Everything you need to know about Craft Fair!

Our 14th Annual Holly Days Craft Fair is this Saturday! This is such a huge event and is our main fundraiser for the whole year. I know it seems like so much work, but it's really worth it. It's actually fun to be involved it and you get to know other MOPS mom's better. Here's what you can do to help:

1. Download the above picture and email it to everyone you know in Albuquerque. Invite your mother, brother, uncle or neighbor to shop at our craft fair. Post it on Facebook or your blog.

2. Bring baked goods for our bake sale. Breads, pie and cinnamon rolls do really good. If making cookies make sure to wrap them in bunches, 2-3 in a bunch. Wrap them in saran wrap and label them. (For example: Pumpkin cookies with pecans. Below is a picture from last year.)

3. Set up on Friday and Clean up on Saturday. See your small group leader for your groups assignment. If coming to set up, we need the most help from 7:00 a.m. to about 10:00. We have to move everything out of the gym so we can mark the floor for booth spaces. If early morning doesn't work for you, you can come throughout the day on Friday. Clean up time starts at 2:45, and the more help we can get the faster we can get out of there! We have to take table and chairs down, remove tape from the floor, put away Christmas decorations, and sweep the gym floor.

4. Don't forget your donation for the raffle baskets. See your small group leader tomorrow for more details. The raffle baskets bring in hundreds of dollars on their own. Every year you ladies out-do yourselves on the creative basket ideas!

We appreciate your help! MOPS moms can move mountains!

The Craft Fair!

The 14th Annual Holly Days craft fair was this weekend and it was a huge success! A huge THANK YOU to everyone that helped in one way or the other. Thank you for donating items for the raffle baskets. Thank you for baking for the bake sale. Thank you for inviting people to come to the craft fair. Thank you to those who signed up to work in the raffle booth. Thank you for coming and shopping. Thank you Heidi for donating your time to raise money for MOPS. That girl was busy all day! A GIANT thank you to Gina and Libby for all the time away from your family that you spent on organizing this. Thank you, Thank you, Thank you!

(Gina's daughter, Hannah, made these awesome duct tape flowers. They were a hit!)

Hi Stephanie! I bet you didn't know I was taking your picture.

This was one of the booths I was standing by all day. We had some awesome crafters!

Ruth Ann is a baby wearing Mama who worked in the booth for us!

These gals started the craft fair 14 years ago! What an awesome legacy you left us. I bet you didn't think we would still be hosting this same event 14 years later. Thank you!

MOPS info

First off, I just wanted to plug the pictures one more time. We need at least 11 more scheduled photo appointments. Is there anyone who has been meaning to call to schedule and hasn't? Call me now at 928-310-8867. Or email me at staples_michele@yahoo.com. If you just ask one person you know to buy a $10 ticket, we can have all of our time slots filled. Is there a neighbor who you could ask, or someone at your AWANA's. I know it's hard to sell things sometimes, but this is such an amazing opportunity for awesome pictures of your kids at a very affordable price. We need to have these slots filled in the next few days!!!

Anybody else leave in such a rush for MOPS, that your house looks like this when you get home? Ladies there are pieces of bread on my floor. Like half eaten bread. Gross! But totally worth the wonderful morning I had at MOPS today. Thank you all for coming.

Thank you Pastor Potter for speaking on "Stepping Out of our Comfort Zones" today. Sometimes taking small children to Target can be the biggest way-out-of-our-comfort-zone experiences of our life. Amen?

Fairytale Memories by Heidi Ann Photography

I would like to introduce you to Heidi Belville. Many of you returning members know and love Heidi already, but some of our new moms may not. Heidi was one of the first people to welcome me to MOPS when I first showed up. She showed me where to drop of my kids, where to go, and was so very real and friendly. What I love most about Heidi Belville, is that she is always up for new adventures, crazy fun, normal, cool and a real mom all at the same time. She is also a very talented photographer. Heidi is a wife and mother to two adorable children.

For four years now, Heidi has been offering her photography skills as a fundraiser to benefit MOPS. Here is a link to her website www.heidiannphotography.com. Go visit her site, check out her awesome work, and give her some love!

Here's the skinny on the Fundraiser:

1. Heidi will be taking photos from 9-3 on November 7th at our Holly Days Craft Fair.

2. Tickets are $10. That is the ticket purchasers sitting fee and they also receive one 8x10. (That whole ten dollars in turn goes directly to MOPS!)

3. Heidi then sends and email and ticket purchasers have a chance to view their photos and order more prints. Heidi also offers Christmas cards and they will be delivered in time for Christmas.

4. For those of you that had pictures taken last year, Heidi would like you to know that she has a new background this year!

Here's what we need you to do:

1. Sell tickets for $10 (neighbors, church members, grandparents that might want to buy a ticket for their grandchildren, yourself, anyone who could benefit from Christmas pictures at a very affordable price)

2. Keep ticket stub and turn in with the $10 to Karen at the next MOPS meeting (She's that beautiful/friendly mom who sits at the registration table aka as our Finance Coordinator!)

3. Have ticket purchasers call the number on their ticket to schedule a time for their portraits on November 7 between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. (Don't forget to tell them about our craft fair that will be going on at the same time and that they are welcome to browse. More info on our craft fair coming soon.)

4. If you have someone you would like to invite to buy a ticket but will not be able to sell them a ticket in person, have them call 928-310-8867 (me) to schedule a portrait appointment and they can purchase their ticket at the craft fair. However, we would like to sell most tickets beforehand.

5. Heidi will also be selling tickets at our meeting on October 20th.

6. Scroll down for more samplings of Heidi's work from last year! (Anybody recognize their own kids?)