Help for Japan

Whilst working making beads this morning, I was thinking about how lucky I am not to be affected personally by the awful events in Japan and feeling somehow that I should be doing more. I was fortunate to have my best day of the year so far on my stall on Saturday. The weather was kind and my customers were out in force; I was grateful therefore to be able to make a donation to the Red Cross to help Japan.

I read at lunchtime that Laura Sparling is having sales on her BeadsbyLaura blog to help and then I read Erika Price's blog, which gives an excellent cut-to-the-chase summary of the awful events so far. I "met" Erika through the British Sellers on Etsy team; she has long been making stunning jewellery and donating her profits towards good causes. For the next two months, all her profits will be going towards relief in Japan. As I was reading, a lightbulb went off and I offered her some of my beads free of charge to make into jewellery for this cause. I'm so glad she has agreed. The bracelet pictured is an example of her absolutely beautiful work, featured here by Erika's kind permission

I'd like to recommend all my readers to go to Erika's Etsy shop to see if there's any of her lovely jewellery that you'd like to purchase in the knowledge that you will be helping people get over the devastation they have suffered.

Other British Sellers on Etsy team members are making Treasuries featuring items in shops that are being sold to help Japan, MakeMeSparkly (great name!) has created this Treasury, full of items also being sold to help Japan. Likewise, lovisetto has created this Treasury - please visit and support the shops if you can.