Spring Summer 2012 Createability Team Newsletter

http://us5.campaign-archive1.com/?u=6298087bfc9ef413b28f32700&id=1afab5dd72&e=aa279f5aa4

Membership Guidelines

All team members MUST participate in at least one Team Activity no less than once every 3 months. Here is a list of ways to participate:
• Main Chat thread for Team members only (changes monthly)
• Main Promotions Thread that is viewable to the Etsy and web public
• Monthly Check-in Thread, not for chat, just post and run, to show your presence.
• The team blog: http://www.createabilityteametsy.blogspot.com/ 
Leave a comment on the blog, so we can count that as participation.
• Our team Flickr page http://www.flickr.com/groups/createability/ 
Viewing photos in our Flickr group is always fun. Posting photos and commenting on photos is even more fun and counts as participation.
• Create Treasuries with at least 4 Team members (4 takes up a row in the treasuries) Tag those treasuries with our official team tag ”Createability Team”
Post the link to those treasuries in the monthly chat thread or the monthly Promotions Thread or post them in both threads.
• Share in Social Networks about a teammate or the team. Please post the links to your social network(s) of choice in the chat and promotions threads.
o Blog
o Twitter
o Flickr
o Facebook
o Google+
o Pinterest

Sign up for the Createability Newsletter
http://eepurl.com/l5Egn
• If you are on vacation, medical leave, or have other reasons, you cannot participate once in a 3-month span, notify the Captain, BethiefliesToo. Failure to notify the Captain or leader(s) may result in being removed from the team.

Newsletter 2013

http://eepurl.com/tvdgj Welcome to 2013, Createability Team! Createability Team was founded Oct 30, 2008 by a handful of Etsy sellers who came together in the old format of the Etsy forums who had one thing in common. Being disabled and caring for disabled family members. Since it's founding, members have joined and left the team and a few are smiling on us from Heaven. As a Team we have taught each other and the world that there are no limits, despite our limitations. Create + Ability = Createability! This award winning team exemplifies determination and warmth and unconditional acceptance. We are able to adapt to obstacles and circumstances that able bodied people cannot even imagine. That, my lovelies is what makes us incredibly special and unique. May this year be a wonderful one for us all and our families and friends. This is the first newsletter for this year and I think a superb collection of information. So get yourself a snack and a drink, get as comfortable as is possible and enjoy the show.

INTERVIEW WITH CINDY BURKE AT CindyBurkeOriginalsHandmade Beaded Jewelry on ETSY. By TERESA CHIPPERFIELD fromwww.PhotosByChipperfield.Etsy.com1). Tell us a little about your life. I have lived from coast to coast and in between during my life. Started out in Savannah, Georgia and lived in Illinois, North Carolina, California and Florida. 2). What is your philosophy about LIFE? The three most important things in life are: relationships, relationships and relationships. I truly believe that! 3). Tell us a little about your creative process and what you love about being creative? While I enjoy the blogging, search engine optimization, photography and listing process, making the jewelry is my favorite part. The first things are the steps I take to be successful in my “real life video game” called Etsy. The creative part is when I get to play with beads and make beautiful things. And it’s also rewarding to learn new techniques. I feel more confident in my craft as my skills grow from practice. 4). What does being a member of the Createability team mean to you? It’s a comfort to know that others are overcoming challenges in life as well. The team has so many wonderful artists who have dealt with what life has to throw at them and continued to pursue their art. 5). What is your favourite item in your Etsy Store right now? I like this peach/pink pendant necklace because I think it is beautiful and it was a stretch of my skills to make the beading fall just right over the pendant. http://www.etsy.com/listing/119128800/pendant-necklace-peach-pink-magnesite 6). What advice would you give to new Etsian? My number one tip would be, “Don’t reinvent the wheel.” Take the time to browse Etsy and see how other sellers in your category handle policies and shipping, the way they stage photos, and their SEO, like tags and titles. The greatest resource for you will be the Etsy Forums. Before asking for help, do a search. You’ll be surprised at all of the great information archived on the site! 7). What do you do in your spare time? My husband and I are sci-fi/fantasy fans and we love to watch movies and read books in that genre. This year we made it to the sci-fi/fantasy convention DragonCon in Atlanta and had a blast! 8). What is your Greatest achievement? My greatest achievement in life is raising two happy, well adjusted and successful young men. One is in Navy training school and the other is working in Charleston and getting married this year! 9). What is your Greatest extravagance? Our greatest extravagance is taking several short trips a year - to the beach, to see family or (like DragonCon) to attend some event. We are living it up now because we don’t know whether my husband will be able to take many trips when we retire in about fifteen years. It all depends on the course that his multiple sclerosis takes. I am happy to report that, at this point in time, he is doing quite well. And we are hopeful that we can influence the future course of his illness with diet, exercise and positive thinking! 10). Tell us 4 things about yourself that would let us peek into your world or that you think define you. 1) Never met a stranger. 2) Always have to have a project going. 3) Love to travel. 4) Internet addicted. J 11). Where do you see your life in 5 years. I hope that five years down the line CindyBurkeOriginals will provide a steady income. To achieve that goal, I am learning as much as I can about making jewelry and working on diversity of prices and styles in the shop. 12). When you Die what would you like to come back as? I don’t really want to come back. I’d rather be a guardian angel, looking on as my children and grandchildren live their lives! Thank you so much Cindy for sharing some of your life with us ;) Here are a few links where you can go and check out Cindy’s beautiful jewelry ;) Shop:http://www.etsy.com/shop/cindyburkeoriginals BLOG: http://cindyburkeoriginals.tumblr.com Facebook: http://on.fb.me/IZtS5s Book Suggestion By Akua Lezli Hope Crochet Saved My Life, The Mental and Physical Health Benefits of Crochet by Kathryn Vercillo Publication Date: July 1, 2012 ISBN/EAN13: 1478190450 / 9781478190455 Page Count: 304 pages, US Trade Paper, 6.69" x 9.61" As creators, we all know that we have a special connection to our endeavors. There are many ways that we experience and express this connection – a a fondness, a like, a love, a passion. Another depth is described when we describe our creating as “life-saving”. In this book KV shares her own story of crafting to heal through depression. She interviewed dozens of women who also shared their story about crafting to heal from a diverse array of conditions including anxiety, post partum depression, OCD, bipolar, schizophrenia, chronic pain conditions, Restless Leg Syndrome and more. While it is oriented toward people who love to crochet, the methods of healing discussed in the book, such as mindfulness, can be achieved with other crafts, too. “It covers the entire aspect of how to heal by using other methods proven effective in many different conditions.” Here’s an excerpt from the introduction: “Crochet saved my life. …Without it, I may not have lived. … I had suffered with undiagnosed, sometimes debilitating, always untreated depression for nearly fifteen years. I didn’t know that depression was the problem and I certainly didn’t know how to deal with it. … …All of this is to say that by the time that I reached the desperate stage of readiness where I would accept any help of any kind (despite feeling certain that nothing could ever help) the problem was nearly out of control. I was barely functioning. I cried most of the day every day. I could hardly move. I could hardly breathe. The idea of trying to make doctors’ appointments or hold down “real” jobs was so far-fetched it may as well have filtered into my mind in another language. I couldn’t do almost anything and yet the one thing that I could do was to move a crochet hook back and forth through yarn, repeatedly pulling one loop through the next to create fabric out of air so thin I could barely breathe in it. Since it was one of the only things that I could do, it became imperative to my mental health that I go ahead and do it. When I first started to crochet, that feeling of temporary relief from the muted chaos of depression was the only reason I was crocheting. Of course, crochet alone could never have taken me out of that desperate place. It is a craft, not a cure-all for serious illness. And yet I am also fairly certain that I could never have loosened myself from the grip of that depression without crochet. I was stuck in between that proverbial rock and a hard place and my crochet hook served as a crowbar to begin prying me out of that difficult space. I hardly knew that it was happening and yet that hook dug deep down into the core of my being and lifted me into a space where I could once again begin to breathe. In the most basic and obvious way possible I was creating a life for myself simply through the act of creating. A year later, breathing and healing, I was not only crocheting but also beginning to live my life again. I was beginning to meet other people who also enjoyed literally crafting a life for themselves. … ..As I began to share my thoughts and feelings with this community, I began to see that I was not the only one who felt that crochet had been critical to saving one’s mental health. In fact, it became obvious to me that it is more often than not the case that crocheters feel that they experience some personal health benefits from the craft although that may not be their main motivation for crocheting. Crochet heals. Crochet saves lives.” Also of interest to the Createability team, on KV’s blog, Crochet Concupiscence, she posts about the relationship between crochet and health. Here are a few of the articles she cites: Pain of Neurological Failure Reduced with Crochet Crochet for Caregivers Crochet Helps with 3 Phases of Bipolar Crochet in Therapy vs Crochet as Therapy Top 10 Reasons Crochet Helps Us Heal

Resources for Disabled Business Owners  By Akua Lezli Hope and Doris C The Federal government offers money and other kinds of assistance via the U.S. Department of Labor Office of Disability Employment Policy: www.dol.gov/odep/#.UN7xg7bS0ps They have a quick guide to Small Business and Self Employment for People with Disabilities, and a Small Business and Self-Employment Service that connects disabled entrepreneurs to resources for funding, rehab, and other needs. www.dol.gov/odep/topics/SelfEmploymentEntrepreneurship.htm#.UN7yLbbS0ps Disabled ownership is one of the qualifying factors the U.S. Small Business Administration considers in guaranteeing "7(a)" loans to help small businesses get approved by lenders for startup capital. www.sba.gov/category/navigation-structure/loans-grants/small-business-lo... Save up while on SSI A deliberate loophole in the rules governing Social Security benefits can enable you to save up startup money. The Social Security Administration's Plan for Achieving Self Support (PASS) www.ssa.gov/pubs/11017.html, allows disabled people to set aside income and/or resources for a specific period of time to realize a "work goal," such as going to school or starting a business. By eliminating the penalties for income that might normally disqualify or reduce SSI or SSDI benefits, PASS enables you to earn and keep your startup money without threatening your benefits in the meantime. There’s a Chamber of Commerce for Individuals with Disabilitieswww.disabilitychamber.org There’s a Self-Employment for People with Disabilities Yahoo! Group groups.yahoo.com/group/pwd_self-employment/ www.diversityworld.com/Disability/selfempl.htm is the website. www.sba.gov/content/people-with-disabilities disabilitychamber.org/ www.diversityworld.com/Disability/selfempl.htm www.businessweek.com/smallbiz/content/mar2010/sb20100318_710756.htm www.shell-livewire.org/business-library/specialist-business-support/disa... disabledbusiness.org/ www.businessanddisability.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&... www.skillsportal.co.za/page/human-resource/employment-equity/workplace-d... www.shell-livewire.org/home/business-library/specialist-business-support... main.smallbusinesscommerceassociation.org/business-types-industries/busi... www.disabilitybiz.org/ wid.org/center-on-economic-growth/programs-of-the-center-on-economic-gro... USE A POOL NOODLE AS A HELPING HAND By Johanna This is actually my mother’s brainstorm. I used to wrap a face cloth around a razor in order to shave under my arm. The same was the true when I was a child and had my left hand operated on. My mom would wrap something around a crayon so I could color with my right hand. For my razor, she took a pool noodle and cut off a section. Then she poked two holes down into it from the top. It doesn’t take much and it’s better to make it too narrow and then adjust. Unfortunately, it’s been 20 years since my Mom made this for me. (It has sat in my shower the entire time!) When I went to buy a new noodle for this demo, I figured I’d make a new one for myself, but found out that now they are made with a hole through the center.  No problem, for larger items, the razor for example, this still works, but for a crayon or pen I had to improvise! So, I turned the cylinder on it’s side and put the hole through from that direction. Then I cut the bottom so it would sit flat. A regular steak knife easily cuts through the noodle. Each persons needs are different but with a little improvising this may work for some one else too. My Life as a Lab Rat: Participating in a Fibromyalgia Study By Stefanie London In September 2012 I decided to participate in a Fibromyalgia study being conducted at Tufts Medical Center in Boston.  My husband read about it in a newsletter, and encouraged me to apply to the study, which was about Tai Chi and exercise as treatments for FM symptoms.  Over the years he’d noticed (and so had I) that exercise could be helpful for me.  I wasn't doing any, and flares had kept me from even leaving the house for much of the past year.  Tai Chi has always intrigued me and I did some aerobics back in the day, so I signed up.  When the investigators randomly assigned participants to groups, I got picked for low impact aerobics and not Tai Chi.  I've been attending hour long classes twice a week, and it is the 18th week into a 24 week long study session. So what is it like being a lab rat?  Well, I do look forward to my classes each week.  There are twelve women in my group, all of them with FM diagnosis, and many are struggling with other chronic illness as well.  One of the benefits of being in the study is meeting other people who understand why I have to take a 3 hour long rest after changing the bed linens, or how my brain shuts down from overload at the sound of a TV.   Sometimes its difficult just to get myself to class.  I’m tired and sore, and the extra walk and subway ride seem too daunting, and the hour of exercise seems near impossible.  But I get there, mostly because I know everyone else is feeling the same way.  I would be intimidated to join a group aerobic class at a gym, and I would be worried about getting an injury.  The study classes are geared specifically for FM, and have adaptations for different levels of ability, such as exercising seated when you cannot stand.  Plus, there are health professionals everywhere in case something goes wrong! Although my FM flares and physical symptoms have not changed that much, doing the class gives me a sense of accomplishment, and lessens my depression and feelings of isolation.  As a class, the group has definitely progressed from what we were able to do on the first day, and what we can do now.  For example, I have noticed that I can walk farther and more quickly without getting winded.  The stretches we do have helped decrease my muscle stiffness.  One woman has lost thirty pounds.  Another classmate, a single mother of a young child, says the class is the highlight of her week.  For many, the class time represents the only real time they do something solely for themselves, and that alone feels good.  In other studies, such as medication trials, less visits are required and you get some extra cash.  This study is much more time consuming, and I only get reimbursed for travel expenses.  But the group activity and socializing have made it worth my time. The study is part of a large NIH-funded clinical trial comparing the effectiveness of Tai Chi versus standard-of-care aerobic exercise to treat FM, and determining the optimal frequency and duration of a Tai Chi intervention.  Principal investigator ChenChen Wang, MD Ms is an Associate Professor of Medicine at Tufts, and Director of the Tufts Center for Complementary and Integrative Medicine (TCIM).  Her research focuses on the use of Tai Chi as an treatment for rheumatic conditions including osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, fibromyalgia and lupus and she has published extensively in this field. For more information about Dr. Wang’s research, and/or about participating in one of her studies, a good place to start is the TCIM website: http://www.tuftsmedicalcenter.org/OurServices/Rheumatology/CenterforIntegrativeMedicine Createability Team Links: Where can you find out more about the Createability Team? http://www.etsy.com/teams/5732/createability-team http://www.createabilityteametsy.blogspot.com/ http://www.flickr.com/groups/createability/ https://www.facebook.com/pages/Createability-Etsy-Team-Page/209574792466198 http://pinterest.com/atatteredcanvas/createability-etsy-team-board/ http://twitter.com/Createability_T In Our Next Issue In our next issue, which should be sent out to you by the middle of the year, we'll explore more of the wonderful world that is Createability Team. If you submitted an article that wasn't found in this issue I sincerely apologize for not including it this round. I hope you accept my apology and can forgive me. I forgot where I saved the files that were not included this time and hope that you can and will send me another copy. If any of our subscribers would like to contribute articles that you find interesting and helpful to the team, please convo me http://www.etsy.com/shop/BethiefliesToo or send me an email via bethiefliestoo@gmail.com.

New Team Promotional Image

Friends and Fans of Createability Team, please feel free to share this image

We are a group of artists and sellers either with disabilities ourselves, or caregivers of disabled people in our private lives, who may use art and Etsy as "therapy" and our link to network with others. Create + Ability = Createability! 

New Widget

Greetings Team. Forgive me for not keeping this blog more up to date. I just had to share a new widget I found that I think will help show off what members of the team. It's called Team Showcase. and I just added it to the sidebar. but will add a larger view here.

Team Member of the Day

For the last few weeks, Createability Team has been honoring one member per day on the Facebook Page.

For a full list see our Facebook page
May

kittyd

MadeByMari

crochetbymsa

OneFoldDesigns

DesignT

PoppyPlace

AilorsAttic

SierraPelona

harvestmoonbyhand

PhotosByChipperfield

BirdhouseBlessings

LovejoyCreations

Maplecreeksoap

SSWOODCRAFT

RainbowsEtc

creationsbynoramarie

EllesBelle

webescrapbooking

Debsparkles

ElainaLouiseStudios

LemonStPhotography

WillowGlenDrive

June

AJBcreations

Carapace

RocCityPretty

kittyanydots

sunnyplainquilting

flamingolady

GrannysKnits

compassneedle

RainbowGraphics

EndlessDrawings

merigreenleaf

freshpikd4u

obachansflowers

penelopedesign

MyBeadedTreasures

hippiescreations

hippiesbath

Sign up for the Createability Team Newsletter

Sign up for the Createability Team Newsletter

Subscribe to our newsletter

Createability Team Social Networking

Check out our Team Facebook Page
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Createability-Etsy-Team-Page/209574792466198
News you might be interested in and Team Member of the Day!

If you tweet
https://twitter.com/#!/Createability_T
Articles of interest found and shared by our tweeters
Pinterest
http://pinterest.com/atatteredcanvas/createability-etsy-team-board/

If you know of anywhere else in the world of Social Media that Createability Team would benefit from being present... let us know.

10 Year Old Boy with Autism Sings Open the Eyes of My Heart

10 Year Old Boy with Autism Sings Open the Eyes of My Heart:

'via Blog this'

Etsy Team Spirit Award

Team Spirit Award! This week's spirit award goes to the amazing Createability Team. This group is composed of artists with disabilities, as well as caregivers for disabled people, who use Etsy to connect with others. Their mission is "to take back control of the terms used around our various conditions and bring knowledge and awareness to those around us." Members are very motivated and support one other emotinally and by promoting each others' shops. This team has been around since '08 and continues to be an inspiration to the Etsy Teams program. Keep up with Createability on theirblog or browse the photos in their Flickr group.  This announcement came on Monday, December 12, 2011. I was informed today, Friday December 16, 2011 that we will be receiving a trophy from Etsy for this honor.  I would like the Thank everyone on Createability Team for making this an Award Winning Team and Welcome to All of our new members. I will post photos of the trophy as soon as it arrives. Happy Holidays, Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, Happy Kwanzaa, Or whatever Holiday you celebrate at this time of year! May 2012 be even better for us all! Update: On February 4, 2011 Our trophy arrived with a handwritten note on pretty handmade stationary.

FTC Rules on PROMPT DELIVERY

Do you know that the rulings of the Federal Trade Commission applies to you? Did you know that if you can’t ship within the promised time (or within 30 days if you made no promise), you must notify the customer of the delay, provide a revised shipment date and explain his right to cancel
and get a full and prompt refund.



Also, you have the right to cancel orders that you can’t fill in a timely manner, but you must promptly notify the customer of your decision and make a prompt refund.



 Here is a link to an article on PROMPT DELIVERY RULES that we should all be familiar with. FTC: Insuring Prompt Delivery of Items Sold Online

Insurance: What do I need for my business?

Do you have business insurance? If not, you may be at risk.  You may not even realize you need it until you go to register for a craft show and they ask you for a certificate of insurance.

What they are asking is that you provide proof of business liability insurance, usually $1 million dollars worth, with a specific certificate showing them as additional insured. You need to get this for that specific event from your insurance agent. You can also purchase it for a specific event at sites like http://www.specialeventinsurance.com/exhibitors-insurance.html
http://www.vendorinsurenow.com/
http://www.filmins.com/programs/annual-vendors-exhibitors-insurance.htm

But as a business owner, you need to consider other insurance needs.

Business product liability: Do you produce something that can harm someone? Maybe a doll or stuffed animal? A food product? A skincare product? If so, think what would happen if someone sued you for damages from your product. If you don't have the proper insurance, you won't be able to recover your losses of equipment and products.

Your homeowners policy may even be VOIDED if you have a claim as a result of your business. For example, I have two kilns. If one causes a fire and burns my house down, I would not be able to recover my loss from my regular homeowners policy.

This is NOT an all inclusive list. See your insurance agent for details specific to your situation.

Resources for Small Businesses by State

http://www.thinkinglike.com/State-by-State-Business-Resources.html

Team Spirit Award Nomination Form

Team Spirit Award Nomination Form: "Team Spirit Award Nomination Form
Throughout November and December of 2011 we will be granting specific Etsy Teams with a weekly Team Spirit Award to recognize hard work and exemplary accomplishments. What exactly IS team spirit, you ask? Well, we want you to tell us!

We believe that team spirit takes many forms — it can refer to the impact a team has on its community, the way members support one another, or the success of a collaborative project.

We want Etsy Teams to lead by example, and get recognition for the amazing work that they do all year round. Team Spirit Award recipients will be announced every Monday in the Teams Newsletter (sign up to receive that at etsy.com/mailinglist ), be featured in a Community Stories post on the Etsy Blog and receive a handmade trophy in the mail!

So, what does team spirit mean to you? Let us know by filling out the form "

'via Blog this'

Member's New Shops

Check out CindyLou's new shop opening Nov 2. Congratulations!
http://www.etsy.com/shop/CindyLouDoesStats

Beth also has a new shop,Bethiefliestoo
 http://www.etsy.com/shop/bethiefliestoo

Anyone else?

Living Healthy with Diabetes Guide

http://www.diabetes.org/assets/pdfs/living-healthy-with-diabetes-guide.pdf

NOVEMBER AWARENESS TOPICS

November
1 - 30 American Diabetes Month American Diabetes Association 1701 North Beauregard Street Alexandria, VA 22311 (800) DIABETES (342-2383) (703) 549-1500 (703) 549-6995 Faxaskada@diabetes.org www.diabetes.org   Materials available Contact: Local Chapters	1 - 30 COPD Awareness Month American Lung Association 1301 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Suite 800 Washington, DC 20004 (800) 548-8252 (202) 452-1805 Faxinfo@lungusa.org www.lungusa.org/about-us/our-impact/top- stories/november-is-copd-awareness_1.htm l   Materials available Contact: None designated
1 - 30 Diabetic Eye Disease Month Prevent Blindness America 211 West Wacker Drive, Suite 1700 Chicago, IL 60606 (800) 331-2020 (312) 363-6001 (312) 363-6052 Faxinfo@preventblindness.org www.preventblindness.org   Materials available Contact: PBA Consumer and Patient Hotline	1 - 30 Foot Health Issues Related to Diabetes Awareness Month American Podiatric Medical Association 9312 Old Georgetown Road Bethesda, MD 20814 (301) 581-9200 (301) 530-2752 Faxwww.apma.org   Materials available Contact: None designated
1 - 30 Lung Cancer Awareness Month Lung Cancer Alliance 888 16th Street NW, Suite 150 Washington, DC 20006 (202) 463-2080 (202) 463-7497 Faxinfo@lungcanceralliance.org www.lungcanceralliance.org   Materials available Contact: Kay Cofrancesco	1 - 30 National Family Caregivers Month National Family Caregivers Association 10400 Connecticut Avenue, Suite 500 Kensington, MD 20895-3944 (800) 896-3650 (301) 942-2302 Faxinfo@thefamilycaregiver.org www.thefamilycaregiver.org   Materials available Contact: None designated
1 - 30 National Healthy Skin Month American Academy of Dermatology 930 East Woodfield Road Schaumburg, IL 60173 (888) 462-DERM (462-3376) (847) 330-0230 (847) 330-8907 Faxmediarelations@aad.org www.aad.org   Materials available Contact: Allison Sit	1 - 30 National Hospice Palliative Care Month National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization 1731 King Street Alexandria, VA 22314 (800) 646-6460 (703) 837-1500 (703) 837-1233 Faxjradulovic@nhpco.org www.nhpco.org   Materials available Contact: Jon Radulovic
1 - 30 National Stomach Cancer Awareness Month No Stomach For Cancer, Inc. 9202 Waterside Drive, #203 Middleton, WI 53562 (608) 335-0241 info@nostomachforcancer.org www.nostomachforcancer.org   Materials available Contact: Karen Chelcun-Schreiber	1 - 30 Prematurity Awareness Month March of Dimes Foundation 1275 Mamaroneck Avenue White Plains, NY 10605 (914) 997-4488 (914) 997-4763 Faxaskus@marchofdimes.com www.marchofdimes.com   Materials available Contact: Pregnancy and Newborn Health Education Center
6 - 12 Drowsy Driving Prevention Week National Sleep Foundation 1522 K Street NW, Suite 500 Washington, DC 20005 (202) 347-3471 (202) 347-3472 Faxnsf@sleepfoundation.org drowsydriving.org/resources/drowsy-drivi ng-prevention-week-toolkit/   Materials available Contact: Jennifer Cowher Williams	14 - 20 Get Smart About Antibiotics Week Division of Bacterial Diseases National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 1600 Clifton Road NE, MS-C23 Atlanta, GA 30333 (800) CDC-INFO (232-4636) (404) 639-3636 (404) 639-3970 Faxdjohnson13@cdc.gov www.cdc.gov/getsmart Materials available Contact: Darcia Johnson
17 Great American Smokeout American Cancer Society 250 Williams Street NW Atlanta, GA 30303 (800) ACS-2345 (227-2345)acsf2f.com/gaso/   Materials available Contact: National Office	17 Prematurity Awareness Day March of Dimes Foundation 1275 Mamaroneck Avenue White Plains, NY 10605 (914) 997-4488 (914) 997-4763 Faxaskus@marchofdimes.com www.marchofdimes.com   Materials available Contact: Pregnancy and Newborn Health Education Center
19 National Survivors of Suicide Day American Foundation for Suicide Prevention 120 Wall Street, 22nd Floor New York, NY 10005 (212) 363-3500 x33 (212) 363-6237 survivingsuicideloss@afsp.org www.afsp.org   Materials available Contact: Rebecca Thorp	20 - 26 Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease Awareness Week International Foundation for Functional Gastrointestinal Disorders P.O. Box 170864 Milwaukee, WI 53217-8076 (888) 964-2001 (414) 964-1799 (414) 964-7176 Faxiffgd@iffgd.org www.aboutgerd.org/site/about-gerd/gerd-a wareness-week   Materials available Contact: Nancy Norton

Self Care Articles and Booklets - FREE

Thanks to new member Pauline Salvucci for sharing this link to her website. You can find free articles and booklets on health issues. http://www.self-care-online.com

In memory of our dear friend Amberlin Wu

Amberlin Wu, aka muddipuppy lived her motto of "Be a Light". Here is more about her in her own words found in her Etsy shop and her blogs -

muddipuppy's Shop Announcement

Hello Wonderful You!

Welcome to muddipuppy! No need to wipe your feet. Poke around and see what you like. Hope you have a lovely visit! 

All images can be made into cards and prints of different sizes. Feel free to convo me if you want a special piece that you don't see listed.

All proceeds go to raising awareness about Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS). For more information on CFS, please see my profile.

Proud member of:
SF Etsy Bay Area Street Team
Invisible Diseases Team
Createability Team

muddipuppy work can be seen at:
the delightful Rose and Thorn, outside of Sebastapol, California.
the whimsical Azuca in downtown Los Gatos, California.
the fanciful Kingston Ellis on Napa Street in Sonoma, California.

For more muddistuff: www.muddipuppy.blogspot.com

From her Etsy Profile:

I grew up with paint, yarn, sidewalk chalk, and basically every craft item you could ever imagine all around me. My mom is an artist as well as the most creative person on earth, so whenever there wasn’t something to do, that’s what we did – made stuff. I have continued to make stuff for all of my life. Jack of many media, master of none, I simply make art because it’s good for me. 

I came out of college with the big bright world ahead of me and unexpectedly fell ill with chronic fatigue syndrome. 14 years later I continue to work at having that big life in the tiny box that this illness has built around me. Art has been a reliable and inspiring companion.

When we are no longer able to change a situation, we are challenged to change ourselves.
- Viktor E. Frankl

Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), also known as chronic fatigue and immune dysfunction syndrome (CFIDS), is a serious chronic illness that results in profound fatigue and a number of other painful and debilitating symptoms.

My CFS blog: http://bealightcfsawareness.blogspot.com/

The CDC estimates that approximately 4 million Americans suffer from CFS and has compared the experience to the last four months of having AIDS.

About a quarter of the people with CFS are unemployed or receiving disability.

CFS costs the U.S. economy about $9 billion annually.

-from the US Department of Health (2008)

From her Blogger Profile:

Just a Puppy in the Mud

·         Location: Mountain View : California : United States

About Me

Hello there, lovely person! I am a silly and serious person, dancer, writer, therapist, activist, and friend. I'm particularly good at listening when you are talking about serious things and laughing when you are talking about funny things, mixing colors and convincing carrots to grow. I'm particularly challenged by stopping when I'm supposed to, sleeping through the night and putting things away. I have chronic fatigue syndrome, the Bad kind, and it has changed and made its best attempts to ruin my life. But one must keep soldiering on. So I do, paint brush in hand. Thanks for stopping by.

A fellow friend and teammate shared the news with us last night,

Hi team peeps. I have some very sad news. I recently learned that one of our team members, www.etsy.com/shop/muddipuppy , passed away on Tuesday. She struggled with cfs for nearly 20 years and had gotten worse during the past year or two (including a few hospitalizations). I don’t know the immediate cause of death, but there can be no doubt that the illness itself took an immense, irrevocable toll on her.

She had so many hopes and dreams, and not just for a cure or even a viable treatment for cfs, but dreams of creating safe group housing for cfs patients so we wouldn’t all have to be isolated and alone with this nightmarish disease. she had dedicated herself to raising awareness about the illness and participated in fundraising for research and advocacy as well.

even though we lived in the same town, I only met Amberlin twice; we were both too ill to attend our local support group on any regular basis. I loved the art in her shop and regret I hadn't bought any originals when they were available. 

her favorite phrase was "be a light," to help bring awareness of cfs to others using our own unique talents and abilities (hers being her art). we can all help to honor her memory by doing our best to be a light in any way we can to make the world better for people with any kind of disability, not just cfs.

I’m too distraught right now to write any more, my apologies.

Teams that Amberlin Wu participated in:

Heartsy Help!

Createability Team Etsy
Invisible Diseases
SF Etsy
are the other teams she was on. My heart goes out to them and her family, friends and customers who were lucky enough to have something to remember her by.

I know Createability Team is doing a treasury tribute to her. I don't know what if anything her other teams have planned or what their needs are.

__________________________________________________________
 News of memorial plans for amberlin, a.k.a. muddipuppy. I learned today that there will be a local memorial service here in mountain view on Sunday Nov, 6 at 2:30 p.m. at the community center. the local support group is planning on creating a memory book of people's stories and reflections to share with her family.