I live in Frisco, Texas with my husband and two daughters.  I am the Design Team Coordinator for Maya Road and a Certified Fiskars Demonstrator.  I just finished working on my first book “Delight in the Details” that is scheduled to be released in January 2010.

In May 2007, I was picked as one of the 5 Master Scrapbookers in Martha Stewart’s scrabooking contest and in August of 2007, was chosen as a 2008 Memory Makers Master.

My work has been published in magazines such as Memory Makers, Scrapbook etc., Better Homes and Gardens Scrapbooking & Cards Today as well as numerous idea books like Holiday Home, Scrapbook Trends, Paper Trends, Paper Creations and Scrapbooking & Beyond.

My new book “Delight in the Details” will inspire you with more than 40 techniques for creating accents and embellishments that provide a finishing touch to any paper craft project.  There are 100 lovely projects like cards, layouts, home decor and mini albums using various materials from simple paper and fabric scraps to ink, glitter and vintage findings.  You’ll also get to see where all my projects come to life in my personal studio.

In my book, you’ll learn how to create button bouquets, distressed letters, delicate felt blooms, vintage paper leaves, crepe paper rosettes, and so much more!

My book is up on Amazon pre-order and I can hardly contain myself!!!  The cover is different (see photo below) and it will not be available until late January.  I can’t show any inside photos of the book just yet but it’s UP and I’m thrilled! 

Hugs,

Lisa P. 

I have been very good about going in to get my yearly mammogram - My Dr. told me a good way to remember when it was due was to schedule it in my birthday month - so that is what I did.  It was so routine: make the appointment, have the procedure and get the letter in the mail two weeks later saying everything was normal.  Last year I almost got complacent.  My birthday is in November and the month came and went.  I was busy, the holidays were coming, work was consuming every waking moment.  What the heck?  I felt fine, nothing was felt on my self exams and thought I’ll just skip it this year.  But I had that nagging feeling.  So in early December I finally found a few minutes to call for an appointment.  Surely there wouldn’t be an open appointment until the new year.  Note to self: ‘Remember to plan it around your upcoming business trip!!’  ‘What? There is an opening tomorrow? Great, I’ll be there!’

The procedure went as usual - check in, put on the lovely cotton gown, opening in the front of course, squish, squish, watch for your letter in the mail, ’see ya next year’.  I was out in record time!  But instead of the usual letter, four days later I got a call.  ‘We saw something unusual on your mammogram.  Can you come in for a follow up?’  ‘Sure, is mid-January early enough?’  I thought to myself, I have lots to do; work, Christmas shopping, that business trip?  ‘What?  Tomorrow? Well, okay.’  The technician explained that sometimes they haven’t squished hard enough and so they get false readings.  I thought . . . okay, squish away, just get me out of here . . . I have things to do.  About a half hour later a radiologist came in and explained that no amount of squishing had made the spot go away and we needed to schedule a biopsy.  They asked, ‘When would you like to do that?’  ‘Now’ I said.  ‘Right now?’ he replied.  ‘Yes, right now.  Let’s get it over with’ I suggested. 

I made the most of it and watched along on the monitor as the biopsy needle was shot repeatedly into my left breast.  ‘Oh that was a good one!  You got a good core that time!’ I said.  Someone needed to lighten the mood in the room.  After the procedure was done I was instructed to call the Breast Care Nurse in seven days for the results.  In my usualy impatient way I waited three whole days and called her.  I asked her if she had gotten results and said, “Let me check the computer.  Oh yes, we did.  They are back.  I’m sorry, you have Invasive Ductal Carcinoma.  You will have to have surgery to have the tumor removed.  The scheduling nurse will call you in about a week.  Any questions?’  The shock wore off in a few seconds.  ‘Well, yes.  Is this treatable?’  The nurse answered, ‘Yes.  Very treatable.  The surgeon will go over that with you.  Wait for their call.’  

Yes, that is how I found out I had breast cancer, over the phone, sitting along in my office, eating a can of tuna.

The first thing I did was pray to God for strength to get me through this . . . oh yeah and a cure would be nice too!  An amazing peace came over me that has endured to this day - through two surgeries, chemotherapy and six weeks of radiation.  I understand that religion is not for everyone, but for me - being able to turn this whole thing over to God and trust in Him to guide me allowed and continues to get me through this journey with grace and hope.

It became apparent that this experience was meant to be a knock in the head and instead of developing a ‘why me’ attitude, I quickly developed a ‘why not me’ attitude!  There is always something to be learned from any experience and this one was no different.  The people that God either brought inot or back into my life is extraordinary.  It continues to amaze me how the right people are there for me at the exact moment I need them.  I tend to be quite stubborn, very self sufficient and don’t want people doing things for me.  One of the most important things I learned is that I need to allow people to help - even if I don’t necessarily need it.  While I may be the one going through this, others close to me are struggling to understand it and cope just as much as I am and they need to feel useful.  It is not ‘all about me!’  I also learned that my priorities in life are totally skewed.  Since my children left home, I have allowed work to totally consume me, 12-14 hour days were the norm.  While I love my job, I realize it is not healthy and more important things - like my marriage and husband were suffering from it.  I was humbled by the chemotherapy.  I thought it was going be a breeze and found out I was not quite as much of a superwoman as I thought I was and even came to believe it was OK not to be!  I found out that my husband stepped up to the plate and was there when I needed him.  I will forever be thankful for his patience when I whined ‘I want a Diet Coke and it can only be from Jack in the Box’.  He went and got it for me.  Lastly, I learned just how much insulation your hair gives your head!  Hair - oh - it will grow back.  I can’t tell you how many time I heard that.  It never helped me.  Losing my hair through chemotherapy was absolutely the worst thing I have endured.  When it started to come out with brushing I went and had my head shaved.  It was mentally less painful that way.  I have a few wigs but found it just easier to throw a ball cap on and away I went.  I never got over the stares though.  Oh, and be sure not to answer a knock at the door without a hat because bald ladies scare little children!

So where am I today?  My trust and faith in God is as strong as ever and He continues to give me strenth and hope!  My taste buds, lost during chemotherapy have returned and most things taste normal again.  The radiation burns have healed.  My beloved and missed hair is coming back . . . much grayer, a little curly and way to slow for my liking but it a nice shade of gray. What the heck, short hair is much easier to take care of!  I figure if I keep telling myself that I may start to believe it someday.  I continue to work on getting my priorities straightened out - I will succeed but it is a struggle.  I have to visit my oncologist every six months and continue to have yearly mammograms.  Best of all I have been given a clean bill of health and consider myself ‘Cancer Free’ - until I’m not.

I was diagnosed with breast cancer just over a year ago.  I went to get a mammogram because a close friend of mine had been recently diagnosed.  I waited a few days for the results and when I was asked to come for a second, digital, mammogram.  I wasn’t too surprised, I’d often had to do two in a row.  But I did have a slight odd feeling about it.  It was discovered that I had not one, but two tumors.  They were stage 3 and one of them was “open” meaning easily ready to spread.  I was totally in shock.  I just wanted to hear the doctor tell me that I wasn’t going to die.  After a biopsy and more tests it was decided that a singe-side mastectomy would be the best solution for my diagnosis.  I must say that I had an amazing surgeon . . . right after she said “mastectomy” and I asked “Am I going to die?” . . . her response was “This cancer is a nuisance and we just have to kick it’s butt!”  I was ready to do that.

During surgery, my lymph nodes were tested and I was lucky that they were clear which made me a candidate for immediate reconstruction.  I had what was called a “tram-flap” reconstruction, which means they take muscle and tissue from your stomach to build a new breast.  The up-side was that this part was supposed to be like a “tummy-tick”.  Uh . . . not so much.  Anyway, after an 11 hour surgery with the surgeon and a truly amazing plastic surgeon, I emerged with no tumors and a new breast.  Ta-da!  When I came home after about a week in the hospital, my husband took fantastic care of me.  He knew the schedule of pain meds inside and out, rubbed my feet, watched chick flicks with me and basically was a rock for me to lean on.  It is a true show of love when your spouse volunteers to change dressing on surgery sites and empty surgery drains.  I could have not gone through this without him.  My family was amazing throughout the entire ordeal.  My parents came and did laundry, cooked and so much more.

I did 12 weeks of chemotherapy, but no radiation.  Chemo was, in so many words . . . not the most fun I’ve ever had.  My husband came to every single chemo appointment and sat with me the entire time.  When my hair began to fall out, I wanted to control the situation and asked my husband to shave it.  He did.  Then he shaved his.  Then my father shaved his.  That is support.  Here’s a photo of us and our smooth heads.

The entire journey along with being incredibly terrifying, has actually been a learning experience for me.  I have found that through my surgery, on-going recovery, rounds of chemo, losing my hair, feeling generally crappy for days at a time, oh and let’s not forget the nausea, I came out of this much stronger than I ever thought I was.  Don’t get me wrong, there was a lot of tears, uncertainty and general terror (did I use that word already?), but there has been some positive aspects.  For instance, I saved a ton of money on shampoo!  Okay, seriously though I do feel mentally stronger, I think I’ve made definite strides on learning to give up control of thigs I can’t control and I’m beginning to learn to, however cliche it may sound, appreciate simpler things and learned to s-l-o-w down a bit.  I’ve learned or rather re-learned that God is in control.  In the end of October I’m walking in the Tampa Bay 3-day 60 mile walk for Breast Cancer.  60 miles!!  If I can get through chemo, I can walk!  So excited to do this.  I’ve been asked to carry the survivor flag and address all the walkers at the walk.  Amazing.

So that said . . . in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness month and my personal 1 year, 1 month and 28 day Survivor anniversary . . . I’m asking you please  . .

GO GET A MAMMOGRAM.

Yes, I know it’s a pain in the neck (among other places).  Yes, I know it hurts.  Yes, I know it’s hard to ‘just find the time’.  And yes, I know it can be scary.  I saw a t-shirt the other day that said, ‘Think getting a mammogram is scary?  Try finding a lump.’

Believe me, I had all of the excuses too.  Then I was diagnosed.

You know what?  Cancer is crappy.  Much more crappy than a mammogram.

However, I’m not going to tell you to just ‘buck up, be brave and go.’  ‘Brave is no fun’.  Oh, no . . . .  I have a much better idea.

And, I’ve got a little plan for you.  Listen to this . . . (she says in a low whispering tone).

There is absolutely no good reason why you should not go through the ‘yuck’ that is a mammogram and not reward yourself.  Yes, you heard me . . . REWARD yourself.  Immediately afterward is best, but soon after is certainly acceptable.  And don’t even think of rewarding yourself with something practical.  This is a no-hold-bar reward.  Trip to the local scrapbook store anyone?  How about visiting one of the craft stores and shopping without that 40% coupon?  I know there is something wonderful on your wish list!

How about checking out a fabulous ice cream parlor and throwing that ‘non-fat, no-sugar’ thing to the wind?  Frozen yogurt is not permissable.  You just had a mammogram . . . you deserve a mountain of Moose Tracks and a bucket of hot fudge!

Get the idea?  If you’re more the ‘jewelry store/car dealership’ type, knock yourself out too!  Just don’t blame me if you’re still paying for this little reward a year from now.

Now, I’m not trying to become the star cancer survivor here . . . I am so lucky to be healthy now and I thank God for that every day.  Just think about doing this okay?  We are so lucky these days that so much can be done with early diagnosis.  And don’t forget to reward yourself afterward!  What’s your reward?

On the morning of March 14, 2004, I found a lump in my breast.  I was sure it was nothing since I had had my last mammogram in July 2003, less than a year prior and all was clear.  They say that in Orange County, California, one in five women will be diagnosed with breast cancer, which are not great odds or a great place to live.

My story begins with numerous doctor visits, MRI’s, X-Rays, biopsies and choices that needed to be made.  I was diagnosed with invasive ductal carcinoma of my right breast.  The difficult part of what lay ahead when I didn’t feel sick, sore or hurt anywhere was the talk of surgery, chemotherapy and radiation treatments.  Cancer is an illness that other people can’t see and is certainly difficult to explain to someone that has not been there.  It is a scary word and the entire time before treatment, you feel as though the cancer cellls are silently taking over your body.  I was very lucky to eventually find a group of doctors and nurses at Saddleback Memorial who took the time to explain everything and share their experiences so that I would know what to expect.  The hard part is that because everyone is different and the treatments are so different, it is hard to know how you personally will react.  Prior to surgery I was lucky to be given the option of genetic testing to see if I carried the cancer gene so that I could make an informed decision about surgery.  My mom had breast cancer so I was a candidate as were both my sisters.  The test came back negative for the gene, so a lumpectomy was my course of treatment.

Everyone knows that chemotherapy is difficult and that the side effects are sometimes unberable.  I was given a double dose of two different chemo drugs every three weeks for 12 weeks.  My treatment was on Thursday and by Monday I was able to return to work until my next treatment.  It was important to me to keep working throughout my treatment to keep focused on other things besides cancer.  My bosses were very supportive including adding a door to my office and closing a shared vent for a little more germ control.  Losing my hair was certainly not something that I looked forward to but knew was coming.  My chemo doctor kept telling me that hair was overrated anyway!  I must say that not having to wash, dry, curl or style my hair afforded me a lot of time in the morning for other things.  Chemo was one of the hardest things I have ever been through but looking back on it now, I see how lucky I was to be able to work and feel the support of my family and friends holding me up.  I thank God everyday that He brought me through this so that I coudl be here to share with others when they get that first diagnosis.

One month after my final chemo treatment, I was able to start the radiation treatments which were “a walk in the park” compared to chemo.  I loved the people I spent time with everyday and though the sessions were not painful, the results often were.  It was very important during that time that I took care of myself to eliminate any disruption in treatment.  I went every weekday for seven weeks and finished on 11/3/04.

Today I am able to say that I am cancer free but continue to take one drug that still gives me a small percentage of help to keep any reoccurrence at bay.  Treatment for any disease is difficult unless you have a wonderful mom, sister-in-law, niece and best friend to bring you through.  I also have two wonderful sons that though they were in college would come home when they could and shave their head so mom didn’t feel so alone.  My faith in God was so important to help me tackle the rough times and let me know that if this disease was going to beat me, He would be there to take care of my family and friends. 

Thank you for letting me share a part of my life with you and for also reminding me of what in my life is really important.  Don’t think that mammograms or self exams are not important.  You are in charge of your health . . . be your best friend!

After 5 years (and many cool projects with amazingly exciting results), I am leaving Fiskars to head up the PR/Marketing efforts of another large company.  I have absolutely LOVED my time at Fiskars - the best of which was spent helping to develop this wonderful community.  Have no fear my Fiskateer friends, the program will go on - the company is totally devoted to you, Brains on Fire is still around to lend a helping hand, and I happen to know that your leads are making some awesome plans for the future.

Thank you for enriching my life and letting me share yours for these last few years.  Special thanks to all the leads and legends and, of course, to our friends at Brains on Fire.  You are all incredible people, and no matter where I go, I’ll always be true orange (and green)!  So I guess I’ll say it just one last time, “Sit back, relax and get ready to craft!”

 but in appreciation of your overwhelming response, I’ve picked seventeeen more of you that responded, and will be giving you your choice of one of the following Fiskars Floral tools: 

the Stem Cutter, the 3-in-1 Fastener, or the Floral Tape Dispenser.  So, Amanda #1485, Anita #395, Beth #2906, Brandy #6307, Carol #6158, Lesa #5200, Linda A. #179, Linda R. #4949, Lyn #1110, Marla #3291, Michelle Cummings, Michelle M. #2068, Patty #2832, Peg Rounds, Scrap it up, Sherri #5229 and Tifany #5942, keep an eye on your inbox, I’ll be contacting you shortly!

Be sure to watch for more Fiskars Floral updates!

Thanks for your help and support,

Steve

Fiskars Product Manager 

This is Steve,

part of the team working with the exciting new Fiskars Floral products. Fiskars has 30 innovative new products designed for the floral enthusiast. The tools and supplies work with artificial flowers found in craft stores everywhere and make it fun and easy to get professional results.

Most people have a hard time cutting through thicker artificial stems, so Fiskars developed a Stem Cutter that easily trims stems up to a ½ inch diameter. There is also a 3-in-1 Fastener that adds a pick (small metal stake) to secure stems in floral foam, bands stems together for a bouquet, or makes a bow. The Starter Set includes everything you need to begin. The Floral Tape Dispenser keeps floral tape clean and prevents drying. It also allows you to wrap stems and cut the tape in one motion using a built-in cutting edge. Fiskars Floral Spray Foam expands to fill a vase, especially convenient for those odd-shaped containers that are hard to fit with a foam block

Fiskars has many other fantastic floral tools and supplies that are listed on fiskarscrafts.com under the tool section.

Click here for more tools: http://www.fiskarscrafts.com/tools/

Currently there is a special preview of the floral products at 21 Michael’s stores across the country.  If you, your family, or friends are in the area, please stop by and check it out. We’d love your feedback! Here’s a picture of the end cap at Michael’s in Rossford, Ohio, it’s right next to the floral design desk.

If you’d like to know where you can get these products, check out the list of participating stores here:   http://www.fiskarscrafts.com/floral_storelocations.aspx

How many of you have worked with floral before? How many would like to try? If so, send me your floral story at the email below and I’ll draw a name to receive a set of the products mentioned above: Stem Cutter, 3-in-1 Fastener, Tape Dispenser and Floral Spray Foam.

Be sure to mention whether you’d like to receive more floral product news from Fiskars!

Thanks!

 Steve

swittmann@fiskars.com