Make a Hope Softie!

Can you sew, knit, crochet, felt.....? Make a little softie for a child to cuddle and be-friend, in a time when they most probably have nothing familiar around them.
Lots of families are sheltering now at emergency centres and something little like this would be soooo comforting! Don't you think?
Head on over to Steph's blog and grab all the details.

Rainbow Comfort Packs have gone out to kids this Christmas

Lots of shots of packs, chaos of packing, Lama doing quality control, art packs, presents ready to go!

After 3 days of working solidly (with some help) late last week, a courier came by yesterday and picked up about 20 boxes of packs and wrapped presents to take to K Mart head office in Vic. so they can be distributed to children in need this Christmas, via the Wishing Tree!
It was the best plan ever, I mean could you imagine 160 packs and 55 wrapped presents being stuffed under the Wishing Tree in Victoria Gardens, Richmond??
I ran out of fabric bags near the end and decided to wrap some up instead. Basically all that was left were TONNES of colouring books, pencil cases, pencils, textas and crayons..... so we wrapped them up as mini art packs.
That's ALL the donations now gone. It's a brilliant way to finish this chapter of this project and hope lots of kids (of all ages) will love getting something special from all of you.
I won't be 'closing' the project up for ever, but will take a break for now and when it does get going again, it will be better organised and the focus will be on kids that need some comfort in general. (And we'll definitely look into warehouse space too!)

Thanks for your help and support this year! It was a full on year for many people everywhere.
It was awesome to be able to offer help in our unique way, I hope you feel the same.
Have a lovely, relaxed Christmas and New Year. Be safe too.
Monica x

C2C - 3 more sleeps to go!

Christmas is a time to stop and think about others.... and not everyone is as fortunate as ourselves. Be mindful of countries, nationalities, ever your neighbours who may be struggling at this time of the year to make ends meet, let alone lavishing everyone with gifts and stuffing their belly with gourmet delights!

Some ideas for you:
* donate to giving trees (Kmart is one we do every year)
* think of making a donation of money or food (do it as a family gift)

Remember the people who live in your street...
* bake some biscuits or a pudding and leave it at their door step from "the elves next door"
* be neighbourly and find out who's away during the Christmas / New Year period and work out amongst yourselves about clearing mailboxes and keeping a look out on the house.

Lastly, if you're holding a grudge against somebody or something..... let it go!
Enjoy family and friends and be grateful for what you have in your life.

Rainbow Comfort Packs..... what to do?

Just a short note to let you all know that we are still handing out packs time to time.
I've stacked all the boxes of donated goodies up against one wall in my garage come shop come warehouse, so I can claim some floor space.... ahhh, cool concrete....
There are about 150 packs that can still be made up and given out to those in need.
I'm thinking that it would be glorious to give out packs as Christmas treats to the less fortunate.
I need to know what YOU, who have donated time and goods to this project, think would be the best thing to do with these remaining packs.
Do we keep it all for Fire victims.... find those in other states (than Vic) and send them there?
Or open the doors to other kids in need, in other circumstances, in the Melbourne area?
I'm really thinking of this Christmas now......

Please leave me a comment about your view on what to do with the remaining packs.
Please read the comments before yours and if you agree with an idea, please say so.
Thanks for your help. x

Not just MOTHER's little helper

Brand new on our virtual shelves is Mother's Little Helper by New Zealand brand Nudey! Rudey!. We are loving this sweet tin of goodness - rubbing it on our dry elbows and knees, cracked hands, sore bottoms (not mine!) and using it as lip balm. The girls love putting it on their lips as they are into pretend make up and jump at the chance to use something real. (And I don't mind them using this balm either - so we are all happy!)
It's certified organic and has the healing properties of Manuka & Harekeke, both from New Zealand.
Now I knew about Manuka as we have been having teaspoons of Manuka honey all through Winter to ward off colds and sore throats. (The girls love it, so it's a great and easy natural medicine to dish out!) You can find it in the health section of supermarkets or your local health store.
I had never heard of Harekeke, so had to look it up on Wikipedia (hehehe) and found it's also a sweetener and has strong medicinal properties too. (There are various uses for it, so click on the link for more info!)


Anyway, Mother's Little Helper balm will be a great addition to your bag or bathroom, as the whole family can use it. PLUS when you purchase a tin, $2 will be donated to our fave charity Project18. Nudey! Rudey! and bpab will donate $1 each.
Another way to shop for yourself and support others at the same time!

Sydney to Melbourne ride for Macular Degeneration

Do you bike ride?
We sometimes go as a family for a ride along the tracks near our house. It's enjoyable, a bit of hard work at times (esp. for me as I don't do it much!) and we always have a child sitting in front of us to talk to (thanks to the Weeride).
We once rode from Balwyn North to Melbourne CDB along the tracks. It took about 4 hours and the thought of riding back home again almost bought 3 of us to tears. (So we took the train home and rode from the station.)
Mat rides all the time and wants to ride to Frankston along the Eastlink track soon. I won't be his companion! Lucky our brother-in-law wants to do it too...

Okay, now, who has ridden the stretch along the coast from Sydney to Melbourne (or the other way around)? It's over 1200 km long.
Well the two guys pictured above have departed today (at 7am from the Sydney Opera House) to do just that. So what you say? Well one of them is legally blind!

Matt Formston has 5% vision. At the age of 5 he was diagnosed with Macular Degeneration.
My awesome friend Scott Williamson is riding with Matt to act as his verbal guide to obstacles on the road that Matt may not see (pot holes, changes of road surface, up coming hills or sharp bends... that sort of thing).
The team aim to ride along the coast and end their amazing journey at Federation Square in Melbourne on 24th November.
They are raising funds for Macular Degeneration. Please consider giving a donation to this worthy cause, even if it's to just show these two guys your support.
Find out more about their journey (there's photos, a blog) or to learn about Macular Degeneration on the official site.
Become a fan on their Facebook page.

I know they can do it and wish them a safe and beautiful journey.

Project18 video

This video was made as a response to the Australia Zoo competition.

They've won 2nd place, which shows how great their efforts are.

Please take the time to look into the Project18 cause and spread the word around. (website not launched at time of writing this)

beyond pink and blue will be an active participant in Project18 fundraising this coming year, as they will be our chosen charity for 2010.

There is a widget on the right hand side of this blog for you to make a donation to Project18 anytime you feel the urge to give and click on the 'info' symbol to read more.

I will be unveiling more of bpab efforts soon.

Theme Shopping: Pink (of course!)

Keeping on with the Pink Ribbon theme, here's a small collection of what's on offer at bpab over the month of October. Remember 20% profit on any PINK item bought will be donated to Style Collective's Pink Ribbon breaky. Go to PINK STUFF at bpab.
From top to bottom, left to right:
Rabbit bell ring rattle, Cowgirl invitations, Dwink juice box
Rainbow singlet in yellow, Pink fairy crown, Little extensions (for onesies)
Paper dolls nappy wallet, Pink dots bib, Crochet flower onesie
Pink & purple flower clip, Pink 3/4 band it pants, Elephant snooze sac
Knitted watermelon rattle, Fairy wall art, Candy stripes shoes.

Pink Ribbon month.... buy PINK!

We've jumped on board with Style Collective and have gotten into the "fundraising using PINK" mode!
Click on the banner to take yourself to Style Collective's page during the month of October for Pink highlights.
We are donating 20% of profits on any PINK purchase made at beyond pink and blue during the month of October! We have a PINK STUFF category to make it easier for you to find something PINK to add to your basket. So you can shop for something yummy and still be helping a worthwhile cause. Yay!!

One in every nine Australian women will be diagnosed with breast cancer by the age of 85. It could be a mother, sister, aunt, cousin, niece or friend. Whoever they are, one thing they have in common is that they will all need our help and support.

Thank you from Whittlesea (Rainbow Comfort Packs)

Although this certificate has my name on it, I'd like to pass it on to you for your effort with the Rainbow Comfort Packs and the kindness you show to those who are in need.
I've also included the letter from the Mayor for you to read. Feel free to photoshop your name on it and print it out too!


We've begun working with the City of Bendigo and starting to distribute to those effected in that area. There are about 50 families registered there.

Comfort packs for sale and a mega sewing bee!

Finally got together a bunch of Rainbow Comfort Packs using products I have in store.
These are available to purchase on line at the bpab shop.
There is no profit being made on these at all, just covering the cost of items. They will be packaged in the hand made bags at no extra cost.
This is a good opportunity for those who live too far away to contribute to this project.
There are 5 different packs going at the moment:

For a baby:

For a Toddler:

For a Small Child:

For a Big Boy:

For a Big Girl:

Also over at You SEW, Girl! :
Nikki has organised a meg supa dupa SEWING BEE this SATURDAY 14th FEB in the Brunswick area. Visit her blog to get all the details and let her know you'll be there to have some fun! There will be projects there ready for you to tackle and of course she would love all the great jokes and dance moves you can muster. (there is plenty of space, tables etc for everyone - so grab your buddies and get crafting for a great cause!

Lastly, it looks like we'll have some brand new clothes in packs here and there, as well as the stacks of second hand clothing donated by everyone to the charities all ready.
It has been suggested again and again lately to include UNDIES and JOCKS for the kids in the packs too. As one amazing commenter has stated that "throwing a 3 pack into your shopping trolley would be pretty easy to do". (Shop at Coles this Friday (tomorrow) and they'll be donating all profit to the Bush Fire Relief) .
So go do your food shop tomorrow (at Coles), buy some undies or jocks and donate all that money to charity all at the same time!! Woo hoo!

Rainbow comfort packs for little ones effected by the bush fires

Okay, I've been able to come up with a brain wave of an idea to assist in some small way....
Basically we are putting together bags of goodies for the kids / babies who have been affected by the bush fires. These bags will be given to the Emergency Relief Centers around Victoria.

The aim is to provide some comfort and distraction while parents are dealing with what it is they need to face in the aftermath of their own tragedy.
So I am thinking along the lines of....
A bag of some sort which will have some items depending on their age group. (the bags should be re-usable like cloth, string)

Comfort: something to hold, cuddle, talk, imagine with (like a soft toy)
Distraction: something they can play, do, look at, read (colouring book, book, puzzle.... needs to be compact and light to carry)

I've asked the brands that I stock in my store to donate items for the packs and to assist any way they can. So am waiting for replies on this, but so far have gotten a few items as a start.

Now, what YOU can do is one (or all!) of the following:
1. Donate something for the packs:
can be new or second hand (MUST be in GREAT condition please)
Comfort - soft toy, teddy, doll (people who craft, this would be a great opportunity!)
Distraction - colouring book, crayons, pencils, plain paper book, books to read (all levels), puzzles.... nothing too heavy or bulky please.
Anyone who can get their hands on little bottles of wedding bubbles (they are the best!).
Make a library sized bag from fabric.
Clothing for all ages, summer I think. (Again if second hand, MUST be near perfect condition... please don't burden us with all your opp-shop stuff.... they still need you!

We are open to any ideas....... please email or comment here.

Send items to:
Rainbow Comfort Packs
70 Clifton Street,
Balwyn North, Vic. 3104

2. If you can not donate:
We are also listing some packs ready to go on the bpab web shop that will have only new products in them. They will be at cost price and basically you purchase one (to cover the cost of items) and we will include them in the drops. We will not be making ANY money from this. It is strictly for the Bush fire victims. Please do not abuse this service and buy for yourself (because you will not get it! hahahaha).
Please allow a bit of time for packs to become available at the shop, we will work as fast as we can.

If you have a blog or want to email people about this......


This little sign will be on the top right corner of my blog for people to lift and paste in their blogs etc. Please link it back to this post so everyone will get the info they need.
If you have any trouble, let me know.

Thanks so far for the great response, as you are aware the Emergency Centers are so over whelmed generous offers, so this is a way you can help a little bit down the track when they need supplies again.
Stay safe and happy,
Monica

Update post: tues. 10th Feb
Also: 11th feb -more drop points and update

Almost time to shave!

Well it's been going for a couple of months now and the Shave for Wishes fundraiser is going to come to an end soon. (30th Dec. '08)
That's when the everyday hero page will close it's doors..... and I'm hoping to have reached the $500 mark by then. What do you think?? The total is up to $365 at the moment.

Thanks to some very generous people (some not wanting to be known) and for the great customers of bpab (5% of every sale has been donated too), we are getting there.

Early days saw some conflict of interest.... "I'm not donating, I want Monica to keep her hair!" (and) "Right, where do I donate?? I want it all gone!" I even got my father-in-law joking that he'll have to call in all the money people owe him so there will be none spare to donate (I think he's a bit worried about me being shaved... he just got used to the idea of going out in public with me....).
But whether you like my hair now or can't wait to see what I will look like with a bare head - it's going ahead anyway! I would like to use the excuse that I've reached my target and 'they' made me shave my head, but if it doesn't happen in the next couple of weeks, come the new year and it's out with the old (dreaded, tangled, fluffy, over-grown) and in with the new!

Yeah, it can't last forever and I'm welcoming the change (as i always do!).
So please, please, please if you are secretly reading this and have been thinking of donating for a while - it's time. Don't put it off any more.... just do it! You'll make a sick child's wish come true (and have my eternal gratitude).

Click on the 'Shave for Wishes' banner on the top right of this blog.
Cheers,
Monica

Shave for Wishes prize draw!!!!

Thanks to some awesome bpab suppliers, we've been able to offer a prize draw for the Shave for Wishes fundraiser!! Yay!
Everyone who makes a donation will go into the draw to win one of the following things:

1 pair of Yunginz shoes (you choose the style and size) from their current summer range

There are packs of "Christmas Babies" Little Extensions up for grabs
(still working out how many packs!)

We will update this post with more as time goes on........
See the purple box on the top right to make a donation.

Shave for Wishes!

I have just launched a fund raising thingo!
I will be shaving all my locks off (to #1 all over) when we reach the $500 mark!
All for the sake of helping make some more wishes come true for seriously ill children.
All funds raised will be going to Make A Wish Australia.

If you would like to support me please visit this page:
beyond pink and blue's SHAVE for WISHES!
or perhaps you're sick of seeing someone with so many colours on her head that to have her shaved would be a huge headache cure.....
What ever your reasons, please share this news with everyone.
Thanks for your support!

Oh yeah, I nearly forgot to mention-
5% of every sale made at beyondpinkandblue.com will be added to the donation meter too! So you can shop and still donate! Hooray!!!!