Purging & Wrapping

Yesterday we did some much needed purging and filled 2 big boxes for Goodwill and 1 smaller box for electronic recycling. After dropping those off, we returned home and finally decorated our Christmas tree. It's only been in our living room for a week. ;)

Today after church I need to complete my pages for the latest circle journal so I can mail it out tomorrow. Then wrap and box a few gifts that also need shipping. I think Christmas is sneaking up on me this year. I'm *almost* ready.

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PhotoHunt: Metal

This week's PhotoHunt prompt immediately reminded me of an event called Canstruction that I participated in for 4 years (2000 - 2003). It's an annual design competition for architects, engineers and design school students. Groups build sculptures entirely from cans & boxed goods. The sculptures are on display to the public for a period of time before being dismantled and the food donated to the local food bank.

Here's a 2-page scrapbook layout I created several years ago about the 2002 competition. My team built the tug boat in the upper left.


Supplies: cardstock; Making Memories buttons; 2Ps Architect font; invitation.

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In Progress

Tonight I've been working on another page for our Disney album. Perhaps I'll finish the album one of these days. ;) This particular page is of the Test Track ride at Epcot. It's gone in a different direction than my original thought. Going to sleep on it and see what I think tomorrow. In the meantime, here's a little sneak peek.

2ps blog challenge:
Three things you'd donate to charity right now are...
This challenge ties in perfectly with something we're already doing. Trent & I have three boxes in our guestroom that we are filling to donate to 3 different groups. The first is for Goodwill and mostly contains clothing. The second is for the local homeless shelter. I'm filling it will toiletries that I pick up during my regular CVS shopping trips. Finally, I started a third box a few weeks ago for the SPCA of Wake County using their in-kind donation wishlist as a guide. :)

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Beetle Hunting

We just came home a short bit ago and I was thrilled to see comments that some of you are checking out Stop Hunger Now and Operation Sharehouse. It really is an awesome organization. And amazing that this simple meal can be so easily shipped where it's needed and provide nourishing substance.

Here's a photo with just a small portion of the pallets filled with boxes of the meals:

I had one of those "duh" moments earlier today after posting, but before we left home. I went back to the evite to see who from our group had replied "yes." And, oops! I never fully read our friend, Darron's, full note. As soon as I saw "Stop Hunger Now really needs our help", I signed us up thinking "let's make some meals!" I overlooked this statement:

Because of a bad shipment of rice, the warehouse has had a problem with a little insect called the Saw Tooth Grain Beetle. They have some meals that will be heading out to Guatemala, Bolivia, and Haiti very soon. Although the problems seem to be over with, there are some meals that cannot be shipped. In order to get these meals out, the bags that were infested need to be separated from the bags that are still good. My understanding is that these beetles do not provide any health risk - but still would not be allowed to be shipped across borders.

So, we didn't get to make meals, but we did manage to save some of the meals recently packaged by other volunteer groups. This is equally important. Better to lose a few infected boxes than thousands. In all, approximately 60 volunteers attended our 2 hour session this afternoon. We sorted through 9 pallets (over 14,000 meals!) and ended with 7 pallets of good meals. :)

The sorting process:

Repacking the good meals:

The work isn't done yet. Trent & I stayed after a bit and spoke with Chad Stutsman, the Operation Sharehouse Program Director. They are about halfway through checking packed meals for the beetles. Their goal is to be complete by the end of January so they can return to the process of producing more meals.

If you are in the Raleigh area and would like to help, the following dates need volunteers: January 16 from 5-7 pm, January 17 from 5-7 pm, and January 19 from 12-2 pm. Contact Chad Stutsman at c.stutsman@stophungernow.org.

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Busy Weekend

Last night was a lot of fun. Trent & I went out to dinner with friends at 518 West in downtown Raleigh. We were there to celebrate a birthday. [hi, Kevin! LOL He didn't want us to embarrass him at the restaurant -- ie, birthday dessert, singing, etc. We behaved then, but I've got to have a tad bit of fun now. ;) ] It had been a couple of years since any of us had been there, but the food was still exceptional. Definitely one of my favorite Raleigh restaurants.

Today we've got plans in north Raleigh to help out with Operation Sharehouse. It's one of the programs run by Stop Hunger Now. Along with other volunteers, including members of our church, we'll be packaging meals for emergency relief efforts.

To fill our own bellies beforehand, I made French Toast for breakfast using the recipe in Deceptively Delicious. As I mentioned in my post on Wednesday, it includes pureed bananas. The recipe was far simpler than another I had previously tried and so delicious! I had planned to top the toast with fresh bananas, but unfortunately the only ones available at the grocery store yesterday were still green. I'll have to wait until next time to try that. For today, I topped them with a touch of powder sugar.

2ps blog challenge:
What helps you get some inspiration?
Most of my inspiration comes from dw2008 and the Calendar Girls. :) All of the amazing work posted at Two Peas constantly inspires me as well. My "book of scraps" (yeah, I'm still "old school" and not ready for that boring new title of "bookmarks") is filled with fabulous ideas from other Peas. And, I've been finding great inspiration in blogs.

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Gift Cards for the Salvation Army

Looking for a way to help out? Last night I saw a news article on a local tv station's website about how your unused gift cards can assist the Salvation Army. The idea is simple. If you have a gift card you don't plan to use or maybe has just a small bit of change left, send it to the Salvation Army. Then the Salvation Army forwards the cards to a company in California to exchange into cash and they get 70% of the converted cash for use in the area donated.

Per the Salvation of Wake County website:

It doesn't matter what store it’s from or how much is left on it. We can convert it to cash to serve the most vulnerable of our community. All cards – used and unused – will help. So please, check your wallet, your purse, your dresser drawers or wherever you stash your gift cards and drop them off at your nearest Salvation Army location or mail it to us today. We’ll put them to use to ease the burden of our poorest!

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Web Game to Help Fight Hunger

Initially, I wasn't certain what I would blog about tonight. I do have a cheat sheet of sorts (a spot where I jot down ideas) and, as those who know me will attest, I can yak away. So, no fear - I can type away too. ;) LOL

But then Trent & I sat down while waiting on dinner to cook and watched the CBS Evening News tonight. Honestly, I don't even recall the last time we sat down to watch the news, but am grateful we caught this program tonight. Katie Couric brought up a new website that is helping to fight hunger across the globe all while the participants simply play a vocabulary game. Sounds odd, I know. But the facts are there.

The website is FreeRice.com. Anyone can visit and try their hand at the game on the site. Every correct answer donates 10 grains of rice to the United Nations World Food Program. The financial backing is provided by sponsorship companies. This simple game is raising awareness about the crisis of hungry people across the world and, since it's start on Oct 7, 2007 through yesterday, has donated 1,897,053,670 grains of rice (FreeRice Totals). Now that is impressive.

If you find a free moment to spare, head over to FreeRice.com and give it a try. You'll definitely help a fellow child of God and you might learn a thing or two at the same time. :)


READ: CBS Evening New Report: Fighting World Hunger with a Mouse Click
WATCH: Website Combats World Hunger

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