Monday, December 29, 2008

Have Something to Say About Cancer?


Then go to Your Two Cents and give us your thoughts on our questions!

The doctor whose research we are raising funds for wants to get non-medical people's thoughts on the state of breast cancer research and treatment, and general thoughts on breast cancer. He knows that someone may come up with an idea or thought that will spark his thoughts, and maybe lead him to a new idea in his research. He has already had success in the first trial of his breast cancer vaccine, which is one of the reasons we are fundraising for his next clinical trial. We want his research to keep moving forward, and so are trying to help him in any way we can.

I am not asking you to make a donation - I am simply asking you to share your thoughts - and to give everyone a possible voice in the cure and prevention of cancer.

(and please don't be shy - you can always leave your comments anonymously -we've heard from a few people that they don't want to be the first to post on the think tank)

Your Two Cents - a public think tank on breast cancer research
Pennies in Action

(and yes - I am a part of this cause - I am a member of the Board of Directors of the Pennies in Action Foundation, and the webmaster for penniesinaction.org - just thought I should let you know, in the interest of full disclosure!)

Wednesday, December 17, 2008

A little bit of useful fun


My newest experiment is my little bookmark books. They're small enough to mark your spot in a book without disturbing the pages, but big enough to hold lots of thoughts. They're available in my Etsy shop. I decided to use a closure like I use on my journals, that turns into a nice little tassel whenever you're using the book as a bookmark.

Thursday, December 11, 2008

The Camera Chronicles, Part 2

My wonderful, sweet, patient, caring daughter (can you tell she's holding a cat {with claws} to my head?) says that I owe a new post about her camera ordeal. She was so patient and gracious about it at first – willing to wait until the day after her birthday to get it, so that I could get my printer with it. (Of course, waiting a day also meant that she would get a telephoto lens for free – remember - great sale?). Well – the lens didn't come in with their weekly shipment on Monday. It can take them all day to find out everything that's on the truck, so the manager had said he would call us the next morning to let us know if the lens had arrived.

We waited a bit Tuesday morning, and didn't hear anything. So we decided to head over to the store with fingers crossed that they had gotten the lenses in. Of course they hadn't, and the manager wasn't even coming in until the afternoon…grrrrrrrrr. So we went back home, disappointed, and perhaps more than mildly ticked off?

We knew we couldn't get another store to match the deal – it was too good, and besides which, we'd already tried on Sunday. (I tried to not have to make her wait – you know, one of those attempts at being a nice mom). Now, when we were at the store Tuesday morning, the person we talked to had checked to see if any of the other stores in the region had gotten in the lens. (We're not mad at him – he was helpful). None of the stores had received them – but the warehouse had 25. Obviously the warehouse got the shipment after they had sent the trucks off to the stores.

So we ended up ordering online through the store – and my poor baby had to wait until yesterday to get her birthday present. She of course thinks we just should have gone the online route in the first place… But she knows that we might not have been able to do that on Monday (meaning she might have gotten the camera on Tuesday instead of Wednesday) – since on Sunday they weren't in stock online either. And actually, I think the warehouse only got them on Tuesday anyway. Both of us had checked in the morning, without telling each other of course, and I got a shipping date of the 15th for the lens, while she got a date of the 16th. When we got home from the store though, and ordered – the lens was now magically available next day, along with the camera and printer.

Now, we truly ascribe to the theory that everything happens for a reason (it may be years until you know the reason, but, hey…). Waiting to order online until late Tuesday morning meant she got everything at once, and I got an extra bonus. I got an online coupon for the store on Monday – for $25 off any online or phone order over $75 (the camera/lens and the printer came to a bit more than that). (Whee – free money!!!).

So we ended up with a really great deal – but my poor, poor baby had to wait until late afternoon on Wednesday to get her hands on her new camera – which she is absolutely in love with.

(Umm, Kid? Could you please remove the cat from my head now?)

update: the manager did call, and told us to order online - he finally got word that they wouldn't be getting the lenses into the stores, and they would only be available online or by phone order... grrr - but not at him ;P

Monday, December 8, 2008

Camera shopping...

My husband decided to be extra-nice for our daughter's birthday this year. She is getting ever more into photography, and has taken absolutely amazing photographs with a good point and shoot digital camera. So he thought she might like a digital SLR to use instead.

The look on her face was absolutely priceless when he told her what her birthday (and Chanukah) present was going to be! (We gave her a week's warning before her birthday, so she could research). He asked her if she had a birthday/Chanukah list - and she sort of looked at him like he had two heads (it's been years since we've asked her what she wanted). Then he said, "how about a DSLR?" I think he sent her into shock - and now I really wish I'd thought to have a camera on me to capture her face then...

He had a great time with this - it was a lot of fun for him, and I think her reaction was quite gratifying :-).

She spent every available minute researching cameras, and while she lusts after the high-end models, she does understand our budgetary constraints. And so is willing to make some sacrafices. As she says, she didn't think this was something that was realistic for a couple of years. She has made her pick of camera, then next came choosing where to buy it.

This time of year is definitely a good time to be shopping for something like this - holiday sales can be great. We've checked around, and found a really great deal - not only can she get a good price on the camera - but she can get a second lens pretty much for free. And the deal gets sweeter - we can get a good printer for a steal by buying it with the camera and lens bundle.

She had to wait until the day after her birthday for this deal to start - and she was chomping at the bit for Sunday to come so she could get her new camera. (The printer is for me - and I admit - I'm salivating over it...). But she was nice and didn't drag me out the door first thing in the morning. Hubby did express surprise to her in the morning that we hadn't camped out at the store to be there as soon as it opened. So off we went to get her present (and mine!).

Now here's where I get to tell you what a great kid I have. The store hasn't gotten in the second lens yet that is in the bundle. There are other stores that probably have the lens in stock, and would price-match the first store. But in order to get me the printer (I want it sooo badly!), she is willing to wait until the store gets the lens in, and buy it from them.

I guess she's a good daughter ;-). Thanks kid!

(check out her blog, Reasons I Love Europe, and our Etsy Shop - prossackdesignstoo - to see her photographs)

Thursday, November 27, 2008

By way of pictures, a little more introduction

Just thought I'd add a couple pics to show a little more about the artist/crafter side of me.

So I'm going to show off a few things:






like my journals,















and my bookmarks,











my photography,











and my digital art.







I believe I warned you in the first post that I'm a bit eclectic?

I love to create, and I find it impossible to do only one thing - and I refuse to apologize for that.

Tuesday, November 25, 2008

cat toys...

Who needs to spend money on fancy cat toys? I have found the simplest and best cat toy - is a strip of paper.

When our kitty is being her attention hungry self, and needs some distraction, I pick up a strip of paper, and twist it. That's all - just twist it. Then I watch her eyes grow biggggg, dangle it above her nose, let her get it away from me, and off she trots - happy as can be. Of course, our house is littered with strips of paper...

She's like me - easily amused! (just ask my husband and daughter)

Monday, November 24, 2008

First Post

Hello World - welcome to the newest little piece of the Internet that I've staked out.

I think I'll have my blog be as eclectic as my craft and art, and I hope you'll enjoy it. I'll be showing off my work and the work of others, talk about breast cancer research, and I'm sure I'll come up with other topics along the way.

Want to find out a bit about me? - then check out my website or visit my Etsy shops (they're over there in the sidebar ->)