sadness

i'm sure you have heard about the heartbreaking bushfires in victoria, australia - the worst fires in australian history...my heart hurts for all the people, animals and beautiful land...many lives have been lost, i can't even imagine. i grew up in living in the bush in western australia and we were on alert or evacuated from our house several summers and it's a scary thing - i can't imagine trying to evacuate and not being able to. it's horrific to think about. really moving pictures here (don't click if kids are looking).

of course in times of tragedy the beauty of the human spirit rises even higher and people are rallying together to help one another. if you are in a position to donate, the australian red cross has set up an appeal to help those in need here.

i have put all my prints on sale for $15, with all proceeds from these sales going to the red cross appeal. i wish there was more i could do.

victoria based scrapbook company buzz and bloom are also donating a percentage of all sales to the appeal, ask your local scrapbook store to stock up on their goods this month to help.

and i'm sure prayers are good too :)

Comments

[Violet]

My goodness. I'm so thankful that your family is safe and my heart is broken for those who not as lucky.

<3

[~r~]

i thought of you the moment i heard...i will keep all affected in my prayers...

[Laura Reaux]

Oh how awful, Em. I'm definitely praying for everyone affected by it. So glad you guys are safe and I hope that all of your friends and family are as well. Jeromy & I are deciding which print we are going to order. Glad I'll have a couple of them now! I love your art. :)

[Brooke]

Thanks for posting this Emily.

It's great to see so many people not only donating, but using their individual gifts to take fundraising for this appeal further.

Cheers.

[kate]

emily, it is soo awful here. The news is constantly full of terrible tales of disaster and also of heroism..
I hope I never see anything like this again in my lifetime.
THANK YOU for donating whatever you can, we are too.

[Sherri P eh]

Emily, my heart goes out to you and your family, here and in Australia. Its so very horrible and heartbreaking. I have family who recently moved from NWS to Queensland. They are safe, but it doesn't stop me from worrying about them.

[Sel]

Thank you, Em, for doing what you can to help :)))) It's been just amazing to see how people are rallying together to help the individuals, animals and communities directly affected...

I live in Melbourne, and a good friend of mine, along with her partner and 5-year-old daughter, lost their home in the fires at Kinglake on Saturday. Already, we've rallied together with friends and have furniture enough to fill their next home, and clothes and toys for the moment. Even my friends and family that don't know them are chipping in and donating things, and money. We're having a fndraising event this Sunday night to raise money for them, and friends of mine that don't even know them are coming along.

It really is heartening and wonderful to see so much generosity and love at such an horrendous and devastating time.

[Yvette O'Dowd]

You can help one bushfire family
The Victorian Branch of the Australian Breastfeeding Association is collecting donations for one of our volunteer breastfeeding counsellors, whose family of two adults and four children have lost everything.

Donations of major store gift cards can be delivered or mailed to the Breastfeeding Centre, Australian Breastfeeding Association, Suite 3/71 Robinson St, Dandenong VIC 3175.

If an ABA breastfeeding counsellor has ever helped you, this is your chance to help one in return.

[Sandrine alias Didine]

no words can describe this... it's sad... all my prayers go to all these families...

[Christina]

Hi Emily,

your blog, particularly yesterday's photos, are a little ray of sunshine in what is a terribly, terribly sad time in Victoria. I find myself constantly tearing up, as we all know people, through our jobs or through our friends, who have lost homes or friends to the fires. So far, the official death toll is 181 but they think it will get to 300.

I'm a Melbourne city girl, and it's so strange here, really, without the media coverage, you wouldn't know there are fires! Right now, there is a telethon on for the Red Cross Bushfire appeal and people have donated AUD$56 million since Saturday! But of course, they are desperate for more!

I didn't mean to bring anyone down, but I just want to encourage you blog readers, and I know there are many, to donate to www.redcross.org.au.

Thank Em xoxoxoxox

[christine]

I thought of you when I heard about this too. I hope they catch the culprits---I don't understand why people would do such things? They must be really hurting inside!

[willowthewysp]

Coming from England i can ot even begin to imagine what this sort of disaster is like. My heart breaks everytime it is on the news.
The devastion is utterly shocking, the animals, the land, the people..families, it brings my silly little worries back down to earth with a bang, and the thought that someone caused this? That makes me sick to the stomach.
Your prints are beautiful, and giving the proceeds to this cause is a wonderful gesture Em:-)
xxxxxx

[amanda]

Thankyou so much em, your fellow Australians really appreciate your contribution, so come on Bloggers, what are you waiting for, buy some of emily's beautiful art, i just did.
ps the telethon total is now up to $60 million,and every little bit helps these devestated families.

[Lusi :)]

*sigh* its such a dark part of our country's history right here.
must be hard being so far away in times like this.
Yay Buzz and Bloom and every other company and individual for helping out where possible.
sending my love to you lovely one,
lus x

[georgia]

I've been sitting in front of the computer for the last few days tearing up, looking at the devestation these fires have caused. The loss of lives, the loss of everything. I think Bushfire becomes part of the Australian psyche, but we forget the potential for destruction that it has. And with as bad as it is, it still could have been worse. You are doing a wonderful thing here Emily.

[Beck]

Em- it's so sad here. We're all battling to support the victims and their families. I cooked dinner tonight for friends who's in laws lost their home in Marysville and we're collecting cash and furniture for family friends who lost their home and husband/father in Whittlesea on SAturday. I can't begin to understand what that feels like. Aussies have raised $75million so far- the generosity is astounding. Constant prayers are being said for these people and the community are gathering tight... as we do. Thanks for what you're doing over there. xoxo

[alexandra]

love and prayers to all.
i just went to etsy and bought a print - thank you.
a.

[Britt]

It's been so sad listening to the reports coming out of this disaster.
Just bought a print happily. Em, it so nice of you to do this!

[Rachel Burgess]

Thanks for posting this. flicking through those pics made it all so much more real for me living in the UK. My prayers will be with those who are suffering at this time. so heartbreaking!

[simona]

Hi darling,
i tought about you when i read the victoria news!!!:-(
I'm very sorry for all this people, i'll pray for all of them!
kisses
Simona

[ashlee]

this is just awful...my prayers go out to the whole country...this affects everyone, even if we don't live anywhere near AU...its our responibility as Americans to help.

[Sayoko]

My heart goes out for all the people and animals involved..

[collette]

i watched in disbelief at the horrendous loss over the weekend. the human spirit is an amazing thing and there is hope in all the sadness. it isn't even possible for me to even wonder, for a moment, how those people felt that could not escape.
i think it's those remarkable stories of survival that keep us going. i love the uniting of people to help one another. it is also my hope that we can remember to do this all the time, not just when disaster strikes.
let's keep all those affected by this in our prayers.

*on a good note. did you see the video of the koala and the fireman? or hear about the 97yr old man that stayed to defend his home as he did in black friday and survived these fires, again.

[Christine]

Good on you Emily, it is so devastating, but it is so nice to see how caring and generous people like yourself can be.

[maria, south australia]

thank you muchly em for your contribution. every little bit helps. my thoughts, prayers and condolences are with victoria. yet out of this terrible tragedy comes unity, mateship, true blue aussie spirit and generosity. so far we have pledged/donated over $102 million. together we are going to help victoria rise above this and rebuild. so proud to be an australian :) and thanks to everyone elsewhere in the world for your thoughts and prayers. x