Think Pink - October Is .....

"The simple act of telling

someone that you care, 

why you care, 

why they too might care,

can cause mountains to

move

We should never be

afraid to simply speak of

what we love, 

from the place in us

which has loved.

It can make a difference."

Renee Askins

(Wylde Women's Wisdom)

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month and, as many of you know I am compelled to ask everyone to honor this month and remember the importance of early detection. As you know, one year ago I was diagnosed with breast cancer, stage one, and went through 18 rounds of radiation. By the Grace of God and you, my friends, and my loving family, I came through this journey a stronger person.

Two weeks ago I had my first mammogram after the surgeries and radiation, and I am pleased to say, Me and the Girls passed with flying colors. Now I have to admit this..... OK, it is just my odd attitude about some stuff.  My thoughts when walking into the Fairfax Radiology Clinic was, will my left boobie be so sensitive I am like gonna just grit my teeth and try to bear the "pain" - dramatic - you betcha, but that's me. Was I even thinking the test might come back with problems. Nope, just thinking about my crunched boobie and me..... I told someone that and they said, You gotta be kidding, that was all you were thinking about and not stressing about the outcome.  NOPE. I think this is a lesson in life. . .

I owe all of you a lot and I hope I can repay you and the Universe. One way, is to help others who are beginning this journey. Which is what exactly a specific number of you did with me. And I have been able to do that. But I want to urge you to beware that this cancer now is very treatable and curable and is not a death sentence. You can dance your way through it with a song in your heart and early detection.

Is this Pollyanna - oh why the hell not? It beats the other side of the coin. Was I always my own Pollyanna - hell no. I had the dark thoughts, the dark days, and the "I just wanna kick something."  That was normal. But with my trusty Harley who went to all 18 radiology sessions with me and is now a little worn with love, we got through this phase of our life-journey.

And in closing this blog post, I wish that all of you, hang in there. Trust your God and your Angels (I also add my Jesus to these other two) and your life-walk will be easier no matter what that journey will entail. Oh, shucks, just dance with style!

Some people go through life......

Some people go through life trying to find out

what the world holds for them -

only to find out too late

that it's what they bring to the world

that really counts.

Lucy Maud Montgomery

That was one of my "Today's Wylde Women's Wisdom" last week. Always provides a thought-provoking moment when they are received in the email and I did need "thought-provoking" working at work and working at fighting my cold. I can safely say that as of today, I am feeling a little better. I did absolutely nothing yesterday, kinda, but

I did make a crock-pot full of stew and a wonderful navy bean soup along with some cross-stitching and

catching up on the 1st Season of Haven! Yes, I was pampering my "sickly" (looking for some sympathy here peeps) along with some chores, like laundry, and, OK, having a great day. Don't you love these kind of unplanned days?

Now to some creations..... At my retreat last week, I mentioned that we created a Journal with Michelle along with a painting. The Journal started out with us painting gesso on all of the pages. While pages were drying, we did paint the drum sticks which you saw in the previous post. Michelle, in her marvelous, way guided us through the concepts which would take us from Brave to Bravo.....

We then began our adventures in visual composition, shapes, stencils (innies and outies, later dudes), water marks, and just down right fun! 9 Circles to this page along with committing to a background and working with those colors. Using stencils - in and out - and I can honestly say the painting and creating of backgrounds was a marvelous adventure:

The transfers

Even an old newspaper bit from, of all places, Mexico,

This was a fun page to create......  and the next post . . .  Composition......

oh my, there the little one goes walking on eggs! LOL

 

Never fear shadows......

"Never fear shadows,

They simply mean

there's a light

shining near by"

 Anonymous

Got back from my annual spiritual journey to the Life O Riley Farm and

Valley Ridge Art Studio where I spent a wonderful three days in a workshop with Michelle Ward.

Needless to say, a great time was had by all!

This workshop, which I will be posting about over the next few days, was titled, "Raise the Bar."

"It's a small step from Brave to Bravo" -- Michelle Ward

More art work tomorrow. Flying back from Wisconsin I managed to catch what I call the "airplane" cold - big time. OK, I did get a flu shot the week before and I knew it wouldn't kick in for about two - three weeks, but as I got in my car today, whining to do no one but myself, I realized it is all in your perspective of life. A common cold/flu on one hand - no big deal.

So as I feed the cold (?) with chicken soup and my fav V8, I will be taking photos of the art work I created at this workshop - I was blown away, stretched, shamed into a painting, laughing out loud, playing my painted drum sticks to the music of "Little Drummer Boy" - yes we had a great time. Harley was also along for the ride in his pink bandanna!

Rock on you little honeysuckle peeps....... it is a glorious day seen through sneezing and coughing. xoxo

 

Surprise, I'm back peeps.... for today anyway!

Hello, peeps, how are you doing? I've missed you and was still  involved with purging after my windows were put in. As I was cleaning, I ran across some cross stitching that was started but not completed. I found the wonderful sunflower purchased years ago and am planning on using it as part of the 6 x6 artist swap (mentioned in a previous post, I believe, LOL). I am thinking it will be the "cover" of the "book" I put together with all of the sunflowers created by incredible artists.

Found a  cross stitch pattern and materials in for a book mark I found in London in 2005.  Hmmm, 'tis now 2011, just completed. Yes, peeps, you can just call me "speedy" ---  Love the lavender!

Still working on my Women of Salem. Clipping images and playing with background papers.

And last but not least, my Alphabet ATCs, only a few letters left (and did you think I forgot?).

C = Cherish

D = Diva

E = Eye Candy

The eyes always have it, don't they......

In closing, I want to tell you that I started to post yesterday on the 10th Anniversary of 9-11 and had I been able to cut and paste my post from last year, I would have. But an anniversary like yesterday takes a lot out of all of us as we reflect on the last ten years since the events from that horrendous day. If you would like to revisit that post, here is the link:

http://honeysucklebreeze.blogspot.com/2010/09/september-11th-rewind.html

And in closing my peepers..... sleep tight tonight and may angels wrap their wings around you. Hugs!

What I Doing on My Long Holiday Weekend

Dateline: September 1, 2011
Topic: US Open Tennis
Where: Flushing Meadows, NY
How: Bus Ride

Yup, on Thursday, September 1, 2011 I did my annual one-day visit to the US Open on a bus ride. Hmmm, better bus than last year. But the butt was still sore coming home because one sits on bleachers and hard seats the whole day. Would I do it again? You betcha.

Up at 4:00am in order to head out of Reston at 5:45am. Arrived at the US Open around 12:15pm and I missed the singles match I really wanted to see:  Francesa Schiavone in Arther Ashe Stadium. I got into my seat as she literally won the match and it was over.

But not all was lost. Got to see Serena Willliams,

Roger Federer for the second time,

and young US player,Melanie Oudin, playing doubles. She has not had a good year but fun to watch.

And then I noticed on the schedule that Francesa was playing doubles. Woot Woot. And so over to the court I headed and was not disappointed.

She and her partner did win the match.

Then at 6:30pm we headed home - yes, after a day of watching tennis and crowds, you are ready to head homeward bound. The traffic getting out of NYC never disappoints you.

Don't know how I managed this photo but it is one of my favorites. Made it to my condo at 12:30am and then hit the bed.

And today - just hanging out and yes, Dianne, I am still cleaning. Dianne was so funny in the previous post mentioning that it always seemed when she came to visit I was either cleaning or purging. Little does she know (OK, dirty little secret time) I do nothing all week when it comes to home caring. After work I am either working out with my trainer or trying to play tennis or just lazing around. The only time I manage to carve out for any cleaning or purging is on the weekend when you all drop by.

Am planning on playing singles tennis tomorrow morning with my bud BJ. Let's see how bad he beats me tomorrow. Two weekends ago it was h o rr i ble...... literally.  Yes, you may be seeing me again tomorrow with some kind of creation.  Stayed Tuned....