underwear...and put a smile on a child...

This is a long post but please take the time to read it...

OK so here's the deal...I need underwear ....lots of it!

As you know...if you read this blog regularly....we sponsor a girl, Porpoyii, and I also try to send off supplies every month or so...anything from toothbrushes, hairbrushes, pencils, to clothing....

There are children of all ages at

Children of the Forest

a U.K registered charity based in

Thailand providing a school and home for Karen,

Mon and Burmese refugee children

The worldwide economic down turn has affected us all so it is increasingly difficult for charities to provide even the necessities...they were housing children from ages 3 - 16 but now there is a need for more and they now care for babies up to 18 year olds...I am so glad they have found somewhere safe to stay...there are more than 150 children at COF...

Mark, the Project Manager, emailed me this week to thank me for helping out...I have just sent off some underwear, toothbrushes and pencils...

Dear Lis,

Your parcels have brought a lot of joy to children of the forest and we thank you deeply for the thought, effort and expense you have gone too. We are short staffed as more and more children come to our attention but your parcels always get to the children and bring lots of smiles, I am just sorry I don't always find the time to sit down and thank you.

With 16 children in our Young Children's Protection Centre and 5 babies in COF Baby Protection Program ( abandoned babies, in this case rescued from traffickers) we were very grateful to receive the pants and clothes perfect for the little ones and older. One of the things that we struggle to find funds for is under wear. Your parcel arrived just when we were wondering how we were were going to afford such items this month.

From all the children of the forest especially Porpoyii heartfelt thanks.

Kind regards,

Mark

It is lovely to be thanked but what I do is minimal and this just sparked me to try and do more...

That is where YOU come in...all my friends and family...and if you don't read this I will email you...lol...

All I want is to collect enough underwear for each child at the Children of the Forest by Christmas...

So what do you have to do???

Just give me some underwear...when you see me next...or post it to me...

Any size...any colour..any number...one pair or twenty pairs...it doesn't matter...it all adds up!

And know you are helping put a smile on a child for Christmas...so simple

How does that sounds...go on it is easy...please help....with thanks, Lissy

PS...if you want to give any clothing for babies or children (new or gently used) toothbrushes, hairbrushes or stationary such as lead pencils, coloured pencils, crayons, erasers these are also gratefully received.

camera...

A sad day on Thursday....while out enjoying a lovely brunch at Taylors Studios in Upper Swan with Sharon and her girls my camera (Canon 400D) died...stone dead...PANIC....lol...but then I remembered the poor thing was two years old and I wore out the last one in two years from taking SO many photos...I got it just after E turned 4 as it died at her birthday party and I needed a new one before Morganne was born....lol...so I trotted off yesterday to see if it could be fixed...no...it had definitely had it...

So then within ten minutes I was then the proud owner of a fabulous Canon 500D...bliss...it makes my old camera look like rubbish and I had loved that one! I have a new lens 18-200 so I don't have to change it...and a battery pack for two batteries...I had a quick play yesterday and straight away you can see what fabulous photos it will take! I am just a point and shoot kind of a girl...on auto...and occasionally "running man" for action or P if I don't want the flash...lol...dont even know what these are for really! I really should learn but this camera is amazing even on auto!

Fortunately Ben is very tolerant and rather happy that at least I wear out my cameras! I have wanted a 500D for a while...I did consider a 50D but as I mainly use auto I am sure the 500D will be fantastic! Bigger and heavier with new lens and battery pack...but I will cope! Lissy

wow...and E said...

Last night here in Perth I went to see Il Divo...with mum and Shauna and Jenny...my sister was supposed to go to but they have been camping...we had fabulous seats...
I didn't know really what to expect as I have not really listened to their music even though I have an album...they call it Pop Opera...

And all I can say is WOW...they are truly amazing...such incredible voices and the show was fabulous and I really enjoyed it......I will definitely go next time they tour...

And I was driving in the car with Evangeline yesterday with Il Divo playing...she had not heard it before...She said "this music is beautiful". I told her I went to listen to it last night with Grandma...She said " It is so beautiful I might cry!" LOL...half the time she tells me to turn my music off! But not Il Divo! She was trying to sing along and said she wants to learn all the songs!

Maybe next time she will be old enough to go too! Lissy

Sneak Peak ...

Scrappin’ Outback is turning 5 and to celebrate presents the 9th
Wave Rock Scrapbooking Retreat
16th - 18th October 2009
It is always a fabulous weekend Contact Karen Smith on 98805300 or 0427 977 672 Or email scrappinoutback@bigpond.comto book and for details and prices

So here is my second class...Be Merry! It's all about Christmas and the festive season!
There is a pocket for a letter to Father Christmas, cards or a present list...The small photos at the bottom are all 2" height but vary in width...please excuse the shoddy sketch but I had trouble with it...obviously....lol...I used Basic Grey Eskimo Kisses as it worked perfectly with my photos but any Christmas paper will be fine...

Karen has some gorgeous ranges in stock including SEI Winter Song and Christmas Mint, Cosmo Cricket Jolly By Golly and gorgeous Christmas papers by My Mind's Eye...

As with the Celebrate! class you would easily be able to adapt the layout to another theme by selecting appropriate papers...Lissy

crooner...

Last night I got to see Chris Isaak live...What a talented crooner this bloke is...I have loved his music for 20 years so it was fabulous to see him and his band Silvertone perform. His vocal range is quite amazing and I loved all the guitars which sounded fabulous live. He is also a pretty entertaining performer, cracks a few jokes and goes out into the crowd. I shall have to ferret out my CDs again...Lissy

home...

Two excited little girls this afternoon...Oh and the dogs were pretty happy too! And me - Lissy

Sneak Peak for the Retreat...

I have completed the layouts for the one of my Retreat classes...

Celebrate!

Which is all about birthdays obviously and other celebrations!

Most of these occasions have lots of photos that need scrapping . They are probably not all terrific but are part of the story you are trying to record so I have used lots of small photos.

It is a double layout with 11 - 14 photos...or a single with 6 - 9 photos...you can of course combine several smaller photos and substitute a larger one but this will change your layout significantly...

So here it are my sneak peaks...And the sketch...I forgot to put in the page outline so imagine that is there too! The photos create a 8"x 9" block...There is a pocket for extra journalling (such as guest list, present list or to put a copy of your invite...so bring them along too...)

Now go find those photos and get started...

I shall have my next class ready to share soon....there are SO many fabulous Christmas papers that I do not know where to begin! Lissy

21 months...

A year flew past and now we are fast approaching Morganne being two years old....we certainly are having some of the dramas associated with the age...But lots of fun and joy too..She has learnt to bounce on the trampoline...And now has a lot more conversation now...her favourite question being...wos tha??...what's that?...and der tis...there it is...she now also says war...walk, issu...tissue...bam...ham...bispers...slippers...and she says birs....for milk...and she calls her blankie mum mum which is is kind of confusing!

She can now climb up on the bar stool by herself so nothing is safe on the bench any more! She loves to pour milk or water out of her cups or drink bottles into a cup and drink it..not so bad at the bench but a nightmare when she does it in the play room using the tea sets and so on! She is actually quite competent at drinking from a cup which is good...Other news...Mum has been staying with us for the weekend which is nice...it is lovely for us to have some time with her just hanging around, playing and chatting...
Ben gets home tomorrow...YAY!

And I have finished my first retreat class Celebrate! so stay tuned for a sneak peak! Lissy

the first week of spring....

Spring is here but it has mostly been cold and wet! Evangeline has had tonsilitis again and Morganne has had two ear infections this week...not good...but despite this we are in a Spring kind of mood around here...Morganne can now eat her tub of yoghurt by herself without too much mess...and she scoops out the last bit...She is often busy gathering rocks and eating dirt outside when the weather is ok...Evangeline loves playing with the dogs...And my nephews have been to visit...And we are getting very BIG strawberries at the moment! We have managed some time outside when it hasn't been too cold or raining...And now we are waiting for warmer weather and for Ben to come home in a week! Lissy

Happy Father's Day Ben...

Ben is away...so this is our Happy Father's Day message!
Some photos from today...Here is Evangeline's card and present...

We love you and miss you...and look forward to seeing you in a week - Lis, Evangeline and Morganne xxx

PS I made E's dress this week...using this PJ and nightie pattern! I am now making something similar for M...