A few weeks ago a fellow Etsy Maine team member and past feature on my blog, Judy B., announced a call for entries for a silent auction to benefit the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF). When I heard about it I knew I had to donate work for several reasons:
1. My newest, most favorite pair of earrings were a gift to me from my father hewn from the blood, sweat and tears of Judy. Here are a pair just like them (you want them.):
Earrings Oxidized Silver Hoops $20 by Judy B. on Etsy
2. The JDRF and I go way back. Well, to about 2005 when I volunteered to photograph a walk in Boston during my “I think I want to be a Photojournalist days.” I didn’t become a photojournalist (thank goodness) but I had the opportunity to practice my social skills behind a camera and, for the first time ever, command a group of 100+ sitters for a group portrait. Whoa! Now, at weddings, telling (or sometimes yelling) 10 people where to stand is a piece of cake.
3. The most obvious reason. Growing up my friend and next door neighbor had juvenile diabetes that started around 1st grade. No one really talked much about it – I just knew that she had to get her finger pricked a lot and her Mom had to administer shots once or twice a day. There have been so many advances in medicine we’ve made since then (late 80s). Bloodless testing and more. So it’s only natural to believe that anyone trying to make children’s lives more manageable if they are diagnosed is definitely someone who is deserving of a donation from me.
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The silent auction will be held at the 10th Annual Granite Gala on Saturday, May 7th in New Hampshire. Visit the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation’s Northern New England Branch site for more details as the date approaches:
http://www.jdrf.org/index.cfm?page_id=100080
You can also contact them by phone at (603)222-2300 for more information.
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Here are some of the fine people who have already committed to donating for the auction in May:
Peapod Necklace $6.50 by allsey on Etsy
Allsey is a repurposer from Maine who puts good use to trinkets, beads and toys that she finds. I love the peapod necklace above, I almost bought it for myself at the Biddeford Art Walk last month but instead got a necklace with a pair of glasses bead for my friend!
Poppy TTV Photograph $10 by ConstantGalore on Etsy
Constant Galore‘s Etsy shop features fiber arts, photography and some really excellent naughty candies that she probably won’t be donating to the walk. 🙂 I love this photograph of a poppy taken through the viewfinder of a Brownie camera with a digital camera.
Rotary Phone Acrylic Charm Earrings $12 by EastoftheSun on Etsy
East of the Sun is a multimedia extravaganza. Zines, charms, pillows, prints and more. I bought a set of 4 zines about animals from her for my niece to use as coloring books for the holidays. Nice!
Converse All-Star Bottle Cap Barrettes $12 by littleeyedesigns (me!) on Etsy
Little Eye Designs: That’s me! I’ll be donating a combination of a framed photograph and bottle cap jewelry with the same photograph inside of it. Because the auction will be in May I’ll probably use an image from the Farmer’s Markets in Portland that I’ve been taking throughout the years. Pink flowers? Radishes?! Who knows!
Precious Blossom Pendant Necklace $24.99 by SweetSincerity on Etsy
Sweet Sincerity is one of my new internet friends. I love her enthusiasm and her feminine designs. Check out her blog at:
http://sweetsincerityjewelry.blogspot.com
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Do you know of any other organizations looking for donations from artists, crafters and people with other talents? Leave a comment and share below!
Little Eye Designs 