Sunday, March 30, 2008

Breast Cancer Myths

Hey Y'all!!

I just read this blog about breast cancer that blew my mind! I can't believe that people still think some of these things really cause cancer?!?!?? I hope everyone out there gets educated on Breast Cancer because knowing the REAL risk factors and how much early detection can help are super important... Scroll through my blog and check out the BC block - side 6 has the risk factors in it... Can you believe the 6 out of 10 people still think underwires can cause Breast Cancer?

Check out the article if you missed it on Yahoo's front page...

Breast Cancer: busting common myths

On a lighter note - did some great scrapping this weekend. Will post pics later in the week! Enjoy!!

Tuesday, March 25, 2008

Fab Find on CC - Yippee!!

I'm excited!! I got picked for the Fab Find on Coordinates Collection again!! Yippee!! They liked the page I did for my March Design Team assignment on Annde's love of the color pink. I just love the KI Memories die cut paper.... It's so easy to use and creates different looks with each type...
Check it out here: http://coordinatescollections.com/phpBB/viewtopic.php?t=4047&highlight==

Happy Easter & Spring (belated)...

Just wanted to give a shout out to all - Happy Spring! Happy Easter! We had an illness in our household that took 2 out of the 3 of us out... (Not me!) so Easter was pretty slow and relaxed. We spent some time dyeing Easter Eggs with Mom and Dad P. in Lansing and then did the hunt thing around our house. Annde had a lot of fun! Steve and I had lots of fun also - watching State advance to the Sweet 16 in the Men's NCAA tourney! Go State.... Beat Memphis! (It's on at 9:27pm EST on CBS Friday for all who are interested) I would be watching but instead my hubby, Dad-in-Law, friend Kevin, and I are going to the Sweet 16 and Elite 8 playoffs here in Detroit at Ford Field! Soooo excited!! AND - if that wasn't enough - I'm doing a scrap night at Tracy's on Saturday! Can life get any better?!?!?!

On a different note... Today, we celebrated Spring with a "green hunt": we looked for signs of spring around the yard. We didn't find much but some budding trees and a dead chipmunk. (eewwhhhh!!) We still got some time outside and Annde showed off the newest in Spring fashion, complete with hot pink sunglasses and white purse. Stylin!

On a fun note... My mom is doing her first show! She's into Icon Painting and she's been taking classes for a couple of years. We (the kids) tease her about it but she's got her first showing going on right now at University of New Mexico - Los Alamos. We got a postcard in the mail with her Icon for my sister (mine is here in Michigan and is a Guardian Angel) - How freakin' cool is that!!! Congrats to my Mom!!!

Well, its really late... signing off for now... Sweet dreams, Y'all!

Sunday, March 23, 2008

My Breast Cancer Box for Tracy is finished...

Okay folks! Here it is... the breast cancer box!
Previously, I posted the sketches of the logos (printed in transparency and added to some of the sides of the box. Each side either shows the reasons or lists interesting facts. I love the quote Tracy picked from Garth Brooks' pink album (also donating money to the Susan G Koman Foundation), "God bless the risen and God's strength to those who walk..." In reality, the box is just over 5"x5" in size. I will be doing one for Tracy's Mom too as she is also walking. My sister, Susan, is getting a book (I'll post it when it's done) so that she can take it along to rallies...

I am so proud of how it came out! I hope Tracy will be too. Go out and donate to those who will be walking (you can donate to Tracy or Susan using the links to the right -->)



Tuesday, March 18, 2008

Scattegories with a twist!

I've been tagged with the Scattergories game... Copy/paste this and try it yourself in your blog! Don't forget to resend it to the person who sent it to you...

Use the 1st letter of your name to answer each of the following...
{they have to be real places, names, things...nothing made up!}
Use different answers if the person before you has the same 1st initial and you CAN'T use your name for the boy/girl.

1. What is your name: Jana
2. 4 letter word: Just (tee hee... easy so far!!)
3. Vehicle: Jaguar (launched the X-type as my very first car after becoming an engineer!)
4. City: Jerusalem (in honor of Holy Week)
5. Boy's Name: Jon (sorry, Jeff!!)
6. Girl's Name: Joyce (sorry, Jane and Jacqui!)
7. Alcoholic drink: Jungle Juice (Ahhh... brings back those college memories!)
8. Occupation: janitor
9. Something you wear: jumper (at least my daughter does... me, not so much!)
10. Celebrity: Jenny Jones (you know, the talk show host?)
11. Food: jambalaya (Ummm... YUMMY!)
12. Something found in a bathroom: Dang this one is hard... joint creme... (you know, like BenGay?)
13. Reason for Being Late: "jumping the battery," which was dead... (I know that this was a stretch!)
14. Cartoon Character: Jana of the Jungle (See the George of the Jungle cartoon...)
15. Something You Shout: Jerk! (I know I said this like ten times today already!!)
16. Animal: jackrabbit (in honor of the Easter bunny)
17. Body part: joint (my knee is throbbing so this was easy to come up with!)
18. Word to describe you: jovial!

Okay ladies at CC -> this is me, officially tagging you... I can't wait to read it on your blogs so send me a comment to go look!

Monday, March 17, 2008

Luck o' the Irish to all of you!!

Happy St. Patty's Day! I love this holiday because its fun to wear green and eat Corned beef and cabbage... and drink good irish beer! Annde "got it" this year - wanting to wear a green dress and green beads and take green frosted sugar cookies to school with her this morning. Yep, it was supposed to be a great day!

Then my car happened. I am soooo frustrated by my crappy Equinox! Its only 2 1/2 years old and I just had to put my 3rd set of rotors and pads on it. To be blunt, my brakes suck! And, it makes me mad because brakes are what I do for a living!! I can't get the dealership to listen to me or fix the problem (they won't admit there is one) so instead I take the car in, listen to them blow me off again, pay them $50 each time for crackin' open the system (which basically means putting it up on a hoist and taking off a tire - I could do that!), and get it back without them fixing anything. I know what the problem is... my independant mechanic knows what the problem is... but I can't get them to fix it under warranty! ARRGGHHHH!!!!! So, there has been a battle going on all day... I refuse to accept that my calipers are blowing through pads and rotors due to "normal wear and tear... " when it is because they aren't retracting fully after each brake application. I refuse to accept that my rear wheel cylinders have "some weepage which is normal wear and tear" when a brake system is CLOSED for a reason (aka -> no fluid should EVER leak out of the system). I hate the fact that my vehicle should have been designed with 13" rotors, not the crappy 11.5" rotors I actually have... (Think about this: my SUV Equinox has the same brake system as the Chevy Lumina car... DUH! That isn't going to work... my Equinox is bigger and heavier than a car!) My new nickname for it: The Equinoxious... Stay tuned for results...

So, to make myself feel better about this crappy day (so far), I wanted to list the things I am lucky enough to have ... and be thankful for...
* My wonderful husband and daughter... They are my world!
* My health - my knees might not work too well, but I am pretty healthy!
* My family across the country: I love each and every one of you...
* My friends who give me endless support... and listen to me complain!
* My warm home and everything in it...
* That I have everything I need to survive and a lot of the "extra creature comforts" I want...
* That I made the Design Team at the Zone (who said dreams can't come true?)
* A very stressful, but well paying, job
* A (crappy but still functioning) car that gets us around safely...
* Love from Above... I thank God every day to be here, regardless that it turns out crappy.

So, happy St. Patty's everyone. Happy Easter-to-Be! I hope everyone takes a moment today to think about all the things in life - and appreciate - that make each of us lucky! Cheer for Michigan State as they take on Temple for the first round of the NCAA March Madness... They need some of that Irish luck too!

Saturday, March 15, 2008

I challenge you to make a difference....

I have been inspired by 2 women in my life who will commit to walking 60 miles for Breast Cancer...
These two women, Tracy Jerome and Susan Daniels, are training hard and raising at least $2200 each to make a difference in this world:
* to save just one woman from the pain of breast cancer
* to save just one man from losing his wife
* to save just one child from growing up without a mother...
* to save one person from losing a friend...

Each one of us can make this our own challenge - each one of us can stand up and say, "I will walk too..." or, if you are like me where you can't walk, I challenge you to stand up and say, "I will support someone who will undertake this extraordinary effort." On the side of this blog are 2 links, one for each woman, that you can step up and say, "I will help you..." I challenge each one of you, if you can, to donate $5 to each woman. That's only $10... the cost of going out to lunch one time... but it could be the $10 that ultimately leads to the cure for Breast Cancer. Do you know that Breast cancer is related to other types of cancer such as pancreatic or esophageal cancer? Do you know that if they find the cure for this type, it might lead to the eradication of cancer from this earth? Wouldn't it be nice to let our children grow up in a world where they wouldn't have to fear it like so many in our generation do? Please help out these two ladies! They need your support so that they can make a difference in the world!

In helping out these women, I am working on a little project for each one so that they can show others and ask for help... This is the start of Tracy's... (just a little teaser!) I will post both projects here when they are finished. If you know someone who is walking, let me know... I will donate to them too... (Thanks to Stephanie at Homegrown Hospitality (see link on side of blog) for inspiring me in these doodles...)

Thursday, March 13, 2008

Interesting Easter Facts

I read this on one of the forum's I actively read and thought it was very interesting... {Thanks Jamie at CC for the info!!}

As you may know, Easter is always the 1st Sunday after the 1st full moon after the Spring Equinox (which is March 20). This dating of Easter is based on the lunar calendar that Hebrew people used to identify Passover, which is why it moves around on our Roman calendar. Found out a couple of things you might be interested in! Based on the above, Easter can actually be one day earlier (March 22) but that is pretty rare.

Here's the interesting info. This year is the earliest Easter any of us will ever see the rest of our lives! And only the most elderly of our population have ever seen it this early (95 years old or above!). And none of us have ever, or will ever, see it a day earlier!

Here are the facts:
~ The next time Easter will be this early (March 23) will be the year 2228 (220 years from now).
~ The last time it was this early was 1913 (so if you're 95 or older, you are the only ones that were around for that!).
~ The next time it will be a day earlier, March 22, will be in the year 2285 (277 years from now).
~ The last time it was on March 22 was 1818. So, no one alive today has or will ever see it any earlier than this year!

I feel for the St. Patty's folks who can't drink (since it's Holy week next week too)... it just feels so strange to have Easter this early. O well... I can always think of it as: 2 great holidays to scrap in one week - a Two for One!

Wednesday, March 12, 2008

Reading Opens a World that is Yours to Discover!

So, I did this really cool page (at least I think so...) tonight to document Annde's love of reading. While Steve enjoys reading, it is no where close to my passion for it. The love of the written word has been handed down from generation to generation in my family... a love for anything literary. I personally adore digging into a new book, cracking the spine for the first time, and immersing myself in a world where I am only an observer to the reality of the characters. Annde seems to have developed the same love for reading. It's more of a punishment to take away books than just about anything else! About a year ago, I was sneaking around, playing covert photographer, and caught her on several occasions, reading to her dolls the way that Steve and I read to her at bedtime. It was too cute a scene to pass up! I've had the pictures for a while but haven't found the write way to scrap it. (My original thought was to create a book and write it like the writing in the book but I dropped the idea as too corny!) Tonight, I was inspired! I just received the December Jangle kit from Coordinates Collections and viola! I love the letters paper from KI Memories... Sorry that the page is hard to read. I printed on transparency which doesn't photo well at midnight... ahahahaha The journaling talks about how my mother passed the love of reading onto me and I passed it onto Annde. I will try to take a picture during the daylight today and update the page.

Tuesday, March 11, 2008

Gasp... I first DT kit... and it's so me!!

So, I went today and picked up my first official kit as a design team member for the Scrapbook Zone. I am challenged to do 2 projects and the block. I cracked up when I opened it because it's predominantly pink... and exactly what I was thinking of when I took some pictures last night of Annde eating her "special pink with sparklies tupcakes" (her words). I died laughing because she would have eaten the wrapper if I had let her! What a perfect page to use these neat papers for. I have a theme already picked out for the block... just have to execute! I smiled when I saw the thickers - I just LOVE them!! This kit is very me... Look for pictures of projects to come... Also, I have gotten to meet (through email for now) the other two fabulous DT members, Sandi and Stacy. We are definitely going to have a wonderful year together!

Tonight, I played around with a challenge on the CC boards about journaling. I took this picture last fall of Annde peeking out of the pantry because she didn't want me to take any more pictures. I still remember the scene, her pleading for Papa to save her from the evil picture taking Mommy... When I first set out to scrap it, I was going to do something along the lines of her being a good sport usually about it but the page took on a life of its own, as it often does, and I came up with a great page, documenting not only how fast she's growing but also why I scrapbook. The wording on the page is as follows:
Today, you asked for Papa's help... apparently, you caught me taking yet another picture of you. At first, I laughed but then I really thought about what you said... "stop taking pictures of me..." Sorry, Annde, but that's not possible! Even if scrapbooking wasn't my life line to the stress at work - a creative outlet for my frustration - I would still take massive amounts of pictures. The reason is simple: You are growing so fast, Annde... every day you seem to be a new person with new skills and personality traits. I'm afraid - if I just blink my eyes - that I'll miss something, changes will happen, and you'll be ready to go off to school! I take pictures so I can slow down the world and take a breath, inhaling every smell, vision, and sound to permanently record it in my brain for later on when you've moved on... So, I beg Dad not to help. Let me record my memories just a little bit longer.
The product used includes paper (Bazzill, Imagination Project), Thickers (American Crafts), flowers (Prima, Heidi Swapp), tags (Maya Road), misc buttons and ribbon, and staples (MM). Most of it was part of the March (Around the Block) kit or one of the add-ons for it. Man, this kit sure is growing on me!!

TaTa for now...

New CC March Kit and DT News posted!

Okay... so today I got my mega-order from Coordinates Collections. I do mean mega! I took advantage of the Leap Year sale and caught some of the kits that they had from last fall I didn't have because I hadn't joined the community yet... I just couldn't wait to dig out everything and start playing!

For the March KOTM, I picked the one called "Around the Block." At first, I was hesitant that I could really do anything with it because the kit colors are brown, blue, and green. But, I was bound and determined to do a page tonight worth posting and viola! It's called Soakin' Silly and it is done almost entirely using the kit. {The only things not part of the kit are the white paper(CTMH), pictures(from my SIL Dee), ink(CTMH), and pens(Slickwriters)!} I adore this page. I do admit I went a little crazy with the Stickles... great product to jazz up the page! I just wanted to put my "water drops" everywhere: around the circle paper and journaling block (Dude Designs), in the chipboard flourishes and squiggles (Midnight Oil), on the really awesome vinyl thicker title (American Crafts)... The only that didn't get treated is the Lava paper (Imaginations Project) that I cut out and backed the right side picture strip with. Maybe I'll go back and add some more... :) I'm soooo hooked!

Also - today was the big announcement about the 2008 Design Team at the Scrapbook Zone...
http://ramblingsfromthezone.typepad.com/ramblings_from_the_zone/
I am super excited to work with Sandi and Stacy as their styles are VERY different from mine. I can't wait to get to know these ladies over the next year and grow together as artists... I just can't even express how excited I am... Yippee!! (As Annde would say...)

Monday, March 10, 2008

It's Monday again, isn't it?

Hey everyone... welcome to a new week.

Things around our house this week have been pretty busy and strange.

We picked up Steve's parents from the airport when they flew back from Phoenix after moving Denise. They stopped at our house and had a great dinner (patting my back!! AHAHAHA) of roast beef, potatoes, corn & green beans, bread, and finished with pink cupcakes (Annde's choice). Denise, Kira, and all the stuff safely made it to Phoenix and are in the process of unpacking in the apartment. Denise said that Kira is super excited about seeing Bob and barely leaves his side. So sweet! She definitely loves her Daddy... We were also excited to hear that Bob, with only 7 weeks left, is #2 in his class at the Academy. Great job, Bob!!

The first strange thing we had happen this weekend: Annde colored on the front of our high def TV. She's never done any coloring on anything other than paper with the exception of an incident at 1.5 yrs when she colored the window screen (she had just gotten crayons for the first time). So, this was completely out of the norm. I was really proud on how well Steve kept it together when inside I knew he was freakin' out. He managed to get the crayon off even though the surface is still slightly damaged. We've had this very expensive TV for about 6 months and for the first 5 months, nothing happened. {Heck, Annde didn't even go near it before as she was strictly warned about touching it!} Now, in one month, we had the coloring incident and the pop incident (our babysitter opened a can of pop sitting on the couch 10 feet away that exploded, coating the TV, entertainment center, wall, and all the TV equipment (DVR, DVD player, receiver, speakers)). Hopefully, this is not a trend starting...

The other strange thing I have noticed is that I haven't scrapped in over a week! ARRGGHH!! I can't believe I don't have a new page to put up for view. In fact, this weekend, I didn't take a single picture! That's so out of the norm for me. {I think it might be because I got sucked into a book, The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield. It was a great book... a little slow to start, but very hard to put down at the end... }

In order to get things going, tonight I'll scrap something and get it up this week so that you know I am overcoming my scrapbook withdrawl! :)

Wednesday, March 5, 2008

March CC Book Club Selection


The pick for March is "the Friday Night Knitting Club" by Kate Jacobs.
As a single mom in her late 30s, Georgia has her hands full juggling the demands of running the Walker & Daughter knitting store with the challenges of raising her spunky teen daughter, Dakota. Georgia's regular customers gather once a week to work on their latest projects and chat – and occasionally clash – about love, life, and everything else. The members of the Friday Night Knitting Club are as varied as the skeins of yarn in the shop's bins. There's Peri, a pre-law student turned handbag designer; Anita, a silver-haired uptown matron; Darwin, a somewhat aloof grad student; K.C., an out-of-work editor looking for inspiration, and Lucie, a petite television producer with a few surprises up her sleeve. But soon their quiet Friday nights are shaken up: James, Georgia's ex, wants to play a larger role in Dakota's life – and possibly Georgia's as well. Cat, a former high school friend, uneasily renews her bond with Georgia. And when the unthinkable happens, all of Georgia's customers are forced to realize they've created not just a knitting club, but a sisterhood. (description taken from http://www.fridaynightknittingclub.com/ )
This book is great - its a quick reader that deals with some very relavant topics in society today: single parenthood, struggling marriages, job transitions, as well as sickness and renewing old friendships. You will easily slip into the Knitting Club, even if you know don't anything about the craft of knitting... If you want to join in the fun of the discussion on this book, jump right in at Coordinates Collections by clicking on this link... Let the fun begin! See you there! http://www.coordinatescollections.com/phpBB/viewtopic.php?t=3900

Monday, March 3, 2008

Lots of Love heading towards Phoenix... and a Mini Album too!




Okay... so as promised, here is the mini album I did for my entry into the Design Team's selection contest for the Scrapbook Zone. I love this album. Each tab is just over 4.5" x 6.5". Each page (I shrunk them and overlayed them on the tab to show you them with the tab they belong to) are 4"x6" -> just the right size for a wallet sized picture. I had a great time doing this album and think it's a fabulous way to memorialize those wallet size pictures we all get from our loved ones.

It's been a pretty good week... very eventful. Denise and Kira made the big move this weekend - from Lansing to Phoenix (Bob's already there). I am VERY jealous of the fact that they are getting out of this dreaded snow (more on the way tomorrow... sigh! Will it ever end?). Mom and Dad P. are helping them move everything down there. I pray for good weather, fast roads, and lots of fun memories along the way. We helped them pack up the truck and watched them drive away... I don't think Annde has understood yet that we won't get to see them like we used to. It will take some getting used to not living an hour away from them.

Also this weekend was my church's Hockey Night with John Vanbiesbrouck. He's this amazing NHL (retired) hockey goalie who teaches hockey clinics (in our case 8-18 yr olds) while testifing about his relationship with God. The 65+ kids had a blast working with him and learning about his own faithwalk. It was a lot of hard work to set up but what an amazing event! Totally worth participating in...

Well, that's all for now. Enjoy your week and look for more posts later on...