The Bead Box is Filling UP for BEADS OF COURAGE

I know I said it yesterday, 

but

BEADS OF COURAGE

needs your beads!

My bead box is beginning to fill up.

How's your bead box?

My Little Army of Snow People Begins

Thinking snow and winter now.

My little army of snow people is starting to grow.

These will be for 

Beads of Courage 

when my army has grown enough. 

If it doesn't get cold enough for the snow to fall in Minnesota

(not likely, but I can dream...)

these little snow people might be able to bring a smile to the face of a child.

That makes me happy!

Hannah, Guest Blogger, Part 2.

Before we get started, I forgot to post a link to 

Beads of Courage.

CLICK HERE

to get to the BOC Website!

Now, back to my guest blogger,

Hannah!

6) I've heard that each bead tells a story.  Is that true?

That is very true!!! At the beginning when I first started getting beads, I could tell you when I earned each one, now I know what they are all for (now I have so many, I forget some).  There are some stories that stand out.

-I have a large black courage bead for a IV placement while riding in an ambulance.  As it went in we hit a bump.

-I have a bead for the first time I walked.

-I can name what surgery each star is for

when an event is tramatic, like having your first sezure infront of your classmates at school.  I look back at it and see the flat pink bead I got, not the staires of arrogant teenagers.

7) What's it like being a teenager in Beads of Courage?

I cant imagine going through this journey without beads of courage.  I draw strength from my beads every day.  Without beads this journey would be a lot harder.  I now have someething to show for what ive been through instead of just my scars.

8) Have you met many other teens who participate in Beads of Courage?

Yes, but not in person.  I met jess through the beads of courage facebook page and we do talk a lot.

9) Do you have any special memories about Beads of Courage?

I love showing my beads to new doctors or nurses, it builds a very fast conection.  I also like showing them to kids at school, sometimes they can get frustrated that I miss a lot, but then I show them how many beads I got that day, and they get that I don't want to get beads, id rather be at school.

10)  Which is your favorite bead, or do you have one?

TOP TEN LIST!

10) Halloween bead - I LOVE Halloween.  A lot.  I put on this big event called "hannah's haunted path" it runs all Halloween night.  I ask for donations at the start and raised 40.08 for Beads of Courage.  This year I hope to break 100. 

9) school bead - I got to sick to go to school and had to switch to home school halve way through the year last year, so I have a bead for that.  Because it was a charter school, I could not return so I got antoher bead for when I started as a juinor at a new school.

8) RSD disagnosis bead - I just love it, it always calms me down

7) NEGU letter beads - NEVER EVER GIVE UP!

6) purple heart

5) space man - givin to me by friends

4) wingman

3) london beads

2) cat bead

1) gavin bead - carried by gavin DeGraw on dancing with the stars!!!!

11) Do you ever get embarrassed if people ask you about Beads of Courage?

No! never, I LOVE when people ask me about my beads!!!

Hannah, thank you so much for being my guest blogger!!!  

Remember to check out Hannah's blog HERE!

I can assure you that Hannah's blog is a refreshing change, and her blog shows her most positive attitude towards her "chronic bad luck" when having to deal with her illnesses.

Beads of Courage:  Click HERE!

Photography Credit goes to:  Lehmanade Photography.  I'm sorry, but I don't have any contact information for them, but if they provide it, I will edit this post and post it later.  

Hannah has also issued a Challenge to any and all bead makers reading this.  I am going to quote Hannah, because, unless you are a member of Lampworketc, you will not be able to read her post there about this challenge.  Hannah, just turned 17.  Her challenge is a birthday challenge for Beads of Courage!

"hi, my name is hannah. you have probably seen me around BOC related social media

i am a boc member, i have over 2500 beads!!! my 17th birthday is tomorrow!!!
on my blog, people have been messaging me as to how they can help me celebrate... I've been telling them to donate to boc. but i hear that Boc need bead donations

I LOVE earning courage beads, they make such a difference!!!

my parents and i came up with an idea to celebrate my birthday!

its a bead challenge!!! (i read many bead blogs and can see how much y'all love them)

17 beads
-anything pink
-cats
-pink cats
-london themed/ olyimpics
-sea linons
-other animals but mostly cats
-unicorns

take a picture before sending them to boc, post it here and i will send you a post card

i LOVE writing post cards... and I'm headed to london so there may be some london themed ones... "


As always, Hannah rises to the occasion!!  Thank you, Hanna!!!


I think if you contact Hannah on her blog, or in the comments here, that will count, too!!!

Meet My Guest Blogger! Hannah, Part 1.

Some of you might know her as

Hannah!

She's a BOC kid and she's an amazing teen!

Before I forget, here's a link to her blog.

CLICK HERE

to visit Hannah's blog.

Now, let's get started!

Questions!  Questions!  Questions!!

1) Hannah, tell us a little bit about yourself.

I am a 16 year old Minnesotan that loves cats, unicorns and everything pink!  I live with my mom, dad and 12 year old sister in Roseville Minnesota.  Our family loves animals and we have a lot of pets, we have a family dog named turbo, liz has her 3 guiny pigs, a bunny and hre fat cat MeMe, I have the love of my life arnie and as a family we keep honey bees.

I am a beads of courage member currently fighting chronic bad luck.  I have epilepsy, a nerve disorder, GI issues, breathing issues, I had a tumor in my lefg, jaw issues, poor fine motor skills, and cysts in various places.  This past week doctors have run a battery of tests for a nerumuscular disorder that have come back "inconclusive". 

I am looking forward to a very exsiteing summer, full of trips!  I am headed to London to visit family and friends and to see the olymipics!!!!

2) How did you find out about Beads of Courage?

One of my PT buddies got them wile going through cancer treatment and always had them with him! (he has now earned his purple heart and is doing well :)    when I asked the child life department, they said it was only for oncology kids.  I looked into it futher and found that they have other programs and I now order what beads ive earaned every month and they come in the mail.

3) Do you have a lot of beads?

I do!!!! I have 2,321 beads!!!!  They all are very special to me!
*update, I now have over 2400!

4) How do you deal with chronic illness?

With humor, family, faith and music.
-At the doctor office last week, when getting test results I broke out singing
"doctor, doctor, give me the news"  daad broke out laughfing and the doctor did nothing!!!!  It was amazing!
-I have a very close knit family we have gone through this journey hand in hand.
-I LOVE my youth group and am looking forward to the ELCA youth gathering in New Orleans this summer
-if you walk into a lab and hear someone singing, I can almost arinty its me!  I sing through uncomfortable procedures (mostly needles).  Singing calms me down and distracts me.  I also play the tuba (my body hates me for it, but I love it!!!)  I play with my school band, Minnesota youth symphonies and the dobins dale city marching band.  My hope is to one day play in a tradtional ragtime jaz band (like tuba skinny, my favorite band :)

5) Is each bead special to you?

Every bead is special to me.  I love them all, it puts beautie were pain usualy is.  It's a way to communicate with others what I've gone through.  When I have to get one bead of a kind ive already earned I know I can do it again.  If I have to get a new kind of bead its something to look forward to.

More Beads of Courage Beads

These beads

and

these beads,

except for the butterfly beads,

Go into my Beads of Courage Bowl.

When it's full,

I'll mail it in to Beads of Courage!

Feel free to join me.

There are many ways to give to this amazing organization!!!

Make it real for these kids!

 

Butterflies for BOC

It's been a while since I made butterflies  for Beads of Courage.  Beads of Courage butterflies are given to parents who have lost their beloved children.

I had heard that Beads of Courage had found a supplier for their butterfly beads, which is true.  However, I have found, through dialogues on Lampwork Etc., that when artisan butterfly beads are available, Beads of Courage does want to use and will use the artusan made beads, too.  After learning this, I began to make butterflies again.  Here's a sample of what I will be sending in with my next box of beads to Beads of Courage. 

I'm going to try and wire wrap each butterfly.  I am sad that someone will receive these, but if I can give a grieving parent a virtual hug with their butterfly, I will.

Beads of Courage Bead Bowl is changed and Growing!

I started with this bowl, but once I got it started, I realized it wasn't big enough.

I switched to this bowl because it's bigger.

It's deeper, too!  There's a lot more room now.

Here are some of the beads.

They're all different shapes and sizes.

Some of the beads are super big!  Some are food beads.

Eggs and Bacon and 'Shrooms!

Stay tuned!  There's more to come!!!

Making Beads for Beads of Courage

Beads of Courage

Arts in Medicine for Children with Serious Illnesses

If you've read this blog over the years,

you will know that I am a big supporter of Beads of Courage.

You will also know that there are many other bead artists who give to this cause.

I am very proud to be associated with this cause,

especially since my adult daughter, Jenny, was diagnosed with multiple myeloma just over a year ago.

This, alone, has inspired me to work and make more beads for children with serious illnesses.

I have a rule that each time I torch I make 

two

butterflies

and 

two

purple hearts.

It's amazing how quickly the beads add up!

The purple hearts are given to children when they complete their treatment plan.

I try to make each one different and unique.

I also try to get some "boy" hearts in there, too.

As much as I love flowers and poke - e -dots,

I'm not so sure the guys do!

 I make sculptural butterflies.

A butterfly is given to a parent who has lost a child.

My hope is that these parents receive a bit of comfort from these butterflies.

Each one is unique.

Rarely are there two alike.

Beads are welcome from artists.

Acts of Courage beads are special beads given to children to remind them of their bravery in treatment.

There are many ways to give to this program.  

Please check out the website for more information.

Go Team Beads of Courage!

Making Beads for Beads of Courage

 If you are not familiar with 

Beads of Courage,

please check out their website to learn more.

In a nutshell,

Beads of Courage

is an organization that helps children who are going through serious illnesses

by providing beads, both purchased and artisan made,

to recognize their strength and their progress in their healing journies.

Each bead the children earn

marks their progress.

Each bead is distinctive and marks a particular event in their treatment.

As they say on their website,

"Every bead tells a story of strength, honor, and hope."

My box is ready to go.

 This box will be in the mail on Monday.

Here's a sampling of what is in the box.

 There are purple hearts for the children.

There are butterflies for the parents who have lost children.

There are some cupcakes.

There are some very sturdy fish for the children.

There are lots of hearts.

Here's a group shot of what I made in my last BOC torch session!

It felt good.

Thank you Beads of Courage for all you do for the children.

Torching for Beads of Courage

It was a productive morning this week when I torched for Beads of Courage. I actually made 10 beads for BOC, but if you count, there are only 9 beads in the photo. The truth is that one of the beads was soooooooooooooooo UGLY, that I threw it away, and I can promise you, it will never see the light of day again. However, I am happy with the beads in the photo. There are two butterflies, one turkey, one cupcake, one mushroom (shroom), one pumpkin monster, and three glow in the dark beads. They do add up. I can hardly wait to send my next box of beads in to the Beads of Courage headquarters!

My Hour for BOC this week

Beads of Courage needs Acts of Courage Beads for the kids. Lori Greenberg, a director on the Beads of Courage staff and very talented glass artist, has challenged those in the glass community to torch for Beads of Courage one hour a week. Here's my entry for this week.
------------------------------------>
I've got to get those beads mailed!

Have you made your beads for Beads of Courage this week?

An Hour of Torching for Beads of Courage

Acts of Courage Beads are always needed for Beads of Courage.

Lori Greenberg said: Acts of Courage beads are those that the child gets to pick out themselves for courage above and beyond and for other times when a caregiver thinks a child needs an extra boost.

In this same post, Lori challenged bead makers to dedicate one hour a week to making Acts of Courage Beads. I've decided to join that challenge.

At the start of each torch session, I always begin my torching session by making two butterflies. As you know, butterflies are given to those parents who have, sadly, lost children. The rest of the beads in this pile were made for use in the Acts of Courage program.

Please Take a Moment to Vote

I normally don't like to promote a company, but, in this case, I must.
Please go to the Pepsi Refresh Project and vote for Beads of Courage.

Beads of Courage is in the running for a grant of $25, 000. It only takes a moment, and you can vote each and everyday during July. Please help. It only takes a few minutes. This is truly a great cause!

Also, please consider donating directly to Beads of Courage. Beads are always welcome! If you are not a bead maker, even if you are, please, also, consider making a cash donation to Beads of Courage.

Making and Donating Beads for Beads of Courage

Beads of Courage is an organization dedicated to helping children with serious illnesses cope with these illnesses through the use of beads. Beads mark the milestones in each child's journey through their illness.
Beads of Courage are beads given to children when they have shown courage above and beyond and for when a child needs a boost. Here's a link to Lori Greenberg's post regarding Acts of Courage Beads.

A special section on Lampwork Etc. is dedicated soley to Beads of Courage.

After a child's course of treatment is finished, they are given a purple heart.

Should a parent loose their beloved child, they are given a butterfly to commemorate the life of their angel.

If you are not a bead maker, you can still support Beads of Courage through a monetary donation. Beads of Courage needs you!

Beads for Beads of Courage

Here are some of the beads I have made for Beads of Courage. At the end of May, I hope to have another box of beads ready for mailing. I try to wire wrap the butterflies before sending, but I'm not always able to do that. These butterflies are ready to go.
They will be give to parents who have lost a child. Beads of Courage has stated that they use about 1,000 butterflies each year. Yes, it's sad. I can only hope that these little glass beads will bring a modicum of comfort to a family that has suffered such a great loss.








One of my goals this year is to make beads for some of the older children who are in the Beads of Courage program. As a former high school teacher, the older children are very dear to my heart. I've started to ask for suggestions to make beads that might be appropriate for some of the older children. Today, I made "worry stones" for some of the older children.
I made them in bright colors and with lots of texture. I always feel comforted when I can feel texture.











Now, if you have any suggestions for beads to make for older children, please feel free to leave comments to let me know. I need more inspiration.



Beyond this, I did ask one of my former colleagues, an art teacher at the high school where I taught, to ask her students what kinds of beads they thought would be appropriate for kids their age undergoing the various treatments for their illnesses. Here are some of their answers:



Bright colors, retro things...Pink/lime green, Peace symbols, mushrooms, fairies, hearts, love
Sports things...footballs, baseballs, MN Vikings, soccer balls, etc.

Looks like I've got a lot to keep me going. Feel free to add to the list! I would appreciate it!

Meet Rena.

Get the tissues out. She's a beautiful child!

Beads of Courage

Some of you who know me, know that I begin each torch session by making two purple hearts and two butterflies for Beads of Courage. I'm very pleased to say that this week, I will be sending in to Beads of Courage: 160 Purple Hearts and 153 Butterflies. The purple hearts go to the children who have finished their treatments. The butterflies are given to parents who have lost a child. Here is a video I found on UTube that shows how the beads are used. Get out the kleenex. You are probably going to need more than one when you see the courage of these children.