Happy Labor Day everyone. Hope all traveling has been safe, time with family and friends has been fun and relaxation has been, well, relaxing. The best thing about a holiday weekend is that most everyone is looking at a shortened work week!

With our nights getting cool and the days getting shorter, I can tell Autumn is just about upon us, in spite of what the day time temperatures are saying. I found myself getting ready for work in the dark! It feels like that happened over night.

Time to get our homes all snuggled in for the cooler times ahead. Be prepared with lots of gorgeous potpourri to keep everything sweet smelling and inviting! Here is Apple Harvest Potpourri -

and here is Pumpkin and Spice -

I love these two! But you know what this means, the big holidays are just around the corner. Time to start planning! I had fun taking a step away from my usual crafting items and making these cute little ornaments. I don't usually play with glitter and glue but had a great time doing these.
Please, please, please do not forget about the ongoing fund raising for JDRF Walk For The Cure. The walk I am participating in will be held October 18, 2009, at Franklin Lakes, NJ at the beautiful MEDCO campus who have been gracious enough to host this for the last few years.

Also, keep in mind the Pink Slipper Project. If you would like to make some slippers for this event, feel free to download the pattern designed by Joyce Lucas at http://www.pinkslipperproject.org. The slippers do not have to be made of this pattern. If you knit or crochet or have your own favorite slipper pattern, that is wonderful as well. Just as long as they are warm.

Enjoy your week and will chat with you soon,

Pat

JDRF Walk for the Cure - October 19, 2008

In my tiredness last night, I neglected to add the JDRF links, here you go:

URL: http://walk.jdrf.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=extranet.personalpage&confirmid=87017764

Remember, these kids have a life threatening disease. Here are just a few facts that make me want to work ever harder for this cause:

Do you realize that a child with Type 1 Diabetes will be stuck with a needle more than 4000 times a year? If they are fortunate enough to be able to get the new insulin pump (as my grandson is), the number drops to 'only' 1825 times a year (minimum).

Did you know why they encourage children to draw blood for testing their blood sugar from their arms? It's so they have feeling in their fingers in the event they go blind, a common complication with diabetes, so they will be able to read braille.

Did you know that Type 1 diabetes is thought to be an autoimmune disease? The pancreas is not making insulin which is why it is life threatening. They can start throwing ketones overnight and if not brought under immediate control will result in hospitalization. This is different from Type II in that, Type II diabetes is caused by worn out insulin receptors. The insulin is there but the body cannot use it effectively. It can be kept in control with diet and exercise, and usually an oral medication. It can progress to insulin dependence if sugars and carbohydrates are not kept under control.

Did you know that a stomach virus or the flu can be a life threatening disease to a Type 1 diabetic? More than 24 hours of vomiting and it's a hospitalization.

When you are looking at these precious kids being so responsible about what they eat and how they exercise, it breaks your heart (mine anyway) that this must always be on their minds. They will never get a day off, no drug free holidays for them.

So, once again, if you can find it in your heart to donate to the Walk for the Cure, follow the link above. My family and I and all the Justin's Jungle Joggers will be forever grateful.

Pat

Pink October Shop Hop, 10/6 -10/12/08

This week there is a Pink October Shop Hop at Make Mine Pink. Those of you who have participated in the other shop hops will remember. Step one is to go to Make Mine Pink and register. There you will find a list of the participating boutiques. Go to each of the boutiques and find the pink ribbon that is hidden, it will say 'You Found It'. Click on it and it will register that you found the ribbon at that boutique, then continue on. The more ribbons you find, the bigger prize you will be eligible to win. There will be a drawing at the end of the Hop to see who has won the gorgeous gifts! Please join us, it costs nothing to enter but will give you the opportunity to see all the special items the boutiques are offering, help an extremely good cause - the Susan G. Komen For The Cure Breast Cancer Research Fund - and have a chance to win some great gifts.

Then, I have started a few new projects that I am anxious to share with you on my website. I have been working on the most amazing Victorian letters from Ribbonsmyth. I just love them and hope you will enjoy them as well. Here's a sample of the small 2" letter. Wait until I unveil the 6" letters--just gorgeous! More information over the next week or so.

And then the last thing I wanted to mention is the JDRF (Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation) Walk for the Cure in Bergen County, New Jersey. It is coming up really quickly--October 19 is the day. This is such an amazing event for the children who have to live with this disease. They are the stars that day and we are all out there walking with and for them. Scientists are so close to finding a cure, may no child ever have to face a life time of injections ever again. My grandson's team is Justin's Jungle Joggers, we are over 150 strong, all family and friends, and have already raised more than 20% of our goal this year of $20,000. My daughter and her husband work tirelessly to make this a rousing success for their son and I am so very proud of them. If you can find it in your heart and wallet to donate to this worthy cause, please go to the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation's website and make your donation under the Justin's Jungle Joggers team to sponsor his Nana, me, Pat Morello. Thanks so much. I will post a picture of our team after the event.