Project Craftivism

An easy way to help in your community?! Give blood. This saves up to 3 human lives! Stop crafting with animal body parts (including feathers, wool, leather, fur, shells, coral, etc.) and save many more! It’s all about mindful craftivism and overall mindful crafting. Won’t you join me?!

Also, check out The Blood Bag Project (google search or check out my previous posts). It’s a great way to get involved and help save lives if you are not able to give blood, through fun crafty means.

Yes, that is my arm in the photo :)

Excerpt from a John Hopkins Health Alert:

“Volunteering doesn’t just help others — it may also benefit your health. Reviewers from the Corporation for National and Community Service (a government agency that promotes volunteerism) reviewed two decades of data from over 30 studies and found that volunteers had less depression, reported greater satisfaction with life, and lived longer than those who did not volunteer.”

How do you try to make this a better world for all?

What kind of volunteering makes you happy?

If you follow my blog, you know that apart from getting crafty, I try to get involved in other issues. On Saturdays, I try to make my way to my local shelter to walk a dog for an hour.

I was pretty upset this past Saturday, when I found out that this poor pup had just been dropped off at the kill shelter. Dropped off without even bothering to give her name or any other information about her. The waste of space irresponsible human just dropped her off like garbage. When did life become of so little value in our world?

They gave her to us to take her out for a bit, but she was still confused and afraid. All she wanted to do was stick close to my leg, be cuddled, and be reassured.

This is a reminder that if you make a commitment to a life, you can’t just get rid of them when you feel like it. Thousands of shelter animals are killed in shelters because of irresponsible humans. When you choose to take in a dog, cat, rabbit, hamster, bird, fish, or other, remember that they are for life.

“I love the idea of the relationship between craft and activism. Just thinking about it gives me that “I’ve come home” kind of feeling…Let’s just say that art that is interactive, hands-on, tactile, and makes people think and question, is all fine in my book.”

This is Sani. She’s an adorable shelter dog ready for adoption. She’s about 7. I met her this past Saturday at my local pound. She was so happy to be out in the snow that’d she’d just drop down and roll in it! Haha my husband even sprinted with her a few times and when I lagged behind them, she would stop to wait for me.

This is just a small reminder that all it takes in one hour per week to make someone happy, in this case, a shelter dog that would otherwise be stuck in a cage until she is lucky enough to be adopted. All you have to do is approach your local shelter, animal rescue, or wildlife hospital and ask how the animals would benefit from your hour.

Knitting Behind Bars is such a great project!

I find it really inspiring that this lady decided to approach jails and propose this project to bring/teach peace, relaxation, patience, etc. to men serving time in jail. Talk about reaching out to an individual and creating change in your community!

Here’s the KBB blog: http://knittingbehindbars.blogspot.com

They are also on Facebook, here.

I’ve encountered a few individuals that insist that making things for people in need makes no difference, doesn’t change anything, or help anyone. They tell me that donating sums of money does.

Well, I (still) beg to differ. I received the following letter from the shelter where I donated the knitted and crocheted items I collected last fall for a homeless project drive. I donated all the items to my local shelter. I’m sharing because I want to make sure that everyone involved reads it and also, to hopefully inspire you…

Donating sums of money is perfectly valid for some, but it is also valid to reach out to the forgotten individuals in our community and let them know we care through our craft.

Even though it may be a small gesture, individuals are touched through the fact that someone out there cared enough to try to help them/make them something without expecting anything in return.

January 29th, 2012, Switzerland (they speak French in this region; I want to point out that a Gentleman also took part in this project, so please ignore the “ladies” bit! I didn’t want to (and did not) edit the letter at all…)

“It is of all my heart that I wish to express you my gratitude for all the beautiful socks, hat which you knit for the persons of Marmotte.

On December 24th, during our Christmas celebration, the “Father Christmas” came to distribute to each of the users on of your Knitting. The users were extremely happy to be able to choose the Knitting they wanted. They were also very touched that we knit them clothes since the United States, Canada and Switzerland.

Ladies, I am very touched by your movement, which testifies of your spirit of solidarity to the most deprived and the trust that you have to the Salvation Army.

By your support, you contribute to the improvement of the everyday life of the persons who stay in our shelter.

While repeating my thanks, I send to you, Ladies my kind regards and a happy New Year 2012.”

1 hour out of 168 hours (hours in a week) is all you have to give to brighten up someone’s day!

This picture depics me walking with an adorable shelter dog, Baboo.

I recently made the commitment to volunteer at my local animal shelter. They mostly need help with walking the dogs, so I walk a homeless shelter dog for at least one hour per week. Without people to volunteer to do this, these dogs, awaiting adoption, would be stuck in a tiny cage for who knows how long. It’s also a great way to give affection to a non-human in need that may have just gone through a terrible situation (abandonment, the death of his/her guardian, ect.).

All it takes is just ONE hour per week. One hour goes in a flash (start taking account of your hours and see what you spend them on…chances are it’s easy to find an hour to share and brighten someone’s day.)

What does this have to do with craftivism? It doesn’t have anything to do with crafts, but it has a lot to do with getting involved in your community and overall making an effort to make it a better place.

Animal shelters are not the only places where an hour is invaluable. Look up your local wildlife hospital, animal refuge, sanctuary, etc. to see how you can help!

Walking a dog may not seem like much, but it is a start. It also makes all the difference to that individual dog. However, I also find that it is a very fulfilling experience (and a good work out too, lol).

He was possibly the sweetest dog I have ever met, and so incredibly intelligent and gentil. I can’t wait to go back this week and meet the next dog <3

“Use what you do to help.”

Crafts/art come in many forms, such as this one. Consider how you can use what you do/make to create change, awareness, or help an individual in your community or abroad on your own or with the help of your fellow crafters.

Loved reading “Knitting for Good” by Betsy Greer! It pretty much emphasized what I felt when I realized that I really wanted to learn to knit - for good!

It’s also therapeutic, a way to stand up against consumerism and the exploitation of laborers, good for the environment, a way to help your community, spread love, and make someone’s day (ever try leaving a scarf on a bench with a tag that says “for you! take me home!”, etc….

If you ever wondered how to use your craft for good…be sure to get your second-hand copy for inspiration.

I think this interview is a good example of why someone would take up craftivism and how they apply it to their local community as Ms. Greer explains in her book.