Keeping On

Last week, in shock over the devastation in Haiti, I decided to donate 100% of the proceeds from my Etsy shop to the nonprofit Partners in Health. I am happy to say that to date, sales in the shop have raised $194.28.

I was uncertain how much to post last week (and still am), but do want to say that after teaching in a wonderful Haitian community in Massachusetts for several years, this is a cause very near and dear to my heart. I taught writing, and many of my students would compose powerful memoirs about the violence and despair in Haiti. This was before the quake. I can't even imagine what their families are experiencing now. Like many of you, I desperately want to do something, anything, and since I am on maternity leave (our daughter was born in early December), reaching out through the craft community was simply the best way for me to be involved at this time.

I want to thank those who have already purchased from the shop, and also remind all of you that I will continue to donate proceeds until I run out of items. I will also be participating in a silent auction on the Indie Fixx site and plan to donate some items to Craft Hope.

We are all sending hope, in one form or another.

For Haiti

I was so sad to hear the news of the devastation in Haiti yesterday. In an effort to try to do something, I am having a fundraiser through my Etsy shop.

All proceeds, from now until the stock in my shop runs out, will be donated to humanitarian aid in Haiti. Monies will be donated through Boston-based non-profit Partners in Health, founded by Dr. Paul Farmer, which you can read more about here.

Holiday Cards Back in the Shop!

It's that time of year and holiday cards are back in the shop! There are only two sets of the reindeer design left, and only one chocolate "Frost" design available. Get them here before they're gone!

Updates, Personal and Otherwise

Hello, dears. I know I've been quiet the past few months! Thanks for being patient. The pregnancy is progressing beautifully and I can't believe I'm in the home stretch of the last trimester. For those of you that were following my baby blog, I made it private simply because I could not keep up with it! Everything is fine, really.

For those of you following the Etsy shop, I'll have a few updates before the holidays--- mostly buttons and magnets, which make great little stocking stuffers. I'm hoping to save up a bit for maternity leave before I put the shop in vacation mode for, well, as long as I need to! Billy has been sweet enough to help me with the button press and is even interested in learning how to Gocco if we get around to it. I'm a lucky girl to have a husband willing to get crafty with me (he also gets a little thrill each time a button set he made sells. Tee hee!).

In the meantime, here are two new sets for those who love the East Coast:

You can buy them here.

Busy Again

After I got pregnant this spring I was so exhausted from the first trimester that I didn't really make any new items for the shop. Then I found out that I had some restrictions on pushing/pulling motions (which are big with both the Gocco and the button press) in addition to already being a little wary of the chemicals that might be involved in Gocco'ing.

Enter my wonderful husband, who is willing to learn how to use both and do the push/pull motions while I nag. I'll be slowly updating the shop with new buttons and magnets (like the Woodland magnets above), and we also have plans to do some Gocco holiday cards together soon.

After the baby . . . finally the letterpress! (Ha. I think I'll have time to re-learn letterpress.)

I'm a very lucky girl.