Mo- Mo- Movember wrap-up!

Remember our Canadian friend Al? He shaved on October 31st and then let his mustache grow and grow and grow to raise money for prostate cancer research! Let's look at his progression.

Through the month, we all had the chance to donate to Movember Canada,
which benefits Prostate Cancer Canada

Each person who donated was entered in a drawing to win this
beautiful bracelet! (Each chance was $2.)


Thanks to some amazing Frikes, we will be sending a check for $200
to Al's Movember fund. Way to go, Frikes!

Random.org determined that the winner
of the bracelet is the lovely Sherri Taft!

And since I know you're all dying to see what our friend Al
looks like after one month's growth, feast your eyes on THIS!

Thanks to Al and everyone who donated!

25 Days of Giving

The last few months of awareness have been wonderful, haven't they? We've supported some wonderful causes, raised money for great charities and promoted awareness for some diseases that don't always get enough attention. I'll always be grateful for your support in this.

Instead of choosing a cause for December to feature, I thought maybe all our lives (and the people in them) could use some good deeds. This is a season of giving, and the warmth we feel when doing good for others is unmatched by any other feeling. So I decided to introduce:

25 Days of Giving
at Cathy's Creations!

Do something good for someone else every day, starting Wednesday, December 1st.

That's it! There are nearly 2,000 Frikes, even if only half of those participate half of the time, we'll still have done 12,500 good deeds! Imagine 12,500 lives lifted, burdens lightened, smiles created. You have no idea what effect your kindness may have had on someone who really needed lifting. I can't wait to hear all about your experiences. Feel free to comment here or write on the Cathy's Creations fan page.

Here are some suggestions of things you could do. Feel free to come up with your own, though!

Pay for someone's coffee/tea.

Pay for someones toll.

Make a food donation at the supermarket.

Bake a treat and bring it over to an elderly person/nursing home.

Call someone you have been putting off calling.

Bring a well behaved dog to a nursing home for a visit.

Hold the door for the person behind you.

Make soup for a sick friend.

Take a friend’s kid for the day. The parent could probably use the break.

Volunteer for a charity. Pick a cause that's near and dear to your heart and donate your time to them.

If you head out of town, drop off your monthly public transit pass at a youth or job center. They'll pass on the pass to someone who is in need of it to job hunt or attend school.

Take your neighbors trash to the curb while you're taking yours. Imagine their surprise when they see that the chore is already done.

Pay for the person behind you at the drive thru. It will make someone's day!

Donate blood. One single donation can help up to 4 people – that should be inspiring enough.

Donate your used clothes and housewares to charity. By doing so, you can help people meet basic human needs. Your old sweaters will keep someone warm during the winter and your old housewares can help someone furnish their new apartment.

Find a holiday angel program in your community. You can donate basic things like toothpaste, towels, sheets and PJ's for a family in need to open on Christmas morning.

Take a CPR class. You never know when you might be in a position to put those life-saving skills into practice.

Offer to babysit a friend’s kids one night so she and her partner can enjoy a romantic evening out. You friend will certainly be grateful for the night off.

Write a letter or e-mail to a good friend or family member to let them know how much you value them.

They say that smiling is contagious. Pick a day to smile at everyone you pass on the street.

Pass on your books after you've read them for someone else to enjoy. Take them to a local shelter or give them to friends.

Being angry at someone requires a lot of energy from both people involved, so go ahead and let go of an old grudge. Forgiving someone who hurt you will open the door for a friendship to be rekindled.

When you come across a two for one deal (which are popular at book and movie stores), donate your free product to a local shelter or youth group.

Next time you're at your favorite restaurant, leave your server a very generous tip.

Next time you do your grocery shopping, pick up a large bag of cat or dog food to donate to a local animal shelter.

Host a movie night for 10 of your closet friends. Charge $10 admission, provide the popcorn, candy and drinks, and donate the $100 to a charity you all decide on. It's a perfect way to feel good about having fun.

Shovel a neighbor's driveway.

Make an extra batch of soup or chili that you can freeze and give it to someone you know who is pressed for time to cook healthy food during the holidays.

Offer to wrap presents for a friend who has a hectic work schedule.

Donate mittens, hats and scarves to the Warmth tree at your children's school. If they don't have one, start one.

Don't just give your child's teacher a Christmas gift, give a gift to the whole class too -- a book, a puzzle or other indoor game for indoor recess time.

Don't forget to get a little something for the little people you forget: School Secretary, School Librarian, Bus Driver, School Custodians, Principal/Vice-Principal -- they make your children's school life successful too!

Send in boxes of tissues to your child's classroom BEFORE your teacher is forced to ask for some. Trust me, they'll need them.

Make your husband's lunch for him, or move the car for him, or give him a massage after a hard day.

Stop cleaning and sit and watch a movie with your kids instead.

Take a friend for a pedicure.

Invite your In-Laws over for tea and cookies.

Volunteer at a local soup kitchen.

Call a women’s shelter and see what items they need, then donate them.


Now, get ready! If you're already a Frike (a friend/like) on facebook, I'll start reminding (read: bugging) you to do your good deed on Wednesday, December 1st! If you're not, spread the word! Grab our button and post it on your blog! Invite your friends to become frikes! Imagine how much good we can do.




<center><a href="http://creationscathys.blogspot.com/"><img border="0" src="http://i1104.photobucket.com/albums/h327/cathyscreations/25daysbutton.jpg" /></a></center>

(To grab our button, copy the text in the box. Then go to your blog's layout section, click on "Add a Gadget," choose "HTML/Javascript" and paste the text into the box! Our button will then appear on your blog, and when they click on it, all your friends will be directed here!)

Diabetes Awareness Giveaway!

Congratulations, Winners! Please email me your mailing address at cathy@cathyscreationsjewelry.com!

It seems like the title of every post has an exclamation point lately. Well, those of you who aren't fond of exclamation points will just have to deal, because we've had some exciting stuff going on here at Cathy's Creations lately, and today is no exception!

Let's talk diabetes for a minute.

Diabetes is a disease in which the body is unable to produce or unable to properly use and store glucose (a form of sugar). Glucose backs up in the bloodstream — causing one’s blood glucose or "sugar" to rise too high.

There are different types of diabetes with different challenges, but the bottom line is, we need a cure.

We're doing our part by offering awesome t-shirts to anyone who donates to the American Diabetes Association. (See this post for more information.)

We're still selling our Diabetes Awareness Bracelet in our shop with all proceeds benefiting the American Diabetes Association.

But now, it's time for a giveaway!!!

Here are our offerings this week:

A fabulous ring from yours truly:
Winner: Harmony Wells!

A $15 itunes gift card, donated by George who originated
in my uterus (and yes, that is an actual picture of my actual uterus):
Winner: Kimberly!

1 print from MJ at MJAB Images

Winner: Gary!

Another fantastic hat from the lovely Jill Bernstein:
Winner: Erin~Leigh!

These lovely earrings, handmade by Frike Nicole Bertrand:
Winner: Sharon!

2 sets of 6 sugar-free chocolate dipped Oreos
from Jackie from The Sweet Spot Bakery
Winner: Annette!

And last but certainly not least, a wonderfully generous Frike,
Robyn Bridson, has a son who was recently diagnosed with diabetes,
so this cause is close to her heart. She has donated two items for this giveaway:

First, an amazing puppet from Apricus Designs (his name is "Frike"):
Winner: Lolo Langstons!

And second, this beautiful hat for a baby newborn - 4 months old
made from Alpaca wool, by Smith Family Alpacas
Winner: Christine!

Thank you, Robyn, for your generosity.
We know you need a cure more than any of us!

Thanks to all the wonderful artists who have donated items for giveaway! And now to the good stuff:

To enter, comment on this post! That's it. We'd especially love to hear of any experiences with diabetes, so if you have one, share it.

I will be drawing winners at 7pm Eastern time on Tuesday, November 30th. Good luck!

Diabetes Awareness T-Shirts!

The last two weeks of November we're promoting Diabetes Awareness at Cathy's Creations. I'm working on getting the giveaway post together, but in the meantime, check this out!

The magnificent Stephanie Stussman of Apricus Designs created this amazing t-shirt for us.

Here is a women's version:

And mens:

Look how cute it is on the kid's sizes and onesies!

Want one? It's simple. All you have to do is donate to the American Diabetes Association. I don't care how much or little; in fact, I don't even want to know. All I want you to do is click on the button at the top right and donate. When you're done, email me at cathy@cathyscreationsjewelry.com. Tell me you donated, and tell me what size shirt you want!

See? Wasn't that easy? This is on the honor system, so please be honest. Our aim here is to raise money for research. OK, go. Donate. I'll wait here.

Hey. Why are you still here?

Ahem. You know what to do. :)

Pancreatic Cancer/Lung Cancer Awareness Giveaway!!

Update! Winners Posted!
(Winners, please email me your mailing address at
cathy@cathyscreationsjewelry.com by Wednesday to claim your prize.)

This week at Cathy's Creations, we're promoting awareness for Pancreatic Cancer and Lung
Cancer.

Lung cancer is the second-most commonly diagnosed cancer in both men and women. However it is still the most common cause of cancer death because it is difficult to diagnose in its early stages. You can learn more about lung cancer by visiting the American Lung Association website.

Pancreatic cancer is one of the most deadly of all types of cancer. This year 38,000 Americans will be diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and about 34,000 will die from it. Despite the high mortality rate, the federal government spends woefully little money on pancreatic cancer research. You can learn more about pancreatic cancer by visiting the website of the Sol Goldman Pancreatic Cancer Research Center.

At the end of the week we'll have a huge giveaway! Here are the prizes we'll be giving away:

6 rings with purple crystal stones from yours truly

Winners of the rings are: Kendell C, Amalaki, Jamie Enerson Armbruster,
Mary Utterback, and Jenberrymom.

5 Headbands from Shelby at Shelby's Sassy Bows

Winners of the headbands: Cyndee, Ashley Graybill,
sooznine, Sarah Mitchell and WonderWomum!

1 print from MJ at MJAB Images

Winner of the print from MJAB: MamaCher!

1 handcrafted hat from the talented Jill Bernstein

Winner of the hat: Jamie!

Thanks to all the wonderful artists who have donated items for giveaway! And now to the good stuff:

To enter, comment on this post! That's it. We'd especially love to hear of any experiences with lung cancer or pancreatic cancer, so if you have one, share it.

For five extra entries, donate to the Sol Goldman Pancreatic Cancer Center or the American Lung Association by clicking one of the buttons on the top right of this page. Each button will take you straight to the foundation's donate page, so all you have to do is follow the directions to make a tax-deductible donation. After you've done that, come back here and comment again, just telling me that you donated. I don't care how much or how little (and please don't disclose the amount in your comment); every donation helps and is worth five entries into the giveaway! Incidentally, those extra 5 entries really help; all the people who donated in the last giveaway ended up winning prizes.

I will be drawing winners at 7pm Eastern time on Sunday, November 14th. Good luck!

Veterans Day Bracelet Giveaway

THE WINNER IS.....

Faye said...

I would like to nominate my neighbor, Laurie Hebert... 3 years ago, her youngest child and only son was killed in IRAQ. Her family is very private but they continue to give back to the community and to other servicemen everyday! (I just noticed that for Veteran's Day, they have their house lite up in red, white, and blue lights...) and they fly their flag everyday.

A wonderful Frike, Casey Patton, has purchased and donated a Red, White and You bracelet to be given away on Thursday, November 11th for Veterans Day.

Her request is that the bracelet go to someone who is in the military or has a close loved one in the military. If that's you (or you know someone in that situation you'd like to nominate), comment on this post and I'll choose a winner from the comments on Thursday.

Thank you, wonderful, generous Frike!

Epilepsy Awareness Week Winners!

Thanks to all who commented and donated to the Epilepsy Foundation! Here are the winners! Winners, please email me your address at cathy@cathyscreationsjewelry.com ASAP! If I don't hear from you by Wednesday, I'll choose another winner.

First, 6 winners for the rings from yours truly:

Margaret S., Stacey, Kimmymay03, AussieMum, April and Natalie Wahl!

Now 4 winners for the headbands from Maya's Bowtique:

Robyn Bridson, Christina B., someone in jogja city, and Jes!

3 winners for prints from Apple of My Eye Portraiture:

Sandra Bell Unangst, Sara, and Tandy!

For the print from MJAB Images:

Mary Gauvin!

And for the hoodie from Bubbles and Bows Boutique:

JoJo!

Movember Madness!

Say hello to Al.

Al is raising money for prostate cancer research.
By growing a moustache.
"What?" you're thinking.
"A moustache?
How in the world does that relate to prostate cancer?"
Lemme 'splain.

"Movember challenges men to change their appearance and the face of men’s health by growing a moustache. The rules are simple, start Movember 1st clean-shaven and then grow a moustache for the entire month. The moustache becomes the ribbon for men’s health, the means by which awareness and funds are raised for prostate cancer. Much like the commitment to run or walk for charity, the men of Movember commit to growing a moustache for 30 days."
(from the Movember website)

Al is generous enough to be the Frike mascot
for the month of Movember!
We get to watch his moustache grow,
and in return, we donate to his Movember fund.
(All Movember donations go to LIVESTRONG,
the Lance Armstrong Foundation.)

As if the chance to look at Al's 'stache isn't enough motivation,
I'm selling raffle chances to win this bracelet!



Each chance is $2.
To donate, click on the Movember button on the top right.
It will lead you directly to my paypal account where
you enter the amount you wish to donate.
Large or small, every bit matters!
(But make it in multiples of 2 so that you get all your chances!)

I'll choose a winner on December 1st!

On Friday of every week, I will be picking a winner
from all the people that donated to Al's Movember fund
to win 6 Hairy Cake Balls


Winners of the hairy cake balls are.....


Week 1: Michael Neyman!
Week 2: Shenandoa Manning!
Week 3: Rachel Porcaro!

(And cut a huge check for Al's Movember fund.)

Epilepsy Awareness Giveaway!!

Epilepsy affects nearly 3 million Americans and their families, with as many as 200,000 new cases diagnosed each year. It is a medical condition that causes seizures, which range from mild to severe, and can affect a variety of mental and physical functions. 70% of new cases have no apparent cause. Obviously there is much need for more awareness and more funds for research. (See www.epilepsyfoundation.org for more information.)

This week at Cathy's Creations, we're promoting Epilepsy awareness. At the end of the week, we'll have a huge giveaway! Here are the prizes we'll be giving away:

6 rings with purple crystal stones from yours truly

4 headbands from Maya at Maya's Bowtique

1 print from Sonya at Apple of My Eye Portraiture

1 print from MJ at MJAB Images

1 hoodie featuring the following design by Cara at Bubbles and Bows Boutique

Thanks to all the wonderful artists who have donated items for giveaway! And now to the good stuff:

To enter, comment on this post! That's it. We'd especially love to hear of any experiences with epilepsy, so if you have one, share it.

For five extra entries, donate to the Epilepsy Foundation by clicking on the button on the top right of this page. That will take you straight to the foundation's donate page, so all you have to do is follow the directions to make a tax-deductible donation. After you've done that, come back here and comment again, just telling me that you donated. I don't care how much or how little (and please don't disclose the amount in your comment); every donation helps and is worth five entries into the giveaway!

I will be drawing winners at 7pm Eastern time on Sunday, November 7th. Good luck!

Happy November!

I'm so excited for the great month of causes and giveaways we have lined up! Here's an overview:

Week 1: Epilepsy Awareness
Week 2: Lung Cancer and Pancreatic Cancer Awareness
Weeks 3-4: Diabetes Awareness

I will be doing giveaways each week, but I want them to have more meaning than just giving stuff away, so I've decided to make a blog button for the charity I support related to each cause. When you click on this button (which will be on the top right as soon as I get it done) you will be able to donate to these wonderful causes. You don't have to donate to be entered to win the giveaways, but each donation (large or small) will be worth 5 extra chances to win.

Also, I will be donating $25 to each charity to show my support this month. Let's get the word out and help find cures for these diseases!

Tomorrow I'll be posting about the giveaway prizes for this week, and how you can enter! (You better be on the edge of your seat until then!)