Don't forget to challenge yourself....

Hi everyone.

Firstly I'd just like to say....Check out the counter.......OMG! 600+ hits. Can you tell I am a new blogger? I am getting all giddy about 600 hits to our little site. But seriously. Thanks for stopping by again and again and continuing to check whats happening over here. We are very grateful. We still have more to come....donations are pouring in for our raffles and prizes. We are very excited.

We will not only be holding raffles on the day of the fundraiser, but also in the weeks leading up to it. So if you are unable to make it on the day, then stay tuned because there will be other opportunities to win some great prizes.

So now.....just a bit of a competition plug.
Thank you to the girls who have made donations directly to MDA for their chance to win a LO scrapped by the wonderfully talented Kate Mason. There is still plenty of time to enter this fun competition, all you need to do is make a donation (no matter how small or big) directly to MDA NSW before April 13th and then email us your receipt. If you can't donate directly through the website then please email us for alternate donation options (cheques/money orders).

On April 15th we will email all those generous girls 3 fun challenges to complete by May 15th. Remember you don't need to complete all 3 challenges for a chance to win this amazing prize. You will recieve one entry in the draw just by making a donation, another entry for every challenge you complete and a bonus entry if you complete all 3 challenges. Its easy, its fun and its making a difference to those people living with MD.

So come on girls enter this fun comp, help make a difference and go in the draw to win an awesome layout created by Kate Mason. Kate was a member of the For Keeps Elite team in 2005 and then joined their design team through 2006. Kate runs her own business - Scraps Flea Market and is also on the design team at Blue Bazaar. She has also recently released her own book "The Heart of Design". How awesome would it be to have a layout created especially for you by Kate?

One more thing, thanks to two wonderful girls who have supported us by adding us to their blogs. Jane Butler and Chris Millar Thanks for sending traffic our way, you both rock!

Ok.....so thats all from me tonight. Please stop by again soon. You never know when we will have more exciting news for you.

cheers
Lauren

Latest Update!

Hi everyone,

Another update to let you know how things are going.

Our ticket sales have started and are going well. If you would like to book tickets you can email us here and we will take your details and arrange a payment method with you or you can buy them in person at Wallsend Crafters World - 96 Nelson St, Wallsend.

If you stop by the shop to buy a ticket, say hi to Karen, Trish and all the Girls. And don't forget to check out their new stock.....they have some really yummy products that have only just arrived. They also host classes for almost every craft you can think of. Karen is very generously supporting us at the fundraiser. Thanks Karen

Don't forget about our upcoming challenge, and if you have any friends who you think might like to join in, please let them know all about it. The more the merrier right? To enter the challenges all you need to do is make a donation to MDA NSW through their donation website or by contacting Mandy and Lauren so you can send a money order. There will be 3 fabulous challenges starting in mid-April, each one set by a very talented scrapbooker. Thank you to the girls who have already sent through their receipts. Keep an eye out next month, we will be sending through an email to everyone registered.

We have already received some really cool donations for our raffles too, but I will let you know more about that later.

Have a good weekend.....
cheers
Lauren.

Challenge News.

Hey Girls.....

Today's little update is cool....and rather exciting. So here it is.

We mentioned that we will be running a challenge for anyone who donates to the Muscular Dystrophy Association.....well, while I can't announce the actual challenges I am excited to let you all know that three lovely ladies will be creating the challenges for us.

There will be a challenge designed by Kim Archer, Carol-Lea Morgan and Roz James!!!!

How cool is that?
I think its groovy....shame I can't enter myself.

And don't forget that the wonderful prize for this challenge is a layout scrapped by the super talented Kate Mason - YAY!

So that's my news for today. There is so much more to tell you.....but I don't want to overload you all at once. But please stop by again soon....Have a good Thursday.

cheers
Lauren.

Thanks for the support!

Just a quick note.....thanks so much for all the support girls. We are so excited that our little counter over there has registered over 300 hits so far. Please keep dropping by to see what we are up to. We have so much more planned that we want to share......

Also....hopefully now the new banner is visible on everyones screens. The true test will be my work computer tomorrow....seeing as it is the one that keeps having the problems.

cheers
Lauren.

More news....and a little bit of a competition.

Well its official 2006 scrapbooking master Marion Werren will be at the fundraiser. She will be there joining in all the fun and games and helping out anyone who has a questions or needs some help. Marion has also made us a STUNNING prize to raffle via this blog, (so keep an eye out for it) We were blown away by her generosity and support. Thank you Marion we look forward to seeing you at the fundraiser.

So its now time to start booking your place for the fundraiser. The cost is $15 per person which includes entry and lots of fun prizes and games on the day. At the fundraiser we will be running raffles and competions to help raise extra money for MDA NSW. If you want to book in, email us at newcastlefundraiser@hotmail.com we will then be in touch about payment and tickets. Remember book early as seats are limited. There is a bistro at the club where you can purchase lunch and dinner, that way you can get in maximum scarpbooking time (wink wink) an Mandy says the food is very yummy! We look forward to seeing you all there. Remember spread the word and invite all your friends.

We are also running a challenge via this blog to help kick start the fundraising. So this is what you have to do to win a LO scrapped by the very talented KATE MASON. (Click here to find Kate) Make a donation to MDA here (Visit their website) no matter how big or small and then email your proof of donation to newcastlefundraiser@hotmail.com by the13th April and on the 15th of April we will email you the challenges. You will then have a month to complete as many as you like. We will not be judging this competion on talent, you will receive one entry into the draw for making a donation, and another entry for every challenge completed, PLUS a bonus entry if you complete all challenges.

We will then draw out a name from all of our entries and the winner will win a fantastic layout from Kate Mason. Thanks again Kate!

So there you have it.
Drop us a line, book your seat at the fundraiser, book a seat for a friend or two.....or even more. And don't forget to donate to MDA for a chance to be challenged and win a fantastic prize.

cheers
Lauren and Mandy

Edited to add....my apologies if the banner up the top is still not showing itself correctly on everyone's screens. This one thing is my pet peeve that just won't play nice. :) Lauren.

Lisa's Story

We would like to introduce you to a friend of ours......Lisa is our inspiration for this fundraiser. So we thought you might like to hear her story.

As I sit to write about my life as an adult with MD I have to think hard about how I am different to any other working wife and mother I know. After all, what is normal and what is the right and wrong way to go about your every day tasks?

My story starts as a young 24 year old. A life of working, partying and back packing around the world. My crazy hectic working week was normal and as my recent journey of a working holiday on one of our most beautiful islands had just come to an end, I decided to come back to my hometown and settle down.

With the exciting news that we were about to embark on the biggest adventure of our lives – A BABY my husband and I decided to settle our lives and prepare for our precious little boy.
Jake entered the world and boy did I know that I was alive!! As all mothers know, giving birth is certainly something that you will never forget and after what seemed like forever my baby was delivered emergency caesarean after an unexplained reason.

Our son grew and life went on. Although I was feeling exhausted I was kept busy learning how to be a mum and eventually went back to work a couple of days a week to have a little adult conversation.

If there was a time that I could pin point as the beginning of something being wrong with me it was at this time. My mind would be in “Go fast mode” but my body could not seem to keep up. This was frustrating, as I did not feel unwell. In my head I put it down to just being tired and kept on going to the best of my ability.

After the birth of our princess Emma and at the age of 26 I was starting to wonder what was happening to me. My family showed concern and I was developing and unusual “gait” when walking. I was always tired and found it difficult to lift my newborn. I developed my own way of picking up my kids, I also developed a quick and effective way of picking up things with my feet and flicking them into my hands.

My daughter was just a few months old when I was tested for MD and to this day I do not know what type of dystrophy I have. It took me a long time to admit to myself that I had a problem and no one I knew had even heard of muscular dystrophy before.

I live my life quite normal and have a lot of support from my family and friends and I don’t call my neurologist weekly anymore trying to find out answers or a diagnosis. I have good days and bad days just like everybody else. I think that my peace of mind comes with my acceptance of my disability.

My husband and children are wonderful helpers around the house and we are kept busy with activities such as sports, music lessons and work. Jake and Emma show no signs of MD and are full of energy and life.

I don’t fight the things that I cannot do any more and although I will never give into the impossible tasks I am able to comfortably ask for help from my family.I look at MD as the next challenge in my life and although it has been one of the biggest challenges yet I am ready to embrace it with a positive attitude and an open mind. You never know what cure is waiting just around the corner………….

Lisa's layout....scrapped by Mandy.

It's about that time!

Okie dokie girls.....so I told you that we had some kinda cool announcements to make today, and I thought it was about time to let you know what they were.

Mandy has been one busy little lady again this past week. She's a woman on a mission.....don't mess with her. She might run you over she's going that fast. Seriously!

We have secured our location for the fundraiser. We are extremely pleased to officially announce that Edgeworth Bowling Club have opened their doors for us on July 14th, 2007 for a 12 hour non-stop crop. (he he he that rhymes)

To help us kick start our fundraising efforts Edgeworth Bowling Club has already donated prizes for our raffle on the day. Thanks guys, we are very thankful for your support!

We are planning more than one raffle for this event. There will be raffles and lucky door prizes on the day. But the exciting news is that we are also planning some exciting online raffles for those of you who aren't close by.

And for all of the scrapbookers out there, starting next week, we will be issuing a few challenges. For the cost of a donation to MDA NSW we will send out an email challenge, you complete the challenge, send us a picture of the completed project, the projects will be featured in an online gallery and we'll pick a winner.

We would also like to announce the support of some wonderful women from the scrapbooking community. We have been very fortunate so far in our search for support and we are overwhelmed by the people who have without question, offered their support to us.

So now I'd like to tell you that two wonderful women have put forward their talents in support of this wonderful cause.

Thank you so much to Kate Mason and Carol-Lea Morgan, who are both generously giving of their time and talent to help us out. We cannot thank you enough. Though I will certainly try....THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU.

So, thats it from me today. I think I have given you enough information for a fundraiser overload. Please stop by again soon to see what we have in store for you next.

thanks again
cheers
Lauren.

Edited to add: Mandy has just let me know that three more well known scrapbookers out there who are currently planning ways in which they can help us out. I'll let you know more about that when I am allowed to.

ALSO: I forgot to mention that on the day of the fundraiser we will have a shop there supporting us. The lovely ladies from Wallsend Crafters World will be there with all sorts of scrapbooking gear in tow so that you can pick up those bits and pieces that you forgot to bring along....or other stuff you just HAVE to have.
I will fill you in on the finer details when it's all been arranged.

Exciting News *COMING SOON*

Hi everyone,

I know I keep telling you all that we will be announcing some news soon.....but this time I really do mean it.

Mandy and I have been busy little chooks trying to get the main requirements for the fundraiser all set up so that we can pay closer attention to the finer details. And I am happy to say that the foundations for the whole thing are now almost finished.

We have also been getting stuck into the finer points which include prizes for our raffle and other fun bits and pieces.

Keep your eyes on this blog on Monday night and I will be uploading our first exciting news sometime in the evening. We have to finalise details but we should be ready to tell you all by then.

I promise you won't be dissapointed! But without giving anything away we were totally flawed to say the least at the fantastic support that has been coming our way over the last couple of days.

I wish I could let you all know what the secret is before monday, however I am off to Camp Quality for the weekend so alas I will be keeping you all in suspense till then.

chat soon
cheers
Lauren.

Quick Edit: I have noticed on other computers that our banner way up there doesn't always appear complete. I am hoping to fix this soon. But if anyone can tell me how to get it up the very top where it belongs I would be forever grateful. Blogspot just seems to have an attitude when it comes to my banner. :) bye

Thanks for the Support

Hi everyone,

I have added a couple of links to our sidebar.
We have some lovely ladies supporting us through their blogs.

Mel Harris, Karen Latham and Kellie Cavenett.

Please drop by their websites and say hello.

We will hopefully be announcing a first piece of news in the next week.....keep a lookout for it.

cheers
Lauren and Mandy