Creative Chaos

Boo......

I started one Halloween project so far.......

I made a little Halloween glitter house using Melissa Frances' chipboard houses.   It was so much fun to create this little house.  Of course my love of glitter dictated the decor scheme. 

I can't wait to get started on some more of them......they are kind of addictive.....but in a good way.    

Talk to you soon!  Karin

 

 

Craft for the Cure.......

 

It's so hard to believe the summer has flown by and fall is fast approaching.  My blogging has suffered considerably under the strains of summer fun and folly.  However, with school ready to start next week, I am ready to throw the kids at the front steps of the hallowed halls this weekend and start blogging and creating again!                                     

First up is a super fun fundraiser that I did called Craft for a Cure.  My friend Denise coordinated the event filled with halloween crafting, amazing food and lots of laughter.  You can read about last year's here.  So, of course, when Denise asked me to do it again this year, I said yes!  Those of you who have been reading my blog know how cranky and crabby I get during the pink washed month of October.  This event however, makes me quite a bit less cantankerous.   So please join us for some fun all in the spirit of a great cause.  I wanted to share the blog post from the Ddenise's Craft fo a Cure blog.......

 

Yes, it is here! Our second Annual Craft for a Cure Event! I have an amazing line up of teachers and projects this year. And as always everything from the location, to the food, to the projects, is donated in whole or in part by my fellow artists and friends.

And all of the money collected goes directly to

Breast Cancer treatment and Prevention.

This year the event will be held in Rancho Cucamonga

on Sunday October 14th from 10am-6pm 

$160

 CLICK HERE TO REGISTER

 Uggggg.....please ignore all the wonky paragraphs.  It's late and I can't figure out how to fix it......

Our home hostess this year is Andrea Villareal.   She even got Redlands
Ford to donate all the food (well at least the ingredients for all the
delicious food she will be cooking)!

First up will be Jenny Hernandez the Polka Dot Pixie! Jenny will be demoing how to sculpt this pretty little birdie, but don't fret if you think you can't sculpt- because Jenny provides each of us our own blank body to create at the class- then take your own home and make another! There will be lots of
opportunity to custom design your little one and make her all your own!

 

Next up will be me!  We'll do a fun mini halloween box and if we have time, a little halloween tag.  It will involve lots of glitter....and more glitter!

 

And finally a little technique demo with Tara Wilson from Lu Lu Max Jewelry- Tara calls this a little Make and Take, but it looks like a full blown fun project to me!

 

 

And just a reminder, Glitterfest is the DAY BEFORE this event, so if you are coming from out of town be sure to get here a day early and enjoy all that Glitterfest has to offer. Both Tara and Jenny will
be vending there too!In addition to the classes- there will be raffles and a lot of other surprises and goodies! Wont you join us for this amazing event?!

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER

 

On this date three years ago........

I was in surgery for my masectomy.....

Three years later I am walking a 5k with other survivors and friends .......

One of those survivors is another mom at the boys' school, Marcia.  Ironically, she was diagnosed exactly a year before me in 2007.  Same exact diagnosis.   She helped more than words can ever say.......

Here we are with the kids.....

Marcia and I sitting on the 163 freeway....when else do you get to sit on an on-ramp......

Another mom at our school....Ingrid.  She is the honorary spokeswoman for Susan G Komen this year.  She is amazing.......

Our school's team for walk/run......

It was an incredible day.......

Cranky McCrankerson, continued......

Ok....here's the deal.  I'm driving home from my mammogram this morning when I hear this little "humorous" blurb on Jack FM in between songs.......

"In honor of breast cancer awareness month, we're always here to lend a helping hand."

Really? No. Really?  Did I just hear that.  This is the second "funny" blurb I've heard from them using sexual humor in reference to breast cancer awareness month. 

Ha ha ha ha.....oh, I get it.  You will offer to feel womens breasts for free.....ha ha ha ha.....oh my gosh...that's so hilarious....getting a cheap feel...breast cancer awareness.....so funny....hysterical really. Man oh man where was this humor when I was going through chemo.......

Well, how about this Jack FM....How about in honor of "YOU'RE A FUCKING MORON" month, I kick you in the balls really hard. Really, really hard.  And, don't ask me to "lend a helping hand" to pick you up off the ground.  Because, I won't. 

Ok.  I feel much better now getting that off of my one breasted chest.  Sexualizing anything to do with breast cancer in the name of laughs makes me even more crazy than the pink flask and the pink plastic feather pens.   And, that's saying a lot.  Because those stupid feather pens drive me right over the edge.  

And, don't get me wrong.  I'm no shrinking violet when it comes to humor. I love dark humor.   But I would love to know if the person who coined that phrase and the genius who ok'd the sexual innuendo blurb would like to lend a helping hand to someone who has just been told by her doctor that she has Stage III breast cancer.....or, maybe when she has to drain all the fluids out of her drainage tubes after her breast has been removed....or, maybe when she is going through chemo and can't take her kids to school because she is so sick.

So, Jack FM......Do you want to lend a helping hand then?  Or, do you want to just allude to touching boobs?  

Idiots.

 

 

So, truth be told.......

I get a little cranky this time of year.   It wasn't always like this.  October was by far my favorite month.  It even surpassed the Armageddon like month of December where stress and hysteria over "being ready" for the holidays takes on a life of its own.   I loved the transition from summer to fall. Albeit, the mostly fake fall we experience here in southern California - right now I'm writing this post in 90 degree weather.    

Nonetheless....I loved it.  

But now, I get cranky. I get cranky over pink. I get cranky over the cheap pink crap  being hawked for "awareness"........

A Sassy Pink Apron

A Pink Mohawk

 And, my favorite......

Show your support with

A Pink Flask

 

Although, I do admit, a flask and a stiff drink might have come in handy during certain times of my treatment, I really have to wonder how one is showing support while swigging alcohol out of a pink flask.

Sigh.....I feel like October has almost become a parody of pink awareness.   I think of it like Fourth of July.   How a time in history that was filled with blood shed and lost lives is now represented by red, white and blue, a barbeque and sparklers.      

Maybe it's just me.  Maybe it's still too raw.  Maybe I'm wrong.   But then I think......how can a pink flask be right?   I want to spread awareness......I want people to know.......But somehow I can't help but feel that pink has turned everything into a big party like atmosphere.   The pink covers up so much of the horribleness of this disease.   I've come to dislike pink.......

 

Pink Plastic Feather Light Up Pens, anyone?!

 

So anyway, in one of my very cranky moods yesterday, I did something that I've been thinking about for a long time.   I called out Yoplait and their stupid "lick lids to save lives" campaign.  Yep. I did. I wrote on their facebook wall and never looked back.  Ok, I did look back a couple times to see if they ever responded to me....but other than that I had no regrets.  It actually made me feel better getting it off my chest. 

I hate that campaign.  So here's what I wrote......

***As a stage III breast cancer survivor and a Yoplait yogurt eater, I just have to ask why there has to be a whole circus act of licking, washing, saving, envelope wasting, postage spending, gas to the mailbox guzzling and useless time in transit traveling just for you to donate to the cause. Can't you just base it on sales for that month? I understand that a person can do it online. I appreciate that you are donating to research. But is sending in the lid really necessary? I've been annoyed by this campaign for years and just had to ask why there had to be so much licking of lids for a contribution. *****

Why so much licking of lids?!?!? Why!?!? Why for the love of saliva do we have to lick the lids?!?!? Now, I do admit that this year they added the option for doing it online. Which I think...ok.   But the licking of the lids and sending them in drove me up a wall. 

So, someone did write back to me.....

***Karin - congrats on being a survivor! We take all fan feedback to heart. Thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts.

The lids campaign is a strong part of our history in supporting Susan G. Komen and it's so much more than a donation in our eyes. It offers a tangible way to rally together, further awareness of early detection and celebrate those affected by the disease.

That said, we DO want to make it easy to get involved so we added the online redemption option this year. Additionally, through the end of the year, Yoplait will donate 10 cents per new Facebook page "like" (up to $10,000).**

I'm still not sure how licking lids celebrates those affected....but whatever.   It's a marketing ploy on Yoplait's part and I totally get that.    And, then I thought....how nice for them to donate $10,000 with each "like" they  get.  Then, I starting thinking....well, wait.  Isn't that bribery...or extortion....or entrapment...or something like that?   Why can't they just donate the damn money without there being something in it for them?   

Sigh......maybe I'm still too raw.......

I'm done complaining.  

Well.........not really.  Because, I will never stop complaining about Michael's bad customer service and pink feather awareness pens.  

Signed,

Cranky Mc Crankerson 

        

 

 

Is it too soon to start thinking about Halloween?

 

 

I think not.....

 

That's because my friend Denise Hahn is having a "Craft for the Cure" breast cancer fundraising event on October 1.   Of course, this is very close to my heart as well as my one remaining breast.  So when she asked me to teach a class, I, of course, immediately said yes.  I then asked her once we were done with all our crafting "will there then be a cure by the end of the day?"   She said no.  However, she did say every single penny raised will go to Mammobiles that serve low income communities.  I was ok with that as I was really optimistically doubtful that our use of glitter and glue would somehow trigger a cure for breast cancer....but you know me...I like to hope for the best.

Anyway, in lieu of an actual cure for cancer, we are going to make a glittery spooky sweet cake that will leave you drenched in glitter........Don't worry I will be bringing along a shop vac to get you cleaned up for the next project......

 

Denise, who happens to be the daughter of a survivor, will be teaching a "Blinged out Skelly" project.    I barely got to see these decked out boney damsels in person before they were all sold in a flurry at Glitterfest last year.......

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Also, jewelry artist Tara Wilson will share a demo showing you how to chase metal, wire wrap, create an ear wire and various patina methods!   Tara will bring all of the supplies to make these earrings and demonstrate techniques you can use in your own artwork. 

  

How does that sound?  Not enough?!  Oh.....you're worried about fainting from hunger doing all these amazing projects.  Not to worry....we've got you covered.   Andrea Villareal and Blanca Paredes will be catering a mouthwatering lunch.  And, all your sugar and frosting needs will be provided by Julie Gordon Weller who will be serving up her homemade cupcakes. 

And, if that isn't enough, we are also going to do a round robin collage project......you may want to eat some extra cupcakes to keep you going at this point.  I know I will.

I am really, really excited about this event.  It's going to be a small intimate gathering of around twenty people.   We will have door prizes, a silent raffle and lots f laughing and fun. 

Won't you join me?   Click here for all the info you need  "Craft for a Cure."      If you are unable to make it, but would like to donate anything for the raffle or cause just shoot me an email!    

Thanks so much everyone!!  Talk to you soon!  Karin

I know the rumors were swirling........

 
as to why I've been so quiet lately.......

That I ran away with a bar of peppermint bark dressed in a crepe paper skirt........

That I ran away with my new assistant to live a life of party hats and cheese......

 

That the CEO of Tomfoolery ran the business into the ground with his blind insistence that decorative Lego cat collars were going to be the next big thing to hit the craft industry......

 

Well, it was none of the above.  Although, I do have to admit to giving some thought of spending the rest of my life with peppermint bark.   But, like with the Count, it's only exciting just once a year.......

 

As it turned out, due to a papercut in my finger, my lymphedema arm got a massive infection resulting in a three day hospital visit hooked to an antibiotic iv.   While I was there, they discovered I had a cracked rib which then resulted in a flurry of test to see if my cancer had returned....

It was right there and then I wished I had run off with him.........

In the end, the infection is being controlled with some heavy duty antibiotic, the tests all came back clear for no reoccurrence, I discovered that Ativan is your best friend in situations like this and that the best Christmas gift I got this year was an early one......"no sign of metastasis" on a computer screen. 

When I'm feeling better I'll fill you in on the details..... like how the stereotype of the cute EMT/Firefighter is no stereotype.  It's really true.  Really. And despite being wheeled into the ER wearing flannel pajama bottoms, pink socks and a Pirates of the Caribbean sweatshirt, I couldn't help think if I was just 20 years younger.......   

How when the doctor came in to tell me that my rib was cracked, I honest to hot glue thought he had me mistaken with another patient....bless his busy little ER heart.....he was going to be so embarrassed....   

How the Nurses at Kaiser Rock the Casbah!!!!!! They are the best! With the exception of nurse Shelly in the ER, who looked and acted as if she had no rush to be anywhere....except in front of the computer and avoiding me, the nurses and doctors there were the best.  If my co pay wasn't so high, I'd book another couple of nights there to be with them.....  

How nurse Shelly's attitude made me immediately and legally change my name to Karin "Squeaky Wheel" Chaos.   

How when faced with the prospect of a reoccurrence, your brain has the uncanny ability to immediately filter out all the bull crap in life and focus in on the minute important details.  I can honestly say that when you are faced with something like this, the mind unlocks a padlocked door that takes you into a room where you have a talk with mortality.   You argue, you fight, you cry.  You make promises to eat more broccoli and less peppermint bark.  You ask "why me?" and then immediately think "well, why not me?" 

What occurs to you is how tenuous this time on earth is for all of us.   So my Christmas gift to you is the following:  

1. After looking at your Christmas to do list, cross off half the items on it.  

2. Once you have done that pick only two things that really mean something to you. 

3. Take a look at those two things and pick one or the other. 

4. After picking the most important thing on the list, you now have all the time in the world to spend with family and friends. 

5. Declare it the best Christmas ever!  

Talk to you soon!  Karin 

 

Here's what I did last night.......

Had some beer for boobs......

 

Actually, I had a raspberry dream and not a beer, but that's beside the point........  

 

The event, held at The High Dive, was put together by Ingrid, who is not only  a mom at the boys' school, but owns the place with her husband.   While planning the event, in one of those crazy, ironic, twist of fate moments, she discovered she had breast cancer.  Really. She did.   The woman planning a breast cancer fundraiser discovered that she herself had breast cancer.   How does that even happen?    

Of course, anyone who knows Ingrid was not at all surprised that she held steady in her commitment to raise money for the cause despite her newfound diagnosis.   And, anyone who knows Ingrid, knows that cancer better be running for the hills right now because she is a force to be reckoned with.   She is not only going to kick cancer's ass....but she's going to throw it down, stomp all over it and then just for fun.... kick it's ass again.  I'm not kidding.  She will. 

The event went on as planned.  She convinced her doctor to let her start chemo the day after so she could be there.   And, just for kicks she auctioned off the cutting of her hair to the highest bidder......

 
It was a $1001 haircut.

 
The event was a place where tears met up with laughter and then moved on to reflection while holding tight to hope and, all the while, never losing sight of living while you still have the ability to live.   

  

 

I love this picture of me and Marcia.   As a breast cancer survivor herself (she had just finished with her treatment just as I was diagnosised)  she helped me through every step of the way. 

 

It was quite a night.   

I changed my profile picture for the month of October.......

 

It is so hard to believe that it has been two years this month.  In some ways it feels a decade ago.  In other ways it feels like yesterday.   There is another mom at the boys' school who was just diagnosed a couple weeks ago.  She will be starting chemo in December.  I feel blessed that I can be here to help her just like my friend Marcia was there to help me.    I was telling some friends a while back that when you are diagnosed with any kind of life threatening illness, you then know what it's like to be teetering on the edge of a cliff looking down.    All those times when we used to joke about "if you only had a year to live what would you do," takes on an entirely different meaning.   

I have no clue how long I will be granted backstage access to this earth.   The one thing I do know is that if it comes back in two years, I don't want to look back and think "damn. I totally just wasted two years of my life worrying."  Or worse yet, I grow to be a crotchety 95 year old lady (and you know I will be crotchety) who wasted 50 years of her remaining life thinking the end is near.   I decided that the majority of my day will be spent the way I would want it, as I would looking back on it.....with very few regrets.   Now of course, this doesn't mean I am going to jump out of an airplane anytime soon, or that I consider watching the Real Housewives of Atlanta a waste of time like many would.  I just want it to count in my own way........and watching back to back episodes of Top Chef does indeed count for something in my book.

Spending time with my boys, both big and small.  Spending time with my friends who I love dearly.  And spending time creating art....... that will be just enough for me.  Oh.....and getting to be on the Martha Stewart Show.    Then, it really will be just enough.......Well, maybe, going to see Judge Judy live.   Then I will say I've achieved everything.  Of course, I would not sneeze at getting a chance to travel to Europe.  But If I don't, I will still be fine.   I just don't think I'll be fine if I don't get to  see Judge Judy.   So I think I'm going to put her on the top of the list before creating art and spending time with dear friends I love.  But below being with my family.   Of course, if the children start to annoy me, she may possibly move up in the ranking. 

So all you women out there get your mammograms!!!  It just may save your life....... Talk to you soon!  Karin

Lights....Camera....Action.......

In between all the Christmas "Hub Bub," I forgot to mention that  Michelle and I were on tv.......

 

First, however, I want to thank everyone for all the well wishes on my last treatment. I'm still emailing out personal thank you's to everyone.   It was a mixture of exciting, weird, happy, sad and hopeful all at the same time.  I'm really looking forward to 2010 for many reasons.  I have quite a few things on my to do list, some of which I have already started.   I know this sounds so trite and cliche but I really want to live each day with purpose.  Some days that purpose may be nothing more than trying to beat my personal best on the Shooting Range game on the wii, while other days will have more substance by spending time with my family.  

One of the things that happens when the security blanket of treatment is over is that the impending fear of a reoccurance sneaks around every corner trying to frighten you.  In order to combat this fear, I  just think how I want to look back on my life when and if that happens.  I would hate to be consumed with paralyzing fear and waste twenty years of my life on the notion it might come back tomorrow.  And if it does come back in two years, I want to know that it was two good years without regret.   

So over the next year I'm going to take more chances.....say yes to challenges I normally would've shied away from.....say no to things that waste my time (just for the record, watching Judge Judy will not be one of them).......do more art.....catch up the lost time with Cosme and my boys and, mostly, be thankful that I get to be around for one more day.  

So, anyhow, as I was saying before, Michelle and I were on tv promoting Paper Tales.......   

It was early evening back in December when the phone rang with the opportunity of fame and fortune.  

Michelle asks, "Hey, do you want to go on tv with me to demonstrate how to do your snowflake ornament?" I take a few moments to let it all sink in. Oprah?  Live with Regis and Kelly?  CNN?  For a brief moment, I have an image of me walking down a red carpet in a very fancy dress.  I inquire about the details, "what are they offering?  Do they want to go with a contract?  Do we get our own dressing rooms and a stylist?   What about transportation? Are they picking us up in a limo or are they giving us company cars?"  Michelle interrupts me midstream, "They are giving us five minutes and a table with a tablecloth." Immediately reply  "Yes!"

It turns out it was the local tv station here in San Diego.  Michelle had done a segment before and they had asked her to be on once again.

Our friend Dana came along for moral support and humor...

We had a great time and made the best of a very disorganized situation.   Let's just say it was an "elf" and the Lego representative who showed us where to go when they came upon us in the lobby.  And, if it weren't for Michelle knowing what to do from her prior visit, I would still be standing there in the hallway  with a snowflake in my hand waiting for my turn to go on air.   I'm almost positive that wouldn't have happened if we were on Live with Regis and Kelly. 

In the meantime, I've been planning someones 5th Birthday.....

He was so excited to be turning five years old.  Everyday, for weeks beforehand, we would methodically cross off each day on the calendar.  We made the usual batch of cupcakes for his preschool class......

He said "I fink everyone gonna love them....even the girls."

Then that night we brought out the big cake and presents.  This cake takes me a step closer to recreating the childhood memories I have of Sander's Devil's Food Buttercream Layer Cake (now known as Bumpy Cake).  Any of you reading this who grew up, live or lived in Michigan know what I'm talking about.  I have the melt in your mouth buttercream down.  Now I'm trying to figure out the chocolate icing part out.  I think I came very close with a chocolate ganache, but it still isn't quite there..... 

 

Yesterday, he said "I miss my four years old."  I asked him what he possibly could have missed out on his fourth year.  He said "I like my five but I really miss my four." 

So as you can see from the picture above, we've been eating cake all weekend.  Luckily, the weather has been beautiful so we've been able to go out and get some exercise.  WARNING:  if you live in the Midwest and are buried under snow you may not want to view these pictures.

 

Someone got all the Wimpy Kid books for Christmas and was buried in the pages.......
  

Some people were busy putting their new Lego set together......

And some people are still trying to climb their way out of a mountain of mess in their studio.....

Progress has been made.  But it's been slow going.  I can't get ready for any new classes until I clean off a space in which to work.  I'll keep you updated.......