Why I love the Crafty Interwebz.... edited

I need to say an extra huge super-duper thankyou to everyone who joined in with my Call For Help and helped to Spread the Word all over the social media world!

If you emailed your letters of objection, then you've probably received a group email from the Chief Executive of the Alfred Hospital thisafternoon.

'Following an exceptional increase in clinical workload in the adult lung transplant program, and the need to temporarily reduce activity, staff have advised that the workload has eased sufficiently to incrementally resume normal operation.'

People Power Rocks! 

Edited: Todays report in The Age

My Creative Space

It's a bit of a Cheaty McCheaterson creative space today.

I've had these little Go Granny brooches sitting around since Sunday. I just haven't had the chance to finish them with everything else that is going on at the moment.

Completely inspired by Miss E and Miss G over at A Little Vintage.

I really should go and find my brooch findings and finish them off!

The home of my creative space

A Quick Sale is a Good Sale

It's time to clear out some iPhone/Gadget Pouches and some Sunnies/Specs Pouches so that I can work on some new designs before Christmas.

If you pop on over to the shop and enter the code QUICK at the checkout, you'll receive 20% off all pouches.

But, be QUICK, it's only for 24 hours!

For your goodie bags....

I read somewhere online this week that it's less than 100 days until Christmas, and when I visited Spotty last week there was an entire section devoted to christmas crafting already.

Anyhow, I've been thinking a little about what I've been up to around this time over the last few years, and I usually get a production line happening in the craft space, in anticipation of the pre-christmas markets.

But this year is a little different.... I can't be booking and paying for markets, or travelling to markets, just in case I get the phone call that I'm waiting for.

Instead I'll be adding some of my little stocking stuffer type items to the shop.

Starting with this sweet little Felt Flower Brooch Kit (in pink and orange of course)....

Getting Cushy

I've needed some new cushions for my bland boring couch for the longest time, so my Go Granny fabric was the perfect solution to add some much needed colour.

So easy to make - you just follow the lines to cut the front cushion panels!

One wasn't enough, so I made a matching pair.... using a plain cotton drill for the backing.

On Saturday afternoon, I finally put them on the couch, plumped them up and admired them, and then walked out of the room.....

..... and when I returned

Spreading The Word

Vic has been hard at work and has created a little bloggy button for me, so if you would like to have your say and send an email or a letter to voice your concern over the current delays with lung transplants, then please feel free to add the button to your blog, so everyone can easily find this post.

You can download these standard letters and send them as they are, change them, or create your own.

Premier - Ted Baillieu
Health Minister - David Davis
CE Alfred - Andrew Way

Another alternate letter

The button can be downloaded from Flickr here or here

or you can pick up the code -

<a href="http://curlypops.blogspot.com/2011/09/spreading-word.html"><img alt="help400" height="246" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6151/6179987820_9e68a25da1.jpg">

<a href="http://curlypops.blogspot.com/2011/09/spreading-word.html"><img src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6157/6179987814_af01ea76e7_o.jpg">

Thankyou!

The sweetest little Grannies that you ever did see!

I have to thank Jennie for putting a 'smile on my dial' thisafternoon.... and for getting some craftiness back onto this here craft blog!
 

You must pop on over and see how her daughters turned my Go Granny fabric into super-gorgeous Go Granny brooches.

Thankyou Miss E and Miss G!

Guess what I'm making tomorrow?

Today News

I promise I'll be back to crafty programming soon, but I just wanted to share today's newspaper stories.

The good news is that it made the front page of todays Age Newspaper in Melbourne.

It's also in todays Herald Sun.

Thankyou for all the messages of support yesterday, and an even huger thankyou to everyone who took the time to email / write a protest letter and send it off to The Premier, Health Minister, and the Chief Executive at the Alfred.

When you get to the point that you need a lung tranplant, there are NO other options. Listing only occurs when you get to the point that you will probably die within the next two years, without a transplant.

I'm just so frustrated that I now also have to fight for funding.

A Call for Help - EDITED

Sorry for the unscheduled break in Crafty transmissions, but I just arrived home from the Hello Etsy event that was on tonight to find the following email in my inbox from the Heart and Lung Transplant Trust (Victoria) Inc

Page Link

The Age newspaper reported on 17 September that The Alfred is considering restricting the number of lung transplants it performs due to budgetary constraints. 

Read the full article on the Age website here and a further article dated September 22nd here. 

If there is one issue our Trust should take a stand on it is this one.

As we all know, transplant is lifesaving surgery and the suggested reduction in the lung transplant program will mean likely premature death for some of those on the waiting list.  In addition, it will also have an adverse impact on donor rates which defeats the purpose of recent government expenditure and advertising that has gone into this great initiative.

The Trust is deeply disturbed by this report and is considering how best to address the issue with The Alfred and various government stakeholders. 

The Committee urges all members to take up this fight with their State government representative. 

We would also encourage letters be sent to the following recipients:

Minister for Health
The Hon. David Davis, MLC
GPO Box 4057
Melbourne
Victoria 3001
david.davis@parliament.vic.gov.au

 This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Premier of Victoria
The Hon. Ted Baillieu, MP
Office of the Premier
1 Treasury Place
GPO Box 4912V V
Melbourne
Victoria 3002
ted.baillieu@parliament.vic.gov.au

 This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Andrew Way - Chief Executive
The Alfred
P.O Box 315
Prahran
Victoria 3181
Andrew.Way@alfred.org.au

 This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Members may wish to use the following wording to help their drafting.

• Example government letter here
• Example Alfred letter here

Can you spare 15 minutes for me.... please? My life depends on it. 

EDITED: - I've created my own versions of the protest letters to make them much easier to copy and paste

Premier

Health Minister

Alfred (feel free to delete the HLTTV member details first)

My Creative Space...

On the agenda for today....

Go Granny cushion covers to spiffy up my bland boring couch.

All those straight lines make it super easy to cut!

The home of my creative space....

Now thats bunting lovely - again

I've been at it again.... making a little buntingy (surely that's a word - right?)  goodness

This was a very special order for Gleaners Inc - a mix of vintage fabrics and tea towels...

But to make it extra special, and keeping with the recycling theme, I created the binding from the test print lines of my Go Granny fabric.

I can't wait to see it hanging in the shop!

Flowerpress - Show & Tell

I'm out and about today, but in very exciting news, I'm doing a little Show & Tell Interview with Susie over at Flowerpress.

I was so chuffed to be asked, as she's interviewed some amazingly talented and creative crafters in her series so far.

Grab a cuppa and pop on over!

Thanks Susie

Impromptu Road Trip

This made me chuckle.... the guy driving the tractor pulled over, got out, bought a cappucino, got back in and tractored away again!

....and it seems that there's been some strange goings-on in the chook shed too (check out that weird shaped egg)!

Sunday Snippets

Not much snippeting going on today.

My mum was allowed to come home from hospital thismorning, so we've just hanging about at home. She's been keeping herself amused reading the Sunday papers and doing crosswords, while I did a little sewing, a little washing and a little cooking.

Oh, and of course there was a bit of Lifestyle Channel...

More Sunday Snippets here...

I once was a Housecoat

I once was a lonely Housecoat - unshapely and unloved.....but then I was rescued and given as a birthday gift.

Now I have a new lease on life.......with pockets (and after a few adjustments due to some undie flashing gaping moments)

I'm now perfectly suitable to be worn in public - phew!

My Creative Space

Just for something a little different, I've been raiding my vintage fabric and teatowel stash this week.

It's been all about getting ready for a very new and very exciting venture - Gleaners Inc.

Gotta love a new rotary cutting blade!

The home of My Creative Space

Go Granny - Exclusive Behind the Scenes...

Apologies lovely readers - I know I promised to show the Go Granny behind the scenes photos last week, but then life and general craziness and phone problems and babysitting took over... yadda yadda yadda... you know how it is!

I must thank Brianna for snapping some photos while we working away trying to get the colours just right (and of course, for making me cups of tea).

It's actually quite cool to have some photos to document the final design process.

This was the very first print...

Checking the design size.

A few more rows....  check out that printer head whizzing past!

This was the first full metre printed...

The Money Shot!

Thankyou so much to Michelle from Frankie and Swiss for her invaluable help and hard work at such short notice. I was kind of in a huge rush to get printing...

Can't wait to get stitching with it now!

PS - I have panels listed in the shop but it's also available as metreage... just purchase multiple panels and I'll cut as one piece.

Choices

I've finally joined the technological age with an iPhone.... but

How on earth do I choose an iPhone/Gadget Pouch?

Ole - Part Three

Winner of Best Dressed Person

Winner of Best Pinata

Winner of Bext Dressed Oxygen Bottle

Silly Stuff

Can you believe there were actually three people dressed as Tequila bottles?

There was a huge mexican feast for dinner. One of my brother and SIL's friends parents (does that make sense) used to own a mexican restaurant, so their friend cooked everything from scratch - nachos, guacamole, bean dip, salsa, tacos. burritos, rice etc etc etc etc. OMG Delicious!

He also managed to set off the fire alarms...

It was all too much for this little mexican. I needed a siesta!

The End.