{NewNew} for Good:Disaster Relief in Haiti


I work for a non-profit Foster Care/Adoption agency which has many clients from Haiti, and as such we have been given suggestions to donate for Haiti's disaster relief.

In addition to my independent donation, I have discovered a way that perhaps more could be contributed for the relief effort in Haiti.



And so for the months of January and February, I pledge to donate a percentage of The Original Beadscarf net Etsy sales to The Red Cross in order to contribute to Haiti's disaster relief. Please visit http://beadscarf.etsy.com for more details.

Lingua Nigra is also running a similar campaign for Haitians in distress for the month of January.

Please feel free to comment here if you are doing any similar charitable effort within your own Etsy shop!

Thank you for your support.

Charity Partnership with Bread and Life at the SHC

The Spring Handmade Cavalcade at the Bell House in Brooklyn on May 9th & 10th is almost upon us. We are proud to announce that the {NewNew} will be hosting a local charity, St. John's Bread & Life, at the event.



Bread and Life daily addresses the issues of hunger and poverty in Brooklyn and Queens. Every day, Bread and Life serves over one thousand meals to hungry New Yorkers. They provide this service both at their Lewis Avenue facility and through their unique Mobile Soup Kitchen. Their goal is to combat poverty and help people achieve self-sufficiency, in addition to educating the public, and increasing awareness about meals to needy New Yorkers.

For a set donation to this very worthy organization, our guests get to choose from two different "Thank You Gifts" created by the {NewNew} :

For the {NewNew} Book, we asked participating vendors for one black-and-white page that fit with the themes of Renewal, Transformation, Growth and Community. The zine is inclusive and we accepted all submissions, so there are some really fun and unexpected images and pieces of writing. Most of the contributors, being artists and craftspeople, made pages that were art in themselves or somehow concerned ways of making artwork. Here is a sampling of submissions:

- A recipe for creating homemade kombucha
- A list of free museum days in NYC
- various beautiful digital collages and pieces of artwork
- a tutorial for making a soda-bottle watering system for plants
- a couple of tutorials for giving old clothing new life
- a few recipes for simple and easy-to-make dishes like black beans or popovers
- photos of Bread & Life
- a story about community service for animals

The {NewNew} Book is a limited edition of only 35, so donate early if you would like to receive this "Thank You Gift."


The second option for your donation, the "Thank You Gift", will be a Surprise Box. Each take-out box will conceal a handmade surprise. Inspired by Bread and Life's focus on renewal and transformation, recycled materials were used by {NewNew} members to make these handmade goodies. The box contents vary in retail value from $3-$15, so take a chance and find out what is inside.

If you are interested in making an additional donation, check out Bread & Life's online donation page, but keep in mind that you will only be able to receive these "Thank You Gifts" by coming to the Spring Handmade Cavalcade. Hope to see you there!

What's the shape of your love?

What’s the shape of your love? The Carnival of Love Foundation coined the word “loveprint” to signify that our love is as unique as our fingerprint, coming in many colors, shapes and sizes, and despite our differences, it’s the one thing that truly unites us all. They named their campaign: “What’s the shape of your love?” asking people to pause and reflect on the significance of their lives in spreading love and light to others. What imprint will you leave in this world?

The Carnival of Love Foundation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization who believes that all children deserve the right to a happy and fulfilled life and are dedicated to raising awareness and funds to support abandoned, orphaned, abused, neglected, and terminally ill children around the world. The organization is founded on the principles that we all have the power to make a difference in this world, and that by sharing light, love and hope with underprivileged children we can make a significant impact on their lives and pave the way for a brighter future.

Originally the organization started off as a community project from a leadership program, then a group of long-time friends got together and transformed the project into a fun and festive fundraiser. The group, feeling blessed to have experienced the benefits of growing up in a close-knit, supporting and loving community of family and friends, felt that every child deserved the same right.

After much research, the Foundation chose to support the tremendous efforts of SOS Children's Villages, the largest orphan charity in the world. The SOS Children’s Villages is an international, non-governmental social development organization that has been active in the field of children's rights and committed to children's needs since 1949. The villages assist children, worldwide, that have either lost their parents or who cannot be raised by their biological family by offering them an emotionally stable, family-like environment throughout their lives, especially during the challenging years of transition into adulthood. They are known for creating lasting relationships with the children and being there to cherish the various milestones in their lives. For more information visit:

On Friday, February 27, 2009, The Carnival of Love Foundation will host its Second Annual “Apokries” Carnival of Patras, Greece Fundraiser to benefit the children of SOS Children's Villages of Greece. Central Lounge will transform into a fantasy-like Carnival playground complete with breath-taking entertainment, elaborately costumed performers, and raffle giveaways. There will also be courtyard festivities including cotton candy, popcorn, candy apples, face painters, photo booths, caricature artists and more.

History of the Patras Carnival or Patrino Carnavali

The Patras Carnival is the largest carnival event in Greece and the biggest in Europe, with more than 160 years of history. The events begin on January 17th and lasts up to Clean Monday also known as Pure Monday, Ash Monday, or Monday of Lent. The Patras Carnival is a variety of events that includes balls, parades, hunting of hidden treasure, kids’ carnival etc. The last weekend of Carnival consists of parades of carnival groups, floats and a closing ceremony. With an effort to bring this wonderful Greek tradition to NY, and the ideas of spreading love and raising money for children, the Carnival of Love Foundation has incorporated Patras Carnival’s cultural traditions and made it the theme for a monumental fundraising event.

WOW- did you know?

WOW stands for World-Orphan-Week - from February 9th-15th- an annual fundraising event during which everyone is invited to have fun and help orphaned and abandoned children by 'wearing something WOW' for one day and donating to SOS Children, the world's largest orphan charity. By participating in World-Orphan-Week, and encouraging others to do so, you can help SOS Children give orphaned and abandoned children a new mother, home and family … for life!

With that said put on a crazy outfit, preferably something colorful and head over to a wonderful fundraising event!

Carnival of Love Foundation
Central Sushi Bar and Lounge
February 27th, 2009
Doors open at 10pm
20-30 Steinway street, Astoria, Queens
Admissionis $30 at the door which includes a drink pass, masquerade mask, and access to all carnival festivities in the courtyard.
Pre-event tickets can be purchased for $25 by calling 646-717-7113 or by emailing rsvp@carnivaloflove.org

There will be a courtyard full of festivities, also I will be there vending for the charity. The Carnival of Love Foundation has asked me to design bracelets for the Foundation that represent their charity, theme colors, the carnival, and their logo.


Etsy
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kokalakiJEWELRY

Did I mention that there will be raffle prizes? All event tickets purchased in advance enter you into the raffle prizes. The grand prize is a flat screen HD television, the full prize list is TBA soon! For all you handmade lovers, some of the members of the NewNew have volunteered to donate beautiful raffle prizes!















Thank you everyone for all your support and LOVE! Hope to see you all there!

-kokalakiajewelry

The {NewNew} Handmade Valentines

Want to give something meaningful this Valentine's Day?

Etsy is partnering with City Meals on Wheels to deliver hot meals to 18,000 elderly in our area and on top of that - they want to brighten their day with YOUR handmade Valentine's cards. For details on how youc an particpate - visit The Storque for instuctions. Too late to make and send you Valentine? You can always donate directly to here!



Thanks so much to Groundsel, Jack Blue Hand Bags, Jantar, Waisze, MSwedowsky and Kokalaki Jewelry for making and donating these fantastically unique cards to the elderly in our area.


-Kimm
KimmChi.etsy.com

Charity Trunk Show - Dec 13


The Lucky Dog Party - A Dog Lover's Event & Fundraiser!

Holiday events are happening all over town this time of year, but this one is exclusively for dogs and their owners! Dress up your four-legged best friend(s) in their favorite costume or holiday fashion and bring them on a stroll down the runway in the Lucky Dog Runway Show hosted by downtown "art star" Reverend Jen, and compete for some amazing prizes. Have a pet portrait taken, get a sketch of your dog by an on site artist (for a small fee), learn some dog training tips from a pro at a free training demonstration, mix n' mingle with other dog lovers, enjoy music, drinks, shopping for unique pet items, dog bakery treats and jewelry from neighborhood and online boutiques, win one of many raffle prizes and more!

Free with $5 suggested donation- funds support the "lucky dog's" surgery with extra cash be donated to Dachshund Rescue of North America
Address: 529 w/20th street 10th FL (between 10th & 11th)
Saturday, 12/13 from 1-7pm (Runway Show happens at 3:30pm!)
More info: http://luckydoxie.blogspot.com

Our very own CajaJewelry will be vending for charity at this event

Giving to Charity In NewNew Style: Handmade Gift Wrap



Putting the finishing touches on the Handmade Holiday Calvacade at the Knitting Factory on December 6th from 10am-5pm, is like tying a bow on an already fabulous gift. With our handmade gift wrap option you can do just that. I've been carrying around this sample present all week getting oohs and aahs from everyone. For details about the design and making of the exclusive gift wrap, see our previous post.

A charitable donation by getting your gift wrapped by the National Ovarian Cancer Coalition - NYC Chapter is another layer of thought you can give to those you're wrapping up goodies for.



Happy holiday shopping from the NewNew!


~Kari
http://ikyoto.etsy.com