Sometimes Nice Things Happen.

Most of the time if you're me they don't. But then that one time...

BAM. Nice thing.

Today I got my acceptance letter for a master's program I applied to back in the fall. It's a conservation-based program that works in partnership with ecological organizations and Miami University and is called Project Dragonfly.

You know what this means?

I'm going to Belize this summer for 10 days!  WHAT?!!

I'm super excited...I wonder what a fashionable eco-conservationlist-grad student wears while studying in the tropics??

Hmmmmm... I feel a Burda Style magazine-a-palooza comin on!

happy weekend, everyone!

A Letter from China

This article popped up on my twitter feed tonight.  It is both heartbreaking and helplessness-inducing.

In synopsis, a woman, Julie Keith, was unpacking Halloween decorations and found a letter inside; a letter from the Chinese worker who packaged it.

source

Please, go read the full articel (linked above) for the letter's full contents.  Here is a brief snip...

Sir, if you occasionally buy this product, please kindly resend this letter to the World Human Right Organization. Thousands people here who are under the persecution of the Chinese Communist Party Government will thank and remember you forever.

What is the true cost of low prices?  Human suffering?  How much must you "save"?  What is your bottom dollar, your lowest price?

What price?

What price.

Dustin's Dream

One year ago today, a former student of mine lost his life in a senseless tragedy.  He was an amazing kid, so full of peace and happiness that you couldn't help but smile when you saw him.

Dustin was a pre-med student at Baylor, and his dream was to work in the medical field and to participate in mission work both at home and abroad.  His strong, beautiful family is continuing Dustin's legacy, with the formation of a foundation in his name, Dustin's Dream.

I was honored to participate in one of their first major projects this month, when they asked my graphic design class to design a poster for their fundraising efforts.

The student designer is Chai L., a senior, and he is simply amazing.  He has a wonderful eye for layout and I gave absolutely no direction on this project until the very end when I made two tiny, miniscule suggestions.  This is Chai's work, and it is gorgeous.

The reverse effect cross was a complete accident... Chai and I were both stunned when it began to emerge.

And then, we weren't.

Dustin's mom told me, after asking how he came up with the idea, that she no longer believes in "accidents".  

You have never heard more silence from a group of teenagers than the moment this 30 x 40 inch poster came off the large format printer in my room.  It's simple, quiet beauty stunned us all.

You can read more about the Guatemala City Medical Clinic project here, and if you find it in your heart to donate to their cause, I thank you.

God bless you, Dustin.  You are often in my thoughts.

Good Spread...and Colette Crepe Update!

Firstly...peanut buttery goodness.  This cause is near and dear to my heart as you well know, and I love ingenuity and creativity, as you also well know.

In a nutshell (hehe, peanut butter humor), these two reasonably handsome fellas have developed a peanut butter recipe that sounds amazing but more importantly is part of a much grander scheme to fight acute malnutrition with the help of MANA Nutrition.  If they can get their factory up and running next week, they'll be in a position to donate a packet of MANA nutrition for every Good Spread peanut butter sold.

Go. Donate. Spread. Eat. 

The Colette Crepe is coming along...the bodice is together (waiting on ties, I'm still digging through supplies looking for that blasted stripey ribbon) and I think I can finish it today. I hope so! It's going to be too cold to wear it if I don't get my tail in gear!

(I need a new steam iron. Ugh.)

I also have a stack of projects lined up behind this one and I'm itching to get crackin on a couple of them.

Like trying out these Juniper trousers also from Colette:

 

 

Or the super sweet and very retro Anise jacket:

And to quote the indomitable Tim Gunn...Carry on.

...And the Kindness of Strangers

This is a photo I took last night, after writing yesterday's post.  Such breathtaking beauty, if only you look for it.

Thank you seems too small a thing to offer for the gratitude I have for you all right now.  But yes, thank you, thank you!  I was overwhelmed with the responses and the offers of help. 

I will be madly tying ribbon ties this afternoon to try to get to the post office before they close today, so that I can overnight a package of dresses to a couple who are leaving for a 6-month sojourn to Haiti...on Sunday. 

Providence?  Maybe.  More than that, it's a lesson to each of us.  You do not walk alone, even when the lane is dark.  Reach out, ask for help, take the hand when it is offered.

Bless you, all.

Sorbetto Maxi: In Progress

A peek at what I've been working on the past few days...

The pattern is the free Colette Sorbetto tank top, lengthened 36" to "maxi dress" length!  I gathered the front instead of pleating, and added a smidge of width at the name (grading to the armhole edge) so that I could add a drawstring waist.

The fabric is a cotton law that I got from Fashion Fabrics Club quite a while back...maybe even last year. 

For the drawstring, I decided to do an exposed casing:

That was a lot of skirt to tuck out of the way while trying to pin/sew in place, let me tell you!

Just needs a hem, and armhole bindings and it'll be ready to wear!  I'll snap some photos later this week to share of the finished dress. 

In bloggy news...
You might notice a new Crowdwise widget on the right and a new ad disclaimer on the left.  I'm about to collect my first "earnings" check from adsense or amazon (I can't remember which).  This blog has never been a "money maker" for me, nor do I ever expect it to become so.  I already work full time, so I've never needed this site to be an income generator. However, if a few clicks can earn pennies for charities, I'm all in!

I've been pondering what to do with the ad monies, small though they may be, and have decided to set up a Crowdrise page.  My chosen charity for the foreseeable future is Mary's Meals.  Mary's Meals provides one meal per day in a school setting to poverty stricken children in several countries around the world.  Their mission is two-fold, to feed the hungry who might otherwise go unfed, and to do so in a school setting so as to provide a tangible way to climb out of poverty: an education.

If you're unfamiliar with the mechanisms of Crowdrise, my donation site is set up to forward all monies donated to the Mary's Meals USA charity by default.  I never see or receive those donations.  BUT if you feel motivated to donate to this very worthy cause, I'll see and appreciate and send you virtual XOXO!

Otherwise, anytime you click an ad on the left sidebar and purchase something from an affiliate, I receive a few pennies on the dollar.  I will personally forward all ad revenue to my Crowdrise page as those monies come in (and keep you updated!)  In fact, I've already sent in a $20 donation from my Mr. Rebates account earnings for the month of July!

Happy Monday everyone!

lift me up.

A man in Rio de Janeiro gives his shoes to a homeless girl.

21 photos that will restore your faith in humanity via Buzzfeed.