Raising Awareness

I finally put together one of the pieces of jewelry that I want to sell to raise funds for the Leukemia Lymphoma Society and even had a little time to get it photographed. After we saw my MIL at the hospital for Father's Day of course. Yesterday was day 6 of chemo chemicals being pumped into her and today is day 7. Now the even more difficult part comes. They said around day 14 she'll really start to feel like crud and may develop a fever. We just keep praying that her body works hard to fight the cancer.

Anyway, here is the first piece I have listed in my Etsy shop. It is a simple sterling silver ribbon pendant with Swarovski crystals in Orange/Peach, which are the colors of Leukemia (well, Orange is for sure and I just like the peach color).


I can make the pendant with any color crystal that I have available so it doesn't *have* to be orange, but the proceeds for any color pendant will still go to LLS.

When I find some more time I'll be making the matching bracelet, like the one my MIL is wearing.

Does anyone have any thoughts about the price I put the pendant necklace??? I made it $27...which means $13.50 of every sale will go to LLS. But is $27 too much? It's a very simple and delicate piece, and doesn't take me very long to make. So I'm struggling with that.

I still need to cover the Etsy and Paypal fees, as well as packaging, time, and material costs. But I don't want to price it too high either...my goal isn't a big profit on these. The bracelets will probably cost around $40, but there's more work and more material that goes into them.

Oh, and I'll be selling just the pendant without a chain as well, and I think I will price that at $20. So $10 will go to LLS.

I appreciate any thoughts.

Please let me know what you think. I'm hoping that I can raise at least $250 this year and hopefully more.

Domestic Violence on the Rise

I know some might think that because I'm a Republican that I'm selfish, greedy...oh and racist too. At least one of my commenters does.

It's hard to "know" someone online so of course my hard nose attitude online doesn't quite express how I live my life. Not that I feel that I have to justify myself to one nutter on the internet but it does annoy me that so many people think conservative = bad.

Anyhoo...One thing that calls me into action is working for the YWCA - well, not working "for" them but working with others to raise funds and gifts/donations for the women (and men) and children who need their services.

Frugal Dad notes that as the economy goes down, that domestic violence is going up. I wish this were not the case. I wish couples pulled together to push through the hard times. But stress does strange things to people and even couples with no history of abuse can all of a sudden find themselves experience this horrible situation.

What can we do to help those who find themselves displaced by abuse?

If you have the time and desire, volunteer at a crisis line or domestic violence support team. Not everyone is comfortable working one on one and I admit that I would have a difficult time with this.

I prefer to collect donations and items to donate. I have four or five bags of shampoo, conditioner, baby items, lotion, toothpaste, pads, etc. to take to the local shelter. It's amazing how small things like these can make such a positive impact.

During the Christmas holiday season I work with our local YWCA to gather gifts for a family (that they identify) through my work. I have so much fun with this. Many of the women we've sponsored over the years have been in transition from their abusive relationships into a healthy and functional role within society. One or two years ago we raised money to buy a printer for a woman going to school. Another year a child asked for socks for his gift. He got more than socks, don't worry.

And in this season I'm sure that my company will pull together and make another family's Christmas the best one ever. We have some extremely generous associates who go out of their way to be someone's Christmas angel.

Start planning now...save a few dollars a week and find a Goodwill Angel tree at the mall or local store. Buy one or two items.

There are all sorts of small and meaningful ways to help those who are going through a difficult time.

Pre School Valedictorian?

Seriously?!?!

In the elevator this morning at work a couple of folks were talking about their kid's graduation ceremonies. I assumed high school or college ... nuh uh.

Elementary school. Which is where one of my coworkers is right now - her son's elementary school graduation.

But that isn't as bad as what one of the folks in the elevator told me. There are pre-schools who have these ceremonies (robes, hats, and all) and they have a valedictorian!!! In PRE-SCHOOL!!!

Really? Is that really necessary?

Plus I think having all these graduation ceremonies is dumb. To my mind it makes the graduation ceremonies that really matter mean less. High school graduation ceremony? Big deal if you've already had 4 ceremonies in your life. Pre-School, Kindergarten, Elementary School, Middle School ... who cares about yet another ceremony?

Not to mention the money it must cost these parents to buy all these robes and hats and the time off of work. It seems ridiculous to me.

However...there is an exception in my heart for a special young man who graduated from kindergarten this year.


For him it's more important and special than for the average kid. A few years ago, one week before Christmas, Cole was diagnosed with Leukemia. :( He was only 3 1/2 years old. In February 2009 he will complete his treatment and five years after that he will be considered cured. This year he is the South Sound Light the Night Walk for Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's honored hero!!!! Way to go Cole!!!

His mother is the strongest woman I know. They've had so many stumbles since his diagnosis that we at work would just shake our head in amazement - how can anything else go wrong? Going through this with her little boy while still working and doing her amazing scrap-booking and card work. She's an inspiration (not to mention extremely talented!). I want to be like her when I grow up!!!

Cole deserves to graduate in a special ceremony every single year because each year is a gift. Please consider donating or participating in your local Light the Night Walk for Leukemia & Lymphoma. No mother should have to watch her son go through what Cole has.

Challenged

Well, the challenge has been thrown down! And I think I may just accept. I love my local shelter - I adopted three cats and a dog from them back in the day (of the four...two are still with us!). I have some food in our garage for cats and dogs that they aren't eating. I wonder if they'll take opened food bags.

Absolutely True blog is challenging everyone to donate their weight in food to help animals in shelters.

In honor of my cat Sherbert who jumped from his shelter kennel onto my shoulder and demanded to be taken home! He escaped one night (he was smart...he OPENED the freaking screen door!) and we think he got eaten by a hawk or owl or some sort of animal. We only found fur. I cried for two weeks.

Why Buy Handmade?

What a great writeup found on Cozy Cat's blog.

8 Reasons You Should Buy Handmade Products over Commercial Products

1. Handmade products are unique. Do you really want the same scarf, mug, earrings, necklace or other item that 20,000 other people have? Of course not! Handmade items are always unique, even if they are the same type of product because they are not made by machines they are crafted by human beings so each piece will have its’ own unique characteristics.

SO true! I may make this necklace over and over again but each and every one is completely unique and hand crafted by my own two hands!

2. Handmade items have personality. Life is not about being blah. Life is about expressing yourself and to do that your things need to have as much personality as you do. If you are happy with buying mass produced items that have no personality off a shelf at Wal Mart think about what that says about you. Don’t you want to express some personality?

3. Handmade items are special. When you get a gift don’t you feel a little bit more loved when someone gives you a handmade gift? Everyone loves getting handmade gifts or wearing something that was made just for them.

I LOVE to give handmade gifts and 75% of the gifts I'm giving this Christmas are handmade.

4. Handmade items last longer. Because they are made from high quality materials and handcrafted by trained artists items that are handmade last longer than low quality imported mass produced items.

I don't find this is *always* the case but an experienced hand crafter is going to use the best quality and have skills that ensure excellent quality.

5. Handmade goods are high quality. If you are a person who values the quality of an item more than the price then you already know that handmade items are far superior to mass produced items. While a mass produced item may be cheaper initially is it really cheaper when the item needs to be replaced a month later? When quality matters, go handmade!

How many times have I bought a cheap shirt at Costco and had to throw it away (or make a rag out of it) less than a year later because it gets holes or starts to wear through?!?! So frustrating.

6. Handmade items are not made by children in sweatshops in Third World countries making 10 cents a day. Experienced and trained craftspeople make each handmade item. So while you might pay a few dollars more for a handmade item it’s because you are paying for quality materials, years of experience, artistic talent, and well-honed craftsmanship. Isn’t that worth paying for?

I will say that the kids in Third World countries are going to work no matter what because 10 cents a day is more than nothing. Their families need to eat too. I'm not sure that buying the products marked up 1,000 times really helps them though. I think it's more important to change the climate in their country so they can go to school instead of working 12 hour days.

7. When you buy handmade you are supporting traditional arts and crafts techniques that have passed down through generations. In today’s high tech world the old arts and crafts traditions are being replaced by mass production but when you buy handmade you are saying that you prefer your items to be high quality pieces of art instead of mass produced trinkets.

I admit...I love trinkets. I have to control myself and luckily my husband isn't that interested in these things. I've gotten much better at avoiding the "stuff" on the shelves at Walmart.

8. When you buy handmade you are supporting local and small businesses. By paying artists and craftspeople for their goods you are supporting them and all the businesses that they do business with. If you are a person who believes in supporting your community economically then buying from local artists is a great way to support your community and make sure that your money goes to support local businesses.

Again, when I shop at Walmart I'm still supporting a local business with local employees. People work there who live in my community. One of the Walmarts near my grandparent's house is the main source of employment and shopping for people in the area. HOWEVER, I only buy things that I can't get from artisans like Tylenol and Toilet Paper. =)

Keep these things in mind the next time you see a scarf, a bracelet, some great handmade soap or other item and think,” I could get that for half price at Wal Mart.”!

So the next time you need a gift for someone - buy handmade. Jewelry, scarves, bath and body. It's all available out there - handmade by someone with love and care.

Starting to Hate Pink

It's October. I think of Halloween - orange and black. But it's turning Pink! I know what I'm about to say is completely politically incorrect and probably will horrify at least half of you. Sorry bout that.

I am sick of Breast Cancer Awareness. I'm just tired of seeing ads. I'm sick of companies trying to convince me to buy something because it's pink. I saw Campbell's Chicken Noodle soup in PINK yesterday!!!

Let me clarify. I think my reasons are logical.

Cleary, any kind of cancer is horrible, sad, and a tragedy for all involved. But why is breast cancer so much worse than any other kind of cancer that we need a whole month devoted to it? Is it because it involves women? More women die of heart disease than of breast cancer - heart disease is actually the #1 killer of women. More women die from lung cancer. More women die from Digestive system cancers (stomach, colon, etc.).

Heart disease is actually the number one cause of death for all Americans - male and female. And I don't think there's a whole month devoted to heart disease (is there? edit - there is...it's February!).

So there's that. But also, I just have issues with all the "buy this item and we'll donate" marketing. I realize that it's a feel good way to get people to buy your stuff - "buy my item and you'll be happy with the item and even happier because some of your money will go to a good cause."

That's great - but can't I just give my money directly to the cause and it will have an even greater benefit? Plus, how do I know what organization you're giving to? It could be one with 90% overhead!

*sigh* I know...some of you are probably screaming at your computer. Please relax. I'm not trying to belittle the tragedy of breast cancer. But it's no more a tragedy or life altering experience than colon cancer. Both are going to change the lives of all involved.

And lest anyone accuse me of being insensitive (which happens a lot) I do donate to Susan G Komen foundation every year. But I don't sing it from the rafters because I have issues with people / organizations who "brag" about their donations. I feel it's a private matter (more on that someday later).

So go shop...but at least support small and indie businesses. They seem to give more per $1 spent than the big corporations.

Women Of Hope
A Planet 4 Creation
ZeVin Creations
Anna Bella
Rotem Gear

As for me, I'll be making some breast cancer specific jewelry - but I'm not selling them - they'll be given away. So you can't buy them from me. Sorry. :)

Be Healthy!