I am so excited to share with you some very exciting news! We have added a new foundation to our efforts and a new designer with gorgeous patterns to benefit a wonderful organization, One Heart Bulgaria. I’ve decided that I really am along for the ride with this whole Create H.O.P.E effort. Just when I set meager goals, announce timelines, and wring my hands that it all isn’t going to work, I am given my seat assignment and reminded that One larger than all of us is really the pilot and we’re simply the beloved passengers. He’ll get us where we need to be, on time. We just have to be there to jump on board, buckle up and keep our hands and feet inside the ride at all times.
So, let me tell you about One Heart Bulgaria or OHB, as they are affectionately called. OHB was founded by two women, who personally witnessed the deplorable conditions of overcrowded, understaffed Bulgarian orphanages. Like most orphans, the children of Bulgaria are innocent, invisible children living in a country where they are warehoused and ignored. The Bulgarian government allocates about 1.00 a day to the care of these children, that dollar doesn’t even begin to scratch the surface of what these children need. There are approximately 8700 orphans living in 144 institutions in Bulgaria. Many of them have correctable special needs, many are deemed as handicapped when in reality all they need is attention and much needed love. Like all orphans, when they age out of the system, they have little or no tools to be successful members of society. They fall prey to prostitution, gang activity, drugs, disease and suicide.
One Heart Bulgaria has developed many programs to bring aid to these children. They not only provide funds and programs for survival, but they desire the children to be happy and prepared for life when they leave their orphanages. Programs such as medical, dental, life skills training, foster grandmothers, music appreciation and orphanage staff training all are part of their outreach. Like our other foundation, China Little Flower, One Heart Bulgaria operates with very little overhead, ensuring all of the funds that are generated benefit those that need it most.
This video was produced by Mindy Gledhill, she was able to visit Bulgaria with OHB and share her amazing musical talents with several orphanages, I encourage you to really listen to the words. They are so powerful…
How did we find One Heart Bulgaria? Well, it’s a great story! I was looking for a certain type of Christmas ornament tutorial and found EXACTLY what I needed on a blog I have never visited, 7 Layer Studio. I spent at least an hour looking at all the beautiful tutorials, so excited to find this awesome resource. Then I saw it…a button on the her sidebar called “Sewing For Orphans”. Curiously, I clicked, read, linked to OHB, cried buckets of tears, and sent off an email asking if we can help. Within minutes, I had a return email and an amazing designer ready to roll up her sleeves and link arms with Create H.O.P.E Designs. Turns out she already had a pattern benefiting OHB and was praying for opportunities to give more. Like all of the designers at Create H.O.P.E, she KNEW she had to do something, so she used her talents, and now she’s part of our team. Really that’s all it takes, just decide to say “no” to whatever injustice you’re witnessing and use what has been given to you. He’ll take over from there, I promise it’s true. Here are Shelley’s Create H.O.P.E patterns…I love, love, love that slug! The Hazel skirt? Adorable right? Get yours in our shop.
In celebration of having this amazing opportunity to work with One Heart Bulgaria and Shelley Detton of 7 Layer Studio we are doing another give-a-way! Sooooo….here we go……
Shelley Detton, of 7 Layer Studio is a fabric designer! Her first line, The Garden Club, with Benartex debuted this spring and is selling in stores now! She’s giving away 1/3 yard cuts, totaling 2 yards to one lucky winner! Look at that eye candy ladies….which one would you pick? Me? Sign me up for Cherry Lemonade!
Shelley is also giving a lucky winner the opportunity to win this bag…isn’t it adorable? She made it herself, with her fabric, pretty cool right?
Wait, there’s more…3 winners will win a 3 pattern bundle…look at these beauties…
AND….1 winner to get a 50.00 gift card to Fat Quarter Shop!!!
That’s 6 winners! Everyone is invited to participate!
The rules for the above giveaway are:
Follow us…1 entry
Tweet, facebook, or blog…1 entry
Buy either of 7 Layer Studios patterns…5 entries each
Buy any other Create H.O.P.E pattern…3 entries each
This give-a-way will end October 28th at midnight!
And just when you thought we were done…we are raffling off this gorgeous quilt made by Shelley out of her fabric!
The raffle works like this…buy one of Shelley’s patterns and get 5 entries, buy both and get 10. No need to comment for the raffle, but be sure to comment for the give-a-way items. If you whip up a bag for Sewing For Orphans, then we’ll give you an additional 5 entries per bag! Just let us know how many you are making and expected date of arrival. These bags mean the world to these kids, and they are so easy to put together, please consider spending a few minutes sewing for an orphan.
That’s it! Good luck and thank you again for supporting Create H.O.P.E Designs! Remember to a child with nothing you are everything!
I follow you…thanks for all you do.
Thank you for the wonderful introduction to OHB. I am a follower.
i follow you!
i met shelley at the spring market. she had those adorable slugs in her booth. i’ve been wanting them ever since i saw them. I’m so excited the pattern is now on your site! I just purchased it!
purchased the slug pattern!
Thanks for the cute slug pattern!
slug pattern entry 4
entry 5 for slug pattern
I posted the giveaway on facebook!
I am a follower!
I follow you. Linda
Oh, the joy of pink! Especially through the eyes of a young girl..those fabrics are perfect for a quilt for such.
I tweeted and I follow you
poppyinpinkGrace An
Go to: One Heart Bulgaria…7 Layer Studio Giveaway!http://www.createhopedesigns.com
I follow you!
I signed up to follow!
I am a new follower! Thank you.
I’ve followed you on google reader
Thank you for your geneerousity abd the gift of love you offer these children!
I am a new follower, purchased a pattern from CREATE of Hope, gorgeous Hazel skirt pattern.
I am making and donating a bag to the 7 Layer Studio. Maybe some of the viewers will also join in!
I am following as Renee G on gFC
rsgrandinetti@yahoo(dot)com
Beautiful! I follow you
I’m a follower! I’d choose Cherry Lemonade, too.
Tweeted! https://twitter.com/#!/birdie00000/status/128303865874485248
I follow you.
I am a follower!
Tweeted here – https://twitter.com/hueisei/status/128347073769783296
I love what you are doing, I’m following!
I have tweeted too:
http://twitter.com/#!/HomeGrownMama/status/128400546569793536
I follow you !!!
I follow you…thanks for all you do!
Tweeted here: http://twitter.com/#!/hkittelson/status/128633356232564737
I follow you!!!!
I like the Cherry Lemonade
Bought Hug a Slug Pattern #1
Bought Hug a Slug Pattern #2.
Bought Hug a Slug Pattern #3.
Bought Hug a Slug Pattern #4.
Bought Hug a Slug Pattern #5.
Wow. Thank you so much for your generosity and for Create Hope Designs – can’t wait to make some things. I think for each Christmas gift I make for one of my children I will also make one for an orphan. Bless you.
I’m following!
I’m a follower!
Just spread the word via facebook!
Wow Shelley! This is all so beautiful and wonderful, both the cause AND the fabric. Thank you from the bottom of my heart!
blog follower. And I love the fabric!!
shared on fb- Garilyn S.
Bought Hazel Skirt Pattern #1.
Bought Hazel Skirt Pattern #2.
Bought Hazel Skirt Pattern #3.
Bought Hazel Skirt Pattern #4.
Bought Hazel Skirt Pattern #5.
I just found out about the giveaway today, so no time to make the bag. but I did become a follower.
Bought the skirt pattern #1.Have a great day.
Bought the skirt pattern #2. Have a great day.
Bought the skirt pattern #3. Have a great day.
Bought the skirt pattern #3. Have a great day. Thanks so much.
I can’t wait to get the skirt pattern #4.TGIF
Bought the skirt pattern 35. thanks for all you do.
Made bag for Sewing for Orphans #1.
Made bag for Sewing for Orphans #2.
Made bag for Sewing for Orphans #3.
Made bag for Sewing for Orphans #4.
Made bag for Sewing for Orphans #5.
Made second bag for Sewing for Orphans #1.
Made second bag for Sewing for Orphans #2.
Made second bag for Sewing for Orphans #3.
Made second bag for Sewing for Orphans #4.
Made second bag for Sewing for Orphans #5.
I’m a new follower. Learned bunches about OHB. Sounds like a wonderful wonderful organization!!!!!
Following you.