Holiday Mail for Heroes

So.... yet again, i am a bit behind on things these days.  Even though there are only a few days left to participate i would like share this with you.  If every one of us wrote and sent one note, can you imagine how many more soldiers and their families would receive a Christmas card this year? 
"For a fifth year, American Red Cross and Pitney Bowes are partnering to ensure all Americans have an opportunity to send a touch of home this holiday season to members of our U.S. military, veterans and their families, many of whom will be far away from home this holiday season."
"All cards must be postmarked no later than Friday, December 9th. Cards postmarked after this date will unfortunately be returned to the sender. This deadline ensures enough time to sort and distribute cards before the holidays."

Send cards to the address below:

Holiday Mail For Heroes
P.O. Box 5456
Capitol Heights, MD 20791-5456

Card Guidelines

•All cards being sent in for 2011 Holiday Mail For Heroes program should be postmarked no later than Friday, December 9, 2011.

•Ensure that all cards are signed.

•Use generic salutations such as “Dear Service Member.” Cards addressed to specific individuals can not be delivered through this program.

•Only cards are being accepted. Do not send letters.

•Do not include email or home addresses on the cards, as the program is not meant to foster pen pal relationships.

•Do not include inserts of any kind, including photos, as these items will be removed during the reviewing process.

•Please refrain from sending holiday cards with glitter. Many of these cards will be delivered to military and veterans medical facilities and the glitter could interfere with a patient’s recovery.

•We encourage participants to mail as many cards as they are comfortable sending. If you are mailing a large quantity, please bundle the cards and place them in large mailing envelopes or use a flat rate box from the post office. Each card does not need its own envelope, as cards will be removed from all envelopes before distribution.
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You can check out the Red Cross Blog to find out more about this worthwhile program.

Crafty Friends

In a good way of course! :  )

My real life friend, Jennifer, has been busy whipping up some beautiful needle felted items lately.  I have tried to comment on her blog but Blogger just does not like me!  So instead, i am sending you all over there to check out her creations.  Her latest is this beautiful St. Francis doll.

Her blog is Homespun Love.  Stop by and check out her creations! 

I would love to have her do a felted doll tutorial sometime, so be sure to mention that for me if you can leave a comment!

Free Holy Heros Coloring Book...and more!

Holy Heroes has a free 17 page St. Joseph Coloring book just for you!

Right on time for St. Joseph's Feast Day (March 19th) you can now get your little ones (and not so little ones) started on the right foot.  Color the pages over the course of a week, or have everyone color one or two different ones.  Either way they not only teach us about St. Joseph but also about the life of Our Lord.

As we prepare for this Feast Day i would also like to mention that Jennifer over at Homespun Love  blogged about A Virtual St. Joseph's Altar a couple of days ago. If you check out their craft pages you'll find a 3D altar your family can make as well as a chocolate crown of thorns. 

In years past we have done the salt dough crown but have never had much success.  This little gem looks more realistic and could have many uses in the weeks to come.

Do You Sew?

If you do, could i ask you a favor? 

I need scraps!  Not the kind you set aside for another project, the ones that you throw away. Yep, those!

Tee hee hee! I have not lost my mind! 
Its a project ... a fascinating, new, exciting, quilting type adventure.  But i need small pieces in various shapes, sizes and colors (you could add bigger pieces if you'd like - i will not turn them away! Actually i could use those too.)
I do not sew enough yet to have many of my own scraps (but yes, i do save mine - though i never knew why until now!)

Anyway - i'm not telling exactly what its for yet ...if i don't get to it for a while (i have a couple of dresses to make and a birthday gift to crochet!) i don't want to disappoint anyone.  But i will eventually share. :  )

If  you can help me out please leave a comment below and i will email you back ... We will pay for shipping ...yes, for mailing us your garbage!
Thank you so much for your help!

ps.  If you know anyone else that sews please direct them here, i am serious about this! Thanks!