december 10

My crafty artist friend Liita, owner of Little Bits Workshop in River Forest, has a dream to work with youth and moms in transition and get them on the right path by training them to create and start their own cottage industries. Small-scale, local microfinance of sorts. Funded in part by sales from a trunk show of handmade items crafted by her artsy friends. Her blog post explains it best. I'm just thrilled to be along for the ride, to help make this wonderful dream come true! Here are the details:

Trunk Show Fundraiser
December 10, 2010
4-9 p.m.
American Artworks Gallery
in downtown Forest Park

A significant portion of the sales at this show go to support both the Little Bits Scholarships for teens at risk and also workshops for kids at Ronald McDonald Children's Hospital in Maywood. Liita will work with these terminally ill kids to make altered journals and other special keepsake items. A beautiful thing.

I have ten days to get down to business sewing recycled jean skirts and whatever else I can scrap together from salvaged fabric. Since this sounds way more exciting than any paying job I've had in the last 13 years, I'm thinking it may be the start of a new career...or just a fun new outlet.

If you're in the area, shop green. Shop for a great cause. Shop to encourage a few retail newbies. Or just come by and say hi and tell Liita she's doing a really awesome thing.