Style & Substance: How beadwork became latest charity chic

Style & Substance: How beadwork became latest charity chic: "The next hot trend in U.S. charity fashion may come out of this unlikely little workshop where a South African health organization called The Mothers' Programmes is helping to sustain unemployed HIV-infected mothers and their babies. The U.S.-bankrolled endeavor recently launched Mothers Creations, a beading program for the infected women of this miles-long slum, where officials say the unemployment rate hovers at around 90 percent.
Churning out a variety of accessories, including cellphone pouches, bracelets, lanyards and condom carrying cases, Mothers Creations has netted more than two million rand in profits ($300,000) since it was started in November 2003, charity officials say. The money has enabled some of the 100 or so female workers to purchase homes.
Thanks in part to a former Los Angeles television producer who now heads the group's umbrella organization, Mothers Creations beads are being catapulted into the international fashion scene."


Really interesting article about how beaded products are making a different in the lives of these mothers.
Keep smiling
Felicity 8-)

Bras for a cause

Bras for a cause: Exhibit, raffle benefit breast cancer
� � �: "Glynn began sewing when she was 8 and later worked as a wardrobe designer, most notably on the film 'Canadian Bacon,' which she also produced. In the 1990s she took up quilting, crocheting, embroidery, beading and crazy quilting, a combination of the techniques.
She created her ArtBra, 'Double Happiness,' from Asian fabrics, silk fibers, silk ribbon, Mokuba ribbons, Chinese cloisonne cinnabar and jade beads.
Glynn also designed the ArtBra 'Torch Lake Blues' for a July 30 raffle in conjunction with the exhibit. On display at PK Interiors in Alden, it features hundreds of embroidery stitches, glass beads, sequins, hand-dyed lace, silk ribbon roses and leaves, and a clay cabochon by local jewelry designer Linda Blair."

What a fabulous way to raise money for cancer research.
Keep smiling
Felicity 8-)

Cool costume

World Domination Plans: Time After Time the Countdown - 4 days: "I've just been doing some beading on my costume for Calisthenics: I've been periodically doing the beading on it. It's for a dance that we're doing to the 'Cancan' and 'Diamond's Are a Girls' Best Friend' music from Moulin Rouge. It's supposed to look like a corset-y thing, but I havn't finished the beading. The white-ish beading at the top is what I've been doing and I have to repeat it 3 more times on the back and 4 on the back...and I guess I'll post more pics when I finish beading it "


My goodness, an Aussie girl! My niece was nuts about calisthenics, and my sister spent countless hours working on her costumes. They never looked so good up close, but they looked FABULOUS on stage. The makeup was a bit scary up close though. hehehe
Keep smiling
Felicity 8-)