Something blue from a Biggest Morning Tea

These cool blue labels were made by my second cousin once removed, and aren’t they lovely? She works in simple blue biro on paper and lino-block on cotton, and has made some absolutely lovely objects, some of which are available through her Etsy store, Emily Burtt Handmade. She’s also a fabulous baker, but she’s not selling any of that!

I also purchased two sets of bookmarks from her, as I’m forever in dire need of those :)

I had the chance to remind myself of the charm of Emily’s work because I went along to a morning tea fundraiser for the Cancer Council at my second cousin’s home, which was a very pleasant few hours that flew by while drinking tea and noshing cakes with other women, and indeed went so well that we are probably going to form a book group of some sort. The Cancer Council’s target for their Biggest Morning Tea fundraiser is $11,000,000 and so far they’ve raised less than $1 million for their 2009 drive, but there’s the whole month of June to go. If you can manage to get together with friends to chat over tea and get everybody to donate what they can manage, this is a very pleasant way indeed to spend a few hours inside chatting and looking at the cold blowing outside. Check out the website to register as a host and receive a hosting kit.

The book group intention was only enhanced by Emily reading to us from the proofs of her gorgeously illustrated children’s book, for which she is in the process of seeking a publisher. I have no doubt that she will find one, and when she does you bet I will be telling you all exactly who has had the nous to snap her up.

I know we have some crafty readers, and we’ve all seen Lauredhel’s soaps. Who else has an Etsy or other handicrafts shop online where we can admire and perhaps purchase your work? Is anyone amongst the readers working on a book (which reminds me I must find in which clutter pile I accidentally buried ThirdCat’s fabulous novel Black Dust Dancing that I was halfway through – I have to know what happens)? Have at some shameless self-promotion in the comments!