#SAMBEYONDREASON - Giveaway Winner

Congratulations to Marilyn from France, winner of the Lyme awareness beaded wrap bracelet! And and even bigger THANK YOU to Marilyn who has decided to donate the prize package to LymeLight for a future fundraiser!!!

Lyme Awareness Beaded Wrap Bracelet

Lyme Awareness Beaded Wrap Bracelet

 Lyme Awareness Beaded Wrap Bracelet - $60

$20 will be donated to the LymeLight Foundation

shipping included

 to purchase email Ashley - upcycledbyash@gmail.com

I was totally inspired by my first beaded wrap bracelet. I thought they would make excellent awareness bracelets, way more stylish than a rubber awareness band. I made this one for Lyme disease, the illness I have experienced personally.

I always donate a portion of the proceeds from my awareness items to an appropriate non-profit. $20 from the sale of this bracelet will be donated to the LymeLight Foundation. LymeLight's mission is to "provide grants to enable eligible children and young adults with Lyme disease to receive proper treatment and medication as well as raising awareness about Lyme disease".


This particular bracelet will fit around a 7" wrist. I do not consider this to be an upcycled piece. The only upcycled element is the metal HOPE ribbon. I used glass beads and cotton cord.

These bracelets are custom orders. They need to be made to fit your individual wrist. They can be in any color to raise awareness for any illness. You can also chose to have your bracelets made with glass beads or stone beads. Most colors can be found for the cotton cord, if you prefer leather, I can see if the color you request is available. Prices will vary based on the beads and cording you choose. Donations will be made to an appropriate non-profit for the illness you request.

To order your Awareness Beaded Wrap Bracelet email me at - upcycledbyash@gmail.com

Re-birth

It's been a while since my last post. A LOT has change in my life since I started this blog, a lot has changed since my last post on this blog. Finally everything is settling back in to place, it's a completely different, better place and I am HAPPY.

Two years ago when I started this blog I was married, living in Lake Tahoe, CA and so sick with Lyme disease that I could hardly leave the house. A few months later I left my husband, moved in with family, and started trying to sort myself and my life out. My blog and my crafting took a backseat. Now I am healthy, living back in the San Francisco Bay Area and I am in a wonderful relationship with a great guy who happens to have 3 kids under 10. Yeah, sometimes I think I am crazy too. I had no how consuming little league baseball was!

The most exciting thing in my life right now is that we are moving. Finally after almost a year and a half of moving around and living in spaces to small to really get my craft on, I am going to have a place for my sewing machine and my collection of materials to upcycle. I don't think my boyfriend has realized just how much sewing and craft stuff I have. I think he might freak a little, but his kids love being crafty with me so he'll come around.

Kids are definitely consuming. I wasn't so naive as to think that they weren't, but I have a whole new appreciation for all the mother's out there. Where in the world does all that energy come from? How the heck to you get them to eat their veggies? Are they hearing impaired? There is a lot to adjust to. It's pretty cool when they tell you they love you, give you a hug, and wish you a Happy Mother's Day though.

In two weeks we will be in our new house, our new home. We will have space to live, a backyard for BBQ's, a BIG kitchen for veggie mad-science, and a room where I can design & sew. I already have so many plans about what to make that I don't even know where I'll start.

Other important things that have changed:
My name. I went back to my maiden name: Ashley Grant
My email address: upcycledbyash@gmail.com

Lyme Disease Awareness Items

May is Lyme disease awareness month. There are so many fantastic and talented people in the Lyme Community. This is just a small collection of some of the great Lyme awareness items they make to support themselves and to help spread awareness about the disease. All these items are available for purchase on Etsy. Simply click the photo of the item you like to be taken to its sales page.

Lymetastic Giveaway

YAY a giveaway. I feel like it has been forever since I did a giveaway. This month's giveaway item is the fantastic clutch I made for the Turn the Corner Gala. It was a big hit, everyone loved it. Now it can be yours!!!

About the clutch... The outer fabric is a silky, shiny black. The fabric flowers are handmade. The sequined ribbon adds a lot of fun to the design. The inner lining is a green paisley print. The clutch closes with a magnetic snap. Large enough for your phone and the essentials!

Dates
Entries will be recorded from Monday January 17th through Sunday January 23rd. The winner will be announced on Monday January 24th.

How to Enter 

1. On the blog- Every comment left on this blog between now and the 24th will count as one entry. You may enter as many times as you like.
2. On the blog- Follow the blog for an extra entry (see sidebar).
3. Twitter- Tweet about this giveaway to your followers, be sure to include @upcycledbyash in the tweet so I know you tweeted. 
4. Facebook- "like" the Upcycled by Ash FB Page and leave a comment on the wall.
5. Facebook- Post about the giveaway on Facebook. Be sure to include @Upcycled by Ash in the post so I know you did it.

You may enter every day and as many time as you like. The more you comment and post, the more likely you are to win! All entries will be recorded and assigned a number, I will use an online random number generator to determine the winner.

There are buttons at the bottom of this post right above the comments to automatically post on your twitter and facebook profiles. USE THEM!

Grrr, shiny material is so hard to photograph!

Check out these Lymetastic chicks!

I was quoted in the Chicago Tribune today!

I know this sort of post is generally reserved for my other blog, Lymenaide, but this is important. I was recently quoted in an article from the Chicago Tribune entitled, Chronic Lyme disease: A dubious diagnosis. I wasn't misquoted although the quote was slightly spun and definitely chosen for a specific purpose. The following is my response:


I started getting really sick in 2000. I felt horrible. I had breathing problems and my stomach felt like it was churning broken glass. I went to the doctor. She found nothing wrong with me but sent me home with an inhaler for asthma and a prescription for refills. It didn’t really help but I used it anyway.

In 2003 I was so sick it was hard to function. Every time I ate I would have to go to sleep, my body didn’t seem to have the energy to stay awake and process the food. The stomach pains that woke me up in the middle of the night were so severe I would ball up in the fetal position and cry. I was unbelievably constipated, my teeth were loose, my head was foggy, my heart fluttered like crazy and I never felt like I was getting enough air.

Over a period of three months I saw four doctors, two specialist, a nutritionist and a wellness coach. In over 15 appointments, despite my symptoms, no one found anything wrong with me.

One doctor gave me a prescription for something he said would help with IBS, irritable bowel syndrome. Another gave me a drug for acid reflux. There was another prescription in the last of the three months, I don’t remember what that one was for and I didn’t take it. By that time I was very skeptical of these doctors who kept telling me they could not find anything wrong with me but then handed me a prescription anyway. I remember being given a lot of samples of Nexium, a drug for acid reflux. I also got a lot of free birth control. Why do these doctors have so many free samples…

I stopped seeing “medical doctors” and started seeing “alternative practitioners”, at least they could recognize that I was sick. Waking up with a body temperature so low that I was actually hypothermic was not a sign of good health. My dark hair had turned mousy brown and my skin wasn’t tanning anymore. The MD told me I was high strung and suggested I see a therapist. The ND started checking for allergies and other pathogens.

I had a surprising number of food allergies/sensitivities. I was also filled with candida and bacterias like campylobacter. This was likely causing me to suffer from Leaky Gut syndrome and could explain many of my symptoms.

I was really annoyed. Why hadn’t any of the other doctors that I had seen in the previous three years found anything wrong with me? They had failed to even recognize that I was sick despite my symptoms. They seemed to be slaves to the test results printed on paper. They couldn’t see past those numbers to the girl sitting right there before them and acknowledge that she was in pain. The paper told them that I was fine, end of story.

Sadly this is the same story that almost all Lyme my friends tell. Years being left undiagnosed or misdiagnosed. Not seen and not heard because our doctors had their noses buried in those crisp white pages filled with numbers that according to them held all the answers.

Twelve years later I do have some shiny white paper with numbers that say, “Hey idiot, this chick has bacterial infections, parasites, amoebas, hormonal and thyroid imbalances, heavy metals, molds, yeasts, food intolerances, and among other things problems detoxing the toxins her body is constantly spewing because of it all”.

There is a complication though. One of those infections I have is borrelia burgdorferi, Lyme disease. While my illness is chronic and I have been temporarily disabled by the disease, the greater part of the medical establishment still ignores me because the IDSA, Infectious Diseases Society of America, says there is no such thing as chronic Lyme disease. Lyme disease according to the IDSA, and therefore the insurance companies, can be effectively treated with 10-28 days of oral antibiotics.

Yes, I have Lyme disease. That is what the illness I have is called. My illness is not however, isolated to that one single infection. Thankfully for me and hundreds of thousands of other Lyme sufferers out there, there are wonderful doctors who recognize our pain. They know that the illness we are suffering from, while it may be called simply Lyme disease, is so much more than just that.

Unfortunately many of our doctors, our heros, are under scrutiny by the medical boards because their treatment exceeds the 10-28 days of oral antibiotics the IDSA deems sufficient for the treatment of Lyme disease. The IDSA slammed the door in the face of Lyme patients everywhere with their guidelines, and the medical boards are trying to shut our doctors doors as well.

When I was diagnosed I was told by my doctors that it would take a minimum of two years for me to regain my health. Two years that I was disabled but denied disability. Two years that I paid the majority of my health care costs out of my own pocket. Two years that has seen me go from a complete cognitive and physical disaster to a nearly healthy and functional human being both physically and mentally.

Would 10-28 days of oral antibiotics have gotten me to where I am now after nearly two solid years of treatment? No. There is no way that the IDSA treatment protocol for Lyme disease would have made me healthy. How do I know? I know because the actually Lyme part of my illness was never my biggest problem. Without having addressed my entire illness, I would not be on the doorstep to health like I am today. How could I be?

The IDSA guidelines state- 

When Lyme disease is diagnosed and treated quickly, 95 percent of people are cured within a few weeks of treatment.

About the other five percent they say this-

The number of people who continue to have problems is very small. Most likely, their symptoms are related to one of the following:
•    They never had Lyme disease at all and received the wrong treatment for their illness
•    They had Lyme disease and another infection simultaneously and were only treated for Lyme disease
•    They contracted a new illness unrelated to Lyme disease but with similar symptoms
•    They have again been bitten by the tick that causes Lyme disease

Exactly! The reality is Lyme disease is not just borrelia burgdorferi.

I have to say that in my experience as a Lyme patient and Lyme activist 95% seems like an unreasonably high success rate. I have met hundred’s if not thousands of people now who have or have had Lyme. Very few of them were cured with only a few weeks of treatment. Those who were are the lucky ones who were actually diagnosed and treated right away.

The rest of us stewed for weeks, months and years before being diagnosed. By then the borrelia was firmly entrenched in our bodies and we were riddled with “other infections”. I can personally say that I had two blood tests for Lyme disease six months apart. Both showed evidence of a current infection.

The controversies embedded in the Lyme debate are mind boggling. The most pressing for Lyme patients is that many Lyme doctors are criticized and brought under investigation for treating the illness with long term antibiotics. The IDSA says, “Long-term antibiotic therapy for so-called chronic Lyme disease is not only unproven, it may in fact be dangerous”.

Was it not dangerous for those doctors to prescribe those drugs to me for illnesses they didn’t actually diagnose me with? Should they really have been just handing out samples like candy? Does my dad really need the high-blood pressure medicine he saw advertised on TV that his doctor happily wrote him a prescription for?

Lyme doctors are treating sick patients on a daily basis. They see us, they know us and they know the illness that we are fighting. They read those shiny white sheets of paper and make assessments about our individual health. They are prescribing what in their medical opinion is the best treatment for their patients.

Just like cancer patient that undergo chemotherapy, Lyme patients are told up front about the risks of long-term IV antibiotics. Just like the cancer patients Lyme patients regularly choose to take the risk with the belief that it will help cure them. Just like chemotherapy, the result does not always work out in the patients favor.

It should also be noted that not all Lyme patients are being treated with long term or IV antibiotics. Many patients are effectively treated with shorter courses of antibiotics, herbal antibiotics and with alternative treatments. Some don’t take any antibiotics at all. Yet we are all locked in the middle of this ongoing debate.

It is time for the semantics of Lyme disease to be brushed aside. The medical establishment needs to look up from the papers that are cluttering their desks and see the patients sitting right there before them asking for help. Recognize that these people are sick even if you don’t know what is wrong with them. Open your eyes. Your studies and lab tests can’t tell you everything. Science does not yet have all the answers.

No Crafting for Me :-(

This sucks, and it HURTS! It's totally putting a crimp in my plans too. I just received clothing donations from two friends and I was super excited to start playing. Then this happened.

I did not hit myself with a hammer or slam my hand in a door. It wasn't a bee sting either, although... maybe that would help make it better! Bee venom is a natural pain reliever. (Note to self- If I see a bee, piss it off)

What really happened is far less exciting but perhaps a bit scarier. I've been getting an IV treatment every week for the past five weeks. Something has gone wrong every time. The last two times, 12 hours after the IV push the area around the injection site has swelled up.

Yes, it is hot, pink and painful. Yes, my doctor knows. I am keeping him in the loop and he has me on some ABX for it. I also told him I think it is time to re-evaluate this particular treatment! I'm not interested in having swollen body parts after every injection.

To clarify the first 3 times I did not swell up. Something has gone wrong every time but it's only the last two times that it actually had anything physically to do with my body.

So I am stuck here another day not able to be crafty. My room is getting super messy too. I'm trying my best not to use my hand much, but it is my right hand.

Wish me luck and send me healing thoughts!

Upcycling Myself

A few weeks ago I asked myself and my readers if Upcycled by Ash was still an accurate name for my blog and my business. What is in a Name. I got some great advice and responses both here on the blog and sent to me by email. One person helped me to see that the definition applied to more than just the individual items that I make.

Upcycling is a fun thing to do with pre-loved materials. Making something that is no longer functional or desired into some thing new and loved. It is also a metaphor for my life and the journey I have been on to regain my heath from chronic illness.

I am still a work in progress but I am coming out of this a better more beautiful person just like the upcycled items I make. 

Earring Giveaway from String Bean Studios!

String Bean Studios - Keri Aragon

I am in Santa Cruz right now, which means I get to spend some time with my friend Keri from String Bean Studios. I love hanging out with Keri, we both have Lyme so it's easy to understand each other. This Wednesday Keri and I are going to be sharing a booth at the Santa Cruz Farmers Market. I am very excited, this will be the first time I take my creations out to sell to the general public. Lucky me I have Keri to hold my hand!

And lucky you, this week I am doing a giveaway on Upcycled by Ash of a pair of Keri's awesome earrings! Aren't they great!!!

Ways to enter...

1. Go to Keri's Etsy shop and browse around. Come back here and leave a message telling me what your favorite String Bean Studio piece is. - http://www.etsy.com/shop/stringbeanstudios
2. "Like" String Bean Studios and Upcycled by Ash on Facebook (those colored words are links)
3. Tweet about this giveaway on twitter. Make sure to include @upcycledbyash and @sbsjewelry in the tweet so I can see you did it.
4. Share this giveaway with your friends on facebook (see the icons at the bottom)

If you have trouble leaving comments on this blog, check your cookies. The problem is usually your settings. You will get credit for each entry provided it is properly linked so that I can actually see you did it.

The winner will be announced next Monday November.... something or other... 15th, thank you iPhone! Enter every day and share the link with your friends.

String Bean Studios
www.stringbeanstudios.etsy.com
www.facebook.com/stringbeanstudios​
http://string-bean-studios.blogspot.com
http://twitter.com/#!/sbsjewelry

Knotted Lyme Awareness Bracelets

Knotted Lyme Awarness Bracelet

$13 each 

$1 of each sale will go to Lymenaide

 As you know, I recently discovered Jewelry making and I got hooked. Yesterday I decided it was time to make a unique Lyme Awareness bracelet. My rubber awareness band is fine and definitely gets people asking what it's for, but it isn't very stylish. However, I am really liking the new combination that is residing on my right wrist.

Green beads, green thread, and LYME written in beads. A more organic version of my love-hate relationship with the petrochemical rubber awareness band. Love that it gets noticed, hate that it is soooo synthetic.

I chose not to go for symmetry with my bracelet, the beads are in random order and the LYME is offset (on the side). I make these as they are ordered so if you want symmetry or LYME centered in the middle of the bracelet be sure to let me know!

Discounts on larger orders- 5 or more knotted awareness bracelets = $10 each. 

To make a purchase visit my Etsy Store at:
http://www.etsy.com/shop/Upcycledbyash

Payments are via PayPal, Credit Card

Love the Combo!!!

Green awareness rubber bands are also available through Lymenaide. Since I happen to be a huge part of Lymenaide, you can easily get them added to your purchase. The prices include shipping with in the United States, there is an added fee for international shipping.

• 20 for $50 ($2.50 each)
• 10 for $30 ($3.00 each)
• 5 for $17.50 ($3.50 each)
• Under 5 = $4.00 each

www.lymenaide.com

Fancy Dress for the Turn the Corner Gala

I'm really excited to be going to the 5th annual Turn the Corner Unmask a Cure Gala on November 3rd. I've never been to a Gala or anything like it before. I feel like I'm going to Prom for grown-ups and a good cause. Well almost, I'm sure there will be no binge drinking before the event or the after parties mom's and dad's worry about.

Ash's Gala Dress & Bag

Last week while my in-laws were here my mother-in-law helped me make my dress for the big event. to be honest, she made the dress. I made the bag and the belt. It all looks great! My friend Ginger, from Ginger & Lace, is starting a Lyme awareness line with her jewelry and will be making me earrings and a bracelet to go with my Lymetastic vintage look! I promise to take lots of pics!!!

Belt

Bag

I'm super excited about the Gala, but I am even more excited to be meeting so many of the people who have become my friends over the past year and a half. Abbie, Eric, Chris, Alyssa, Helen, Stacey... I hope you guys are ready for me!!! I hope to meet a lot more of you there as well.

If you are coming, drop us a note and let us know. If you haven't decided yet, COME!!! I'm sure it is going to be loads of fun. Seriously, Eric the life of the Lyme party is going to be there. We are talking about the party of the year here folks!

Tickets are still available. If you are interested in more information, follow this link to the Turn the Corner website- http://www.turnthecorner.org/content/events-and-photos

TURN THE CORNER FOUNDATION’S FIFTH ANNUAL GALA An evening to benefit research and education for Lyme Disease and Tick-Borne Diseases

Unmask A Cure

HONORING
Gerald T. Simons, PA-C
Humanitarian Award

Gala Co-Chairmen
JOSEPH J. BURRASCANO JR., MD
& JAY MCINERNEY

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 3, 2010

THE EDISON BALLROOM
240 WEST 47TH STREET, NEW YORK CITY

6:00 pm to 10:00pm
Business Attire

 

www.turnthecorner.com

Little Imperfections = Donations

Opps, I stitched in the wrong place!

I am soooo not perfect. I botch things up all the time. Some are so bad I have to throw them out. Sometimes I can salvage pieces for another project. When I'm lucky I can salvage the entire thing, give it a few tweaks and call it good. The two mini wallets in this post are examples of a tweak and save.

On the green and blue wallet I lined up my pockets to the bottom of the wallet and sewed it together. Only after I had cut away all the extra seam allowance did I realize I lined the wrong pocket up! I took it apart and tried to sew it back together but there wasn't enough fabric in the pocket to fit in the seam. So I tweaked it. I zigzag stitched around the entire wallet to close the bottom seam. I actually really like the look! The wallet is now completely functional and the pockets are in the right place.

The pink wallet was the first mini wallet I made. Everything was finished and perfect until I tried to open the wallet. The snap was a little stiff and I was pulling pretty hard on the fabric. I decided that the front pockets were going to need some reinforcement. It was too late for this little guy but every mini wallet since has been made with a stronger pocket. There is nothing actually wrong with the pink wallet and the snap has since loosened up a bit.

I usually don't sell my tweaked items. Instead I donate my little imperfections to individuals who are fundraising for their Lyme disease treatment. I get a lot of requests for donations and I don't always have something to donate. So I put each persons name on a list with the date of their event. I send out the items as they 'happen' and in the order they were requested.

So far I have donated six items to six different Lyme patient benefits and auctions. Most of the auctions and benefits haven't taken place yet, and a few of the people don't even know that I have something for them since I only started making the mini wallets this past week.

If you are having and auction/benefit for yourself or another Lymie, I am happy to add you to the list, but understand I may not have anything for you in time for the event. If your event date passes, I remove your name from the list. Don't forget, I'm a disabled Lymie too and selling the items I make for Upcycled by Ash is my source of income. Sometimes it is hard for me to remember to put myself first when there are so many people I wish I could help.

Retro Chic Wallet

 Retro Chic

SOLD

Lyme Project

I'm still on my road trip but I did manage to whip up one funky little item while we were at my parents house in Redding, CA. Today we are off again so there won't be any more chances to sew until the weekend when I think I will have to go stitch crazy!!!

I used my mom's vintage sewing machine to make this wallet. She owns the oldest sewing machine I have ever personally seen. Mom got her 1964 Viking when she was 16 years old. The think looks and runs like a tank. I admit I miss the smooth running Bernina I have at home, but it was fun to whip up this vintage inspired wallet on true vintage machine. 

Wallet Details-

This wallet has a lot of special details that I haven't tried before. My mother in law bought me a beautiful lilac vintage inspired top with whimsical silk flowers embellishing the neckline. I loved the flowers and decided I was going to learn to make them. I also added some beaded details to liven up the design. 

I also recently found some great new snaps. They have an awareness ribbon engraved into them. Perfect for items that are part of my Lyme Project. Who says we can't have Lyme, be funky, and spread awareness all at the same time!

The interior of the wallet has eight credit card pockets and two deep pockets for bills/checks/receipts. An awareness ribbon snap closure keeps your valuables safe and secure inside. 

The Retro Chic wallet is the latest installment to my Lyme disease awareness project.  50% of the proceeds from this sale will be divided between Lymenaide and the Turn the Corner Foundation.

To make a purchase contact me at:
ashvantol@gmail.com or send me a tweet @upcycledbyash

Payments are via PayPal, Credit Card or Personal Check 

additional charge for international shipping

Flower and Bead Details

Lymenaide Holiday Bazaar

I am involved with a Lymenaide project that was just announced today. Seeing as it is a virtual craft faire, I thought I would post about it here as well.

*****

Lymenaide is proud to announce that this year we will be hosting a virtual holiday bazaar. The aim of the Lymenaide Holiday Bazaar is to showcase Lyme artists/crafters, spread awareness about Lyme disease, offer the Lymies a way to make some money, and to encourage people from within and from outside the Lyme community to support these artists and crafters by doing their holiday shopping online from our vendors this holiday season.

Who can participate-
Anyone from the Lyme Community is eligible to purchase a booth. Artists, photographers, jewelry makers, crafters of all kinds as well as representatives of Mary Kay, Scentsy and the like.

Non-Lymies are who are involved with the Lyme community are also welcome as well as artists and craters who have a Lyme disease awareness line of products. Non-lymies must be crafters, no Mary Kay/Scentsy options here.

Not crafty? That is OK. We are accepting booths for Lymies that are filled with donations from creative friends and family. These booths must be filled with donation items, no Mary Kay/Scentsy and no booths set up to ask for donations without any items to sell.

This is primarily a virtual craft faire. We know that there are many talented artisans within our community and we want to promote you!

How it works-
The Lymenaide Holiday Bazaar site is up and running. We just started adding artists over the weekend. Have a look at the site to get a feel for how it works- http://lymenaideholidaybazaar.blogspot.com/p/welcome.html

The steps for getting a booth are fairly easy and explained on the site in more detail.

1. Pick a template and download it.
2. Complete the template yourself using a photo editing program or opt to have someone at Lymenaide do it for you (additional charge applies).
3. Send your completed template along with a 100-150 word description to Ashley at ashvantol@lymenaide.com don’t forget to include the links you would like to have shown on your booth.
4. Follow the PayPal link on the Lymenaide Holiday Bazaar site to pay for your booth. Don’t delay too much, prices go up on October 15^th. See Prices on the Join Page.

NOTE- the Lymenaide Holiday Bazaar is not designed to sell items for individuals. You must have an online venue from which to make the actual sales. This is easy to set up on a blog with PayPal payments, by starting an Esty shop at Etsy.com, or by listing your items on Ebay.

The artists and the Bazaar will be promoted throughout the Holiday season by Lymenaide and all of our affiliates on facebook, twitter and through the individual blogs.

The Holiday Bazaar will run from now until January 10, 2011. We think this will be an exciting and fun event for the Lyme community this season. We hope you will join us and support your fellow Lymies by doing your holiday shopping online this holiday season. Don’t forget to invite your friends and family!

Visit the Lymenaide Holiday Bazaar

Hope Tote & Donation from Amy Paffrath

 Hope Tote $150 

Lyme Project

Anyone who has Lyme disease knows that at times it all just seems so hopeless. We feel ignored, overlooked and dismissed because our illness in not always recognized as a legitimate health condition. It can be hard to stay positive and hopeful.

There are people out their listening and fighting for us though. Amy Paffrath is one of those people. Amy donated her time and lent her voice to Lyme disease awareness this past May. She also recently donated the pair of jeans I used to make this bag to my Lyme project here on Upcycled by Ash.

Amy is an actress and a host on E! News Now. Here is a link to her site- http://amypaffrath.com/ be sure to stop by and send her a thank you message or a tweet to- @amypaffrath 

About the Bag-

The outer of the bag is upcylcled from the jeans Amy sent to me. The HOPE is reverse appliqued into the flap and decoratively embroidered on with a combination of zigzag and straight stitching. The lining and interior pocket are from freecycle donations. The pocket on the back of the bag is one of the pockets from the jeans. I added a snap to help keep the pocket closed.

The bag is roughly eleven inches across, nine inches deep and three inches wide.

This Hope Tote is part of my Lyme disease awareness project.  50% of the proceeds will be divided between Lymenaide and the Turn the Corner Foundation.

Inside

Back Pocket

To make a purchase visit my Etsy Store at:
http://www.etsy.com/shop/Upcycledbyash

Payments are via PayPal, Credit Card

Amy Paffrath's Lyme Disease PSA for Paint May Lyme Green

 

Paisley Clutch

  Paisley Clutch 

SOLD

Lyme Project

Cute medium sized paisley clutch. Measures roughly nine inches across, seven inches deep and one and a half inches wide. Lots of freemotion detail on the paisley print. Bag lining is the same paisley minus the freemotion. Interior includes one pocket. Wrist strap is long enough to double loop over the average wrist. Bag closes with with a turquoise zip.

This clutch is part of my Lyme disease awareness project.  50% of the proceeds will be divided between Lymenaide and the Turn the Corner Foundation.

To make a purchase contact me at:
ashvantol@gmail.com or send me a tweet @upcycledbyash

Payments are via PayPal, Credit Card or Personal Check

Lyme Awareness Wallet

Lyme Awareness Wallet

SOLD

This is the first item in the Lyme Awareness Fundraiser here on Upcycled by Ash. If you know me, you know that Lyme disease awareness is something I am passionate about.

I have chronic Lyme disease. I was sick for 10 years before doctors finally figured out what was wrong with me. Up until that point every doctor I saw told me I was fine, there was nothing wrong with me, I was just high strung.

Well that wasn't the case. Now I am 33 years-old and I haven't been able to work for over a year. Last year I was so sick I could barely have a conversation. I couldn't drive myself anyplace and going to the grocery store was an exhausting exercise.

Today I am doing better. I've been in treatment for almost a year and a half. My doctor says I have at least a year to go before I am back to health.

I still can't hold a "real" job, but I have found that I have skills and passions I didn't know about before my illness. I can do something despite being housebound most of the time; In fact I can do big and impactful things in the face my illness.

Many of you know that I started Lymenaide, a Lyme Awareness Agency dedicated to helping non-profits spread awareness about Lyme disease. I am very proud of the accomplishments we have made with Lymenaide so far. 

25% of the proceeds of sales from the Lyme fundraiser will go to Lymenaide, another 25% will go to the Turn the Corner Foundation. The remaining 50% will go to me. Sales from the items I make for this site are currently my only source of income. 

Please buy an item, donate a clothing item or other sewing materials and/or tell people about this fundraiser. You can help spread awareness and make a difference just by spreading the word. 

The Lyme Awareness Wallet is made from faux black leather and a cotton lime green material. The ribbon is reverse applique, meaning I cut the ribbon out of the faux leather and sewed the lime green material under it. 

The interior is a lime green background with black cotton pockets accented with lime green stitching. There are eight credit card slots and two wide slots for bills/checks/receipts. The wallet closes with a single snap.

Price includes shipping and handling. To purchase an item, send an email to me at ashvantol@gmail.com or a tweet @upcycledbyash  

Learn more about Lyme-
www.lymenaide.com
www.lymebites.com
www.learnaboutlyme.com
www.turnthecorner.org

Life isn't Fair

Lyme Disease Awareness Press Kit Assembly

For the most part I act like life is hunky dory. It's not really an act, it is how I choose to live. I have a chronic illness that is not recognized by the Infectious Disease Society of America, IDSA. Sounds strange I know, but it is true and it makes life difficult to say the least.

How can they say that chronic Lyme disease isn't a real disease when there are thousands of us out there suffering from it and more being diagnosed everyday? I don't know, it's political and controversial. Are we suffering for someones political agenda? So someone can make money off a patent? Because insurance companies don't want to pay for chronic/long term treatment?

What ever the reason is, the reality is I'm sick and so are thousands of my friends. We can no longer work, we move home with our parents, we can't pay our bills, we are in and out of the emergency room on a regular basis, we struggle just to be present in our lives everyday and some of us die.

I'm lucky. I'm not as sick as many of my fellow Lymies are. Why? Who knows, just luck or maybe genetics no one knows for sure. Not being "as sick", doesn't mean I am well though. I can't work, I take naps almost daily, my cognitive function isn't always there, I get confused, exhausted, irritable. Maybe it sounds normal, but this is to debilitating degrees.

When I need a nap it isn't because I'm a little tired, I literally can no longer function. If I get confused, I can't think or talk coherently. I have pains in my body that would send most people straight to the emergency room. I'm use to these things now. I no longer think that I am dying like you probably would if you had to spend a day in my body.

I have good and bad days. I spend a lot of my good days working on Lyme disease awareness projects. I don't want others to have to go through what I have been through and what I am still going through.

If I had known about Lyme disease and had been diagnosed early on, I wouldn't be in the position I am in now. I want to do everything I can to spread Lyme disease awareness so fewer people become chronically ill with this very real illness that "doesn't exist".

Today I had planned to have a crafty day. I really wanted to get some sewing done. It was a good day though and I have been working on Lyme disease press kits to send out to celebrities and talk shows for over a month now. I finally had all the pieces and I just needed the motivation to put them all together. Today was the day. I'm proud of what I got done. I can't wait to send all the kits out. They look great and are very compelling.

Please take the time to learn a little bit about Lyme disease by watching this trailer for the movie Under Our Skin. You never know, you might see yourself or a loved one in these lives.
The link is kinda weird it starts playing here then redirects you to the snagflims site, it's worth it.


Watch more free documentarie
For further information about Lyme disease visit-
lymenaide.com
learnaboutlyme.com
lymebites.com
turnthecorner.org
ILADS.org

Dream Big, Aim Higher

I’m often called an optimist, to put it kindly. More often the average person perceives my glass half full positive outlook on life as naivety.

They are wrong. I am not naive. A dreamer yes, but don’t be surprised when I turn those crazy dreams into realities.

I honestly do believe that one person cam make a difference. It may not be our personal immediate achievements that are so impressive. The most impressive and most important thing those of us who dare to dream do, is to inspire others to do the same. Now the one becomes many and the results become much more impressive.

@TVD_Chloe

Today I want to tell you about another dreamer in out midst. Her name is Chloe, she is 16 years old, and I would be willing to bet she is doing more than you are to make the world a better place.

I first met Chloe on Twitter. Most probably know her as @TVD_Chloe, TVD standing for The Vampire Diaries. The Vampire Diaries is a hit show on the CW Network. Chloe is a huge fan; I dare say one of the shows biggest fans.

Five of the shows cast/former cast members had helped me out with a Lymenaide project this May to make public service announcements for Lyme disease. When I posted the PSAs to the Lymenaide YouTube Channel I was amazed by the support we suddenly received from the Vampire Diaries fans. One of the standouts was, of course, Chloe.

She posted, re-posted, tweeted, re-tweeted, remixed and even did some fundraising for our cause. I can honestly say, I think that TVD fans are one of the most Lyme aware groups of people on the planet in huge part to Chloe’s efforts.

Inspired by Ian Somerhalder, who plays the sultry vampire Damon on the Vampire Diaries, Chloe began tweeting her heart out about the crisis in the Gulf.

I have to say that I live a fairly sheltered media life. Until recently we didn’t even have a T.V. in our house. It was Chloe, and through her, Ian Somerhalder, that made me decide that I could and I would do my part to help with the clean up and rescue efforts in the Gulf. (click here to read about my Gulf Project)

Chloe has gone balls to the walls with her Gulf campaign. She tweets like a mother bird saving her chicks, sharing updates and making people aware of the current status of the oil spill.

To start, she had t-shirts designed which she sells on Printfection with all the proceeds, $9 per shirt, going to GulfAid. Chloe, the little social media Diva that she is, also vlogs about the Vampire Diaries and the Gulf on her YouTube Channel, Vampire Diaries Vlogs. Chloe caught the eye of the V.D. cast and now in addition to her shirt sales, she is also going to be holding an auction to benefit the National Wildlife Federation with items donated from not only the Vampire Diaries, but from the Twilight Saga as well. Way to go Chloe!

Learn more about Chloe and what she is doing on her sites-

Twitter
@TVD_Chloe
@VampireSupport 

Websites
Vampire Support - http://vampire-support.blogspot.com/ (auction updates and info here)
Oh My Salvatore - http://www.ohmysalvatore.com/ 

YouTube
Vampire Diaries Vlogs - http://www.youtube.com/user/VampireDiariesVlogs 

Support Stores
Printfection Store - http://www.printfection.com/vampiresupport
Zazzle Store - http://www.zazzle.com/vampire+support+buttons

What are you doing to make the world a better place?

Chloe's remix of Lymenaide's Lyme disease public service announcements

Lyme Green Bikini

 

Lyme Girl to the Rescue!

I've been working on a pattern for a bikini. I really want a lime green one because it is fun, in your face and I am always looking for ways to spread Lyme disease awareness. Unless I figure out how to transport myself back to the 80's I don't think I will find anything as day glo bright as the swimming suit I am after. 

I found the perfect fabric at Joann Fabric last week! So I made a prototype. It still needs a lot of tweaking, but I promised all my friends I would share my progress. I know they are going to love it!

On twitter I promised to find a hot model for the photos... That didn't happen. I do feel self-conscious posting photos of myself in a bikini top on the internet for everyone to see in a context that is supposed to be something like an advertisement. 

Why? Because society and culture has told me that I am not good enough. I'm too old, not thin enough, don't have perfect skin, my boobs are too small, my lips aren't full enough, my waist isn't small enough, I'm not 100% symmetrical, the list goes on. 

I did a paper in college about the media's depiction of women because I had a serious issue with it. I still do. Why do we let "them" do this to us? There is nothing wrong with the way I look. In fact I am 33 years-old, 5'8" tall, 125 pounds and my husband thinks I am the most beautiful woman on the planet. To top it off, I swear a guy at least 10 years younger than me was totally checking me out the other day at the grocery store. Maybe he thought I was a MILF!

We are all beautiful even with out the help of a makeup artist and photoshop guru. So here I am, flaws and all modeling for you and everyone else on the the internet my "Lyme" Green Bikini Top!