'Tis the time to give.....

Finding opportunities to give and show others love is really important to me and it is something I want my children to learn at an early age.....

One of the ways we have been able to get involved with being generous is 
Project Operation Christmas Child.


We have been involved as a church for the last 6 years. As part of my Children's Pastor role I co -ordinate this project.

This year we packed 100 shoeboxes full of goodies and love.   

 The months leading up to September a group of willing and creative ladies join together and we sew....

drawstring bags

pencil cases

we snip....

no sew scarves

we knit....

simple teddies

Then our church come together and buy a box and pack it...

exercise books

soap, face washers and toothbrushes

tennis balls

small toys, yoyo's , marbles

pencils , sharpeners

t-shirts

 The kids in our kids church run  the market days and together we give generously and donate to this worthy cause.

It is not too late if you would like to get involved. Check out their website for all the packing details and how you can get your box into the warehouse nearest you.

 

Shoebox Love

Work commenced today on a project that I co-ordinate in my church each year.

We join with the Samaritans Purse organisation to fill shoe boxes overflowing with goodies for children in far flung countries at Christmas time.

Being the inventive type I am...my favourite part of the project is rallying the troops to help pull together a few handmade components to go in the box... 

So today work began as we snipped almost eighty no sew scarves.......

....and sewed Velcro on fifty potential pencil cases......

With four more scheduled crafting bees to go we should be able to make the deadline and finish in total......

100 no sew scarves

100 pencil cases

100 drawstring bags

Easy peasy me thinks. 

My Creative Space

 These little guys are popping up all over the house this week.........

 

{two of these I knitted , the other I sewed using a felted wool jumper}

 You see I am responsible for co ordinating a project each year that sees shoe boxes full of goodies head overseas to children for Christmas time.....
You can read more about the project here and some of the things we have put together in our boxes .........here
here  ..here..here 


This year for the "something to cuddle "item I would love to include one of these guys in each box.......
So I was wondering if you would like to help me......

I have a few real life friends that are on board but if you can knit then maybe you would like to help me get to the 100 I need? At the rate I knit I have no hope of getting there by myself.

These guys are straight line knitting ( if I can do it, anyone can)

They can be any colour,  plain yarn , fancy yarn  what ever you have ...they don't use up very much so great stash buster.....  

 Anyway if you would love to help out....maybe even just one little guy......or maybe you are super fast on the needles and could do a little more than one.....

Drop me an email and I will let you know where you can send them.

I have until August 31st to pack them .

I know cheeky ask but you never know unless you do ask!

 

 Check out other creative people here

 

Crafting for a cause

At this time each year I head up a campaign to enrol my church family in the Samaritans Purse Operation Christmas Child Project.

Our goal each year  has been to collate 100 boxes to be sent overseas to children in time for Christmas.

We always include :

school supplies, toothbrush,soap and face washer,t-shirt, toys, ball, library bag and teddy along with a few other goodies....

I have some great willing people who each year craft with me to make things for the boxes. We have great fellowship while doing it and we all know that crafting is always more fun with friends.....

Yesterday I was gifted with two bags of knitted teddies and a box of snakes......

A retirement village a short way from us has an abundance of willing hands, materials available to them and no-where to give their spoils too!!!!!

Oh what great timing for me.....I will gladly put these to a great cause.....

The teddies were all knitted by one 83 year old lady  with the promise of so many more.....

I am so thrilled to be helping out the keen old folk and at the same time have some beautiful supplies to fill maybe more than 100 boxes this year.

You can get involved yourself by visiting Samaritans Purse and following the easy guide to filling your own Christmas box.


If you are reading in reader pop over to my blog to watch a great video