JAPAN NEEDS OUR HELP!

   Our friends and family in Japan are still dealing heavily with the aftermath of the 9.0 magnitude earthquake that rocked Japan on March 11, triggering a deadly tsunami and causing the devastating nuclear meltdown at the Fukushima nuclear plant on the east coast of Japan.
    The Art Party for Japan online art auction is to show our love and support to all of those affected by the earthquake and to continue
to help the children and families in need. Together we can raise money and hope for everyone!!
 HOW CAN YOU HELP?!
    21 amazing and talented artists from Tokyo, New York, Kansas City, Los Angeles, Texas, San Diego, Berlin and Miami have donated their original artwork to help support this worthy cause. Now we need YOUR help! Bid now! And bid high! Take home an amazing piece of art while helping those in need with your donation. And please, forward this auction site to everyone you know, together we can make a difference!
    All proceeds of this auction will be donated to the "Japan EarthquakeTsunami Children in Emergency Fund". For more information or to donate directly please go to: Japan Earthquake Tsunami Relief. A huge and special THANK YOU to all!!
   P.S. Congratulations to the Japan women's national soccer team!

Plush with a Purpose

   My sister Kelley helped me learn how to make sock animals when I was visiting her in Los Angeles last weekend, and I created Maccha, a little green cat. I'm donating her to an online auction to benefit Japan in honor of my best friend Masayo, her husband Yoshihiro and her daughter Luna, who thankfully were unharmed in the terrible earthquake & tsunami on March 11. Love you guys!!

Luna & a friend

  According to the Save the Children organization, thousands of children and their families are still displaced and in evacuation centers due to the tsunami and the increased danger of radiation around the Fukushima power plant. It is estimated that at least 100,000 children have been affected by the disasters and that the conditions facing children and their families are so extreme that along with immediate relief responses in place they are developing a three-year strategy to help provide essential relief items to help restore children's sense of security and normalcy and advocate for their inclusion in emergency preparedness planning. They have set a funding goal of $20 million and need our support so that these kids and their families can grow up safe, happy and healthy!
   The Art Party for Japan silent art auction will be held online July 18-24th. More details coming soon. All proceeds from the auction will go to the Japan Earthquake and Tsunami Relief fund through Global Giving Project. Thank you to all the artists who have donated their work to this worthy cause, and everyone, please check it out!

   Here is Maccha's story: まっちゃ (Maccha) means "Green Tea"—a fitting name for a lil' green kitty from 日本 (Japan)! Green tea also happens to be her favorite flavor of ソフトクリーム (soft serve ice cream). Maccha wears a bell and a さくら (cherry blossom) on her collar to remind her of her home town, 犬山 (Inuyama), which translates to "Dog City"! She sends her love to everyone in Japan—and everywhere in the world—and would be very happy to make her new home with you.

こちらはまっちゃと言う猫ですよ。まっちゃは英語で「」です。そして、まっちゃもこの猫の 一番好きなソフトクリームのあじです。まっちゃは日本を思っていますからさくらとベールを着ています。日本の犬山で来ました。日本と全部の世界を愛しています。でも、まっちゃはあなたと住みたがっていますよ。

The rest of the day...

  After the morning's fun, I shipped Masayo's birthday package (遅く送りまして、私は悪い友達です！), came home, bathed the dogs, played with them outside, mowed the lawn, edged the lawn and finally dug out the large pokeweed growing in the back corner. It was great to get all that done before the rain started, but now I'm beat! Off to do some more drawing for One Bite & laundry & run the dishwasher...

I can tell you're jealous.  ^_^

The after-bath:

bears for Masayo

I created these for my friend Masayo's birthday. She is an avid teddy bear collector, particularly "punkinhead" type bears, which is the inspiration for all of these.

Baby bear has his own carrying pouch:

And they both fit in this bear bag:

...complete with hidden panda!