Bali Project
Thursday, April 19, 2012DMC has sent me to Bali to the Jodie O’Shea Orphanage to teach orphans how to stitch and craft! I will be here for 3 1/2 weeks. I arrived this past weekend and it has been non stop fun and crafting ever since. After my long 21 hour flight the children greeted me with dazzling smiles energizing me til a whopping 9 pm of play time and games until I crashed in the volunteer bunk. I awoke at 6 am the next day revitalized and refreshed and have completely adjusted to the time difference ever since. Too easy. So wonderful.
The children here are so amazingly self sufficient. I am amazed each day as these kids shower and dress themselves each morning, take care of each other, play with each other… My art program has begun and so far has been going great, the kids are really into it! The rest of my wonderful sponsors can be seen on the right hand side of the blog. I thank them very much for their generous donations! The children so far have been thrilled with the supplies I have brought. We had an impromptu friendship bracelet making session last night. Courtesy of our friends at the My Friendship Bracelet Maker using DMC floss. The children were thrilled and have been seen scattered around the orphanage all week making colorful bracelets. I have three more of my own to add to my wrist thanks to Yunis, Adi & Cece 
We also had a great first needlepoint class. Stay tuned for more posts about my amazing experience in Bali to help make a difference in these children’s lives and help to teach them important arts & crafts skills to grow their imaginations and expand their confidence in themselves. The look on their faces after completing the bracelets was amazing. They couldn’t believe they were so capable. Thank you to DMC for making this possible and to the rest of my incredible sponsors!
sampai nanti!
Wierd, when I was in school people (girls mostly) were making friendship bracelets but didn’t need those plastic “makers”. Usually they (I never had the patience to make any) just taped one end to the insides of thier binders.
What a great experience! I too was one who usually just used some masking tape.
Wow! How amazing…I also want to be invited to Bali to teach the kiddies how to stitch…PLEEZE
I’ve also seen kids (mostly girls) making them by using a safety pin attached to the leg of their jeans. I think once these children get the hang of making the bracelets, they will also be improvising ways to make them without using the ‘bracelet maker’ thingy. More power to DMC and the other sponsors for making a difference in the lives of these children.
Safety pin the bracelet to your pant leg, this works quite well also.
The point to those bracelet makers is to make it easier without the thread getting tangled…..taping, pinning and using standard clip board I know were how most did them but was a pain in the but because of string tangling on ya……if your more comfortable with the old way then power to ya, just don’t put down the new way for someone else just learing…..trust me I learned on one of these boards and I’m glad I did……I would have been extremely frustrated if I tried the old way…Nice to see these girls enjoying an old time favorite (making friendship bracelets)..way to go girls..
Que linda experiencia, me encanta ver en las fotos el entusiasmo de los chicos.
Felicidades por esta iniciativa.
Saludos,
Ale
Costa Rica
What a wonderful place to be and what fun things to do. Children are so energetic and happy to try new things. Have a terrific time and keep the photos coming. Guess I’ll go back to watching the hail come down. Never a dull moment here weather wise.
Hello!! I live in Argentina, I am a Maths teacher and I also love needleart and crafts. As part of our school program we visit some comumnities along the country were people in not so good conditions live. I’ve been visiting one of those comunities for two years so I can perfectly undertstand how you feel, because I also teach, when I travel, crafts and needleart.
I love your project of Bracelet Maker. Do you know where I can buy them? Can I buy them through the DMC site? Here in Argentina is impossible to get them. Is it possible to replace them buy something else? Where can I see different models to make? I think the girls in Cachari (where I go) will love to make those bracelets.
I would also like to know which other techniques are you going to teach the children. Last year I taught them cross stitch and they made incredible designs.
I would love to keep in touch with you to share these wonderful experiences.
Blog was too large to read on my smart phone. Way too long with pictures too big for any device really.