Seeking help from the USA :)

Do you live in the U.S.A?
Do you have an Etsy shop and are familiar with the intricacies of the post?
Would you be willing to accept parcels for us, collect them in one box and send it to us?
This would be about 3-4 boxes a year, but you would receive small envelopes and parcels throughout the year with both your and mine name on it to avoid confusion.

A good Etsy friend has been doing this for years, but cannot any more due to an illness in the family.
We buy a lot of supplies on mainly Ebay, but also Etsy and Amazon. Many sellers don't ship abroad and others ask much more than is due to mail outside the US.

Of course, we pay for all shipping and will reciprocate in a nice way for your efforts.

(envelop photography by Anna Remarchuk)

Thank you!

First of all I want to thank everyone who supported Sandra these past few days, she so much needed it. Our giveaway has come to an end, but any purchase will still be greatly appreciated by her, she has a lot of beautiful items in her shop so be sure to remember her when you need a gift.

She was supposed to be released yesterday from the hospital, but unfortunately she will be there a little longer. I got a message from her cousin telling that she is doing well but that her clinical status is not completely solved yet. Hopefully with all your help she will have a big smile on her face once she arrives home (hopefully in a few days).

And here is the randomly picked winner from our giveaway:

~~HEYME~~

Please contact me for your address and to let me know in which color you want your tree :)

The Season of Kindness

I am sure that all our readers remember our Etsy friend Sandra, who lost her husband almost a year ago.

Sandra has a hellish year behind her. Besides her grief she has encountered lots of ill will from the people that were supposed to stand by her.

Sandra and her little boy lived in an old farm house and used an other space as a workshop that both belonged to her husband and his siblings. It was accorded that she could stay there and pay the taxes and the upkeep.

A few weeks after her husband's death, they told her to vacate the workshop. She didn't protest and converted  the stable of the farm in a new workshop. She did most of the work herself, but still, she had to make expenses to do it that she could hardly afford.

And, of course, when that was done, they wanted her out of the house. They started a pestering campaign , cutting her phone, her electricity, when she had work in the kiln, etc.
She has resisted as much as she could, but the stress was too great and finally she caved in and has moved to a rented apartment.

Sandra is a very brave young woman, and in the middle of all those unsavory maneuvers, she never stopped working, making products to sell locally and on Etsy.

Despite her best efforts, she is really struggling financially.

Kindness should not be limited to this season. But it is the season of celebration, family warmth and joy, and the season to remember those who lack all that.

Sandra has a bunch of great new items in her shop. She has the most lovely Christmas ornaments for a price that most people can easily afford. And we all need Christmas ornaments, don't we? And presents for a bunch of relatives, right?

If every one that reads this would buy at least a small item from her shop, Sandra and her little boy would have a Christmas, maybe not happier, but at least a bit more carefree.

To thank you for your kindness, we will send one of our Christmas trees (in the color of the winner's choice) to one or more of the people who buys from her. We will lot a Christmas tree  for every fifty entries.
Leave the transaction nr. in your comment here (or contact us through Etsy if you like to keep it private) to enter the raffle to win a Sea Urchin Tree.

Please, spread the word among your friends and let's share the kindness.  It is the Season of Kindness.


P.S. We had written and planned this post for the weekend, but are posting it earlier because Sandra is in hospital since last Wednesday.
She has pleurisy, and they have put a chest tube in her back to expel air from the pleural space.
She will be home probably on Monday, but as you can imagine, the situation is even more dire now.
Please help if you can.

Wish upon a Star

A few days ago I received these delightful ceramic starfishes from Sandra. You might remember her shop Azulado from last year when we arranged a raffle for her after loosing her husband and ended up in an impossible financial situation. The raffle was a great success and helped her tremendously, but these past 10 months haven't been easy for her, both mentally as financial.

A month ago she had to move her home and workplace as the situation with her in-laws had become impossible, so our team on Etsy have been buying her beauties from her shop to help her out. I just want you all to know that she can still use all the help she can get and now that Christmas is getting closer you might want to take a look in her shop to buy some gifts from her. I'm sure that both the reciever of those gifts as Sandra herself will be very happy with that.

You can find ceramic home decor, Christmas decorations, bowls, jewelry and more in her shop, I'm sure you'll be able to find something beautiful for someone special, in her shop Azulado.

Raffle Day #11

Many people have been offering more items to donate for the raffle, thank you all so much!
We will not be postponing the deadline of the raffle so won't be needing any more items, but can use all the ticket sales we can get for Sandra.

Thursday will be the last day to buy tickets, after that we will be closing the ticket sales, send the money to Sandra and of course randomly pick 55 winners, we will announce the winners on Friday!

Please see the previous posts for all the amazing prizes that can be won and the cause for this raffle.

In short Sandra lost her husband just before Christmas and after almost a year with little income and big expenses she and her little boy are now completly depended on her Etsy store. Incase you don't want to join the raffle her shop is full with gorgeous ceramic pieces. Also sharing this raffle at any social site is highly welcome and appreciated, we wouldn't have been able to sell almost 800 tickets if we hadn't got all your help, so thank you again! To show our appreciation you can win extra tickets by sharing the raffle!

Here are 5 more beautiful prizes that you can win!

 Hobbit Art print donated by ucuspucus

Knitted Textile bracelet donated by ylleanna

Polymer clay necklace donated by aplusdesignnn

 Teething textile necklace donated by Simplyacircle

Romantic beaded bracelet donated by missbabacilu

Raffle Day #8

We are almost at 700 tickets now, the target is a thousand tickets, so still 300 to go!

There have been some amazing promotions for Sandra on many sites, please also see this event site on Facebook for the raffle and invite your friends to it so that they can see it and hopefully will support it. Facebook has changed alot and sharing things is only seen by a few people but inviting them to the event will bring more people.

Each share brings something, and every ticket counts!

Please see the previous posts were this is all about, in short we are trying to collect money for Sandra who lost her husband just before Christmas. She has a little boy and now depends only on her income from her Etsy shop. She had a tough year with lots of extra expenses and less income so every dollar helps her and her son's future.

Thank you everyone who has been so generous with helping this cause, please keep on helping with spreading the word, it only takes a few minutes of your time, lets make this world a better place :)

To show our graditute for your sharing you can earn extra tickets by sharing on any social media site possible, each share really helps!

Here are 5 more beautiful prizes that can be won, the more tickets you buy the more chance you win one of these and the more help will go to Sandra.

 Leather Journal donated by MedievalJourney

 Knitted cowl donated by theYarnKitchen

 Polymer art necklace donated by JagnaB

 Hand drawn card donated by PaperAndPaintRocks

Leather and beaded bracelet donated by BijuBrill

Raffle Day #4

We are very happy with the results of the raffle thus far: four hundred tickets sold!!

You are lovely, lovely people.

We have had comments (and help!) from people that have lived similar tragedies, people with loved ones fighting cancer, people in similarly precarious work situations. All  these persons tells us how very important financial help is. It is not very romantic to talk about money in a mourning situation, but everyone of us needs money, and the lack of it on top of the suffering is enough to get a person paralyzed and clueless.

More good news is that many, many people have bought items from Sandra's shop. Her shop is blooming !!
Sandra was briefly in her team forum yesterday and this is what she wrote:

''...And today for the first time I went to the studio and started working with the passion that I always had, I confess I am quite lost, but you guys gave me the strength to get up in the morning and go to the studio, thank you for everything.
I am so amazed at all that I've walked a few miles out of a 3 meters studio.''

And the strength to work is just what she needs to find her footing and confidence in her capacity as only breadwinner.

Did I tell you that you are all lovely people? Very. Lovely. People.

You can see what this raffle is all about in the previous posts, in short Sandra lost her husband to cancer, and after already months of less income and more expenses she really needs all the help that she can get! Please purchase as many raffle tickets as your budget allows or if you do not want to particiape in the raffle her shop has gorgeous ceramic pieces and is her only income, she has a little boy of 5 years old.
You can earn extra tickets by sharing the raffle on Facebook, twitter and on your blog.
The Paypal page comes for some reason up in Turkish, the language changes once you have chosen your own country.

Here are 5 more of gorgeous items all generously donated for the raffle, the more tickets you buy the more opportunity to win one of these!

 Art print donated by Mysoulfly

 Baby booties donated by SasasHandcrafts

 Fabric and crochetted statement necklace donated by rRradionica

 Gold plated sterling silver stud earrings donated by meltemsem

Ceramic Valentine's plate donated by Ceraminic

Monday Moodboard Raffle Day #3

I'm very happy about how the tickets are going, we are close to 200 tickets now and hopefully many more will sell so that Sandra can stick her head out of the water. This week's moodboard is entirely made with Sandra's items, her shop Azulado is her only income so if you don't want to play in the raffle it is now the perfect time to buy something from her shop!
It would be great if you can also promote both her shop and this raffle on your blog to spread the word!

Please see the previous posts to see what this is all about, in short we are trying to raise money for Sandra who just recently lost her husband to cancer, and her little boy.
More then 50 prizes are donated for this raffle to win, everyday 5 new prizes are shown here on the blog, to be able to win simply purchase as many tickets as you can, all money will be going to Sandra and you might win one of the amazing gifts. You can win extra tickets by sharing the raffle on your blog, twitter or facebook to help us spreading the word.

p.s. I heard that the button brings you to Paypal in Turkish, if you are not familiar with Paypal this might be a bit confusing, so if you need help let us know!

This week not only (either normal or about Sandra) monday moodboards but also normal blogposts about Sandra can be linked, just simply leave your link by clicking on the 'add your link' button so we can all see how we are spreading the love together!
And here are the next 5 amazing gifts that can be won by buying tickets, the more tickets you buy the more help for Sandra and more luck to you for beeing able to win one of these wonderful items!

 Ceramic Lilypad coasters donated by damsontreepottery

 3 bookmarks with vintage images donated by marinaswishes 

 Polymer clay statement necklace donated by HunkiiDorii

 Set of 6 giftbags donated by PaperWhispers

Handmade lampwork beads donated by  CandanImrak

Raffle Day #2

First of all, we want to thank you all for your kindness, your support and encouragement.

140 tickets have already been sold. We aim (hope!) to sell a thousand in these 10 days.

And you know what? It has been raining cats and dogs here for days, but yesterday afternoon the sun broke through the clouds and we saw this amazing huge rainbow in the sky. We could clearly see all its colors. And a bit later ... a second one on top! A double rainbow is very, very rare, I hope that you can see it in the pictures.

We took it to be a good omen of hope for Sandra and her little boy.

I want to share with you a comment that we got here yesterday and found specially moving:

'I was widowed with a one year old daughter exactly five years ago this week. One of the things that helped me get through that awful first year was simply the cash that strangers/colleagues/friends gave me. I don't know if anyone who hasn't been through it can imagine the financial burden losing a loved one places on a family, but it's enormous and long term. '

We can't indeed, imagine the anguish and despair you went through, Sasha. Hugs and many thanks.
It is good to be reminded of what it is from somebody that has lived the same tragedy.

We can not take away Sandra's pain, but we can take take away some of her worries.

Please see the previous post if you don't know what this is all about, there are more then 50 prizes worth more then 2000$ to win, all money from the tickets will go to Sandra and her son.
You can win free tickets by sharing this raffle on your blog, twitter or facebook, the more the merrier. If you don't want to participate in the raffle but would like to help Sandra she sells amazing ceramic pieces which is her only income at Azulado.

Here are 5 more prizes for the raffle, check back every day to see the many more amazing donated gifts!

 Children's hat donated by yellOkids

 Lover's mittens donated by SOLObyME

 Screen printed serving tray donated by Birribe

 Steampunk Brooch donated by HelgaYutt

 Hand felted bag donated by kadabros

The Kindness of Strangers

A few days before Christmas, our Etsy friend Sandra lost her husband to cancer. It was discovered in an advanced state and he was gone in a matter of months, forty years old.

Sandra and her husband were self employed as restorers of historical tiles, where their country, Portugal, is famous for. When a town has a project, restorers make offertes and the cheapest get the job.

An uncertain living in the best of times, seven or eight months before his death they weren't able to work. He, too ill, she, taking care of him. They have a five years old boy.

In those hard months they depended on the income of Sandra's Etsy shop, Azulado, where she sells lovely ceramic pieces. With all the extra costs related to the illness and burial, we know that  Sandra is in big financial trouble, although she hasn't complained once. When this adds to the pain of loosing a loved one, is too much for a person to go on.

She is now trying to get an allowance from the government for her small child, but Portugal is a country in bankrupcy, so thus far she has only met a wall of bureaucracy.

Life is so fragile, and so is the web of dreams that we depend on. Everything can be taken from us in a moment. It can happen to any of us, and then we badly need the kindness of strangers.

Sandra's Etsy team, EST spirit wants to help her, and so we are organizing a raffle to collect money. There are more than FIFTY prizes to be won, all of them donated by her team members. We will run this raffle for ten days, and at the end of these ten days, more than FIFTY WINNERS will get a prize.
There are items for women, men and children, for every taste. To win, you can buy here tickets for 5$.
Buy as many as you can, the more tickets the more Sandra will get help and you the opportunity to win one of the amazing prizes. You can get an additional extra ticket if you blog about this raffle, tweet or share it on your Facebook page, just leave the link here at the comments.

If you don't feel like participating in this raffle, please do buy something from her shop. We all know how every sale counts and gives courage.

Here you can see the first five of the items that you can win, and every day we will post pictures of all the prizes that can be won. Winners will be announced after the ticket sales are closed.
All procceeds of the tickets will be going to Sandra and her son.

 Art print donated by BarbaraSzepesiSzucs

 Ceramic cup donated by BiscuitCuit

 Silk Brooch donated by Attractive1

 Crystal earrings donated by ArxRosarum

Statement ring donated by MARIAELA

Urchin

I have very, very sad news.

Remember that we were saying that both hind legs were very weak?  He could stand and take one or two steps, no more, and had to be carried outside for his toilet.

We took him tuesday again to the vet and had finally more x-rays taken. His other leg is totally out of the joint, the ligament torn. The vet said that it is no use to put it again in place, it would go out right again.

Worse news was that the steel plate that they put in the broken leg, with screws and wire, had bent in a L shape and was no good. He wanted to operate on him again and put a heavier plate in. The injured leg would be shortened.

We spent a terrible tuesday evening, deliberating what to do. We read all what we could find on the web about hip dislocation by dogs. The usual treatment is to fixate the leg in a sling for several weeks till the torn ligaments have healed. If that doesn't help, than the head of the femur is removed surgically to relieve the pain.

Of course, that all supposing that the dog has an other healthy hind leg to walk on, but Urchin's other leg was badly shattered. The vet could of course not say if he would be ever pain free.

Ah, the way that animals warm a place in your heart!
We have had to put down other dogs, of course, with illnesses that couldn't be cured. But to have to do it with a young, otherwise healthy dog, it was really, really hard.

But in the end, that was what we decided, because a life with pain is no life.

This dog has brought about so much goodness in so many people, I hate that this love story has no happy ending, I hate it.

I am still glad, though, that he didn't die in terror on that road. I'm glad he was loved and pampered in his last days, I'm glad that he was clean and well fed. I'm glad that Estella was holding him and stroking him and talking to him till he peacefully went to sleep on his bed, in our house.

He is buried in a hill overlooking the sea. He will always be one of ours.

Another update

Monday, we finally brought Urchin home. Here he is, getting what is obviously his first bath ever. It barely scratched the surface, he stills smells awful, the poor thing.

The wounds are much better, only the one at his ankle, where we could see the bone when we found him is still a bit open, so we used Betadine Scrub to wash him.

He can stand and walk a couple of steps, no more, both hind legs are very weak. he still has a very long way to go to recover.

He is totally in love with Estella.

Today he finally pooped, we were woried because he didn't before. Never knew that I would be so happy to see a dog's turd, we see enough on a daily basis. It is one more step in the way to recovery.

He lays very confortably in a room with airco, where the other doggies are not allowed and is cool and quiet. He says hello and thank you to you all.