It's Almost Over

Today is the 3rd and Final Bead Soup Blog Party (BSBP) Reveal.  It's so exciting and kinda sad to think it's almost over.  Lori Anderson sent out a sweet little post card thanking me for joining in the fun and inviting me to her next hop (I think it is in Feb). 

I can't imagine not doing it at this point since I have learned so much and met so many fabulous jewelry designers, bead makers and genuinly awesome people.

Once all the excitement dies down and I get my supplies a little more organized I will be doing a GIVEAWAY!!  Some of it will be a Pay It Forward from a great stash I was given and the rest will be from the best bead deal I think I will EVER get. 

I happened to be in the right place at the right time on Etsy when someone was about to move and needed to destash.  I was lucky enough to grab up about 30 orphaned lampwork beads for a ridiculously low price and I want to share some with you!  Check back soon, maybe I can get it together for Labor Day weekend?

For now, please check out these great artists and what they came up with from their bead soup:

Hostess, Lori Anderson, Pretty Things

Agi Kiss, Moonsafari Beads
Alice Peterson, Alice Dreaming

Alison Sachs, Beads by Earthtones

Amanda Dittloff, Passion Smashin'

Andra Marasteanu, Bijoux de Monanage

Angie Szlovak, SweetBeads

Anitra Gordy, Leelu Creations

Ann Sherwood, Ann's Blog

Arlene Dean, A Glass Bash

Audrey Belanger, Dreams of an Absolution

Barb Solem, Vivi Magoo Presents

Barbara Blaszczyk, laboratorim Flory

Becky Pancake, Becky Pancake Bead Designs

Bianca Odenthal, Zydies Glasperlen

Birgit Klughardt, GitesBeads
Bobbie Rafferty, Beadsong Jewelry
Bonnie Coursolle, Jasper Gems
Cece Cormier, The Beading Yogini
Charlene Jacka, Clay Space
Cherrie Fick, En La Lumie're
Cheryl Foiles, Get Your Bead On
Christie Murrow, Charis Designs Jewelry

Christina Miles, Wings n Scales
Christina Stofmeel, Feng Beads
Christine Stonefield, Sweet Girl Design
Cindy Cima Edwards, Live to Design
CJ Bauschka, 4 His Glory Creations
Claire Smith, Embergrass Jewelry
Cynthia Riggs, Cynth's Blog
Dana Fowler, Trunk Full of Treasure
Dawn Pierro, Turtle Moon Designs
Dee Elgie, Cherry Obsidia
Donetta Farrington, Simply Gorgeous

Dot Lewallwn, Speedie Beadie
Elizabeth Bunn, Elizabeth Beads
Eva Kovacs, Ewa gyongyos vilaga!
Evelyn Duberry, Sheba Makeda
Fay Wolfenden, Torch Fairy
Fen Li, Bead Flora Jewels
Gail Zwang, Angel Moose Enterprises
Geneva Collins, Torque Story
Grace Dorsey, Fan of the Flame
Gretchen Nation, Art Food Lodging

Hannah Annear, Squintessential
Hajer Waheed, My Beaded World
Heather Goldsmith, As I Bead It
Heather Otto, The Craft Hopper
Heidi Kingman, My Bead Therapy
Hope Smitherman, Crafty Hope
Isolina Perez, Isolina Perez
Jacqueline Keller, CreARTelier
Jane Haag, Did You Make Something Today?
Janeen Sorensen, Wild Vanilla Designs
Jean Peter, Jean P. Designs

Jennifer Judd, Jen Judd Rocks
Jennifer L Justman, Soul's Fire Designs
Joanna Matuszczyk, Bizuteria z filcu
Joanne Brown, Jo's Jewels
Joanne Lockwood, Jo Bunkum
Joyce Becker, Joyce's Joyful Gems
Judy Riley, Three Red Beads
Karen Mitchell, Over the Moon Design
Karen Williams, Baublicious
Karin von Hoeren, Creative Ideen

Karla Morgan, Texas Pepper Jams
Kashmira Patel, Sadafule .. always in bloom!
Kate Richbourg, We Can Make That at Home

Katrin Lembke, AllesPerle
Kathy Combs, Torched in Texas
Kathy Lindemer, Bay Moon Design
Kay Thomerson, Kayz Kreationz
Kelley Fogle, My Life, One Bead at at Time
Kelly Hosford Patterson, Traveling Side Show

Klaudette Koon, Only Road
Lara Lutrick, Lampwork Beads by Lara
Laura Guenther, Blue Antiquities

Laurie Lalonde, Simply Mod Jewelry
Lilik Kristiani, Soul of My Embodiment
Linda Younkman, Lindy's Designs
Lisa Chapman, Beach Cat Beads
Lisa Lodge, Pine Ridge Treasures
Loretta Carstensen, Designs by Loretta
Lori Bergmann, Lori Bergmann Design
Lori Dorrington, Lori's Adventures in Etsy Land
Lupe Meter, Gem's PC Corner
Lynn Davis, LLYYNN

Malin de Koning, Beading by Malin
Mandi Effron, Craft-o-licious
Mandy Williamson, Mimi's Beading
Margot Potter, The Impatient Crafter
Maria Rosa Sharrow, Willow Street Shops
Marianne Baxter, Simply Seablime Jewelry
Marina Dobrynina, Savon Feutre
Marjolein Trewavas, Room for Change
Marelene Cupo, Amazing Designs
Marsha Neal, Marsha Neal Studio

Marta Kaczerowska, uhuhu
Mary Govaars, MLH Jewelry Designs
Melissa Trudinger, Bead Recipes
Menka Gupta, Menka's Jewelry Blog
Michelle Burnett, Reverie and Revival
Michelle Escano-Caballero, The Cabby Crafter
Miko Wiropati, Uniquely Yunikua
Milla Hope, LB Creative Arts and Crafts
Mimi Gardner, Other Curiosities
Miranda Ackerley, MirandackArts
Natalie McKenna, grubbi

Noemi Baena, fuego, metal, y color
Pam Ferrari, Ferrari Originals
Pam Sears, Crazy Creative Corner
Penny Neville, Copper Penny
Rachel Baron, R. Baron Designs
Rachel Myers, Rockabead Jewelry
Rana Wilson, Definitive Designs by R. Wilson
Rebecca Anderson, Song Beads
Rebecca Sirevaag, Becca's Place
Riki Schumacher, Riki Jewelry

Rose Binoya, Ahtee's Blog
Rossana De Gaspari, Rdegas Blog
Sally Anderson, Wild Sally Road
Sandi James, Do Be Do Bead Do
Sandi Volpe, Sandi Volpe
Sandra Wollberg, City of Brass Stories
Sarah Goode, Pookledo

Sarah Small, blog by salla
Shai Williams, Shaiha's Ramblings
Shawn Mills, Shawn Marie Designs with Bent Wire
Sheila Davis, Stone Designs by Sheila

Sheryl Stephens, Babble Bead
Shiraz Biggie, Secret Song Designs
Solange Collin, Ahowin Handcrafted Jewelry
Sonya Stille, Dreamin' of Beads
Stephanie Dixon, The Dixon Chick
Susan Kennedy, Sue Beads
Susan Sheehan, Strands of Thought
Suzann Sladcik Wilson, Beadphoria
Sweet Freedom, Sweet Freedom Designs
Tabatha Dinger, Modernly Created
Tania Hagen, Pelima Jewellery Design

Tanya Boden, Fusion Muse
Terri Gauthier, Blooming Ideas
Terry Carter, Tapping Flamingo
Tracy Stillman, Tracy Stillman Designs

My 1yr Cancer Free Anniversary - Better Late Than Never

I meant to post this on August 15th which was my actual 1yr cancer free anniversary but you know how life just gets in the way?    So let's just celebrate the month of August and I won't feel like the procrastinator I am.

I have actually wanted to tell this story for a while, I want every woman (and man) to know that cancer doesn't have to be THE END!   I am not saying that all cancer can be prevented or cured, what I am saying is do what you can to DETECT early and take care of yourself.

I have always been the type of girl who took her yearly exams seriously.  There were a few years in my late 30s where I was uninsured and I did my best to still get a regular exam.   I guess I always felt that if something is wrong let's find out now and fix it!  Don't get me wrong, I can stick my head in the sand with the best of them for some things (like paying bills) but I like my life and I am not ready to leave yet.

So, here's how it happened (as much as I can remember):
I remember joking (kinda) with my hubby that Aunt Flo seemed to be hanging around for 3 weeks out of the month...it's weird how you can get used to very annoying things if they don't come on all of a sudden.  This happened over about a year, it was a slow progression and it didn't cause a whole lot of alarms in my head.  I had always been very healthy and other than chronic back pain (a whole other story involving water skiing, or trying to) I was problem free!

So, I decided to mention this annoyance to my GYN when I went for my yearly and she was telling me about this procedure called an ablation they could do to "reset" me and hopefully fix the problem.  I was interested...I have never been a fan of elective procedures but if this can fix my problem why not? 

They had to do an ultrasound first to see if I was a good candidate for this ablation procedure.  I can remember the Dr. telling me, while the ultrasound was happening (not the most comfortable position to be in), that the texture of my endometrium looked "weird" (that's technical doctor lingo).  She had a concerned look but I just thought she was being over dramatic.  She told me she wanted to get in there and test some of the lining to see why it looked like that.

So, this meant the ablation was out for now but a D&C was in order and she could do that in her office...Um, NO!  I can handle a fair amount of pain but this didn't sound like something I wanted to try out while awake!  Sedation sounded so much better.  So, we scheduled the procedure which was going to kill 2 birds with one stone...it would re-set my system and she could take a sample of the endometrial lining to run tests on.

The procedure went well, I had an appointment set in 2 weeks to find out the results.  I was told, "if we find anything we will call you, otherwise just come see us in 2 weeks"...okay great!  The 2 weeks went by and no calls so I felt good going to the appointment...by myself!!
 
Okay so I could go on about how furious I was (and still am) at this doctors office for not calling me and hitting me with the Big C when I was by myself expecting just some routine test results but I won't! 
 
Back to the reason for this loooong post...I don't have too many soapboxes but this is definitely one. 

Go to your doctor!! 

Tell them the stupid, annoying things that you might think are nothing...let them decide.  Get blood tests, pap tests, mammograms and all the routine tests and exams you should be getting.  If you don't have insurance call the mammography place in your town and see if they have any programs that will help.  Call different GYNs and see if they can help.  I got my first mammogram free when I had no insurance because of some grant they had available.
 
I am so grateful that I spoke up.  My cancer was stage 1 very early detection, I had a full hysterectomy which was done robotically...so cool!  I didn't have to have any of my lymph nodes removed because it was caught so early it hadn't moved into other parts of my abdomen yet.  I was up walking the next morning after my surgery  with very little pain and home for a few weeks recovery.  Now, a year later I feel healthy and happy and ALIVE!!!
 
Please Take Care of Yourself!