Hi, everyone! Long time, no post!
I fell off the face of the BJD hobby for quite some time. Real life got in the way! My dolls sat there quietly and my camera gathered dust in the corner of my room; being a graduating college senior is not the easiest thing to be!
I’m on semestral break now, and when I’m not catching up on missed sleep, I’m slowly trying to crawl back into my old internet haunts.
Star☆Danced is going through a major overhaul right now. To reflect my own personal style and the direction I’ve taken thus far, I’ve decided to purge all my old entries in order to have more flexibility with my post format and content. The only entries I kept are the ones from December last year, when I ran a fundraising venture for the victims of Typhoon Sendong; I need those for posterity, and because I still owe people prints! Goodness.
I’m also revamping the layout of this tumblr. I’m a bit rusty with my coding, I haven’t had to tweak a layout in the longest time, so I’m still trying to remember how to do some things. Hmm.
Lots of things have changed for me since I last posted — spoiler alert: doll family included. Can’t wait to share them with you! But for now, hello and see you again soon, and thanks for still sticking with me here at Star☆Danced! :)
The money we raised for Sendong relief operations went to Simbahan Lingkod Ng Bayan, a Jesuit organization based in my school, Ateneo de Manila University, sent via Paypal through one of my former professors, who is mobilizing Internet funds on behalf of Simbahan Lingkod Ng Bayan. (The rest of the fundraising efforts to his name are found here.) I couldn’t send the total in one transaction because of Paypal fees, so I had to put some money into my account in order to cover for it.
According to him, Simbahan Lingkod ng Bayan will be emailing an official acknowledgement of the receipt of the donation once everything has been received, so I’ll post about that too when I get the email. Fundraising is still ongoing, though; if you still want to help, please click here.
Classes resumed this week, and it’s been really stressful. I had a huge paper due last Thursday, and at least two hundred pages of a novel that I should’ve read over the break. Ah, my doing nothing - absolutely nothing - over the holiday break is coming back to bite me in the butt. My body clock is still dysfunctional, and I have a two hundred or so pages to read by Monday for one class alone. （￣へ￣）There’s been a slight delay with the prints, which I was supposed to mail by the 4th. So many things have been happening this week, and I haven’t had the time do anything outside scrambling my academics together. I’ll do my best to post them no later than the 16th. It’s also been really hard coming up with nice, print-worthy work, since I don’t wanna send you guys just any old thing. I made something in addition to the prints, so hopefully that’ll make up for the delay. Huhu! (´・｀)
Again, thank you for your support of Star☆Danced’s Sendong fundraising endeavors, and for your patience as I get these prints out and into the mail. Rest assured that everything is being done with a lot of love and a personal touch. ♡
Our regularly scheduled programming will now resume. See you arond!
I wrote my Star☆Danced entry about raising funds for Sendong relief operations without any pretensions or high expectations. I just wanted to do something! I hoped to raise at least $50, $100 at best. It’s not a lot, but I told myself that it was $100 that didn’t exist prior to my post, and I operated under the hope that every little bit helps.
My initial goal was met by the second day. The days rolled by and new donation notifications greeted me when I checked my email each day. Finding that I had underestimated the generosity of others and the power of the Internet was a pleasant surprise indeed.
When all is said and done - which is another way of saying after Paypal fees but anyway -, I am pleased to report that we were able to raise $332.00/P14,445.00! That’s not loose change at all, and it’ll definitely go a long way in relief operations for the victims of Typhoon Sendong. Thank you to everyone who reblogged on Tumblr, shared on Facebook, and supported this little endeavor of mine. It’s really a testament to how the little things can make big differences!
The most special of special thanks to the lovely people on Tumblr (Nikki/@bentobride, Chin/@caravangirl, Jessica/@elebuufish, Elerem/@elledejavu, Janine/@shinkeismillenniumcreampuff, Catherine/@plasticjunkie, Kyra/@devolvedarling, and Clarissa/@bunnycatcher) and LiveJournal (Anj/@propertyoftheuchiha, Christina/@katnaper, and Mel/@moptech), and to my wonderful godmother, Ninang Lulu, for sharing their love to the people affected by Typhoon Sendong through Star☆Danced. I will always be grateful for your generosity. ♡
I removed the Paypal donation links from my original post. Since it will still show up in the reblogs of others, I’m hoping that it will be completely disabled in the next few days to prevent anyone from accidentally sending me money. If anyone still wants to give through Paypal, please click here and here. Again, I am no longer accepting money for Sendong relief operations - I use my Paypal account for personal purposes, and holding on to other people’s money is such a stressful thing, haha! - so if you wish to give through Paypal, please click either of those two links.
I will post an accounting of sorts for all the money I received and how we got to this wonderful amount once I turn over all the funds to the proper channels. I’m just waiting for the holiday rush to die down and I’ll get right on it, so that entry should be up within the week. I’m also working on print production this week, and with everything that needs to be done, I’m hoping to mail them by January 4.
Again, my deepest gratitude to everyone who pitched in. Have a blessed Christmas, everybody! You’re all amazing. ☆
Philippine Navy personnel arrange coffins that will be shipped with drinking water, clothes and other relief goods to the flood-stricken cities of Cagayan De Oro and Iligan aboard a navy ship in Manila, the Philippines on Dec. 20, 2011. The death toll from flash floods and mudslides is nearing 1,000, with tens of thousands affected. (Photo: Aaron Favila / AP via MSNBC.com)
(via cloudyillusions)
Put yourself in her shoes.
You fall asleep snug in the arms on your mother, the rain pounds on the room but you are not afraid because beside you is your mother and you know you will be safe. All of a sudden, the waters enter your home and you are swept and carried away from all that is familiar and everyone whom you love.
You wake up dazed not knowing what has happened to your family members. You walk around aimlessly, only to find that your home and all that you love is gone…Toys are effective tools in helping children heal from the trauma of loss. Stuffed toys are effective comfort givers in times of stress and trauma. To children, stuffed animals are more than toys, they become the vehicles by which they are able to tell their stories and release their pain. Stuffed toys or teddy bears are able to provide some degree of comfort in a scary world.
Please send clean, friendly looking toys in good condition (no pigs please, owing to cultural and religious sensitivities) in any size, but ideally, big enough for a child to hug.
A new and soft teddy bear costs about as much as a Starbucks frapuccino, a large sized milk tea or a ticket to the cinema — a small price that will go a long way in bringing back hope and a smile into a child’s life.
May you all be blessed to be a blessing to others.
Drop-Off Points:
Alabang: 12 Brentwood Street, Hillsborough, West Service Road, Alabang Look for Magding or JC
Greenhills:
- 33 Madison Street, North Greenhills, San Juan. Look for Ann or Shirley
- Asuncion Berenguer, Inc. 3/f Homestudio Building, 63 Connecticut Street (same building as Homestudio, Torch resto and Bose) Northeast Greenhills . Please leave with guard and indicate “Bears for YBHM”
Makati:
- The Citadel Inn, 5007 P. Burgos Street, Makati City c/o Andre Urbina
- 15 Garcia Villa St., San Lorenzo Village, Makati City c/o Marge
Marikina: 1 Ferdinand Marcos Street, Industrial Valley Subdivision, Marikina Leave with guard please indicate “Bears for YBHM”
Paranaque:
- Johnson and Johnson, Edison Road, Paranaque City (Edison is street by Zuellig) Leave with guard, indicate “Bears for YBHM”
- 14 C. Diamond Street. Greenheights Village Sucat Paranaqueque Look for Yaya Marlene
Quezon City:
- A-2 Dona Sotera, Pilarville Subd.,Quezon City c/o Dennis Mariano
- 41 Milkyway Drive, Blue Ridge B, Quezon City Look for Lily
- C1C3 Narra Heights Condominium #28, Mariposa Street, Quezon City (near Camp Crame)
Eastwood area : Unit 5c Eastwood Lafayette Tower 3, Eastwood Avenue Libis Q.C (In front of Watsons, near Mcdonalds) Leave with guard indicate “Bears for YBHM”
Please LIKE Yakapin: Batang Hilagang Mindanao’s FB Page for updates and repost to help bring hugs to the children affected by Sendong. Thank you and God bless!
Last weekend, Manika Manila, our local BJD community, had its annual Christmas meet, Monito Manika 2011. I hosted it. It was a potluck party, but since not everyone would be able to bring something to share, monetary contribution was collected in order to offset the cost of food prepared by my lola. The next day, news of Sendong and its wrath on Cagayan de Oro and Iligan poured in. I found myself unable to think or talk or post about anything else. With the blessing of my lola, Manika Manila decided that the money we raised was to be donated to Typhoon Sendong relief operations. The money was already with me, and it was all just a matter of dropping it off to the proper channels.
I found a particular channel that couldn’t have been more appropriate for us.
This is my surprise for you, Manika Manila. A portion of the money we raised was used to buy a dozen of these adorable teddy bears to give to Yakapin: Batang Hilagang Mindanao, a campaign spearheaded by my good friend Pia/@photograpia on Tumblr and her mom to collect teddy bears and stuffed toys for the children affected by Typhoon Sendong in Northern Mindanao.
We BJD owners know that our dolls are not just dolls; not to us, at least. They are outlets for our creativity and self-expression, the personifications of characters we’ve long crafted in our minds, or simply quiet companions that we can look to for comfort when the world gets too crowded and noisy for our liking. At an age where we supposedly should’ve lost interest in dolls and other “childish” things, we still manage to see our dolls - and by extension, the rest of the world - with a certain childlike wonder. Thus, we can better see and appreciate what a toy would mean to a child. For a child, a toy is not just a toy. A simple teddy bear can become a child’s outlet for his emotions, something soft and warm that he can hug, a friendly face where he can find comfort in solace in a world that can be so big and scary.
Look at his friendly little smile! He and his eleven other brave bear friends will be sending smiles and hugs to the children of Northern Mindanao. :)
Give a hug to the children of Northern Mindanao by giving them a lovable stuffed toy to hug. Refer to this entry for various drop-off points around the metro where you can leave your stuffed toys and teddy bears. I’ll also be reblogging it here. Don’t forget to like Yakapin: Batang Hilagang Mindanao on Facebook!
The photos that went viral, the faces of Typhoon Sendong.
In the top photo, an entire family was found underneath the waterlogged rubble; in the bottom photo, a father clutches the body of his drowned child, possibly no more than two or three years old. in More than a month of rainfall poured down on Northern Mindanao in one night, late into the night while families were sleeping soundly in their homes. Whole families drowned; others woke up to water rushing into their homes, flushing them out of everything they have known and loved.
Many have died, but those who survived have been horribly displaced and have entire lives to rebuild. These are the people that Star☆Danced would like to help. It might not be as grand, but our little something is a whole lot better than absolutely nothing. If everyone does a little bit, that’ll surely add up to a lot. To find out how you can do a little bit, click here.
A Public Service Announcement from Star☆Danced
A CALL FOR DONATIONS: TYPHOON SENDONG RELIEF OPERATIONS
For those of you who don’t know, I’m based in the Philippines. The Philippines is an archipelago, a group of islands. The southern part of the Philippines, the Mindanao islands, is rarely hit by typhoons, but Typhoon Sendong is a huge exception. In one night, it dumped the equivalent of more than a month of rain onto the area, resulting in flooding and heavy damage.
There are discrepancies in the death toll thus far; some sources report 300, others 500 or more. This is because in some areas, entire families were wiped out and thus had no one to report the casualties.
The cities of Cagayan de Oro and Iligan were particularly affected. So many children drowned in the flood, so much so that mortuaries and funeral homes are experiencing a shortage of embalming fluids and have run out of children’s caskets.
Run a Google search on “Typhoon Sendong”, and you’ll see so many more news articles coming in about it. What I’ve typed above is just a fraction of what I’ve gleaned thus far. My Facebook news feed is an information overload of relief efforts and breaking news, so it’s very difficult to keep track of what’s the newest information in the region.
It’s heartbreaking. This storm crept in like a thief in the night and basically wiped out what for some people would’ve been their entire existence. And so close to Christmas, which all the more makes it more painful. Christmas in the Philippines is all about family, but without a family to spend it with — I can’t even imagine what these people must be experiencing right now.
Let’s show them some love this holiday season. A little can really go a long way. One dollar can buy someone a full meal already. Imagine what a little - or a lot! - more can do. If you’re saving for a new wig or new eyes, I’m humbly appealing to you to take a dollar or two out of your savings for this effort. You might have to wait a little longer to buy them, but it really, really will help.
DONATE TO TYPHOON SENDONG RELIEF OPERATIONS!
Star☆Danced is in solidarity with those affected by Typhoon Sendong and joins various relief efforts in its own little way by harnessing the power of Tumblr and the Internet! I would like to appeal to the dorrie community to share some love this holiday season. I’m asking for donations on behalf of relief operations here in the Philippines.
Sending your love is really easy!
1) Log on to [CLOSED! Thank you!]. It will lead you to a Paypal page.
2) Enter the amount you wish to donate and send it.
3) Check your email for the digital receipt of your donation.
4) Forward your digital receipt to me (trisha.descallar@yahoo.com) along with your real name/first name and your Tumblr username.
On December 25 2011, Christmas Day, I will be turning over the funds to my school, Ateneo de Manila University, which is helping Xavier University/Ateneo de Cagayan in Cagayan de Oro city with its relief operations. It’ll be the perfect gift this holiday season, one of love and compassion.
BUT WAIT!
As a thank you gift for your kindness and generosity, I’ll be sending postcard prints to everyone who donates! (^o^)/
Donate $5 and receive one (1) postcard print.
Donate $10 and receive three (3) postcard prints.
Donate $20 and receive five (5) postcard prints.
If you wish to avail of these prints, please include your full name and postal address in your email to me when you forward me your digital receipt.
I’m not sure if I’ll be shooting new content for these prints or if I’ll be using photos previously posted - suggestions are welcome! -, but it’ll definitely be something cute and from the heart. I’ll be sending this from you regardless of where you are in the world!
Please reblog and spread the word. Feel free to share this to your dorrie and non-dorrie friends whether they’re on Tumblr or not, just make sure to email me their information anyway so I can keep track of how much we’ve raised.
If you have any suggestions or want to help in other ways, drop me a line at trisha.descallar@yahoo.com.
Remember, a little goes a long way. The love, share it! ♡
