hope (and so much more) for haiti...

...since the earthquake devestated haiti a week ago, my mind has been filled with thoughts of what is happening there. the struggles, the heartache, the recovery efforts, and so much more. such a tragedgy certainly puts into perspective just how trivial much of our daily "struggles" are, and i've found myself thinking so many times just how insignificant what i'm thinking of/worried about/bothered by is in comparison to the haitian people.

there are so many ways to help. so many different charities to donate through - even if it's just $5 or $10. the red cross, unicef, and doctors without borders are just a few. another, which we donated through, is mercycorps. paul farmer's organization, Partners in Health, which i read about in his book mountains beyond mountains is also doing amazing work for the haitian people.

the women behind crafthope started a crafthope for haiti shop on etsy. and i donated a few items - nothing big that would bring in a large amount of money for the effort (although when they last posted, they had raised close to $10,000.00 - amazing!). just a few bibs, and some burp cloth sets. but it felt so good to help in a tangible way - the physical act of doing something that might help. i was reminded of the caps-to-cap-haitian project from a while back. i was thrilled when i got an email saying that one set of burp cloths sold, and am hoping another donation sells soon.

update: it looks like all three items have sold! so thrilled, and even more motivated to do more crafting for the shop when it reopens





the shop is closed for a few weeks to let the organizers regroup, and then will reopen for donations. i'm thinking about another donation - perhaps some black apple dolls, a child's apron, or a small quilt. in the meantime, the current crafthope project is going on, and while i'm not much of a knitter (i'm slow, and have recently come to realize perhaps knitting isn't one of my crafts of choice), i'm giving it a go.

i love the concept of craftivism. one of my goals is to find additional ways to incorporate volunteering into my life, and my families, particularly as my children grow and gain an understanding of the world around them.

"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has."
Margaret Mead

Caps to Cap-Haitien...

(a catch-up post)

...a Mama To Mama project, organized by the ever-inspiring Amanda. when i read about this project, and the idea of Mama To Mama, i was thrilled, and couldn't wait to get started.

i salvaged a few tees that were in the Goodwill donation box, and then made a stop at a local thrift store on their 1/2 price day, which helped me gather together a few more shirts (almost all of which i paid 50 cents for).










the project moved right along - i didn't commit a large amount of time to this on a particular day, but rather did some cutting, pinning, and sewing whenever i had a few spare minutes - the nature of the project worked really well for quick crafting whenever there was time.










over the course of a week, i ended up with enough shirt material to make a total of 32 hats. it felt so good to package them up, and mail them out to Amanda... i think i smiled the whole time i waited in line at the post office.













what i loved most about this project was that while making the hats, i found my mind occupied with what life is like for mother's in third-world countries. the focus they must have on making sure their children have the most basic of necessities - food, shelter, safety. such a contrast to what seems to be the focus of many parents in America, and other first-world countries. yet the common thread between those that have much, and those that have little is that we all want the same basic things for our children.

there are lots of other craftivism links on the Mama to Mama site. when making a recent donation at the thrift store, i picked up a few pillow cases, and am hoping to start on some Little Dresses For Africa soon. and of course i can't wait for the next Mama to Mama project.