Welcome to the A Muse 4th Annual Calendar Project.
This A Muse Calendar began as a fun project I created for my girls to make personalized holiday gifts for their teachers. They loved it so much - and couldn't stop making calendars - that I thought others might enjoy it too. Since it's inception, this project has raised over $11,500 for three different organizations - The Scleroderma Research Foundation, The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society and Water 1st. Thank you to all of our customers who have helped us raise this incredible sum and aid these worthwhile causes!
The A Muse Calendars will be available to purchase/download beginning Wednesday, September 15th.
The recipient of this year's Calendar Project is dear to my heart. A longtime customer and friend, Amanda Beers, whom many of you know from her blog Yellow Makes Me Happy, lost her six-year old daughter, Charlotte, a few months ago to an agressive form of Strep. The proceeds from the sale of the A Muse 2011 Calendars will benefit Charley's Fund.
Here are a few words from Charley's mother, Amanda.
A Christmas present we will never, ever forget. Our sweet girl, Charlotte "Charley" Marie Beers, was born on December 23rd, 2003. She left us on June 28th, 2010 after a brief but unrecoverable illness. Her heart, just 6 years old and as pure as one could know, was unable to fight a rare infection. Those that knew her enjoyed each and every waking moment she gave us, for Charley was a bright light with a brighter smile and the brightest of lives.
Charley lived for all things in her amazing life. Her family was her first love. She will always be my soul mate, her Brother is her hero, her Sister a best friend, and Dad continues to be her teammate. There was bowling and baseball. Reading and writing. Hugs and kisses and love. Just about everything Charley did she did with the utmost sincerity. She never wanted - she just gave and gave. She continues to give.
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To honor Charley and the life she gave us, we have established a fund to bring charity to those who need it most when there's no other way. This fund will be an annual drive to take the priorities in Charley's life and make them realties, dollar by dollar, day by day. The first project with Charley’s Fund will be a set of swings built at her elementary school. There will be eight swings, all of them black except one… it will be yellow, just for her.
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Won't you help us build a swingset for Charley?
Each day this week, the A Muse Creative Team and some special guests will help us showcase fabulous ideas the 2011 Calendars. Please join us for a daily dose of Calendar inspiration, and please support Charley's Fund by purchasing one (or more!) A Muse Calendars.
Thank you!
My heart goes out to Amanda and her family. I cannot imagine that loss. Charley is a beautiful little girl.
Posted by: adelina | Monday, September 13, 2010 at 12:10 AM
What beautiful pictures of a beautiful little girl. Amanda and family, my heart is sad for you and the loss you have suffered. I'm so honored to be a part of this project and hope that all our A Muse friends will step up and purchase their calendars to help touch the lives of others, which I'm sure, is exactly what Charley would have wanted. Peace be with you....my deepest sympathies.
Posted by: Novell | Monday, September 13, 2010 at 06:39 AM
I cannot think of any better cause, my heart felt prayers go to Amanda's family, along with my awe that even though they are dealing with such a terrible loss they can think of others by setting up this fund in her memory.
Posted by: EJ | Monday, September 13, 2010 at 07:09 AM
My heart just broke reading this post. What a strong family. My thoughts and prayers are with them. To be able to support this cause buy purchasing a calendar, or two, I'm there. Thank you for letting us be apart of it.
Posted by: Carly | Monday, September 13, 2010 at 07:31 AM
I didn't know. This was one of the very first blogs I ever started reading when I started stamping a few years ago. I'm so sorry to hear. My son is 8 and strep goes through the school twice a year. I can't imagine. My heart breaks thinking of your loss.
Posted by: Stephanie Jones | Monday, September 13, 2010 at 05:14 PM
Such a sweet cause! My heart aches for Amanda and her family.
Posted by: Rhonda | Monday, September 13, 2010 at 09:54 PM
OH what a sweet soul.....a beautiful little girl from the inside out....to lose a child, so young makes my heart ache for her family and friends. I can't wait to download my calendars to support this wonderful tribute to Charley.
Posted by: Tobey S. | Tuesday, September 14, 2010 at 05:55 AM
My favorite time of year, and I can't wait to help this great cause :)
Posted by: Shannan Teubner | Tuesday, September 14, 2010 at 09:28 AM
Ohhhh Linda this is a wonderful tribute for Charley. I've followed this since it happened and I am deeply touched by A Muse's support to such a great cause. I do know Amanda, our passion for A Muse brought us together through blogland. While we've never met I know what kind of person she is just from the random acts of kindness she had bestowed upon me. My heart goes out to her and her family as they go through the unthinkable.
Thanks again to A Muse for bringing light to Charley's Fund!
Hugs,
Tracy
Posted by: Tracy | Tuesday, September 14, 2010 at 11:56 AM
What a wonderful cause; what a tragic loss. Charley's pictures are so beautiful. I am so sorry for the brother, sister, parents she left behind. It would be an honor to support this great tribute to Charley!
Posted by: Ingrid | Wednesday, September 15, 2010 at 07:11 PM
This has to be hardest thing a parent has to face, but thank you for letting us be part of the healing process for Charley's family.
I love making these calendars for my family and friends. With all the wonderful inspirations I can make calendars that everyone enjoys.
God bless her family and you all.
Posted by: Eileen Kocum | Thursday, September 16, 2010 at 05:35 AM
I just read this today, and it makes my heart hurt to hear about this tragedy. My love, prayers, and sympathy go out to Charlie's family. I will order my calendars today, to help with this truly worthwhile cause.
Posted by: Gwen Bunnell | Thursday, September 16, 2010 at 10:32 AM
I was so shocked to hear of Amanda's loss. I read her blog in the past but hadn't read it in quite awhile. Loved hearing of their adventures. Charley was the cutest little girl. Of course I will contribute to this wonderful cause. Saying prayers for her family.
Posted by: Connie Heitner | Saturday, September 18, 2010 at 08:01 AM
They arrived today and I can't wait to use them. Wonderful charity and our heart goes out to her family.
Posted by: Joanne Beck | Friday, September 24, 2010 at 04:10 PM
I don't know the family but want one just because it would b honoring Charley . The yellow swing just hit my heart. What a sweet thing to do.
Posted by: Sallie alston | Sunday, October 03, 2010 at 05:53 PM
i will be buying some calendars. probably all of them. i just have to wait until the 15th when my ss comes. my prayers go out to all the family. god bless.
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