Susan G. Komen 3-Day 60 Mile Walk in San Diego (Nov 21-23)

SPOTLIGHT ON ... ARTICLE

December 2008

Beaders Unite for the Susan G. Komen Walk for the Cure

Written by: Lisa Kan

Read the entire article on Softflex Company's site:

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I hope this story inspires beaders around the world to use their "voice" and to look within your community to find areas where you may contribute. Every effort is important, small or large. Performing good deeds feeds your soul as you act outside of yourself for the benefit of others. Whatever your circumstance, wherever you are in life, there is always someone/some cause that can benefit from your kindness and lending hand. Giving what we are capable frees ourselves, adding meaning and enrichment to our lives. With the human element added to the mix, there is nothing we can't achieve together. In helping others, we help ourselves. To give without expecting anything in return is the true spirit of selflessness. There is no bigger reward than that which feeds our soul.

"People know you for what you've done, not for what you plan to do" - Author Unknown

Almost there...

From my 3-Day Walk for the Cure Blog

Hi all,

Look at my fundraising efforts. Thanks to those who recently donated to my effort, I am just 15% away from reaching the $2200 necessary to walk this November. THANK YOU SO MUCH. I send xoxo's to all those who are showing their love for not just me but for all of those who are suffering with breast cancer.

There are amazing stories out there. As I exhibit at my shows this year, I have people coming up to me and giving me their thanks as they or someone they know is suffering from breast cancer. It feels good that I am taking a small part in the entire endeavor and helping "my way." I am just at the beginning of this challenge and there is more up ahead.

Well, I recently recovered from being sick after the Bead and Button show (for over two weeks!) I am just about back to my healthy self. I just also began to receive the suggested training program from the 3-Day organization. I admit, I have been out of training but it's just about time to ramp things up again. Today I'll do a video workout.

I'm leaving shortly for a show in Tacoma and you better bet I will make sure I'm walking everywhere while there. I will return back to my walk training after this trip. I need to be ready by November...and now that I'm feeling better there's no more excuses.

Thank you again everyone who has donated in the recent week(s). You are A #1 in my book. See some of you very soon.

Have a great summer!
xoxo
Lisa

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For those who read this blog, please donate if you can. I know things in life are tough out there but if you can give up going out to eat once this year, you will be able to help me in this walk. As of today, I'm $330 away from reaching my "admission" to walk this November. If I am still short by November, I will personally donate again, the remainder of what is necessary, to be able to walk. It will however mean SO much more if beaders out there are supporting this effort. That is why we named our team, TEAM BEADALICIOUS.

Be well,
Lisa

P.S. I will not be posting any new entries until AFTER my trip to the Puget Sound Bead Festival. My kiln's controller broke and now it is fixed. I am frantically making as many beads as possible for my trip thus the reason for my absence from the blog.

Back to the Original Walk for the Cure Goal

(from my Walk for the Cure, 3-Day Blog)

Hello everyone,

I thought I'd reduce my fundraising goal back down to the $2200 needed to walk. This way you can see how close I am indeed to raising the amount for my "entry fee" to walk. I will boost the donation goal higher later. I am pretty sure you all will surprise me towards the end. Like the race between the hare and tortoise? I know you guys will come through with flying colors.

I will be sending emails to all my bead buddies after Bead and Button as I know most of us are getting ready for the big show. Then afterwards, you have NO excuse why you haven't even donated $5 to this cause. Spread the love, I say.

Today, I went for it. I walked 8 miles through the trail here in the mountains that leads to the Santa Fe Dam. Boy am I exhausted but in the walk, based on my pedometer (I have an excellent one too!) it noted that I walked 23,000+ steps and burned over 1000 calories. This is just the beginning. I am exhausted but I would have to walk about THREE times this amount to make up only ONE 20 mile leg in the 3 DAY. You know what? even though I was exhausted for the rest of the day and did not work in the studio, it was a very productive day. I am training and it feels GOOD to be THIS tired. It's a bit crazy that even my toes and toenails ache! HAHA!

Bring it on. Bring it on, I say. Work my muscles and let my muscles work for me. After these aching muscles recover, I plan to walk a standard 3 miles daily ("plan") and then on the weekends, when available to walk, 10 miles is the next target. Whew. I CAN do it! I know I can! Think strong, be strong and I AM STRONG. Half of all this is training your mind to persevere in the midst of AGONY.

Here's looking at all of you. Take me to the top of my initial goal with your generous donation!

Thanks everyone!!
Lisa

Bead Expo Phoenix: The Booth

Bead Expo Phoenix Booth
Friday to Sunday, May 2 - 4 2008
Approximately 9:00 to 10:00 A.M.

I was representing my friend Ezel Findings at this venue, so had three tables to fill. Normally I have my corner booth and that's that. However, my friend Sun Young had to take a trip to Paris (lucky her) and asked me to help out, so I brought Tina along. Tina stayed until Saturday and then Nick flew in to help the rest of the time. We spent some time with Uncle Joe and Aunt Dee, my first time meeting Nick's family. I hope they had as good of a time as I did getting to know them/me.

(click on any of the photos below for an enlarged view)

Walk around my booth to see what goodies I've filled it with. It was challenging to fill THREE tables but I brought along ALL of the project samples from Bead Romantique to help me out.

Lots of Freshwater Pearls in exotic colors for just $5 a strand!

There's the book and Digital Frame frozen in time with the Medici Rhinestone Necklace shown

And as you walk around, you'll notice the BEAUTIFUL Japanese pliers. I only had two sets at the show so am taking pre-orders before the shipment arrives after Bead and Button

This table showcases my glass work, you will find Ginkgos, Mesa, Strata, Fusion, Sandstorm, Haiku, Le Fiore Vive, Luft and Serenity amongst the selection. I try to have a nice assortment at teach show but this was the third show back to back so I had very little time in the studio.

Another Bead Romantique book and the Quatrefoil Nouveau Festoon Necklace, V Scallop, Triple Spiral Lariat, alternate Medici Necklace with 1122 Rivolis and the Double Sided Garden Maiden Necklace. Ezel Findings business cards to the side too.

Closeups

A closeup of the lovely Digital Frame

There are those Japanese tools amongst my glasswork

This Mother of Pearl necklace was made for the Mother of the Bride in mind. It was the key necklace showcased on Sonoran Living LIVE

A closeup of how beautifully the festoon necklace would hang when worn.

The graduation project, as I'd would like to call it, the Triple Spiral Garden Lariat, is not difficult - it just takes a LONG time to finish. You will learn so many techniques from this project alone.

There is Jane of Jane's Fibers and Beads getting her booth ready. A view of my booth from a distance and right across all those seed beads. Jane tempts me at most shows with all those tiny beads!! If you ever seen Jane at a show, she carries signed copies of Bead Romantique.

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Smile for the Camera, will you?
Lisa

A Birthday Wish ... and a Wish Granted

Why am I up at this hour? Actually I couldn't sleep - not because today is my birthday and another year (and what a FANTASTIC year I've had - thanks to ALL of you!) in my life has transpired, but because I could not sleep wondering who could have donated $750 to my Walk for the Cure. I must have been too tired last night but I realized that I could find out by logging into my Participation Center. So I did a few minutes ago and thought that it was several "who's" but it was ONE generous very GENEROUS donor. She is not anonymous to me and has a heart of GOLD. Thank you so much YOU. You know who you are. You are the woman that made me cry. Not cry because I am older on this date but cry because of your support for my Susan G. Komen walk. As tears flow freely from me due to happiness, I want to share a bit of news with you all. (You will read it from my 3-day blog entry copied below).

I am not a materialistic person even though I have been fortunate to have many things, most of which are beautiful beads in my personal stash and wonderful books in my library. Even with all these materialistic things which help make my life more complete, my most valued possessions in this life of mine, are the WONDERFUL - absolutely WONDERFUL people whom I've met through beads. These are my friends.

Like a broken record, on this birthday of mine, I have only one wish because dreams do come true and many things have been paved through my hard work - which you will see throughout this year (I must keep some of what I am doing a secret, you know.. it's that mysterious life I like to lead as the superhero flying off to shows across the nation). My friends, please do not take me out to lunch, send me birthday cards, give me gifts or anything you have in mind. I have everything I need now. My wish is that you help me show the world what we can do to support the 3 Day walk. My generous donor brought me to only $900 of being able to walk in November. If 180 people donated $5 each or 90 people donated $10 - I would reach my initial goal of raising $2200, in order to even walk. With all the beaders I talk to at every show venue, this is not beyond reach, and then some. I think we can raise $5000 or more by November!

So show a little love and open your heart. The link to donate is to the right menu. AND HAPPY BIRTHDAY to ME! Let's all celebrate (even though I am still working hard at Bead Expo Phoenix - BOY do I have photos to share with you when I come home!!)

Hugs to all. Make me cry, please make me cry again and again. Once, twice, and a hundred times over. Bead people are the BEST!! (BIG SMILE!)

Bead Creatively with your HEART
xoxo,
Lisa

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(entry from my Walk for the Cure, 3-Day blog)

Thank you Anonymous Generous Donor

Here it is May 4th. I am in Phoenix exhibiting at a show and I was going to post on my blog (LisaKan.blogspot.com) to ask all my friends to not send me any gifts or cards because donating to this cause on my behalf was more important.

I checked in to my Breast Cancer Participation Center and noticed that my donation goal was $750 more than a few days ago. Here I am thinking several friends must have donated but instead ONE generous donor (whom I know but will keep anonymous). I want to THANK you, as you know who you are, for your GENEROSITY. I am deeply touched with tears in my eyes of such generosity and a TRUE gift from the heart. Because of this generous donation I am just $900 from being allowed to walk.

Many of you know that I am an avid writer for bead publications. In a few short weeks, my FIRST column for Australian Beading will be published, written with Jean Yates, a great buddy from New York. Jean is the East coast and I am the West Coast perspective of what we think will be the next hottest US Trend in jewelry and beads. We write about all things creative.

In the first column, my friend Kelly Norton, the wonderful editor of this Australian publication was gracious to allow me to write about the Walk for the Cure. I did this in hopes to garner worldwide international support for the Susan G. Komen organization, so that beaders of the WORLD could show everyone what we are indeed capable of.

The column is aptly named "Our Beading World". I can't wait to see the magic and maybe cry some more tears. Beaders simply and beautifully ROCK. Let's ROCK on together.

So here's to my birthday and my challenge to walk for all of you. Thank you again secret anonymous donor. I owe you a big HUGE HUG. This is the BEST birthday gift ANYONE could have given me.

xoxo
Lisa