Folksy Friday 28th October - Hair

I am having my hair cut today for the first time in about 5 months!  I thought that being a knitter and crocheter that I would say thank you to all those sheep that have their "hair" cut so that knitters around the world are able to create wonderful items.

Here is just one of my items that are made with 100% Merino Wool

This post originally contained pictures and links to other sellers on Folksy that used to sell yarns which were 100% wool and were from various breeds of sheep.  All were hand-dyed by those that were selling them and were ready for spinning or felting but 14 years years on all the links are dead and many of the sellers have moved on or given up and so I've removed them.

 I am in awe of anyone who can spin their own yarns, I would be terrified of messing it all up and getting in a big tangle.  One day I will find the courage and the time to learn, but probably not whilst the kids are still young.

In Memory of Mom

My late parents at their joint 65th birthday party in 2007

A while ago, my husband Garry, decided that he wanted to do something to honour my late mom's memory.  My parents shared the same birthday, same year, which is very unusual.  My mom passed away just 4 days after her 65th birthday (36 hours after this photo was taken) from heart failure and so it seemed fitting to raise money for The British Heart Foundation who's vision is a world where people do not die prematurely of heart disease and they will achieve this with pioneering research, prevention activity and quality care and support for those living with heart disease.

Garry chose to take part in a 30 mile cycle ride from a list of BHF events and created a fundraising page whereby anyone with internet access can sponsor him and this has been run alongside the more traditional pen and paper sponsorship forms for those who do not have internet.  The online fundraising page will remain open until 3rd January 2011.

The cycle ride was today, Sunday 3rd October, and we had to be at Stoneleigh Park in Warwickshire early this morning, ready for the 9am start.  The weather has been attrocious and during our journey to the venue we were wondering whether it would still go ahead due to the wet weather.  It did go ahead, and Garry completed the route in 2 hours and 10 minutes.

08:45 The weather is wet and horrible

11:40 Back home and pleased with self

 Garry has already said that he wants to do another cycle ride early next year in memory of my late dad, who passed away from Cancer 21 months ago.  This will be raising money for Cancer Research UK and I will be blogging about that nearer the time.

Fundraising Giveaway

We have had a lot of trouble getting people to part with their cash and sponsor Garry on his cycle ride.  To encourage people to sponsor him I decided to run a prize giveaway for anyone who sponsored him online, with each person receiving one entry for every £1 donated.  The more you donated, the more slips of paper with your name on got put into the "hat".  The prize fund was staggered, depending on what target we hit by the day of the cycle ride.

 If we reached £100 online donations I would donate 1 prize of £10 off any item

If we reached £200 online donations I would donate 1 prize of £10 off any item and 1 prize of £5 off any item

If we reached £300 online donations I would donate 1 prize of £15 off any item and 2 prizes of £5 off any item

If we reached £400 online donations I would donate 1 prize of £20 off any item and, 1 prize of £10 off any item and 2 prizes of £5 off any item

I also made a sponsorship which pushed the online total to £200, but obviously I did not enter my own draw.  I have done the prize draw and the winning names were chosen by my two daughters by putting their hand in a tall narrow bag and pulling out one slip of paper in turn.

First prize of £10 off any item was won by, Ray Froggatt

Second prize of £5 off any item was won by Linda of Uniquely Yours (of Folksy).

A big thank you for all of you who have sponsored the cycle event, we couldn't have done it without you.  Congratulations to the winners, I am sure you will find something to your liking in my shop.