Sharing another great blog giveaway with you!! Check it out : )
http://keepsakesbymelissa.blogspot.com/2009/06/blog-candy-anyone-big-giveaway.html
Saturday, June 6, 2009
Friday, May 15, 2009
Wednesday, May 6, 2009
New Life for old CM die cuts
I've been scrapping since 1987 when CM was all there was. I've accumulated quite a collection of CM die cuts along the way. Some I've given away, but I still have this stockpile that I haven't quite been able to part with for some odd reason. Recently, I've started merging my LOVE for Tim Holtz distress crackle paint with my old CM die cuts and given them new life.
I have just about every color of Timmy's crackle paint that's available and am always looking for new uses. Recently, while cleaning out my scraproom I was faced with these die cuts yet again, do I toss them, do I find someone who wants them....no I pull out some Distress Crackle Paint!
The birdhouse was made for a paper piecing/embellished die cut swap. I used a CM birdhouse die cut, painted it with Faded Jeans distress crackle paint. Once dried, I used vintage photo & frayed burlap Tim Holtz distress ink to give the birdhouse a weathered looked. I topped the house with a bird diecut for my Cricut Animal Kingdom cart.
There are just endless possibilities for these old die cuts! Not to mention, with this tough economy recycling is a good thing!!
I have just about every color of Timmy's crackle paint that's available and am always looking for new uses. Recently, while cleaning out my scraproom I was faced with these die cuts yet again, do I toss them, do I find someone who wants them....no I pull out some Distress Crackle Paint!
The birdhouse was made for a paper piecing/embellished die cut swap. I used a CM birdhouse die cut, painted it with Faded Jeans distress crackle paint. Once dried, I used vintage photo & frayed burlap Tim Holtz distress ink to give the birdhouse a weathered looked. I topped the house with a bird diecut for my Cricut Animal Kingdom cart.
There are just endless possibilities for these old die cuts! Not to mention, with this tough economy recycling is a good thing!!
Friday, May 1, 2009
Paper Bag Albums - WhoKnew They Were So Easy!
I've had a "fear" of paper-bag albums for quite some time. I always thought they were cute, but was afraid the whole thing would fall apart on me. I was motivated to give it a try recently and here is the result of my first paper-bag album.
I used Basic Grey "Phoebe" which was perfect for my theme!
I used Basic Grey "Phoebe" which was perfect for my theme!
Sunday, April 26, 2009
National Scrapbook Day is Right Around the Corner!!
Can you believe it's that time again! A friend of mine is having an AWESOME NSD giveaway on her blog. Check out her blog and signup for the giveaway while your there. Tell her Marsha sent you!
Can you believe it's that time again! A friend of mine is having an AWESOME NSD giveaway on her blog. Check out her blog and signup for the giveaway while your there. Tell her Marsha sent you!
Sunday, March 15, 2009
Scrapping Again
I've been off to a good start this year. Lately, I've been having fun doing baby girl pages!! This is completely new territory for me and I'm have so much fun with it.
For my niece Makenzie's album
For my niece Makenzie's album
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
Important Enough to Post
This is a recent release from the Minnesota Department of Health. I work in a hospital and have seen an increase in the number of MRSA and VRE resistant patients. Please take the time to read this.
Bacterial resistance prompts concern among health officials
Judicious use of antibiotics is critical to keep them working to fight diseases
Health officials in Minnesota say they are seeing increasing evidence of antibiotic resistance in disease-causing bacteria in the state, prompting a reminder to health care providers and patients about the importance of using antibiotics carefully and appropriately.
A report in this week's New England Journal of Medicine details the finding by health officials in Minnesota, North Dakota and the Centers for Disease Control in Atlanta of an antibiotic-resistant strain of bacterium, Neisseria meningitidis, that causes meningococcal disease. In a related occurrence, the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) on Tuesday sent an alert to infection control professionals and health care providers regarding a very resistant strain of Klebsiella pneumoniae bacteria.
The bacteria N. meningitidis can cause meningitis, sepsis, pneumonia and joint infections. These infections can be life-threatening. The resistant strain of N. meningitidis was discovered during an investigation and follow-up of three cases of the disease in 2007 (Jan. '07-Jan. '08). The cases, two in western Minnesota and one in North Dakota, were not related or linked, (except that the first case attended a daycare where an adult worker died of probable meningococcal disease in 2006). All three had the same strain of the bacterium and all proved to be resistant to ciprofloxacin, the antibiotic most often recommended for preventing infections in adult close contacts of infected persons. These were the first strains of N. meningititidis in North America found to be resistant to ciprofloxacin, a commonly used antibiotic.
"This is extremely concerning because ciprofloxacin-resistance in a related bacteria, Neisseria gonorrhoeae, rose very quickly over a few years, and ciprofloxacin is no longer recommended to treat gonococcal infections" said Ruth Lynfield, state epidemiologist with MDH. "This finding further stresses the importance of using antibiotics judiciously. We've lost an important tool here for fighting disease causing bacteria and we need to preserve the effectiveness of the tools we have. That's why we need to be extremely careful how we use antibiotics."
Scientists contend that overuse and misuse of antibiotics contributes to bacteria's ability to adapt and mutate to resistant strains in order to survive. Details of the investigation and a discussion of how the bacteria may have become resistant can be found in the report at The New England Journal of Medicine.
After discovery of the resistant strain, the state health departments in North Dakota and Minnesota advised health care providers in eastern North Dakota and western Minnesota to use alternative antibiotics as preventive treatment for people who had close contact with someone diagnosed with meningococcal disease. In addition, the CDC recommended increased nationwide surveillance for antibiotic-resistant meningococcal bacteria.
In another instance, a highly resistant strain of Klebsiella pneumoniae, a disease-causing bacterium, was recently identified in Minnesota, health officials reported. This strain, called carbapenemase- producing Klebsiella pneumoniae (KPC) is resistant to almost all classes of antibiotics. This type of resistance is especially concerning because it can spread to other similar bacteria making them also resistant. "This is the first time we've identified KPC in Minnesota," said Lynfield. "However, KPC has been responsible for hospital outbreaks in other parts of the country where infections caused by this strain were associated with increased severity of illness and death. In addition, these bacteria have been shown to spread readily between patients."
While resistant N. meningitidis and KPC are very different pathogens, their emergence demonstrates the problem presented by increasing antibiotic resistance, health officials said. Preserving the effectiveness of antibiotics is essential – and everyone (not just clinicians) has a responsibility to use them appropriately.
Minnesota health officials recommend the following:
Patients should not insist on antibiotics. Let health care providers decide if an antibiotic is needed to treat an illness.
Many respiratory infections such as influenza or acute bronchitis are caused by viruses. Antibiotics treat bacterial infections - not infections caused by viruses.
Clinicians should increase efforts to diagnose the cause of infections and tailor treatment to the specific illness.
Infection prevention and control measures in health care, including acute care and long-term care facilities, are very important.
Practice basic infection prevention measures such as good hand washing, covering your cough, staying home and away from others when you're sick, and getting recommended vaccines.
-MDH-
For more information, contact:
Doug Schultz
MDH Communications
651-201-4993
Ruth Lynfield
Infectious Disease Epidemiology, Prevention and Control
651-201-5414
Bacterial resistance prompts concern among health officials
Judicious use of antibiotics is critical to keep them working to fight diseases
Health officials in Minnesota say they are seeing increasing evidence of antibiotic resistance in disease-causing bacteria in the state, prompting a reminder to health care providers and patients about the importance of using antibiotics carefully and appropriately.
A report in this week's New England Journal of Medicine details the finding by health officials in Minnesota, North Dakota and the Centers for Disease Control in Atlanta of an antibiotic-resistant strain of bacterium, Neisseria meningitidis, that causes meningococcal disease. In a related occurrence, the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) on Tuesday sent an alert to infection control professionals and health care providers regarding a very resistant strain of Klebsiella pneumoniae bacteria.
The bacteria N. meningitidis can cause meningitis, sepsis, pneumonia and joint infections. These infections can be life-threatening. The resistant strain of N. meningitidis was discovered during an investigation and follow-up of three cases of the disease in 2007 (Jan. '07-Jan. '08). The cases, two in western Minnesota and one in North Dakota, were not related or linked, (except that the first case attended a daycare where an adult worker died of probable meningococcal disease in 2006). All three had the same strain of the bacterium and all proved to be resistant to ciprofloxacin, the antibiotic most often recommended for preventing infections in adult close contacts of infected persons. These were the first strains of N. meningititidis in North America found to be resistant to ciprofloxacin, a commonly used antibiotic.
"This is extremely concerning because ciprofloxacin-resistance in a related bacteria, Neisseria gonorrhoeae, rose very quickly over a few years, and ciprofloxacin is no longer recommended to treat gonococcal infections" said Ruth Lynfield, state epidemiologist with MDH. "This finding further stresses the importance of using antibiotics judiciously. We've lost an important tool here for fighting disease causing bacteria and we need to preserve the effectiveness of the tools we have. That's why we need to be extremely careful how we use antibiotics."
Scientists contend that overuse and misuse of antibiotics contributes to bacteria's ability to adapt and mutate to resistant strains in order to survive. Details of the investigation and a discussion of how the bacteria may have become resistant can be found in the report at The New England Journal of Medicine.
After discovery of the resistant strain, the state health departments in North Dakota and Minnesota advised health care providers in eastern North Dakota and western Minnesota to use alternative antibiotics as preventive treatment for people who had close contact with someone diagnosed with meningococcal disease. In addition, the CDC recommended increased nationwide surveillance for antibiotic-resistant meningococcal bacteria.
In another instance, a highly resistant strain of Klebsiella pneumoniae, a disease-causing bacterium, was recently identified in Minnesota, health officials reported. This strain, called carbapenemase- producing Klebsiella pneumoniae (KPC) is resistant to almost all classes of antibiotics. This type of resistance is especially concerning because it can spread to other similar bacteria making them also resistant. "This is the first time we've identified KPC in Minnesota," said Lynfield. "However, KPC has been responsible for hospital outbreaks in other parts of the country where infections caused by this strain were associated with increased severity of illness and death. In addition, these bacteria have been shown to spread readily between patients."
While resistant N. meningitidis and KPC are very different pathogens, their emergence demonstrates the problem presented by increasing antibiotic resistance, health officials said. Preserving the effectiveness of antibiotics is essential – and everyone (not just clinicians) has a responsibility to use them appropriately.
Minnesota health officials recommend the following:
Patients should not insist on antibiotics. Let health care providers decide if an antibiotic is needed to treat an illness.
Many respiratory infections such as influenza or acute bronchitis are caused by viruses. Antibiotics treat bacterial infections - not infections caused by viruses.
Clinicians should increase efforts to diagnose the cause of infections and tailor treatment to the specific illness.
Infection prevention and control measures in health care, including acute care and long-term care facilities, are very important.
Practice basic infection prevention measures such as good hand washing, covering your cough, staying home and away from others when you're sick, and getting recommended vaccines.
-MDH-
For more information, contact:
Doug Schultz
MDH Communications
651-201-4993
Ruth Lynfield
Infectious Disease Epidemiology, Prevention and Control
651-201-5414
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