Hooter GIVEAWAY!

I'm giving away this petite blue fritty owl. 

Here are the rules:

1. Share this post on Facebook. I'll post it first on my Maybeads page, then all you have to do is share it.

2. Come back here and leave a comment saying you shared it. Also - be sure to leave your contact information so I can find you if you win. 

Easy as pie. 

Thanks for entering! I'll draw a name on Thursday night.

Off to Camp

Yesterday we dropped our daughter off at summer camp. She'll be there for just under a week. She was excited and nervous, much like she was last year when she went to overnight camp for the first time. But this year she's at a new camp - a camp for kids with diabetes. And it's right across the lake from the camp she went to last year. It's completely possible for kids with diabetes to attend regular summer camps, but it's a very big challenge. Annie needs to test her blood sugar several times a day and needs to inject herself with the right amount of insulin before every meal. At a camp that isn't geared toward diabetics, it would definitely take time away from the activities, plus it would be tricky to get the dosing accurate. With Annie's diagnosis being so recent, we were not up for those challenges and we didn't want to put that responsibility on the camp. So we signed her up for diabetes camp, which is really just like regular camp - campfires, swimming, sports - only all the kids there have diabetes. Many of the counselors are diabetics, too (including Annie's cousin, who has attended this camp since she was small). This would be Annie's first time hanging out with other kids her age who are diabetics. Instead of being the only kid taking insulin before her meal, she'd be like everyone else. 

We got Annie to her cabin and unpacked a few things, then she gave us each a fist bump (I know, a fist bump!), told us to be on our way and quickly joined the other girls playing cards. I think she'll be ok. :)

But just in case I packed a little surprise - the OctoSqueedle I bought at Raven's Craft Creations. It's the cutest little octopus, and it has a little red spot on one leg as a reminder to test your blood sugar. Annie will love it. :)

Yesterday also happened to be the day former Cubs third basemen Ron Santo was (finally!) inducted into Baseball's Hall of Fame. Ron Santo, aside from being an outstanding player and the Cubs' hilarious color commentator in recent years, also had Type 1 diabetes. He played pro ball with diabetes, but it wasn't really known at the time. He has since done so much for the cause and was so determined to help raise funds to find a cure. Santo died before he knew he'd be in the Hall of Fame, but not before doing so much good for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation. I read that he has raised over $64 million dollars for the JDRF. Awesome. Pretty cool that Annie's first time at diabetes camp coincides with this historic day for Ron Santo.

While Annie's at camp, I plan to make lots of mini Dinobeadies for Diabetes, with proceeds going to the JDRF. I'm hoping to raise over $100 by the time she gets back, so I'd better get torching!

Happy Monday!

Gifts from Across the Pond

This post has been a very long time coming. I've been wanting to share what two very special lampwork artists and one amazing bag designer did for my daughter. When Sue from FlamingEck and Laney of Izzybeads learned that my daughter, Annie, had been diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes, they hatched a plan to bring some cheer to her - all the way from the UK! Both Laney and Sue have been my online glassy friends for a while now, and they both live in the UK. Little did I know that they knew each other (small lampwork world), but I eventually figured that out and it made perfect sense that these two smart and funny ladies would be friends. They commissioned Lesley, a bag designer from Scotland (Hand Maiden Scotland - clever name!), to make Annie a special bag for her diabetes supplies. The three of them put together the most wonderful package for Annie, and when she came home from school one day it was waiting for her.

The purse/bag is done in a gorgeous red-white-and-blue paisley pattern, and the lining has little British flags on it - the perfect touch.

Ernie had to check out the packaging, while Annie found more treasures inside the bag.

Here she discovers one of Laney's famous Chook (chicken) beads that's turned into a purse charm. Laney also sent one of her gorgeous flower beads (I don't have a picture because Annie socked it away where I can't find it and she's not home to tell me where it is - but believe me, it's so pretty!).

And here she's admiring Sue's patriotic flower purse charm (she doesn't see pretty flower beads like that around here!). Sue even sent some of her awesome murrini for me!

This is the inside of the bag with Annie's supplies inside. In addition to a zippered pocket on the outside of the purse, Lesley designed it to have a pocket on the inside, which is perfect for her pen. There's even a little matching wallet that holds her pen needles. 

I can't even begin to express how wonderful it was to know that these women, who we have never met, thought of Annie and made these special, thoughtful gifts for her. It means so much. 

Thank you Laney, Sue and Lesley!!!

Dinobeadies for Diabetes

Today my daughter's school held its annual end-of-the-year Fun Run. It's a 2-mile run that, truth be told, most of the junior high kids walk. But this was the first year the Fun Run would benefit a charity - and the school chose the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation. How cool is that? 

Annie is one of two kids in her school with juvenile diabetes. She was pretty excited that the Fun Run was benefitting the JDRF, and the kids raised over $6,000!

Annie and I had decided a while back that I should make a special bead to benefit the JDRF or another diabetes charity. Annie loved the idea of a "diabetes dinosaur," so she was pushing that idea. I knew that my dinosaur beads usually sat in my shop until they were, well, as old as dinosaurs. So I was hesitant because I wanted to pick a bead that people would actually buy. But Annie insisted, so I went with it. I made mini dino beads, which eventually turned into dinobeadies for diabetes. And whaddya know? They've been selling like crazy! In just over a week, these small but mighty dinosaurs have earned over $300 for the JDRF. I am thrilled! I will keep creating these little guys in every color combination imaginable until there is a cure for diabetes.

Annie picked one out for herself yesterday - it's purple, green and pink and I turned it into a charm.

More dinobeadies can be found here. 

Art Imitates Art Imitates Art

I've said it before, I'm inspired by stuffed animals. I've often used my daughters' favorite plush toys as inspiration for my beads. Now I've used a recent Etsy purchase (for my daughter's upcoming birthday) as the model for my first lemur bead. When I first laid eyes on the huge eyes of Leonardo the Lemur on Raven's Craft Creations Facebook page, I knew I had to get it for my daughter. She is an Etsy fanatic and always asks for "Etsy money" for her birthday so she can pick something out. She has a thing for koalas and chickens (she adds them to my favorites a lot), but I just know this lemur will find a prominent place in her stuffed animal pile. 

The lemur arrived recently and it is sooooo cute! Raven, of Raven's Craft Creations on Etsy is so talented with amigurumi animals! Once I saw it, I knew I wanted to turn it into a bead. The eyes may be what caught my attention, but the long ring tail is my favorite part. It bends! 

Here is my glassy version of Leonardo the Lemur. He was very fun to make! You can get your own Leonardo the amigurumi Lemur here. But that's not all Raven makes - baby beanies, dinosaur hats and totes are also available. But the amigurumi animals are my favorites. :)

Here are Raven's latest little critter creations ~ octo-squeedles. They come in just about any color combination you can think up, and they are so flippin' cute! Raven actually modeled these little octopus toys after another glass artist's creations:

At Everything Squeedle, proceeds from every purchase of these adorable Squeedle beads go toward funding research for Type 1 diabetes, a cause I am personally behind. See the little red spot on the far left leg? That's to show he's tested his blood sugar (something diabetics have to do about 10 times a day) to make sure he's in the safe range - good Squeedle! These are charming and unique little creatures that I'm sure bring comfort to kids with Type 1. 

Once again, it all comes full circle. :)

Turtle Bead GIVEAWAY!

Time for a giveaway!!!

Here are the rules:
1. Leave a comment after this post - it can be about anything. Also, make sure there's a way for me to contact you.
2. For an extra entry - like Maybeads on Facebook and share my giveaway post there. Then leave a separate second comment on my blog saying you shared it.
Easy Peasy right?

I'll draw a name tonight, May 6, around 9pm Chicago time.

Thanks for playing!

Beads of Courage for My Girl

Life certainly can be ironic. Or come full circle. You know, like a bead. On January 2 of this year, the last day of winter break for my kids, I took my daughter Annie to JoAnne's to buy some fabric. She was using gift cards she'd received for the holidays to buy fabric because she wanted to make bags for Beads of Courage, a program that I love to support. Beads of Courage provides beads for children who are dealing with serious illnesses - different beads are assigned to various treatments. As you can imagine, some of these little fighters have multiple strands that are filled with all kinds of beads. So Beads of Courage not only depends on artists to create beads for the program, but it also relies on volunteers to make special bead bags for the kids. Annie, who loves to sew, had wanted to make these bags for a long time. So that's how we found ourselves at JoAnne's, picking out some fun fabrics on January 2. 

On January 3, I called our pediatrician's office to ask about Annie's sudden weight loss and extreme thirst, symptoms we'd noticed for the previous couple weeks. With the New Year's holiday long weekend, it was my first chance to call after realizing just how severe her symptoms were. I was told to take her right in for a blood test, and that's when we got her Juvenile Diabetes diagnosis. I first wrote about that here. Since Annie's diagnosis, our time has been filled with doctor's appointments and educating ourselves about this disease. But in the four months since she was diagnosed, Annie did finally get to make her first Beads of Courage bag. Her grandma came over and the two of them spent an afternoon figuring out the pattern and making one finished bag. Annie was so excited to finally make it! She plans on making more.

The first Beads of Courage bead bag Annie made.

Shortly after Annie's diagnosis, I learned that Beads of Courage now has a Chronic Illness program, which includes kids like Annie who have diabetes. So after a few weeks I finally filled out Annie's information and signed her up. And guess what came in the mail a few days ago? Annie's strand of beads! It's a short strand, and we hope it stays that way. :) But each bead on there stands for something she's been through - from her nights spent in the hospital to her blood draws while she was there. There are also special bumpy beads that represent learning to take her own medicine - in this case insulin shots - so I made that bead for her, as well as one for learning to use the insulin pen (which is now how she injects herself).

It hasn't been easy, adjusting to this new normal. But Annie has come so far in the last four months and we are so proud of her. She was so excited to receive her beads - and for someone who has pretty much open access to all kinds of beads here, that's saying a lot! That's because the Beads of Courage beads were hard-earned, and that's what makes each and every one so special. Thank you, thank you, Beads of Courage.