve got my plane and hotel reservations and I’m ready to go! There will be 5 other of my friends and survivors there as well and I’m sure we’ll meet lots more from all over.

I had an appointment with my oncologist yesterday. I have check ups with him every 6 months to make sure everything still looks good and my cancer hasn’t come back. I got perfect results! Yay! I knew I would, but sometimes there is still this little “what if” that sneaks in to my brain and gets me nervous.

Today is Ken’s birthday so I’m baking him a cake right now. Hopefully I’ll be able to get this project idea figured out today. Oh, and I should probably start my art bra!

Superbowl Sunday

2009-02-01T13:44:00.001-06:00

What a beautiful day today! I’m sitting outside writing today’s blog entry and it’s a sunny 75 degrees. There are even people wakeboarding on Lake Austin! It’s also Superbowl Sunday. I’m pretty neutral on today’s game. I haven’t been keeping up with the Pro Football like I usually do. I’m a complete fanatic about UT football though! I think I’d like to see Arizona win today. The only reason is because they are the Cardinals and my mom likes those cute little red birds :)

I came up with a new project idea a couple of days ago. I’ve started beading it probably 10 times already. Once I get a row or two done then I go back to the computer and re-design. I think I should have it completed today though so hopefully I’ll have pictures soon!

Off to get in some beading before the game starts!

2009-01-28T17:10:00.000-06:00

There was ice on the roads here overnight. Mainly on the overpasses, but still not fun out there. Rush hour this morning was a disaster on the roads. I don't know how people deal with ice & snow all the time. It didn’t get down to freezing here at the house thankfully. I made a homemade potato soup last night to keep us warm Yum!

Yay! I got lots of beading done today. I am so close to being done with this one piece that I started over the Thanksgiving holiday. I’m ready for it to be completed so I can move on to the next project. I’ll post pictures once I give it to Mom.

Mom signed us up for our classes for Bead & Button in June. We are both taking a polymer clay class and a metalworking class. We’ll also be attending the Meet the Teachers evening and Lampworking Madness. It is going to be so much fun. Hopefully we’ll still have plenty of time for shopping.

2009-01-26T14:43:00.005-06:00

On Friday we had an organizational meeting for our upcoming Graphic III event in April benefiting the Breast Cancer Resource Center of Texas. The preparations are coming along great and this is going to turn out to be a fantastic night! We’re in the process of sending out requests for sponsorships, art bras by famous people and cool artsy items for our silent and live auctions. So, if you’re a famous person reading my blog feel free to contact me to donate :)

Saturday I went to the Austin Bead Jamboree. I got to see one of my friends in my beading group that I haven’t seen in months. I also got to visit with on of my favorite Lampworkers, Michelle Waldren. She does beautiful work and you can click here to see her items! Here are a couple beads she made that I bought a several years ago.

Of course the pictures don’t do justice to the brilliant colors and details.

It’s a gross day outside. It’s cold and been spitting outside all day. I wish it would either really rain or quit completely and let the sun come out for a while. I’m off to do more beading and rack my brain for an art bra idea myself!

2009-01-21T16:36:00.007-06:00

Today has been a good day. I’ve had a productive day in the studio finally. It was 27 degrees out this morning when I woke up so I ran out to the studio to turn on the heaters. Well, this afternoon it has gotten up to 80 degrees so now the studio is HOT! I’m just happy to be beading again. I had a rocky start though with the wrong colored bead in my project! I had to cut apart this piece I’ve been working on for so long. I just kept thinking of all the time I spent just being thrown away! Oh well, I got it fixed and am now moving forward. I need to finish this project though so I can start on some of the other million in my head!

Mom and I are perusing the class schedule for Bead & Button this year. We’re looking at some classes where we could learn something new that would be hard to learn without taking a class. I can’t wait and it’s going to be so much fun. Mom’s worried though that we won’t have enough time for shopping it we spend too much time in classes! I’m sure we can manage. The first year before we went, she wondered what we were going to do there for 4 days and we ended up running around like crazy the last hour before it closed to finish our shopping! That was a few years ago and we’re getting it down to a science :)
I posted some pictures of our little guy on another forum today and realized that I don’t have any on my blog yet so here you go!

Here’s a picture of Ken too so he doesn’t think I’m playing favorites!

Okay, off to bead!

2009-01-19T12:34:00.002-06:00

Like usual, I waited until the last minute to finish something before a deadline. I have sales taxes due tomorrow for 3 businesses. Yay! Oh yeah, Ken wants me to do his for him too. As you can see, I’m making blog entries instead of figuring my taxes :)

I’m hoping to get in some beading time today too. I’m in the middle of a huge project that I just can’t wait to finish. I can’t share much yet because it was supposed to be a Christmas present for my mom, which I just didn’t finish in time. My mom reads this blog so I don’t want to spoil it for her! Hopefully I’ll be able to post pictures in the next week or two. And yes, the pattern will be for sale!

My allergies are still killing me. Okay, I’m off to take more meds and get started on my taxes finally! I think I’ve wasted enough time :)

Calendar Signing

2009-01-16T19:04:00.004-06:00

Yay! Wednesday night was a great success. The Pink Ribbon Cowgirls had a signing of our 2009 Art Bra Calendar at Zax Pints & Plates, a local restaurant/bar. We had about 10 models there to autograph the calendars as they were flying out the door! We sold more this night than at any of the other signing events.

Click here to order your own calendar before they’re all gone!

Studio

2009-01-14T14:45:00.013-06:00

Lately, I’ve been trying to get my studio in order. We live in a rather small place and have 4 different businesses that we run from home. Last year we invested in a 12’ x 20’ portable building.
Here are some pictures of the studio going up ~~

Ken spent the majority of last year finishing out the building with cable, electricity, water, insulation, sheet rock, etc. I love it! It’s not quite 100% finished yet, but usable finally. Of course it now seems so small! I still have tons of stuff that I need to move in there and find places for everything. One of these days I’ll get organized. Yeah, right.

In October, the studio was probably about 85% ready to move in when I was asked to do an interview with our local news station. They wanted to hear from a breast cancer survivor about the ongoing fear of getting cancer again. I agreed to do the interview and found out on Monday that they wanted to come to my house at 9 am Tuesday for the interview! Umm, okay. We ran around like crazy getting the furniture and shelving, etc. to make the studio look like that’s where I’ve been working everyday (and not the sofa). So, the studio was furnished overnight and here it is ~~

I still need to find more efficient storage for things and figure out what works where. I have a corner picked out for my lampworking one of these days!

2009-01-10T15:55:00.002-06:00

I have been absolutely miserable this past week! The cedar pollen counts around here have been in the medium to high range for about a week now. A couple years ago I went to the doctor to get tested for allergies. It turns out that I am allergic to just about everything! I started going in for shots twice a week and gradually my allergies were better. Once I had my mastectomy and started chemo though, I had to stop the shots due to chance of infection. Oddly enough, my allergies weren’t so bad after chemo until about 6 months ago. They are back and with a vengeance! The allergy shots weren’t cheap a few years ago and I had better insurance then so I’m just dealing with the itchy eyes and sneezing with over the counter meds. Hopefully it will be a short cedar season this year! Keeping my finger crossed!

I’ve come up with an idea for this year’s art bra that I need to get started on right away. I don’t want to freak out at the last minute trying to get the bra finished like I did last year. I’m also going to see if I have time to create a unique piece to donate for our silent auction. Last year I designed and made a dramatic bracelet in peyote. Here’s a picture….

Well, I’m off to take more allergy medicine that will probably put me to sleep. I’ll keep everyone updated on my art bra progress!

The End of A Season

2009-01-06T09:37:00.015-06:00

I should say, the end of the college football season. Our beloved Texas Longhorns pulled it off again! They beat Ohio State last night 24-21 to win the Fiesta Bowl with a touchdown in the last 16 seconds. It was a really good game and very close. I always prefer if the Longhorns run away with the game, but at least they won.

It’s time for me start thinking about my art bra for this year. I’m part of a local support group for young breast cancer survivors called The Pink Ribbon Cowgirls. In the spring, we have a huge benefit called Graphic and this will be our third year. People from all over donate bras they’ve designed, embellished, painted, beaded, sculpted, etc. for our benefit. We have a fashion show with about 20 young breast cancer survivors modeling some of the bras that will then be part of a live auction. I was a model last year and it was such an amazing experience! I thought I’d be nervous walking around in front of hundreds of people in a bra, but luckily my piece was a corset so everything was hidden! Throughout the night we have other bras and art available for silent auction. We also have a professional photo shoot with the models in bras and put together a calendar that we sell toward the end of the year.

Here are a couple pictures of last year's bra....

Anyway, I’m hoping to shed about 30 pounds (wishful thinking) and be ready to model whatever interesting bra I can come up with this year. Thankfully I have my Wii Fit to help me get in shape this year! I’ve actually been working out with the Wii just about everyday this year. Oh yeah, I’ll have to change my diet and all of that other stuff too!

Intro

2009-01-05T13:24:00.005-06:00

Hi! Welcome to my blog and thank you for visiting!

This is my first post (obviously) so I thought I’d start off sharing a little about myself. My name is Kim and I live in Austin, TX with my fiancé Ken and our dog Cabo. We live by Lake Austin and enjoy spending time outside and on the water. I grew up in Houston where my parents still live. I’m very close with my family. My sister lives in Houston as well, with her husband and 2 kids.

I am a two-time cancer survivor. I had Hodgkin’s Disease when I was 16, and then was diagnosed with breast cancer at age 30.

While undergoing chemo for the breast cancer in 2005, I taught myself beading and made breast cancer awareness jewelry. I was really sick from the chemo so my employer of 7 years terminated me since I wasn’t able to come in to work. I turned my beading into a full time business and started a company called MissBerly’s Designs.

In early 2007, we acquired a company called Assistwear. We provide post-surgical garments for women to heal with dignity after breast and/or abdominal surgeries.

I’ve also fallen in love with bead weaving, especially Herringbone and peyote stitches. I've been making all my non breast cancer awareness items under the name Hill Country Collection. I’m amazed at being able to design a pattern of my own on the computer and then be able to make it with just beads, thread and a needle. I’ll be sharing more of those designs here on my blog.

Stay tuned!