I’m pretty sure you have heard about my fundraiser on kickstarter by now. But, just in case you haven’t heard, I got tired of getting rejection letters from grant applications and decided to run my own fundraiser to insure that we would have a set of chimes so that I can have a chime choir next year. You can read all about it HERE, and even see my silly video.

I don’t love the video, and Cole and I had actually edited a new one without the cheesy choir at the beginning, but for some reason, kickstarter kept rejecting it. Something about formatting or something.

I am truly so grateful for all the pledges that I have received. I got a $50 pledge from a dear friend of mine in bells who has not one missionary out, but two. A friend from my mission pledged $50, and a few friends from High School have pledged $10 or $20 or $30 to help the cause. My sister pledged $10 dollars this week, and that means SO much to me. I know they don’t have any extra money, having just had to buy a new car and they don’t have steady employment. But it means SO much to me that she believes in me enough to pledge. There have even been a couple of pledges from people I don’t even know, who are just wonderful supporters of the arts, or who thought it sounded like a good proposal. Some of my chime choir parents have pledged $100 each, which is fabulous.

At this time, we have reached the $1000 mark. Now I wish I hadn’t set my goal so high, since it’s an all or nothing project. But I have faith that we can get there!

The fundraiser goes a little bit past the date of the actual concert, which is this Friday.

Since I had hope that some money would be coming in, I splurged on fabric (and by splurged, I mean I went to Hancock fabric and perused the clearance isle until I could find something for $3 a yard that I thought I could make work. Sadly, they don’t have anything for $1 per yard anymore.) to make some table covers for our chime tables. It took me all morning, with lots of measuring and trial and error, but I got this one done.

By the end of the day, I had two of them done. I took them to rehearsal this morning to make sure that they fit on the school’s tables, not just the folding 6 foot table I bought at Costco. Hooray! It fit! Of course, someone had taken our 6 foot tables for the spelling bee, and I only had two 8 foot tables to use for practice. But I asked the janitor if I could have three 6 foot tables for our concert and he said we could. I have enough fabric to make one more, but I think it would be a good plan to go back and get enough for another cover or two. I’ve got one more to sew tonight, and then I hope when I go back to the store they still have that fabric so I can make one–maybe two more, just in case. And hey, If I’m hosting some event in the future and need fancy table coverings for my 6 foot tables, I’ve got these. (or if YOU are hosting some event and think…now WHERE could I get some fabric table covers? Hmmmm…. then I’m your girl.) They aren’t the regular “handbell” table coverings like you would see for sell from the handbell supplier. But one of those would run me $215 for cordoroy and $320 for velvet.
Ahem.
Since we have basically no budget, it’s sew it myself or nothing. I paid about $50 for the fabric for all three of these covers. And my time, which we all know is….priceless, right?

I had to start getting some thank you notes ready, so I had these made and had the kids all sign them this morning.

5×7 Folded Card
View the entire collection of cards.

If you would like to get in on this project, receive your very own thank you note and mucho gratitude from yours truly, there is still time. You, too, can be a backer. Just click on the project link up there at the top and pledge to make a donation! Our concert is Friday, so I’m hoping we can survive this week of early morning rehearsals! But I’m SO proud of these kids, and you won’t BELIEVE how well they sound! I’ll have to post a video afterwards. Stay tuned!

And wish me luck!