Crop 4 A Cause Update

For those of you who came and supported the recent Crop for a Cause – where we were raising money for Michelle’s SIL (who has been diagnosed with MS), a huge thank you.  We raised just over $1000 for her which was a fantastic effort considering we were such a small group in comparison to normal.  As a group we have now raised approx. $50,000 if the past 3 years and that is an unbelievable effort and I really hope as a whole you are really proud of yourselves as you all have not only helped many individuals and families here in Geelong but also overseas.

Nevertheless, regardless of the numbers (yes i will check when the long weekend is on next time) we had a great day and lots of fun was had.  To the girls who participated in the Ready Steady Crops – you did so good considering the kits that i put together – i would have struggled to come up with anything that even resembled a layout.  i was having a giggle making them up and was thinking I can’t wait to see what they do with these, considering they were all old stock and things thrown together.  It shows you what a talented bunch of scrappers we have.  It is actually quite exciting because with every scrapbook mag that comes out I am starting to see some of your names filtering through in submissions that have been accepted – so congratulations girls to those of you who have been in the mags lately.  To those of you who haven’t, keep persevering – it will happen.

First Challenge.

Oh my gosh… the first “kit” was a bit of this and a bit of that from Empire – an old range and the girls somehow still managed to make it look lovely.  I love watching how these girls work under pressure and wish i now took a pic of the table – it seriously looked like a bomb went off.
Congratulations goes to:
1st – Angela,
2nd – Sharon
3rd - Marelle.

Second Challenge.

This time we used some old “Rustic Charm” which in its day was actually one of my favourite papers and the girls came up with some gorgeous layouts.  Some of my favourite from the day.

 

 

Congratulations this time to:
1st – Sharon,
2nd – Leonie
3rd – Leanne

Last Challenge:

Lastly, really was probably the hardest as it was truthfully a bit of this and a bit of that but still the girls did a great job and came up with some lovely layouts.

 

 

Congratulations to:
1st – Sharon
2nd – Sharon
3rd – Maree

Also i just wanted to share this with you.  With the left over money we had from the Christmas Crop, where we donated 10 large hampers to families in need, supported Chez on a recent trip to the Philippines we still had enough money left over to buy this Rickshaw to help out a family in India. Again thank you to everyone who attended the Christmas Crop.  They have even put a plaque on the back from us.

              

For those of you who don’t realise, this is now in addition to the well we were able to fund, in late 2009, also in India.

 

 

Next C4AC Workshop is 9th July.  Registrations will go our around the end of May.

Don’t forget there is still time to register for Unmasked – May 20 – 22nd.

 

Thanks again ladies for your ongoing support of Crop for A Cause.

 

Mel

Next Workshop and Unmasked Retreat

HOLD ON TO HOPE – Crop for a Cause Workshop

Now that I'm on a roll I'm letting you know about the next workshop and the upcoming retreat.
As i am off on teaching on the cruise this week and then to CHA registrations for both these events (yes believe it or not – early they are) can NOW be downloaded if you follow the links in the left column.
As you know we were booked to capacity at the last crop so please get in early with payment to SECURE your spot.  This will be strictly on a first in basis and payments received. 
We are raising money for a local family in Geelong whose young mum (25) has been diagnosed with MS.  (she is the sister of one of our lovely regular ladies) and we would love to show her our support and help them out.  All money raised from sales on the day will go towards this cause.

There will be more details to follow in regards to competitions etc on the day – at this moment we are just opening the registrations.

UNMASKED – Weekend Retreat

more info:  Unmasked

Often i hear in the scrapbooking world – “I wish I could do that” – and i often think – “Well you can” if you try.   After the last workshop and the success of the little make and take – which was giving many of you the chance to try something you wouldn’t normally do (Tim Holtz inking) – these classes that are included will challenge you a little to go beyond what you are normally comfortable doing and hopefully have fun and learn something new.
We too often don’t give ourselves the chance to dream, explore our talents before we critise ourselves and tell ourselves that we can’t – so with this in mind we hope that this weekend we can encourage you a little in your crafting but also personally to have the courage to do and BE what you have hidden away inside you..
This again is limited numbers.  Realise the cost to some of you maybe a little high but please bear in mind this cost includes the cost of 4 classes, kits and giveaways, ALL meals and accommodation. 
There is also a discount if you pay early.  As it just after Mother’s Day, for some of you it may be what you just need – so why not ask hubby to contact me or Al  for a gift voucher…..(that would be extra special wouldn’t it).
We hope that at the end of the weekend you will have an extra shot of confidence installed and that you can go out and tackle some of the things you just haven’t had the courage to try.

“It’s not who you are that holds you back  – its who you think you’re not!”

Christmas Workshop Wrap Up

I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas with friends and family.  For some who have lost loved ones this year I know this Christmas would have been hard to get through and thoughts were with you.
For me it was the usual extremely busy day where you try to fit more than you should into it all and eat waaaay tooo much.  But it was great to sit back and watch the excitement on the girls faces and as usual they are very expressive.
Here are some pics from the last crop

These clever girls entered the quick cards competition.  They all managed to make some gorgeous cards in limited time.  How they do it – we all want to know.

First second and third placegretters  for our Ready Steady Scrap competition.  Well done, Cherrie, Deb and Bec (sorry about the pic Bec, your eyes are closed)  These girls whipped up a layout in 1/2 hour.  Great work.  Congrats too to Bec if you haven't already caught up on the news – Bec had another beautiful little baby boy (Toby James) just prior to Christmas.
Thank to the gorgous judges for helping out on the day too. Thanks Al, Richelle
and Kylie for helping out .
Huge thank you to PRINTBLOCKS again (and Andrew) for generosity and help with the prizes
The layout competition was won by Bec Beatie  (you were on a roll)
followed up by Jo Stokoe.  This was unreal – the whole tree just folds up

Fantastic effort girls – thanks so much to everyone who entered and for all of you who entered the Christmas decoration competition.  Sorry i didn’t get photos of everything.

Can’t go by without thanking Karni for buying MY tree.  I still haven’t had another one remade but who can say no when the money raised from auctioning it went to a good cause.
We were able to make up 9 huge hampers.  These all found there way into the hands of needy families – a huge thankyou to Jenni and Therese Fox for helping out here .  Also other money as you know was given to Chez prior to crop for her trip to the Phillipines – where she put it to great use with the childrens home.  Chez will send me some pics later to post.  Also after the day we had enough money left over to also purchase a rick shaw for a family in India to help them become self dependant. – again photos to come.
So once again thank you to everyone who came and supported Crop for A Cause. We look forward to the next one.
Mel

Christmas Workshop

SATURDAY 20th November, 2010
10am - 10pm (12 hours of scrapping)
Barrabool Hills Community Church
Function Room. 4-46 Province Blvd Highton
 Come along to our Christmas Workshop and join the other little elves having fun.
Catch up with friends and make a start on some Christmas layouts for all those photos you
intend to take this year., or better still catch up scrapping some past photos and finish making all those needed Christmas Cards. Come along dressed in Christmas theme or in Christmas colours.

Please bring along some goodies to add to our Christmas hampers, like last year, these will be given to families within the local community who just need a little extra love at this time of year.
Other money raised from Sales/Raffles will go towards purchasing another well to support a community
in a 3rd World Country. If not enough for a well, then other equipment e.g. Sewing machines, rickshaws

Competitions will be held for the best/original
- Christmas Double Page Layout
- Christmas Decoration. (please enter knowing that this decoration will be added to the hampers to bright up someone’s day and won’t be returned)

TO GUARANTEE POSITION GET YOUR MONEY AND FORM IN AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
NUMBERS ARE LIMITED.
Please write on back who you would like to be seated near.

REGISTRATION FORM CAN BE DOWNLOADED HERE:
Payment MUST be received by the 31st October
Scrap and Chat -  $35
Included: Dinner, misc goodies and lots of fun.
Christmas Papers Add On  - $55
Included: Same as Scrap and Chat above
PLUS 12 new Papers, and matching die cuts - Tis the Season and Be Merry.

Please note:
I will endeavor to seat you with who you request but due to the number of people in groups increasing in size, this is not always possible.

** There is a possibility of some special classes being held during the day at an additional cost - info to follow if this goes ahead.

Please bring along plate of food to share for lunch
Dinner will be catered and provided. Please notify me of any dietary requirements.

Update - August Workshop

Thanks girls for all the fun and effort you all put in at the last crop.

We raised over $1800. Considering majority of it was from our trash and treasure sales its obvious to me that one man's trash is definatelfy another's treasure.


Congratulations to Leanne Nankervis who produced the winning layout using a mega amount of product collection around the home. I wish i had of taken a photo of this so if any of you did please send a copy to me to update this blog.

Also the Ready STeady SCRAP - from scraps was won by Debbie Johnson. She turned out an amazing layout in a 1/2 hour, loaded with little techniues, actually everyone did really well considering the stuff we gave them to work with. Here are a few of them

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Thanks again to everyone for help in cleaning up and a big thank you to Sandy for helping pack the kits and Bee for helping with the set up. Couldn't have done without you.

Next workshop in November - will be a christmas theme. Further information to follow

Thank You Sandy and Gayle

I just want to take this opportunity to say a huge thank you to two beautiful ladies who have been busy scrapbooking - but not for themselves but for the orphanages in Thailand. At the last Christmas crop last year I put a call out if anyone wanted to do up 12x12 pages for an orphanage in Thailand. Staff at the orphanage try to do up albums of all the little children so that when they are adopted they have something to give the new parents of their lives so far. A task that is daunting at times so any help is always welcome.

These following albums were completed by Sandy and Gayle, two gorgous ladies who have helped me out on more than just this occassion. These ladies have hearts of gold. Thank you so much. I know how much these albums will mean to the people who receive them and how much love and work you both have put into completing them.

WORKSHOP - Reuse Recycle Reduce

SATURDAY 14th August, 2010

TIME: 10am - 10pm (12 hours of scrapping)

WHERE

Barrabool Hills Community Church, Function Room

4-46 Province Bvd Highton, Geelong.

ο Scrap and Chat $35

Included: Dinner, kit and lots of fun.
ο Scrap/Chat/Paper $60
Included: Same as Scrap and Chat above

PLUS 12 Papers from new ranges with matching Die Cuts/Rubons

Come and join in the fun.

Further details below on other things we will be doing throughout the day.

REGISTRATION FORM CAN BE DOWNLOADED HERE

Whether you are a greenie or not we all have heard the saying ONE MAN'S TRASH is ANOTHER MAN'S TREASURE. At the next workshop we are about to test that theory with our TRASH and TREASURE sale.

We often joke as scrapbookers, that SHE who dies with the MOST scrapbooking supplies wins
BUT
are you really going to ever use half of the product that you JUST HAD TO HAVE and bought on impulse and now wondering why and if you are ever going to use it - I know i probably never will - though my girls love the stash i have for them now that they are allowed to use.

You know when you are scrapbooking and you are just looking for that little something to finish off your layout and you just don't have it but the person right next to you quite often does...... this happens often, and the beauty of scrapbooking together.

This workshop we are NOT going to have a "shop" as per normal but inviting all participants to go through their stash and bring along any unwanted (UNUSED) scrapping supplies you may have that you had to have at the time but since its just sat there and you're wondering what you will do with it. This could be papers, embellishments, rubons whatever - only rule is that the packets are unopened and the paper whole sheets. All this will be sorted onto tables with a minimum price attached (e.g. between 50c - $2) and money raised from these sales will go towards the cause of the day. What is left remaining at the end of the day will be boxed up and sent to one/or both of the places we have supported in the past who make albums for underprivileged/orphan children.

So start to clear out your stash and make way for some new now.

RECYCLE REUSE - LAYOUT COMPETITION
Starting from NOW - start looking around your home at things you can use on a layout.
This competition has not many rules except on your page you must use 3 recyclable items (e.g. tickets, labels, tags, lolly wrapers etc) and needs to be completed by the workshop day to be placed on the table. These will be judged by a panel of people. First prize will be a 12x12 Creative memories frame which are stunning and a gorgeous home decor piece for your home. Anyone, any age can win so start thinking about what you throw away that could be used on a layout instead.

READY STEADY SCRAP - Scrapoff competition

Scrap a layout against the clock - bit of fun using recycled items from the stash.