Small Hands for Hope

Welcome to my little corner under the rainbow!!


One of the very best by-products of my 'working' to grasp the enterprise of blogging and getting my little reflections connected to the wider world, is the fact that I am now networking with other bloggers on projects near and dear to my heart. I am now collaborating with fellow bloggers on an absolutely AMAZING project on behalf of the American Cancer Society. 


As some of you may realize I am a 'survivor' myself. I just eclipsed my five year milestone from my first diagnosis of early stage Breast Cancer. Indeed In that five years I have been diagnosed a second time and I'm already two years beyond that diagnosis, surgery and its aftermath. Every day that rolls into a week and then a month is a thrill. Stacking up those months one on top of the other is a celebration in itself!

Collaboration of bloggers, working together for cancer research!

MaryAnne of the incredible blog, MamaSmiles has just reached her THIRTY year anniversary(!!!!) of her own diagnosis of cancer as a child. She had the brilliant idea to gather up a bunch of us (bloggers) and in the process has created a project entitled, "Small Hands Creating Hope." Dozens of bloggers have gathered together to create images and projects that are intended to offer hope in the face of a cancer diagnosis. 

I contributed my WonderBoy's rainbow painting to the collaborative effort, (up at the top of this article) as rainbows speak deeply to me of the conversion of where the dark clouds and storms of diagnosis and treatment intersect with the brilliant light and hope for the future. I'm all about the instilling of hope that the rainbow signifies. 


[WonderBoy's pastel and watercolor painting was the title page of his kindergarten project in the tradition of 'Brown Bear, Brown Bear' entitled 'Rainbow, Rainbow.' You can see that project in its entirety in this earlier post.]

Rainbow Construction Paper Images Bring Encouragement in the face of Cancer

MaryAnne has assembled all of the blogger submissions into an eBook format -- which will be emailed any where in the world for a contribution of $15.00 to the American Cancer Society. Many of the projects created by the small hands of the contributing bloggers children involve the image and creation of butterflies. Additionally many have included a tutorial on how to create similar images and efforts with the children in your life. 

Doing battle with Childhood Cancer, Up Close and Personal Reality

The issue of childhood cancer is indeed up-close and personal to me, as the next-door neighbor child of our WonderPeeps is currently doing battle with the beast. I wrote about his trials in an earlier post here entitled, "Things I'm not Thankful For." His spirit and that of his family is the very definition of heroic. There is so much research still needed. This is where you can make a difference. 

Here's all the information connected to your participation and support of this humanitarian effort.

(If you donate but do not receive this email for any reason, or if you have trouble with the download, email smallhandsproject at gmail dot com.)

MaryAnne at Mama Smiles compiled this book as a way of celebrating thirty years of cancer survivorship! We are hoping to raise $3000 by July 4th, and we are running a blog hop from May 14th until July 4th to celebrate and raise funds so that, in the future, thirty years of cancer survivorship will be the norm, not the exception! Learn about each of the bloggers who participated in the book by visiting each blog on their assigned dates – a few bloggers will be running celebratory giveaways, too!

14 May Mama Smiles
15 May Artsy Craftsy Mom and Rainbows Within Reach
16 May B. Inspired, Mama!
17 May Rainy Day Mum and Imagination Soup
18 May Inspiration Laboratories
19 May Experimenting Mom
20 May Outlaw Mom
21 May NurtureStore
22 May Living Montessori Now
23 May Mess for Less
24 May Having Fun at Home and CraftoArt
25 May Mama Mia’s Heart2Heart
26 May Angelique Felix and Sense of Wonder
27 May Sun Hats & Wellie Boots
28 May Duck Duck Octopus
29 May Smiling like Sunshine
30 May Mommy with Selective Memory
31 May One Perfect Day
1 June The Educators’ Spin On It
2 June Kids Stuff World
3 June Rainy Day Mum
4 June Teach Preschool
5 June Dirt and Boogers
6 June Creative Connections for Kids and The Golden Gleam
7 June Montessori Tidbits
8 June Mom to 2 Posh Lil Divas
9 June The Iowa Farmer’s Wife
10 June Scribble Doodle and Draw
11 June Learn with Play
12 June Kitchen Counter Chronicles
13 June CRAYON Freckles
14 June Glittering Muffins
15 June Wise Owl Factory
16 June Crafty Maa
18 June Lessons Learnt Journal 20 June Growing a Jeweled Rose 21 June Growing Play 23 June JDaniel4′s Mom

Do your part and make a difference. Please contribute and receive dozens of creative and uplifting projects and ideas in the process. When you donate your minimum of $15.00 you will also receive the possibility of a purchase of a softback version of the entire project at production cost. All that will come to you in the emailed eBook version.

                                      -- Debbie -- 

**The rainbows+ butterflies in my post today are from the spring Art show at Scioto Darby Elementary in Hilliard, OH.... which I was able to photograph during my recent Artist in the Schools visit.