Lasso The Moon

Thank ewe.

Made some enclosure cards for the sheepish fundraiser ornaments. 

Emma was very interested in the stamp-carving process.  She was concerned with my safety, foremost, and kept reminding me to be careful with the sharp lino-cutter.  And as she started to see the shape of the sheep emerge, she looked up at me--head tilted and eyes locked on mine--and said, "Mom, I am so proud of you right now." 

Why does that mean so much to me to hear from a three-year-old?  Besides the utmost sincerity that comes from the young, I think it is this.  Through all the discipline, busy mornings, and mad rushes, I have taken the time to tell her how proud I am of her--enough that it has inspired her to do the same for me.  It is a reassurance that I needed.  Right after that she said, "If you called your mom, she would tell you she's proud of you, too. "  So we did.  And she was.

When this whole world starts getting you down...

Something Donnie and I came across while we were out for a drive.

Crossing things off the list

It's funny how everything we do has a cycle.  I work like this.  I have a bunch of ideas all at once, then I set out the plans for each of them and make a list.  After that, I start one or two of the projects, sometimes a third or fourth gets thrown in.  Occasionally a project that I start will be put to the side, especially if it takes some concentration or hand-sewing, or a supply that I don't have.  All the while, I'm making other things, finishing some of them, starting on something for the house and finishing that...

And every once in a while, I get in the mood to cross everything off my list.  That's where I am now:
-fold and organize fabric
-finish hamsters and list in the shop
-make sheep for fundraiser
-finish school girl bags that I started in the summer
-separate scraps of vintage fabric according to size
-start a scrap quilt
-make flower yoyo pins for the shop and as giveaways
-make new buntings from vintage scraps
-start on Christmas presents
-make 6 new journals for the shop

And now I can cross that last one off the list, too.

Find them today in the shop!

Party Season

Since both of my babies were born near the big holidays, this time of year can get a little hectic.  Lots of party planning and gift making.  But I don't want you to feel left out of the party spirit, so I've added something new to the shop.

Six new fabric buntings (or garlands, or banners) made from my collected vintage fabrics.

This time I've added a little reusable bag for storage.  It really boosts the *cute* factor. 

Find them this week in the shop!

At least it has a nice view...

I am working away over here in my sheep factory.  But don't worry about me.  Any time I want, I can look up and see this:

My newly ironed, folded, and color-matched fabric stash.  Serious eye-candy, huh?

Hope you are having a restful weekend.

Eleven Down

I have been so busy! I finished eleven of the "sheepish" ornaments for my little Heifer fundraiser.  Don't they look sweet all lined up on the clothesline?

I've decided to make a full set of 34, and I made up some tags to attach to the back of the ornaments.  They'll be signed, dated, and numbered. 

I'm also planning to make a little card to send along with the ornaments that explain the cause.  It's something that would be nice to include if you are buying an ornament to give to someone.

I've sold one so far, so that's $15 down, and just $485 to go to meet the goal!

A sheepish beginning

I have made pretty good progress in getting the Heifer International project started.  I think it's really fun to make a bunch of the same thing all at once, while making each a little different from the last.  I didn't use a pattern, so the sizes and shapes vary a little.  I also used several different cotton fabrics for the legs and loops.

Craftivism #3

So, I've shared a little about the craftivism projects that inspired me.  Now I want to show you my own little idea.  For years I have been moved by the organization, Heifer International.  They use donations to provide livestock for communities across the world so that they can support their families.  The gift doesn't stop there, though, because they are required to give the first offspring of the animal to another family.  One donation could potentially change a village!

I really love this company, because they make it fun to donate.  I got a beautiful catalog in the mail, showing the different animals you can give, as well as how they are used by the families.  You can donate a cow ($500), a sheep ($120), a hive of bees ($30), or even a trio of rabbits ($60).  You can buy a whole animal, or just a share of one, for as little as $10.  Isn't that incredible!  We can help drastically change lives for as little as $10. 

I'll tell you, though.  The thing that really got me going was this.  You can give what they call a knitting basket--two sheep and two llamas--for $500.  Being a lover of wool, spinning, knitting, weaving, and felting, you can see why this got my attention.  The only thing is--I don't have $500.  That's where the crafting comes in.  I have decided to make a series of fiber art ornaments, like the example above, and sell them to raise the money.   If you are interested, you can find them on etsy, or contact me via email (or just talk to me at church if you're local!)  My email address is annachase (at) teacher (dot) com.  They would make a great gift or look cute on the top of a package.

They are made from recycled felted wool skirts--of course--and are about six inches tall by five inches wide.  And they're not just for Christmas.  These guys would look cute hanging around your house all year!  They are $15 each, and I will be donating 100% of that price to Heifer International.  Shipping will be paid by me, and I'm donating my time and materials, because I want every cent to go toward that knitting basket.  If you want to donate, but don't want one of the sheep, I'll find out how you can do that.   Just click on the "Donate Now" button on the left-hand sidebar, and donate any amount.

I know that this is a big goal, but broken up into $15 increments, I only need to sell 34 ornaments to make it a reality. 

Craftivism #2

A few days ago I ran across this project by Amanda, the famous Soule Mama.  She has started a special blog page devoted to ways that mamas here can help other mamas in need.  The first project is "Caps to Cap-Hatien."  She shows you how to make a newborn cap from a recycled t-shirt.  The hats she collects will be included in safe birthing kits on their way to northern Haiti.

 
Find out more on the Mama to Mama blog.

Craftivism #1

If any of you read my blog on a semi-regular basis, you know that recycling and reusing are a pretty big deal to me.  I can't stand to waste things--food, money, or raw materials for making things.  And because of this, I've found projects that use the tiniest scraps of fabric to make something beautiful.  But for a few weeks now, I've begun to feel that this isn't enough.  There is a lot to be said for preventing waste, but it doesn't necessarily make the world a better place, either.  So I have been trying to come up with an idea that uses the talents that I have, and helps the world, too.  Enter craftivism.  (craft + activism.  google for more examples.)

This week, I was at a MOPS meeting at a local church, and the speaker there was a missionary to Zambia.  He, his wife, and their many children live in the community there.  His work as a college Bible professor is their primary focus, but I was moved even more by the work of his wife and children, behind the scenes.  In an effort to reach the women on the area, she has been teaching them to decorate cakes in the western style, and sell them to locals with "money".  She also wanted to start a Bible study with the women, but every time she invited them over, some financial issue would get in the way.  So she had the idea to let them use the time at her house to make things that she would buy from them to raise money for their families.  While they are creating, she has a chance to share biblical truth with them through listening to their daily struggles.  (We call it girl talk.)

This is the bag I bought from him at the meeting.  It is crocheted entirely out of plastic grocery bags!  I've seen plenty of recycled bags, but none that looked this good.  Not only are they helping these women provide for their families, but they are reclaiming the environment, as well.  I hope there is a way that I can continue to support this family and their work in Zambia.  They said that a friend of theirs has offered to ship over 100 bags per quarter to help their cause.  Maybe I can find out a little more about that, and get some to offer here on the blog.  I'd like this great program to reach as far as possible.  (The bags are $20 each, which is a fair price while generating a decent amount of money for the maker.)