Om Shanti Shanti Shanti

Everything we do has consequence - whether the outcome is positive or negative depends on many factors and viewpoints.

Today I want to send out a very special thank you Mia, a sister in the Seva challenge, who has decided to donate what she has raised so far to my fundraising goal. With that amount we have now raised $7,077.75!! I am teary eyed just thinking about it. Namaste Mia - I bow to the divine in you.

Thank you Mia. Thank you to everyone who helped you raise the money. Thank you to everyone who is supporting this simple, sustainable way to make a positive difference in the world. Beyond politics, beyond borders and religious views - just one community helping out another and not wanting anything in return.

That is some positive news to focus on in these confusing and troubling times on our planet - good stuff like this is what builds bridges of peace from person to person, from place to place. I am continually touched by the generosity and support I find in the community where I live and grew up. I could not ask for better friends, teachers, co-workers, community and family. I am beyond grateful and thankful everyday.

What better way to salute veterans on this day than to try and make the world a better place so no one has to fight anymore. Idealistic but I'll take it.

Save this date

Sunday December 13th - we will gather. stretch. dance. listen. sit. move. breathe and come together... for a day of yoga. of union.

yoga for the greater good.

After... and then there were none

The making of one purple tee..

Before...

These little sweeties are getting their lotuses tonight... Organic tees for all sizes!

rise & shine

Right after waking up and making the coffee I went downstairs to check up on last night's work - see how everything is drying, see if any little brownies finished the work for me in the night... see what's what.

Standing in the "studio" I had to fight off the urge to start printing - I was justifying it to myself thinking, "well small black lotus wouldn't take that long..."

I walked away before I got myself into something... and to keep productive I'll bust out some rows on this scarf. Knitted with love for Uganda using organic cotton made in the USA.

good night sleep tight

sorted and ready to go

It doesn't get much better than a chicken with side burns...

Let the screen printing begin...

I am excited about this next batch of apparel. I am actually excited about the next three batches.. (Uganda Rocks, Part Deuce is going to have a pretty killer concert tee and Yoga for Uganda will have a lovely new design as well).

Today I am working on items for the Odd Ones Holday Biazarre next Saturday. I changed the color scheme around a bit and this time went for Autumn hues and cozy shades. Heather grey, warm yellows and unbleached organic cotton make up the majority of pieces... and I have new styles like soft long sleeve tees and cozy hoodies. I did a run of the popular short sleeved organic tees for both men and women.

Of course there are more totes and a nice assortment of organic apparel for wee ones including onsies, hats, bibs and long sleeve baby tees... these will also be available at the Om Baby Open House at BeFit Yoga on Saturday December 5th.

Now that the laundry is done... it is time to start printing.

See you Saturday!

Change for Change, I knew I was saving these for a reason...

I am a saver of things that are useful. Never knowing when you might need or want to create something out of something I tend to keep a hold of things for future use, like coffee cans for instance.

There is a brand of organic coffee that is sold in a sturdy classic coffee can. For a while the ease of the already ground can o' coffee was my standard coffee purchase which left me with about 33 cans over time. Refusing to throw out such a useful item... I kept them knowing one day I would re purpose them at least once... or twice. At the time I was thinking lanterns to light a path during a party... collection cans for a fundraising challenge, I had not really thought of that one at the time.

So now we get to Change for Change and what the collection cans are doing inhabiting my dining room like a temporary art installation.

A few months ago I was thinking about ways to raise money in times when the economy and the world feel unstable. People are concerned, and rightly so, about issues that hit far closer to home than Uganda. It does not seem that these are times that large monetary donations will be flying in - and I am, I will admit, uncomfortable with asking people for them. And so the idea of Change for Change was born. A way to take what is spare to us in our everyday lives, and gather that together to help others.

Last year I deposited two or three coffee cans full of change into my savings account. I was delighted at the amount hidden within this small vessel. A ha! light bulb moment... What if all the cans I had saved, and then some, were full. What a difference we could make, what an impact and change we could help to create.

Once again with the help of the ever talented Megan Caruso the Change for Change campaign was born. The idea being that a little spare change from everyone will go a far way to helping others and bringing our community together at the same time.

From now until the end of the Seva challenge, December 15th, I am asking you to save your spare change and help make a difference.

There are several ways this whole thing can work...

• You can pick up a can from me and take it to your work, home, office, school, neighborhood, bar... etc.

• You can take one home and fill it from your already saved change.

• You could have a party and ask your guests to bring change.

• Or you can let it sit quietly in your home and fill it for the next five weeks - see how much accumulates.

Along with your collection can - or when you see them out and about - I will have information about the challenge so everyone can see where their money is going.

Perhaps you live far away or have a giant vessel full of change to donate - impossible to travel with or too far away to drop it off.

• You could if you so desired deposit your change and donate the amount of your choosing in the form of an online donation or check. (Directions to do that are found in the upper right corner of the sidebar here on the blog - or email me:)

Near the end of the challenge, on Thursday December 10th, there will be an event - a time to get together and bring your change with you. Either in the can or in the vessel of your choosing - a baggie, a jug, jar, bucket or dish... I will announce the details of that event shortly.

So "Where", you say, "is the first place I can get one of these cans or learn more about it"... well I will be at Odd Ones Holiday Bizarre*on Saturday November 14th, held in the HHA Building, 1230 N. 3rd Street in Harrisburg PA. After that you can email me here to request a can. You can pick one up at Suba, in Harrisburg, where I work Friday and Saturday nights. I will also have one with me at upcoming events and will post a list of places where you might see one.

I may even have a "pick up your can" fundraiser... hmmm.

And, maybe you don't want a can - well then, keep your eyes open for them. Look where you shop, eat, get coffee, at a friends house or business. If you see one - throw in a little spare change if you can. In the end we'll see how much we can raise together just by giving what is spare to us.

I'm excited...

*(The Odd Ones Holiday Bizarre is a collection of local artisans selling their handmade goods. I will have a table there with new apparel, organic sugar scrubs, hand knitted scarves, hand loomed rugs - all the proceeds of which go towards the building of a primary school, sustainable farm and eco-birthing center in Uganda.)