Author: Betsy

Koala Break.

| Betsy

So it is a little known fact that I adore koalas. Wombats, wallabies, and kangaroos are all tied for second place. While clearly I should have been born in Australia, I thought that I would take a small break from crafty stuff and post about… koalas.

In recent discussions, I told Faythe (who’s going to Australia) and Rayna (who lives in Australia) that I really want to pet a koala. Not once, but twice these words have sprung from my mouth. I do believe I told Faythe she should pet one so I can live vicariously through her, and actually asked Rayna, like an 8 year old, if koalas were soft. Although I can only surmise they are soft from them, Rayna most awesomely sent me these photos from Australia.

Yes, that is a koala drinking from a water bottle. And that is a koala in a tub. The bushfires are hurting lots of wildlife are they blow through, as these photos attest. Both of those photos have only confirmed that I need to go to Australia as soon as possible. They also are a reminder that animals are innocent (and apparently thirsty) victims of these disasters too.

In looking at the US and the UK press, there seems to be little coverage of what’s going on, so you might want to check out The Age for more local Melbourne news and what’s actually happening. I have my fingers crossed for those down under, and wishing lots of rain and little wind. And godspeed, little koalas. And for all the wombats, wallabies, kangaroos and everyone else near Melbourne, please take care.

P.S. In more koala news, you can read about the progress of Sam, the koala rescued by a volunteer firefighter here. Although she’ll need several months to heal, she now has found a boyfriend to cuddle with (no, really) in fellow rescued koala, Bob.

Lucky.

| Betsy

After just getting home from a basketball game watching people cheer and smile and wave pom-poms, I’m mega-annoyed that my cat, Bobbin, is seemingly doing everything in her power to cause mass destruction of the house. I’m wishing that she could tell me what was wrong and that the hyper effects of the largest and most expensive Diet Coke would go away so I could sleep. I’m not comforted by the facts that I have “Jump Around” by House of Pain in my head after a particularly slow half-time show involving musical chairs and came home with my own souvenir cup.

I am, however, comforted by the fact that the craft community has come together again to help the victims of the current brushfires in Australia, with the fatality count right now at 173 and climbing. Thanks to a tip from Rayna, I learned that there are an increasing number of items on sale over at Etsy with proceeds going to benefit bushfire victims.

It’s hard to go to sleep some nights, even without the added kick of caffeine, thinking that we are all caught somewhere in that balance between beautiful and horrible…and that the only thing I have to worry about tonight is if my cat will wake me up. I’m not faced with war or genocide or hunger or drought or domestic violence or homelessness or any of the long laundry list of things that could be wrong. There are those that I love and those that my loved ones love who are affected by some of those things, but hopefully, tonight will be quiet in our little world.

If I’m lucky, I’ll wake up to coffee brewing and a sleepy cat by my side, warmed by my duvet and the sun coming in the window. Then I’ll get up and turn on the news and see that the bushfire destruction has worsened while I was asleep and that troops somewhere far and most likely sandy have been killed and more children than I can count have died due to hunger or thirst. And then I’ll roll up my shirtsleeves and work and do a few tiny things that will hopefully benefit someone’s day. And I’ll hope that each thing I do, no matter how tiny, will cause good. Then I’ll go back to sleep and wake up to coffee and the cat and the news and more work and more tiny good things, if I’m lucky.

And I’ll be humbled and honored and energized by the fact that all over the world, there are people making things and doing things to make the days and nights better for the unlucky. It will make me continue to move forward with hope and love despite the news and the bad days. With the crafters, the artists, the volunteers, the teachers, the dreamers, the soldiers I keep doing the tiny things and fighting in the hope that I can make someone else’s day lucky, too.

Sew Giving, Sew Easy.

| Betsy

I heard about this lovely sewing bee project from Diane Gilleland, and think it is really worth sharing.

From now until February 29th, Barakah Life will be collecting blankets (either handmade of store-bought if you’re pressed for time) for Project Night Night, an organization that gives homeless children their own tote bag with their own blanket, storybook and stuffed animal. This is the first time I’ve ever heard of this project, and to be honest, it brings tears to my eyes because all of us, especially the littlest ones, deserve good and safe nights of sleep.

From the Project Night Night website:

There are approximately 298,000 homeless families in the United States. Currently, there are more homeless children in the U.S. than at any other time since the Great Depression. Nonetheless, family homelessness often goes unseen as most homeless families do not live on the street. Instead, most homeless families are transient, living in shelters, in cars, in hotels in the city’s poorest neighborhoods, or staying with friends or family members. These environmental stresses negatively influence a child’s early experiences and often lead to an increase in mental health problems such as anxiety, depression, poor sleep habits, and behavioral issues.

To ease the anxiety associated with shelter living, Project Night Night distributes Night Night Packages to homeless children ages 0-10. Each Night Night Package includes an age-appropriate book, a baby blanket which can be cuddled, and a stuffed animal which can become a cherished friend. Finding comfort is vitally important for children in order to feel secure, loved, and valued – even in the midst of the upheaval and uncertainty attendant to homelessness.

Keeping it Local.

| Betsy

While I’ve lived all over the place, and sometimes can’t even remember my own address, since the beginning of 2006 I’ve lived in Carrboro, North Carolina. It’s a teeny tiny mill town adjacent to Chapel Hill, home of the University of North Carolina.

While I tend to have a love/hate relationship with the tinyness, the dial tends to point to “love” most of the time. What other tiny town do you know that has a free bus system, two free newspapers and its own song? It’s the kind of town that my co-worker used to say “where everyone rides bicycles with smiles on their faces and eats granola.” And, well, he’s not too far off.

The photo above is when I was waiting for my segment to come up on “The State of Things” at the WUNC studios in nearby Durham. The other day I had the opportunity to be on Carrboro Bookbeat, which is broadcast on WCOM, the local community radio station! I had loads of fun, and the interview can be downloaded and listened to here. Thanks so much to Audrey and Paul for inviting me on the show, I had a great time!

Another upcoming local event is “Make a Blanket Day” with the local Project Linus chapter on Sunday, February 22! Project Linus is an organization that collects blankets for children in need, so they can have something comforting and familiar when times get rough. It will be held at the IMAX theater on Hargett Street in Raleigh from 12-5pm.

And if you still want even more localness, check out IndieNC.com’s blog, started by Michelle Smith!

Repost From Etsy.com. (Valentine’s Day Edition)

| Betsy

In case you have nothing to do today but make Valentine’s Day cards, then have I got a job for you! 

This a last-minute call to action to help Etsy.com reach 18,000 Valentine’s Day cards. The deadline is February 2nd, but that doesn’t mean you don’t have today and tomorrow. And what better to start your weekend than by making some lovely cards for lovely people in need? 

They are accepting cards to be delivered along with Valentine’s Day meals delivered to homebound elderly New Yorkers. How great is that, to spread a little extra love around?! 

There are more details here, as I’ve cut out some of them that don’t pertain to last minute making.

The instructions, from Etsy.com’s blog:

There is too much love on Etsy for us to keep it to ourselves. So this year, we decided to share the love with a project we’re calling Special Delivery. This Valentine’s Day, we’re teaming up with Citymeals-on-Wheels to bring nutritious meals, handmade greeting cards and companionship to thousands of homebound elderly New Yorkers.

“Gee, that’s nice, but how do I get involved?”

Easy! We need your help to supply the cards. Citymeals-on-Wheels serves over 18,000 people, so we need as many as we can get. There are two ways to do this. The first is (you guessed it) to make your own card or send in a vintage card from your shop and fill it out with a nice message. Please craft as many valentines as you would like and send them to us. Before you send them, you can also post photos of your cards in our brand new Special Delivery flickr group.

“Ok, then what happens?”

Special Delivery! We will collect all the cards and bring them to Citymeals-on-Wheels, where each will be delivered along with a meal on Valentine’s Day. Several of the Etsy admin will be volunteering that day. We’ll be tromping around the city with hot meals and friendly conversation to brighten the day of local seniors.

“Is that all?”

No! Each Etsy member who sends a card (or cards) will be featured on a Special Delivery page that will be linked from a banner on the Etsy home page. When you send your cards, please include a separate note with your username and user ID number. It’s a win-win situation for everyone.

“Is there anything else?”

Yes! Here is a badge that you can download and put in your item listings or on blogs. This is a great way to help spread the word and help us reach our goal of 18,000 valentines. Here’s the embed code:

<a href=”http://www.etsy.com/storque/article/3268/”><img src=”http://www.etsy.com/storque/media/bunker/2009/01/SDBanner125x125.jpg”></a>

You can also help by donating to Citymeals-on-Wheels, or by volunteering or donating to your local organization.

Now stop asking questions, read the FAQ’s and get crafting! February 2 is closer than you think. Oh, and thank you very much for helping to spread the love. 

FAQ

1. How do I participate in Special Delivery?

Two ways. Either make or purchase a handmade Valentine’s Day greeting card (or several). Please mail them to:

Etsy
Attn: Adam Brown
325 Gold St.  Floor 6
Brooklyn, NY 11201

If you make the card(s), please be sure to include a note with your Etsy user name and ID number. If youbuy the cards, please ask the seller to include a note with your Etsy user name and ID number when they mail the package to the above address.

*To find your user ID number, go to your shop home page. The number is at the end of the web address. It will look like this: etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=123456. So, in this example it’s 123456.

2. When do the cards have to arrive at Etsy?

The deadline is Monday, February 2, 2009. This is important!

3. Are there any rules about what the cards should look like?

Yes. Please follow these guidelines, otherwise we can’t use your card(s):

  • No glitter! This creates food safety issues.
  • Please make your cards cheerful by using bright colors. You can decorate cards using paint, crayons, markers, pastels, collage or anything else you can think of.
  • Please avoid dark backgrounds and religious symbols.
  • Please write clearly and in large print, and avoid using the abbreviation “V-day”. Please say, “Valentine’s Day”.
  • You should not give out your address or suggest that the recipients write back to you. Initiating an ongoing correspondence is not appropriate.
  • Please make sure that the cards are appropriate for the intended audience. That is to say, pretend it’s for your elderly grandma, not your snarky, angst-ridden teenage brother.

4. How many cards should I send?

As many as you want!

5. Is this open only to Etsy sellers?

Nope. This is open to anyone who wants to help brighten someone’s day. You do have to be an Etsy member to be included on the Special Delivery page, though.

6. Can I send vintage cards?

Sure! The more, the merrier.

Vintage Valentine from Flickr.