Birth Blessing rollcall

[mattjule]

I'll start the Blessingway bracelet chain. We should get everyone's due date and start it that way so that everyone has theirs before they go into labor. I am due June 30, so I can be last in the chain. Plus I like the thought of being the first to send one and the last to get one-the completion of a circle. Very nice birth imagery.

I could go off the rollcall, but it seems like there is a fair amount of ladies on there that don't post so I am a little concerned about the chain getting stuck somewhere. We'll give it, what, until April 8 and then I will send to the first person? We can have a master list of addies that goes with the string, or we can pm/email the person who is sending to us according to a list posted in this thread. My only issue with this last one is that sometimes people don't check e-mail/pm's very often and again, I'd hate for it to get stuck somewhere, waiting on an address. I am not that concerned about anything that you all might do with my address, but some people are very private and I want everyone to be comfortable. So if you will list:

Your due date
Your address preference

And in a couple days I will tally everything up and see where we are. In the meantime, I'll go to the bead store!

Anything else we should include? It would need to be small, finding $ for postage can stall the whole thing too.

I am so excited about wearing this bracelet, thinking of all of you while I labor. I've never had a large group of women that I love, so this feels so wonderful.

[rubelin]

Perhaps whoever starts it could gather the addresses for whoever wants to participate?? Then you could include a page of the addresses and as each of us gets the package, we cross ourselves off the list??

[curlygrrl]

I agree, I think having a master list that goes around with the package is the best idea.

I'm still not sure the logistics of the whole bead thing, though?

[Ceili]

My EDD is June 29th, so I'm right there at the end with you Julie.

My understanding of the bead/blessing is that the person that starts the circle will put in a bead and a blessing for the first momma on the list (we'll call her A). When A get's the package she will take the bead and blessing, cut off a length of string, thread the bead and tie it on her wrist.... then she will put a Bead and Blessing into the package and mail it to B, etc. Until it makes it back to the person who started the circle.

[mattjule]

I agree with Ceili's plan. My e-mail is [e-mail]. Why don't we send the addresses there? I'll make a list and enclose it with the package.

[eilonwy]

That works... then I can just make one really long bracelet with smaller parts, and we can cut them off when we get it and thread the bead. I just need to know colors and how many of us there are, so go vote and pm Julie so I can get a count.

[Doodlebugsmom]

What a cool idea!
My due date is June 21st. I'll email you my address, Julie.

[mattjule]

Nevermind! I started this to separate the logistics from the regular thread, but it didn't work very well. I think it has been decided that Rynna will do all the mailing so we should probably get everything directly to her.

[Doodlebugsmom]

Rynna, I will PM you my address!

[3girlsmommy]

Ok call me slow! But is Rynna making them and then sending them out or are we doing the one big long one thing???

[Doodlebugsmom]

I think Rynna will be making one bracelet. It will be sent around and we will each cut one bead off and thread it onto our string. This is how I understood it, I'm not sure if I'm following correctly though.

[mattjule]

No, Rynna will be making a bunch of bracelets and we each will get one. Cutting a friendship bracelet doesn't work very well, the last person to get it will have an unraveled mess. We are going to send all the beads to her and she'll mail them out with a bracelet to everyone, then we will do an online thing where we each list a blessing. At least this was the lastest plan to my knowledge.

[irishgreengables]

Okay -- 2 toddlers, 30 weeks pregnant, and ligament pain: I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT THE PLAN IS!!! You all tried to explain it, but I still don't get it (I am very dense right now). Can someone write a numbered list? i.e. 1. x sends address to y; 2. x goes out and buys 3 beads and sends them to y; x gets package...yadda yadda yadda.

Thanks and peace,

[eilonwy]

Okay Julie, that makes lots of sense! It is much easier to make lots of bracelets than to make one! I don't have any beads, though...and I still need to know what colors & how many.

[mattjule]

Okay, I'll list off points and anyone who disagrees, let me know:

1. Each participant will send one bead to Rynna

2. Each participant will send $1 or $2 to Rynna with the bead to cover postage and envelopes

3. Each participant will send their return address to Rynna

4. Rynna will make a friendship bracelet for each participant

5. Rynna will mail each participant one bracelet and one bead

6. Once everyone has received their bracelet and bead, we will coordinate a birth blessing online where each participant posts a blessing

7. During the online birth blessing, each participant ties the bracelet on their wrist and we keep them on until the last participant gives birth.

Sound good?

[3girlsmommy]

Other then thinking that we were sending as many bead to Rynna as there were participants(ie if 10 people were participating then I would send 10 beads) it sounds just the way I had thought.

[3girlsmommy]

Where are you all getting your beads?? I saw some tonight at Target but they weren't anything special, just wood or plastic balls. Are those what everyone else is getting or are you getting something "special"? If yes what?? and where do I find them??

Thanks!!

[3girlsmommy]

Oh one more thing. If we all sent our beads in a padded envelope is it possible to reuse them for the return shipment? Just a thought!

[mattjule]

I like the idea of sending a bead for each person, but it gets a little pricey for those of us on restricted budgets and I would rather give one really neat bead than ten so-so ones. I am going to go to a bead store. It is going to be easier to string them if they have a large hole, so keep that in mind. Otherwise Rynna would have to thread them while making the bracelets and that would take more time and be more work.

I think reusing the envelopes is a good idea-we would still need to pitch in some $ though, b/c she'd need labels to go over the addy.

[Ceili]

Sandi, do you have a crafts store where you are? Their bead selection tends to be better than "all purpose" type stores like Target or Walmart. You may also want to check your phone book (or the yellow pages online) to see if there is a bead store nearby.