Happy Christmas Everyone!

"Are you willing to stoop down and consider the needs and desires of little children; to remember the weaknesses and loneliness of people who are growing old; to stop asking how much your friends love you, and to ask yourself if you love them enough; to bear in mind the things that other people have to bear on their hearts; to trim your lamp so that it will give more light and less smoke, and to carry it in front so that your shadow will fall behind you; to make a grave for your ugly thoughts and a garden for your kindly feelings, with the gate open? Are you willing to do these things for a day? Then you are ready to keep Christmas!” 
― Henry van Dyke

And wishing everyone PEACE this holiday season. MERRY CHRISTMAS everyone!!

Christmas e-shop

50% of the proceeds from the sale of any of these items will be donated for the onoing construction projects of Pittwater Friends of Soibada in Timor Leste in lieu of the Dress Sponsorship Program. Check them out before the sale ends on 31-Dec-2015.
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♥ Mini & Travel Dolls ♥ Christmas Stockings ♥ Sewing Cloth Dolls ♥ Fabric Button Hairclips ♥ Teddy Bear Land ♥ Teddy Bear Mama and Baby Bear ♥ Teddies in Blankets ♥ Christmas Fabric Gift Cardholders ♥ Australian-themed Greeting Cards ♥ Christmas Window Cards ♥ Christmas Greeting Cards ♥ Christmas Vintage Greeting Cards ♥ Quilted Advent Calendars ♥ Fabric Paper Doll Greeting Cards ♥ Fabric Christmas Trees ♥ Kitty Land ♥ Koala Land ♥ Candelina Jar Soy Candles ♥ Soy Candle Travel Tins ♥ Melting Soy Bars ♥ Christmas Buttons ♥
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More Pictures from the Christmas Distribution 12-2015

More pictures from the Christmas Dress Distribution completed today 23-Dec-2015 in Dolores, Quezon Philippines. This distribution is the last outreach for 2015 by the group headed by Norie Bordador who oversees dress distributions on behalf of Dress A Girl Australia in the Philippines. Very festive event with more gifts for everyone of all ages from 1 to 75 years old

For more pictures of the distribution, please click here.

Thank you to Norie and the group for making this dress distribution happen and to all the donors and sponsors for making this distribution possible. Thank you.

More dresses added to my Dress Sponsorship Program 2016

Today was more sewing so more dresses were added to my Dress Sponsorship program.

To check them out and sponsor, click on the image above or click on the link below -

Dress Sponsorship Program 2016

Thank you and Merry Christmas!

It is almost Christmas Day!

It's almost Christmas Day!. With more passion and perseverance to make the dream of helping more disadvantaged kids a bigger reality in 2016, a few more hours were spent sewing again yesterday and the dresses below and this time with a matching t-shirt, pairs of shorts and undie for boys were added to my Dress Sponsorship Program for 2016.

Proceeds will help my fundraising for 2016 postage and with your help through sponsorship provide a little financial assistance to kids in need of medical help. Make a difference before Christmas day is upon us or even on Christmas day. For as little as $10.00 you can sponsor a dress and live the Christmas spirit, share and bring joy, peace and happiness to the world most specially to  the silent disadvantaged kiddies. To sponsor, all you have to do is click on the image above or click on the link below.

Dress Sponsorship Program

Thank you and Merry Christmas! And please help spread the word around!

** Sponsored dresses will be distributed at Easter time **

Sponsored Dresses Batch #2 - For Project Soibada Timor Leste

Another 2 dresses have been sponsored today by Sue Bertozzo for Project Soibada Timor Leste. Proceeds from this sponsorship will be donated to the Pittwater Friends of Soibada to help in their ongoing construction projects in Soibada Timor Leste.

Thank you to Sue for supporting my Dress Sponsorship Program and help make a difference to the lives of the disadavantaged kids and/or community. If you want to join Sue in making a difference to the underpriviledged in this world, why not consider sponsoring a dress. I still have 3 dresses remaining that are waiting for sponsors to support this project. Dress Sponsorship for Project Soibada ends on the 31st of Dec 2015 or when the last 3 dresses are sponsored. To sponsor, all you have to do is click on the image below -

Come and join the fun of sponsoring dresses and please help spread the word around. Thank you.

New Dresses Available for Sponsorships

Spent a few hours sewing yesterday and added these 3 dresses and boys matching set to my Dress Sponsorship program. Great gift to give by someone who does not sew or do not have the time to sew but wants to help make a difference this Christmas. 

Please check them out and sponsor by just one click on the link below or click on the image above. Thank you. 

Dress Sponsorship Program 2016 

First sponsored dress for 2016

This is the first sponsored dress for 2016 by Lyn Granger. All sponsored dresses from today and future sponsorships will go towards Project Medical Aid for needy kids and postage fund for 2016. The money raised will not necessarily pay for the full medical bills of a few kids who will be needing it but at least contribute something towards it. Sponsorships will also be used to pay for postage costs in distributing dresses in 2016.

Come and join Lyn make a difference to the lives of a few disadvantaged kids by sponsoring a dress only for $10.00. Thank you so much to Lyn for supporting my Dress Sponsorship program.

If you want to help make a difference to disadvantaged kids in 2016, all you have to do is click on the link below - 

Dress Sponsorship Program 2016

Thank you and help spread the word around !

Dress Sponsorship Program to support Project Medical Aid & Postage Fund for 2016

** Article first posted last 13-Dec-2015 and edited today (21-Dec-2015) **

A few hours ago I wrote an article about a few kids from the Philippines and who were recipients of this year's Christmas distribution needing financial help for their medical needs. I thought this is a very worthwhile cause to support from my sewing. I have raised money to build a well in Uganda last year. I have raised money for the Pittwater Friends of Soibada, a non-profit organization based in Avalon NSW for their construction projects in Soibada Timor Leste which by the way is still going on until the end of December 2015 so I think it is time to spend my sewing time for another location and this time for medical assistance to kids in need.  

Effective today, in addition to raising postage fund for 2016, my Dress Sponsorship Program will be supporting a new project (Project Medical Aid). This will be the first project I am initiating and a very bold one for the year 2016. Proceeds from the sponsorship of any dresses sewn from any of the fabrics below will be allocated between postage funds for 2016 and Project Medical Aid for needy kids. I am wishing myself all the luck in the world.

For details on the article I wrote, please click here. Dresses sewn and sponsored will be allocated for 2016 distributions. Based on my count, I think I have enough fabrics to sew about 50 dresses so if you want to make a difference and share your blessings not only this Christmas but anyday of the year, why not sponsor a dress. All you have to do is click on the image above or click on the link below. Thank you.

Dress Sponsorship Program

Four (4) days before Christmas

“Christmas is doing a little something extra for someone.” 
                      - Charles M. Schulz 
If you cannot think of a way to do a little something extra for someone, why not sponsor a dress. For $10.00 you get to provide a dress and an undie to a disadvantaged child. 

Share your blessings this Christmas and click on the image above or on the link below -

Dress Sponsorship Program

Feedback on Dress Distribution #75 - 19-Dec-2015

Better late than never especially at Christmas time. A few dresses from the Dress Distribution Parcel #75 being randomly distributed to the streetkids of CDO from far-away island of Mindanao (about 2 hours by plane from Metro Manila, Philippines).

To see larger and individual images of the above, please click here. Thank you to Sha for finding the time to find these kids in the streets and make them happy and to the donors of the dresses for making this distribution possible. Much appreciated.

Dress Distribution #98/1C - 12/2015 - Project Philippines Christmas 2015 Distribution

This was the last parcel for Christmas distribution. It had 141 dresses, 7 boys' t-shirts/shorts sets, 1 girl shirt/short set, 18 pairs of boys shorts, 1 long pants, 7 teddy bears and several packs of undies.

The contents were made possible by the following sponsors and donors -
1) Pat Burton
2) Sarah Tanmahapran
3) Kay Innes
4) Monika Osvald
5) Vicki Watson
6) Pam Thompson
7) Ann McGinnes
8) Glenys Powell
9) Toni Kirkpatrick, Cherrie & Dot
10) Sharyn Cafee
11) Yvonne Henderson
12) Lyn Granger
13) Jacqueline Oudman
14) Michelle Plen
15) Jody Clooney
16) Karen Neilsen
17) Lynn Gibbs
18) Bronwyn Long
19) Lynne Preston-Dale

To see larger and individual images of the sponsored dresses and donated ones, please click here.

This parcel closes the dress distributions of Dress A Girl Australia for the year 2015.

Thank you  to all the sponsors and donors who made this final Christmas parcel possible for the disadvantaged kids of the Philippines. Your kindness and generosity is much appreciated. Thank you.

Make a Difference 13 days before Christmas

celebrating Christmas!

Day 13 before Christmas :
“A Christmas candle is a lovely thing; It makes no noise at all, But softly gives itself away; While quite unselfish, it grows small.”  
                               ― Eva K. Logue 

Why  not light a candle this Christmas. For every candle you purchase and light, a difference is made to the lives of the people in the community of Soibada Timor Leste. Not just an ordinary candle but one that is made of 100% all natural soybean wax and allhandpoured. Travel tins are in soy-convenient sizes that you can take them anywhere with you. Soy what are you waiting for? Click on the image below or click here and help support the on-going construction projects of the Pittwater Friends of Soibada in Timor Leste. 

50% of the proceeds from the sale of any of these handmade Christmas stockings will be donated to the Pittwater Friends of Soibada, a non-profit organization based in Avalon NSW for their on-going construction projects in Soibada Timor Leste. http://www.pittwaterfriendsofsoibada.org.au/ 

Last 4 dresses for sponsorship in 2015

Last four dresses for sponsorship available from my sewing this year. If you are looking for a way to make a difference before the year ends, why not sponsor one of these dresses. Proceeds will go to the construction projects of the Pittwater Friends of Soibada in Timor Leste. Dresses will be allocated for distribution in 2016 as I am intending to travel to the Phils and Cambodia during the Easter break.

To sponsor, just click on the image above or click on the link below -

Dress Sponsorship Program

New dresses for sponsorship will be available in early 2016

Batch 3 Donated dresses for the month of November

Acknowledging these donations have not been forgotten. I just needed more time to sort and organize. Unfortunately due to circumstances beyond my control I was not able to take pictures of each dress donated but here is an image when they were sorted and packed -
1) From the following donors -
a) Nielsen=6 dresses, 
b) Lynn Gibbs=20 dresses,
c) Bronwyn Long=6 dresses, 
d) Sharyn Cafee=2 dresses, 
e) Lynne Preston-Dale= 30 dresses and packs of undies,
f) Monika Osvald=2 dresses, 18 pairs of shorts, 1 long pants and 7 teddy bears.

2) A parcel of 2 dresses from Ann McGinnes -

With these donations, the last parcel (parcel #3) sent for Christmas distribution had a total of   141 dresses, 7 boys' t-shirts/shorts sets, 1 girl shirt/short set, 18 pairs of boys shorts, 1 long pants, 7 teddy bears and several packs of undies. Thank you to all the donors.

Make a Difference 14 days before Christmas

celebrating Christmas!

Day 14 before Christmas :

“Never worry about the size of your Christmas tree. In the eyes of children, they are all 30 feet tall”                         
                         ―Larry Wilde 

Without the trimming, they will make goodchristmastree pillows kids would love to hug and cuddle. With button trimmings, they will make good desk decors at Christmas time for adults and kids alike. Unique keepsakes decorated with buttons expressing the occasion of being celebrated...Christmas! Great for someone who seems to have everything. 

Check them out by just a click on the image above or click on the link below and make a purchase -

Fabric Christmas Trees 

50% of the proceeds from the sale of any of these handmade Christmas stockings will be donated to the Pittwater Friends of Soibada, a non-profit organization based in Avalon NSW for their on-going construction projects in Soibada Timor Leste. http://www.pittwaterfriendsofsoibada.org.au/

Make a Difference 15 days before Christmas

celebrating Christmas!

Day 15 before Christmas -
“The season of Christmas brings joy, hope and peace.” 
                     ― Lailah Gifty Akita, Pearls of Wisdom: Great mind
Share the message of joy, hope and peace with a simple and least expensive gift of a christmas button to your family, friends and anyone you want to share the message with this Christmas. Inspire anyone with a christmas button. Make someone smile with with a Christmas button. Buttons that they can wear on their hats, pin in their bags or stick on their fridge. 

These buttons are a $1.25 each for a size 38mm. To check them out, all you have to do is either click on the image above or click on the link below -

Christmas Buttons on Day 15

Make a difference this Christmas with a Christmas button.

Make a Difference 16 Days before Christmas

celebrating Christmas!

Day 16 before Christmas -

“One can never have enough socks," said Dumbledore. "Another Christmas has come and gone and I didn't get a single pair. People will insist on giving me books.” 

― J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone

So if you feel like having a single pair this Christmas, why not try my handmade Christmas stockings. You can check them out by just one click of the mouse on the image below -

50% of the proceeds from the sale of any of these handmade Christmas stockings will be donated to the Pittwater Friends of Soibada, a non-profit organization based in Avalon NSW for their on-going construction projects in Soibada Timor Leste.
http://www.pittwaterfriendsofsoibada.org.au/

Just thinking out loud...can you spare by sponsoring a dress?

feeling playful
 Am being playful and thinking out loud this morning. It has been in the news for a few days that Australians will be spending at least $3Billion shopping for gifts for families and friends this Christmas. I wonder if at least $240.00 of the $3Billion will be spared by at least 24 good-hearted and generous Australians (24 for 24 days before Christmas) and share their Christmas blessings, too with the disadvantaged people in this world by sponsoring a dress or making a purchase of some unique handmade gift items to make this world a happy place this Christmas. I just did a mental calculation and $240.00 is 0.00000008 of the staggering amount of $3B. Not that much. 

If you are with me in my idea this morning - you have a few choices -
1) To sponsor a dress - please click on the link below -

Dress Sponsorship Program

2) To make a purchase of some handmade Christmas stockings,please click on the image below -

3) Or if you can manage to accept my handmade Christmas cards, please click on the image below -

4) Or if you feel like cuddling someone everytime you want this world to become a better place for everyone, check out my handmade kitties -

Thank you and have a very merry Christmas!

Update on Project Soibada Timor Leste - 12/2015

Project Soibada Timor Leste is a 2015 recipient of my Dress Sponsorship Program. The amount donated maybe very small compared to what others can afford but I always make it a point to provide updates (whenever I can as follow-ups and documentations seem to be my expertise I guess :-) :-)) so dress sponsors would know where the proceeds of their sponsorships have gone and/or what has been accomplished (aside from the fact that a dress is provided to a disadvantaged child) . Here is an update on Project Soibada Timor Leste.

Thank you to the Pittwater Friends of Soibada, a non-profit organization based in Avalon NSW and most especially to Tamara Sloper-Harding for providing these updates in their facebook page which I can then easily download pictures and share the updates with you.
For a larger version of the above update and other pictures of the ongoing construction, please click here.

If you still have a few dollars to spare, this program is still running until the end of December 2015. I still have 4 more dresses left from my 2015 sewing which is waiting for sponsors and a few Christmas items for sale which I handcrafted where 50% of the proceeds from the sale of any of these items will be donated to the on-going construction projects at Soibada Timor Leste. If you are looking to share your blessings this Christmas please check out what is being offered for sale and for sponsorship. The amounts may not be that much but definitely a big difference to the lives of the people in Soibada Timor Leste. Thank you so much and Merry Christmas.

Feeling more generous this Christmas? Sponsor a Dress!

Another to share. One of the dress recipient pictured here is Elizabeth Garcia , 9 years old born with cleft chin. She underwent surgery already but was unsuccessful. 

She and other 3 students are appealing for medical help. Aira May Raya a 7- year old with one eye blind, Emjay Marzan- 10-year old mute and Charles Bersamera a 4-year old cancer patient. Their farmer parents are seeking help. Any kind souls who are interested to share their blessings especially this Christmas may reach them thru this post or sending an email to dressagirlaustralia@gmail.com.

Or better still, you may want to sponsor a dress and the proceeds from the sponsored dresses will be a big help to the kids and family. To sponsor a dress, just click on the image above or click on the link below - There are special images of fabrics that you can select to sponsor a dress for this assistance. Sponsored dresses will be allocated for 2016 distributions. Thank you.

Dress Sponsorship Program

Outreach group shared more hope to a 7-year-old boy

It may not be that interesting to everyone but just wanted to share that one of the beneficiaries of the group of volunteers' outreach in the community is this 7-year old boy. 

Justin Torres is a grade one student included among the top ten students. He is very eager to study but born without feet and hands. He writes using his elbows. He can now go to school using this new wheelchair. Words are not enough to express how we feel when We saw the happy face of this young boy upon sitting in his new wheelchair. Our small help brings a new hope to him and his family according to her mother. 

Thank you to Norie and the group of volunteers for giving more hope to this young boy. 

More Pictures/Feedback Distribution #98/1A & 1B - Christmas Parcel #1 & #2 - Philippines 12/2015

The first two parcels sent for Christmas distribution has now been distributed in a location almost 14 hours away by land from the city of Manila, Philiipines. Here are a few pictures taken from the distributions to more than 400 children in the community. It is not easy to gather all of the recipients especially when there are more than 400 of them with some kids crying so to the donors and sponsors of the dresses, please consider it as a Christmas bonus if you see a dress of yours being worn. 

To see larger and individual images of the distribution, please click here.

My heartfelt thanks to Norie and the group of volunteers who travelled all the way for almost 14 hours to make this distribution happen and to the donors and sponsors of the dresses. Much appreciated.

Other Gifts

If they dont sell, the next best thing to do is give them away and be rewarded with those sincere smiles from the lucky recipients.

Road less travelled but makes a lot of difference

Sharing these pictures with you all so you would know where the dresses you donate are being distributed like in the Philippines. The group sometimes travels by land for 12 hours and another hour of rugged road. Literally roads less traveled but the thought that at the end of this road lives children who are quite isolated from the big cities and rarely get a share of gifts makes the trip very well worthwhile. Makes the trip less tiring knowing that they are making a big difference to the lives of disadvantaged kids living in the community. 

To see larger and individual images of the above, please click here. Thank you to everyone who is making this big difference possible. Much appreciated.

Feedback Distribution #98/1A - Christmas Parcel #1 - Philippines 12/2015

The first parcel sent for Christmas distribution has now been distributed in a location 12 hours away by land from the city of Manila, Philiipines. Here are a few pictures and more to come once sorted and feedback from the group :

           "Thanks Gigi! We have another distribution today. Will travel another 12 hrs land

           trip tomorrow to go back to Manila. Tiring and exhausting trip but feeling so

           blessed. Thanks for your continuous support. We bring happiness to hundreds of

           children."

To see larger and individual images, please click here.

Last parcels received last week

Here are the last parcels received last week for the final distribution for the year - hopefully I have read the names of the senders correctly as some were not very clear - 
1) Nielsen
2) Lynn Gibbs
3) Bronwyn Long
4) Sharyn Cafee
5) Lynne Preston-Dale
6) Monika Osvald
Thank you for the dresses. Much appreciated.

Christmas e-shop

I will not be able to do some sewing for dress sponsorships so in lieu of this to continue to raise money for the construction projects of Pittwater Friends of Soibada in Timor Leste, I will be selling some Christmas handmade items which I made in the last few months and of which I was not able to sell in the Dreamers Markets Christmas market last week due to medical emergency.  A portion of the proceeds from any sale will be donated to the Pittwater Friends fundraising. 

As of today, I have raised $760.00 from Dress Sponsorships and am aiming for $1000 by the end of December. Items for sale have been posted with URL links in my facebook page but will be posting same here in my blog sometime today. Here is the link to the facebook album -

Christmas Handmades for Sale

If there is anything you like, please make a purchase. Proceeds go to a very worthwhile cause. Any questions regarding any of the items and/or donations made to Pittwater Friends if a sale is made, a spreadsheet will be made available so everything is transparent to everyone or you can send an email to dressagirlaustralia@gmail.com. Thank you.

For everyone's info

The deadline last week closes the acceptance of any dress donations for the year. Due to an unforeseen medical emergency, I will not be accepting any dress donations so please do not send any more dresses and/or parcels until further advised. I will try my best to make sure all dresses are distributed as planned and all pictures from the distributions that will be available will be posted here. My heartfelt thank you to everyone who supported this campaign during the year 2015. It is very much appreciated. Thank you.

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Can't think of a better way to make this world a better place this Christmas? Sponsor a dress and join the 60+ sponsors who have opened their hearts and thought that $10.00 is not too much to make a child happy this Christmas and make the world a better place for the people/community of Soibada in Timor Leste. All you have to do is click here or click on the 'Santa' image on the right or click on the link below 

Dress Sponsorship Program

Avoid the X'mas rush! Help spread the word around! Thank you!

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Batch 4 Sponsored Dresses for the month of November

Another 6 dresses were sponsored yesterday and today to be included in the last parcel for Christmas Distribution -
1) From Jody Clooney -

2) From Michelle Plen -

Thank you to Jody and Michelle for supporting the Dress Sponsorship Program. That is another 6 bricks for the Pittwater Friends of Soibada's "Buy-A-Brick" program for their construction projects in Soibada Timor Leste and at the same time 6 great smiles will be added to this world when 6 disadvantaged girls will receive their dresses in time for Christmas. Thank you for your kindness and generosity.

If you have no time to sew, why not sponsor a dress. For $10.00 you get to provide a disadvantaged kid with a new dress and help our Pittwater Friends in their construction projects in Soibada Timor Leste. All you have to do is click on the link below -

Dress Sponsorship Program

Batch 3 Sponsored Dress for the month of November

Another dress has been sponsored today by Jacqueline Oudman. This will be included in the Christmas distribution.

You too can sponsor a dress and join the 60+ sponsors who have opened their hearts and thought that $10.00 is not too much to make a child happy this Christmas and make the world a better place for the people/community of Soibada in Timor Leste. All you have to do is click on the link below -

Dress Sponsorship Program

Batch 2 Sponsored dress for the month of November

Woohoo!! Another dress has been sponsored today and always ever-ready with materials to use I sewed this dress tonight for Lyn Granger. 

Another $10.00 to help in the construction projects of the Pittwater Friends of Soibada for the people/community of Soibada in Timor Leste. Thank you so much to Lyn for supporting my Dress Sponsorship Program.

For $10.00 you too can sponsor a dress and make a child happy this Christmas. Just click on the link below -

Dress Sponsorship Program.

Batch 2 Donated dresses for the month of November

These parcels were received this week to be included in the last and final parcel for Christmas Distribution.
1) A parcel of 3 dresses from Pam Thompson -

 2) A parcel of 7 dresses and 2 pairs of shorts from Ann McGinnes -

 3) A parcel of 7 dresses and 2 pairs of shorts from Glenys Powell -

 4) A parcel of 7 dresses and packs of girls' undies from Toni Kirkpatrick and friends -

 5) A parcel of handmade dolls from Sharyn Cafee -

 6) A parcel of 24 dresses from Yvonne Henderson -

Thank you to all the donors for their donations. Thank you for your kindness and generosity. Much appreciated.