CHA Winter 2012 - Day 1

Well, I'm off to try to catch some much needed rest after Day 1 at CHA.  I had some great classes today.  I took the class from Crafter's Companion to learn all about their new Spectrum Noir alcohol based markers and it was a HUGE surprise.  I am sooooo in love with these markers!!  I've never had this kind of control using my other alcohol markers.  The ease of blending was absolutely unbelievable and shocking--you could constantly see the surprise and delight on the faces of all the students as we progressed along so quickly. I can't wait to work with them further!!  They are now going to be my "go-to" alcohol based markers and I am placing orders for them as soon as the convention floor opens in the morning!!

My afternoon class was with the fabulously talented and always darling Teresa Collins for her Teresa Collins StampMaker.  Needless to say, as always, Teresa was spot-on with giving us the information we needed along with several tips to help us design and create our own stamps.  Great job Teresa!!!!!

 OK, off I go to get myself as ready as possible for the morning, when the show officially opens and the Convention Floor opens up and allows us to see all the great new things that are waiting for us in the manufacturer's booths!!

Then when the day draws to a close, several of us (many from the Cricut message board) are meeting up for dinner.  It should be great fun and I always love putting the faces to the names!!

Alright, off I go!!  If you want me to check out something out for you, or if you want to place an order, just email me at gcporders@yahoo.com and I'll be happy to help you!!

Until later on tomorrow ....

Finally can share my big news-I'm in a TV Infomercial for Cricut / Provo Craft!

Here's the BIG NEWS:   The very busy "Cricut Event/Special Project" I've been involved with over the past couple months is that I filmed a TV INFOMERCIAL for Cricut / Provo Craft that will be airing on all the major network stations. Please watch for it!!

It was the experience of a lifetime and I will be forever grateful to have had the privilege of being involved with it! I just saw that Teresa Collins had posted on Facebook about it, so I doubled checked with the production company and they said it's OK to post this info now, so now you know!!!

The production company that Provo Craft very wisely hired to shoot this infomercial was Raymond Enterprises and let me just say they were an absolute dream to work with from start to finish.  Every single person I came into contact with from Raymond Enterprises was unbelievably professional, amazingly grounded and every one of them made me feel like a million bucks!

On Day 1 they actually did my shoot at my family business, Main Street Eyewear in downtown Huntington Beach.  They came to our location because we were utilizing ideas for businesses to be able to use the Cricut Mini and Cricut Craft Room.  It was wild to walk in from Main Street in the wee morning hours and see the HUGE amount of equipment that they brought to this locale shoot.  The entire breezeway out on front of our business was jam-packed full of equipment!! It honestly looked like a real TV shoot, which of course it was, from the swiveling cameras to the big lights and even a little craft services table outside full of big pots of Starbucks coffee to keep us all going!  And every single person from Raymond Enterprises knew exactly what they needed to do to get the job done, from putting a special type of film onto all our lights inside our store and all the display cases to make them look better on TV, to covering up every single designer's logo in our eyewear/optical store (and since all we sell is high-end designer eyewear, that was quite a serious job, LOL!!) and much, much more!!  The Art Director was fabulous and certainly had an amazing eye for detail, the camera man managed to get his shots even in the tightest spots within our business, and the gal who kept track of each and every second of what had been filmed had a memory like I've never seen--it was unbelievable!!  And of course, a fabulous team like this gets its direction from the top down and I have to give a huge thank you to Beau, who was in charge of the shoot, and to his fabulous and oh-so-helpful assistant, Alon.  From the first contact I had with Beau while going through the interview process with him and then preparing for the shoot, and all the way through to the finish of my part of this project, he was simply amazing and soooo easy to work with/for.  He made it an absolute joy! 

They were there at our location from very early morning until very late afternoon and to continue about the production company's awesomeness, when they left, every single thing they had altered for the commercial, from the lights to covering up the logos, to removing the backs of some display cases was put back exactly the way it was before they showed up that morning---you would never have known they were there, except for the fact that for days afterwards, people were inquiring about what we'd been shooting in there (news travels fast where we're located here on Main Street, which is just up from the ocean and in many ways, is very much like its own small town, and the TV shoots around here are generally about surfing or our amazing Lifeguards, LOL!!)

Then on Day 2 we finished up the interview portion, aka my "green screen" interviews at their beautiful production facility in L.A.  It was top notch all the way, from the Stylist who had picked out the perfect color shirt and matching scarf for me for my wardrobe for the shoot, to the Makeup and Hair Stylist who transformed me for my "close-up", LOL (and I kept her very pretty hair-do for a big fancy party that my husband and I were going to that evening and got lots of compliments about it!!), to the director, to the interviewer and all the other support people in that room, and every other single solitary person I came in touch with that day. I say again that the way they treated me made me feel like a million bucks!!  I also want to thank Jon Lee, the Creative Director at Provo Craft for all his help and guidance as well!

As I said before, it was the experience of a lifetime; the chance to hopefully help sell these new products that are part of the Cricut product family that I have been a part of as a consumer since they were first released over 5 years ago.  Anyone who knows me knows that I LOVE my Cricut machines and feel they have literally changed my life.  Any time spent "Cricuting" always makes me extremely happy and joyful!!  I couldn't begin to add up all the people I've educated about the Cricut over the last 5 years and getting the chance to now do so on such a grander scale was a dream come true!!

So keep your eyes peeled for this to air and if you see it, please shoot me an email at glendascreativeplace@yahoo.com and let me know where and when you saw it.  I would greatly appreciate the heads-up!

Here's a copy, you can find me at approximately 1:27 (1 minute and 27 seconds), 5:56, and 14:17.  (There might be more, but that's what I found when fast forwarding through the finished video this first time around!)  (FYI--It might be easiest on your eyes to click on the YouTube symbol at the bottom right of the video, which will open the video in YouTube itself and thus should be shown on a larger screen.  But if you leave, please come back and leave a comment and let me know what you think!!)

That goes for everybody—please leave a comment and let me know what you think!!  I hope you all enjoy it!!!!

Ten New Cricut Cartridges Just Released from Provo Craft–WooHoo!

OMG!!  I was soooo happy when I saw all the new Cricut cartridges that were released this week!!!  Because I’m a proud member of the Cricut Circle, I got to see them a day early on  “Hello Wednesday”, when Provo Craft posts them to the members-only Cricut Circle Blog.  But now that it’s Thursday, they are all listed for public view on the “Hello Thursday” section on the Cricut.com site on the Shopping tab.

• Of course I was THRILLED to see another new Imagine cartridge (I just wished there would have been more of them for the Imagine in this release!!)!!    It’s the Cricut Imagine^®Art Cartridge, “Greeting Cards Inside and Out” and it’s filled with birthday invitations, thank you cards, birth announcements, engagement and wedding announcements, and cards for all sorts of occasions.  Not only is it going to make it quick and super easy-peasy to make all sorts of cards, but I also absolutely LOVE all the new Imagine papers on this cartridge!!  Take a look:

   
(FYI, the little Cricut Circle emblem you see on the following Imagine papers is just their watermark to help protect these images on the internet!!  They are not an actual part of the papers.)
   
   
Aren’t those papers GORGEOUS and FUN??!!

• Next up is the Cricut® “Ole’ Cartridge” , which is packed full of striking images, Spanish phrases, and a bold layered font.  Wowee, is this cartridge ever overdue??!!  So cute, I can’t wait to make some fun invites for Tacos and Margaritas Night, LOL!!  Here it is:

   
Do you also see those gorgeous scalloped designs—they make this cartridge even more fun!!!

• Next is the Cricut® “Type Candy”  cartridge. This sweet Font cartridge features three darling fonts with shadows.  Each font includes uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers, punctuation marks, and special characters. I am soooo thankful to see a full font cartridge again!!!  Take a peek:

   
  LOVE IT!!!!!!!!!!

• Onto the next cartridge, and I fully admit that I can’t wait to get my hands on it!!  Just wait until you see this one, which is the Cricut® “Giant Flowers” Project cartridge !!!  All I can say is YIPPPPPEEEEE---more beautiful flowers—WooHoo!!!  You can use this cartridge to create larger-than-life flowers for a wedding, event, party, birthday, or home décor.  GORGEOUS!!!!!!!!!!!

   
Aren’t they sooooo pretty??  With the larger size of these flowers I’m soooo glad that I ordered the new Petal Roller Tool -Fabric from Imaginisce because it has a much larger slot (wider and longer) where you insert the end of your flower in order to begin rolling it, than all my other rolling and quilling tools!!!  I think that’s going to come in really handy with these!!  I need this cartridge right now!!

• Next up is the Cricut® “Bridal Shower” Event cartridge which includes a variety of images such as rings, clothing, phrases, 3D objects, and more.  This will certainly be a welcome cartridge with the wedding season coming upon us.  Our own family is having its very first wedding this summer when our oldest son, Matthew and his fiancée, Nancy, get married, so I’m sure I will be getting some great use out of this cartridge!  Let’s take a look while I ponder all the different ways I can use this cartridge:

   
OK, my mind is already spinning with ideas!!

• So, what’s next you ask??  What’s the old saying?  First comes LOVE, then comes MARRIAGE, then comes “somebody” in a BABY CARRIAGE…?? Which means that the next logical life event on our cartridge reveal is the Cricut®  “Baby Shower” Event cartridge which you can use to create unforgettable invitations, decorations, party favors, table décor,  and more.     

   
How cute!!

 

• As we continue to stroll through these new releases, the next one is the Cricut® “Elmo and Friends Holiday” cartridge which features Elmo and his friends having fun on Valentine’s Day, Easter, Halloween, Christmas, and other holidays.  Get ready for super-cuteness:

   
How about that image with Oscar the Grouch holding the Valentine’s candy heart??!!  I warned you about the cuteness factor, didn’t I??

• Now let’s look at Cricut® “My Quiet Book” Project cartridge which can be used to teach your children, nieces and nephews, or grandchildren their colors, shapes, numbers, and more with this cartridge content.

   
Sweet images, right??

• Next let’s look at a new Lite cartridge, which are found at Wal-Mart and/or at Cricut.com in the shopping section  Here is the Cricut® Lite “Fun in the Sun”  cartridge which features people waterskiing, boating, swimming, playing volleyball, or otherwise enjoying a day at a beach or lake.  (You all must know that this southern CA beach gal is loving this one, LOL!!!)

   
It’s a good thing I’m writing this article at night or I’d be tempted to grab a beach towel and run on over to the beach after looking at this cartridge, LOL!!

• Last, but certainly not least is the latest and greatest Cricut^® Circle Exclusive cartridge, the gorgeous “Letter Envy” cartridge which features an eclectic main font, bold crests, and an eye-catching second font with shadows.  Once again, please allow me take my hat off to the Circle folks up at Provo Craft who have really been doing a great job lately with proving us with fabulous content on the Circle Exclusive cartridges.  The Circle Exclusive cartridges are only available to members of the Cricut® Circle, and are automatically sent out to us each quarter (4 times a year!).  I wonder just how many of you who aren’t already part of this crafty club might be considering joining us when you see this gorgeous cartridge??!!

   
OMG—can you believe how gorgeous and detailed these fonts are??  Will someone at Provo Craft PLEASE put me out of my misery and hurry up and send me my Circle package with this cartridge in it, LOL??!!!  I am absolutely just going crazy over here wanting to get my hands on this cartridge---please have mercy on me and all my other Circlets and rush this quarter’s Circle Exclusive cartridge out to us!!
Maybe when I see the Provo Craft folks at CHA I can get a hint as to how soon the new Circle cartridge will land on my doorstep!
Well, I hope you’ve enjoyed seeing all 10 of these new Cricut cartridges as much as I did!! I wonder which ones are at the top of your list??

Wow!! Loving all the new Donna Salazar Winter CHA 2012 Releases!

Please go to Donna Salazar's blog here http://donnasalazar.typepad.com and check out all her new Winter CHA 2012 Releases, including several new die sets from Spellbinders, new compatible stamps from Art Gone Wild Stamps, three new paper lines from GCD Studios, and new matching chipboard shapes from Want2Scrap (to match her new Spellbinders dies!!)---wow, has she ever been busy!!

She has some great new die sets from Spellbinders that you can see on the Spellbinders Abilities and Beyond Blog Frenzy on Day 6, plus there are several great videos within this post full of fun techniques and hints!! See them all here:  http://donnasalazar.typepad.com/my_weblog/2012/01/spellbinders-abilities-and-beyond-blog-frenzy-day-six.html.

Next, Donna has three new paper collections from GCD Studios: 

• The first is the Botanique paper line that you can view here: http://donnasalazar.typepad.com/my_weblog/2012/01/first-paper-line-reveal-botanique.html --drop dead gorgeous!!
• The second paper line is her Mix'd Media Stack from GCD Studios that actually contains 4 different mediums, including Kraft Labels, thin Kraft paper, Manilla paper & Watercolor paper.  This is a palette of non-stop artistic fun papers that you can see here: http://donnasalazar.typepad.com/my_weblog/2012/01/donnas-reveal-of-art-gone-wild-stamps.html
• The third paper release is her Storybook paper line---OMG, this is too cute!  Check it out on the GCD Studio blog here (it hasn't been posted on Donna's blog yet, but I'd guess it should be there fairly soon!):  http://gcdstudios.blogspot.com/2012/01/story-book-collection.html
• In addition to the three new paper lines, Donna is also releasing Volume 3 of her fabulous Crafty Chronicles Newspaper.  I think parts from the previous 2 versions make it onto about 80% of my projects and no doubt this new version will prove just as useful!

In addition to all of the above, Donna also has a new line of  stamps from Art Gone Wild, including Spellbinders Compatibles stamps that match many of her new Spellbinders dies.  Check them out here, along with another very detailed video:  http://donnasalazar.typepad.com/my_weblog/2012/01/donnas-reveal-of-art-gone-wild-stamps.html.

Oh, and  almost forgot that she also has several new matching chipboard releases from Want2Scrap that match up to her new Spellbinders dies! WooHoo!!!!!!

Whew, I have to tell you I'm exhausted just from recapping the list of all Donna's new products for you!!!  I can't imagine how worn out Donna must be right now, LOL!!!  Because Donna is a local gal from right here in Orange County, I take special pride in always seeing what new and wonderful things she creates.  I absolutely love her style!!  To me, she's the "girlie" version of Tim Holtz, with her "Girlie Grunge" style that always manages to look very soft and feminine, while still allowing for all her inky, painty, glitzy, grungy fun techniques!!

Congratulations Donna on a great start to 2012!!

I have been and continue to order all the new Spellbinders dies, including all of Donna's, and will be ordering her papers as soon as I'm able to do so. I will also be checking out ordering her stamps from Art Gone Wild--I've never dealt with this company before, so hoping I can get that all set up when I'm at CHA!!

If you want to order any of Donna's products, or anything else being released for CHA Winter 2012, please email me at gcporders@yahoo.com with the list of products that you want and please put the word "ORDER" in your email subject line.  Please include your shipping zip code (or for international customers, please include your full shipping address), along with your PayPal email address.

Yikes, this is shaping up to be a seriously great Winter CHA and the show hasn't even started yet, LOL!!!

I'm Pre-Ordering all the new Spellbinders Releases – please get your orders into me ASAP please!

    Hi to all!!!  Thanks for visiting my blog!  Happy 2012!!  I'm officially back to work full-time, after spending the majority of the past month spending time with and enjoying my 82 year old Dad's month-long visit.  He went home to the Midwest yesterday, after being spoiled to our 80+ degree beach days that we had for the majority of his visit here!! 

So now I am catching up on a LOT, including blogging about the latest & greatest new releases as we wind our way down to the opening of Winter CHA 2012 in Anaheim.

I have been and continue to pre-order all the newest Spellbinders releases as they're being posted on their blog. Please go to their blog by clicking here: http://spellbinderspaperarts.com/Community/Blog.aspx .  As of this moment, they have so far debuted Days 1 through 6, so when you go to the Spellbinders site, be sure to look at each of those 6 separate days of posts, plus continue to follow and watch for the remaining days of releases in order to see ALL of the new releases!!!

Once again, Spellbinders has outdone themselves with these amazing new releases, so I expect the demand to be HUGE!!  Because of that, it is important to get your orders emailed to me ASAP, so I can make sure I have pre-ordered enough quantities of each new set within the new releases.  Otherwise, I expect orders that aren't put in ASAP, will be waiting for the second or third round of manufacturing to be done overseas and then shipped to the USA.  As always, my prices will be an average of 20% to 35% off of the MSRP (aka: the "Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price").  FYI--these are my every day low prices--you do not need a coupon or to wait for a sale--this is how I price my products all the time, to make it easy and cost-effective for my customers to get what they want!!

To place your orders with me, please email me at gcporders@yahoo.com - please put the word "ORDER" in your email's subject line, and include the Product name & the Product code of everything that you want, along with your your PayPal email address, and your shipping zip code (or if you're an International customer, please include your full shipping address within your country). Please try to get your orders into me ASAP so that I make sure I have pre-ordered enough quantities for all of you. This is an amazing set of new products and I expect the demand to be huge. Anything that doesn't get ordered early enough will most likely have to wait until a second/third shipment gets re-manufactured & sent here to USA, so please don't wait if you want to get yours early!

If you have any questions, please either email me or call me during my home office hours of between 10AM to 6PM PACIFIC time. My home office # is (714) 964-0656. Thanks!

I’m Ordering all new JustRite Stamps–Get Your Orders Into Me ASAP!!!!!

Happy New Year to all!!  I’m getting ready to send in more orders for all the newest JustRite Stamps and WOWEE, do they EVER have some GORGEOUS and fun new stamps!!  They are really expanding their repertoire in soooo many beautiful and practical ways!

To see all their new stamps, please follow the links below to their website, then make a list of which sets you want (the name of the stamp set and its’ product code if possible) and email your list to me at gcporders@yahoo.com .  Please put the word “ORDER” in your email’s subject line, which will pull it up to the top priority!!  Be SURE to come back and email me to place your orders, because as always, my prices are anywhere between 20% to 35% LESS than the manufacturer’s retail prices  (aka: MSRP).

To see all the new JustRite CLING stamps, please click here:  http://www.justritestampers.com/category.aspx?categoryID=228

To see all the new JustRite CLEAR stamps, please click here:  http://www.justritestampers.com/category.aspx?categoryID=250

To see JustRite’s brand new DIE Releases (their dies are manufactured for them by Spellbinders and are designed to match specific JustRite Stamp Sets), please click here:  http://www.justritestampers.com/category.aspx?categoryID=238

OK, now that you’ve seen them, email your list to me to get your order placed!

FYI:  All of the JustRite CLING and CLEAR stamps only need a “regular” acrylic block to mount them on for stamping, which many of you already own (the same acrylic blocks that we all use for clear stamps).  Unlike the ORIGINAL versions of the JustRite Stamps, which do need the specific size stampers for mounting, instead, all of the JustRite CLING and CLEAR stamps don’t require you to purchase anything extra!!  So as long as you already own an acrylic block that will fit the Cling or Clear stamps that you’re ordering, you are all set!!  However if you DO need to add some acrylic blocks to your order, please feel free to do so.  You will find JustRite’s collection of acrylic blocks at the bottom of the same web pages listed above, where their new Cling and Clear stamps are shown.

So now that you’ve seen these gorgeous new JustRite releases, get your list together and email it to me ASAP at gcporders@yahoo.com (or if you already have me in your email’s address book as glendascreativeplace@yahoo.com , that is still my MAIN email address, but I’ve  now also added an additional email address for my business's orders, which is just a shorter and more abbreviated version of the original  in an attempt to make it easier for some of you!!  Both of those email addresses will land in the same spot for me!!)

And remember, I can also help you with many, many other products from all sorts of manufacturers.  To see a partial list of the manufacturer’s products that I can help you with, please scroll down this web page and you will see a list on the right side of the page, just a little bit further down.

Well believe it or not, here we go again, beginning the countdown  to CHA Winter and all the new products that are already beginning to roll in, with many more to come!! This is going to be FUN!!!!

P.S. I want to send a shout out to Megan and her husband Sean from Above Rubies Studio.  Sean was in a car accident earlier this week and thank goodness it wasn’t serious, but he did get pretty bruised up and is very sore from the air bags.  If you could, please send some good thoughts and prayers their way, because whenever any of our loved ones gets hurt or injured, it is very scary and stressful for the entire family.  Here’s hoping for a speedy recovery for Sean and some peace of mind for Megan!

It’s a Cricut Extravaganza here right now & I’m loving it!!!

Hi All!!

Oh, I wish all of you could all see what is going on here.  I am on “vacation” again this week, finishing up a very special project.  In order to get everything done in time (because there was an “industrial accident” here last week that destroyed weeks worth of work I’d already done—can’t talk about that right now or I might seriously start weeping, LOL!!),  I literally have every Cricut machine that I own working away for me, all at the same time.

I have my Expression 2 (which I am now soooo LOVING—thank you soooo much for this machine Provo Craft!!!!), next to my regular Expression, along with my original Cricut (aka Baby Bug) all three working in my craft room.  Then in the family room, I have my Cricut Imagine machine cutting away as well.

I have my laptop permanently logged into the Cricut Craft Room design program and I am just moving the USB cord from one machine to the other in my craft room—when one machine finishes, I start up the other one (so as to not overwork them!).  I have gone through 6 new cutting blades between all the machines in the past few days (thank goodness I am always stocked up on these!!), as well as a gaggle of cutting mats.  (FYI for all Cricut Users—this is why I ALWAYS preach that you MUST keep extra cutting blades and cutting mats on hand at all times!!)  I’m also using my Gypsy on some things that I don’t need to create files for, but am using it to just to help me out with paper placement so I can just whip out those cuts!!  It is truly a Cricut / Provo Craft extravaganza going on here right now!!!  Talk about a party, WooHoo!!!!  I wish I had a spare minute just to make a video to show you the craziness going on here.  There are literally stacks of die cuts (all the things I’ve already cut out), and who know how many packs and containers of papers that have been pulled out and are lining the family room floor, as well as all corners of my desk.  It is QUITE a site, LOL!!!

It’s at times like this that reminds me why I love my Cricut machines so much.  We are sooooo spoiled by these machines that literally take so much of the laborious work out of our hands and do it all for us.  Right now all I can say is “THANK YOU PROVO CRAFT”.  These machines have transformed the entire way in which I craft and I for one, am NEVER going back—only forward!!  I can’t wait to see what Provo Craft has in store for us in the coming year.  I was so happy to see all the digital images that have been added to Cricut Craft Room (and BTW, I found the exact image that I needed and didn’t yet own for a big piece of my project—how handy and wonderful was that!!??) and I can’t wait too see what they’ll give us next.  As you can deduce from the tone of this post, I am on a serious “Cricut high” right now!!!  And when I finish up this project, next I’ll be starting on my Christmas cards and I know that once again, using my Cricut machines, I will whip those out of here in no time, especially with all the great cartridges that have beautiful Christmas designs on them!!!  Isn’t technology a wonderful thing??!!!  I guess that’s why I will forever be the original “Gadget Girl”!!!

Well, got to get back to it!!!  Wish me luck!!

FYI-On Vacation for “Top Secret Special Assignment” all this week!!

Hi Everybody!!!  Hope everyone is starting to get in the holiday spirit!!!  Wow, the Christmas decorations are already up everywhere it seems!!!  Matches well with the chilly and wet southern CA weekend we’re having here!!!

This is just an informational post to let all of you know that I am going to be taking VACATION time all this week, starting Sunday, November 6th, and I will be returning on Monday, November 14th.  I am going to be on a “special assignment/special project” that I can’t chat about yet (Top Secret—shhhhhh!!!), but I will tell you just as soon as I’m allowed to do so.  But I will say it’s VERY EXCITING and quite an honor!!!  I decided to take vacation time because in order to do the very best job possible on this special assignment, I really need to concentrate ONLY on this one project exclusively, up until the time that I hear the words, “It’s a wrap!!”.

However, as always, if you happen to have a very serious crafting emergency (LOL!!!), and you absolutely must speak to me immediately, you can always call me on my Home Office telephone number.

In the meantime, if you want to place an order, please go ahead and send an email to me at glendascreativeplace@yahoo.com  –and PLEASE put the word “ORDER” in your email subject line!!!  Please include the information for the items that you want to order (product and manufacturer name, and product # if you have it!), along with your shipping address and telephone #, and the PayPal email address you want your invoice sent to.  That way I can get a head start on your orders while I’m on vacation!!

Have a fabulous week and wish me luck!!!!  WooHoo!!!!!!!

Updates on cancer scares and more

I know I’m really late getting this information updated (based on all the emails and phone calls I’ve received from so many of you!!), and for that, I apologize.  Frankly, I have no excuse except that I have just been worn out thinking and talking about it and frankly, couldn’t bear to talk about it for a short time while just trying to absorb it all and what it might all mean.  It seemed to overshadow my life for the last couple months.  But I know I owe it to all my friends, customers and followers to get this information to you, so here we go.  I will try to make this as short as possible (LOL!!!).

Regarding the Multiple Myeloma cancer:
The news is the results are "inconclusive at this time". One of the main things they look for is an elevated protein in the urine, and mine is elevated, but not much--so this is good news. The not so good news is in reading all the bone scans, skeletal bone survey, etc., they found more black spots, this time on my femoral shaft (which is your thigh bone), so this isn't so good, because now they can see these black spots (which I think are actually little holes in the bone, IF I understand this correctly) on my spine and on the femur.

Some of the main and typical symptoms of Multiple Myeloma (aka MM) are severe fatigue, and problems with the kidney functions, but in my case, I am already always fatigued because I don't sleep well--ever--due to ongoing severe back pain. And as for the kidney issue, because that protein in my urine wasn't elevated very much, right now this isn't a serious concern either—the kidneys look okay for now. Because the main symptoms of MM aren't severe enough at this point in time to cause me too many problems, the decision by the Oncologist was to not do anything invasive, meaning no chemotherapy (thank goodness—WooHoo!!), no blood marrow transfusion, etc. and to re-check everything in 6 months from now. At that time,  if things have progressed, then we will have to re-visit those invasive treatment options, BUT there's also a chance that things could stay the same for an indefinite amount of time.

This Multiple Myeloma is a very strange & different animal from many other cancers, which we typically expect to progress fairly quickly. Apparently people can not only live for a long time with MM, even when the disease is more advanced (based of course on when and what stage of the disease they're diagnosed with), but in cases like mine, there are a lot of people who have it and who live with the more minimal amount of symptoms for years with no change--almost as if it's stagnant!!!

So for right now, I don't have to do anything regarding the MM but wait and do the follow up again in 6 months. And although I am sincerely grateful that I don't have to undergo any treatment, especially chemo, (because the #1 thing I despise and that believe it or not, is the thing I've been most afraid of is the throwing up—(yes, I know--I sound like a big baby, right??) --but I am so seriously afraid of being sick to my stomach for any length of time because it hurts my back soooo badly to throw up--it's the "heaving" that hurts!!), but because I am a person who prefers to have real answers and then, even if the answers aren't good, at least I know what the answers are and can make a plan for what needs to be done, this is going to be tough for me to remain patient. Because for now it's a "wait and see" thing, mentally it's very difficult for me to have absolutely NO control over anything (yes, I am a control freak--no surprise there, LOL!!)--no treatment plan, no preventative measures I can work on (because there's nothing I can do to "get rid of it" since there's no real cure at this time!) --nothing--I just have to wait to see if it progresses or stays the same. I don't know if that makes any sense to anyone else because I'm certainly grateful that things aren't nearly as bad as I'd dreaded they might be, but I feel like now I'm sitting on a ticking time bomb, with no way to diffuse it. And anyone who knows me well, knows that I am not a very patient person, to say the least!! "Sit and wait" is not exactly my style, LOL!!
But all in all, so far the news, regarding the Multiple Myeloma at least, is that it appears that all of you are STUCK WITH ME for the time being!!!! For that I am extremely grateful.

Regarding the red spots that appeared on my legs this summer, I went back to the dermatologist for a follow up and they’d actually gotten worse, so she did a total of 3 biopsies,--2 were very deep and afterwards, it looked like either a crime scene or a Halloween prank gone very wrong in the procedure room—enough said, because if I shared the details, I’m worried some of you might faint, since the doctor almost did!!  These will take about 2 weeks for the results, but the doctor said they way the spots look now (because she says their appearance has changed somewhat since I saw her last), she’s thinking it’s likely not skin cancer (Melanoma), however she’s concerned I might have Lupus or something similar.  Well, it’s not perfect news, but if it’s a toss-up between skin cancer/Melanoma or Lupus, I’ll take the Lupus.  However, this is all speculation until the results from the biopsies come back, so again, I’m in a waiting game.

Next, regarding the iffy Mammogram & the repeat scans where they found an enlarged lymph node in my armpit, I am just waiting for my follow-up appointment for another Mammogram and another scan and those appointments are coming up this month.  So, nothing new to report there—just more waiting.

Last, but not least, I have to see a neurologist because I keep getting severe pain, then numbness, tingling and weakness that begins in the shoulder area of both arms, proceeds down both arms and into both hands and all fingers.  It often feels like my hands and all my fingers are asleep and I’ve been occasionally dropping heavier things  The doctors weren’t sure if they should send me to the neurologist first or to a rheumatologist, but they decided I need to have a Nerve Conduction Study done by the neurologist first, then get those results read and depending on what they show,  decide where to go from there.  All I can say about this is they had better figure this problem out quickly before it effects my crafting!!!  I think I am more ticked off about this than anything else (which might ONLY make sense to other crafters, LOL!!!).  I absolutely refuse to allow anything to take away my ability to craft, because it is the time I feel so joyous and fulfilled, and no matter what else might be going on with me or around me, my crafting and creating time is when I can “go somewhere else” and not worry about anything while I’m in the midst of it.  It is how I relieve stress, it makes me sooooo happy and I will be darned if I’m going to allow anything to mess with that!!!  In the meantime, all I can say is thank goodness I have all my Cricut machines, cartridges and accessories, because my fabulous machines can do all the heavy lifting for me when this flares up, LOL!!!

Well, I think I’ve about covered everything.  In a nutshell, some things are still in a wait and see mode short-term, and others (the Multiple Myeloma) are more of a long-term waiting game.  But for now, I am thankful that the news has been as good as it’s been thus far and I am focusing on being happy and thankful for every single day.  I love my husband, my three sons, my family, my friends and I love helping all of you.  I am a person who absolutely loves to help people and I wish all of you knew the amount of joy and satisfaction I receive from doing all the little extras that I try to do for so many of you. And this is why I hope all of you know that you can always ask me when you need a little extra help, whether it’s in locating a certain product, or if you just want to know the answers to everyday crafty questions, such as which adhesive to use when, or how to use certain features on your Cricut or other die cutting machines, or how to best start collecting Spellbinders dies, or JustRite Stamps, etc. 

I am available by email, by phone and by video-chat using ooVoo (free at www.ooVoo.com --IMHO it’s better than Skype!!!). These are the things that make me want to get up in the morning and I thank all of you for allowing me to do them for you.

So for now, you are still stuck with me!!!  I am here for you, so send me your orders, your requests or your questions because I’ve found that keeping busy is the very best medicine there is!!

Thanks again for all of your messages, inquiries, emails, PMs, phone calls and for some gorgeous and encouraging hand crafted cards!!!  You are truly an amazing group of people!!!

Now I’m off to go pack some orders!!!!! TTFN (ta ta for now!!!).

P.S.  I think I am finally ready to get another little doggie—I’m thinking this will also be very good for my heart and soul—more about this later!

Cancer Scares and testing--Please put out good thoughts for me

Please excuse me, but this is not a craft post today, it is instead a very personal post.  I hope all of you don't mind.

 For anyone wondering why I've been mostly absent from my sites (blog, Facebook. Cricut Message Board...),  it's because for the last month or so, I've been undergoing a ton of testing to see if I have Multiple Myeloma, a blood plasma cancer.  After having what I thought was a routine MRI, I was told they found several things on the MRI, listed here in order of least to most serious:   

1. First, they found a Synovial Cyst on my L2-3 disc, which is the disc above the L4-5, (which is the disc where I've had all the failed back surgery), and this does help explain why I've been having serious and ever-growing pain radiating up above the normal pain zone where all the surgery has been.  Apparently, this type of cyst is fluid-filled and simply will continue to contribute to my ever-growing pain level, and no one will operate on it so it can't be removed (especially with my spinal track record!!), but it's not cancerous--just another way to cause additional and progressive pain.  
2. Second, I have Facet Arthropathy in my spine, which is a fancy way of saying my spine is arthritic (which we already knew!!) and getting worse.  Yippee--more pain & I really feel like I'm way too young to have arthritis and a deteriorating spine, but there you have it!
3. Last, but certainly not least, on the spinal MRI, they found that my spine has a "salt and pepper" appearance, which means there are black spots all over it, and this salt and pepper appearance of the spine is indicative of Multiple Myeloma, a blood plasma cancer.

Once getting all this wonderful news, I was sent on a path over the last month or so of first being referred to the Oncologist and being told it would be 3 weeks to even have the first appointment with her.  Well, I was soooo stressed out and knew I would seriously lose my mind if I had to wait 3 more weeks to even get to speak to someone about this, so I pushed back a little (maybe more than a little) and did get an earlier appointment with the Oncologist.  However, once I was at the Oncologist, she breezed in for a few minutes, and very matter of factly told me she couldn't tell me anything yet because I still needed to have a bunch of tests. (I would venture to say she needs some work on her bedside manner, but I suppose with all the very sick people they deal with in an oncology practice, they have to keep their own emotions in check at all time!!) 

 So over the last weeks, I have been back and forth to the hospital, to the Lab, and especially to Radiology, where I've had several CAT Scans, Skeletal Bone Surveys and many more X-Rays and studies.  I have given away so many bodily fluids I worry that I will never replenish them and I've been "nuked" so many times, over and over again in Radiology that I'm pretty sure I will be glowing in the dark soon (that would be a good party trick for Halloween, right??).  

 In the midst of all this, I also needed to have a Bone Density test, and since I was also due for my annual Mammogram and they like to do those 2 tests at the same time, I went ahead and scheduled them both together at their suggestion, but really never gave the Mammogram a second thought (well, except for when they were performing an actual "titty twister" maneuver while I was in the Mammogram machine--yikes!!).  My mind was totally focused on getting results so I could get answers about whether or not I had Multiple Myeloma.  So imagine my surprise when a couple days after the Mammogram, my phone rang, the Caller ID showed the hospital, and I picked it up expecting someone was going to tell me I had to have yet ANOTHER test for the Multiple Myeloma, but instead it turned out to be the Breast Center at the hospital.  They called to inform me there was something the Radiologist didn't like on my right breast when he read the Mammogram and wanted me to come back in either that afternoon or the next morning for some follow up tests.  I went back in the next day and after further testing, I was told there could be a problem with the lymph node under the armpit on the right breast.  They said looking at my baseline films and my subsequent Mammograms from years past (which luckily had all been done in this same hospital, so they could take a good look at the entire history) this had never shown up before.  But, because of all the testing for Multiple Myeloma that had been going on, they weren't sure it might not be tied into that somehow, so the decision was made to wait until after I got those results before following up again about the lymph node!!!  So I already have a follow up appointment for that.  Until then, I just wait and worry.

Also in the midst of all this, I was referred to a dermatologist because I've developed some red spots on both my legs that keep getting worse.  I thought I was probably broken out with some sort of common skin condition or something, but after examining me, she didn't seem to think so.  She gave me some very serious prescription cream and set a follow-up appointment for me in about a month or so, and if these spots haven't cleared up by then, she said she will need to do a biopsy, because it could be the beginning of a different type of cancer, melanoma.  (That's what happens to naughty sun-loving, white-as-paste blond haired/blue eyed girls who live by the beach I suppose!!)

Then earlier today (Thursday), I got another call and this time it was about the Bone Density Test.  I was informed that they found that there was thinning of my bones and I am in pre-osteoporosis (there's another term for it, but I didn't write it down & now can't remember it!!).  This also didn't really surprise me because my Mom has Osteoporosis and has had it for quite a while, but again, this wasn't something I was really even thinking about, because I was concentrating on the tests and upcoming results for the Multiple Myeloma.  But I have thought for a while that this could be a factor and could be contributing to some of the spinal problems I have.

So to say it's been a rough couple of months for me would be a bit of an understatement.  First, I had the unexpected, sudden and horribly sad loss of my darling little dog, Gucci and that about knocked me out with grief, let me tell you, and the timing of it couldn't have been worse because with everything I've been dealing with right now, I need her with me more than ever!!  There's nothing better for what ails me than some seriously unconditional puppy love! Then I had no sooner had started to get back on my feet after Gucci's death, then along comes all this bad news from the MRI, first with the Synovial Cyst, then with the Facet Arthropathy (arthritis), but especially the potential of having this Multiple Myeloma cancer.  And then, after reeling from the possibility of having cancer and all that would entail if it turned out to be so, then I was completely shocked to find out about the lymph node results and breast cancer scare from the Mammogram, And to add insult to injury, apparently my bones are thinning, so I'm on the road to Osteoporosis (which REALLY irritates me because I drink at least 3 huge glasses of milk every day and have done so since I was a tiny child!!), which should REALLY work well with the arthritis in my spine, don't you think?? And of course, let me not forget about the possible melanoma on my legs, woo-hoo!!

If I weren't so exhausted from all the worrying, I would laugh about all this because it has almost been comical, with one thing after another, after another.  I tell you what, if it turns out that (hopefully!!!) I am cancer-free, I'm still not sure that all the stress and worrying won't have killed me when this is all over, LOL!!

I'm asking all my crafty peeps, friends and family out there to please put out lots of positive thoughts for me to get great results when I follow up with the Oncologist tomorrow morning/Friday.  I'm hoping that I get a completely cancer-free result.  Once I do, then I can try to focus my attention on dealing with what the Synovial Cyst and the Facet Arthropathy will bring, as well as watching out for further developments with the lymph node, the pending Osteoporosis as well as the possible Melanoma on my legs!!!  (I’m just a regular party right now, aren’t I??)

But through all of this, I intend to continue helping my customers, just as I have been doing-- in fact, the more I can do that, the better off I'll be because I will have less time to focus or dwell on any problems or concerns I might have!!  So please--keep me BUSY!!!

And most of all, please put those positive thoughts and vibes out there for me, so I can happily report back here after seeing the Oncologist later today (Friday) that the results for the Multiple Myeloma are 100% negative!!

Now I am going to head upstairs to try to catch a couple hours of sleep if possible, because I want to be as sharp and alert as possible when I meet with the Oncologist later!!!  Wish me luck and send up some prayers for me if you can spare them!!!  I could really use them right now!