What is Frocktober ?
"Frocktober has been spreading the love far and wide over the last few years. People have frocked up in every state and territory, including large contingents in Canberra, Melbourne, Perth and Geelong. In 2010, Frocktober participants helped to raise a total of over $112,000 for the Ovarian Cancer Research Foundation. This year, Frocktober Inc wants to Frock the Nation! To help, Frocktober is asking people all over Australia to get involved. So, what’s the challenge? The challenge remains the same: Frock up for the month, or hold an event at your local pub, cafe, community centre, school, work-place (or just in the back yard!). All towns and cities big, small, coastal or inland - are encouraged to get involved. From Bundaberg to Karratha… from Katherine to Adelaide… Frocktober wants people from all over this big wide continent to frock up in 2011! All that matters is that it’s about fun, frocks, and all the in the name of a frockin’ good cause. Will you join us to help Frock the Nation in 2011 ?"
http://www.everydayhero.com.au/event/frocktober
The vision_mission is :
1. To raise awareness and knowledge about Ovarian Cancer
2.To raise money for the Ovarian Cancer Research Foundation to support research an early detection.
Frocktober Inc. Mission Statement
For the good of women’s health we’ll
Raise our voices, and some wealth.
October, 10th month of the year we’ll
Create awareness, knowledge share.
Kick up our heels, reject our jeans
Take Nan’s old dress, take to machines….
Our message is “We’re
Beautiful – no matter size or shape”.
Enjoy the month, frock up and please
Reach deep for FROCK-ing sake!!!
I want to introduce two Australian Artisans that are donning Frocks for Frocktober.
Meet Jess from Epheriell - http://epheriell.com/ . Jess is an ambassador of handmade and blogger extraordinaire ! Jess has her very own Frocktober Pledge :
"I have a couple of pledges for Frocktober – which is an annual event to raise money for Ovarian Cancer Research: Each day I will don a vintage or handmade dress, take a photo, and blog about it here on Epheriell Designs. Considering I’m travelling to Melbourne and Canberra to attend the Problogger Training Day AND attending one of my bestie’s weddings, it’s going to be a frocktabulous month, and I might even be able to drag some other ladies into the fray! I am going to sew my very first dress!!! Yes, I am very, very excited about this – and terrified, too! I have the perfect pattern, the perfect fabric – and it’s one of my goals for 2011. This is just the kick in the skirt that I need to get it done! At the end of the month I’m going to auction off one of my vintage dress collection, and all the money raised will go into my pledge fund!" The handmade vintage dress (above) is from Day 3 of Frocktober.
This gorgeous dress (above) is from Bess Georgette and was the choice for Day 5. Jess teamed it with a black coloured belt and paired with vintage shoes and cute little cameo brooch from Vintette, the other Etsy store run by Jess.
And then we have Jess's choice for Day 9 (see right). Jess says : "I did it !! After receiving some donations and pledges today I’ve surpassed my $150-before-I-show-you-the-dress fundraising goal, hooray! Making my own dress was one of the goals I set myself at the beginning of the year, and I’m so happy that Frocktober has given me the additional motivation to actually get it done. I cut out the pattern and some of the fabric last weekend, but yesterday was the main sewing day – where I finished cutting out the fabric, and put it all together… while being kept calm by the lovely songs of Joanna Newsom. As I mentioned last week, the fabric I used was actually an old set of single-bed sheets that I picked up at an op-shop ages ago – I just couldn’t pass them up when I saw the pattern, and I figured they’d be perfect for me to ‘practice’ on when I made my first dress. I was right ! I’m super-dooper in love with this dress, and wore it all day. I adore the fabric colour and pattern – who would have thought there would be such pretty sheets sitting in an op-shop, ready to be transformed into a lovely new dress? I’m now dying to do a round of the op-shops and find some more sheet sets that I can turn into dresses! Overall – since it was my first ever dress – I’m pretty happy with how it turned out".
I would now like to introduce Maxine one of my favourite glass artisans ( and Roller Derby Girls) Maxine says :"So this photo was taken on Friday morning at GFHQ... My goal is to raise money for Ovarian Cancer Research, by wearing a FROCK every FRIDAY during OCTOBER. "
This is a photo of Maxine's first Frock Out Friday.
Her second Frock Out Friday was a glamorous one - doesn't she look amazing ? I would like to share a little about this creative lady with you - she really does make amazing things from Glass. Maxine says this about her Etsy store :
"Welcome to Girlfriday1962 on Etsy. Home of fun and funky handmade lampwork beads to make you smile :D
All of my lampwork glass beads are made by me at my home studio, mainly using Italian glass - will tell you otherwise as the case may be - & have been annealed for extra strength & durability. Because they are handmade, please be aware that there may be slight variations between beads."
You can view lots of glassy goodness here at her Etsy shop :
http://www.etsy.com/shop/girlfriday1962
or become a facebook fan here :
https://www.facebook.com/GlassByGirlfriday
Dear readers, if you can spare some of your hard earned cash for this fantastic cause, you can donate at the following links !
Jess's fundraising page can be found here :
http://www.everydayhero.com.au/jess_van_den
and Maxine's fundraising page can be found here :
http://www.everydayhero.com.au/devildolls
What an awesomely lovely lady you are! Not to mention blogger extraordinaire!!! MWAH!!!
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