I was so pleased when my dear friend Judy asked if I could create another matching pendant and earrings set for her to donate to the ArtSound FM Radiothon fundraiser this year. (Last year I created this set).
I drew up a few quick ideas, incorporating the ArtSound logo, and Judy chose the one she wanted. She chose kyanite cabochons from my gemstone collection, which I think looks just lovely!
Thank you, Judy, what a pleasure to create for you!
Three million Australians are living with depression or anxiety. Are you, or someone you know, one of these people? If so, beyondblue could help.
beyondblue is working to reduce the impact of depression and anxiety in the community by raising awareness and understanding, empowering people to seek help, and supporting recovery, management and resilience. They have plenty of information and resources available, so if you need ideas or help, visit their website now.
I know the debilitation and pain of depression and anxiety first hand, so this month I’ll be donating 10% of The Silver Forge proceeds to this worthy cause. If you’d like to help and get yourself something fab at the same time, pop into my online shop.
Pink Magnolias (image credit Angel McNall)
Share The Dignity is an initiative run by two Queensland based women, Rochelle Courtenay and Heather Ranger. Their aim is to provide homeless and at-risk women across Australia with sanitary products to allow them a sense of dignity at a time when they need it most.
Because no woman should suffer the indignity of choosing between eating or buying sanitary products, Share The Dignity have a network of homeless and domestic violence shelters who they supply the donations to and allow them to distribute the donations where they see the need.
To help, you can donate sanitary items at one of the many collection sites, or if you’re not close to one of those, through the Tsuno website. Tsuno make environmentally friendly pads, and is also a social enterprise which exists to donate 50% of profits to charities helping women in the developing world.
Another way to help is to pop into my online shop – I will be donating 10% of all The Silver Forge proceeds from this month to this worthy cause!
Iridescent Butterfly (image credit Echidna Art and Cards)
Assist A Sista is a Gold Coast based group of community volunteers who work together to help survivors of domestic violence to rebuild and repair by bringing hope and restoring faith.
Domestic violence affects nearly 500,000 Australian women per year. Although women are the majority, men can also be subjected to domestic violence. It does not discriminate; affecting every community regardless of class, culture or background, young or old.
Domestic violence is the misuse of power to gain control over another person. No one deserves to live in fear of domestic violence – especially not children. Assist A Sista strives to empower victims, with the aim of breaking the cycle and enabling victims and their children have a fresh start; a comfortable home with all the basics, whilst they continue to heal.
Assist A Sista provide support by bridging the gap, where government support falls short:, by meeting immediate crisis needs, by providing specific “Wish List” Items requested by survivors of domestic violence, and by creating “Assista Havens” for the women (and sometimes men) and their children, once they have exited a refuge and are commencing their journey towards a safe new life in a new home.
If you can help Assist A Sista, either with cash or a donation of household goods, head to their website, or if you’d like to help by making a purchase from The Silver Forge, head to my shop – 10% of this month’s proceeds will be donated to this very worthy cause!
A Wish Made (photo credit My Little Pixels)
Epilepsy Australia is the National Coalition of Australian Epilepsy Associations working together to advance the cause of people living with epilepsy and other seizures disorders in Australia.
Their vision is to achieve a quality of life for all those living with epilepsy and other seizure disorders no less than that expected by the majority of Australians.
Epilepsy is a disorder of brain function that takes the form of recurring convulsive or non-convulsive seizures. Epilepsy is not just one condition; rather it is a diverse family of disorders comprising many seizure types. 10% of the population are at risk of experiencing a seizure during their lifetime, while 3-4% will go on to be diagnosed with epilepsy.
Would you know what to do if you saw someone having a seizure? A goal of Epilepsy Australia is for every household in Australia to be seizure aware – find out more here.
I will be donating 10% of the proceeds of all The Silver Forge sales for this month to this worthy cause! Pop to my shop and see what you can do to help!
Seeds of Change (photo credit Chris Grieve)
Earlier this year, my sister became a Board member of the international non-profit Women Organizing for Change in Agriculture and Natural Resource Management (WOCAN), which is dedicated to supporting women’s empowerment in rural communities in developing countries. A particular area of work is Nepal where many women and their families have been devastated by the recent earthquake.
WOCAN is a women-led international membership network of women and men professionals that provides expertise to assist agriculture and natural resource management organizations strengthen women’s leadership and mainstream gender into their internal structures, programs, projects and policies.
One of WOCAN’s core associates, who lives in Nepal, has travelled to one of the project areas and discovered people urgently need food, tarps and blankets. They have the contacts and capability to get aid to where it is needed.
WOCAN has set up a relief fund – please consider donating – it’s easy through PayPal. I will also be donating 10% of all The Silver Forge proceeds for this month to this worthy cause. Please head to my online shop now and see if you can help out there, too!
I first heard about Waris Dirie when I read her autobiography, ‘Desert Flower’ (published in 1997 by Harper Collins).
Waris was born in 1965 into a nomad family living in the Somali desert near the border to Ethiopia. At the age of five, she was forced to undergo the inhuman procedure of female genital mutilation. This horrible tradition is still practiced in many countries around the world today – by both by Muslims and Christians.
At the age of 13, after being forced to marry a man who was old enough to be her grandfather, Waris fled her homeland. After a daring escape and many tribulations, she arrived in London and initially found employment as a housemaid and later at a McDonald’s.
At the age of 18 she was discovered by one of Britain’s leading fashion photographers, who thought she would be the perfect model. She quickly became an international celebrity. In 1996 the Secretary-General of the United Nations, Kofi Annan, appointed Waris a United Nations Special Ambassador for the elimination of female genital mutilation. In 2009 Waris started the Desert Flower Foundation.
Female genital mutilation (FGM) comprises all procedures that involve partial or total removal of the external female genitalia, or other injury to the female genital organs for non-medical reasons. FGM is recognized internationally as a violation of the human rights of girls and women. It reflects deep-rooted inequality between the sexes, and constitutes an extreme form of discrimination against women. It is nearly always carried out on minors and is a violation of the rights of children. The practice also violates a person’s rights to health, security and physical integrity, the right to be free from torture and cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment, and the right to life when the procedure results in death.
According to World Health Organisation more than 125 million girls and women alive today have been cut in the 29 countries in Africa and Middle East where female genital mutilation is concentrated. You can read more about FGM here on their website.
The Desert Flower Foundation protects little girls in Africa from female genital mutilation with the Desert Flower Adoption Program.
I will be donating 10% of all The Silver Forge proceeds for this month to this worthy cause. Please head to my online shop now and see if you can help out.
I was approached by one of my lovely customers who wanted to see if I could assist a friend of hers with some fundraising for HeartKids QLD.
February is Congenital Heart Disease Awareness Month, and here is what Sarah has to say:
“Heart Kids is an organisation with different offices all around Australia and I myself am a Heart Kid. I was born with Pulmonary Atresia and had my first open heart surgery at 36 hours old. I have since had 2 open heart surgeries to replace this valve as I have grown. I am currently waiting for a date for the 3rd valve replacement (and it may have to be a double valve).
Heart Kids is the first port of call for all families that have a CHD child born expectedly or unexpectedly. They are there to support the parents through the very traumatic and emotionally draining period. They are there to support the parents during the baby stages and surgeries dates.
As us Heart Kids get older they do special events each Christmas with a large Christmas party and they also do a Teen Camp in Jan for teenagers with CHD – as it is hard to be a teenager, let along a teenager with health issues. So this is a great networking weekend for all teenagers with CHD. I am still friends with people who I met on my camp when I was 17.”
The fundraiser is to be held on Saturday 28th February at 10.00 am at 21 Luckie Crescent, Tivoli. There is a $5 door charge with a door prize. Raffle tickets are available, as well as an Intimo and PartyLite party to help raise funds. This will be followed by a $2 sausage sizzle.
Kids are welcome with a $2 door charge with their own special door prize. For all kids there will be a coloring in competition (free to enter), and free face painting. There is also a great play area and a jumping castle for them to enjoy.
Please RSVP to yarhams85@gmail.com by the 21st Feb (to provide Sarah with numbers for catering and face painting.)
I have donated a $50 gift voucher to be raffled, and I am pleased to be able to support this worthy cause!
Parents Bruce and Denise Morcombe established The Daniel Morcombe Foundation in 2005. Their son Daniel was abducted and murdered in December 2003 while waiting to catch a bus on the Sunshine Coast. The Foundation was established as a lasting legacy to Daniel. It now has two main aims; to educate children on how to stay safe in a physical and online environment and to support young victims of crime.
The Foundation’s belief and vision is one that incorporates a future which provides all children with protection, education and support in their lives. The objectives of the Foundation include educating children regarding their personal safety (including abduction); assisting victims of crime, particularly where crime involves children; and honouring the memory of Daniel by appropriate public awareness.
I have long been in awe of the strength and courage of Denise and Bruce Morcombe and their family. I was filled with admiration and moved to tears by their book ‘Where is Daniel?’
I’m proud to say that this month, I am again donating 10% of The Silver Forge proceeds to the Daniel Morcombe Foundation to help with the marvellous work they do. Pop to The Silver Forge Shop and see if you can help!
I was honoured to be asked by my dear friend Judy to create a matching pendant and earrings set for her to donate to the ArtSound FM Radiothon fundraiser.
Judy asked me to incorporate the ArtSound logo into the piece.
She and her colleagues chose sodalite from my gemstone collection to really make these pieces gorgeous!
You can head to the ArtSound webpage on 17th November to pledge your donation and get your chance to win this set!