First of all, as always - a few house keeping items:
- If you're NEW here (and there've been a lot of new additions to the party!) I'm working on creating some tutorials to help you out. You can click on the links above or: See "Getting Started" and "Tutorials"
- To see all the past weekly challenges - click the tab above, or follow this link
- Please grab the button for the Weekly Challenge (on the right sidebar) to display on your blogs! share the fun!
- The limit of submissions to the slideshow is TWO, but please feel free to post as many as you like to your blogs. I will take the first two presented to each challenge.
- and i want to say a very extra special big heart felt thank you to everyone who donated funds. I continue to be amazed by the generosity of spirit of this wonderful community. HUGS!
In case you missed it, the slideshows for Challenge 89 and 90 have been posted HERE (89) and HERE (90) - check them out, they are awesome. Also, so weird that Blogger decided to delete all of bloggers analytical statistics... if you'll notice, my blog hits are NO LONGER at 500,000+ which is so very sad. Let's hope blogger figures this out soon.
What's happened this week? Well - at preschool Chewie got to go on his FIRST EVER field trip. He had a great time. They got to ride a school bus (a first for him) to the big fancy library downtown where they went to Story Time at Pooh Corner.
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He had the greatest time! |
I love love LOVE this picture. |
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Two handsome boys. |
My last week of extended leave was this week. That's right, as of this morning i have gone back to work - and i have to say that i am petrified. I couldn't sleep the past few nights, i'd wake up feeling anxious and worried - i'm sure that Artoo will be fine, and i'm sure that I'll be fine too... it's just that great big looming UNKNOWN that gets me going... will he stay healthy? Will i enjoy being back at work? Will i hate it? Will Artoo adjust to daycare? It's a lot to think about, so I have spent the last two years NOT thinking about going back to work....
anyway...
Weekly Challenge #91: "Beads of Courage"
For those of you who have been keeping track, if i'm going back to work this week - you'll know that it must be Artoo's birthday soon!
and you'd be right.
Hard to believe that on Tuesday my little baby boy will be 2!
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From 3lbs 15oz to 26 lbs! :) |
Beads of Courage is a wonderful charity that helps a child with a chronic illness or condition to tell their story of courage and strength as they take their medical journey. Artoo has been a member of the program for a few months now, and i'm still trying to tally and track his journey since birth.
His little friend EJ is also in the program and i wanted to share this photo (with her mother's permission, of course) of her and her mom stringing together her beads:
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so many beads, this little girl is made of magic. |
In honour of Artoo's birthday, and EJ (who turned two in September), this week's challenge is to take inspiration from this program, and these little magic babies.
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a selection of a few of Artoo and EJs special beads |
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These are a small portion of Artoo's beads - his string, as it stands, is 14.5' long (175") and i'm not close to being done tallying yet |
As a side note, if you are interested in creating glass or polymer clay beads for Beads of Courage, (Zentangle or otherwise) please visit this page to see the donation requirements.
This program relies heavily on bead donations.
If you have a blog, add the site-specific URL where your tile is posted to the linkey machine below! Don't forget to link back here so that others can join in the fun! (if you don't know how to find this, you can see my half assed tutorial here)
Also, please feel free to come back often and visit the links of those people on the linkey machine - don't forget to leave a comment or feedback, everyone loves feedback. ;)
If you don't have a blog but still want to participate, you can email your tile to me and i will post it here. (See the contact tab above for my email address). The deadline for each weekly challenge is Saturday night so that i can round everyone up by Sunday. What this means is that i will stop adding tiles to the slideshow on Sunday. You're still more than welcome to do the challenges and add your name to the linkey machine.
I will be more diligent with the linkey machine - by editing out the ones that don't work, the doubles, the links that lead to nowhere, the links that go just to blog home pages (this is why we need those site specific urls), and the spam. And there is some spam. PLEASE do not put your *home* page in the linkey machine... please? for me??
This a truly neat challenge. I just/went off to read the beads of courage site - amazing. It is such a beautiful idea. Also love the idea for this challenge. I am not sure what I will do yet, but am excited about it! I love the photo of your two handsome young men. Best of luck on returning to work.
ReplyDeleteThe photo of your little ones standing infront of the hay is so darn cute! I love your tangled beads. Thanks for the challenge
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful project! Thank you, Laura, for highlighting it. God bless you and all the parents and children who face such challenges in their life.
ReplyDeleteI know this is a trying time for you, and I wish you the best during this transition. I hope you can let the worry go (tangle tangle tangle!) and just focus on things one day--or one hour--at a time. I remember how I felt and how many of my friends felt returning to work after their children were born. No matter what, you'll know what's best for you and for your family. I hope you enjoy some you time!
ReplyDeleteI absolutely love your tangled beads. They're beautiful.
Thank you for giving us such a special challenge this week. I used to have a jewelry business, and I have a lot of leftover beads and supplies. Once I check out the requirements, I'm going to be gathering up my beads to send to Beads of Courage. What a wonderful organization! Creativity and inspiration can really help during challenges of all kinds.
Happy early birthday to Artoo as well!
ReplyDeleteLaura, Thanks for the challenge this week... a very special one is so very many ways... Love is all around us... all the time... just ask and it is there... so please send me your snail mail address so I can send you some beads I have made with much love ... and would be honored to have them in Artoo's string of courage.
ReplyDeleteLove, Light and Peace... Bonnie
Aww. Great challenge and happy birthday to Artoo. It is so hard to go back to work when you have a baby. Best of luck to you.
ReplyDeleteGreat challenge. Did definitely "challenge" me. Have never heard of this before but will try to remember it for my work.
ReplyDeleteLaura, your tile is so gorgeous! No matter how I try I cannot get something I like! Yours is perfect! Happy Birthday to Artoo! I think he is a superman with super mom! Hope you enjoy your job and that Artoo does well in daycare, with no sickness to come his way!
ReplyDeleteAaahhhhh!! Happy Birthday Artoo! Love your bonza beads and I wish you a happy time at work! Thanks.
ReplyDeleteWas stumped with this one - Your beads are spectacular Laura!! Happy Birthday to Artoo! Sounds like a wonderful program/Organisation for children. Thank you for sharing with us.
ReplyDeleteHapy Birthday Artoo....:) U r a star!!!...:)
ReplyDeleteHappy Birthday Artoo! Stay strong Laura, you and Artoo will make it :)
ReplyDeleteHappy 2nd Birthday, Artoo!
ReplyDeleteHave a very nice day, happy birthday.
ReplyDeleteA big HAPPY BIRTHDAY!
ReplyDeleteA great challenge again, bringing notice to a fantastic charity... Thank you Laura
I am sorry ,i still don,t know how it works
ReplyDeleteHappy birthday Artoo! What a great challenge Laura.
ReplyDeleteYour tile is lovely.
Happy Birthday to Artoo, his big brother and of course his parents. I think this is a great challenge. Thank you for sharing this with us.
ReplyDeleteThanks for a cool challenge..good luck with heading back to work :-)
ReplyDeleteTurned out to be a very fun challenge - took me places I never would have imagined. Happy Birthday Artoo - and Laura, hope your return to work is going well.
ReplyDeleteLaura, thank you for a wonderful challenge. I enjoyed seeing the boys in their Fall attire, and can only imagine how you would store Artoo's length of beads...maybe across the top of his bedroom window? I am sure that for the most part you will enjoy going back to work and Artoo will be fine, too.
ReplyDeleteLove your tile, Laura. I wish you all the luck in the world as you make this transition back to work. Thanks for sharing the pics of your cute little guys with us every week....love to see them! Happy Birthday to Artoo!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Laura! Love the photos of your sweet angels, too. Good luck on returning to the 'outside' workplace, and Happy Birthday to Artoo:)
ReplyDeleteA birthday gift for you and a friendship gift for me. Check out my post: I am enjoying your gifts in the Blog Friendship Cup! Diana
ReplyDeleteBeautiful tile, Laura! And happy birthday to Artoo!
ReplyDeleteGreat challenge Laura, and your tile is so beautifully done and displayed! Hugs to the Birthday Boy and inspiration for all of us! I'm full of admiration for how you handle all you go through, and now you're back to work - a "new" step in your journey that I'm sure will bring you it's own positive energy.
ReplyDeleteWhew, made it! Happy birthday, Artoo! Thanks for the challenge this week!
ReplyDeleteLove the great pictures of the boys and what a wonderful challenge in honor of your precious Artoo!
ReplyDeleteI found you through the Enthusiastic Artist about Beads of Courage. My daughter has four very long strands that she strung during her year and a half battle with osteosarcoma and total knee replacement. They are beautiful and mean so much to her. I am so very grateful to say she is two years cancer free. Sending love, big hugs and holding you all in my prayers. <3
ReplyDeleteBeautiful idea.
ReplyDeleteGood luck in your transition back to work. Many good thoughts are coming to you. This was a wonderful challenge. These beads are for the whole family as everyone is involved.
ReplyDeleteThis was a wonderful challenge, and a charity I never heard of. What a worth while cause for the little people who have so many medical challenges. I had trouble stopping! Thanks for all you do, and add my prayers and well wishes to the many people you touch. And tell Artoo all his mom's "cyber" friends wish him one great big HAPPY BIRTHDAY! Linda
ReplyDeleteOh, I'm so glad Beads Of Courage was this weeks challenge! When I'm in my bead making mode, I like to participate in the program. You've probably heard of the 7000 Bracelets for Hope campaign. That might be a nice challenge too... :-)
ReplyDeletehttp://globalgenes.org/7000-bracelets-for-hope/
Linda
I know I am late, but we have been out of town and I love this challenge so I wanted to participate even though I know I won't be in the slideshow. Such a good cause!!
ReplyDelete