Raven's Rascals Relay for Life Team

Friday's Fun with Raven's Rascals

2012-02-10T07:58:00.000-08:00

This week has been a whirlwind of activity!

My super SIL is in town visiting and playing Nanny while Hubby and I get away for a week on the OR coast. In anticipation of how windy the beach can be, I decided to see if my hair was long enough to donate to Locks of Love. I've been growing it to donate and figured now was the best time. Shorter hair is way easier to clean after swimming in the pool and way less tangled when blowing in the wind. It was a little iffy at first glance if I had enough (which is 10 inches braided), but in the end I had more than enough...a 12 inch braid was cut off and sent to Locks of Love.

Here are the before and after pics I know our FB fans have been waiting for.

Needless to say, the back of my neck is always very cold now. :o) And I realized that all the sun-bleached portions of my hair were cut off so it's definitely a darker color right now. But, I love it! I've never been disappointed when giving my hairdresser free reign to do as she likes.

Now I'm starting the process of growing it out all over again. The next time it gets long enough, I'll be donating it to Pantene Beautiful Lengths. Here's a little blurb from their website:

"Beautiful Lengths is a partnership between Pantene and the American Cancer Society. Thanks to volunteers like you, we've donated thousands of free, real-hair wigs to women living with cancer. Created and funded by Pantene, these wigs are distributed through select American Cancer Society wig banks across the country. Your donation is critical because we can only create as many gorgeous real-hair wigs as gifts allow."

The best part about Pantene is that you only need 8 inches of hair to donate! It won't take me as long to grow it out! I highly recommend donating your hair if you can. It grows back, you can sport a new look and you bring hope and happiness to those who need a boost in their self-esteem. GO FOR IT!

On a hair related note, our other news this week was the addition of a new model for our hats! My SIL and I do a lot of thrift store shopping when she's in town and she came across this Manikin in Goodwill. It was a little more than I like to pay for a thrift store item, but having looked for months for one online, I knew it was a bargain. So I went for it and became the envy of the other women in the checkout line. Who knew heads were in such demand?

Meet Nicki Vanessa Wilson

Nicki is a cosmetology manikin and her stylist-in-training did a fantastic job on her cut and highlights! I really am a little jealous of her hair. Before I knew she had a name of her own, I had asked See See what we should call her and she decided Vanessa. When we arrived home, however, I noticed she already had a name tattooed on her neck so Vanessa became the middle name. She thoroughly creeped out every child in the house with her real human hair (good thing I didn't do my original idea of introduction...putting her in someone's bed under the covers! Yes, I can be bad like that!), and I couldn't wait to show her off to Hubby. When he saw her, the joke became I may just adopt her as my best friend and start talking to her all the time to which Hubby said I really should name her Wilson after the ball Tom Hanks conversed with in Castaway. I said it would be a horrible first name for her, but an awesome last name and thus Nicki Vanessa Wilson was named and made a member of the household. The oldest is happy as I will press her less often into being my model (she hates her pictures taken). And all in all everyone is getting used to Nicki's presence. She's currently modeling one of our Homespun Cloche Hats.

That's it from our neck of the woods. Next week I'll have beach pictures to share! Enjoy your weekend!

W.I.P. Wednesday

2012-02-08T09:24:00.000-08:00

Really quick edition of Work In Progress Wednesday as I have company and am getting ready for vacation. Plus I only worked on those hearts this week in the final push to get them all done!

Click on the picture for the pattern.

There you go. The count now stands at 38! Only 12 more to go!

I'm still trying to decide what project(s) I want to take on vacation. So many I want to try! LOL

Have an awesome week! And check back on Friday when my new hair cut is revealed! :o)

W.I.P. Wednesday

2012-02-01T11:03:00.000-08:00

Latest heart count: 22! Almost half way done. Click on the pic for pattern. :o)

Here are a few other projects that were finished this week:

Slouch Boot Slippers

Pattern by Mamachee

T-Shirt yarn beach bag.

This was an experiment with a pattern that called for cotton yarn. It took 10 XXL men's t-shirts to complete and ended up being huge! It's very cool, but I'll stick to the cotton yarn next time. LOL

Pattern by Micah Makes

Another It's a Hoot Owl hat listed on Etsy. This one is an adult size done in Caron Simply Soft Autumn Red. Click on the pic to go to the listing.

Pattern by The Hook Hound.

This week will be mostly catching up on those hearts! Also cleaning the craft room. And last, but not least, trying to decide what project(s) I want to take with me on my vacation.

W.I.P. Wednesday

2012-01-25T07:26:00.000-08:00

Time for another edition of Work In Progress Wednesday!

Click on the pic to find the pattern for the hearts!

I know you are all anxiously awaiting the Valentine's Day heart count! I'm up to 11!! Only 39 more to go! I've now made it a personal goal to finish 3 a day.
This weekend I tried a technique I've been wanting to try. I made some yarn out of t-shirts! I then used the yarn I made to crochet this cute tote bag.

Pattern for t-shirt tote bag can be found here: Squirrel Productions

I've learned that making t-shirt yarn is more of an all body workout than one would think and that you should wear gloves while stretching it to avoid blisters. But while it takes more work than I thought, there's something very satisfying about re-purposing an item, so I think I'll continue to make these!

And last but not least is this earflap hat I made. I took my Mohawk Hat Pattern from the Needle Nerd and instead of adding a mohawk, I used some novelty yarn to add stripes. I really like the look and will be making more of these to sell!

Check back next week for the latest creations from Raven's Rascals!

Friday Fun with Raven's Rascals

2012-01-20T08:06:00.000-08:00

Last night was the much anticipated 2012 Relay for Life Kickoff!!! Our theme this year is Lights, Action, Cure! We kicked it off in style with the Relay R'Oscars Awards Ceremony.

We had the pre-show where folks could take pictures of the "famous".

Dizzy Lizzy - up and coming pop star Relay Rachel with bodyguard Steve

Child star, See See looking glamorous!

Some of the paparazzi got a bit out of hand so my bodyguard had to step in!

Upon arrival, we walked the red carpet to a crowd's cheering and applause.

Bodyguard Steve, Relay Rachel and See See

Ethan, famous for playing the role of Bekah blocker (who managed to escape having a single picture of herself taken by anyone...impressive!). This is the closest you'll get to seeing that elusive oldest member of this entertainment family.

I was an award presenter! AKA I was able to tell the audience what the money I had raised was used for.

We enjoyed a fabulous meal and were treated as you would expect stars to be treated!

For more pictures of our wonderful R'Oscars, head on over to this slideshow.

W.I.P. Wednesday

2012-01-18T07:04:00.000-08:00

It's another edition of Work In Progress Wednesday!

Alas, I didn't get much farther on the hearts. The current count is 6 done, 44 to go.
I've done a few projects this week. One is a wig that I'll be wearing to our Relay for Life 2012 Kickoff Celebration tomorrow night. I can't show a pic of that right now lest it give away our as of yet unknown theme for this year. You'll get to see it on Friday's post. :o)
The other thing I've been working on, that has taken me a nearly a week to complete is a crocodile stitch slouchy hat. Here are a couple of pics of this W.I.P.:

I should have this bad boy done today!

Join us next Wednesday to see the current heart count, the crocodile stitch hat completed and find out what new project is being worked on. :o)

Friday Fun with Raven's Rascals

2012-01-13T17:18:00.000-08:00

I thought it would be fun to have a time to share what we're up to and give you a chance to get to know us better by sharing something fun we did during the week. However, there are some weeks like this week where we just go through our routine and don't do anything super exciting. But, on those weeks, I'll share something I found funny. Then hopefully I can bring a smile to your face. :o)

I'm a huge fan of puns. They're corny as all get out, but I never cease laughing at them. So here's one I heard today:

"The friars were behind on their belfry payments, so they opened up a small florist shop to raise funds.

Since everyone liked to buy flowers from the men of God, a rival florist across town thought this was unfair. He asked the good fathers to close down, but they would not.

He went back and begged the friars to close. They ignored him.

So the rival florist hired Hugh MacTaggart, the roughest and most vicious thug in town to "persuade" them to close. Hugh beat up the friars and trashed their store, saying he'd be back if they didn't close up shop.

Terrified, they did so, thereby proving that:

Hugh, and only Hugh, can prevent florist friars."

See, corny, but I laughed! I'd love to hear some of your favorite puns! Feel free to share!

Thank You Thursday

2012-01-12T12:05:00.000-08:00

Thursday is a day I like to set aside to thank those generous folks who have contributed to our team whether it be financial, by donating items or spreading the word!

This week, I'd like to highlight one of our 2012 sponsors, Beth's Flowers and Gifts. Beth is my sister-in-law and is truly one of the most generous, kindest people you could meet. Being a La Bella Baskets consultant is just one of the many hats she wears, but I know her dedication to customer service is second to none! Not only does La Bella Baskets offer great items, but they also help single moms. Here's a bit of their mission statement:

"La Bella Baskets Believes in the Power of Giving. When you buy gifts from La Bella Baskets you are directly contributing to our Single Moms La Bella Baskets of Smiles Program. "

Here are a few of my favorite items from Beth's Flowers and Gifts.

Hope for a Cure Tower

A Gift of Hope

So if you're looking for a special gift for someone, check out Beth's Flowers and Gifts!

THANK YOU, BETH!

For more information on how you can be a sponsor of our team, please contact us at

ravensrascals (at) gmail (dot) com

W.I.P. Wednesday

2012-01-11T07:43:00.000-08:00

I was scoping out some blogs and came across Ambassador Crochet. Awesome! Anyway, she had what I think is a super idea, especially for us crafters...Work In Progress Wednesday. So because one of my goals for 2012 is to blog more often and I always have something on a crochet hook in progress, I thought I'd make this a weekly blog post.

(Click on picture for pattern)

Today and for quite a few days in the near future, I'm putting together these crocheted hearts for 2 of my children's classrooms for their Valentine's Day parties. 50 hearts total. 3 done, only 47 more to go. :o) They are quick and easy, but of course I'm doing them in my spare time after I crochet something for the shop.

Owls are the current theme for the etsy shop. I am trying to finish a hat a day. I've stocked up on a variety of colors and am having fun with this awesome It's A Hoot Owl pattern from The Hook Hound on Etsy.

That's what's in progress here. Check back next week to see how far I've gotten in my heart crochet-a-thon and to see what's being made for our Etsy shop!

Sew, Mama, Sew Giveaway Winners!

2011-12-16T17:07:00.000-08:00

What a fun event! We loved reading all of the wonderful comments and want to thank each of you for stopping by and taking the time to say hi!

Now, on to the winners!

Winner #1 picked randomly by rafflecopter is Kati M.!

No one guessed exactly how many single crochets are in a medium sized monkey hat, but there were a few close ones. The exact amount is 1387 and the closest guess was 1432, only 45 off!

Lucky winner #2 is Anne Sullivan!

Congratulations to both of you! I will be sending an email out right now to get all the important details.

Thanks again!

Sew Mama Sew Giveaway Fun!

2011-12-12T11:19:00.000-08:00

WINNERS HAVE BEEN CHOSEN!

http://ravensrascals.blogspot.com/2011/12/sew-mama-sew-giveaway-winners.html

It's Sew Mama Sew's Giveaway where you'll find all sorts of giveaways for handmade items and crafty supplies that you can enter from now until December 16th 5pm PST.

A little about ourselves. We promise to make it quick so you can get to all those other giveaways! We are a family Relay for Life team that raises money for the American Cancer Society one handcrafted item at a time. 100% of the proceeds from the sales in our Etsy shop are donated to the ACS. We're always trying to add new things to our shop so check back often. We would love to have you keep up with us. Feel free to follow us here on our blog, on facebook and/or on twitter. See links to the right. Thanks for stopping by! Now on to the giveaway!

We're giving away a Crochet Monkey Hat in the winner's choice of size like the one shown below:

If you just can't wait to see if you've won one, you can visit our etsy shop and buy one for yourself!

THE GIVEAWAY:

Open to the US and Canada

There will be at least 2 winners!

One winner will be chosen at random via the rafflecopter form below.

The next winner will be the one who comes closest to guessing how many single crochets are in a Medium Sized Monkey hat. Anyone who guesses exactly right will win a hat so there's a chance for more than 2 winners!

To enter, fill in the rafflecopter form below. The only mandatory entry is your name and email, everything else is optional.

Don't forget to stop by Sew Mama Sew and enter to win all the other wonderful prizes available!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Fun December Giveaway Event coming soon

2011-11-28T17:11:00.000-08:00

We're joining in Sew Mama Sew's annual December Giveaway Day! Their Giveaway Day has grown so big, that this will actually be a week long event to give you time to enter everything. Starting December 12th, 6am PST and ending December 16th 5pm PST.

We'll be giving away a custom made Monkey Hat like the one shown below.

So mark your calendars, bookmark us and be sure to head on back on December 12th!

Monday's Mission - M.D. Anderson's Children's Art Project

2011-11-14T12:17:00.000-08:00

Our Monday's Mission highlights groups raising money for cancer patients/research or groups volunteering to make a difference in cancer patients' lives.

This Monday's Mission is the M.D. Anderson's Children's Art Project.

The M.D. Anderson's Mission is
"to convey to the public the compassionate, caring face of The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center and to generate revenue to enhance patient services through the sale of products created with children's art."

They have some beautiful art for sale created by children who are patients. There are cards, iPhone covers, stationary, umbrellas, and many more. The art is gorgeous and most items have a small artist biography.

Here are a few of my favorites:

So if you're looking for some unique gifts for this holiday season that will also benefit children with cancer, please check out M.D. Anderson's Children's Art Project.

*If you know of an organization or volunteer group helping cancer patients or raising money for cancer related projects, please contact us. We'd love to feature them in a Monday's Mission post!

Made with Love Giveaway Winner

2011-11-14T08:50:00.000-08:00

The Made with Love event is over and we're excited to announce our winner!

And the winner is...

An email has been sent!

Please remember to join in the fun at our other giveaway event going on through November 20th!

A to Z All Alpaca Giveaway

We'll be posting our first Mission Monday post later today so stay tuned!

Made with Love Giveaway Event

2011-11-08T06:00:00.000-08:00

Welcome to the Made With Love Event hosted by The Reynolds Mom and Seventeen Sirens! This event features at least $25 or more in handmade prizes on each of the participating blogs. Be sure to go through the linky below and enter for your chance to win! This event will close on November 13th at Midnight EST. Good Luck!

Twitter Hashtag: #madewithlove

A little bit about us. We're a family Relay for Life team raising money for the American Cancer Society one handcrafted item at a time. 100% of the proceeds from the sales in our Etsy shop and at bazaars is donated to the ACS. We use our blog to promote information and awareness and have a little fun.

We actually have two prizes for one special winner!
Prize #1: White Crocodile Stitch Hood (value $30)
Prize #2: Cloche Hat and Scarf Set (value $30)
A total of $60 worth of handcrafted items!

And as an added special, November 8th is our Etsy shop's 1st anniversary!

To celebrate, use RRANNIVERSARY for 10% off anything in our store!

This code will remain active throughout the giveaway!

AND

Don't forget to check out the other giveaway we're a part of.

A to Z Alpaca's All Alpaca Giveaway!

October's Giveaway Winner and November's Giveaway

2011-11-01T08:06:00.000-07:00

Congrats to Christy for winning October's Giveaway!

November's giveaway and all future giveaways will be different. We will no longer be doing monthly giveaways. The goal of the giveaway was to promote our site and help build traffic to our shop to help us with fundraising. That's just not happening. So rather than host our own monthly giveaways, we'll be joining more giveaway events like the one beginning on Nov. 8th (see link to the right).

So for the month of November, we have 2 such events for you to have a chance to win!

The 1st is being hosted by Leslie of A to Z Alpaca. It is a 100% alpaca giveaway where all the items were handmade from her wonderful Alpaca fiber/yarn.

Here's what we've donated:

These crocodile stitch wrist gauntlets are made from 100% Alpaca yarn in natural brown. This giveaway runs from today (Nov. 1st) through Nov. 20th and can be found by clicking the above photo. Check out all the really cool items!

Our 2nd event is the Made With Love giveaway hop. This event begins on Nov. 8th and runs through Nov. 13th. Over 100 blogs are participating and each one is offering handmade items valued at $25+. You won't want to miss that! Our blog will be offering a prize valued at $60 and entry will be using the easy peasy rafflecopter form! So please check back on the 8th for all the details!

Hope you all have a wonderful November!!

October's Monthly Giveaway

2011-10-12T10:27:00.000-07:00

Sorry for the delay in getting this post ready. My family has been passing around a nasty bug and I have been busy taking care of the poor sickies. But, they're on the mend and so here is this month's giveaway!

I'm starting work on some colorful penguin hats that will be "ready to ship" and in most cases one of a kind as I'm using donated yarn and have a limited amount of each color. They will be in varying sizes (0-6mo, 6-12mo, 12mo-3y, 3-10y and preteen-adult) and will be listed throughout this month in our etsy shop. An example is shown below.

October's prize is your choice of a "Ready to Ship" colorful penguin hat from our shop!

And since this is a Relay for Life blog, we're going to start using the mandatory entry as a chance to spread some awareness!

Here's how to enter (don't forget to include your email address!):

MANDATORY ENTRY:

Since October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month your mission is to visit the American Cancer Society's Detailed Guide on Breast Cancer, click on any of the links and tell me something you learned.

EXTRA ENTRIES: (Will only count if the mandatory entry is complete. Please leave a separate comment for each entry.)

1) Follow this blog publicly via GFC (+1 entry)

2) Follow us on twitter and leave your twitter name (+1 entry)

3) Leave a comment with your favorite item from our Etsy shop (+1 entry)

4) Tweet this giveaway and leave link (can be done once daily) (+1 entry daily)

5) Put our blog button on your blog and leave link (+5 entries)

I've recently found out that it is against Facebook policy to use "likes" as a way of entering giveaways. While we can't offer an entry for it, we'd still love to have you as a facebook fan. We post all our updates to the blog and shop on our facebook page. It's a great way to keep up with us!

THE FINE PRINT:

Open to residents of US and Canada. Closes 11:59pm PST on October 31, 2011. Random.org will be used to choose the winners who will be notified on November 1st via email. Winners will have 48 hours to respond to the email before another winner is chosen.

Thanks for playing!!!!

September's Giveaway Winner

2011-10-01T06:16:00.000-07:00

Thanks to everyone for playing along!

Our September winner of their choice of wrist warmers or gauntlets from our shop is:

Diana for her Daily Tweet!

Congratulations, Diana! I'll be sending you an email soon!

Look for October's giveaway to be posted within the week!

Our Reason to Relay - Heli M.

2011-09-26T08:16:00.000-07:00

Many of you may have heard my specific reason to Relay being my Father-in-Law who lost his battle with cancer before I even had the privilege of meeting him.

Today we have a new reason to Relay...my Mother-in-Law.

My 81yo MIL was diagnosed with cancer last Tuesday and is currently in hospice care resting comfortably in her own home surrounded by her loved ones. She's a fascinating woman who some would say has lived a good, long life. And while that is definitely true, I would argue that it would be nice to have a little longer time with her so my children and her children could get a chance to know her even better.

She was born in New Jersey in 1930 to immigrant parents.

In the late 30s, her parents sent her and her siblings to live with grandparents in Europe.

(My MIL, her brother and sister in Europe)

War broke out and she and her brother and sister were told not to let anyone know that they were Americans for fear of their lives. As a result, her brother actually fought in the Nazi Army until he could defect to the Allies and she was a member of Hitler Youth. Of course correspondence between children and parents ceased and her parents lost track of where they even were. A long and interesting story later, her Uncle happened to be a doctor near where they had been moved as refugees, heard about a grandmother with 2 girls and discovered that they were the long lost daughters. They were sent back to the US and reunited with their parents.

She became a beautician and met a handsome fellow who adored her. They fell in love and married. From all accounts from their 6 children they were always very much in love.

She lived through losing her spouse to cancer after 36 years of marriage and while lonely and sad, she didn't stop to feel sorry for herself. Rather, she turned to helping others. She was active in her church, in the bell choir, delivering meals to those who were home bound and taking care of those who needed it.

She's a most unique individual who I'm honored to have had the chance to know. As we add another luminaria to our list to light at Relay, we pray for peace for her in her final days and for her family during their time of grief.

UPDATE
My MIL passed away this morning (9/27). Please join me in praying for the family's comfort at this time. Thank you!

Thursday Thank You - Bonita Patterns

2011-09-02T14:35:00.000-07:00

Yes, I know it's Friday. I'm a day behind. Actually, I'm a week and a day behind on this special thank you! As some of you may have seen, I've been working on wrist warmers with a special stitch called a Crocodile Stitch. I bought 3 patterns from a wonderful woman named Lianka who owns Bonita Patterns on etsy. She has been so supportive not only in answering questions which may come up, but she also donated a few patterns for me to add even more variety to the shop...you lucky people!

Here are a few items I've made with her patterns:

Soon to be added in addition to the gauntlets and hood, are wrist warmers, leg warmers and the cutest crocodile stitch earflap hat for babies!

If you crochet and want some fun, gorgeous patterns, please check out Bonita Patterns!

THANK YOU, LIANKA!

September's Giveaway

2011-09-01T11:35:00.000-07:00

In the spirit of getting ready for Autumn (my favorite time of the year!) this month's giveaway will be your choice of wrist gauntlets or wrist warmers in our Etsy shop. That is my main focus this month and I hope to have quite a few more posted by the time this giveaway ends!

Here are a few examples already listed in the shop:

Here's how to enter (don't forget to include your email address!):

MANDATORY ENTRY: Leave a comment telling us your favorite holiday and why. :o)

EXTRA ENTRIES: (Will only count if the mandatory entry is complete. Please leave a separate comment for each entry.)

1) Follow this blog publicly via GFC (+1 entry)

2) Follow us on facebook and leave your facebook name (+1 entry)

3) Follow us on twitter and leave your twitter name (+1 entry)

4) Leave a comment with your favorite item from our Etsy shop (+1 entry)

5) Tweet this giveaway and leave link (can be done once daily) (+1 entry daily)

6. Put our blog button on your blog and leave link (+5 entries)

THE FINE PRINT:

Open to residents of US and Canada. Closes 11:59pm PST on September 30, 2011. Random.org will be used to choose the winners who will be notified on October 1st via email. Winners will have 48 hours to respond to the email before another winner is chosen.

Thanks for playing!!!!

Our July and August Surprise drawing winners!

2011-09-01T10:02:00.000-07:00

Congratulations to:

Courtney :) said...

I would love something for my infant daughter. We love purple!

AND

goliathzz said...

I follow your blog <3

Please look for our email in your inbox!

Thanks everyone for playing and I'll be posting September's Giveaway later today!

Where I've been...

2011-08-12T16:46:00.000-07:00

First, the good news! We're all fine, healthy and excited that thanks to a wonderful last donation, our Relay team, Raven's Rascals, has reached our $1500 fundraising goal!!! YIPPEE!!!! The 2011 Relay season has ended and we're gearing up for 2012!

Now, why I've been MIA from this blog! I think I bit off a bit more than I can chew at the moment. Happens all the time with me! I will eventually get to the regular blog posts I have dreamed about and envisioned, but summer vacation, 4 kids and not having a craft space have frustrated my efforts to be fundraising and informing more. I have dreams of creating and listing more items on etsy as well. Great news on these hurdles, too. The kids will be going back to school in about 25 days and my super cool and ever generous husband has decided for his sanity and mine (mostly his as he's tired of tripping over yarn) to give up the incomplete extra room affectionately known until now as the Man Cave and turn it instead into the Craft room! I'll have a room all my own to set up as a base of operations! Watch out world!!!

Now, this will take a bit of time, but I'm hoping within the next 2 months I'll be moved into my space and going gungho on creating, informing and fundraising!!!

Thanks for sticking with us!!!

July/August Giveaway!

2011-07-26T01:20:00.000-07:00

We're doing things a little different. It's a SURPRISE giveaway! There will be 2 winners drawn on September 1st, but you don't know what you are going to win! I promise that it will be handmade by me!

Here's how to enter (don't forget to include your email address!):

MANDATORY ENTRY: Please leave a comment with the following information

1) If you were the winner, who would you like your prize for (age, male/female)

2) Favorite colors

EXTRA ENTRIES: (Will only count if the mandatory entry is complete. Please leave a separate comment for each entry.)

1) Follow this blog publicly via GFC (+1 entry)

2) Follow us on facebook and leave your facebook name (+1 entry)

3) Follow us on twitter and leave your twitter name (+1 entry)

4) Leave a comment with your favorite item from our Etsy shop (+1 entry)

5) Tweet this giveaway and leave link (can be done once daily) (+1 entry daily)

6. Put our blog button on your blog and leave link (+5 entries)

THE FINE PRINT:

Open to residents of US and Canada. Closes 11:59pm PST on August 31, 2011. Random.org will be used to choose the winners who will be notified on September 1st via email. Winners will have 48 hours to respond to the email before another winner is chosen.

Thanks for playing!!!!

Relay for Life 2011

2011-07-23T01:34:00.000-07:00

Alrighty, it's about time I blog and share about our Relay for Life event that was last Saturday! If you're a facebook fan, you saw some pictures in our photo albums.

Here's the story:

Friday 2pm - Show up to begin set up. My SIL, oldest daughter and I set up our 2 canopies and large table as well as the easel. It was the 1st year we set up early and considering how long it still took to set up everything on Saturday, it was good that we had that head start.

Saturday 8:30ish am - We finally make it to finish setting up. My goal had been 8am, but we had company until later on Friday night so didn't get to bed until 1am. When you're planning on staying up for 24 hours at Relay, it's best to get more than 6 hours of sleep the night before. :o) I'll be honest in that I was stressing a wee bit about getting everything set up. It wasn't going as fast as I had it in my head and it had rained the night before so there was some drying out to be done, but we did it and it all turned out great!

Our campsite after set up at the beginning of Relay

Highlights:

My 15yo walked 15 miles! One mile for each year! She didn't plan it that way and had no intention of walking that much, but wanted to beat her Aunt (who clocked in an impressive 10 miles herself!) and then was in the groove.

Frito Lay Team who handed out free snacks all day and NIGHT! I know because for each lap my 15yo did, she grabbed more praline pecans. She now has enough to last her through next school year!

Silent Auction where we made a whopping $341! Thanks so much to our sponsors for that! It helped so much that we're just $216 away from our goal of $1500!

Bounce and Battle for $10 all day bounce bracelets. My 5yo, 10yo and 12yo were highly entertained and used up so much energy!

Luminaria ceremony. It's just so touching to see all those lit luminarias!

One of our main reasons for Relaying!

After the Luminaria Ceremony my kids started dropping like flies. The 5yo gave a valiant effort to stay awake, but crashed by the end of the ceremony. She slept in the little tent with Daddy. My SIL (who never ceases to amaze me!) slept with 2 camp chairs put together. The 12yo was next followed by the 10yo who were "resting their eyes" on the sleeping bags on the ground.

Beks and I took the night shift. We alternated walking (ok I alternated, she was still going for 15mi!) and resting. At 5am we judged the theme lap costumes. At 6am, the umbrella lap started and with that came the RAIN! It deserves all caps because it would end up being a record rainfall for the date!

See this green tarp. My wonderful hubby thought to put this up the day before in case of rain or sun. I'm so glad he did! Although, see that child on the end? When the water pooled on top of the tarp, we lifted it up to move the water off and created a waterfall which landed on said child. I always wondered what it would be like to wake someone up by throwing a bucket of cold water on them. I now know and it's not pretty! :o)

Anyway, a little rain didn't dampen our Relay spirit and at 6:30am I joined a small group on the track for Zumba. It was so much fun to say I did Zumba in the rain! My hubby took some video. Enjoy!

We started to pack up the smaller items as our campsite was starting to resemble a lake and the 3 younger kids were still so tired. We decided they could go home in the 1st round and go back to sleep.

Our campsite on Sunday Morning after the rain began!

These are some of the Luminarias after the rain got to them. I think it's a great symbolization of how cancer can get us down for a little while, but we'll never give up. Some of these luminaria's candles were still burning even after all that rain!

We proceeded to our closing ceremony and final lap where we released balloons that carried our pledges to continue to Relay to fight cancer!

It was a great Relay event and we're already planning for next year!

July Giveaway

2011-07-23T00:53:00.000-07:00

I still haven't decided what July's giveaway will be, but I have decided that since it is so late in the month I will be combining July and August and will be giving away 2 items! So, look for the giveaway to be posted by the end of this weekend!

Thanks to you all for your patience!!!

Sneak Peek of Silent Auction Items and final value of gift baskets

2011-07-14T00:11:00.000-07:00

Ok, when I say peek, I mean in the verbal sense, not the pictorial sense. :o)

We have been fortunate enough to be able to enter 4 items into the silent auction! I'm so stoked!

Item #1:

The gorgeous pearl necklace from Jewels For Hope. This one you can see here.

Item #2:

The Organizer Bag from Maly Creations (seen here) filled with Mary Kay goodies from my Mary Kay consultant, Nien-Wei!

Item #3:

One night stay in an oceanfront room at the Inn of the Four Winds, $40 gift certificate to Norma's Ocean Diner, a family fun pass to the Seaside Aquarium and an Inn of the Four Winds hotel bathrobe!

Item #4:

One night stay in an oceanfront room at the Inn of the Four Winds, dinner for 2 (including drinks!) to Maggie's on the Prom, a family fun pass to the Seaside Aquarium and a 1lb bag of salt water taffy!

Isn't that awesome?!?!?! All told, the value for all 4 silent auction items is over $850!!!

If you're local to our Relay you might want to stop by and bid on some great items! Silent Auction is from 6pm to 8pm on 7/16!

Now to our Gift Basket drawings total value! The gift baskets are all packaged up and ready for Relay day on Saturday. Thanks to our wonderful donors our gift baskets are worth over $840!!!!! Whew! Now on to Relay where we plan on selling those drawing tickets for all we're worth!!!!

THANKS TO YOU ALL FOR YOUR SUPPORT!!!!!

Special Thank You - Lil' Bundle of Joy

2011-07-13T23:53:00.000-07:00

I won my choice of owl plushie and owl crinkle toy from Malissa of Lil' Bundle of Joy. These owls are so cute you just want to hug them and play with them. And let's face it if I, as a 35yo woman, can't quit playing with the crinkle toy, I'm pretty sure it will hold the baby's attention!

Aren't these just the cutest? Reasonably priced and perfect for your little one or for a baby shower!!!!

Visit Malissa and get your fix of cuteness!!!!

THANK YOU, MALISSA!!!!

Special Thank You - Maly Creations

2011-07-13T23:43:00.000-07:00

I won an item of my choice from Maly of Maly Creations. I chose a beautiful yellow embroidered silk handbag. When I told Maly I'd be donating it, she immediately offered to send even more items! Let me tell you, when I opened the box that came I was overwhelmed! Such variety and craftsmanship all in one location...my living room table! I'm still in awe at Maly's generosity!

The purse that began it all! Isn't it gorgeous? Sorry for the bad pics, weather is not cooperating. Crossing fingers that it will dry out and stay cool for this weekend!

3 Wine Cozies - only in our case for Relay, they'll be sporting bottles of sparkling cider.

This is an organizer bag. You could literally put all your skin care/makeup in this bag, keep it open at home and when you need to go somewhere, close it up with the magnetic snap and then cinch it and you have a very stylish carryall for your items without having to pack or unpack! Could also be used as a diaper bag!

Awesome, sturdy handbag

I love this sling bag!

This is a Gadget Case for your iPods, etc. Love the flower that's stitched on!

I can't say enough about Maly! She carries a wide variety of items and I can tell by the items that I received they are all of extreme quality and durability!

Check out her etsy shop linked above or on her website.

THANK YOU, MALY!!!!

Special Thank You - Arcoiris by Bundles of Joy

2011-07-13T23:20:00.000-07:00

I won a giveaway from Lelanie of Arcoiris by Bundles of Joy and she was so sweet as to send a few little goodies for me. So, I received some hair pretties for me while the lucky folks at Relay will have a chance to win these super cute plush owls!!

And for added fun...these owls flew in from Spain!!!!

You need to check out her shop! She has the most adorable children's clothing and even a few more cute plush owls!

In addition to her shop, you can find out more about Lelanie on her blog!

THANK YOU, LELANIE!!!!

Special Thank You - Laughing Vixen Lounge

2011-07-13T22:58:00.000-07:00

Kris from Laughing Vixen Lounge contacted me through twitter to see if she could donate to our fundraising efforts. I'll be honest, I first heard about her from a giveaway I was entering to win a piece from her shop. Had I won, it would have been an item I would have kept! So, perhaps it's best that I didn't win and that Kris is so generous because now people at our Relay event have a chance to win one of 3 necklaces that she donated!

2 cute Where the Wild Things Are necklaces

And this awesome Fairy Dust necklace.

You should really check out her store! You can also find out more about her on facebook, twitter and on her blog!

THANK YOU, KRIS!!!

Special Thank You - Jewels for Hope

2011-07-13T22:38:00.000-07:00

Sandy from Jewels for Hope contacted me after she found out about our fundraising efforts and asked if she could make a necklace for us. I, of course, said yes and when I came home from vacation it was awaiting me. It is GORGEOUS and it blows my mind to think it was handmade just for us!!! This necklace is going to be entered into the silent auction at our Relay event on Saturday. I may have to bid on it myself!

The necklace consists of Swarovski blue and pink crystals, Swarovski pearls, Freshwater Pearls and Crystal Pearls. Half of it is wire wrapped and it is truly stunning! My pictures on a cloudy day do not do it justice!

In addition to visiting her shop, you can find out more about Sandy and Jewels for Hope on facebook and on her blog.

THANK YOU, SANDY!!!

Blog revamp coming soon!

2011-07-12T10:41:00.000-07:00

You may have noticed some of the page names have changed. That's because after our Relay for Life event on Saturday, we're hoping to make this blog a more regularly posting blog with theme days.

Sunday Survivor Stories - Cancer Survivor stories

Monday's Mission - Showcasing cancer programs

Tuesday's Team - Other Relay for Life teams

Wednesday Awareness - Cancer awareness

Thursday Thank You - A day set aside to thank our team sponsors

Friday Fun with Raven's Rascals - Could be anything, but it will be fun! :o)

Look for this to begin July 24!

June's Giveaway Winner!

2011-07-01T00:40:00.000-07:00

Thanks to random.org, the winner of June's giveaway is...

Mrs. Olsen said...

I love this hat! rebolsen at gmail dot com

Congrats, Mrs. Olsen!

I'll be sending an email to get your information!

Thanks to everyone who participated!

July's giveaway won't be posted until after our Relay event.

Look for it on July 19th!

If you didn't win and cannot live without the cute froggie hat, remember you can always order him! Click here to order yours. 100% of the proceeds is donated to the American Cancer Society!

Special Thank You - My Journey with Candida

2011-06-27T16:27:00.000-07:00

Another giveaway win going into our Relay for Life drawings. This time it wasn't a win from a shop, but from a lovely woman and blog owner named Terry. Terry has a blog called My Journey With Candida. It's very interesting and if you're like me and like to learn new things and find out ways to be healthier then I suggest you visit Terry at her blog. She also hosts giveaways and the one I won was this wonderful Tropical Apron she made.

This apron is being modeled by my 10yo, but is actually an adult sized apron. I just haven't figured out how to model and take a picture of myself, yet!

THANK YOU, TERRY!!

Special Thank You - Sweetie2Sweetie

2011-06-27T16:17:00.000-07:00

I recently won a set of beautiful earrings from a giveaway hosted by Women-Prenuers blog.

Cheryl of Sweetie2Sweetie was the generous sponsor of the giveaway.

Her etsy shop is full of cute items. I highly encourage checking it out!!!

Here's what we won and what is going into the Relay for Life Drawings:

THANK YOU, CHERYL!!!

The Really Rainy, Rambunctious, Retro Road Rally

2011-06-18T21:54:00.000-07:00

So, what'd you do today? Sounds nice. Me? Oh, I participated in a fundraiser for the Never Give Uppers Relay for Life Team. I had thought it would be a blast when I first heard about it, but to be honest never thought much about it again after that first time. At our last Relay meeting this past Thursday, the NGUs were kind enough to donate a team of 2 for their 80s style Road Rally/Scavenger Hunt and my 5yo won it in the drawing! Well, how could I turn up this chance! A date with hubby trying something we've never done and it was benefiting a cause obviously near and dear to us. We figured if we were extremely lucky and won 1st, 2nd or 3rd prize, we'd just donate the winnings back to Relay.

Saturday 11am (T-minus 2.5 hours til beginning of Road Rally) - Find babysitter for 3 youngest kids as my oldest went camping with a friend. They spent the day with Nana and Papa who spoiled them with pop, mac n cheese and kettle corn. Not to mention all the cartoons they could watch!

1:30pm - Arrived at start point. Signed in and waited until the official start time of 2:15pm. Took advantage of the onsite fundraiser of hot dogs, chips and pop.

2:15pm - All are gathered and handed our 1st envelopes. Costume contest for best 80s costume is judged. It seemed to me that most of us who were 80s kids did not dress up. I know personally I had long ago rid myself of spandex and florescent colors. I've had 4 kids. I'm working on getting myself back into shape, but it is a long haul situation. As you will see in photos further down no one wants to see me in spandex and I most certainly don't need bright colors to have drawn even more attention to myself! LOL But the ones who chose to dress up looked AWESOME!!!

And we're OFF!

Now, it's June. The middle of June. One would think that the weather would be cooperative. It was a cloudless, sunny, warm day...yesterday! Today was not! At least it was a warm rain and we were doing so much running around we stayed warm albeit wet. Added to the fun!

Some of our tasks had us crazy with trying to figure out where to go. And me trying to figure out how to work hubby's smart phone. We stopped at one park and saw Vancouver's oldest apple tree. I've driven by this place many times and had no idea it was there! We did a tic tac toe round where we located plastic containers with numbers in them and had to keep going until we got a tic tac toe. We had to give a password to an employee in the mall (and by the way, he had WAY too much fun with that! LOL) We found a mural, parks I never knew existed, out of state license plate, name of train, and the list just keeps going! Along with finding places and answering questions, we also had to take pictures of us doing or finding certain things:

1. Hubby in a shop window pretending to be a mannequin. We hit up the Discovery Shop (click link to find a location near you!) because we figured the kind volunteers from the American Cancer Society would love to help us and be a part of this endeavor. :o)

2. Find a specific bottle of wine in a specific store and take a photo of label and price.

3. Find an employee in any business whose name starts with the letter A. Well, seeing as how she was a cashier, we couldn't just waste her time so we bought a different bottle of wine to go through Alex's line and ask her if she'd be our A name.

4. One of our tasks was to bowl a strike, 2 spares or 5 frames (whichever came first). I was voted designated bowler by virtue of hubby's potty stop. Can't waste time in a race! Bowling is hard enough normally for me, but add in the size 16 bowling shoes and a 14lb ball and you get some good comedy. My 1st 3 throws were gutter balls! I did manage to find my groove and rolled a strike on my 7th throw! Go me!

5. Fit entire team into this phone booth with no body parts outside the booth. Have stranger take photo. I felt bad for the 4 people teams on this one!

6. Have stranger take picture of entire team in the air at one time!

Stranger testing out how phone camera works:

Jump, take one. Action!

No good. Jump take 2. Action!

7. Have team member pose with cannon.

Navigator (AKA me) trying to work the smart phone. Maybe we should have brought the stranger with us!

Holding hands, crossing in a crosswalk with street light visible. By this time it is a THICK mist. We were totally soaked after this!

Hubby looking sad on the fire hydrant.

Me and a stranger in a hula hoop together. Yes, she was also on a team doing the scavenger hunt, but we did not "know" each other and refrained from introductions until we were all done! :o)

Hubby after the great road rally. It's exhausting work being the driver! We put about 50 miles on the car, getting in and out countless times.

How'd we do? Well, we came in 7th. But, it was out of 13 teams. Not too bad for our first time out! So, even though we got in for free this time, should the NGUs host another one next year, I'll probably be one of the first to register. Rain or shine! :o)

Create Crochet Team Sales Event

2011-06-03T15:36:00.000-07:00

We have exciting news!!! The Etsy CreateCrochet Team is thrilled to be coming together for our first ever team sale! Many of our members have come together for this event and are offering our customers 15% off with coupon code CROCHETROCKS. We are even having a giveaway. Customers who make a purchase during the sales event will be entered to win a free pattern from The Strumpets Tentacle.

The sale starts Wednesday June 1^st and runs through Monday June 6^th.

To find the hundreds of handmade crochet pieces and patterns that are participating in the sale, type CrochetRocks into the Etsy search and start browsing. Team members will be adding items for sale from now through the end of the event so be sure to check back for newly listed goodies!

Type in CROCHETROCKS in our etsy store, Raven's Rascals, to see which items of ours qualifies for this discount! Remember, 100% of the proceeds of our shop are donated to the American Cancer Society AND for every dollar you spend in our shop, you receive an entry into our June giveaway for the Crocheted Froggie Earflap hat!! Happy weekend shopping!

June's Giveaway - Made to order Froggie Hat

2011-06-01T12:31:00.000-07:00

See our tab Raven's Rascals Monthly Blog Giveaway for more information.

This month and next month are busy months for us as we prepare for that final push before Relay (not to mention all the end of school activities!) so all that needs to be done to enter is to leave a comment. We'd love to hear more than "enter me please", but we'll take that, too. :o)

Ways to enter:

1. Leave comment below. One comment per person. Be sure to leave your email address so I can contact you if you're the winner. :o)

That's it! Another way to enter is by purchasing from our etsy shop, Raven's Rascals. No need to post comment for this one, you'll automatically be given 1 entry for every dollar you spend when you purchase.

*PLEASE NOTE: Numbers on comments will not necessarily correspond with the number that random.org chooses. I will keep a separate list on my computer to add in purchase entries with the comments. Thank you!

Giveaway ends on 6/30/11 at 11:59pm and winner will be announced and contacted on 7/1/11.

Good luck!

And even though they don't count as entries this month, we'd love to see you as a follower here, on facebook and/or twitter! :o)

Facebook: Raven's Rascals

Twitter: ravensrascals

Thanks!

May's Giveaway Winner!

2011-06-01T12:15:00.000-07:00

Thanks to random.org, May's giveaway winner is PurpleLarkspur!

PurpleLarkspur said...

http://twitter.com/#!/PurpleLarkspur/status/74950244814700544

I'll be sending an email soon!

Thank you everyone for another fun giveaway! If you didn't win and cannot live without the cute penguin hat, remember you can always order him! Click here to order yours. 100% of the proceeds is donated to the American Cancer Society!

June's Giveaway will be posted shortly!

Special Thank You - My Destiny Boutique

2011-05-24T19:48:00.000-07:00

I won a cute Minnie Mouse Bottlecap Necklace from Rosie of My Destiny Boutique and she generously added another cute bottlecap necklace to go with Minnie. Very sweet!

Minnie Mouse Bottlecap Necklace

This one says Red White and Cute!

Please visit My Destiny Boutique to see many, many more bottlecap designs and say thank you!!

THANK YOU, ROSIE!!!

May is Skin Cancer Detection and Prevention Month

2011-05-20T00:04:00.000-07:00

Just in time for summer comes a reminder to protect your skin from the sun and its rays!

I personally have some of the pastiest, whitest skin around and am proud of it! As one of my daughter's shirts says, "Pale is the new tan!"

Please take the time to watch this heart felt video.

Say it with me, "Pale is the New Tan!!!!!"

Special Thank You - 3 Little Princess Tutus

2011-05-19T13:02:00.000-07:00

Jennifer of 3 Little Princess Tutus was generous enough to sponsor in another giveaway I entered. I won a pair of baby leggings! So cute! I chose black with white stars so that they could be unisex.

Jennifer has quite a variety of items available. She's kind and quick to respond. I encourage everyone to check out her shop! You can also find her on facebook!

THANK YOU, JENNIFER!!!

Special Thank You - Willow Branch Boutique

2011-05-11T07:30:00.000-07:00

We won a headband recently from Teresa of Willow Branch Boutique. Teresa wrote back when she found out what we'd be using the headband for and said she'd been part of Relay in the past and would send a few extras along for the Gift Baskets. She did and they are all awesome! Some little girl is going to be very lucky when we have our drawing at our event in July!

So check out Willow Branch Boutique for really cute hair pretties!

THANK YOU, TERESA!!!!

Special Thank You - Uniques by Lainie

2011-05-11T07:21:00.000-07:00

I won this giveaway in an online bingo game. Lainie from Uniques by Lainie was awesome to work with. I was able to choose the size and colors I wanted for this uber cute Bunny Shirt.

The bunny wraps around the shirt for that extra cuteness touch. :o)

It is well made and I would highly recommend checking out her products for yourself!

I think it's going to go great in a basket with the Chocolate Easter Bunny earrings we already have!

THANK YOU, LAINIE!

Special Thank You - Gemmies

2011-05-10T14:59:00.000-07:00

We won a giveaway from Alesia of Gemmies! It's a very pretty and unique medallion necklace that is a great addition to our Relay Gift Baskets!

Isn't this so pretty?

Alesia also sells other jewelry, watches, crayon rolls, tot totes and bow holders! Check out her facebook page!

THANK YOU, ALESIA!!!

Special Thank You – Skeeterbug Props

2011-05-03T13:06:00.000-07:00

I recently won a stork pouch from Beth of Skeeterbug Props. I did the usual contacting of the sponsor to claim my prize and as soon as she found out what it would be used for, she immediately asked what she could do to help! So, in addition to the stork pouch, she sent 3 handstamped necklaces that are just too cool. So cool in fact I had to tell my 15yo that she'd just have to buy drawing tickets like everyone else to win the necklace she wanted. :o)

This is the Stork Pouch that photographers can use for super cute baby pics. It came with full tips and instructions for its use which I personally found fascinating!

Here is the 1st handstamped necklace. It says Faith Hope Strength.

Here is the 2nd handstamped necklace. It says Fight Like A Girl.

And last but not least, the 3rd handstamped necklace which says Kicking Cancers A** (I know, but I still can't type it out. LOL)

You can find Skeeterbug Props on facebook, too!

If you are a Relay for Life team interested in purchasing awareness necklaces for fundraising purposes, contact Beth as she has special promo codes for Relay teams.

THANK YOU, BETH!!

Special Thank You – Ellura Sage

2011-05-03T10:47:00.000-07:00

I can't wait to share Ellura Sage with you! I've seen a lot of boutique items lately and have entered quite a few giveaways. Prices vary widely and truthfully, I'm glad I've won some of the bows for the 5yo because I just wouldn't splurge on an item for the hair (I know, I know, but I'm a SAHM who loves to budget! LOL) no matter how beautiful and tempting it may be...and it is tempting! Jessica of Ellura Sage has the most exquisite items and in my humble opinion, the pricing is phenomenal! I, in all my budget glory, would not hesitate to buy from her! Items are wonderfully made and so inexpensive you feel like you're getting away with something!

Ok, I promise I wasn't a paid advertiser! But when I won an item of my choice from her shop, my jaw almost fell off it fell open so hard! Anyway, back to the story. I chose the Lavender Peony Hat and Headband set. GORGEOUS!!! And Jessica was so kind as to include a flower clippie for the 5yo so she wouldn't be too bummed that she, under no circumstances was keeping this set. :o)

Jessica has some awesome specials right now on her webpage (as if the pricing wasn't already super reasonable!). A code for 15% off and a free clip with purchase for liking Ellura Sage on facebook!

So check out Ellura Sage. I think you'll be glad you did!

THANK YOU, JESSICA!!

May's Giveaway - Made to Order Penguin Hat

2011-05-02T07:44:00.000-07:00

NOTE: I've noticed that some of the comments were eaten in the blogger incident last week. I just wanted to reassure everyone that even if you don't see your comment and you already entered, I do have record of it! I put all entries into a word document as soon as they come in. So have no fear, you are entered! If you have any questions feel free to email me! :o)

See our tab Raven's Rascals Monthly Blog Giveaway for more information.

Please post each entry as a separate comment.

Ways you can enter:

1. Follow this blog publicly through Google Friend Connect +1

2. Follow Raven's Rascals on Facebook +1

3. Follow Ravens's Rascals on Twitter +1

4. Heart Raven's Rascals on etsy and tell us your favorite item +1

5. Tweet about this giveaway. +1 daily, please leave link to your tweet

6. Share about this giveaway on facebook. +1 daily, please leave link to post

7. Answer the weekly question. Every Monday a question will be posted here for you to answer. One answer per person per question. +1 per question

QUESTION #1: Have you ever been involved in Relay for Life?
QUESTION #2: Do you protect your skin from the sun? How?
QUESTION #3: What are you looking forward to doing this summer?
QUESTION #4: Have you or a loved one ever been affected by cancer? (This can be as detailed as you wish or just a simple yes or no.)
QUESTION #5: Did you have a nice weekend?

Giveaway ends on 5/31/11 at 11:59pm and winner will be announced and contacted on 6/1/11.

Good luck!

April's Giveaway Winner

2011-05-01T10:38:00.000-07:00

We had a total of 199 entries for our first monthly blog giveaway!

I kept an open office document with all the entries and names were added as they became a fan, purchased on etsy or answered a question.

Random.org chose this number as the winner:

And (insert drum roll here) #89 is Christy for her answer to question #2!

Congratulations, Christy! I'll be contacting you shortly!

Look for May's giveaway to be posted later today!

LAST ONE! Giveaway Question #30

2011-04-30T09:44:00.000-07:00

Use one of these calculators to help you in getting healthier!

Post in the comments section when you're finished!

Giveaway officially ends 11:59 PST tonight!

Remember you can go back and answer all questions once before the end of the giveaway on April 30th!

Other ways you can enter the giveaway are:

Follow this blog - all followers are automatically given 1 entry each month into the giveaway

Shop our Etsy shop - For every dollar you spend before shipping, you will receive one entry. (ex. $5 = 5 entries)

Special Thanks - Oksancia

2011-04-29T16:52:00.000-07:00

Wow is one word that comes to mind when I think of Oksana owner of Oksancia. She's an amazing artist and is super generous to boot! I won an art pendant from her shop in yet another giveaway and she was so sweet and offered to let me change it to the one I had listed as my favorite. Well, the mail came today and there was this special package all the way from The Netherlands! Oksana wrote and said she decided to donate BOTH pendants for our worthy cause. Isn't she sweet? And wait until you see them!

This one is called Spring Bouquet! You can purchase this in her etsy shop: Art Prints by Oksancia: Rondy the Elephant, just in case you aren't in the neighborhood to win it in our gift baskets!

I adore this one! It's called Music Lover! Isn't it adorable?!?!

Even her business cards are mini-works of art! I'm going to have a hard time parting with these! :o)

Keep informed of new happenings on her facebook page, Rondy the Elephant!

Visit Oksana's website Optimistic Art. Check out her beautiful artwork and you can also print cute coloring pages featuring her art for the little one. I know my 5yo has been happily coloring away!

THANK YOU, OKSANA!!!

Giveaway Question #29

2011-04-29T10:02:00.000-07:00

Please list one of the topics in the Caregiving section of the ACS.

Put your answer in the comments section.

Remember you can go back and answer all questions once before the end of the giveaway on April 30th!

Other ways you can enter the giveaway are:

Follow this blog - all followers are automatically given 1 entry each month into the giveaway

Shop our Etsy shop - For every dollar you spend before shipping, you will receive one entry. (ex. $5 = 5 entries)

Giveaway Question #28

2011-04-29T09:59:00.000-07:00

Fill in the blanks:

The Man to Man program helps men cope with _________ __________ by offering community-based education and support for patients and their family members.

Post your answer in the comments section. :o)

Remember you can go back and answer all questions once before the end of the giveaway on April 30th!

Other ways you can enter the giveaway are:

Follow this blog - all followers are automatically given 1 entry each month into the giveaway

Shop our Etsy shop - For every dollar you spend before shipping, you will receive one entry. (ex. $5 = 5 entries)

Giveaway Question #27

2011-04-27T07:37:00.000-07:00

Almost done! Only 3 more questions after this one!

The American Cancer Society is the Official Sponsor of what?

Click here to find the answer (HINT: top left) and put your answer in the comments section.

Remember you can go back and answer all questions once before the end of the giveaway on April 30th!

Other ways you can enter the giveaway are:

Follow this blog - all followers are automatically given 1 entry each month into the giveaway

Shop our Etsy shop - For every dollar you spend before shipping, you will receive one entry. (ex. $5 = 5 entries)

Giveaway Question #26

2011-04-26T22:10:00.000-07:00

Name a way the American Cancer Society is Honoring People Who Are Making A Difference.

Put your answer in the comments section.

Remember you can go back and answer all questions once before the end of the giveaway on April 30th!

Other ways you can enter the giveaway are:

Follow this blog - all followers are automatically given 1 entry each month into the giveaway

Shop our Etsy shop - For every dollar you spend before shipping, you will receive one entry. (ex. $5 = 5 entries)

Giveaway Question #25

2011-04-26T22:07:00.000-07:00

Name a fundraising idea. (Shamelessly picking your brains for ideas!) :o)

Put your answer in the comment section.

Remember you can go back and answer all questions once before the end of the giveaway on April 30th!

Other ways you can enter the giveaway are:

Follow this blog - all followers are automatically given 1 entry each month into the giveaway

Shop our Etsy shop - For every dollar you spend before shipping, you will receive one entry. (ex. $5 = 5 entries)

Giveaway Question #24

2011-04-26T22:00:00.000-07:00

What is the American Cancer Society's 24/7 phone number to help give people the answers they need about cancer?

Find the answer here and post as a comment below.

Remember you can go back and answer all questions once before the end of the giveaway on April 30th!

Other ways you can enter the giveaway are:

Follow this blog - all followers are automatically given 1 entry each month into the giveaway

Shop our Etsy shop - For every dollar you spend before shipping, you will receive one entry. (ex. $5 = 5 entries)

Giveaway Question #23

2011-04-23T11:33:00.000-07:00

Name one screening guideline listed on this page:

American Cancer Society Guidelines for the Early Detection of Cancer

Put you answer in the comments section. :o)

Remember you can go back and answer all questions once before the end of the giveaway on April 30th!

Other ways you can enter the giveaway are:

Follow this blog - all followers are automatically given 1 entry each month into the giveaway

Shop our Etsy shop - For every dollar you spend before shipping, you will receive one entry. (ex. $5 = 5 entries)

Special Thanks - All Yarned Out

2011-04-22T13:18:00.000-07:00

Today's giveaway winning brought to you by Wendy Gano of All Yarned Out!

Wendy does beautiful work and this beanie hat is AWESOME! The colors are gorgeous and the yarn is SO soft! It only escaped the 5yo because it's a teen/adult size. :o)

Head on over to Wendy's facebook page and check out all of her other goodies!

THANK YOU, WENDY!!!

Giveaway Question #22

2011-04-22T08:39:00.000-07:00

Generation Fit is an American Cancer Society program that encourages students ages ____ to ____ take part in community service projects that promote more physical activity and healthier eating among their friends and families, and in their schools and communities.

Fill in the Blank and post your answer in the comments section!

Remember you can go back and answer all questions once before the end of the giveaway on April 30th!

Other ways you can enter the giveaway are:

Follow this blog - all followers are automatically given 1 entry each month into the giveaway

Shop our Etsy shop - For every dollar you spend before shipping, you will receive one entry. (ex. $5 = 5 entries)

Giveaway Question #21

2011-04-22T08:34:00.000-07:00

Active for Life is a 10-week American Cancer Society program that uses individual and group strategies to help employees become more _________ _________.

Fill in the blank and post your answer in the comments section. :o)

Remember you can go back and answer all questions once before the end of the giveaway on April 30th!

Other ways you can enter the giveaway are:

Follow this blog - all followers are automatically given 1 entry each month into the giveaway

Shop our Etsy shop - For every dollar you spend before shipping, you will receive one entry. (ex. $5 = 5 entries)

Special Thanks - Bacon Time with the Hungry Hungry Hypo

2011-04-20T16:27:00.000-07:00

Today's giveaway winning brought to you by:

Mindie from Bacon Time with the Hungry Hungry Hypo, is first of all, my kind of gal! I LOVE BACON! And she has posted some really yummy recipes! Her blog is a fun read, full of great ideas and information. We recently took place in a giveaway she had and WON! So, as is our habit, most of our giveaway winnings go into the Relay for Life Gift Baskets which we'll sell drawing tickets for at our RFL Event in July. I say most, because (as I knew it would happen), my 5yo saw the extremely cute headband and claimed it as her own!

But, we still have 2 more uber cute flowers going into the baskets!

Both can be used in the hair, on a hat, and the red, white and blue one even has a pin on the back. :o)

THANK YOU, MINDIE!!!

*Disclaimer (of sorts): Please note that any item donated to us directly for use in our gift baskets go into our gift baskets regardless of how cute the 5yo deems them. However, we do reserve the right to do with our giveaway winnings as we like, which for us usually means into the Relay Basket, but can sometimes mean we keep it. :o) Thanks!

Giveaway Question #20

2011-04-20T08:38:00.000-07:00

Choose 1 Currently Funded Project in any state and post your answer in the comment section. :o)

84 entries and counting!

Remember you can go back and answer all questions once before the end of the giveaway on April 30th!

Other ways you can enter the giveaway are:

Follow this blog - all followers are automatically given 1 entry each month into the giveaway

Shop our Etsy shop - For every dollar you spend before shipping, you will receive one entry. (ex. $5 = 5 entries)

It's a Major Award! I won it!

2011-04-19T10:28:00.000-07:00

Forgive the lame reference to A Christmas Story, but I couldn't resist and I've always loved that lamp!

Anyway, Crafty Staci was kind enough to award us with this Versatile Blog Award yesterday!

There are a few easy rules that go along with the Versatile Blogger Award.
Thank the person who gave you the award and link back to them in your post.
Tell your readers seven (7) things about yourself.
Give this award to fifteen (15) recently discovered bloggers.
Contact those bloggers and let them in on the exciting news!

So Rule #1: THANK YOU CRAFTY STACI!!!

Rule #2: Seven things about myself

1. I never stay on any one craft project for very long. I'm always trying something new.

2. I love Sudoku and Logic puzzles. In fact, I have a 3D Sudoku puzzle book I'm currently working on. I also work my puzzles in pen. Drives my friends batty!

3. I have 4 children ages 15 - 5

4. I got married at the ripe old age of 18

5. I'm a cat person, not a dog person

6. I love fundraising for Relay for Life!

7. I've survived a plane crash

That is a nice eclectic mix of info, I think. :o)

Rule #3: 15 blogs I've recently discovered:

1. The Old Block House

2. CrazySocks Crochet

3. Bacon Time with the Hungry Hungry Hypo

4. Singing Three Little Birds

5. A Crochet Ninja

6. Crafted by Design

7. Designs by Stevie J

8. House Unseen. Life Unscripted.

9. Jennasaurus

10. Lithuanian Egg Etching and Crafting

11. Patidecaz

12. The Crafty Chandelier

13. The Great Letdown

14. Tutus & Tea Parties

15. Twysted Yarn

Enjoy visiting these blogs and maybe find a new one or two. :o)

Giveaway Question #19

2011-04-19T07:52:00.000-07:00

I Can Cope is a free _____________ program for adults facing cancer – either personally, or as a friend or family caregiver.

Fill in the blank. Find the answer here and post in the comments.

Remember you can go back and answer all questions once before the end of the giveaway on April 30th!

Other ways you can enter the giveaway are:

Follow this blog - all followers are automatically given 1 entry each month into the giveaway

Shop our Etsy shop - For every dollar you spend before shipping, you will receive one entry. (ex. $5 = 5 entries)

Giveaway Question #18

2011-04-19T07:49:00.000-07:00

Sorry I missed yesterday!

Be part of the Choose You movement! Choose You encourages women to put their own health first in the fight against cancer. At ChooseYou.com, you can choose from five different health categories. Name one of them.

Find the answer here and post in the comment section. :o)

Remember you can go back and answer all questions once before the end of the giveaway on April 30th!

Other ways you can enter the giveaway are:

Follow this blog - all followers are automatically given 1 entry each month into the giveaway

Shop our Etsy shop - For every dollar you spend before shipping, you will receive one entry. (ex. $5 = 5 entries)

Giveaway Question #17

2011-04-17T15:27:00.000-07:00

Alright, it's really another assignment.

Go to the Nutrition and Activity Quiz and put "done" in the comment section when finished. :o)

73 entries and counting!

Remember you can go back and answer all questions once before the end of the giveaway on April 30th!

Other ways you can enter the giveaway are:

Follow this blog - all followers are automatically given 1 entry each month into the giveaway

Shop our Etsy shop - For every dollar you spend before shipping, you will receive one entry. (ex. $5 = 5 entries)

~Special Thank You - Crafty Staci~

2011-04-16T13:56:00.000-07:00

Staci from Crafty Staci has generously donated this beautiful coffee cup sleeve to our Relay Gift Baskets! It's reversible with a breast cancer awareness fabric on one side and heart shaped apples on the other. Extremely well made and gorgeous!

I "met" Staci just a few days ago while perusing blogs. I came across her blog post: Mike and Holly Kellogg and was moved by her desire to help her friends in their difficult time of need and helped as I could by promoting her cause on our facebook page and on our Shopping to Make a Difference page. For the months of April and May, she is donating 100% of the profits from her etsy shop to the Mike and Holly Kellogg Fund. Staci, in what I can tell is a very generous spirit, read our blog and asked if she could help us by donating one of her items.

Let's all help Staci, help Mike and Holly! Please visit her etsy shop and buy, buy, buy! I know I'm going to buy one of her lens cap pockets (I'm always losing mine!). Mother's Day is coming up and her coffee cup sleeves would make a perfect gift and your purchase would help someone in need! Shopping doesn't get any better than that!

Thank you, Staci!

Giveaway Question #16

2011-04-16T09:53:00.000-07:00

Ok, this one is more of an assignment. Take the quiz Sun Safety IQ and reply done in the comment section when you are finished! :o)

70 entries and counting!

Remember you can go back and answer all questions once before the end of the giveaway on April 30th!

Other ways you can enter the giveaway are:

Follow this blog - all followers are automatically given 1 entry each month into the giveaway

Shop our Etsy shop - For every dollar you spend before shipping, you will receive one entry. (ex. $5 = 5 entries)

Giveaway Question #15

2011-04-14T22:42:00.000-07:00

Half way there! There are currently 65 entries into the giveaway!

Physical Activity can significantly lower your risk of cancer. The ACS recommends adults engage in moderate to vigorous exercise 30 minutes a day for at least 5 days a week while children and adolescents should engage in moderate to vigorous exercise for 60 minutes a day at least 5 days a week. Read more on ways you can Fit in Fitness here.

Question: What's your favorite way to exercise?

Answer in the comment section below.

Remember you can go back and answer all questions once before the end of the giveaway on April 30th!

Other ways you can enter the giveaway are:

Follow this blog - all followers are automatically given 1 entry each month into the giveaway

Shop our Etsy shop - For every dollar you spend before shipping, you will receive one entry. (ex. $5 = 5 entries)

Giveaway Question #14

2011-04-14T08:27:00.000-07:00

At what age should a woman, who is NOT at high risk for breast cancer, begin receiving mammograms?

Find the answer here and post below in a comment. :o)

Remember you can go back and answer all questions once before the end of the giveaway on April 30th!

Other ways you can enter the giveaway are:

Follow this blog - all followers are automatically given 1 entry each month into the giveaway

Shop our Etsy shop - For every dollar you spend before shipping, you will receive one entry. (ex. $5 = 5 entries)

~Special Thank You - Echo Endeavor~

2011-04-13T15:15:00.000-07:00

Another generous donation to our gift baskets arrived today! Jamie at Echo Endeavor sent a gorgeous bracelet and matching earring set along with two more pairs of beautiful earrings! And her packaging was so gorgeous I hated to open it to take pictures! But I did so you all could enjoy her beautiful work!

As an extra special bonus, the proceeds of her shop are donated to "echo": Endeavor to Contribute to the Health of Others, a non-profit charity that helps cover costs associated with breast cancer care!

So get shopping for those special gifts (hint, Mother's Day is just around the corner!) and know that not only will you receive a gorgeous handmade item, but your money will benefit someone in need!

Thank you, Jamie!!

You can also follow Echo Endeavor on Facebook!

Giveaway Question #13

2011-04-13T11:07:00.000-07:00

The American Cancer Society’s Camp UKANDU is a week-long "outrageously fun" overnight camp for who?

For the answer, click here and put your answer in the comment section of this post. :o)

Remember you can go back and answer all questions once before the end of the giveaway on April 30th!

Other ways you can enter the giveaway are:

Follow this blog - all followers are automatically given 1 entry each month into the giveaway

Shop our Etsy shop - For every dollar you spend before shipping, you will receive one entry. (ex. $5 = 5 entries)

Giveaway Question #12

2011-04-12T10:02:00.000-07:00

Fill in the blank:

Each year, more than ____________ people in 5,000 communities in the United States, along with additional communities in 20 other countries, gather to take part in this global phenomenon (Relay for Life) and raise much-needed funds and awareness to save lives from cancer.

You can find the answer here.

Remember you can go back and answer all questions once before the end of the giveaway on April 30th!

Other ways you can enter the giveaway are:

Follow this blog - all followers are automatically given 1 entry each month into the giveaway

Shop our Etsy shop - For every dollar you spend before shipping, you will receive one entry. (ex. $5 = 5 entries)

New Product...Funtastic Flower Flyers!!

2011-04-12T07:51:00.000-07:00

Funtastic Flower Flyers are coming soon to Raven's Rascals Etsy store!

But first, a little history about the Funtastic Flower Flyers. I was crocheting flowers to bring a little Spring into my life and to use some really cute buttons I had purchased. I thought I could probably sell them on Etsy as an embellishment to others' projects. One of my kids asked me what I was making, so I grabbed the side and threw it at them. It flew just like a flying disc! We started playing with them in the house. If it hit one of us, it didn't hurt! We still had to be careful with the knick knacks, but we had a lot of fun.

However, before we could advertise them as a Funtastic Flower Flyer, we needed a commercial and more product testing. The commercial was needed so people could see how they worked. A trip to the beach was the perfect solution! The Funtastic Flower Flyers worked just as well outside as inside, even in the breeze! We had fun shooting the commercial (currently being edited by my talented oldest daughter) and thought all was well. And then, it happened.

The seagulls! Apparently large colorful crocheted flowers look like food to a seagull. After a while there was a flock of them. At first if one came near the flowers, they would pick it up, but put it down again. Eventually, it looked like they finally understood that the flowers were not food and they slowly started to disperse. But, kids will be kids and my son thought it would be fun to throw the flowers right at the seagulls and see what happened. Well, what happened was a seagull took off with one of the Funtastic Flower Flyers! We watched him as he flew off over the houses and decided that we'd attempt to find the flower in the hopes that he'd drop it somewhere. Long shot, I know, but he had taken off with everyone's favorite flower! We guessed which street he may have ended up on. We got lucky! We found the culprit next to our flower! However, the luck didn't hold as he had landed on a roof that was impossible to get up on.

We checked back the next day in the hopes it had blown off, but it had only blown off to the other side. Then the last day, it was gone completely. So, if you're in Seaside, OR, keep an eye out. You may become the proud owner of a Funtastic Flower Flyer! And we now know that the Funtastic Flower Flyer needs to come with a warning label:

Caution! This product is seagull approved! If playing near seagulls be warned that they may mistake the Funtastic Flower Flyer for their next meal and fly off with it!

Look for our Funtastic Flower Flyers to be listed soon!!

Newest Etsy Listing

2011-04-11T17:26:00.000-07:00

A new Scrappy, Stashy Crocheted Gift/Craft Bag

Giveaway question #11

2011-04-11T07:14:00.000-07:00

What is the name of a Patient Service Program you could volunteer for?

Answer can be found here.

Remember you can go back and answer all questions once before the end of the giveaway on April 30th!

Other ways you can enter the giveaway are:

Follow this blog - all followers are automatically given 1 entry each month into the giveaway

Shop our Etsy shop - For every dollar you spend before shipping, you will receive one entry. (ex. $5 = 5 entries)

Giveaway Question #10

2011-04-06T21:19:00.001-07:00

An easy one: What is the color of the Breast Cancer Awareness Ribbon?

Post your answer in the comments section. :o)

Other ways you can enter the giveaway are:

Follow this blog - all followers are automatically given 1 entry each month into the giveaway

Shop our Etsy shop - For every dollar you spend before shipping, you will receive one entry. (ex. $5 = 5 entries)

Giveaway Question #9

2011-04-06T21:18:00.000-07:00

In what year did Relay for Life begin?

Find the answer here and post as a comment. :o)

Other ways you can enter the giveaway are:

Follow this blog - all followers are automatically given 1 entry each month into the giveaway

Shop our Etsy shop - For every dollar you spend before shipping, you will receive one entry. (ex. $5 = 5 entries)

Giveaway Question #8

2011-04-06T21:13:00.000-07:00

How many women have been served by the Look Good Feel Better program?

Click on the link to find the answer. :o)

Other ways you can enter the giveaway are:

Follow this blog - all followers are automatically given 1 entry each month into the giveaway

Shop our Etsy shop - For every dollar you spend before shipping, you will receive one entry. (ex. $5 = 5 entries)

Giveaway Question #7

2011-04-06T21:10:00.000-07:00

Name one of the 4 key methods for sun protection (AKA UV Radiation protection) represented by Slip! Slop! Slap!...and Wrap!

Find the answer here and post your answer in the comments section!

Other ways you can enter the giveaway are:

Follow this blog - all followers are automatically given 1 entry each month into the giveaway

Shop our Etsy shop - For every dollar you spend before shipping, you will receive one entry. (ex. $5 = 5 entries)

Giveaway Question #6

2011-04-06T10:45:00.000-07:00

What does CPS-3 stand for?

Find your answer here.

As an added note, I highly encourage anyone who qualifies for CPS-3 to enroll if there's one in your area! I did! If there's not one in your area or you don't qualify, you can still pass the word on! :o)

Other ways you can enter the giveaway are:

Follow this blog - all followers are automatically given 1 entry each month into the giveaway

Shop our Etsy shop - For every dollar you spend before shipping, you will receive one entry. (ex. $5 = 5 entries)

Question #5

2011-04-05T09:49:00.000-07:00

In 2010 how much money was raised from all community Relay for Life events?

Answer can be found here.

Other ways you can enter the giveaway are:

Follow this blog - all followers are automatically given 1 entry each month into the giveaway

Shop our Etsy shop - For every dollar you spend before shipping, you will receive one entry. (ex. $5 = 5 entries)

Have fun while learning! :o)

~Special Thank You - Patidecaz~

2011-04-04T17:13:00.000-07:00

Patty Woodside of Patidecaz Etsy Shop generously donated this beautiful breast cancer awareness bracelet for our Relay gift baskets! Check out her store as she has several more gorgeous awareness pieces. Proceeds from the items in her Pink/Hope/Cure shop section are donated to the American Cancer Society!

New product coming soon...

2011-04-04T14:10:00.000-07:00

And we're so excited about it that we're shooting a commercial using the wonderful talents of my oldest daughter. Hope to have the commercial done and ready to debut in less than a week!

It's fun, it's different, it's a Flying Flower!

Great for indoor and outdoor play!

You'll just have to stayed tuned for more information!!!

April Giveaway Question #4...

2011-04-04T08:56:00.000-07:00

As of 2/28/11 how much money has the ACS Gift Shop raised? hint: scroll down to the bottom of any page of the link. Put your answer in the comment section. :o)

Other ways you can enter the giveaway are:

Follow this blog - all followers are automatically given 1 entry each month into the giveaway

Shop our Etsy shop - For every dollar you spend before shipping, you will receive one entry. (ex. $5 = 5 entries)

Have fun while learning! :o)

April Giveaway Question #3...

2011-04-03T09:12:00.000-07:00

Name one of the ACS Programs to Help You Stay Well. (Click on the link for the answer) Put your answer in a comment below this post. :o)

Other ways you can enter the giveaway are:

Follow this blog - all followers are automatically given 1 entry each month into the giveaway

Shop our Etsy shop - For every dollar you spend before shipping, you will receive one entry. (ex. $5 = 5 entries)

Have fun while learning! :o)

April Giveaway Question #2...

2011-04-02T21:28:00.000-07:00

Fill in the blank and post your answer as a comment:

Each Hope Lodge offers cancer patients and their caregivers a ____________, temporary place to stay when their best hope for effective treatment may be in another city.

You can find the answer here: Hope Lodge

Other ways you can enter the giveaway are:

Follow this blog - all followers are automatically given 1 entry each month into the giveaway

Shop our Etsy shop - For every dollar you spend before shipping, you will receive one entry. (ex. $5 = 5 entries)

Have fun while learning! :o)

Our 1st official Monthly Blog Giveaway begins NOW!!! First question is...

2011-04-01T07:16:00.000-07:00

How many men and how many women in the US will develop cancer in their lifetimes?

To find the answer click here. Post your answer in a comment below and you'll receive one entry into the giveaway.

There will be 30 questions total this month. You can answer them anytime before the close of the giveaway at 9pm PST on 4/30/11.

Other ways you can enter the giveaway are:

Follow this blog - all followers are automatically given 1 entry each month into the giveaway

Shop our Etsy shop - For every dollar you spend before shipping, you will receive one entry. (ex. $5 = 5 entries)

Our motto here is have fun while learning! :o)

A few more giveaway winnings!

2011-03-31T13:28:00.000-07:00

The last 2 of my giveaway winnings arrived yesterday, although I'm actively trying to win more for those baskets! :o)

This cute Washcloth Lollipop (made with 1 take and toss spoon and 1 Baby washcloth) was from Joy of Mommy Making Memories! She was so accommodating and was able to fulfill my request of a purple and white Washcloth Lollipop! If you have a baby shower coming up you need to buy for, you need to check out her items!! So adorable!

This item was the second item we won from Shop*Zebra Bows. You can't tell from this picture, but this is a ring...a very large, really cool white heart ring! I recommend checking out her items. There's an eclectic mix and a little something for everyone!

Speaking of giveaways...don't forget that tomorrow is the beginning of our Monthly Blog Giveaway where you could win this beautiful hooded scarf!

Holy Giveaway Winnings, Batman!

2011-03-28T15:53:00.000-07:00

Today was an awesome mail day! Part of my fundraising, is taking the time to enter online giveaways and donating items I win to put into baskets which we can sell drawing tickets for at our Relay event. These giveaways can be addicting! LOL Anyway, all the wonderful online businesses I've won from have been so kind. I recommend all of them and their products are sooo cute!!!!

Today in the mail, we received crocheted purple "croc" type shoes for a size 4.5 by Loops In Loops. These are ADORABLE and all of her items are just as amazing! My pictures totally do not do these justice!

Also in the mail was this uber cute cupcake onesie from Shop*Zebra Bows She offers a wide variety of sweet items. Go check it out!

Last in the mail today was these yummy Chocolate Easter Bunny earrings handmade by Carneen at Spotted Frog Designs All of her beads and charms are lovingly made and so detailed!

Last week we received these fun items from TC Creations! The tooth fairy pillows are so cute I'm having a hard time convincing the youngest that we're not keeping them (I did let her keep the apron that Tammy made, so I'm not completely heartless LOL)! And I really wish these bibs were in adult sizes! The minky fabric on the back is so soft!

If you are also crafty and hand make items, you don't have to wait for me to win something! ;o) If you would like to donate an item to our gift baskets, please email me at ravensrascals@gmail.com and I can give you more information.

Grrrr...Crochet Injury

2011-03-28T13:56:00.000-07:00

I've apparently been crocheting a wee bit too much lately as I've re injured my wrist. So, it's being rested for a day or 2. I'm taking this time to slowly (I am typing one handed LOL) catch up on networking and posting some new Etsy listings. But, I really want to crochet! LOL When I get back to it, look for a new adaptation of the Custom Made Awareness Ribbon Crocheted Bag as I have plans to try an Autism Awareness version. Don't forget to look on our Monthly Blog Giveaway tab for ways you can enter to win starting April 1st!

My Sock Monkey Failure?

2011-03-26T15:15:00.000-07:00

I don't know why I get these ideas in my head sometimes. Especially when it comes to sewing. I can sew pillowcase dresses just fine, but beyond that I'm not good at it. Not that I couldn't be good at it, but I really don't enjoy it much and so choose not to better my skills. However, once an idea gets in my head, there is no rest until it is tried. I found a website that was 9 steps to a sock monkey. I thought, I can do that. Well, I created something, but I'm not sure it could be called a monkey. We've decided it's so hideous it is endearing and are calling it the Endearing FrankenMonkey. Don't worry, my days of sock monkey creating are over (unless of course there's a huge demand for the Endearing FrankenMonkey). I can sleep tonight without the idea bugging me and we're currently working on ideas on how we can use our Endearing FrankenMonkey for fundraising purposes. We're thinking of putting him on people's desks at work and they have to pay $1 to have him removed and for another $1 can name the person's desk he's removed to. Maybe he'll just be our Mascot. Any thoughts? :o)

Spring has Sprung!

2011-03-24T10:01:00.000-07:00

Well, maybe not weather wise, but my hook and yarn have been working overtime making flowers! I've been crocheting some really cute flowers with button centers. Some are large, some are small. Not sure what I'll end up doing with them. I'm thinking of taking them to our Relay event and offering people the choice of turning the smaller ones into a bookmark, or adding a safety pin and making them a brooch/hat pin. I don't have pics of the assorted small ones, yet, but here are a few of the larger ones. A Daffodil and an Irish Rose (click on flower names to view patterns and make your own garden!).

Daffodil w/ a daffodil my son "found" on the ground. (Sure hope so, as we don't have any in our yard!)

Using it as a little vase. Right now I'm using it to hold my yarn needles. It works great for that!

Irish Rose

I attached a safety pin to the back and then attached it on to this adorable Newsboy Hat made by my best friend, KeriAnne!

Visit KeriAnne's shop, Hats For Humanity, where for every hat you purchase, she will donate another hat to a humanitarian aid center!

On today's agenda, more Crocheted Embellished T-Shirt Dresses! Maybe I'll attach a flower to one. LOL

Look for pics coming soon!

Welcome to Raven's Rascals Blog!

2011-03-18T07:45:00.000-07:00

Hi all and welcome!

I've been putting off creating a blog for our Relay for Life Team for a couple of reasons. First, I manage 3 other blogs and I was afraid of becoming a blog addict. :o) Second, I'm trying to actually spend more time creating, rather than spending time on the computer. But, I really want a place to share information with you about Relay, cancer, American Cancer Society programs, information about our Etsy shop, etc., so a blog seems like a great way to accomplish this.

Introduction:
My name is Rachel and I'm the Captain of Raven's Rascals Relay for Life Team. The team currently consists of Hubby, my 4 children ages 15 to 5, my mother, and myself. This is my 5th year of Relay and our 2nd year as a family team.

We have had so many family members affected by cancer, but one of our main reasons for Relaying is my Father-in-law who was lost to cancer before I had a chance to meet him. From all the loving stories I've heard about him, I have really missed something not being able to have met him and my children are missing out on someone who would have undoubtedly been an awesome grandfather. We Relay to do our part in finding a cure for this deadly disease and to help those currently battling it.

Some ways we fundraise:

1. Etsy shop where 100% of the proceeds is donated to the ACS.

Raven's Rascals Etsy Shop

2. Donation only garage sale in June

This one is fun for us and the buyers! We solicit items from our friends, family and neighbors and hold a garage sale where nothing is priced. The buyer can choose an item(s) and with a donation of their choosing, the item is theirs! Whatever items we have left at the end of the sale are donated to our local Discovery Shop, an American Cancer Society thrift store.

3. Put together gift baskets to sell drawing tickets for or enter into our event's silent auction.

4. Change Jar

We have a large plastic container that we put all our spare change into, including all money I find in the washer/dryer! (Last year I found a whole $20!) Just in change alone we had over $100 by our Relay event's end!

5. Online donations are always welcome!

Rachel's ACS Page

These are just some of the bigger ways we fundraise. I hope to use this blog to fundraise of course, but to also share information on programs and happenings with the ACS.

Thanks for following us! We really appreciate all the support we been shown in this worthwhile venture!