My trip to Vancouver..

My job site offered a trip to Vancouver for a conference on Young female offenders... all staff that wanted to attend submitted their names and one was selected from that. I was the lucky one...only one problem...I hated to fly and that is all the way across Canada for me! It was an opportunity that does not happen often for front line staff...so bite the bullet and off I went!

Great start to my trip...flight was delayed by almost 2 hours due to a snow storm...yikes...missed connecting flight by 10 minutes in Toronto and had to wait for 4 hours! Flights were good though...I was surprised at how relaxed I was.

When I got to Vancouver it was dark and after midnight so did not get to see much. Although I had a gorgeous room...with a view of the mountains and the harbour.

First day of conference was so interesting...so good to hear what other areas are doing with their females and as the numbers are so much greater they had a lot of ideas and experience to share with us.

That evening I headed out to do a bit of exploring...so beautiful and no SNOW!!!! Wow..loved that. I found some interesting shops and did a bit of shopping as well.

Second day of conference ...great speakers ... really enjoyed it. Again I headed out to do some more sightseeing and shopping. I was not brave enough to head out too far but it was nice. Loved the city but was ready to come home on Thursday...

Well, my experience with flying was not bad but man I could not believe that every flight that I was to get on was delayed...my supervisor who was with me said I had a black cloud over me..she had never experienced this in her life...lol..guess she will not travel with me again.

It was a great trip and a beautiful experience but am happy to be home...Next time Hubby is coming with me and we are going to have a vacation..now that I know that flying is not such a big deal.

Above are some pictures from my room that was on the 17th floor.

Ozarknana and Tilly

Today I am going to feature a very special lady and her newest creation! Ozarknana is a retired grandmother of 9 from Gravois Mills. Her passion is sewing and creating.

She is one of the newest members of the Etsy Angels team and she is a great addition to our family. She is always there for promotions, fund raisers and events. Ozarknana is a very friendly, caring person.

Her shop ByNanasHands features stuffed plush, toys that are crafted with babies safety first and foremost. There are no removable parts, all decoration is machine embroidered and there are no hard parts on any of my toys, no plastics and no paints.
http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5809669

Ozarknana has created a very special plush toy for the children...the Purple Tilly
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=19457563. Tilly is a turtle and she represents the Anderson House...a shelter for abused Women and Children that the team is raising money for....Tilly will help the women and children come out of their shell like the Anderson House will do for them.
http://www.etsy.com/forums_thread.php?thread_id=5981176&page=1

There have been 7 Tillys sold up to date for the Anderson House and Ozarknana is donating 50% of the proceeds.

The Anderson House and I would like to thank you for all you are doing for them! This is a very worthy cause!

All the Etsy angels are doing a great job fundraising for the Anderson House!

Abused Women....the Etsy Angels are helping!

The Etsy Angels are a great team of caring artists whose main goal is to help others! Our Team was formed after the many hours spent together promoting for Dawn’s Boys; an effort that began in late December 2007 after a Jewelry artist who was on both Etsy and Ebay lost her life in an automobile accident. She left behind two little boys. Several "Angels" came together to help. After spending countless hours promoting donations from more people than we could imagine that wanted to help, many friendships were made. We couldn’t imagine it all ending without creating a Team for Dawn’s Angels. ♥

This month we are going to help raise funds for a shelter for abused women and children, The Anderson House, ...it is in my home province. The Anderson House is the only shelter for women and children on Prince Edward Island which has a population of 139,818 . It is partial funded by the government but relies a great deal on donations. The Anderson House also does fundraising of their own.

It is a safe and supportive shelter for women and their children who have been physically or emotionally abused or who live in constant fear of abuse. Anderson House is staffed at all times by trained women who honour confidentially.

It provides:

*emergency shelter for abused women and children, staffed 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
*Confidential crisis and support phone is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
*Outreach Services
*Second stage housing.
*Information and support groups for women and children.
*Public education training.
*Liaison with other community and support services in West Prince, East Prince, and Eastern P.E.I., in partnership with local community committees.
*Cooperative second stage housing units in Summerside and O'Leary, in partnership with local community committees.
*Abused Women Support Group
*10-week support and information group for women who have been or are currently in an abusive relationship.
*Child Care Program


The Anderson House is a room shelter where the women can go to in times of an emergency with their children. The women are provided with support from the trained women there and help with their children. The women have to help maintain the home....cleaning, cooking, laundry, etc.

If a woman is working and must get to work there is a service available to her where she will be escorted to her work site if she feels it is neccessary. There is short term child care that is available to her as well.

Comments from some of the women who have used the shelter and who have been part of the justice system that I work for...I asked them if they would help me with this information in order to let the buyers and sellers of Etsy know about the shelter as we were doing a fund raiser....they were only too happy to provide this information!

* The shelter has saved my life!
* I learned while I was there that it is not only people from my background that are abused and are afraid! I know now that I too have the right to help!
* My family would never believe how horrible my life was until I had to go to this shelter and move into their second stage housing in order to get rid of my abusive partner.
* The councellors are amazing....they help so many people...I wish they were getting paid more.
* Where would I go if this place closed up....I have been there a number of times.
* We need more....sometimes you are not ready to leave but know that you have too...


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Please see our thread:http://www.etsy.com/forums_thread.php?thread_id=5981176&page=1

Purchase from the participating shops and help this worthy cause!

Search for items using : http://www.etsy.com/search_results.php?search_type=tag_title&search_query=eangteam+anderson+house

For more information check their website:
http://www.gov.pe.ca/infopei/index.php3?number=5531

Update on first storm of 2009

The storm is finally over after 36 hours...and we have been stormed in ever since...got up yesterday at 6:00am and could not get out of yard. Plows were off the road until 6:00am today. They never got to our road until 12:30 this afternoon. We had to hire a guy with a tractor and blower to clean out our yard.. our little one would not touch it! The bank infront of the garage is about 3 feet over my head...wish I had some one here to take a picture it does not look that big. He just left and hubby raced off to a wake for a friend.

We were lucky that we never lost power like some of the people not far from us...we also were nice and warm with our wood stove and a basement of wood.

It was nice yesterday to spend the day doing me things but today was enough...I did get my tree down, house back in order and lots of sewing done!

Ok...now lets get back on track ...I need to shop, visit family and friends!

Wow...2009 and it is off with a Bang!!!

That is it is off in a white cloud....this morning I got up to go to work...looked outside...what everything was a huge white cloud and was it blowing around! It had snowed all night, a light fluffy snow and it was blowing at 80 to 100 kilometers an hour. That was it for me...no way I could head to work which is about an hour drive!

Yeah, so I have a snow day....it is going to be a me day...so to start off I am doing this blog. I have not been good a posting so will try to add at least one a week.

I am taking my tree down..it is so sad to see it go. Everything looks so bare when your remove the Christmas decorations.

Next on our agenda is getting ready for Valentines...It will be a very special one this year as our son is getting married. There is still so much too do...hoping today is not what the weather has in store for us.

Well, Happy New Year however you are starting off the new year!!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO AMANDA - WILDLIFER

Happy Birthday to a special lady, Amanda!!

Amanda is the moderator of the Etsy Angels...she is a wonderful leader, artist and friend! I would love to take this chance to tell her how proud I am to be called her friend!

Have a wonderful day, Amanda!! Wishing you all the best and many more to come!

Check out her shop and convo her a special wish!
http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5201027

{{{{HUGS}}}

Christmas Baking

I always did alot of Christmas baking ...and gave to family and friends. A few years ago my daughter in law wanted to bake too so we decided to do it at her house...her friend called and was feeling really down. Her mom was an alcholic and never did anything with her...so off my DIL goes and takes her up to join us! The next year the 3 of us were there and my DIL's mother shows up ..Oh I would love to make some of those...off we send her to the store!

Now there is 4 women in a very small kitchen...we did it through !

The next year I tell them, "ok, we are doing this at my place"...bigger kitchen, bigger fridge and a nice big front step! Yes, we needed it to keep our freshly made items cool! Hubby runs for cover...lol.

So it has become a tradition to spend the whole day making lots of goodies! Our list of goodies include: Peanutbutter balls, Mars bars squares, Short bread cookies, Sugar cookies, Oh Henry squares, Rocky Road bars, and Spider cookies. It will be on the 22nd of December this year.

The one that is the hit for all is the Peanutbutter balls....we make about 12 dozen of these little guys each!

I would love to share the recipe with you:

Peanutbutter Balls

Makes about 6 dozen

1 1/2 cup smooth peanutbutter( I use the cheapest brand possible it mixes better)
1/2 cup margarine
3 cups icing sugar
1 1/2 cups rice krispies
2/3 cup of peanuts or coconut if desired

Cream peanutbutter and margarine!
Add the rest and cool in refrigerator.

Roll into small balls, place on wax paper on cookie sheet..

Melt parffin wax and choclate chips in double boiler.

Place toothpick in center of balls and dip into choclate mixture.

Place back on waxed paper..cool and serve!


"So Simple and Fun to make"...Enjoy!