Coming Up... Blogging for CP Awareness

On April 11 I will be participating in a blog hop for Cerebral Palsy Awareness - Blogging for LILA. 

If you are interested in sharing your blog space for this hop, check out Sarah Stevenson's blog!

This blog hop will last the whole month... so you pick a day that works for you!

Hope you will join!

Almost ready... Caps for Good

A few months ago we started knitting caps for the Save the Children organization. So far we have 11 baby hats to donate! Thanks to Rene' and Stacie, i will be sending these in very soon!

If you have any to donate, Please send them to:
SAVE THE CHILDREN
c/o The Doe Fund
173 Cook Street
Brooklyn, NY 11206

Knitting Caps for Babies in Need

ATTENTION ALL KNITTERS!

The SAVE THE CHILDREN 'CAPS FOR GOOD' organization is collecting knit hats/caps for babies in need around the world. (last year the program was under the name KNIT ONE SAVE ONE). Something as simple as a warm hat to a newborn can mean the difference between life and death. There is a ton of info, including patterns and guidelines, at www.goodgoes.org/caps. There you can also obtain an address for mailing these caps.
I am planning on sending a package of hats out in late January. I am happy to send yours in as well. If you live local to me (New Market, MD) please PM me and I will gladly send them in on your behalf.

So if you can spare some time and yarn this winter... won't you consider making & sending a hat to a baby in need?

Service Project Update

Well. You haven't seen much info on our Building Dreams service project that I started last year. Partly because selling thru the internet hasn't been very productive and we weren't able to collect enough items to sell to make the whole $3000 donation.
In the end we were only able to raise about 10% of the total goal amount for the Benevolent Housing Project in Haiti.
So in light of the recent disaster in Haiti, I have sent the $300 to the organization as every little bit will help with the relief efforts underway.
For more information on this organization, please check out:
http://www.doubleharvest.org/

THANK YOU again to all who donated your art for the building of homes in Haiti and to all who purchased items in support of this effort.

I will be thinking on ways to regroup the efforts and will definitely keep you all posted on future service/charity ideas.

TOTALS so far for BUILDING DREAMS

Ok. I finally got my numbers crunched and here we go:
As of MAY 5, 2009 we have raised: $194.67. Now that's a great start.
I know we are a ways away from our $3k goal, but we are just going to chug along and see how far we can get. At the end of the year, we will send Double Harvest all that we have raised.
I am working hard on getting several pieces ready for sale also for this. Knitted items and felted items.
These rings and trinkets are hand felted and beaded. I just love the feel. They have such a vintage feel. I may make a little collection packed in a decorated tin... After several weeks of non-stop work on greeting cards, I'm excited to have this time to take a small break play with my non paper supplies!
Well, thank you to all who purchased and donated to Building Dreams. Let's keep it going!

A new ATC in the mail!

Look what my friend Diane sent me in the mail today! An ATC and a very sweet atc easel! That was just so nice! THANK YOU DIANE! I love the card. It is displayed now in my room...
I have the final numbers for the Building Dreams almost ready to post. We are still a ways away, but we are making plans for other fundraising as well. Bake sales, and coffee/bagels for some non-craft ways to raise money. Ideas are pouring in...
A special thank you to Madison Spencer. Maddie made cute pictures for sale and donated to the Building Dreams fund. She is in 1st grade and seems to have already inherited her mother's generous heart. Thanks Maddie.
I'll be back soon with updates and new pics!
See ya!

April ATCs are postal!

Well here was another slightly late month on the atcs. But we really wanted to wait for all the players. and it was worth it!
We had great cards this month. Theme was: ANYTHING GOES!
Here's the pic:Thanks to all who swapped. Next month: WINGS. 5 total and you get 5 back. Join in here! All swappers welcome! If there are more than 5 players, that's fine!

WE ARE NOW SIGNING UP FOR MAY, JUNE and JULY. July needs a theme! Please make your suggestions here!!!

Also... THANK YOU to FINRA for welcoming me in their CRAFT FAIR benefitting the HOUSE OF RUTH in DC. I met so many wonderful people. everyone was so kind and open. I really appreciated all the help and the ease of the whole process. I had a lot of fun and I can't wait to do it all again next year!
A special thank you to those who purchased for Building Dreams and donated. I will be updating soon. Of note: Courtney's Collage piece was sold as was a one of Stacie's necklaces. A generous donation by Heidi Kessler of Blossom Bug. I will take pics next week and post her info soon! (for now: her website is www.blossombug.com). THANK YOU!!!!

Well... I need some sleep... but I will be back in etsy very soon as well as updating all info!
Have a great night and see you soon!
-Allison

Graduations... already?!?!

I can't believe how fast time is flying! Everyday the hours disappear and before I know it I'm fixing dinners and putting kids to bed... and then I look at the calendar and see that months have actually vanished!
I was shocked when I was asked about Graduation cards... OMG! (really , that's the only term that works here!). So in addition to my last minute mom's day cards I started on Graduation!
Here's one I made this am. Usually i stick with really formal looking, clean line designs. Lots of blacks, and neutrals.
This card is a little bit out of my box. But I really like the layers and the color combo.
A little change in subject:
Thank you to Stacie for the generous donation to Building Dreams from her Spring Show. I was there and it was so relaxing and fun. And a special THANKS to her for partnering up with me on this charity venture. She really keeps me motivated when I get discouraged and feel like I am over committed... together I feel like we are a stronger force and I am so thankful to have a friend who wholeheartedly supports my ideas!
Also... I received, in person, Courtney P's Collage piece. WOW! I thought her photo was amazing, but in person, it is no match! I am in love with the textures, colors and detail. I will be displaying this piece at the FINRA show next week... but I am tempted to buy it myself!!!!

well. It's a scorching 95 degrees outside today and the girls have me committed to a fishing outing at the lake. So after lunch we may brave it... we'll have to find a shady spot!
I'll be crazy making cards until Tuesday! How's your week looking?!?

FIRST Building Dreams Sale!!! YEA!

I am so excited ~ I have sold my first item - BABY BOOTIES hand knit with lots of love - for the service project I am doing this year! Building Dreams is a store where everything sold thru it is donated 100% to the DOUBLE HARVEST Benevolent Housing Project - Building a house for a widow or single mother who desperately needs it in Haiti!
YEA!!!! Thank you and I will definitely update as more sales and info comes around!
and thank you Stacie Jewelry (www.staciejewelry.etsy.com) for the "shout out" & the 20% sales donation to building dreams from your upcoming Studio show!!!

DOUBLE HARVEST donation by LUNACHIC ART

Thank you Hillary Banachowski for your generous donation to the BUILDING DREAMS service project!
Hillary is a local New Market, MD mixed media artist. She uses just about anything you can think of!
For this service project, she has donated a wonderful Mosaic Wall Hanging - ILLUMINATIONS. She uses tons of colored glass and mirrors to form this beautiful piece. A final metal star is the finishing piece. It is mounted on a wood board and is complete with an attached cord on screws for hanging! Ready to display! Approx 11.5"x9".
You can view and purchase this and other art pieces at www.buildingdreams.etsy.com today!

You can view Hillary's full profile/bio here!
Hillary's contact info: Lunachic Art

email: lunachicart727@comcast.net

website: http://lunachicart.shutterfly.com

THANK YOU HILLARY for helping to make one woman's dream come true!

DOUBLE HARVEST donation by Whitney Bingham (the MUSE)

Thank you to Whitney Bingham for her donation to the Building Dreams charity store.
Whitney is the owner of a fabulous store right here in Frederick, MD! She is gracious enough to carry my greeting cards (and occasionally other items)!
You can view her profile here! Her store website is www.shopthemuse.com. If you are local to Frederick, MD... you should definitely stop in and say "hi"! You will instantly fall in love with Whitney and her store!!!

Whitney has donated a HANDMADE MAKEUP BAG (complete from several paint layer steps on fabric canvas to the final assembly!)
This item will list for $24 and will be available on the www.buildingdreams.etsy.com charity store in just a few minutes! 100% of the profit will go directly to Doubleharvest.org's Benevolent Housing Project!

Thank you Whitney for helping to build someone's dream!

ATCs for FEB

I dropped of my Scrapbook Store swap atcs yesterday. The theme was love/Hearts. The same as my swap.
Here are my cards for the store swap:
I had a lot of fun making the cracked glass! So much that I used the same technique for my own swap... but with birds.
Here are the entries for MY swap. They were more assorted. Many people made all different ones. I made two sets of 4 instead of 8 of the same.This month was so much fun! Thank you to all who swapped this month!
Next month: Theme is sports. If you don't have anything sporty... go with St. Patty's!
Right now sign ups are still open. Once I get a final head count I will send out notice on how many. I always start with 8... but some months have been less.
SIGN UP by commenting below, or email me! allison@stampinwithallison.com

Coming up... a new addition to Double Harvest (Building Dreams). Check out my next posting for more info!

Double Harvest donation by COURTNEY PRAHL

Thank you Courtney for your generous donation to the BUILDING DREAMS - DOUBLE HARVEST service project!
(you can view this at www.buildingdreams.etsy.com).

Courtney Prahl is a Mixed Media artist here in Maryland.
you can view her full profile HERE.
She sells on etsy: www.courtneyp.etsy.com
She also has a personal blog at :http://www.courtneyp-findinghome.blogspot.com/

Courtney has donated a 8x10 original collage in canvas. This item will be available at buildingdreams.etsy.com right away! We are selling this art for $55.
100% of the profit will be donated to www.doubleharvest.org.

Double Harvest donation by STACIE SPENCER

Thank you STACIE SPENCER for donating two pendent necklaces to the service project - Building Dreams.
Stacie is a good friend of mine and she is so generous to donate these handmade sterling silver necklaces! 100% of the profit from these two pieces will go toward the www.doubleharvest.org service project.

You can view Stacie's full profile here.
You can view all her sales items on www.staciejewelry.etsy.com.

THANK YOU Stacie!

DOUBLE HARVEST - Year Long Service Project

I am SO Excited to finally be up and running! (ok this one is long...)

When the New Year came around I was thinking about my resolutions for the year. Of course my list has the usual - exercise more, save money, spend tons of time with my girls, be a better wife...
And the big one...
Change someone's life.

I did a lot of research...
Many of you know me and my family. My father and mother are missionaries and are very deeply rooted in agriculture/farming. For several years my parents lived in Northern China and helping defected North Koreans and poor Chinese Koreans in the region. By teaching them how to farm the land and make food... they were sharing the love of God. They changed these lives first hand.
I admire them so much. I respect their love for God and people.

So what can I do? I have discovered a wonderful organization. Much like my parents' service. Located in Haiti... There is a group called DOUBLE HARVEST (www.doubleharvest.org). They have a similar vision... Double Harvest is a Christian ministry that desires to magnify Christ by ministering to the spiritual and physical needs of people in developing countries.
A service they provide:
BENEVOLENT HOUSING PROJECT. Sowing Seeds of Life.

By some estimates, over half of the Haitian population lives on less than $2.00 a day. In the villages surrounding Operation Double Harvest live some of the poorest of the poor. Many of them are destitute widows or single mothers attempting to raise children in homes we would consider shacks. The weathered tin or straw roof leaks, the dirt floors are unsanitary, the wood walls are termite infested, leaning or crumbling, and rodents are ever present.

The Benevolent Housing Project seeks to build and provide new homes for the very poor, particularly those widows and single mothers who have little to no income nor help from family members. For them, the hope of better living conditions in their lifetime isn’t even a dream.

• Recipients of a new home are carefully chosen together with local leaders.
• The buildings, approximately 25’ x 25’, are built with locally obtainable materials, primarily block and rebar, with a sturdy door and barred windows for protection and inside partitions for privacy. The structure of a home has changed from the original attempt with the EcoShell concept, and later to a related hip-roofed concept, to a more traditional and culturally acceptable design.
• The result is a clean, dry, cool, painted, rodent and termite proof, low maintenance, and safe home for their family, one that will also withstand the hurricanes of the Caribbean.
• Haitian crews are trained and paid to construct the homes.
• The cost of building a home - $3000!
• You could make a tangible difference in the life of some needy family. You could change the future of someone who is indeed desperately poor.

So here's what I want to do. I have set up a ETSY store - www.buildingdreams.etsy.com. In addition to many of my own handmade items, I am asking friends and fellow artists to donate items for sale on this site. 100% of all profit from these sales will be donated... hopefully making our goal of $3000.

artists bios and sale sites/profiles (if you have one) will be featured on the listing.

I know I can't do this alone. If you feel that you can help out in this year long service project (either by making a handmade art donation or purchasing some of these wonderful pieces), I would be forever grateful. Please contact me anytime at allison@stampinwithallison.com or comment below and i WILL get back to you!

Let's get started... You can go directly to the etsy site... or check out the right menu area dedicated to this site.
I'm excited to feature my first donations. From my very good friend and business partner, STACIE SPENCER. She has donated 2 beautiful handmade necklaces. So when you get a chance - check it out!