For a good cause: Door snake making workshop

Sunday April 10th
12pm onwards
Cate' s house in Brunswick (email me for address)

I'm organising a Green Renting expo for people living in social housing and rooming houses in conjunction with a housing organisation to be held in May. We're hoping for a fairly decent turn out, and would like to offer all attendees with their very own doorsnake for draft proofing their room.

As most shop sold door snakes are mass produced overseas in sweat shops I'd like to make my own instead. So this means making about 100 Door Snakes. They're pretty easy to make. I have two sewing machines but feel free to bring your own. Donations of fabric thread and wadding/cut up scraps are also welcome. (Some makers use wheat or sawdust but this is not an option due to the risk of pests and bugs).

So if you can't sew, it could be an opportunity to learn or you are welcome to do cutting, turning fabric right side out, ironing etc. All useful tasks!

I'll put on some snacks etc but feel free to bring something. You're welcome to bring people who would like to help but we don't have *heaps* of space so might have to spread out a bit. It won 't be too sweatshop like, there'll be wine and chocolate and music and tea and all the good things! A great chance to hang out with crafty people and chat too :)

Feel free to give me an email cate@greenrenters.org or 0433584889
Many thanks
Cate

Ain't to Proud to Beg

A lot of you probably know that besides my craft endeavours, I co-manage Green Renters
Chris and I started Green Renters a few years ago as we were tired of visiting 'Green' expos and events and finding ourselves left out of the loop by environmental groups and those who provide environmental resources due to our housing status.

So we thought we'd start a website looking at what those of us who rent can do to live more sustainably. Ok, we with a shortage of rental properties in most urban areas, we don't have the luxury of choosing a 6 star rated rental. We have to take what we can get. And since we're dealing with indifferent landlords and real estate agents, we aren't in the position to install solar hot water or a rain water tank.

But there are heaps of things we can do, in how we kit out our home and how we live our lives. What we choose to buy and how we spend out time. So we started the website. We've been doing a few workshops here and there. We've started to get some momentum. So we quit our jobs and have been working on Green Renters (unpaid) for the last six months. We're getting a board together and will get incorporated. We're working on a membership structure. We're building a brand spanking new website with a shop.We're doing a project for people living in rooming houses.

To do all this we need a bigger better website with a reliable, speedier webhost and specific computer for the use of our volunteers to help write articles and newsletters, develop workshops and assist in the day to day running of our not for profit. . We believe we have something important to offer which is relevant to many people but we need some help getting to the next stage. Can you help?

Things I like today

I love this pic of Jeanne Moreau and Henri Serre riding bicycles. Sadly, Australian photos with our compulsory helmets never look as carefree!

Something about this picture really appeals to me...from here


What a stunning entrance of books!


Cute robot cake via Swiss Miss


Apricot jam made by me! We're having a garage sale fundraiser here to raise money for the RSPCA in Queensland. Lots of books, cds, clothing, magazines and of course, apricot jam! We'd love you to come along on Saturday if you're in Melbourne. You can find out more by going here

Support a Fantastic Cause

Softies for Mirabel is on again! It's an annual appeal organised by Meet Me At Mikes to benefit the kids supported by The Mirabel Foundation. The toys are gifted to the Mirabel kids as part of The Mirabel Foundation's Toy Drive. I made these ones a while ago :)

Admiration for others...

It's probably obvious that I greatly admire that talents of many creative people.

But that admiration extends beyond people's creative abilities. I've been following the work of Cate Bolt for some time and her Project 18 and wanted to share a bit about what she is aiming to achieve in Indonesia.

Briefly, Cate is aiming to build an orphanage and wildlife refuge in Indonesia. Here's some of the amazing goals she and her team are developing (I'm quoting from her website):

Our program has three different levels:

Orphange/Village – The plan is to establish an orphanage on the island of Sumatra in Indonesia. When complete the village will consist of 18 x 3 bedroom homes, each housing up to 8 children and a house mother. The system is based on effective plans in Africa, where the children are raised in a loving family environment, rather than in huge dormitories with 40+ children to a room. An investigation into the conditions in Indonesian orphanages in 2007 showed that most “childcare institutions” in Indo did not consider the emotional wellbeing of the children to be the responsibility of the institution. The first stage of the orphanage will consist of 4 cabins, increasing to 10 and then 18 over 5 years. The village will also include a school, community centre including a medical centre, and a staff residence. The orphanage will be built using sustainable methods using the principals of solar passive design. The entire village will also be solar powered with rain water collection. We hope to be able to employ local people for the construction and offer long term employment to some of those men for building maintenance and village expansion over the coming years. It is our hope that we will be able to place the first children at the village in early 2011.

Outreach Program – Given the number of children who end up in these institutions due to their families desperation for them to have a better life, we plan to run an outreach program which means approaching smaller villages with less prospects, liaising with the community and through consultation with their local authorities building them a school, we would then provide schooling for the village children, and one meal per day. We believe this would eradicate the need for the families in these villages to abandon their children, and lessen the burden on the already overflowing orphanages. We would also be able to offer medical assistance to those in need through the orphanage medical centre.

Wildlife Refuge & Reforestation program – I’m sure you’re aware of the dire situation in Indonesia at this given time due to the deforestation of the native habit for the local wildlife. This has seen the rapid decline in species such as the Sumatran Tiger and the Orang-utan over recent years. Our program intends to include a conservation program, whereby each child who schools with us will have wildlife conservation as a key learning outcome, and the children will be able to participate in a refuge program for displaced animals. We hope that by getting these children up-close and personal with this amazing wildlife, and instilling an understanding or the importance of wildlife conservation they will be more inclined to carry that with them into their future lives. In the short term, we would envisage providing refuge primarly for orphaned & injured orang-utans, possibly extending to include other animals in future. Eventually we would like to be able to buy up some of the land which has been destroyed by palm oil plantations, and commence a reforestation program to expand the corridors of native habitat that are remaining.

We will be negotiating with existing programs to offer a support role to them using our land and resources, as this is not our area of expertise and we will need direction from those established.

Find out more here about how you can contribute time, skills, money, materials to support such an exciting initiative!

Crafty searching....

I try and use recycled goods in my crafting where ever I can and wherever practical. Unfortunately this can mean spending a lot of time searching for goods instead of crafting, scouring charity shops in particular at lunchtimes and on weekends.

Things I am always on the look out for:

Coloured cassettes

Pic by the bottomless pool


Old Street Directories


Colourful china cups and saucers

pic from here

Old Tapestries (unframed)

Plain china teapots

Cork backed coasters

Do you have things you are always looking for? Perhaps we can keep an eye out and look for each other?

Buy some cool art for an important cause

You can find out more about Aislinn and her history with cancer at her blog:
theyoungandthebreastless.com.au

Scroll through the images for a selection of artworks for auction, there will be many more available on the night. Over 80 artists have generously donated their art and this website features just some of the work. We are taking bids on these works until midnight Monday, 5 October 2009. The highest online bid for each work will be the reserve price at the silent auction on Tuesday, 6 October 2009

30 Things About My Invisible Illness You May Not Know

1. The illness I live with is: bipolar1, bulimia nervosa, COE

2. I was diagnosed with it in the year:1998

3. But I had symptoms since:1992-4 from memory

4. The biggest adjustment I’ve had to make is: learning to manage my moods in a way that i am able to do things that i want to, determining what normal functional eating is.

5. Most people assume: that people with bipolar spend alot of time in hospital, are non-compliant, are unable to work full time or study. Most people assume people with bulimia are under psychiatric care when it is actually extremely difficult to access, regardless of insurance. I've pretty much tried all treatment that is available...clinics, group therapy, meds, OA etc etc. Stats on the success of treatments are generally pretty woeful actually.

6. The hardest part about mornings are: Getting up as I often sleep poorly due to early waking syndrome.

7. My favorite medical TV show is: Doc Martin

8. A gadget I couldn’t live without is: ventolin inhaler actually

9. The hardest part about nights are: restless leg syndrome, early waking insomnia

10. Each day I take 6 pills & vitamins.

11. Regarding alternative treatments I'm a big fan yet i get aliented by those who are anti-psychiatry and at people who assume bipolar can be treated without medication. I currently see a hypnotherapist for help with my eating (which is no where near as severe as it was in its hey day I hasten to add). I also find exercise helpful.

12. If I had to choose between an invisible illness or visible I would choose: not sure really, maybe something more visible would make me feel less guilty. Bulimia is very much an invisible illness, until I visit the dentist that is :).

13. Regarding working and career: both are extremely important to my wellness.

14. People would be surprised to know: I still am unable to predict the onset of depression despite my best efforts! Lots of fat people have eating disorders, it's not simply a case of eating the wrong foods all the time. I've met many women in their 60's who still have eating disorders, sadly.

15. The hardest thing to accept about my new reality has been: Letting people down when I am unable to commit to plans I have made in the past. Letting myself down.

16. Something I never thought I could do with my illness that I did was: work as a volunteer feminist phone counsellor, it was a huge part of my recovery.

17. The commercials about my illness: I haven't seen any actually.

18. Something I really miss doing since I was diagnosed is: I miss having a reliable sex drive actually.

19. It was really hard to have to give up: the rush of manic highs, being thin....I have an underactive thyroid due to medication side effects.

20. A new hobby I have taken up since my diagnosis is: crafting! Now I have my own small business Polka Dot Rabbit

21. If I could have one day of feeling normal again I would: I think I feel relatively normal, whatever that us.

22. My illness has taught me: we can choose to live our lives the best way we can, despite mental illness. My twin committed suicide due to mental illness and it's taught me that all we can do is find the joy or purpose we can with each day. Focusing on helping others, volunteering etc are always great recovery tools.

23. Want to know a secret? One thing people say that gets under my skin is: But you do so much!

24. But I love it when people: encourage me to socialise.

25. My favorite motto, scripture, quote that gets me through tough times is: not sure but I find Kay Jamieson Redfield inspiring.

26. When someone is diagnosed I’d like to tell them: You can learn so much to make things easier.

27. Something that has surprised me about living with an illness is: Just the ways the illness have changed over time. I am now much less manic but still susceptible to severe depression. I still struggle with bulimia/ED despite many treatment programs. I'm also surprised at the lack of materials for partners of those with eating disorders, it all targets parentals.

28. The nicest thing someone did for me when I wasn’t feeling well was: my husband makes me laugh which is lovely.

29. I’m involved with Invisible Illness Week because: we exist and live meaningful lives

30. The fact that you read this list makes me feel: incredibly vulnerable as though I will be constantly seen through an ED/psychiatric lens.

Find out more about National Invisible Chronic Illness Awareness Week and the 5-day free virtual conference with 20 speakers Sept 14-18, 2009 at www.invisibleillness.com

Lamingtons are Lovely!

pic by Thinking Chair

I work in education as a 'day job' and I've just got back to the office after giving out lamingtons to some very appreciative students :). A fun part of my job for sure!

Lamingtons are actually really easy to make. You might want to give this recipe a try. Speaking of recipes, have you ordered a copy of Homemade: TheHandmade Help recipe book yet?

The Handmade Help Recipe Book evolved as part of handmadehelpsout.blogspot.com by a group of crafters and artists who wanted to contribute to the recovery effort.

The result is a truly international cookbook, packed with treasured recipes and family favourites, donated by people across the globe who wanted to help including well-known chefs such as Margaret Fulton, Allan Campion and Michele Curtis. Great to start ordering for Christmas presents! You can order your copy here.

Lastly, did you know there's an art Gallery in Melbourne called Lamington Drive? At the moment they are exhibiting the wonderful work of Rik Lee until September 12th. Here's one of Rik's amazing works, I hope you get a chance to view the collection:

Community building made easy

How many of these do you do? List via Pink of Perfection

update on Sam the Koala

here

Thoughts on an autumn morning in Melbourne

Do you ever feel like your life is fragmented with lots of bits that don't really fit together? I feel like this alot. It's not exactly a bad thing, but it's more that I can't help thinking sometimes that it would be easier to be really good at one thing or have one clear passion in life. I like lots of different things but lack the drive/ability to make any one my clear succes.

At the moment it feels a bit like this.

I work full time in academic advocacy. I enjoy it but I feel a bit embarassed that I am one of the longest serving staff in my company. There's not really any opportunities for career progression but I earn a good salary with lots of little perks and I love the people I work with. As a person with mental illness, I need stability and structure and familiarity in my day to day tasks. Working in education gives me alot of stability and I have been quite well for a while now.

I write (periodically) for The Dawn Chorus and have an article on issues around female sex drive due to be published in Filament magazine.

I make crafty things for Polka Dot Rabbit but most recently it feels like alot of effort given that it's a bit too much work around a full time day job. I love creating and making things but alot of my orders are for the same products all the time which takes the creativity out of things a bit as it can just feel like work. I could probably technically make enough money to create crafty things full time but the thought makes me feel tired. I am starting to feel a great pull toward more arty recycled products but don't quite have the confidence/skill to get it all together. I really want to be able to draw well but don't draw anywhere near enough. I'd love to be able to do an art show or exhibition. I really enjoyed doing the craftea chat workshops and I'd like to set up a not for profit for such work but I lack the time/energy to do the extensive business things that are required to get this moving.

Greenrenters is starting to kick off quite well but we're not quite sure where to take it. There's always the possibility of grants and such but we both work full time and we're not quite sure about the next step.

I'm going overseas for a month in June. This is excited as we would like to live overseas one day. Being over 30 makes this a bit difficult but not impossible. I'm becoming more and more interesting in environmental issues but I still love arty crafty things and social justice and feminist issues. I love volunteering and festivals and workshops and galleries and cafes and all sorts of things. I tend to start things without finishing them and I often feel overwhelmed by choices in my life so I end up in a state of inertia.

Some of my disjointed dreams:

-opening an all day English style breakfast cafe with space for evening classes and workshops

-having an art/craft studio in a co-op environment. I couldn't work alone all day.

-living in Eastern Europe

-being fit and healthy (and yes, thin) instead of being plagued by the tyranny of eating issues

-running a not for profit with workshops and training full time

Perhaps I am of a generation which will never specialise in one career/passion/focus? Not wanting children gives me alot of freedom, the future is exciting. But it's also so uncertain....

Op shop findings...

From Prahran Mission charity shop yesterday:

A cute book for a dear friend and lots of vintage buttons! I adore the copperplate pricing also, I've always had such dreadful handwriting to the extent that I had to stay in at recess and practice when I was at primary school!

Being busy makes me dizzy

Actually the dizziness is more likely attributed to the alcohol I imbide to cope with the stress of being busy.

What I've been up to:
-Sold fundraiser items last saturday at a Comedy Benefit for Whittlesea animal sanctuary and raised $90 for the furries and feathery.

-Etsy goodies for the bushfire appeal which need to be sent to Norway and England respectively

-Polka Dot Rabbit was featured in The Age and as a consequence I have a zillion orders of my cassette wallets. Here's some works in progress:


-My day job is extremely busy with staff shortages and heavy case load. The last thing I feel like doing when I get home is crafting as I am so tired. It's difficult combining a day job and small business on the side.

I know alot of crafters don't really talk about this. We are meant to be doing it all 'for the love of it'. But it can be extremely hard when it becomes a little overwhelming. You just have to take a deep breathe and keep going as well as you can. It also makes relationships difficult. I've missed alot of social events lately as I am at home working on orders after work and on weekends and my husband calls me a 'craft widow'. This makes me feel quite lonely. I love being creative but I don't want to be a one woman sweat shop.

Things I would like today if I could be and do anything:

And of course, the company of my lovely husband....

Fundraising for fire victims...

A huge thankyou to everyone who visited my stall at Craft hatch on saturday. I raised $160 for Wildlife Victoria through sales which is very exciting.

I'm a stall holder at a benefit this weekend with all proceeds going to the CFA (Country Fire Authority). Check it out here or below...

Sunday, February 22, 2009
5:00pm - 9:00pm

Bella Union & New Ballroom
Trades Hall, corner of Lygon & Victoria Streets, Carlton
Phone:
0396505699
info@bellaunion.com.au

In the aftermath of Victoria's worst fire season, folks are gathering at Trades Hall to raise funds to support the vital work of CFA Victoria.

Show your support alongside Scott Edgar & Simon Hall (Tripod), Lawrence Leung, Die Roten Punkte, Justin Hamilton, Geraldine Hickey, Kate McLennan, Casey Bennetto, Celia Pacquola, Courteney Hocking, Andrea Powell, Sam Simmons, Matt Kenneally, Geraldine Quinn, Oliver Clark, Aurora Kurth, the entire cast of Spontaneous Broadway (Julia Zemiro, Russell Fletcher, Genevieve Morris, Geoff Paine, Ross Daniels & John Thorn) and more.

And let's not forget to mention that we've got a Cake and Craft Sale, Silent Auctions, Raffles and Biscuit Readings.

Crafty Fundraiser and more ways to help

I'm doing another craft stall with Craft Victoria's, Craft Hatch ( new and emerging designers) this Saturday.

Polka Dot Rabbit

City Library, 253 Degraves St Melbourne.

11am-4pm

All money I make will be donated to Wildlife Victoria and Red Cross.

I think we're all feeling quite helpless, and I just wanted to do something, albeit small...

________________

And from my mate Clem:

Hi all, I'm organising a collection of toiletries, women's sanitary items, disposable razors and shampoo/conditioner (and any other small bathroom/toiletry essentials) to be delivered to the major "base camp" refuges in the fire zone.

The command centres and volunteers have expressed a need for these items and what exists in the shops that remain won't last long as (obviously) there are no deliveries being made. In monetary terms it's not even a drop in the ocean (i.e. $10 for some pads and tampons, or a set of shampoo and conditioner, or some kids' toothbrushes - just pop them in the trolley along with your other groceries) but will make a huge difference to someone who has nothing and needs to restore a bit of humanity and dignity amongst the destruction.

The small relief of something as simple as having a preferred brand of tampon or the ability to have a shave in these circumstances should not be underestimated.

I will be doing a "drop-off"/pick-up at Triple R (corner of Nicholson & Blyth Streets, East Brunswick; end of 96 tram line) on WEDNESDAY of this week, during office hours:

10am to 6pm.

The time and day is non-negotiable but we hope this won't be an obstacle to people's charity!

PLEASE NOTE: we will NOT be able to accept food/perishables, or clothes/blankets. There are other drives doing so including the Salvos and Coles (etc).

What we WILL be glad to accept:

* pads and tampons (and maternity and incontinence pads)

* disposable razors (both "genders") and shave creams

* shampoo and conditioner

* nappies in a variety of sizes (and Pull-Ups, Goodnights etc)

* toothbrushes and toothpaste

* soap* sunscreen* hand sanitizers

* face washers

* toiletry bags (preferably stuffed with all of the above!)

Hope to see some of you there to fill some "Coles bags" for the bushfire victims.

Any questions (or if you'd like to be "on call" to volunteer/sort in case we get swamped - which we hope we do!) shoot me a message or email clembastow[AT]gmail.com with a relevant subject.

Thanks and hope to see a lot of you there on Wednesday x

Australian Bushfires-how you can help

MONEY - Because so many of these places are classified crime scenes only registered care workers, nurses, police etc are able to get in. So even though clothes etc are a good donation, they don't yet have the resources to transport them there yet. So they need money money money. Donate at any Commonwealth, Westpac, ANZ, National, Salvation Army or Red Cross. Salvos and Red Cross are credit card only, all bank branches accept cash.

MOBILE PHONE CHARGERS - people have their phones but no battery life left. There are so many types of phones so many types of chargers are required. If you have any chargers laying around from phones you no longer need, no matter how old or new, please send them to the Salvation Army

BLOOD - not just this week, but over the next few months. Blood donations have a kind of 'used by date' so while it's good to donate now, it needs to be kept up. Call the Red Cross on 131 495.

LAND - not sure many people have land on which to keep horses, but if you do happen to, call 0411 434123. I don't know who this number belongs to, sorry.

BLANKETING - to keep warm, obviously. Please take them to the Salvation Army

ANIMAL ACCOMMODATION - if you have room in your house for a dog, cat, rabbit, horse... phone 9739 0300. Some of these will belong to families in emergency care who can't take their pets with them, others belong to families who have passed away. They won't always know which category they belong to so be prepared to foster indefinitely. If you know anyone with animals that are injured by the way, see if you can get them to Lort Smith, they are treating all animals for free.
-----------------

I'm trying to organise the mobile blood bank to visit the University where I work. We're also organising some fundraisers.

If you'd like to put your craft skills to good use, The Toy Society will be collecting handmade toys over the next couple of weeks to be donated to children impacted by the fires. Many families have nothing but the clothes on their backs. Please email thetoysociety@gmail.com if you're interested.

Paddy Wagon Success!

Over the last few months, many women of the melbourne crafty community have generously volunteered their time and materials to make cloth reusable sanitary pads and waterproof zip lock bags for women in Africa to be distributed by Goods 4 girls. Think of us as a benign factory production line with copious amounts of tea, biscuits, cheese, cupcakes, chatter and laughter. It has been great fun and we invisage sending off the pads in January.

I'd like to offer a huge thanks to everyone who has been involved in the project. We consider it something of an ongoing campaign with many opportunities for future creative work. In 2009 I hope to start my own not for profit business, where social justice and social connectedness are made to happen through creative and crafty activity. Check out my website for more progress in 2009....

I just wanted to show off my new machine ;-)

All aboard!

You can't go to school with your period!

Imagine missing about a week of school (or work) a month because you have your period.

In many areas of the world, access to adequate menstrual supplies is difficult to come by. Many women and girls rely on rags, newspaper, camel skin or nothing at all for their menstrual needs. A lack of sanitary pads can be a big barrier to a girl’s education.

I was recently told about Good 4 Girls a non-profit organisation who seek out donors to sew or purchase new, reusable menstrual pads for donations to areas of Africa where these products are needed most, such as schools and refugee camps in Sudan and Kenya.

Providing reusable supplies not only provides a more environmentally friendly alternative for these young women (in areas of adequate water supply for washing), it reduces their dependence on outside aid organizations to continue providing for their monthly needs.

I’m currently organising a sewing-bee to make a stack of reusable pads to be donated. Can’t sew? Maybe you can cut out patterns or iron seams or something. Or perhaps you’d like to donate some fabric (cotton flannelette) and thread?

In case you have no real idea what I am talking about in regard to a cloth pad, this is one example of a cloth pad from Health Home and Happiness.

If you would like to get involved and join the sewing bee (the first one will be at Chez Cate in early September in Melbourne), feel free to send an email to me: ms.cate@gmail.com . At some stage I will design a flyer with all the relevant details.