The Long Awaited Craft Fair

It was definitely a weekend to remember!  I spent Friday night frantically getting everything packed and in order so that when Danielle and Rachel arrived at midnight we could finish sewing the 27 tote bags Danielle had started.  And sew we did... ALL NIGHT.  Rachel went to bed at 4:30 AM after having been awake for over 24 hours, I went to bed at 5:00 AM and well, Danielle never went to sleep.

Hoku gave up on the all nighter too...

Two of my best friends helped make it all happen!

Tracking our purchases.

So many price tags...

We were by far the brightest booth on the block... and one of the youngest booth owners.

Our Awesome Chalk Board Sign that Brandon Made!

I would say not sleeping was worth making the bags!

Some of the kiddos we've helped. Once you started telling people who the children in these pictures are they really got the mission.

 It was such an awesome day.  We raised $160 dollars for orphans :)  We will announce who it goes to in another post as it is hard for me to decide which children and families it goes to.

Some fun comments of the day:
Everyone assumes my name is Ginger :)
Some people asked if we actually made the stuff... and one lady specifically asked if we "helped make the stuff."  Many people commented that it is so nice to see young people sewing as it seems to be a dying art.
We were asked if we went to school there--- Mind you two of us have Master's degrees!
One person asked if I was Ginger on a Mission and then stated, "So you do have a soul!"

And again... I could not have done this without my best friends.  They are awesome!  If I would have told Danielle when we first met in sewing class that 13 years later we would be pulling an all nighter for a craft fair she probably would have decided not to be my best friend.

All of our stuff is listed on our Etsy site.  I LOVE hearing the ChaChings on my phone when someone makes a purchase.  I do a happy dance and quickly search to see who the money is specified for.  So get shopping as Chrismas Season tends to make people spend lots of money, shop with a cause!

We have begun looking at doing another craft fair or four :)  And I am excited for Christmas when I get TWO FULL WEEKS OFF since I work in a school to craft away!

Be blessed.

Because of Them...

I discovered something amazing online the other night.  The orphanage/institution I volunteered at when I spent a semester in South America has a website. I hadn't visited that site for a couple years and when I did the other night I cried such happy tears.  They have made such amazing changes to it.  I have no idea if they have a new director or what but there are so many photo galleries, a facebook page and stories about what is happening in this orphanage.

But WOW is all I can say.  The children in my ward only came out of their cribs for meals and to be dressed.  Sometimes I got in trouble for taking a child from their bed to play with them.  On one of my first days there, I was told when they were laying in their cribs I could just sit behind the desk and watch them.  No thanks!  I was going to interact with them no matter what.  Sadly, I cannot find all the angels I worked with in these pictures.  It makes me wonder what happened to these sweeties and I pray they are okay, but I know the reality of the lives they live.  There are still the "favorites" who appear to be in most of the pictures.

When I spent 10 hours a week for four months, I only saw children leave to go to special doctors appointments and a couple got to go to school elsewhere.  Children with Godmothers were able to go there on weekends but the photos they show have children doing Zumba, in cooking classes, going to the movies, trips to other cities and parading the streets.  These children are no longer hidden away and there are people working with them who truly love them and enjoy them.

My heart is so happy and full.  Because of these children, this is where Ginger on a Mission was born.  I always wanted to do more for the forgotten children.  Some of my friends and family may never understand this mission but I cannot forget these angels.  The children in this orphanage are not allowed to be adopted.  There is one sweet girl whose Godmother fought and fought and spoke with me often about the fight when I was there.  That sweetie is no longer there, their fight paid off.  She is the only one I know of that was adopted.

Be Blessed.

Introducing....

I am sooooooo excited because November 1st means it is Angel Tree time!  

Ginger on a Mission's Angel Tree Warrior Child is: 

 ANNAMARIE!

This sweet girl has been waiting for her forever family for quite some time.  She turns 15 in December which gives her just over a year for a family to adopt her!  

There are more photos and even videos of her here!

AnnaMarie is in an orphanage that have many children waiting for homes.  There are also a few families who will be traveling to her orphanage so more information about her could be available.  Her main special need is that she is HIV+ which is not as scary as it sounds.  Checkout Project Hopeful as they are working on erasing the stigma and fear of those with HIV.  Even if you aren't looking to adopt, check them out because we ALL need to be educated on HIV/AIDS.  She also is labeled as cross eyed which potentially has no impact on her and if she had received medical attention right away this could have been corrected.   

AnnaMarie and I share the birthday month of December.  To celebrate we are going to do a giveaway! ANYONE who donates $1 or more to her fund from now until December 30th will be entered into a drawing for their own tote bag made by Ginger on a Mission.  You will get one entry per dollar donated.  So $5 equals FIVE entries :)  All you have to do is forward your paypal receipt to gingeronamisson1206@gmail.com and you will be entered in our drawing.  The winner will be drawn on December 31st and they get to chose a Tote bag either size of their choice and discuss with GOM what fabric they would like for their bag!  

Ginger  a Mission was born out of the Ginger's semester spent volunteering at an orphanage/mental institution for children with special needs.  GOM sews handmade items and sells them at their Etsy Store  and 50% of the sales price goes to families adopting and children waiting for their forever families.  Whoever purchases the items gets to specify at check out ANY FAMILY or CHILD on RR.  Any family can post our site to help them raise funds and we LOVE helping everyone.  

Please Help AnnaMarie Find Her Forever Home!!!

October Numbers!!!

Total Facebook Likes: 121

Etsy Shop Views: 384

Total Money Raised for Orphans: $93 (Best Month Yet!)
Grand Total Raised Since Opening in 8/13: $258 (YIPEEEEEE)


Here are the angels we raised money for this month:

$26.50 for the Lusher Family who are bringing home FIVE siblings!!!  

$6.50 for the Tannehill Family who are bringing home Beatrice and Sawyer!! 

$26.50 for the Claus Family who are bringing Donald home! 

$7.50 for the Dismuke Family who are bringing Johanna home!

$7.00 for the Lanz Family who are bringing Peter home!

$7.50 for Kylie who is still waiting for her FOREVER FAMILY!  Kylie is a child on the Angel Tree this year.  To see all of those on Angel Tree click here.

$12.50 For AnnaMarie :)

I will be back soon to share a giveaway we are going to do for AnnaMarie, Ginger on a Mission's Angel Tree Child!  

September's Number is 92!

Ginger on a Mission had a busy September!  We launched our newest item... the tote bag!!!  After many requests we decided we would attempt to make a few and see how it went.  You can get your own adorable tote bag at our Etsy store!

Lola approves!

We recently made a kids size version which we are working on mass producing!  

Now for our numbers this month and the angels the money goes to!

$6.50 to the Saunder's family who is adopting Ilyssa! This family hosted her over the summer and are now racing to bring their daughter home FOREVER.

http://reecesrainbow.org/61058/sponsorsaunders

$23 dollars for the Lanz family adopting Peter!  This family recently adopted two girls and are on there way for one more!

http://reecesrainbow.org/63623/sponsorlanz-2

$17.50 to sweet Shane who is still waiting for his forever family to find him!  Shane only has until he turns 14 (August 2014) or he ages out and is unable to be adopted.

http://reecesrainbow.org/42297/shane

$12.50 to gorgeous Caroline who will be adopted by the Tam family.  Caroline reached out to a stranger who visited her orphanage and said "Please help me find a family!"

http://reecesrainbow.org/60118/sponsortam-2

$16 dollars to Channah who I was an Angel Tree Warrior for last year.  Channah just turned 12 and the Monier family is working hard to go get her!

http://reecesrainbow.org/61169/sponsormonier-2

 And this is sweet AnnaMarie.  $16.50 will be added to her account in November from an order placed this month.  Why not until November?  Ginger on a Mission is an Angel Tree Warrior for AnnaMarie this year!  From November 1- December 31 the goal is to help raise $1,000 for the child you chose.  She only has until December 2014 to for a family to find her or she ages out.  Stay tuned for a raffle in November that will benefit AnnaMarie and her future forever family!  http://reecesrainbow.org/60292/annamarie

THAT IS RIGHT!  We raised 92 dollars for orphans this month!  

Be Blessed.

The First Numbers

Since opening Ginger on a Mission watching the numbers change on the Etsy store stats has been fun!

I am very excited to tell you this evening which families/children have received funds for their adoptions!!!

$31.50 for the Williams family who is adopting Berkeley

http://reecesrainbow.org/61131/sponsorwilliams

$3.50 for the Grady family who will be adopting Evie and Hudson

http://reecesrainbow.org/64835/sponsorgrady

$28 for the Smith family adopting Steve

http://reecesrainbow.org/58984/sponsorsmith-7

$6 for the Monier family who are adopting my Chrismas Angel Channah

http://reecesrainbow.org/61169/sponsormonier-2

$3 for the Olsen family who will be adopting a child from Serbia.

http://lovesfarawaywishes.blogspot.com/

Other fun stats I can share:

Been open 17 days

We have had over 1300 visits to Ginger on a Mission's Etsy Shop

7 total orders have been purchased

22 total items sold

58 likes on our FB page

and 

2 best friends having an amazing time sewing the days away (couldn't do this with out her!)

Please continue to check out Ginger on a Mission!  We get so giddy when my phone Cha Chings when there is an Etsy store and we love seeing which child the donation goes to!

http://www.etsy.com/shop/GINGERONAMISSION

We are working on a couple new things!