Sparklies!

This limited collection bangle was specially designed by Julie of Tzen and inspired by Susan G. Komen and Arthur Murray's Dancing with Chicago Celebrities event. Each bracelet is made with fine 925 sterling silver, 18k gold, and pink sapphire crystals.

The bangle has 5 pink crystals embedded in the band to commemorate the 5 years Arthur Murray Studios Chicago has dedicated to the Dancing with Celebrities charity event. The 3 charms honors those touched by breast cancer, signifying the three stages of cancer. The smooth gold bead represents life before cancer, the gold haystack represents the the turmoil going through it, and the pink pave's crystal bead represents the strength, hope and energy emerging forth though that trial.

100% of the proceeds benefit Komen Chicago.

Quantities are limited, so email sales@tzenboutique.com or visit the store in Northbrook court, upper level. And please thank them for their generosity!

http://www.tzenboutique.com/.

Kick-Off Party Announcement

The month of March has some amazing things coming up to raise support and awareness for breast cancer! The 5th Annual Dancing with Chicago Celebrities is just around the corner and you can find out more information at:

http://www.komenchicago.org/

We're starting off the event early by having a Kick-Off party at Rockit Bar & Grill, March 2nd. $10 dollar donations fully benefiting Susan G Komen will be accepted at the door, and some of our celebrity dancers will be on hand to meet before the big event later in the month. There will be food, fundraising and fun!

Tickets are also on sale now for the Fifth Annual Dancing with Celebrities event at the Hyatt Regency Chicago - Crystal Ballroom in Downtown Chicago:

$175.00 per person

$1050.00 for a table of 6

Facts:

Did you know that $50.00 contributes to a screening mammogram? $125.00 pays for one screening mammogram in full. Every little bit helps someone get tested, get results, and get she - or he - on the road to recovery.

Unable to attend? You can still be a part of the fundraising effort as well as be entered for a chance to win some amazing items being raffled at the Dancing with the Stars event, and you do not have to be present to win! Exciting raffle items include:

-An all inclusive trip to Diva's Live in New York

-All inclusive trip to Napa Valley

-All inclusive trip to Dancing with the Stars LA

And much, much more!!!

Raffle tickets for these are $10.00 per ticket, or $50.00 for 6! Contact http://www.komenchicago.org/ for tickets, purchasing and availability. Separate raffles and gifts will be at the March 2nd Kick-Off party!

We want this to be the most successful year yet!

Enchanted Evening

Friday night was spent being a part of the Enchanted Evening Party sponsored by the Gurnee Park District. Children are treated to coloring pages, crowns, and wands along with photos and "meet and greet" with their favorite fairy tale characters. Dinner and dancing is also a part of the festivities.

Most of the attendees are Father/Daughter dates, and I have to say it was so sweet seeing the many daughters that sported corsages and bouquets of flowers from their daddy's, along with others who matched each other, and even a few that came in full costume! One family actually had dad as king with his princess, and another family where the kids were dressed as knight, princess, and dragon...too cute!

I'm sure you can figure out who I was...it was so much fun getting to dance with all the kids and spend time talking and playing with them. There were quite a few that were concerned that Prince Charming wasn't with me all night long...I had to explain that he was every one's prince that night. And he really was. What a good sport, making sure he posed for pictures and danced with all the little princesses...but we did make a point to dance a little to show that "fairy tales really do come true". And fortunately (and unfortunately), I wore the dreaded 5" clear pageant heels with crystals, because I had many little girls ask to see my glass slippers...and they do look like them! Some even asked when I would lose one of them...how tempting that was halfway through the night!!! ;)

One little girl asked about my sash, because she said she thought I was Cinderella, but only queens wear sashes...so when I told her I was a "queen", she was all too excited to tell her mommy that I was the real Cinderella because in the story she marries the prince and someday becomes the good queen and so she was seeing the story really come true. So darling what these little ones think of and retain!

Special thanks to Linda Brogren for coordinating the event and my part in it, to Christie for once again doing an amazing job facilitating everything, and of course to all the volunteers making this a great event for the families.

Enjoy the photos!

PS: Don't you love our Miss, Jr. Miss and Little Miss Gurnee pageant gals?! All they needed to have were wings and they would have been perfect little Tinker Bells in their green dresses!

Sharing the Love, Globally

It's Valentine's weekend, and it's good to show love and share it.

Saturday was spent working with Kids Around the World to put together 15,000 packaged meals to send to Haiti. Partnering with Kids Against Hunger, they have been able to provide play equipment and meals since 1994 all over the world, but with the recent events in Haiti, efforts have been stepped up to send more.

Facts:

One food packet contains a scoop of rice, a scoop of soy protein, 6 dehydrated vegetables and chicken flavoring, and a scoop of minerals for meeting both essential nutrient needs as well as combating the effects of starvation. One food packet holds the equivalent of 6 servings...If everyone took a moment to look at that small bag, there would be a real wake-up call as to how truly rich and blessed we are here in America. This was an amazing and sobering experience for me to be a part of and I can't wait to work with them again.

I didn't take any pictures of this event. I want the focus to be on the needs of these children, not just in Haiti, but all around the world, and just one of the million ways we can do something to give these children hope, health, and happiness. You can find out more about this organization and opportunities to help at:

http://www.kidsaroundtheworld.com/

Psalm 10:17 "You hear, O Lord, the desire of the afflicted; You encourage them, and You listen to their cry,"

Snowflake Serenade

The Gurnee Park District Preschool holds its annual Winter Music Program, Snowflake Serenade, at this time of year, and I was asked to be a part of the event.

My Saturday afternoon was spent setting up refreshments, passing out programs, and greeting families for the two music programs. I actually missed out on the first of the two concerts as far as getting to see the performance itself. One of the children has a fear of "characters" (people dressed up, figures you see at restaurants and amusement parks, etc) and when he saw the crown and sash he thought I was a character at the event and was afraid to sing. I had to hide out in the kitchen until he was done...so cute and so sad all at the same time...I felt so bad for him, but he got through his singing without a hitch, and I was able to come back and be a part of everything again. It was so much fun watching the children sing and perform their parts (I think my favorite was the "Popcorn Song"). And meeting with several of the families afterward is always a treat! I love my community and am grateful for each opportunity to serve. My thanks to them for their warmth and support.

Special thanks to Linda Brogren of Gurnee Parks for coordinating my appearance, to Ginni and Sue for doing an awesome job of making things run smoothly, and Ashley who headed up the set up and clean up so that we were able to get everything taken care of in a timely manner. And of course to Sweet Katie, our Little Miss Gurnee, who is always a doll to work with.