Tuesday, September 22, 2009

Sep 14 – Maidenform 4: Tour

Before we left Maidenform, Norah took us on a tour of her office, the workroom and the sewing room. We also stopped and took some photos by the company logo.

It was fun to see all the offices – with bras hanging from everywhere imaginable! The workroom had rolls of fabric and trim – a quilter’s dream! Instead of using the rotary cutters and mats to cut out quilt blocks, they were being used to cut out bra parts! Gloria and I had a great time – thanks to our wonderful hostesses Norah and Terra – you rock!

Sep 14 – Maidenform 3: During the Day

Terra and Norah (of Maidenform) and Gloria and myself (Common Threads Quilters Guild) enjoying the exhibit. Norah holding up “Fight Like A Girl” made by Estie Mowry of Owego, NY, WINNER – Most Effective Breast Cancer Message.

Gloria and I are getting ready to leave, with all the Brazieres. The big poster, donated by Dataflow of Binghamton, was given to Norah for supporting this project.

Sep 14 – Maidenform 2: Visit from Maurice

At 10:30am, Maurice Reznik, Maidenform's Chief Executive Officer, joined us in the conference room to say a few words to the employees and see the exhibit. Norah was able to do a bit of work on her laptop. Gloria (VP of Common Threads Quilters Guild) and Terra Orwig of Maidenform are pictured, along with Maurice and myself.

Sep 14 – Maidenform 1: Arrival & Set-up

When I started this project, I wanted to get a bra company involved – so I contacted Norah Alberto, Director of Publicity, S.E. & Marketing of Maidenform Brands, Inc. back in February. She said yes, and the rest is history! After receiving 100 bras in March – the artists went to work creating their one-of-a-kind Brazieres. A few people were unable to complete theirs, but 82 entries came in during July and August.

Gloria and I headed down to Iselin, NJ yesterday and having spent a restful night at the Hilton Woodbridge, arrived with our cargo.

What started out as plain white palettes, came back to Maidenform, decorated and embellished – works of art ready for viewing.

Sep 11 – Women Fore Women / Golf Pro

We were invited to display some Brazieres during the UHS Foundation 13th annual Women Fore Women Golf Classic at the Links at Hiawatha Landing in Apalachin, NY on Friday, Sept. 11, 2009. Half of the entries were set up in the main tent at the Links (the other half stayed at Sew Many Quilts). The UHS Foundation uses money raised at the tournament to combat breast cancer and related concerns by funding education, prevention, early detection and treatment.

Executive Director, Betsy Pietriyk, of the United Health Services Foundation and Golf Classic Event Chair, Robin Mead held up their favorite bras.

Golf pro, Bernie Herceg, Jr., had to get into the act and wore the entry made by Jean Lyon of Cooperstown, NY, called “Push My Buttons” – it didn’t quite fit, but it matched his outfit!

Sep 5 – Sew Many Quilts of Johnson City, NY

Thank goodness for great husbands! Kris has been helping me cart around the frames for the exhibit – they do break-down to poles and dowels, but it is much easier if we transport them intact – it makes setting the exhibit up a lot quicker!

We took over the class room at Sew Many Quilts! The posters will be available there and at Van Zandbergen Photography Studios in Binghamton until they are gone. They will also be available at the exhibition venues while the bras are touring there.

Sep 4 – YWCA: Exhibit Opening & Reception

All the Brazieres are on display – all 82 of them! Several participants stopped by to see the exhibit. Sara D, along with my Aunt Lydia (Uncle Merrill came to, but was camera shy) are in the photos. My good friend Adrianne stopped by – her mom, Ann Dinoff is one of the women I dedicated my entry to (she is holding it). Etta Kania is the other woman this project is dedicated to – unfortunately, her daughters live in Colorado and could not be here for the opening. Our local assemblywoman Donna Lupardo stopped by to see the exhibit too.

Sep 4 – Ribbon Cutting at the YWCA

My son Isaac and I headed out early to finish setting up the exhibit – putting the pink ribbon tags and story cards on each entry. Soon Vikki Collazo of the Greater Binghamton Chamber of Commerce arrived with a HUGE pair of scissors! Isaac was impressed! He wanted to cut the ribbon, but was satisfied in just holding an end.

Kevin McCabe, the regional representative to Gov. David A Peterson, presented a lovely letter from the governor sending us greetings and thanks to the Common Threads Quilters Guild for hosting this event.

Crystal Lown, Program Coordination of Encore Plus, staff from ACS, Encore Plus and Greater Binghamton Chamber join in while I cut the ribbon. Gina Chapman of the American Cancer Society, Director of Special Events, Southern New York Region assisted Isaac with holding the ends of the ribbon.

Reporters from Fox New 40 (Sarah Blazonis) and Action News 12 (Caitlin Nuclo) were present at the ribbon cutting. Video journalist, Neil St. Clair from News 10 Now and a representative from News Channel 34 came afterwards.

The following are videos / article from the days’ events:

“Brazieres For A Cure"
http://www.wbng.com/news/local/57272002.html

Bras for a Cure
http://news10now.com/?ArID=481621&RegionCookie=1115&ap=1&MP4

Bras for a Cure
http://www.newschannel34.com/news/local/story/Bras-for-a-Cure/KLBUuYz5OEG3Z6cXUlV_ZQ.cspx

"Brazieres for a Cure” Exhibit to Benefit Fight Against Breast Cancer
http://www.newschannel34.com/content/developingnews/story/Brazieres-for-a-Cure-Exhibit-to-Benefit-Fight/ZNuVtMDAGEWbQAYe6HtC7g.cspx

Press & Sun Bulletin – Exhibit to promote breast cancer awareness
http://www.pressconnects.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=200990904009

Sep 3 – Setting Up at the YWCA

Thursday afternoon, after the CTQG meeting, bra maker Rick, my sons Isaac and Walter headed over to the YWCA in Binghamton to set up for the opening of the Brazieres For A Cure touring exhibition. After a few trials and errors, we got the racks set up. My son Walter had a fun time posing near his favorite entries. Both boys love the Blue Footed Boobie entry made by Karen Becker Milligan of Ithaca, NY.

Sep 3 – CTQG / Wearing of THE Bra

As promised, here I am wearing the custom made entry for me. I challenged fellow Common Threads Quilt Guild member to participate, and he did, providing I wore his entry at a guild meeting. So here I am, with Rick the creator of “How Cold Is It?” in all my glory! I was silly enough to wear it again on September 16 at the Quilters Consortium of New York State membership meeting that was hosted by Common Threads and other area guilds – Stepping Stones and Triangle Guild.

Aug 31 – VZ Studios / News / Late Entries

I received a call around 9am from Ashley (assignment editor) at Fox 40 News – they wanted to run a story on the Brazieres For A Cure Project. We met up at the Van Zandbergen Photography Studios in Binghamton, NY with Kirk and Lesli. I invited several local participants to come and speak with the press – Judy Z, Cheryl M, Joyce P, Ruth M, and Sara D were able to attend. Crystal Lown and Kathleen from Encore Plus were also there.

Jessica Kadlub (weeknight 6 o'clock anchor and reporter) and video photographer from Fox 40 News stopped by and took photos and held interviews with myself, Kirk and Sara D. You can see the articles and videos on-line – they are still there (it is 9/22/09) but not sure how long they will remain.

Brassieres For a Cure - 8/31/2009
http://www.wicz.com/news2005/viewarticle.asp?a=10298
[Note, when the story first appeared, they had the correct spelling Brazieres, but the spell check elves ‘corrected’ it to Brassieres, sigh...]

Bras for Breast Cancer - 8/31/2009
http://www.wicz.com/news2005/viewarticle.asp?a=10302

Also, there were a few last minute entries that did not make it into the other photo collages, so they are included here. Now all 82 entries are represented.

Sunday, September 13, 2009

Brazieres For A Cure 2009 Poster

There is the limited edition commemorative 12x18-inch poster for Brazieres For A Cure 2009 that is available for $5 at the exhibition venues and Sew Many Quilts (http://smquilts.com/) in Johnson City. All 82 entries are included in the poster. The photography was done by Kirk and Lesli Van Zandbergen (http://vzphoto.com/) of Binghamton and the layout was done by graphic designer Carol Grassi (http://carolgrassidesign.com/) of Endicott. The printing for this poster was donated by United Health Services (http://uhs.net/). Additional printing services was provided by Dataflow, Inc. (http://godataflow.com/) of Binghamton. Thank you everyone for all your support!

Here is a listing of all 82 the entries, in row order, left to right. Thank you to everyone who participated in this project!

Brazieres For A Cure 2009 – Poster Key

Row Number 1:
Brazieres For A Cure Logo (Green); #104 Anne Ainslie of Ithaca, NY – “Time for Reflection” – WINNER – Judges Choice (Gina Chapman); #48 Kristin Thompson of Ithaca, NY – “Bee Cup”; #92 Nancy D. Briggs of Endicott, NY – “Save the Puppies”; #66 Mary Roody of Port Crane, NY – “B-Cup”; #95 Rick DeMars of Vestal, NY – “How Cold Is It?”; #98 Ruth Manzer of Owego, NY – “Eyes On You”; #30 June Silberman of Ithaca, NY – “What a Rack!” [Upside down – oops!]; #75 Jean G. Hubsch of Bradford, NY – “C’mon Get Happy”; #80 Sara Delafield of Port Crane, NY – “You don’t have to camouflage the pain”; #43 Sally Dutko of Ithaca, NY – “The Obrama Support Package: Yes We Can!”; #19 Kelly Myers of Greene, NY – “Fluttering For A Cure”.

Row Number 2:
#57 Dianne M. Kull of Cooperstown, NY – “Hands-on Health Care”; #90 Kathleen Ingalls of Hancock, NY – “Words to Live By”; #83 Patricia Ann Cummings of Endwell, NY – “Lady Bug, Lady Bug, Fly Away Home ...” – WINNER – Best Use of Embellishment; #58 Lee Robbins, M.D. – Flying Tortoise Studio of Hartwick, NY – “Fields of Susan”; #46 Deborah Naftel of Ithaca, NY – “Thing 1 and Thing 2” – WINNER – Most Humorous; #3 Maxine H. Rosenberg of Conklin, NY – “Cure”; #54 William Schaeffer of Fly Creek, NY – “Victorian Secret”; #5 Jeannie King of Endicott, NY – “For Debbie”; #55 Jennifer Victory of Cooperstown, NY – “Jenny’s Crazy Lump” or “Behind the Eight Ball”; #61 Susan A. McCann of Johnson City, NY – “Las Vegas or Bust!”; #44 Nora Manchester of Pine City, NY – “Bodacious Lady”; #69 Roslyn P. Smith of Brockport, NY – “Bells, Beads, Bows, Buttons & Blessings”.

Row Number 3:
#51 Judith Curry of Hartwick, NY – “Kerry’s Dance”; #8 Mary Caro of Johnson City, NY – “Wow Zia Pink Diva”; #59 Caitlin and Susan Miosek of Cooperstown, NY – “Natural Woman”; #1 Barbara Sanford of Binghamton, NY – “Flower Power” – WINNER – Judges Choice (Sharon Stroud); #82 Helen Parry of Binghamton, NY – “Razzle Dazzle”; #9 RenĂ©e Gaylord of Newark Valley, NY – “My Stars”; #105 Venessa Budetti of Newburgh, NY – “The Flowers Left Behind”; #33 Mitzi and Stephen Jones of Ithaca, NY – “Don’t Gamble with your Life” – WINNER – Judges Choice (Lorry Chwazik); #16 Jean Lyon of Cooperstown, NY – “Push My Buttons”; #13 Emily B. Goodrich of Montrose, PA – “La Zee-Bra”; #100 Louise A. Tiemann of Vestal, NY – “Brick-a-Brack Bra”; #85 Diana Tillotson of Endicott, NY – “My Summer Garden”.

Row Number 4:
#60 Diane Yuhas of Central Bridge, NY – “Miami”; #72 Giuliana Calderone of Horseheads, NY – “Fruitcups”; #24 Tamara Burger of Binghamton, NY – “Please Squeeze the Melons – Have Your Mammogram”; #37 Kathy S. Carman of Ithaca, NY – “Profundities”; #74 Jacque Paltrineri of Gillett, PA – “Hang in There”; #32 Ruth A. White of Ithaca, NY – “Chemo kills Cancer the Crab Nebula”; #20 Barbara Hall of Endwell, NY – “Blooming Time”; #18 Linda J. Anesi of Halstead, PA – “Butterflies are Free ... (Why can’t folks with cancer be?)”; #49 Maureen Jakubson of Ithaca, NY – “Connected”; #23 Dale A. Smith of Vestal, NY – “Mardi Bras”; #10 Sue Phillips of Binghamton, NY – “Simply Believe”; #89 Joyce Paulsen of Johnson City, NY – “Boobies Make Me Smile”.

Row Number 5:
#29 Carol K. Boyer of Syracuse, NY – “Lady Boobs”; #25 Mary Caro of Johnson City, NY – “In memory of Aunt Dot”; #14 Judy A. Zurenda of Binghamton, NY – “Lilacs for Mom” – WINNER – Best Use of Color; #86 Susan Ritner of Johnson City, NY – “Mardi Gras”; #22 Estie Mowry of Owego, NY – “Fight Like A Girl” – WINNER – Most Effective Breast Cancer Message; #53 Patricia Spencer of Cooperstown, NY – “Candy Cane Follies”; #84 Cynthia Warren Rangel of Binghamton, NY – “It is all how you look at it.”; #56 Maureen Haralabatos of Milford, NY – “Red Hot Mama”; #45 Felicia von Hagn of Elmira, NY – “Breast Cancer is No Day at the Beach”; #52 Wendy Reich of Cherry Valley Glass Works – “Glimmerglass Goddess”; #4 Rebecca Loughren & Doris Cronk of Endicott, NY – “Buttons & Bows 4 Boobies”; #17 Elizabeth Starks of Hallstead, PA – “My Pets” i.e. “Titty Kitties”.

Row Number 6:
#15 Kay Bautz of Afton, NY – “Home for Christmas”; #38 Tierney Barden of Cortland, NY - “Heart of Gold”; #11 Cheryl Miller of Marathon, NY – “Blooming with Health”; #76 Kim L. Chase-Decker of Vestal, NY – “I Believe I Can Fly”; #35 Marcie Wyant and Kathy Taylor of Ithaca, NY - “Make Life a Picnic”; #91 JoAnne Hanrahan of Binghamton, NY – “Home Along the Creek”; #39 Pamela L. Broe of Little Meadows, PA – “You Gotta Know When to Hold ’em”; #2 Judy Hoeffliger of Ozark, MO and Becky Meskill of Bella Vista, AK – “Power of Pink / Friendship”; #50 Suzanne Broderick of Ithaca, NY – “Caws for a Cure”; #78 Doreen Spoor of Binghamton, NY – “Somewhere Over the Rainbow”; #102 Cindy Dunlap of Endicott, NY – “Training Bra Making Tracks For A Cure”; #79 Vivian Perkins of Endicott, NY – “Daisies and Pink Ribbons for a Cure”.

Row Number 7:
#96 April F. Bump of Binghamton, NY – “Some Like It Hot!”; #40 Karen Becker Milligan of Ithaca, NY – “Blue-footed Boobie” – WINNER – Most Innovative; #27 Betsy Young of Homer, NY – “Eye on a Cure”; #97 Jane Gaffney of Conklin, NY – “My Challenge”; #87 Marcia Lorraine of Endicott, NY – “Breast Cancer is a Crime”; #68 Lydia Lynn of Big Flats, NY – “I Felt My Boobies”; #99 Lori Mai Shapley of Lexington, KY – “What’s in a word?”; #31 Linda Van Nederynen of Ithaca, NY – “A Nice Pear”; #81 Lee Ann Adolf of Endwell, NY – “Got Milk”; #26 Aafke Swart Steenhuis of Ithaca, NY – “Wired”; #42 Cheryl Moore of Brooktondale, NY – “The Faces of Breast Cancer”; Brazieres For A Cure Logo (Orange).

Tuesday, September 8, 2009

Winning Entries - Congratulations!

Drum Roll Please! Here are the winning entries! It was hard for the judges to decide - since every one was so unique! There will be two more winners - that you - the viewers and bidders can decide! Viewers Choice Braziere Ballots are available for $1 at the exhibition, and the LIVE Auction is at 6pm on November 6th at the Binghamton YWCA.

Also, I am happy to announce that a limited edition Commemorative Poster is available, with images of ALL 82 entries is available for $5. They will be available at the exhibition and at Sew Many Quilts in Johnson City, until supplies last. Kirk and Lesli Van Zandbergen did the photography, graphic artist Carol Grassi did the layout (I helped a little) and the printing was done by United Health Services and Dataflow, Inc.

Show booklets (24 pages), with information on each entry are also available for $1. Now here are the winners:

Judged Categories & Winners List:
The entries in this project were judged by our esteemed panel of three to determine the winners for the following categories:

Most Innovative - #40 Karen Becker Milligan of Ithaca, NY - “Blue-footed Boobie

Best Use of Embellishment #83 Patricia Ann Cummings of Endwell, NY - “Lady Bug, Lady Bug, Fly Away Home ...”

Best Use of Color - #14 Judy A. Zurenda of Binghamton, NY - "Lilacs for Mom”

Most Effective Breast Cancer Message - #22 Estie Mowry of Owego, NY - “Fight Like A Girl”

Most Humorous - #46 Deborah Naftel of Ithaca, NY - “Thing 1 and Thing 2”

Judges Choice:
#1 Barbara Sanford of Binghamton, NY - “Flower Power” (Sharon Stroud)

#33 Mitzi & Stephen Jones of Ithaca, NY - “Don’t Gamble with your Life” (Lorry Chwazik)

#104 Anne Ainslie of Ithaca, NY -“Time for Reflection” (Gina Chapman)

Viewers Choice - $1 Braziere Ballots – Highest Bid Winners
Viewers Choice (most $1 Braziere Ballots) and Highest Bid winners will be determined at the LIVE Auction on November 6, 2009 at 6pm, held at the Binghamton YWCA.

Don’t forget to vote and bid for your favorite entry!