Barbsbloomers’s, A Relay For Life Story

A little update for those of you who have followed this blog because of our MaryJane.  You might not know that MaryJane considered our mom to be her “twin” sister.  (which would be like Mutt and Jeff and I think that is why she just relished in telling everyone that they were twins from a different mother………ohh she would giggle!!!)  It saddens us that now we have to walk another cancer journey and so soon, but her “twin”, our mom, has been diagnosed with Stage 3 Colon Cancer and it is in her lymph nodes.   She has had a section of her colon removed along with the tumor and now we face 6 months of chemo and possible radiation.  We are certain that her future is strong and confident of a win this time.  I tell you this just to update you and to remind you of why we are so passionate about Relay, now even more than ever.  If you can help us make a big impact this year for the “twins”, we would be super delighted.  If you want to make a donation, you can email me at kgray@bloomstudio.us  or Kris at cherishdesigns@live.com   or if you want to be a part of our fight in any way, just let us know.   Prayers are always great too, thank you!!!   And thank you to all of you who have been such good friends to us, you know who you are!!!!

Handbags Galore Garage Sale1

Please pass it on! Looking for donated handbags!

We are gearing up to have a fabulous garage sale! We are excited about having our garage sale theme as handbags galore and would love your help with donating your handbags that you would like to get rid of! You can drop them off at Bloom or contact us and we will connect with you!

We would love it if you ask all of your friends if they have any handbags to donate before dropping yours off!

The garage sale will be held in Paynesville just off from Highway 55 on County Road 181.

Thanks so much for your support! Barb’s Bloomers

Just lovin ya MaryJane………..   I know you would have loved this picture and would have wanted me to forward it to you and you would have forwarded it to many.     Miss ya!!!   xxoo

Did you read that there were 170 families in Paynesville alone that needed help this year from the Community Center?    Let’s make this Christmas about each other.  Let’s open our eyes to somebody’s need.   Let’s walk in love.

thank you LaVeta Jude, Flickr for the beautiful amaryllis.

You here everywhere this season to shop local and it couldn’t be more true.  With the economy, everyone of course is stretching a little, and the need to give is ever increasing.   Here are some ideas I was thinking of….

First of all, our local GIVER, of Cherish Designs.  She has beautiful handcrafted items that you can see at the blogroll on the right under Team Blogs.   She does SO much for this team and for all of us, that we benefit from gratefully.   Check her out!!  She does custom work or her own creations, you will love them, or know somebody who does.

It’s All About You, Sweetwater, and Blessing Well.  A one stop wonderful experience.  Go visit them, they will bless you and offer you suggestions if you need them.

Koronis Hills Golf Club, why not buy your favorite golfer a gift certificate or a membership?   Personally,  I think it is a GOOD idea!

Visit LeAnn at Ruthies and purchase a gift certificate from her for your mom, sister or daughter for nails, hair, or leave it blank.  We all would love that!

Subway and Jimmy’s have gift certificates too, and they would be great for stocking stuffers, teachers, music instructors, mailmen, or just any busy person you know!!  

And on that note, here is an idea that I think is fabulous!  (You may want to call the Paynesville Community Center to verify this possibility)   Go to Subway or Jimmy’s or both and buy gift certificates and donate them to the center for some of their families that need help this year, I understand there are many.  Go to Joel’s or Supervalu and buy gift certificates or food and donate that to the center.  Go to Alco or Fleet and buy a winter jacket, mittens, turtlenecks, or boots and donate them to the center.   If not, go through your closet and find at least one item for each of your family members, that you do not need and donate that to the Center.  The Trailguards do amazing things, check with Mr. Koshiol to see if he has items of need.  Check with the schools or teachers you know and see if there are needs that could be met there.   The senior center or the ROSE center might know of some people that you can bless.  Our local ministers and priests have good ideas of needs in the community!!

Christmas isn’t supposed to be about new shiny objects, that is nice too if you can, but it should be about our hearts and remembering what has been done for us, and what we can do for each other.

A Very, Very Merry Christmas to Paynesville and beyond!!!

First of all, I again would like to thank all of the people who donated these lovely prizes, without you, this wouldn’t have been possible.   THANK YOU!   

diamond necklace,Schepers Jewelry, St. Cloud ~ Linda Westvig

Golf Funathon, Koronis Hills Golf Club ~ Diane Dutcher

Children’s Birthday Party for 12, Bug Bee ~ Madonna Leimer

Hancrafted Necklace, Cherish Designs ~ Lori Laudenbach

Framed Artwork, Blessing Well ~ Mary Cushman

Framed Artwork, Karen Reede ~ Madonna Leimer

Helicopter, BLOOM ~ Cindy Fuchs, Hudson Gray, Susie and all silent partners 

Pedicure, LeAnn at Ruthies ~ Megan Reynolds

Purse and Wallet, It’s All About You ~ Bailey Gray

Gift Certificate, Sweetwater Cotton ~ Pat Hesse

Chocolatini, Tastefully Simple, Kris Binsfeld ~ Dana Kubat

Holiday Assortment ~ Pat Hesse

Handmade Photo Frame ~ Sharon Johnson

Candle ~ Cindy Fuchs

Dusting Mit ~ Cindy Fuchs

Wallet, It’s All About You ~ Mary Janotta

Relay Bracelet, Kathy Johnson’s Team ~ Leah Phieffer

Coffee Basket, Joel’s Family Foods ~ Tony Whelchel

Supervalu Basket ~ JoAnn Spaulding

A HUGE Thank you to everyone!!!

Well I have spent much time lately looking for Relay Fundraisers that had gifts we might want to purchase as gifts for Christmas, but I can’t find any.   Just ours of course at BLOOM, the beautiful sparkly brooches of many different price points.  You must check them out if you have a moment, all the proceeds go to our team.   But besides that, I didn’t find much.  I did find this great link for some WONDERFUL ways in which we can bless many.    Check it out if you have a moment.   And tomorrow, I will post the prize winners of the Christmas Tree Tour.   thank you!!!

http://aoneeight.org/marketplace/

we say merry Christmas!!

My friend Lisa brought this wonderful program to my attention.   For those of you who would like to find a way in which to help someone, this is a good place to start.  You can partner with somebody who really needs someone, a chemo patient.

http://www.chemoangels.net/

maybe you will get some of these one day……

We have been working on thank yous that will be going out in the mail,  but just so everybody knows who to be thankful for, here are the people that made this happen.

Our Homeowners and their families, you are in our hearts, thank you so much to Doug and Jaime Miller, George and Ann Marie Stevens, Keith and Mary Dombrovski, Leo and Lou Louis,  John and Donna Mor, Kirk and Teri Johnson, and Harold and Margaret Swanson  THANK YOU!!!   AND a huge thank you to all who attended and supported this fun event!

Ed and Kathy Webb – Your financial support has been generous for this team, we appreciate it!  All the hours you have spent making food, preparing, organizing, the clothing donations for the team, the hard work you have put in, we are grateful, thank you.

Subway – Thank you so much for your HUGE donation of all of the soup for our event, the bowls and all of the essentials,  all of your time!!   Everyone LOVED the soup!!!  And now they know that Subway’s soup is wonderful.

Ink Design and Cherish Designs –   Thank you for all of your time and all of your talents.  Kris, you are super talented!!!  All of our advertising was top notch!!   and Ink Design made it so and donated it all, thank you.

Johnson Funeral Home – Thank you very, very much for sponsoring our event.  We know how much this community means to you and your staff.  Thank you.

Jimmy’s Pizza, Cold Spring – Thank you very much for your salad donations, it was a blessing!

Jimmy’s Pizza, Paynesville – Thank you for taking the time to send our our brochures with each pizza.  Jimmy, you and your family and your staff are an asset to this community.  Not just because you helped us with this, it is because of all you do for the community.

Thank you to the Team Members who gave and made this an extra special event!!!  You rock!!   Tracy Kortlever thank you!!!  JoAnn Welle, Mary Cushman, Tony and Megan Whelchel, Tom and Monica Hanson, Margaret Swanson, Kathy and Ed Webb, Tom and Kris Binsfeld and family, Robin Gray and family.

A huge thank you to our honorary members, Bob and Brad Johnson.  The Human Dishwashers!!!  

Kimberly Nelson, thank you so much for donating a yummy salad.  Bonnie and Susie, you guys are amazing.

A big thank you to Scheper’s Jewelry, St. Cloud, for donating a beautiful diamond necklace.  

Other donors we are super super thankful for…….       Bugbee Hive Resort for donating a children’s birthday party, (what a beautiful location!!!  and Lori, you are delightful!),  Koronis Hills Golf Course, a funathon for 4 with 2 carts!!!  THANKS!  Everyone should buy memberships!  Cherish Designs, gorgeous jewelry!!!  It’s All About You, I hope everyone in town buys something from you this holiday season!!  Thank you.  Blessing Well Gallery, your work is stunning!, thank you for the beautiful print.  Karen Reede, your painting was beautiful, thank you.  Sweetwater Cotton Shop, your quilting inventory, is so much fun and the two of you are just, special!!  Kathy Johnson and your Relay Team, the bracelet was really pretty, thank you!  Joel’s and Supervalu, your baskets were great gifts!!!  Tastefully Simple, Kris Binsfeld – THANK YOU!     

If anyone is even still reading this, well, thank you then too!!!  And please, if you have the opportunity, support any of these businesses that have blessed us.  A Merry, Merry Christmas season!!