Right before Christmas the Telegram had a short uninformative blurb about UMass Students collecting items for foster children (Kelley Backpacks). I wanted more info on what I could do to help, so I tracked down the students running Kelley Backpacks and collected some information to share (they have no web presence at this time). If you would like to help children entering foster care in central Massachusetts this is how you can do so:

Donation location: The Kelley Backpacks donation box is located at the UMass Memorial Medical Center-University Campus Benedict Building – Family Medicine waiting area, 1st floor (see map).  The donation box will be available Monday through Friday during business hours (due to hospital policy).  If you cannot bring your donation during these hours, please contact kelleybackpacks@gmail.com to arrange a pick-up time.

Items Needed: We accept donations of new or “good as new” items.  We are always in need of backpacks and clothing, socks, underwear, pajamas and hats/mittens (for infants through teenagers).  We will also gladly accept:

Personal care items: Baby wipes, diapers, formula, baby bottles, toothbrushes, toothpaste, shampoo, conditioner, soap, deodorant, hair brushes, hair elastics

Transitional items: Stuffed animals and blankets

Activities and School Supplies: Small toys or games, books for youth (in any language), notebooks, coloring books, pencils, pens, markers, crayons

To make a monetary donation: Please make your check payable to “UMass Medical School” and INCLUDE “KELLEY BACKPACKS” IN THE MEMO LINE.  Kate Gomes, who works in the Development Office, manages Kelley Backpacks donations.  Please send your check to:

UMass Medical School

Development Office – attn: Kate Gomes

333 South Street

Shrewsbury, MA 01545

If would like to be kept you up to date about the progress of project. You can email Alison Little of Kelley Backpacks at kelleybackpacks@gmail.com

Photo: manuelladesign.com

I’ve been eating cookies for 4 days straight…Thank you so much for baking, swapping & helping us raise $1,000 for pediatric cancer research at Cookie Swap for a Cause this past Sunday! The event was so much fun and super super yummy!

If you were there the Cookie Swap the photos are posted on The Swapaholics’ Facebook page – make sure to tag yourself (and your cookies) and share your blog recaps with us, we’d love to see and hear your experiences!

If you were not but would like more info about Cookies for Cancer you can find that here.
My favorite Worcester peeps out in full force

Natasha

Joey and Lauren

The Blatt girls with Santa

Michelle, Santa, me and Kristen

Wednesday was all about the hustle and bustle of Boston holiday fun! Our morning was crazy at the Swap office. Our Cookie swap hasn’t even happend yet and World Swap Day planning is in full effect! We also launched the Swap Market this week! I know I have been talking about this site for the last year, but you can now swap anything you have for anything you want ONLINE! Crazy right?

After work we headed out into the neighborhood to support the South End Holiday Stroll. There were carolers in Peters Park, pletny of egg nog to go around, and discounts at some of my favorite South End shops.

I picked up a new purse, necklace and rug at the Sowa vintage market….

and stopped into Flock for a few sparkly christmas gifts.

Then we headed over to the Boston Blogger Yankee Swap at Mass Ave Tavern….

and bumped in to Alana and Amy….

and Michelle (photo from Najeema).

My yankee swap gift, Yay Essie!

I cant believe how fast the holidays are sneaking up on me. My christmas tree is bare, I haven’t done much shopping and I have no idea what I am baking for this Sunday’s Cookie Swap! So not ready for Santa to come. Last weekend I planned to get all my shopping done, but ended up goofing off with my favorite girlfriends and doing a little too much cuddling with puppies to make any dents in my shopping list, at least I got dressed.
Are you guys all ready for the holidays?

Wearing: Jewelry: Vintage, Blazer: Lauren Conrad Collection, Top: Swapped, Pants: F21, Bag: Marc Jacobs, Shoes: Vintage (Abby’s House Worcester)
Photos: Adam Towner

The DIY Confetti System-ish garland that I created just for Orchid Grey’s wedding was featured in the Holiday issue of House of Fifty in Kim Myles column…as in Design Star and TV host Kim Myles…so awesome.

Here are a few photos from Orchid Grey’s Haberdash photo booth:

Yesterday was Worcesters Start at the Station event, which I look forward to every year. It’s the merriest of the Start on the Street events. Everyone is in a gift giving and cheery holiday shopping mood with carolers singing and all that jolly stuff! The day was full of friends, silliness, and cookies! I loved seeing Seed to Stem’s booth and we picked up an awesome zombie calendar from Abnormal Brain.

and this morning I woke up to this cute photo of Kate and I on the Telegram.com: