The calender

A picture of the lovely calender donated by Trotski and Ash for the Chutney Club Christmas Hamper. I have been selling tickets online, thanks to Three Thousand and others, for spreading the word and for buying tickets.

Africa love

I came across this today, Madeleine is a lovely and local crafty lady, but today on her blog I see she is raffling a beautiful quilt to raise funds for East Africa. The sentiment is beautifully put, and the quilt is equally beautifully made. I love her hankey blankets – not just cause I am a strange hankerchief collector – but also because they are really nicely done.

For a good cause and a good chance to win, enter here.

You're Welcome

You're Welcome is a charity art raffle where every ticket wins an original work. All proceeds go to the Asylum Seekers Resource Centre. It's a charity that's close to my heart and one in need of as much love as possible, when considering the current political climate. Join us for one afternoon only at Mars Gallery (418 Bay St, port Melbourne) from 3-6pm on Sunday July 24 to add a special piece to your wall and contribute to a great cause.

Artists contributing work include:
Aaron Carter, Adam Cullen, Adam Cruickshank, Amber Wallis, Andre Piguet, Andrew Gordon, Angus Lord, Anna Griffiths, Anne Judell, Carmel Seymour, Caroline Rothwell, Charlie Sofo, David Larwill, Dane Lovett, Daniel Price, Dell Stewart, Dylan Martorell, Emily Ferretti, Emma De Clario, Fergus Binns, Graeme Base, Glenn Dalton, Gregory Hodge, Hank Jossefson, Heather B. Swann, Heidi Yardley, Helen Johnson, Helen Shelley, Hossein Ghaemi, Jackson Slattery, James Eisen, Jakob Schmitt, Jane Hall, Jasper Knight, Jelena Telecki, Jeremy Kibel, Jennifer Goodman, Jess Lucas, Jo Bertini, Joanna Anderson, Joanne Mott, Jon Butt, Juan Ford, Julian Meagher, Julian Smith, Julie Irving, Justin Lee Williams, Kate Durham, Kate Smith, Kate Tucker, Lara Merrett, Lionel Bawden, Lucas Grogan, Marc Alperstein, Mark Rodda, Matlok Griffiths, Michael Peck, Michael Tan, Nadnerb Yeltnuh, Nell, Oslo Davis, Peter Binek, Rachael Freeman, Rachael Hooper, Rhys Lee, Richard Denny, Rick Matear, Rick Milovanovic, Riley Payne, Robert Hollingworth, Rona Green, Rus Kitchin, Saffron Newey, Sam Martin, Sam Leach, Simon Attwooll, Steve Cox, Symon Mcvilly, Spew Corp, Stephanie Hughes, Tai Snaith, Thomas Jeppe, Todd McMillan, Tony Garifalakis, Tony Lloyd, Tristan Ceddia, Tully Moore, William Kelly, Wendy Sharpe, Zoe Amor and More!

Tickets are only $100 and are available here. Did I mention all tickets win an artwork. Crazy good!

Feeling Lucky

Well you are getting pretty close to winning the Chutney Club Christmas Hamper. All you need to do to get closer is to buy a ticket in the raffle.

With the proceeds from the last fundraiser we bought goats, chickens, piglets and a veggie patch for families in need. Perhaps this year we can provide some chutney related gifts of fruit trees, some breakfast and also some eggs.

There are two prizes and the hampers include, but are not limited to...
Hoop's Aligator Sauce
Mango Chutney
Drew's BBQ Sauce
Birdie's Bahart
Quince Jones Jelly
Estelle's Mint Sauce
Big Red Tomato Relish
Barbie Sauce
Loquat and Mango (hot) Chutney
Frankie's Famous Relish
Chutney Club Label Sparkling Rosé, Sparkling Shiraz, a Marlborough Sauv Blanc and a Cruickshank Cabernet Franc...

The perfect way to enhance your BBQ summer. If you want tickets, come get them, ask me or any other friendly chutney club member.

The Uniform Project

Today my woody brooch is featured on the Uniform Project in an appropriate 'Jane leaves the Jungle' outfit.



I wanted to contribute somehow as I have been following this project awhile and it really appeals to me, for both the cause and the joyful effect. Who doesn't love dress ups?

Below is a bit of the story from Sheena Matheiken (above) who has pledged to wear only one dress (designed by friend and designer Eliza Starbuck) for one year as an exercise in sustainable fashion.

'I was raised and schooled in India where uniforms were a mandate in most public schools. Despite the imposed conformity, kids always found a way to bend the rules and flaunt a little personality. Boys rolled up their sleeves, wore over-sized swatches, and hiked up their pants to show off their high-tops. Girls obsessed over bangles, bindis and bad hairdos. Peaking through the sea of uniforms were the idiosyncrasies of teen style and individual flare. I now want to put the same rules to test again, only this time I'm trading in the catholic school fervor for an eBay addiction and relocating the school walls to this wonderful place called the internet.'

Most importantly the Uniform Project is also a year-long fundraiser for the Akanksha Foundation, a grassroots movement that is revolutionizing education in India. At the end of the year, all contributions will go toward Akanksha’s School Project to fund uniforms and other educational expenses for children living in Indian slums. The total they have raised so far is $11154, which I think is brilliant. Contribute if you can!

And have a look at all these outfits based on the one dress. It makes me feel abit better about the seething mountain of scarves and shoes I have to live with, and makes me shut up about having nothing to wear.