June First Friday Indie Market-June 4th

Wow! So I just posted the winner from the May First Friday Indie Market, but here is almost time again for the June Indie Market! Yes, I will also be doing a drawing for a gift certificate to the shop but you gotta come out to the market to put your name in. :)  Those non-local folks, don't be discouraged, stay tuned to my blog for other fun stuff that you can participate in.  See ya at the market!

May Gift Certificate Winner from the First Friday Indie Market

Congrats to Christy Wallace! She is the winner of a gift certificate to my shop because she registered at the May First Friday Indie Market. Yeah! Christy-check your email. Everyone stay tuned for next time and good luck!

Breast Cancer Awareness Earrings

I made some breast cancer awareness earrings and wanted to share them with you here. I've been meaning to post them here for a bit, but found it fitting today because of yesterday's post! So, tada! These would be great for a team of ladies doing a breast cancer awareness or charity event. Yes, I can make more so grab some for you and your girls!

• These are listed in my shop for $10/each.
• 50% of proceeds go to charity.
• Earwires are silver plated.

Proposed Mastectomy Law Change-Very Important!

This was actually an email that was forwarded to me so I decided to post it here. Please take a few moments to read the following and then sign the petition on Lifetime's website. Ladies, please, Facebook, tweet, twitter, blog, use your resources to get the word out! What can it hurt? Only takes a few minutes of your time. Thank you!

(The following was written by a surgeon.)

I'll never forget the look in my patients eyes when I had to tell them they had to go home with the drains, new exercises and no breast. I remember begging the doctors to keep these women in the hospital longer, only to hear that they would, but their hands were tied by the insurance companies.

So there I sat with my patient giving them the instructions they needed to take care of themselves, knowing full well they didn't grasp half of what I was saying, because the glazed, hopeless, frightened look spoke louder than the quiet 'Thank you' they muttered.

A mastectomy is when a woman's breast is removed in order to remove cancerous breast cells/tissue. If you know anyone who has had a mastectomy, you may know that there is a lot of discomfort and pain afterwards. Insurance companies are trying to make mastectomies an outpatient procedure. Let's give women the chance to recover properly in the hospital for 2 days after surgery.

This Mastectomy Bill is in Congress now. It takes 2 seconds to do this and is very important. Please take the time and do it really quick! The Breast Cancer Hospitalization Bill is important legislation for all women.
Please send this to everyone in your address book. If there was ever a time when our voices and choices should be heard, this is one of those times.

There's a bill called the Breast Cancer Patient Protection Act which will require insurance companies to cover a minimum 48-hour hospital stay for patients undergoing a mastectomy. It's about eliminating the 'drive-through mastectomy' where women are forced to go home just a few hours after surgery, against the wishes of their doctor, still groggy from anesthesia and sometimes with drainage tubes still attached.
Lifetime Television has put this bill on their web page with a petition drive to show your support.. Last year over half the House signed on. PLEASE! Sign the petition by clicking here.

Shindig Report and Pics

Here are a few pics of my booth at the 2010 Shindig from this past Sunday. I only took a few but hope to take more next time! Don't I always say that?? :) It was sooo windy. I'm glad I didn't have a tent to keep up with. And every now and then a rouge wind gust would come from out of nowhere and then there would be a loud crash! Whew, luckily we didn't have any casualties at my table.  And, my friend and Shindig organizer extrordinare Zeke, hooked me up with a spot under a shade tree since I didn't have a tent.  Excellent! Fun times!

Upcycled Cake Platter

So, I found this awesome tutorial on how to make your own cake platter, instructions found here. And it was so easy, it took me, honestly, like five minutes to make. Many props go out to the girls over at Little Birdie Secrets!

I went to my local Goodwill in search of the perfect plate and stand. Really, the possibilities are endless here. Immediately I saw the plate I wanted to use. It was so vibrant and full of color and I just love it. It is sort of a Tuscany-Italiana pattern. After circling the store numerous times, picking things up and putting them back down, that's when I spotted it! A blue and white vase on the top shelf that so perfectly matched the blue in the plate. And when I put them together, it was as if they were made for each other!

And this can be not only a cake platter, but can be used for many things: appetizer tray, candle holder, a doodad that you put on your nightstand to hold jewelry! So much potential! I think I'm going to use mine at my next craft show to put jewelry on! One note, when washing, do not submerge in water, wipe off gently with a dishcloth since the pieces are glued together.

What do you think?

I started with these two pieces: a plate and a vase. Don't they look like they were made for each other?

And ended up with this! A cake platter, appetizer tray, jewelry display, candle holder...etc. Whatever I want it to be!

First Friday May Market-See You There!