Crafting for a Cure

As you know, we at Charity Wings love to highlight the incredible work that others are doing.  This quarter, we want to introduce you to Crafting for a Cure.

Crafting for a Cure is a Canadian-based agency (because our readers are global - yay!) who strives to make "scary" hospital visits for kids into a positive experience.  They focus a lot of their scope of work on crafting with kids.  Let's face it...many of us use art as therapeutic release, so it makes absolute sense that children, who are in the most creative phase of human life, would thrive and respond to this type of programming. 

Here's a little more from their website about what they do and how you can support.  Click on their logo above to visit their webpage!

Through product donations, we create and supply craft-kits that are currently used in Emergency rooms, clinic treatment rooms and operating waiting rooms. These craft-kits are used as a fun creative distraction to help pass the time. We also supply other crafts, toys, DVD's and teen appropriate gifts to the children in the hospital. We donate these to the hospitals to be used as an incentive program for the children, example - if the child needs to brush their teeth, walk, eat their food or just smile. 

Help Crafting for a Cure by sending supplies. Here is a list of what they may need: 

• Stickers - new in package please
• Boondoggle /  gimp
• Melting beads
• Wooden stuff to paint - frames
• Pillow cases
• Craft Kits
• Crayons
• Markers
• Colored Pencils

Cash Instead of Coffee UPDATE

CA$H Instead of Coffee

- By Rina Gonzales

Just over a week ago Elena posted on the Charity Wings Club T.L.C. Facebook Wall that she wanted to fundraiser for the tornado relief efforts.  I replied that we ought to have a “forgo your lattes” and ask for $10 donations with a specific target dollar goal.  Immediately Elena went into action to advertise a “Cash Instead of Coffee” Fundraiser (insert logo and link to page ) and within a few hours we were advertising and the donations were flooding in.

I am somewhat new to Charity Wings, but I am excited to be part of a group that is so “take charge” and seeks immediate results like the “Cash Instead of Coffee” Fundraiser.  Fundraisers such as this are great because of the immediacy, the news channel reports of devastation and apparent needs make you want to provide help if called upon (and I did just that by sending emails and asking colleagues to help with their $10 donations).  I am proud that within 7 days Charity Wings raised over $1,000 to send to AmeriCares – a relief effort that provides items such as bottled water, medical aid and other supplies to the tornado victims.  

         

I’m excited to see all the various ways that Charity Wings fundraises --- from this tornado fundraiser - to eBay Auctions where craft companies donate awesome new release products – to craft events and also membership in Club T.L.C.   There are tremendous opportunities to anyone wanting to get involved – and I’m so glad I did!!!  So Elena --- what’s next?  

Rina Gonzales is the Twitter Girl for Charity Wings and is a scrapbook fanatic.  Follow Rina’s crafty life on her Mothership Scrapbook Gal Blog or her Facebook Page and on Twitter at @CharityWings.

Cash Instead of Coffee Campaign

WE HAVE RAISED OVER $570!

Cash Instead

of Coffee

Campaign

Forgo that latte and donate to the victims of the 50 tornadoes that ripped through 10 states and affected 17 million Americans.

WE ARE FUNDRAISING TILL SUNDAY AT MIDNIGHT.

We need your help to reach our goal of $1000
click here to donate and learn more.

Excerpt from Elena's Letter in this week's newsletter:

"There is nothing more compelling to me than a person in need. So you know 17 million people being affected by 50 tornadoes that ripped through 10 states is going to get me motivated.

Just for a moment...

Imagine having your home turned to rubble in seconds, having a loved one carried away by massive winds, or being crushed by flying debris.

Some people don't have to imagine....

This is the reason that Charity Wings is not dedicated to one cause. We are dedicated to any cause that our community can help. We always try to put a call out to the generous crafters, scrapbookers, and artists that we reach whenever a disaster happens and this is definitely a disaster. Please help me reach a goal of $1000 to donate to Americares for ground relief efforts for the tornado victims. They are delivering, bottled water to shelters and homes that are without running water, securing donations of hundreds of doses of tetanus vaccine, preparing a shipment of respirator masks and much more needed relief."

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A MALE PERSPECTIVE ON CHA

My name is Paul and even though my time with Charity Wings has been short so far, it has definitely been an eye-opening experience. My journey with the Wings started when I photographed Wing Art for their website (which is still a work in progress…ahh hmmmm …Sarah :P) But I’ve recently joined the team as a Marketing Intern, which is really exciting! Afterphotographing the Wing Art, I could tell how passionate some of these crafters/artists are, but I still had NO IDEA what I was getting myself into.

But after I attended CHA 2012 in Anaheim, I really learned what Charity Wings is a part of. Being a guy in this female dominated world, it was interesting to see how the artists turned ordinary material into everyday art. Throughout the event, I saw some amazing pieces (and a lot of “what is that suppose to be” pieces…but shhhh, we don’t talk about such things :P) During the interviews, I realized how dedicated these people are to their craft. For example, one woman loves scrapbooking so much that she scrapbooks her vacations DURING her vacations. Even bringing her own portable photo printer. Now that’s what I call dedication because I could never do that…on account of my laziness lol.

One of the things that struck me most is how expensive some of products are. Honestly, when you get into scrapbooking or mixed media, its really seems like a life investment. But hey, art is an expression and a sort of mental release/relaxation. Sometimes it’s worth the splurge.

Although most of the products aren’t something I would personally invest in myself, they were definitely awesome to see in action. Like Copic pens, for instance, it was incredible how it could be a pen but also transform itself into a sort of spray paint.

Reminds me of the blow pens from my childhood…but not as cool.

Even the Ice Resin booth had so many interesting items to look at. Honestly, it seemed like they could put resin on anything and turn it into an art piece. One lady even took a dead moth and poured resin into it to make a necklace. Wearing dead insects isn’t my thing, but if its yours, hey, this is definitely a unique way to do it. LOL

At CHA, almost everything was a new experience for me, but it was a positive one nonetheless. Every volunteer at Charity Wings was so nice and inviting (maybe cause I was the only male volunteer :P). It really made the long workdays bearable. Now if I ever have a crafting emergency, I have a few people that I can call on HAHAH.

Volunteers Needed

From Elena:

Dear Charity Wings Volunteers,

Calling all local volunteers!!

We need to go through our storage unit!

U Store It
2220 Watson Way
Vista, CA 92083

This is a really big task and has to be done in one day. 

Friday March 2nd 10 am till 5pm. 

 If you can come for any part of this please email me.

elena@charitywings.org

You do not need to do heavy lifting.
Some of it is consolidating and organizing.

We will be selling lots of stuff for cheap,
and donating some as well.

Please come help if you can!

Thanks so much,

Elena

Charity Wings at CHA January 2012.

Once again, I volunteered to help Charity Wings at CHA. It really is a lot of fun. The best part of it all – the other Charity Wings volunteers. There is a lot of work involved in setting up a booth, helping the video productions run smoothly (and happen at all),

and participating in the activities that promote awareness - the make and takes with Westcott, the raffle of all the fabulous donated art we had at CHA’s member carnival party, and “manning” the booth.

Of course, the craft flash mob we participated in, She’s Crafty for Charity Wings, staged in the lobby at the opening of CHA was a highlight, maybe we could say “the highlight” of the convention. 

We, volunteers, did have meals and social events together too; so, it’s not all work.

 The camaraderie, whether it was work or play, and you can see it was often hard to tell the difference, was terrific! A huge thank you to all the volunteers and donors who help Charity Wings do the good work it does.

Our booth was tiny but amazing with beautiful wing garlands made from Spellbinders wing dies – truly, they are spectacular! 

The dies and the gorgeous Unity stamps at our “Fishing for Wings” raffle were very well- loved prizes. 

The wing art from all the wonderful supportive artists that Charity Wings displayed in the booth drew much interest. So many folk wanted the art pieces, and though we had to say no to those requests, we were so happy to direct the visitors to the artists’ websites.

The Charity Wings’ booth was in the middle of CHA, in a charming spot for us and all the other CHA sponsored charities. The carpet was designed as a roadway with a central green town square with benches, chairs and tables for folk to meet and rest - just like any village square. CHA really is a community and I think the message that it is a caring community was well expressed there.

It truly is fun to see the beautiful products the manufacturers bring to the show each time. As volunteers we do get some free time to explore and those who participated on-line got to experience in depth some of that discovery, too. This season was no exception to beauty and excitement. We hope that many of these products make it to your local stores for they are truly wonderful.

What trends did we see at CHA? It is hard to summarize since there is truly diversity and something to meet the needs of most crafters but a few things stood out.

A vintage antique theme, especially French inspired, was prominent. There was a fabric trend as well with hexagons, herringbones, chevrons and quilt patterns showing up in a number of collections and some manufacturers continue to make the fabric papers. Images that appeared frequently included: deer, VW Beetle cars, toadstools, clouds, and bicycles; while butterflies and music paper remained strong. Travel themes are popular ones in many collections.

Freestyle scrapbooking with alternatives to the standard 12 x 12 and 8.5 x 11 were everywhere, not that the standards were abandoned.  Mixed media books, folder scrapbooks, sketchbooks and smash journals are only some of the options. Shaped minis continue strong and so many of the companies had smaller paper pads. Alterable products were everywhere – not just paper but letters and metal embellishments, too. So many different textures, material (even tyvec), and colors for embellishments were apparent. Washi tape, colored twine and stencils of every sort were featured products. Of course we delighted in all the new versions of items like stamps and rub-ons. Clips, tabs, envelopes and transparencies of all sorts are being made and will contribute to inventive and interactive pages.

Manufacturers are making so many handy new tools – we love Westcott’s scissor mouse!

So many inventions and improvements on the tools and consumables (paint, glitter, mists etc.) that we know and love are now available. Being a crafter promises to be ever more enjoyable with all of these new and improved products.

Yes, CHA is an adventure and a good place to further the aims of Charity Wings, as it is a unique opportunity for crafters and artists to raise money and awareness for charity.  We were able to bring awareness to CHA members of Charity Wings as a resource for the craft community.

We had a lot of fun, too!

submitted by - Karen Poirier-Brode (Ladydoc)