Greetings all,
Da dah, my 600th post, welcome. It's a dedication post.
No, i don't know how to screen dump, after 600 posts!!
I may have spent the weekend at Blogopolis learning about blog 'opportunities', yet that was never my intention when i started, my blog was merely a personal touch to compliment my design business. It soon grew beyond the children & craft, to my adventures & opinions, so my heavily-deployed-soldier-husband could keep in touch from war zones. Along the way, it has become a fantastic connection with like minded mums, crafters, designers, clients, fundraisers around the world + engage beautiful supportive folks. I had no idea it would lead to life long friendships & amazing collaborations.
In the past 12 months - with surgery on both hands & a husband away at war . . . i have barely sewn a stitch!! So last year when a new follower named Jan-Maree from Cherry Red Quilter with her heart of gold, read that my husband was deployed, a light bulb lit up & she asked if my husband or his soldiers needed anything. Why yes, there was something . . . personalised laundry bags.
My husband's original laundry bag (left) complete with sergeant chevrons & the new Aussie Heroes version (right).
The first time my husband went to Afghanistan in 2006 he took a handmade laundry bag with appliqué initials, to stand out with the 100s of white, navy & green bags. His embarrassing bag soon became the envy of his soldiers (each deployment) as his uniforms NEVER WENT MISSING!! With this information, Jan-Maree swung into action, asked for all the initials of my husband's troops & gathered her sewing troupe for laundry bag duty. Of course, people with hearts of gold can't stop at one gesture, they think big, like military operation big. Jan-Maree surprised me by saying "the soldiers will receive a laundry bag & a patchwork quilt for Christmas 2011" + each box was jam packed with treats from home . . . Aussie Hero Quilts was born. The morale boost was incredible, even if you don't support the war, we care about the soldiers. Even at the Army wedding we went to last month, the first thing the bride & groom said was how much they loved & appreciated the quilt!!
Finally, after a whole lot of blogging, phone calls & emails, we met Jan-Maree for a delicious homemade morning tea which lasted almost 6 hours. I cried when she presented my husband with this folksy quilt, which she created for our future homestead, so thoughtful.
What an incredible surprise & such an honour, beautiful Jan-Maree (a mother of teenage twins) has always created charity quilts & was looking for a new cause . . . i can't believe it started with my handsome soldier & this little blog. I blocked out my husband's name, he's just known as 'The Warrant Officer' to the sewing ladies. In the past 10 months they have sent over 300 quilts to Australian soldiers around the world + gazillions of laundry bags!!
Jan-Maree's house is filled with stunning quilts, i am completely inspired to finish a hexagon quilt now, i can see myself hand stitching in a chair adorned like this!!
I believe - with blogging - you can gain so much, posting from your heart & soul. I am truly blessed to have kind readers & huge-hearted-can-do gals in my world. To say thank you, there is a giveaway celebrating 600 posts here. There is no community like blogging, it spans around the world & it's free!! Incredible right??
Of course Aussie Hero Quilts is always after ladies willing to sew, especially in Sydney (quilts come in from all over Australia - it's simply amazing how many ladies out there who love quilting, also have Army connections - a grandfather/ father/ husband/ son or daughter who has served in war zones.) All details are on the Aussie Hero Quilts blog, including how to donate fabric & cash for sewing supplies. Spread the word, what a fantastic project for your sewing group, school class or friends, to piece together a quilt for a soldier, especially the Wounded Warriors who are flown to Germany - breaks my heart - along with the sad news we lost another Special Forces soldier this week. Jan-Maree gladly accepts quilt tops too & all skill levels are welcome!! Heart & soul blogging, that is what it's all about!! Love Posie
