Blogging return for a great cause

It's been a LONG time between posts but I have a wonderful reason for this (probably) brief return.

Some of you may be familiar with Bianca. She's a crafty mumma with a husband and 4 young kids. Soon after a move from the top of Australia to the other end of the country, Bianca and her family found out that their eldest daughter, Maybelle, had cancer.

So, for the past year, Bianca and her husband have been juggling a new home, 4 kids, regular 2 hour trips to the city for hospital visits and treatments, and at the same time trying to provide for their little family and provide some sense of normalcy. I can't even begin to imagine the struggle and the stress!!

During her long and extended stays in hospital, Maybelle has watched a fair bit of daytime television. She has developed a great love of the Ellen Degeneres Show and her greatest wish, other than to be well of course, is to go along to a taping of the show. A whole community of people who connect to this family in a variety of ways, have banded together to try to make Maybelle's wish come true.

One of the fundraising efforts has come from the crafting community, of course. A Facebook based auction will be held in November with all manner of donated handmade items.

My donation will be this quilt:

A low volume style quilt with much inspiration from the fabulous Rita of Red Pepper Quilts.

The quilt measures 54.5 inches x 68 inches.
It is a good sized single bed quilt or a large lap quilt, perfect for snuggling on the couch.

The choice of fabrics include screen printed fabrics from local Australian designers such as Ink & Spindle, Yardage Designs and Pippijoe Textile Designs. Also included are a selection of international designer patchwork fabrics from Denyse Schmidt, Lu Sommers, Aneela Hoey and others.

 

  The quilt is backed with a simple red spot on white.

 

Binding is also simple in a red and white stripe.

 

Lovingly hand-quilted with red Purl 8 thread.

I will be setting a $300 reserve on the quilt because I HATE seeing quilts being sold for next-to-nothing!! Don't you agree?


So what am I asking of you? A few things:

1. If you would like to make a donation to the auction, please contact coordinator Mel at five2many@optusnet.com.au. She will let you know what she needs from you in order to participate.

2. Head over to the auction page and 'like' it. Items have already started to appear but the auction will officially begin on November 12th. It will be a perfect place to do some early Christmas / Hannuka shopping!!

3. Send a message to the Ellen Show via this page to make them notice Maybelle and hopefully play a part in getting her over to the show. Make sure in your message you mention the 'Let's Get Maybelle to the Ellen Show' page.  


I hope you have all been well this year and that you will end your year on a high with some gorgeous home-made goodies for a great cause.

Much love,
Andi x

But you promised!!!!

I know I promised way back in January that I would be back with crafting and blogging mojo aplenty. Not the case.
It seems that 'real life' has become rather overwhelming and I have been unable (or unmotivated) to get back to this blog.
I have also been absent from most of your blogs too as I have been occupying myself more in said 'real world'.
I just wanted to stop by and let you know that I'm OK. I'm not brilliant ... but I'm OK.
And I won't be back to blogging in a hurry. That is going to take some time.
To all of you who have noticed my absence and have sent me the "Are you OK?" emails ... I thank you so very much. It's so much of what I love about this community.
And to those of you who have shared wonderful crafting and life news on your blogs but I have missed it, I'm so sorry and I send you all much crafty love.
Catch ya later!
Andi xx

Thank you for your patience (AKA the Festival of Jake)

I have had the laziest of summer breaks. No blogging. Hardly any photos taken and extremely little crafting was done.

You see ..... between late November and early January we have both kids' birthdays, both Grandmothers' birthdays, Hannuka and Christmas to celebrate. I do A LOT of entertaining and A LOT of baking and gift buying/making and by the end of it I am EXHAUSTED!!!

But I am back to blogging with a renewed energy and would like to spend this first post honoring my Jake who turned 8 exactly 1 month ago.  (See here for the recent Festival of Ella post).

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So, my delicious Jakey ... This year you have grown so much. You have learned so much due to your enthusiasm for school and ANYTHING written in a book!! You have blossomed as a social creature with such a lovely group of friends who care for you and who you love. You love your food and have grown so much physically. You are nearly as tall as me and your feet are a whopping size 6!! (Better stop feeding you I think)  ;o)

The school circus concert happened and you were dazzling with your hoola hoop:

 

Birthday books were donated to your school library:

 

Red House rewards day was celebrated with red EVERYTHING .... even your hair!!

 

Before school finished up for the year (and kids scattered to their family holiday destinations) you had a go-karting birthday party with your friends:

 

Would you check out the hair (and makeup) on the party organiser!!!!

A fabulous (yet amazingly easy) cake was provided by yours truly:

 

   

Of course a second celebration with family on the actual day involved ANOTHER cake. This time ... a chocolate ripple cake in the shape of a 'J':

 

You have serenaded us all with your guitar. It has been so exciting to see your growing love of music:

 

 And we took your traditional photo with Homer:

 

 

I love you so much my Jakey boy. You give the yummiest cuddles and the sweetest kisses and make me smile everyday.

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Among the many and varied gifts received by Jake over this very festive season was, of course, a mum-made quilt but I will show you that in another post.

More crafting posts to come ... promise!

Hope you have had a great January and look forward to catching up with you in February and beyond.

Andi xx

PS Also ... I turned 40.