Craft For Health

I Know I'll be Okay Doing Something Art Wise

I am a working and exhibiting artist. I graduated from Otis College of Fine Arts in 1989. Right after graduation, I came down with an unknown disease that caused me to be comotose for a week in intensive care. When I was released, I had no memory of my graduation, the fact that I went to Otis, or that in fact I was a working artist with a studio in downtown L.A.

Shortly afterwords my then husband of 20 yrs. left saying he no longer wanted to be married. When I got my strength back I expressed my feelings of anguish and sadness by painting. Some of the paintings were very difficult to look at. Some, what most of my viewers called "interesting." Throughout the following yrs. I continued painting, and exhibiting my work at various venues. I discovered Zen Meditation and Yoga and my paintings subsequently became much quieter, until today I could be called a minimalist.

Then came my ultimate challenge, last Jan. 2nd. I discovered a lump in my right breast. So far this yr. I have undergone, a lumpectomy, 7

1/2 weeks of daily radiation "therapy??????" I have a intervenous infusion of every 3 weeks for a year (6 more to go) of a drug called Herceptin, and am on a estrogen blocker. All of this causes arthritic like pain in all of my joints, especially my hands, shoulders and elbows. Not good for a painter. The estrogen blocker also causes insomnia, and hot flashes. I went off the blocker for a week and beginning last night am trying a new one. Hopefully my hands especially, will be better.

I began to weave a basket, hopefully calling it "The Miracle Basket"

From all the information, schedules, apointment slips and everything related to my diagnosis. This was 3 weeks ago. I had to stop as my hands were extremely painful and swollen, and I couldn't push the needle through the paper. But, I am working in my studio with watercolors and encaustic, soon oil paint. The pain has subsided and I am affirming that the new estrogen blocker won't have similar effects.

Art, the making of it, the creating, the physicality of doing it has saved my life. As long as I can think about and do something art wise, I will be OK.  

www.joyartist.com

Being Creative Makes My Heart Sing by Helping Others by Vickie

My story is very simple...seeing others go through life changing events, losing my sister to cancer, watching my husband go through chemotherapy and seeing others struggle with other life changing events has stirred in me a desire to encourage and uplift others through art.

In 2006 my husband was diagnosed with colon cancer...I spent hours with him as he went through chemotherapy. Sitting in the treatment room and watching him and the other patients go through this ordeal made me think about how I could use art to help others going through life changing events.

So I began to dream of sharing my art with others and encouraging others to use their creative gifts to gain strength in the midst of their journeys.

www.vickieleastudios.com and www.suitetwentytwo.com

Everyone has a story to tell, we are all artists in some way and art is a medium that everyone can use to tell that story. This dream to encourage through art hasn't left me and 2010 will be the year for me to put this dream into action.

Some form of art has been part of my life since childhood; painting, sewing, photography and jewelry making are just a few of my creative endeavors. My love of all things artistic has led me to pursue surface design, live a creative life and leave behind my old profession of accounting. Creativity makes my heart sing and I truly want to help others find the creative outlet that puts a song in their hearts.

It is an honor to share my story at Craft for Health and I look forward to reading the stories that others share.

My name is Vickie Lea and you can see more of myh artwork at

My Art is a Tool to Talk about Something Other than my Cancer, by Michelle

 

This is an incredible journey by an incredible woman. Here she shares a bit of her story and some of her art.

Over five years ago I was diagnosed breast cancer. Lumpectomy, radiation, and medication followed.

In May and June of last year my surgeon removed a Sarcoma tumor underneath the skin of my thigh. The following month a third cancer was diagnosed.

Primary peritoneal carcinoma, aka, my Cancer #3, is in the same area my mother’s fatal ovarian cancer. Surgeries, chemotherapy, side effects, scans, physical therapy, and blood tests are ongoing.

Art therapy class is helping me explore feelings of fear and comfort, my past and future, as well as a tool to talk about something other than cancer. I’m an Artist!

Job Loss and Breast Cancer Started my Path to Creative Design by Melissa Lisbon

Hi Kathy & Barb:  I really enjoy reading your blog, and sincerely believe that crafting, or simply exercising your creative side is incredibly beneficial to one's health.   This is my story:

I was diagnosed with stage 2 breast cancer over 3 years ago when I was 39.  I had yet to go for my first mammogram, but after finding a lump in my breast I was sent for a mammogram and biopsy right away.  Like anyone who has had something like this happen, you never prepare yourself for the bad news.  In my mind, I couldn't possibly have cancer.  I prided myself on taking good care of myself and eating healthier than most people I knew.  Nevertheless, I got breast cancer and had a lumpectomy followed by 6 weeks of radiation and hormonal treatment (prescribed for 5 years).  I went through this stage in my life in a daze.  I knew I could get through it but I don't believe I really internalized what was happening.  While I was being treated, I took medical leave from my demanding corporate position.  I was a head of a department with an international law firm, and had worked for this firm for over 13 years. 


Once back at work, I resumed my fast paced stressful existence and put my breast cancer diagnosis behind me.  Early this year, I was told (over the phone) that I was being laid off.  Similar to receiving the call from my doctor to inform me that I had breast cancer, I was in shock and disbelief.  In both circumstances, nothing prepares you for this life changing news.  When I finally came to terms with the layoff and the concept of no longer being responsible for my job, an overwhelming urge came over me to make something with my hands.  It's hard to describe this feeling other than I believe I had surpressed my creative side for so many years that something inside me finally made it's way to my attention.  This urge led me to purchase books on making jewelry and it started my path into creative thinking.  When I learned from a friend that I could sell my handcrafted jewelry on Etsy.com, I got excited.  I soon had set up a shop, entitled "californiablue" where I could post my casual, fresh designs (http://californiablue.etsy.com).  I also started a blog, also called "californiablue" which chronicles my journey into creativity and day to day inspirations I have. 


All in all, I truly believe that crafting, or allowing yourself to be creative in a variety of ways is nourishing for the soul and healing for the body.  My life post cancer and post corporate is not only happier, but healthier due making jewelry.  I don't think anyone needs to get a life threatening diagnosis or be laid off from their job to realize how important feeding your creative spirit really is.  I'm grateful for my life journey thus far, and look forward to the future.

 - Melissa N. Lisbon

shop:  http://californiablue.etsy.com
blog:  http://californiablue.tumblr.com

Crafting and Quilting Through Chemo by Rosalie

 Sewing and crafting have always played a huge role in my life from the time I was a young girl.   Many of my most blissful childhood memories involve sewing with my Grandmother and Mother.

 

I had been successfully running my own full time craft pattern business, Rosalie Quinlan Designs  for quite some years and had begun a second craft pattern business with my younger sister Melly, called Melly & me  when I was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2006.  As a 36 year old mother of three teenagers this came as a devastating shock.

 

 

  

Working with my sister Melly on our new venture gave me vision, purpose, distraction and heaps of joy.  Our pattern designing took a whole new direction after my diagnosis as we decided to outdo each other with ridiculous looking softies to make each other laugh.  We even brought our crazy softies to Chemotherapy to make others laugh and to get some really fun blog posts.  I am sure the viewers would rather see the softies plugged in for Chemo than me!  Because as sisters we were facing such a difficult time, we turned to humor and huge doses of crafty goodness to get us through.  This strengthened our bond as sisters as well as bestest friends.

 

  

Further into my treatment I began on my favorite appliqué quilt to date.  It is called "The Joy of Life" and was designed and sewn during the trying months of Chemotherapy.  I would design a block before my treatment when I was feeling creative.  I would then appliqué the pieces in the weeks after treatment when my creativity and energy were low.  In this way I worked towards a goal and created beauty during an otherwise ugly time.  Many of the nurses in hospital were also quilters and enjoyed seeing my blocks grow with each visit.  I even appliquéd some of the blocks in the waiting room before surgery.  I felt an immense sense of calm and order as I sewed the fiddly little stitches in place.

 

Now that I am well I can look back and see just how valuable creativity is in working through a crisis.  My sister's friendship and support combined with our love of crafting were vital in my healing process.  Crafting and sewing continue to play a huge role in my life as this is how I make my living and my joy!

 

  

My name is Rosalie Quinlan and I’m a design craft patterns called Melly and Me. 

 

Crafting with Breast Cancer Survivors by Kathy Peterson

As founder of Craft For Health, I'm always looking for ways to help spread the good word of how crafting can really help us heal.   Last month, WPBF- TV 25 and ABC affiliate in West Palm Beach gave me the opportunity to gather four Breast Cancer Surviviors for a segment on how crafting during breast cancer helped these women cope with their challenges.  I hope this inspires you.  I called these women my brave girls! 

 Please click on the image below to watch this inspiring video.

 

 

http://www.wpbf.com/video/25504779/detail.html



Doll Art and Helping Cancer Survivors by Abi Monroe

 

I have been creating clay art dolls for about a year, and discovered that not only do I enjoy the process of making them, I can use them to help others in many ways.

 

I belong to an Etsy group called Etsy Project Embrace, we are a team of varied artists, whose main purpose is to create awareness and support for people who have been diagnosed with Cancer.  We also donate a percentage of our sales to The American Cancer Society, and have so far, raised just over $13,000.  The team evolved due to an Etsy artist being diagnosed with Ovarian cancer.  To read the story go here

 

I always donate a percentage of my Etsy sales to a charity, be it the ACS, or another.  I use my dolls to auction off, and also donate dolls to other organizations who are raising money for good causes.

I feel my dolls are special, not only because they can bring a smile to a face, but because they make money for people who need it.  I couldn't ask for more.

Etsy Project Embrace: http://etsyprojectembrace.blogspot.com/

Team Page over at ACS:  http://main.acsevents.org/site/TR/TeamACS/TACSFY09National/895191330?pg=team&fr_id=17840&team_id=529966

My Blog: http://abimonroe.blogspot.com

My Etsy shop: www.abimonroe.etsy.com

 

Healing with Humor National Breast Cancer Month

WIth the annual Susan G Kome Race for the Cur,  a sense of humor is the secrect weapon in the battle against breast cancer.  Team members will  have a great opportunity to offer up a good dose of creative humor with a T-shirt design contest.  Some of the humorous names of the teams include:

• Bosom Buddies
• Bras and Bros
• Breast Friends
• Daffy Duffers of Delray Dunes
• Grand Ta'Ta''s
• Save 2nd Base,
• Save the Ta'Ta's
• Team Ma'am O'Grams
• The Knocker Backers
• The Rack Pack
• The Mammogrammas

We'd love to hear your own crafty and creative member names too.  Let us know what you can "PINK" of and leave us a comment won't you!

Be well! 

Kathy and Barb

Healing From Illness Made Easier Through Artwork by Gail Green

After the initial shock of my early breast cancer diagnosis, I created an illustration line (Sweet PETatoes®) that was immediately licensed for memory products for pets and is the foundation for my current illustration style that I am known for nationwide.  Prior to that, I had always spent my time creating art according to client needs and specs, instead of exploring and expressing my passions.  Art and crafting had become a business, and, in doing so, had lost much of the pure joy associated with the act of simply playing. 

The unexpected diagnosis, however, was a wake-up call for me.  At that moment I realized I didn’t have unlimited time to create the art I wanted to create—the kind of art that comes straight from the heart.  When I was healing from my surgeries and later, radiation, I began playing, going back to a time when I was an art student drawing and painting for the sake of creating instead for the purpose of pleasing a client. 

Picking up the Pieces After Breast Cancer by Anne Marie Bennett

If I were writing my autobiography, the chapter detailing my life in 2001-2002 would be titled “Journey: Interrupted.”  I was 45 years old and had been going about my business, living a normal life, working full time, helping my husband raise his teenagers from his first marriage, enjoying our home and, time with friends, and my new hobby of rubber stamping and collage art.

Then came the startling news: Stage II Infiltrating Ductal Breast Cancer. And after that came two lumpectomies, a lymph node dissection, 12 weeks of chemotherapy, and 42 radiation treatments.  Even though I often felt awful during the surgeries and treatments, I found myself sitting at my art table many times, playing with my rubber stamps and collage materials.  During these 7 months, I created several rubber stamped calendars, and six dozen collaged note cards.  These art projects helped to keep me connected to my soul during a time when my body was feeling very ill and disconnected.

At the end of my treatments, I gifted my doctors, nurses, and radiation techs with boxes of my handmade note cards.  It felt good to be able to give something back to these kind and wonderful people who assisted me on my healing journey.

Three years later, my body was healing.  I looked good and I felt good.  Yet nothing was able to quiet the overwhelming storms of fear and anxiety.  I was living constantly with the insidious fear that the breast cancer might return, the intimidating fear of another fateful diagnosis.

I meditated and prayed about this. I talked about it with my wonderful therapist and with other breast cancer survivors. I tried guided imagery, journaling, and art journaling. Those all tempered the fear to some extent, but only for a very short while.

Then in 2005 I began practicing SoulCollage® and my inner dynamics began to change. SoulCollage® is an intuitive art process that is simple and goes directly to one’s inner thoughts and feelings. It was created by Seena Frost in the late 90’s.  Using only magazine images, mat boards, scissors and glue, I created this SoulCollage® card about my fears.

After creating a SoulCollage® card, it helps to give the card a voice and let it speak.  Here is the writing exercise I did with this card that made a huge difference in my being able to accept that deep fear and live with it: