Twinkling Tues… er Wednesday! Breast Cancer Awareness Card

First of all, I have to say Yeah! for today. It was absolutely glorious here, warm, sun shining, not a cloud in the whole sky! I was in a T-shirt without a coat for the first time today and my jeans were actually getting hot absorbing heat from the sun! I could feel my batteries being recharged, literally. I suffer from SAD, Season Affective Disorder (a real disorder!) which basically makes me want to hibernate all winter. I have little desire to go anywhere or do anything. Today, I even did errands, WITH SPENCER (in and out of the car seat…) and wanted to! WOOOO HOOOO! On Monday, I was wearing two sweaters, a wool coat, gloves, wishing I had ear muffs and needed soup to warm me up after being outside for less than 30 minutes. Today, seems spring is finally here, it had better stay or else… I guess you can’t threaten the weather with bodily harm should it disobey you. ***SIGH***

I am so sorry I didn’t get my Twinkling Tuesday card up yesterday, heck, I usually try to get it up Monday night but two nights without sleep was taking it’s toll on me Sunday and Monday nights. But I finally got it done (another sleepless night produced this card at 4am today) and I am quite happy with it. I have had quite a few wonderful ladies in my life affected by breast cancer, I mean, who hasn’t? One in 8 or 9 women get it depending on the stat you read. There is one lady in particular I would like to remember here. Her name was Jitsumi Asa but better known as Mimi. She was a gentle soul, quiet and loving. Anyone in the congregation who was ill or having a hard time could expect a gorgeous bouquet of flowers, and expensive ones at that, along with a full-sized, gorgeous card full of warm, loving sentiments carefully written in precisely perfect handwriting on ruler-straight pencil lines (though erased, slightly visible occasionally!) Her hospitality was legendary, with the best foods including expensive seafood and Japanese fare before sushi was popular. When Caucasian folk unfamiliar with sushi would ask what was in it, her husband would say, “rice, carrot, fish and sea weed!” Horrified that no one would eat her delicious treats she quietly chided him, “oh, don’t say seaweed, say sea vegetable or they will not eat!” This loveliest of ladies found she had breast cancer and bravely fought it. She would quietly tell us stories of growing up in Japan near Nagasaki, at age 5 she was whisked up into the mountains one day during WWII because an attack was imminent. No one there knew the devastation that was to follow when an atomic bomb levelled the city. I always wondered if the radiation could have caused her cancer; funny that they use radiation to cure cancer. She beat the cancer, at least it seemed so initially. Years later, it metastasized (spread) to her brain and bones too I think. What a sad end to a lovely life full of joy and caring for others. So I was thinking of her as I made this card. Sorry the story was so long, yet this is just a little of her sweet life.

The sketch is courtesy little Madelynn for Twinkling Tuesday. Since I am so late getting mine done, I had the privilege to see everyone else’s blog posts. Funny, many found this sketch daunting but I had several ideas; I just love sketches especially ones by Madelynn. Nothing too fancy that you can’t tell how I did it from the photo. Aren’t the beads cute? I was in the bead store yesterday and these caught my eye. And three colours? That reminded me of sketch I had yet to do so here we are. TIP: You need a beading needle to pull the silk ribbon through most beads meant for jewellery. They are really cheap for several in a package so no big deal to get yet another tool! Be sure to play along, tag your card in SCS or PCP with MTTSC18 or upload to your blog. Either way, link your creation to Twinkling Tuesdays blog! And visit the Twinkle Team to see their cards and leave ‘em some lovin’! (links on sidebar) 

Enjoy and stay healthy! Rebecca

RECIPE
Stamps: UK
Paper: Basic Grey Bittersweet, pink pirouette, white CS-SU!
Ink: Pink pirouette, pretty in pink
Accessories: awareness beads-That Bead Lady, silk ribbon-UK, Nestabilities