Get the Tissues Ready

                                                                        Meet Jamie.
 She is a 33 year old mother of 3 little boys all under the age of 9.

She is loved and supported by many of those in her family.
Now, I don't personally "know" her, but her older sister is a close friend, and well family to me. Many of you recognize her name as she is my photographer. She has done a maternity shoot, fun shoots and my wedding of coarse. Her name is Dawn Alderman. Because of the friendship, I don't have to know her sister Jamie, to be effected by any sadness or sorrow.
Jamie was experiencing alot of headaches and a trip to the doctor in May 2010, she was diagnosed with brain cancer. We are coming up on the year mark of her initial diagnosis. This month, they discovered that the Tremador chemo did not work and her tumor as actually grown. She is at stage 4. She has started a new kind of chemo treatment that  has been shown to stop tumor progression by cutting off the tumors blood supply.

Coronal MRI with contrast of a glioblastoma WHO grade IV in a 15-year-old male.

This type of brain cancer is the most common and aggressive. Even though it is considered the most common,  it only occurs in  2–3 cases per 100,000 people in Europe and North America. It's name? Glioblastoma multiforme or GBM. (information and mri photo from Wikipedia.)
Unfortunately, we all have known someone who has had to go through this horrid fight with Cancer. It doesn't matter the kind of cancer as it all can lead to a horrid end. My grandma died in 1994 of cancer. My husband's grandmother lost her fight with it this past June. My uncle(well, technically cousin) is battling cancer right now.
It amazes me that with all the study and research that's been done and that continues...they have still not found a cure.
With enough positive thinking and prayers, let this be one of the survivors. She has 3 boys that need her..not to mention her family and friends.  Please take a moment and think/pray hard for miracles to start happening.
During Dawn's visit with Jamie this month, she took her to MAC makeup for the day and bought her all new makeup! She had an amazing day. Let there be many more for YEARS to come.
Let there be many more wonderful years for all those battling this horrid battle.

During my research of this type of cancer, I found that it too has a ribbon. All cancers do but most recognize the pink ribbon that symbolizes breast cancer. Brain cancer's ribbon color is grey and overall cancer awareness is lavender. As you know, I have a couple Etsy shops.

 I have one item in my CreationsByCReid shop that all proceeds will be donated to Jamie and her family. I am currently working on at least one item for my FeatherAhead that all proceeds will be donated to Jamie and her family as well. I went to Joann's yesterday and bought a spool of grey and a spool of lavender ribbon to start on these projects. I will make a post once these items are done.

I have one item in this shop now that 75% of the proceeds will be donated to the American Cancer Society in honor of my husband's grandmother.
If you own an Etsy shop or know someone who does, let us join together and help where we can. If you care to participate, please give me the link to the item in which you would like to donate the proceeds. When you are ready to make your donation, I will give you the information needed to go ahead and do so. Thank you for your support, prayers and positive thinking. Please share this!

A sneak peak of a shop feature

As you all know, I have 2 beautiful girls. And of coarse they are spoiled! If I say "no" alot of times daddy comes in to save them and vice versa at times. I guess. LOL.

I am constantly looking for cute things for them on Etsy. Months ago I stumbled across this shop in Etsy Chat. Which I may add, is quite addicting and time consuming. Housework and other chores are procrastinated often and so does the cooking. This I am sure my hubby gets a little annoyed at but would never admit it. I am so glad that I procrastinated these things for chat, or I would have never came across this awesome shop. http://www.h0neyburn.etsy.com/. Anyone with little girls...go shopping there now!

The hat I made. You can see/purchase other hats and items i have crocheted at http://www.creationsbycreid.etsy.com/

I have 10 pairs now of her leg/arm warmers for the girls..well 8 pairs for the girls and 2 for me that I use as arm warmers. They have been great for this sporatic weather this year.

 As soon as my oldest comes home and if weather permitting, I shall get her to model some of her arm/leg warmers!

One pair that I have been wearing daily it seems. The fox fur ring I made and is still available in my FeatherAhead shop.

As soon as I obtain more followers, I will do official shop features and a giveaway and discounts etc.

I will end this as a preperation for the next post. It will be on a subject that I am positive we have all had to endure at some point. Please get your tissues ready. I will be in search of shops willing to participate as well. Thank you for your continued support

Chantell

I love shoes and baby feet!

As a typical woman, I love shoes! I have been blessed with 2 girls so far and enjoy buying shoes for them any chance I get!

The skull shoes were bought by Paegen's(my oldest) Father and girlfriend for Adealia.(my youngest)

I have so many shoes even though I have gotten rid of alot. People often joke that I have a foot fetish as to the amount of feet/shoe pics I have.

These are not my style of shoes but they make for a great photo!

The only feet that I love are baby feet! So small. So cute!

So don't misunderstand my pictures of shoes as a feet fetish...its a shoe fetish..unless of coarse they are baby feet! Soon I shall have pictures to post of my shoe collection. I have "hooker" style shoes that I love love love but have found that shopping at Walmart with my kids might not look so great :)

Katie and Rick is LOVE

Having never met this amazing couple before, I was nervous. They were a referral from Gabe's cousin and his fiance. I didn't know what there expectations were, what they envisioned, the area..it was all unknown. After a 4 hour drive of horrid wind and bizarre roads we made it to Moscow, ID. They still have SNOW! So gorgeous and the lighting...PERFECT! Was nicely overcast so the reflections from the snow was tolerable. Best of all, no wind. Living in NE Oregon, there are not many days of no wind, making for interesting times when photographing. And as I sit here writing this, I can hear the wind blowing like crazing out there.
After some more coffee and a bit of relaxation, Stacie(cousins fiance) and I were off so I could meet the bride and groom to be. I was pleasantly surprised when I met them. Very laid back with a great sense of humor.

From there we headed off to a location at their local college campus. GORGEOUS! Snow, trees, hills, pond. A photographers dream for sure. After lots of laughing, joking and some falling down, we managed to create some great memories captured on film.

They are so much in love, it oozes from them It's hard not to smile when around them. I cannot wait until their wedding and am so honored that I have been given the opportunity to be their photographer.

It is possible

I will start from the beginning and try not to get into too much boring detail. The point of this post, is to reassure you that there is hope and it is possible.
It was the summer of 2000. I had just lost my job cocktailing/bar tending at a local bar. I was out drinking...my typical nightly routine. That was when I saw "Him." And no, I am not talking about the religious figure. Names are not important here.

Within about a month of dating "him", I had met his mother and was planning on moving in with him. Things of coarse were great. We would go out, talk, laugh. It was great. His job was not 365 days a year and down time was coming up. He decided to move us back home...to his parents house with them...Yep..you read that right. We were to be moving in with his parents. In all of this, I learn that his ex girlfriend is pregnant with his kid. (that should have been the first warning).
I had many run ins with her throughout the relationship. It was a violent roller coaster.
While living with his parents, I experienced a CRAZY fight. He beat the hell out of his brother-knocking him out. His parents got involved and that was a nightmare as well. (this should have been the flashing neon sign RUN) We then moved into our own house.
His family and I had disagreeing times and was called some not so nice things(again, another warning sign ignored)
At about 6 months into the relationship, he said, "if you wanna get married. plan it all and we will get married." I was in LOVE so of coarse I started planning.
We married towards the end of Sept. Just 2 weeks after 9/11. The day of our wedding I fell sick. During the ceremony it was hard to talk because my throat hurt so bad and I was asleep not even half way into our reception.
From there, it turned into a horrible nightmare. I was told how worthless and fat I was. It was hard to get a job because he would make things so difficult. I finally did find a job I liked at a pet fish store. He made his daily appearances to intimidate everyone.
I am not sure how long after our vows, but one day we were driving home from work. I was driving. We were discussing my need to go to the Doctor. Now ladies, you all know the importance of going to our yearly exam. I was trying to explain this to him and he wasn't having it. It turned into a huge fight ending in him punching me in the face. Now mind you, I was driving. I tried to turn to go to his parent's house but he grabbed the steering wheel.  For days, my face was swollen and discolored. You better believe I told anyone who asked exactly what happened. That didn't go over well.
I am gonna skip through details over the next couple of years. It was basically full of many more fights, arguments, abuse..both mental and physical. I just kept telling myself, "you said for better or for worse" "you made the marriage commitment."
Now, during the relationship, the ex girlfriend had given birth and her and I had a bit of a truce and I helped care for the baby. We had the little boy quite often. (I miss him...he was 2 1/2 when I left) Unfortunately, he was exposed to his "daddy's" anger...The final straw for me was, during a horrid fight of yelling hitting..the lil boy came running into the bedroom yelling "DADDY! STOP HITTING MY MOMMY!" At that moment, I knew I had to get out.
While working for the fish store, I fell and hurt my back badly. Therapy etc. In the end I was due a settlement. One I would have to hide the details to as best as possible. But where was I supposed to go and how was I to leave? There was no way he was gonna let me leave.
The last fight was the by far the worse. He had been out drinking which never helps things. He came home a nasty drunk. It of coarse ended with a physical fight where i was punched in the face, slammed into the kitchen counter and kicked in the ribs. Thank God that the little boy was with his mom that night. He proceeded to tell me how and why he was gonna stab me. And that I deserved it. From that moment on, I strategically planned my getaway.
He was working on another Island and I fled. Left alot behind. But with the help of some very valuable friends, I left with my life.
Now you are probably asking, "Why didn't you call the cops?" Well, I did. I was told that IF THE RESPONDING OFFICERS FELT HE NEEDED TO BE ARRESTED, THEY WOULD. I COULD FILE A RESTRAINING ORDER THAT I COULD SHOW HIM IF HE GOT OUT AND PRAY THAT THEY RESPONDED BEFORE HE KILLED ME. You have to understand that domestic violence in that area is very common and often ignored.
For those who don't have the advantage of money to help you flee....seek out the nearest women's shelter. I should have done that instead of waiting for so long.
I am now remarried and grateful for the events that happened. I would not be where I am today nor would I be who I am today, if I hadn't of gone through such a trying time. I thank "Him" everyday for giving me such a wonderful life.

I have 2 gorgeous lil girls and the BEST man by my side.

I call her my little miracle. I went through a drunken alcoholic faze after I fled. I found out I was pregnant with her and quit drinking immediately. She saved me!

We found out I was pregnant with her a couple months after my heart surgery. My reminder that I am now healthy LOL

Please..if you or someone you know is going through the abuse..get out or help them get out. You are worth it to be happy.  No one deserves that kind of life and there is BETTER out there.
I plan to get involved with a shelter to help those in need. I want to donate the clothes and toys from me and my  kids to the shelter for those who left it all behind.

Doctors Orders

So I followed up with my heart doctor yesterday. She had some good news and some bad. Lets go with the good news first:

Thumbs up on having another baby. We now just need the thumbs up from my OB and we will be trying one last time for a boy. I also have been given the thumbs up for excercising again but I will start off super slow..like 10min of regular walking everyday until I build up a tolerance for that then increase 5min each time.

Now. Bad news. While I am not considered obese. My BMI is .28. The ideal is .25. Doesn't seem bad right? Try 30-40lbs to lose to obtain the ideal. Lets combine this with an extremely high cholesterol level for my age. I need to drop it by about 100 points. REALLY?!?!?!?

So, in conclusion the household will be going through a new eating habit. No more junk..even though it is minimal..it is not allowed anymore. The medeteranean diet was recommended, so I think I will buy the book so I have correct food options and recipes. But I am thinking that hummus? NO. lol.

I apologize for no pictures with this post. I really couldn't think of any that would suit it properly.

Bare with me during this time and you may see me vent through the process :)

The Best Family Dogs EVER

Before you continue reading this post, please properly educate yourself here. While we all know that there are mixed emotions about the dog we are going to discuss today, I ask that you read with an open mind and please be positive.

The pit bull terrier is by far the best dog I have ever owned. I used to breed and raise them when I was living in Hawaii. So loyal and loving and patient with kids. I currently own 3. They have been raised around my kids and never fear that I will have any issues.

Here is Sampson "modeling" for me. The 100% cotton rope toy he is chewing on is available in my old shop CReid0409.

I think it is completely unfair that the breed is getting the bad publicity and not the owners. My ex used to tell me that he was the only one that could ever love me. I used to believe that. That was not my fault..it was his fault for telling me that..soo...if you raise a dog to be mean..well its gonna be mean. The kid at school who is picked on daily, will one day not take it anymore and act out because of it. In Hawaii, there was a dog..pit bull..who was tied up in the backyard all the time. The family's son and his friend threw rocks and poked sticks at the dog all the time. One day, the dog had enough and bit one of the kids. They put the dog down and the kids learned nothing of the horrid things they were doing.

modeling again with his sister Shorty

When i was growing up, my parents raised daschunds. Small and cute little dogs when they want to be. They had a male named Bufford. I hated that dog. He would bite me every chance he got. When we would take him out and about and have to stop for gas..well..the gas attendant would have to stand back from the window or else risk losing a finger.

I believe that every dog has the potential to be a vicious mean dog if it is not raised to know better. My oldest pit bull was a "walmart" puppy. He is so scared of EVERYTHING. When the wind blows and a tumble weed gets stuck on his dog run, he will cower in the corner and bark at it all day. If we move things around in the yard, it takes a while for him to get used to it and heaven forbid we have company. He will go hide until they have left. We believe that this is due to the environment he was born into. Over the years we have had him, he has gotten better.

taken w/my cell phone, he was chewing on his bone for the afternoon.

Thunder's buddy is our Basset Hound Annie. She is his boss. There are many days in which she has to put him in his place. Quite a site to see.

this too was taken w/my cell phone. Thunder was a few feet away chewing on his own bone.

They love her and she them. They are very aware of her size as they play.

I apologize for the cell phone pics but sometimes its the quickest camera access when trying to catch something in the moment.

My hopes with this post was to share the positive about a wonderful breed of dog. I understand that not everyone loves them and that's ok. I just hope that people are making the decisions for themselves instead of the media.





Be My Valentine Kids Arts and Crafts

When I was a kid, I loved the little Weevil stickers. They were a colorful pom pom with wiggly eyes, antennas, and foam sticker feet. I tried to google them, to get a reference picture, and I came up with nothing. This is how I got my idea for this inexpensive Valentine Craft project.
My daughter is in Kindergarten. With Valentines Day approaching, they are encouraging kids to make or buy Valentines for each of their classmates. I of coarse, wanted her to make hers. I bought the supplies needed except for the pen and scissors..items I already had..for around $10 for enough supplies to make 20+ of my Valentine Bugs.  Items needed:
1. Scissors..I recommend cutting out the hearts yourself but with supervision, your child could cut them out
2. Pen and Sharpie
3. Felt..any color of choice. I went with red and white
4. 1 Bag of cotton balls You will use 5 cotton balls per bug
5. Elmer's Glue. I recommend the pen style shown in pictures for controlled gluing
6. Pipe cleaners My daughter loves sparkle. So instead of messy glitter I went with the fancy tinsel style pipe cleaners
7. Wiggly Eyes
8. Artificial Rose Petals..color of choice...I went with red
9. Heart template..I cut out a heart from cardboard I had laying around. Its thick enough and sturdy enough for easy tracing

Step one- Use your heart template and trace a heart on your piece of felt

Step Two- Cut out heart and set aside

Step Three- Glue 2 cotton balls together side by side

Step Four- Glue 2 rose petals between 2 more cotton balls(i off centered mine so the wings are open)

Step five- Measure to desired length and cut arms from pipe cleaner

Step six- Glue pipe cleaners to original pair of glued cotton balls

Step seven- glue both pairs of cotton balls together making sure that pipe cleaners(arms) are in the middle of the pairs-set aside

Step eight- Have your child write the name of the person it goes to on the bottom of the cut felt heart, turn over and apply glue to the top

Step nine- set the 4 glue cotton balls(body) on the heart ensuring that the wings are at the point(bottom) of heart. Set aside

Step ten- Last cotton ball is the head. I slightly pulled up the top of the cotton ball to give it some "hair"(you could also cut yarn and glue for yarn) Put 2 glue dots on the "face"



Step eleven-Place eyes on glue

Step twelve- Cut approx 1/4" piece from pipe cleaner for mouth..bend to shape and glue to head

Step thirteen- Glue head to top of body. I put the glue on the body for less mess in case head is dropped

Step fourteen- let dry for at least 4hrs before handling

And now you have your cutey Valentine Bug!

I will update this weekend with more photos while my daughter is making hers. Let me know if you have any questions!

Hope you give it a try!