Someone has kindly given us back our sunshine but sadly attached a horrid easterly wind to it. Bright but cold would be my best offering. I have, however, discovered the joy of having a studio that faces south because from about midday I can work in there with the door open. Really big bliss feeling.
Today was all about the Butterfly Tree as my little production line of tulle butterflies continues.
With Pete and the boys deep into bearings in home school I had a serious run at my day. The flutterby is weaving her little magic and the outcomes are quite pleasing. I managed a whole run of pin cushions made with butterfly fabric and all proceeds from these sales will also go the charity.
I had an email chat catch up with Jane who is the director of the charity. She has just returned from Zambia after an amazing trip where they moved so many things forward. I think the scale of the problems must make it easy to think that it is all so impossible. I think Jane and I have very similiar outlooks on this and understand that it is just so important to be moving in a forward direction. The hope is that our contributions to their funds will help that forward direction continue to deliver results that save and improve lives. Simplistic as my view is I still struggle to understand that, in the modern world, people are still dying from hunger and preventative diseases. This is my motivation to help and in time I hope to be able to do more. Education is at the heart of charities like the Butterfly Tree and if I know what I am doing with one thing in life this is it. Right now I have a commitment to my 3 children in home school but that won't last forever. Once they have fluttered away I hope to be able to help people like Jane in more immediate ways. For now though I will focus on raising much needed funds.
If you are reading this and feel you would like to help I would be so grateful. Right now we are looking for butterfly themed raffle prizes. Ideally the prize should be handmade but not necessarily by you! This is just because handmade means effort and I want this raffle to reflect the efforts we are all willing to put in to this project. I am, also, a massive supporter of handmade things. If you would like to contribute a raffle prize for our studio opening tea party on 27th April it would be very gratefully received. I would just need it a couple of days in advance. Message me and I can send you my address.
We are also looking for people to make the tulle butterflies. My very first effort landed across the room in a fit of complete frustration but I am now giving life to these little lovelies in a stress free zen like environment. I can send you the video link that shows you how to make them and you can get all the materials needed off ebay for pennies. We are always happy to receive them on Arran to peg to our trees for sale in the growing number of shops that have offered to sell them. But you might want to sell some to family and friends as well.
We haven't decided on a selling price yet but I did have a moment this morning when I looked at 5 sitting together in my work basket. If we sold them at £1.00 each that would equal the cost of a mosquito net and that could save a child's life. There I go again with my simple thinking but hopefully that captures the essence of how easy it is to start making a difference.
I am quite sure that you are all involved in lots of excellent charity work and maybe this 'ask' is one too many for you for which I apologise. I will keep everyone updated on our progress and I am now off to link the Butterfly Tree facebook page into my favourite sites on the menu on the right of this post. I will be posting updates on there as well. If you use facebook it would be fabulous if you could check out Jane's page and press the 'like' button. She is so good at updating us followers on the progress being made and this is such a vital element of any charity campaign.
On other matters I can feel my mug of tea and dunking biscuits twitching as I contemplate the second programme of the Sewing Bee tonight. How wonderful to have sewing taking centre stage. On a less happy note my kitten is enjoying her new found freedom outside so much that she brought me a little gift. Sadly it was a dead bird. She didn't kill it but she did just want to show it to me. She really can't belong to me. Shocking behaviour.
Until tomorrow. xx
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