OM World Finals!

Just a quick note to let you all know...

GIRL CHILD'S TEAM 

MADE IT TO WORLD FINALS!!!!!

I could not be prouder of her!

This means, of course, that the fundraising must begin in earnest.  I have a little more than 24 hours to raise the remainder of the $1200 so that she can go with her team.  So, please, donate generously if you can, and help spread the word about our fundraiser through Facebook, Twitter, Google +, Reddit, and whatever other social media you use.  Thank you so much to those of you who have helped out and thank you, too, to those of you who will help out now that it's certain she's going.  We appreciate it so much!



Send Hannah to OM World Finals!

W.I.P. Wednesday

I'm very sleepy this morning so you'll just have to forgive the less-than-exceptional photography that accompanies this post.  I was up late last night, you see, finishing the first (very) rough draft of the first book in the series I've written.  I sent it out to the first of my beta readers and loaded it onto the Kindle so The Man could read it during his lunch break at work.  Let me tell you, seeing my name in the author slot on the Kindle was pretty thrilling...even if the book's still (very) rough.

Anyway, on to the reason you're here.  Crocheting!  Yay!  :D

The first project I'm working on is a wee birthday dress for my niece Cecil, who will be turning 2 in just about two weeks.  I bought her some preschool supplies--stuff her Mum asked for--but I also wanted to make her something.  Here is the pattern for the bodice, but I'm winging the skirt as I didn't really like the way the skirt looked following the pattern.  Too many holes.  I'll add a picot edging around the sleeves and the hem of the skirt, too, as well as some flowers to the front.  I think it'll be pretty cute when it's all finished...which had better be soon, huh?

The second thing I've been working on is a little bolero jacket for Girl Child.  It was a spur of the moment sort of thing.  She likes yellow and I have all this yellow yarn laying around that I'd like to get rid of so I can buy other yarn--you know how the vicious cycle goes, don't you?--so I thought I'd make something for her.  The pattern is here and is so far very easy and quick to work up.

Also, please remember that Girl Child's State Final for OM is this weekend, and if she places first or second in her competition, she will be going onto World Finals in May at Iowa State University. We haven't had any more donations since the first $150 last week; this means that even if she wins, she may not be able to go to the World competition. Please help in any way you can. There are donation buttons all over this blog and even if you can't give just $5, please help spread the word by linking to the original post on Facebook, Twitter, Reddit, and your own blogs. You'd be helping my daughter realize a pretty special, once in a lifetime opportunity.

Send Hannah to OM World Finals!

Monday Morning Mish-Mash

First, I'd just like to extend a big thank you to everyone who's helped spread the word about my fundraiser to send Girl Child to the World Finals for Odyssey of the Mind.  It's been on Twitter, Facebook, other blogs, and even Pinterest and Google +.  I am so amazed and down-right gobsmacked that people I don't even know are caring this much about the academic dreams of a girl in Arizona, who they'll probably never meet or see.

Secondly, I'd like to also extend a GIANT THANK YOU!!! to those people who have donated money so far.  We went from $0 to $150 overnight and seeing those emails from PayPal telling me that there have been donations reduced me to tears yesterday.  You donators are angels and it means more to me than I could ever hope to express that you've given your hard-earned money to help my family out.  But we're not out of the woods yet, so keep Tweeting and sending the notice out on Facebook, Pinterest, your blogs, whatever you can do.  It's so appreciated!





In other, more crocheting news, this weekend was a pretty busy one for me.  I continued work on my Klimt socks, some ice roses for another Nerd Wars challenge, and found time to make some cool little drawstring bags and one half of a pair of slippers for Girl Child.

The blue and yellow bag is a little makeup bag that matches my new purse (photos of that when I get it back from my MIL, who is currently lining it for me because as we all know, I am sewing impaired) and the brown one is for The Man, who needed accessories for his monk costume, something he wears every Hallowe'en and to the Renaissance Festival every year as well.

The slippers were a spur of the moment thing.  Girl Child was complaining of cold feet yesterday so I decided to raid the Yarn Box and came up with yellow and brown yarn that sort of reminds me of Bananas Foster.  Plus yellow is one of her favourite colours and I have lots of brown left over so voila!  Half a pair of Bananas Foster Slippers.  I have to wait to borrow her feet to make sure they fit before making the other one.

Send Hannah to OM World Finals!

I need your help

I've mentioned that my daughter, Hannah, is involved with Odyssey of the Mind and had her regional finals last week.  Her team took second place in their competition, earning themselves a spot in the State Finals, which is on the 31st of this month.  If her team wins that competition, they'll be moving onto the World Finals.  This is a BIG DEAL for these kids.  They'll be representing not only their schools, but Arizona and the United States during the competition.  This is a once in a life time opportunity for my daughter.

That's where you come in.  In order for her to go to World Finals, which will be held at Iowa State University during the last week of May, we as a family have to come up with $1200 to pay for her registration in the competition, the airfare, hotel accommodations, meals, and ground transportation.  I know I don't have to tell you how difficult our financial situation is, because you're feeling the pinch too, but if you could chip in just $5 to help Hannah get to the Finals, you'd be doing an awesome thing.  And even if you can't donate anything, you can still help us out by spreading the word through Facebook, Twitter, Google+, your own blogs, Reddit, Digg, and whatever other social media you use, directing people to this post.  Who knows, maybe Bill Gates will see it and donate enough money so that the entire team can make it!  Wouldn't that be fantastic?

The winning Regional presentation