Friday, March 30, 2012

its all about loving to learn to read ...

i've mentioned this trip to Ambon
a couple of times lately
its departure-eve!
i am so organised its un-characteristic!
so yes ... this trip to support the foundation
is all about visiting the schools where the 
main goal is that we will set up
a reading centre in the library
i'm going on handed down info here
but i understand that these libraries
are not very well used or resourced or loved
we are taking & donating LOTS of books
both Bahasa Indonesian & English
but in some ways the goal of physically
changing about the furniture
organising the books
training the teachers how to use this great resource
&
visually making the spaces a really welcoming
comfortable, safe place where the children will be 
encouraged
to read ...
... so
its all about loving to learn to read

as a team we will spend some time
in each school & we have planned some
activities to do with the various aged classes
we've gone for a theme
(you know me well - i LOVE a theme!)
enter stage left
yep ... kinda mentioned this the other day
i love it as there are so many layers
so
we've used the copy right permission
colouring page from the 
which is the only way to use his image!!
& lots of other great resources
like
these fabric wall panels
set of 5: x2 sets = 10 panels
No 1 - caterpillar
No 2 -mini caterpillar on leaf
No 3 - x1 apple & x2 pears & x3 plums & x4 strawberries & x5 oranges
No 4 - choc cake, ice cream, pickle, Swiss cheese, slice of salami,
lollipop,piece of cherry pie, sausage, cup cake & one slice of watermelon
No 5 - when he became a 'beautiful butterfly'
a huge thanks to the ABC Prayers & Squares group 
& my mum, for helping me get these made
& thanks to Lizzie who helped me source the fabric panels & fabrics

& x2 I SPY quilts ... 
well .... they are actually more mats....
designed so that they can be moved about
sat around & used as starting point for the 
students to write/make up their own stories
as I used in both the I Spy mats & the VHC panels
 an acrylic wadding that is quite static ... was left over from a 
mammoth project from years ago ...
& i sewed lots of rows of quilting stitches to make it all quite stiff
& i used a thicker sturdy curtaining fabric (with fun animals) for the backing
it was extra wide so i didn't need to piece the backing
 ... whew!
a huge thanks to Bron for helping me out getting the fabrics chosen, cut & pieced together!
 &
for the secondary aged kids x 12 that Lawamena sponsor
i made a notebook fabric cover to fit the exercise books that they will be given in their gift bag
a huge thanks to Cas for stealing Oscar away sew i could get these sewn!!
we're attending a huge dinner with all these children ... 
i think there are 40 & their parents/guardians
in fact the organizers had a spot of trouble finding 
an appropriate venue nearby to host us all!!
this will be a special event & i'm really proud to have some 
handmade goodies 
in with their stationary 
oh & the 28 pencil rolls are not in the pic below but for 2 ...
(i know the original post said we made 22 but some more we needed!)
as they have already been distributed about the other group members
to pack safely in their cases! 
another big thanks to Lizzie, Jo, Judy, Cas, 
tally ....
10 VHC panels
2 i spy quilt mats
28 pencil rolls
12 exercise book covers
= 52 hand made items!!!
& various other teaching aides ...
& lots of English books 
a big thankyou to Naden for helping out with some of those too!
oh & yeah I packed some stuff for us to wear & use etc ...
& we're meeting the Governor General ...
what do you wear for that?
sam & karen ... i'm keeping you 2 up my sleeve for
the next round of ideas!!
think i may come home with 1 or 2!!! xxx
so joining in
Finish it Friday
with the crowd over at
crazy mom quilts
as this was all a mammoth finish line
(i'm best with a deadline!)

6 comments:

Cas said...

wow, big warm heart felts there wendy. you have done an amazing job of giving so much of yourself, im so proud to call you my fiend :)have a great trip & i look forward to hearing all about it on your return :)those kids are gonna love it :)

Anonymous said...

Sam said: WOW! That's a massive stash of goodies you have made! Well done! Good luck, have fun and I can't wait to hear about it all!!!

Lotti said...

The very hungry catapiller .... love it. These are just gorgeous.

Katie said...

I had no idea there was Hungry Caterpillar fabric! My son LOVED that story when he was little!

Karen said...

What an amazing amount of work (and love) has gone into all that you've made Wendy.
You should feel very proud of your efforts and I look forward to being there to help in the next round with all the making.
Have a wonderful time meeting the GG!

Cath said...

Wendy, wow, wow, wow. You are one amaxing, creative, dynamic, giving, thoughtful dynamo! During packing I have missed seeing a handful of your posts and woman you are just AMAZING!!!!!!!!!! To think you rallied the troops, converted 2 of them to quilting, plotted and secret squirelled to make me the most amazing gift ever...when you were so busy doing this wonderful selfless and so worthy undertaking in Ambon is just a testament to the overwhelmingly wonderful person you are. In the words of the delighful Cas as stated above "I am so proud to call you my friend"! Thank you, thank you, thank you. Forever treasured...C xxx