UPDATE: Aria and her team of elephants saver raised...

$1000!!!  Isn't that amazing?!?  Thank you to everyone who supported us in big and small ways.  It means a lot to Aria and our entire family!

Stay tuned as I suspect my little Leader of the Elephant Savers will be up to more elephant saving missions down the road.  <3

~Cheers!~
Robin

The auction is LIVE

Aria Jae's Elephant Saver Fundraiser is officially LIVE as of yesterday March 13, 2013.  It will run until March 23 at 8:50pm PST.  Head over to http://hyenacart.com/TansyDolls/4665/category/7/Aria-Jaes-Elephant-Saver-Fundraiser-Auction and check out the great handcrafted elephant items!   Many of the items are still WELL below their retail cost so you might snag a great item at a really great price.  And remember proceeds raised go to Elephant Family to support their conservation efforts!

Also, check it out: Aria is on Portland's local news for fundraising efforts!  http://www.kptv.com/story/21637136/4-year-old-on-a-mission-to-save-one-of-the-worlds-largest-animals

Thanks to everyone for their support!  You are showing my little girl that she can make a difference in this world!

~Cheers!~
Robin

The girl has hit the news

:)  Aria's fundraiser is getting a bit of publicity.  Here she is on page 20 of the March issue of NW Kids Magazine.

Also rumor has it KPTV (our local Portland news station) wants to interview her on Wednesday.  Stay tuned and I'll let you know what comes of that. 

The auction is gearing up to go live on Wednesday March 13.  We decided that it would be easier and less confusing to hold it on hyenacart, so if you don't have an account, be sure to sign up for one soon.  Its free.   I'll post the link to the auction when its ready! :)

Thanks everyone for the support.  Aria is very excited to have you on her team.

~Robin

Elephant Saver Update

I wanted to say a big THANK YOU to everyone for supporting Aria's fundraiser.  She has received so many great donations and we are just touched by everyone's kindness, generosity, and enthusiasm. 

The latest act of kindness is from Smashworks, who is donating a fabulous vinyl elephant purse.  Seriously, how cool is this?  I first "met" Ashley from Smashworks on craftster.org.  She and I have participated in a number of craft swaps there and I've been the lucky recipient of some of her fabulous handcrafted items.  So I know firsthand the high quality of her items.  The person who wins the high bid on this item will not be disappointed.

Photo from Smashworks

We also received word this week that NW Kids will be featuring Aria in their cool kids section of their magazine so if you live in the area be sure to pick up the March issue.

Elephant Clip-on Earrings courtesy of Dot from Busted Button

My baby girl is growing up.  A week ago, I gave her the earrings that Dot from Busted Button made for her.  First, how sweet is that of Dot?  She not only donated artwork and a pair of earrings to Aria's fundraiser, but she gifted my little girl these adorable elephant earrings.  And she made them clip-on since Aria doesn't have pierced ears.  Second, check out that face!?!  That is the face of a little girl that is absolutely full of joy! Thank you Dot! <3

The fundraiser also received this BEAUTIFUL mini quilt from Becky of Belle & Bee!  I think it would make an amazing wall art or adorable dollie quilt. 

The attention to detail is amazing!  Thanks Belle & Bee!

Aria's fundraiser has some AWESOME goodies to auction on March 13.  Be sure to put it on your calendar because you're not going to want this miss out!


~Cheers!~
Robin

Art Open House

For any of you located in the Pacific NW in the United States, we hope you'll consider dropping by on March 16 for some art fun.  Art ala Carte is hosting an art open house for Aria Jae's Elephant Saver Fundraiser.  It is just $9.00 per person (adult and child) and half of the proceeds goes to the fundraiser.  Aria from Art ala Carte is also going to be raffling off a full year family membership to Art ala Carte.  Seriously, isn't she just the most fabulous person ever!?! Le Cookie Monkey will be donating 3 dozen delicious elephant shaped cookies to the event so rest assured there will be yummy treats.  :)  

I love this town.  Seriously.  The folks are just awesome.

Last week I whipped together a little elephant for Aria from a great pattern by Bingle Bears.  Aria named him Feather and she is in LOVE with him.  I will be making another to auction online.  I'm thinking of making one to auction at the art open house as well.  

<3
Robin

Dreaming of Elephants

I had to order some books for my upcoming field exams (I'm a full time doctoral student) and I just couldn't help myself.  I found myself browsing the kids book section looking for more elephant books for Aria. I stumbled upon Elephants: A book for children by Steven Bloom and just had to buy it for her. I'll never know what drew my little girl to elephants when she was just a wee two year old but I have to say the more I learn about them the more I fall in love with them myself. 

The photography is simply gorgeous and the information is presented in such a kid friendly way.  Did you know that elephants are excellent swimmers?  Or that that their trunks are longer than the tallest person you know and weigh more than two normal-sized men?  Perhaps the sweetest little elephant fact from the book is that when an elephant dies, his/her family members will stay by the body often for days as if they are willing the elephant to live again.  And if they pass the same spot, they will stand still and silent for several minutes to pay homage to their lost loved one.  When I read that to Aria I seriously choked up.

I admit I am extremely sentimental and it doesn't take much to get my tears flowing but the timing was impeccable as just days before Elephant Family posted about the murder of 14 elephants in Sabah, Borneo. One tiny 3 month old calf was found near its mother trying to wake her.  Heartbreaking.  These majestic animals need all the help they can get from us.

*Photo from the Elephant Family page* Seriously, how sad is this?  Poor little elephant.

I do not imagine anyone can see this picture and not be moved.  I debated posting this picture because of how heartbreaking it is but ultimately decided to because I believe we truly need to understand the brevity of the situation.  Elephants are endangered because of humans and its up to humans to do something about it. 

Yeah...I can't even look at that picture without crying.  In more uplifting news, I am excited to announce that I will be attempting to make the most awesome wool felt LED elephants.  What in the world is that you ask?  A long time ago, I pinned an amazing felt momma and baby elephant kit designed by Syuzi Pakhchyan of Fashioning Technology.

Salt 'n' Peanut.  *Photo by Syuzi Pakhchyan.*

Seriously, how cute is this pair?  Syuzi writes, "Salt n’ Peanut were inspired by the exuberant display of love in elephant society between a mother and it’s calf. In elephant social customs, the mother and its calf always remain in constant touch.When the trunk of Salt (the mother elephant) and the trunk of Peanut (the baby elephant) connect, the LED in Peanut’s chest illuminates, signifying love and joy."  I stumbled upon the sweet little kit again while searching for elephant crafts for Aria.  I knew immediately that I wanted to make some for Aria's Elephant Saver Fundraiser but when I went to purchase the kits I discovered they were discontinued.

I messaged Syuzi and inquired whether there was any way that I could find a kit somewhere or attempt to make them on my own for the auction.  You know what I love about the creative community?  The absolute generosity that I have found within it.  This fundraiser is teaching not only my child but me as well about the depth of human hearts.  Reaching out to others is sometimes scary but so far its been an amazing experience.  Syuzi not only gave me permission to make my own little LED elephants but she also gave me some construction tips.  <3


I'll leave you with this awesome little elephant craft that Aria and I did together.  I go the idea from Red Ted's Art Blog.  It was super easy and Aria enjoyed turning her little hand prints into a small family of elephants.  Okay, I admit it...I rather enjoyed turning my hand prints into elephants as well. 

My favorite has to be the one on the left.  She looks like she is laughing.  :)  All prints are Aria's except for the elephant on the right in the top right photo.  That would be my hand print.  We collaborated to create a mommy and baby elephant picture.

*X-posted to www.tansydolls.blogspot.com*

~Cheers!~
Robin

A little elephant update!

Well as I'm sure you know by now, its all about elephants over here in my household. Aria is getting more and more excited as people join her team of elephant savers. Jody from Penguin and Owl Acre's Wooly Creations finished up her awesome felted elephant and he is just the sweetest little thing ever!

[Photo by Jody Richards.]  How stinking cute is this baby elephant!?

Becky from Belle + Bee is also joining Aria's team and is designing and making a mini elephant quilt.  I can't wait to see what she whips up; she has brilliant sewing skills and makes the cutest kids' clothing. This weekend I am going to cut out some pattern pieces out of fleece.  I bought a sweet elephant pattern from Bingle Bears.  The pattern uses traditional teddy bear making methods, but I'm going to try it first with fleece and button joints.  I'll let you know how that goes.  Hopefully it won't be a major craft fail.  

 

In the meantime, I'll leave you with this great kids' book called Endangered Elephants by Bobbie Kalman.  I got this for Aria for Christmas and we finally got around to reading it a few days ago.  The book provides a great overview about African and Asian elephants, outlines what dangers they face, and then ends with uplifting examples of conservation efforts.  Aria and I both enjoyed the book.  Definitely a keeper!  

See you next Friday with some more Elephant Saver Fundraiser updates.  

x-posted to www.tansydolls.blogspot.com

~Cheers!~

Robin