Until tomorrow.
Jenna
Day 218 was created in pen & ink and watercolor.
Day 217 – Amazing Day for Us All!
What an amazing day!
We made huge strides is spreading AS awareness today. Thank you everyone!
More great stuff to come in the next couple of days – sorry for the short post tonight I’ve been busy watching the twitter and facebook action happening as we get ready to announce the winners of the prizes for this round of Hope & Apples. We’re on to something here and I know all of us will continue to work on awareness – we’ve seen what we can do as a team! Bravo to all of you!
Until tomorrow.
Jenna
Day 217 was created with a Faber-Castell – PITT artist pen with a brush tip and then highlighted with watercolor.
Day 215 – A Peachey Apple
No, I didn’t spell that wrong.
Kelby is a Peachey Planner. She is beautiful young woman who has an amazing story. I consider myself very lucky to call her my friend and I’m proud to be walking with her and her “Peachey’s Pack” for the Arthritis Foundation’s Denver walk on May 14th.
Kelby and I met on twitter and realized we were both in the Denver area and planned a time to meet. There is something fascinating about meeting someone for the first time (in person) who you share so much with. We hugged like long lost buddies and never considered for a minute the age difference – we were kindred spirits in our shared struggles. I am so very, very proud of her and this apple is for her. This is how I see Kelby – bright, vibrant, and loving. Happy late Birthday sweet Kelby!
Until tomorrow.
Jenna
Day 215 was created in pastels.
Day 207 – One Story and One Apple at a time…
We are making progress everyday.
One story and one apple at a time we will raise awareness of spondylitis. I wonder where the journey will take us – I’m just so thrilled that so many people are joining me and speaking up.
Funny things happen when you talk about what you are passionate about. I went looking for a web development company in Parker today. I was driving around and I couldn’t find it so I stopped in at a design company and asked them if they knew the people I was looking for. Although they did not we started talking and I told them about my apple a day AS awareness campaign and Hope & Apples and the gentleman I was speaking with started asking me questions about AS. Turns out he has dealt with severe back pain for over 10 years and was diagnosed with Fibromyalgia but had never heard of AS or seen a Rheumatologist. Then he told me about a great web guy he and the local NBC news affiliate use and I mentioned the Arthritis Walk on May 15th and he said this web guy was very involved with it because of his wife.
WHAT?
Let’s speak up – we can find people to help if we just start speaking up – one story and one apple at a time …
Until tomorrow.
Jenna
Day 207 was created in watercolor. Doug says this sweet little image is not my best work – thank goodness for someone so close to me to keep my feet on the ground and push me for better tomorrow, but… I kinda like it 🙂 and doesn’t infusion day allow me to slack a little tiny bit?
Day 203 – Countdown: World AS Day
Day 199 – I Love AS’ers
People ask me if I get creative blocks and wonder how I keep coming up with new apples.
I have no idea at this point but I think my struggles now are also how to write posts and don’t sound like a broken record. I have no inspiring words tonight just a very exciting and inspiring group of people to share with you.
AS’ers and our supporters are a truly amazing and courageous group.
Please visit a new site that will hold the Apples for AS and the stories of the people who made them. I am so excited and pleased to tell you all about Hope And Apples new website. Please take a look when you get a chance!
Until tomorrow.
Jenna
Day 199 was created in pastels and mocha ink.
Day 188 – Spring in the Rockies!
It finally feels like spring has hit the Rockies!
My tulips are up and blooming and the rhubarb is going crazy. I cannot wait for gardening season to get some much needed sun and exercise.
I hope you don’t mind that my posts have been small lately – the Hope & Apples Awareness Campaign is keeping me super busy but I promise you I will not miss a day of posting my daily apple! Check out the amazing stories at the new Hope And Apples website!
Until tomorrow.
Jenna
Day 188 was created in watercolor.
Day 184 – Saturday Apple No. 4
Saturday may be my favorite day of the week.
It’s a bit of a celebration around here. Doug and I catch up, run errands, go to lunch and through the spring and summer – garden and grill!
For the rest of my year of apples – expect a “Saturday Apple” – just something pretty.
Until tomorrow.
Jenna
Day 184 was created in watercolor.
***Update*** The Hope & Apples campaign is in full swing – for more information about the project please visit the Hope & Apples page at the Hurting But Hopeful Blog!
Day 183 – Hope & Apples
TheFeedingEdge.com is proud to announce a partnership with HurtingButHopeful.org with the launch of a joint effort. Our “Hope & Apples” Campaign is only the first project of many to come.
ASAP and Apples For AS are proud to present our community outreach project in honor of Spondylitis Awareness Month. We have joined forces to sponsor the largest, and most powerful awareness project to date. What makes it so powerful? YOU DO. Everyone knows the power that each AS patient’s voice has. Our goal is to have you join us in teaching the world what AS is and how it affects each person’s life. We want to hear your story! By sending us your personal experiences with AS and how it has affected your life, you are taking a stand. You are standing up and telling the world that we DO have a voice, we DO exist.
Pablo Picasso once said, “Art washes away from the soul the dust of everyday life.” Art is a way for many people from all over the world to deal with the stress and pain of a chronic illness. By being creators, by becoming artists we can express our emotions and convey a message. By combining a visual message in the form of an apple for AS, with the stories you create about how AS affects your life, then we are portraying an accurate picture of what it is like to have Ankylosing Spondylitis. Can you imagine having 1000 different stories, and 1000 different apples, but they all have one thing in common; AS? Powerful.
AS isn’t just a disease that affects 33 million people world wide and 2.4 million people in the US alone. We have heard this statistic before, but what does it mean? It means that no one is going to listen until we all speak up. It means that our collective voices should be heard. We are not getting our message out. There is power in numbers, YOU do have a voice. When you participate in “Hope & Apples” the entire AS community stands in unity against AS. Our voices will be heard!
How can you help?
- Decide on a topic about AS then write us a story connecting the topic you chose to your personal life.
- Create an apple using your imagination and your hands. Once your apple is complete, upload it as an image to the ASAP Facebook wall.
- Share the “Hope & Apples” Campaign with others!
As a thank you for participating in our “Hope & Apples” campaign, upon completion of your story and your apple, you will be entered for a chance to win some awesome prizes! We will randomly choose 10 participants to win ASAP and The Feeding Edge T-Shirts. Also, a grand prize for the most inspiring story/apple combo will recieve an Apple Iphone 3G with a custom case designed by Jenna Visscher. The deadline for entries is May 5, 2011.
Please email your entry to HopeAndApples@gmail.com and post your apple to the ASAP Facebook page too!
Topic ideas & links
For inspiration we will be posting ideas daily as discussion topics on ASAP. To get you started here are a couple of questions to stir the creative juices. For writing topics:
What is your diagnosis story?
What does a life with AS look like?
What do you wish people knew about AS?
For creative apples ideas you can go to The Feeding Edge where Jenna Visscher has already made over 180 daily apples for AS awareness as well as guest apples from some of your favorite spondys and their family. http://thefeedingedge.com/?p=1894
You can also get thoughts on techniques here.
Until tomorrow….. hope & apples!
Jenna
Day 183 was created in black india ink & watercolor – oh and a touch of metallic acrylic ink!