Please do not ever worry that your handcrafted item will not be accepted because of the deadline. The deadlines are simply in place for us to be able to end a project and start a new one. And sometimes, just sometimes we cut deadlines close with the charity leaving with your items. Please know that your item will always be accepted and will make it’s way to it’s destination. Guaranteed. In some instances, it might not travel with the others but it always gets there in due time.

I spied this cute picture on the Craft Hope Facebook wall and had to share it with all of you. Meet Mr. Buddy, Quality Control Inspector. Thank you Kimberly for sharing this photo with us. He’s quite the handsome fella.

It may appear that Craft Hope is much larger than what it actually is. Those of you who have been around here for some time know that it is just a few of us blogging mama’s that run this ship from our laptops at home. All while tending to babies and kids running circles around us.

I plan to announce the project next week! Thank you all so much for your patience.

Sarah again. I’m writing to you today from the happy place of having posted most items and notified shippers of nearly all sales. I can’t tell you how good that feels after days of having hundreds of unread emails full of generous offers and even more notifications of excited buyers. As I look back over the last several days, the picture of a snake eating an elephant keeps coming to mind – where the snake thinks it is eating the elephant’s tail, discovers it is consuming the whole elephant, and slowly works back down to the trunk. I am happy to announce that we have made our way to the trunk of the elephant. There are still some great things in the shop. If you’re all shopped out, then please pass the word to your friends, your neighbors, your Facebook and Twitter networks. We’d love to see all items sold. We have a few more treasure to add over the next few days, so keep paying attention!

I think my kids are pretty excited that I’m doing things like making dinner again (or not, since last night’s dinner was not a big hit). Working on the Craft Hope store has been a joy and an incredibly rewarding experience,  but I’m ready to get back to making things myself! Once we open the new version of the shop, we will be able to maintain it and still have lives. Systems are a good thing, people. Never forget it like we did in all of our excitement and desire to help right NOW.

Some housekeeping notes:

1. I am finishing up the sale notifications from the last 3 days that were difficult for my lovely volunteer – my mother – to locate, despite her organized, and persistent nature. If you are a donating seller and you have not heard from me regarding a sale, please contact me at sarah (at) crafthope.com rather than by leaving a comment on the blog. I will have your information to you quickly. I am also auditing the Etsy sales data and verifying that each item has an accompanying notice to the donating seller. Please communicate with your buyers when you ship the item so they know their order has been processed. You have all been so generous in giving of your talents and time and I can’t thank you enough.

2. Buyers – please email me if you have not had contact with the selling donor by the end of this week (January 30). Most items should be shipped by tomorrow, and I know that hundreds of them are already out the door. If you have not received a PDF pattern or printable that you purchased, then please contact me immediately at sarah (at) crafthope.com so I can make that happen for you. Leaving feedback at http://crafthope.etsy.com is a very helpful way of letting us know that you have received your item. Also, as Paypal reviews our account (which they are doing due to the sudden high volume) they do check feedback as proof that buyers are receiving items. If you receive the wrong item or the wrong quantity of items, please email me immediately so I can track down the right item and make sure everyone has what they ordered. In the event that your item simply does not show up, then your money will be refunded. Mishaps, unfortunately, are inevitable with this volume of sales and number of sellers. I’m asking in advance for your patience and understanding as we sort through whatever problems may arise. Thank you all for your purchases and your understanding as we work through this process.

3. As of yesterday, we have raised over $27,000 for Doctors Without Borders. I am working with them and Paypal to efficiently transfer the funds to them in the next few days. I am still astonished at what we have all accomplished together. We should never ever underestimate the power of the crafting community to make things happen.

Thank you, thank you, thank you from the bottom of our hearts for all that you have done. We could never have done it without all of your enthusiastic support and giving and love.

Sarah

Store Update: The Craft Hope for Haiti etsy store is now up & running! Over 1000  items sold and $20,000 raised!

1.20.10 Donations Update: We are suspending donations for the next two weeks due to the amazing response!  The store is open and we will be posting all donations over the next few days while we get caught up!

“How wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single moment before starting to improve the world.” — Anne Frank

Craft Hope community, it is time to Craft Hope for Haiti. The devastation in Haiti is catastrophic and we can help. At the encouragement of many people we will be opening a Craft Hope Etsy shop to benefit Doctors Without Borders. We are growing by leaps and bounds and as needs arise we will rise up to meet them.

The Craft Hope Etsy shop will allow crafters to donate products and allow folks to purchase them. With 100% (less etsy transaction fees) of the proceeds going to charity. Having seen, firsthand, the beautiful items you have created I know this can be one awesome charity shop. The dresses, sock monkeys, quilts, blankets, beanies, etc. that you have all created are incredible. I know many of you even have your own Etsy shop where you sell you’re items. This is a call for all things handmade. If you can make it, we will sell it to benefit Doctors Without Borders. If you have a handmade item you’d like to donate, please read the guidelines below.

Many people have asked how they can support Craft Hope and it’s charities if they can’t sew, knit, craft. Well, this is the way. You can shop in the Craft Hope Etsy shop, get a beautifully handmade item, and rest assured that the proceeds from your purchase will go to charity. It’s that simple.

DONATIONS ARE CLOSED AT THE MOMENT – NEW DONATION INSTRUCTIONS COMING SOON!!!

Update: There is currently a 24 hour turn around time on things getting listed. We are listing as fast as two mamas possibly can.

Update: Please be willing to ship worldwide. We are getting tons of requests about worldwide shipping. Please mention this in your listing. Thanks for understanding. If you can’t ship worldwide, please tell us so up front so we can put that in your listing.

Today we are working diligently to get the shop set up and open. We’ll also have a button for you to put on your site very soon. Please spread the word that we are looking for donations. Also, we’ve set up a nifty way to share information from our site through Facebook, Twitter, etc. Try it out, it’s super duper cool! I will post a link to our Etsy shop as soon as it is open.

Thank you for all you do. You truly make the world a better place!

I am amazed by how many people are willing to give.  Shortly after I posted about project number four, the comments started to pour in to my email account.  I called Jade and told her we were starting to get a response and I already got the first emails of people volunteering for sock monkeys.  She laughed at me.  Funny girl.  But I love the fact that every time I check my email, someone else is saying; yes, I want to make something for someone I don’t even know.  Restores your faith in mankind.  I wish I could meet each one of you personally and that I had the time to visit each of your blogs.  I already can tell that I would like you.  From the children who will benefit from your kindness, thank you.

** Some housekeeping **

Speaking of emails, there are a few that I’m getting returned to me.  So, if you said you wanted to help with the Little Heroes project and I haven’t sent you an email, could you please leave another comment and I will try again!?  Thanks.

And please don’t forget to post your sock monkey photos on flickr.  We all want to see a sneak peak at what you are making.  *** Also, remember to check in on Craft Hope Nest - this is a valuable tool for you all.  I posted an offer from sockmonkey.net for a special discount… just for our Craft Hope group!  Others have posted links to online tutorials for sock monkeys, etc.  If you know of a good buy or have a tip or tutorial to share, it could benefit someone else.

Happy sewing friends

We’ve been working hard over here at Craft Hope trying to find the best way for all of us to communicate. We have received some great questions, along with wonderful patterns and tutorials.  We decided that the best way to share this information is to create a forum.

We have now set up the Craft Hope Nest.  Which is a forum for you to communicate with other Craft Hope peeps.  A place to exchange ideas, post patterns, ask questions and simply talk with others about Craft Hope projects.