The Magic Yarn Project

Have you heard of the Magic Yarn Project?

It’s a nonprofit that relies on volunteers to create yarn wigs for children going through chemotherapy, which often leaves young scalps too sensitive for traditional wigs. The yarn wigs are “comfy, soft, and warm, and invite children back to the world of play and daydreaming.” So far, 3,747 wigs and superhero beanies have been delivered to kids in 28 countries and the demand for magic wigs grows daily; every year, roughly 83,000 young girls, ages 2-10, are diagnosed with cancer (5,000 in the US).

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Alaska Crafted is Tomorrow!

Last year one of my favorite events was Alaska Crafted, the only tasting festival in the state to feature exclusively locally made beverages. This year it’s back (tomorrow!!!) and promises to be another great time for all, with more than 24 brewers and distillers showcasing as many as 40 Alaska varieties, hailing from Kodiak Island in the Kodiak Archipelago, to Gakona in the east, Sitka in Southeast, to Fox in Alaska’s Interior. Continue reading “Alaska Crafted is Tomorrow!”

Be part of something amazing: volunteer for the Gold Nugget Triathlon

I ran into an old friend, Judy Sedwick, while grabbing coffee today. Judy is special for many reasons – she lights up any room she enters, has a gift for sparkling conversation, and give great hugs. She’s also one of the founders of the Gold Nugget Triathlon (GNT), the longest running all female triathlon in the country.

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Alaska Wedding Collective

Five+ years ago my husband and I said “I do.” Our wedding was ridiculously fun and involved a lot of DIY (my maid of honor and her family actually BUILT US A WEDDING WALL complete with photos of our parents and grandparents on their wedding days and my mom made my wedding skirt) and pitching in by family and friends. Of course, plenty of wedding vendors were part of the day as well (favorites were Riza Brown and Josh Martinez, then of Chugach Peaks Photography) and I was lucky to find them (and would choose them 96,797,098,908 times over) during a time when Anchorage event planning felt fairly dated.

Since then, our local wedding scene has exploded with new wedding vendors, offering couples a seemingly endless array of options to create special occasions that effortlessly emphasize their personalities. On February 14, many of them displayed their talents at the Alaska Wedding Collective, an event offering interactive “action stations” to provide a truly special experience for attendees. Although my marrying days are long behind me I enjoyed every moment, probably because the evening felt more like a fun party than a wedding show.

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Love Note: This is Democracy (in the Snow)

Today was the Women’s March on Washington, and Anchorage turned out to the tune of 2,000 – 3,500 people. It was an incredible feeling to be part of such a massive, peaceful movement and I couldn’t stop smiling as we marched in the snow and as I saw photos of events all over the world rolling through my Facebook feed.

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