Stitch Home Alabama

I had begun to worry that with the Joplin tornado, that people would forget about Alabama. We're still cleaning. We're still having blackouts (Sunday it was my office and one of the major shopping areas). And we're still in tornado season (had a warning on Sunday as well, a friend got put in the fridge at Target). My street is still lined with tree limbs that the city has yet to pick up. I'm just now getting some of the mail from 3 weeks ago (including a wedding invitation that arrived 2 days after the wedding).

Saturday afternoon, my coworkers went to assist other coworkers in getting trees out of their yards. Some folks might not realize it, but if it doesn't fall on your house, insurance doesn't cover it. We had a workday for another coworker on Tuesday. The general quote I've heard is $1k/tree and she had 50 trees down!!!

All that to say that things are very much not back to normal here. Although one could say they've reached a new normal. But this is Huntsville and while the EF-5 that hit Hackleburg and Phil Campbell did stroll right past my house on it's way to tear through Harvest, we're a LOT better off than other areas of the state. So I've been worried that we would be forgotten.

But I'm so HAPPY to see that we're not. Over at Stumbles and Stitches they are having a relief raffle. The prizes look fantastic. Who wouldn't want $100 to the Fat Quarter Shop and $50 to Spoonflower? And that's just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to their prizes. The raffle now benefits Alabama and Joplin if I'm correct.

Just one of Stumbles and Stitches prizes. This is worth $350.

And while we're on the subject, check out Craft Hope. They are working with Toomer's for Tuscaloosa to create any size blanket to give out to tornado victims. Toomer's for Tuscaloosa has now also incorporated Joplin into their giving so blankets will be going to both. I believe the blankets are due on June 15 and it just so happens that June 10 is the 2nd annual Etsy craft party. So you could do both and have a party to create blankets for tornado victims!!!

Ooooo....you could register for the raffle...get some of the awesome fabric and then use it in your blanket for tornado victims that you make in your etsy craft party. See, it all fits. And bonus: I found a new blog to read!

These are the moments when I LOVE living where I live. And I love my school and my fellow alumni for creating Toomer's for Tuscaloosa. Everyone, since day 1, has pulled together to help and it's just so nice to see. Heartwarming. And the crafting community everywhere is so giving. Thank You!