OROC

This coming Saturday is the annual walk/run for OROC. (OutRun Ovarian Cancer) My daughter and I are going to participate with another mom and daughter. We are doing this in memory of the two most important women in our lives...my mom and my mother-in-law (Nana and Grandma), both of whom died from this awful disease.

OROC's goal is to raise awareness about this disease and to hopefully, one day help researchers find an early detection test. At this point, there is no reliable detection test, so many women find out that they have the disease when it's already metastasized.

If you'd like to learn more about how you can help, please visit the OROC.org website.

There is also a fellow beadweaver, Kerrie Slade, who has designed and created beaded awareness ribbon pins to benefit The Wellness Community and the American Institute for Cancer Research. To learn more about her endeavors, please visit her blog Kerrie Slade. If you would like to purchase an awareness bracelet and have the proceeds benefit OROC, please check out the "Charitable Items" section of my Etsy shop.

And The Winner Is....

Julie of Gems by Jules, for her piece "Searchlight Art Deco Bracelet". It really looked the period and was very intricate in design! Beautiful! Congratulations to Julie and all the entrants! Now, what will she pick for her theme?

What's Your Personality Type?

Here's another of those fun little quizzes, but apparently this one is based on the Myers-Briggs personality tests. The terminology:
E=Extraversion I=Introversion
S=Sensing N=iNtuision
T=Thinking F=Feeling
J=Judging P=Perceiving

You Are An ISFJ

The Nurturer You have a strong need to belong, and you're very loyal. A good listener, you excel at helping others in practical ways. In your spare time, you enjoy engaging your senses through art, cooking, and music. You find it easy to be devoted to one person, who you do special things for. In love, you express your emotions through actions. Taking care of someone is how you love them. And you do it well! At work, you do well in a structured environment. You complete tasks well and on time. You would make a good interior designer, chef, or child psychologist. How you see yourself: Competent, dependable, and detail oriented. When other people don't get you, they see you as: Boring, dominant, and stuck in a rut.

What's Your Personality Type?

Nostalgia

They say that the sense of smell triggers the most memories. I would have to agree, though taste runs a close second, especially when you associate it with family recipes. My older daughter and her friend decided to "be domestic" and make some desserts. One of them was a family recipe for "The Best Chocolate Cake Ever". It's a lusciously rich chocolate cake with a touch of cinnamon! We used to have this cake when I was growing up and it was a favorite to take with us on our weekend boat trips when we lived in the Seattle area.

Anyway, I came home and the house smelled delicious and then I had a piece of cake and the wonderful chocolaty/cinnamon flavors just melted on my tongue and make me think of some of the happiest times in my life. Ahhh, childhood! Made me miss my mom, too. She taught me how to make that cake...

BAO Items of the Week

I'm a little late posting this, but here are the gorgeous pieces that are Items of the Week for the Bead Art Originals Street Team. There are specials or free shipping or an extra from each of the participants.

Did You Vote Yet?

If you haven't voted for your favorite beadwoven piece in this month's challenge, go to the Etsy Beadweavers Blog and vote! My entry is #25...in case you were wondering! :)You have until midnight (EST) of August 15th to cast your vote, so don't miss your opportunity!

For Fun: What Olympic Sport Are You?

You Are Softball

While you do like competing, you like cooperating even more. You find working with a group to be much more invigorating than going solo. You are a true team player. You like contributing to the win!

What Olympic Sport Are You?

The Jade Dog

Darcy of The Jade Dog is celebrating her second "Etsy-versary" and I wanted to help her celebrate by featuring her work and sites! Her pieces are absolutely stunning and have been featured in, among other places, the Bead & Button "Bead Dreams Competition 2007".
Check out her shop:

Her destash bead shop:

And her blog: The Jade Dog
I am so honored to be a member of the Bead Art Originals Street Team with her!

Yes, I Changed My Template

I decided that the last one was too restrictive, so I opted for a new "stretch" template. I like it so far, though I couldn't use my banner because it was too small. I might try to make up a new one, but then again, maybe I'll leave it as is for now. Let me know what you think!

The Voting Has Started!

Please go to the Etsy Beadweavers blog to vote for your favorite piece in the August Challenge "Art Deco"! Voting starts today and ends at midnight (EST) August 15th.

Go here, vote now!