as the buddhists say, herein lies the fist-bump

Karen (Author of Momma Zen) drew it out of me on twitter, looking for a grand total, and so this post needs to be put into the world. I don't know why I'm shy about the number - it's very strange to see a dollar value attached to all our effort, our sleeplessness, our artists' incredible generosity, the enthusiasm of everyone who visited last week.

René and I built and populated the site with about three days of notice. We had over 4,700 unique visitors to the site on the first Monday alone, and a steady average of 1,200-3,000 unique visitors every day after that - for a total of just over 17,500 unique visitors and 45,000 page views over the course of those seven days. We were tweeted and facebooked and stumbled and kirtsied and babbled and shared in every possible way by contributors, bidders, friends, family, and fans of the effort.

54 artists contributed 130 items. The bids add up to a grand total of $8,535.00 for St. Joseph's.

René and I are proud, exhausted, thrilled, grateful. I am quite literally so cross-eyed that we can't even find the words to thank all of you properly -- those who supported us, and the kids of St. Joseph's, so warmly. I'm just sitting here taking in all those numbers, contemplating all of you, the community of creativity, the thousands of virtual smiles and instant support. 

Thank you so much. For the most part, we've informed winning bidders of next steps in getting their treasures and passing on goodness to Haiti. If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to let René or myself know.

All the love and light in the world, and so much gratitude that we count you among our circle of friends.

~ Kate

to Haiti with love: messages of hope

photos by Renee Dietrich

A pathway is a clear and safe place to put your feet. A pathway leads you to a clear and safe place to rest, to eat, to hope. To find conversation, community, love.

It's felt that way this week, hasn't it? We found something we could give, something we could do.

All of us did.

Thank you to every artist who offered pieces of souls. You shared creative words and visions and stories and those intimate moments that ring like a bell as we peer behind layers of glass and click.

That's how this felt, these past days. Click. Natural and sensible and fortuitous. We posed the possibility and you all went click. Sculptors and knitters and painters and poets and teachers and mentors and mothers and fathers and friends.

We soaked up the vividness, the spark, the hospitality of all of you.

Thank you to every bidder, especially those who added exclamation points. You made us smile. You made Peter and the family at Broken Wings smile, and their American friends at Hearts with Haiti. And in turn, you made the kids of St. Joseph's smile. You came back once and twice and back again, mining for more, watching your favourites.

We loved the enthusiasm of all of you.

+++

photos by Renee Dietrich

As I write this, the people of St. Joseph's find their new path. They're clearing and planning and feeding and rebuilding, safe and settled in temporary shelter. Surrounding them on all fronts is loss and yet there is still friendship, and spirit. There was art here. There was music, and drumming, and dancing. There will be again.

Messages are getting through as well as hope. What do you wish for them? What made you donate? What made you bid? How did you feel when you first heard the news?

What is your hope for Haiti?

Canadians may donate directly to the St. Joseph's family through Broken Wings, here -- Americans, through Hearts with Haiti, here.

a photographic afternoon with sweetsalty kate

No need to pose -- play as you always do. I'll just follow you. ~ Kate Inglis

Capture the movement, humour, and spirit of your loved ones with photographer and Shutter Sister Kate Inglis (browse her personal work here). Kate will travel to a location of your choosing within Nova Scotia's Halifax Municipality, South Shore, or Annapolis Valley. You'll collaborate on creative options to best fulfill your vision, including setting and post-processing treatments. After the shoot, Kate will deliver a CD of high-resolution images for you to print or share as you wish.

All proceeds from items sold on the To Haiti with Love auction go directly to the St. Joseph's Family in Haiti. To make a bid, simply leave a comment with the amount of your bid and your email address. The auction will wrap up on February 8, 2010, and winners will be contacted right away to arrange payment and shipping. Good luck!

Family, maternity, or baby photo shoot with Kate Inglis of Shutter Sisters -- or simply a chance to capture a rare portrait of you or anyone or thing or creature that moves you.

Starting bid: $125.00

'beachgrass, winter' fine art print by kate inglis

Kate Inglis of sweet | salty is a writer who nurtures her photographic funk on the side. She is a founding contributor to Shutter Sisters, a community that celebrates women photographers, and can also found conjuring pirates for The Dread Crew and blogging about becoming an author.

All proceeds from items sold on the To Haiti with Love auction go directly to the St. Joseph's Family in Haiti. To make a bid, simply leave a comment with the amount of your bid and your email address. The auction will wrap up on February 8, 2010, and winners will be contacted right away to arrange payment and shipping. Good luck!

Beachgrass, winter fine art print by Kate Inglis, in the size of your choice up to 9 x 14. (origin: Nova Scotia, Canada)

Starting Bid: $20.00

signed first edition: The Dread Crew, Pirates of the Backwoods

Get one of the last remaining first editions of The Dread Crew: Pirates of the Backwoods - literally from the very last box of 24 hardcovers lugged away from the Nimbus Publishing warehouse in the trunk of author Kate Inglis's car. She'll sign it for you as you like, and will send it with complimentary Nova Scotian sand sprinkling and maple syrup residue.

 photos courtesy the lovely mommymae

The Dread Crew: Pirates of the Backwoods is recommended for antsy boys who long for glory, for spritely girls inclined to reach out for adventure, and for good-humoured grown-ups who like the smack of limburger and jalapeno calzones with a dash of junebug pepper. This book is not recommended for genteel folk with fears of heights, uncontrolled speed, thievery, thuggery and general recklessness.

All proceeds from items sold on the To Haiti with Love auction go directly to the St. Joseph's Family in Haiti. To make a bid, simply leave a comment with the amount of your bid and your email address. The auction will wrap up on February 8, 2010, and winners will be contacted right away to arrange payment and shipping. Good luck!

First edition signed by the author, Kate Inglis (origin: Nova Scotia, Canada)

Starting Bid: $20.00

limited edition dread crew t-shirt: adult small

If you're a pirate and you know it, wear the shirt. Only a very limited number of these t-shirts were produced as giveaways at the Dread Crew book launch in November 2009 -- the remaining stock are posted here, in varied sizes, for Haiti relief. All feature Captain Hector Gristle, Captain of the great Barrow wood ship.

To browse other available sizes up for auction, click here.

All proceeds from items sold on the To Haiti with Love auction go directly to the St. Joseph's Family in Haiti. To make a bid, simply leave a comment with the amount of your bid and your email address. The auction will wrap up on February 8, 2010, and winners will be contacted right away to arrange payment and shipping. Good luck!

Limited edition Dread Crew: Pirates of the Backwoods t-shirt, ADULT SMALL, khaki green. (origin: Nova Scotia, Canada)

Starting Bid: $22.00

'hibernation' fine art print by kate inglis

Kate Inglis of sweet | salty is a writer who nurtures her photographic funk on the side. She is a founding contributor to Shutter Sisters, a community that celebrates women photographers, and can also found conjuring pirates for The Dread Crew and blogging about becoming an author.

All proceeds from items sold on the To Haiti with Love auction go directly to the St. Joseph's Family in Haiti. To make a bid, simply leave a comment with the amount of your bid and your email address. The auction will wrap up on February 8, 2010, and winners will be contacted right away to arrange payment and shipping. Good luck!

Hibernation fine art print by Kate Inglis, in the size of your choice up to 9 x 14. (origin: Nova Scotia, Canada)

Starting Bid: $20.00

'good food takes time' fine art print by kate inglis

Kate Inglis of sweet | salty is a writer who nurtures her photographic funk on the side. She is a founding contributor to Shutter Sisters, a community that celebrates women photographers, and can also found conjuring pirates for The Dread Crew and blogging about becoming an author.

All proceeds from items sold on the To Haiti with Love auction go directly to the St. Joseph's Family in Haiti. To make a bid, simply leave a comment with the amount of your bid and your email address. The auction will wrap up on February 8, 2010, and winners will be contacted right away to arrange payment and shipping. Good luck!

Good food takes time fine art print by Kate Inglis, printed in the size of your choosing up to 9 x 14". (origin: Nova Scotia, Canada)

Starting Bid: $20.00

'home' fine art print by kate inglis

Kate Inglis of sweet | salty is a writer who nurtures her photographic funk on the side. She is a founding contributor to Shutter Sisters, a community that celebrates women photographers, and can also found conjuring pirates for The Dread Crew and blogging about becoming an author.

All proceeds from items sold on the To Haiti with Love auction go directly to the St. Joseph's Family in Haiti. To make a bid, simply leave a comment with the amount of your bid and your email address. The auction will wrap up on February 8, 2010, and winners will be contacted right away to arrange payment and shipping. Good luck!

Home fine art print by Kate Inglis, in the size of your choice up to 9 x 14. (origin: Nova Scotia, Canada)

Starting Bid: $20.00

mamalove/dadalove toddler t-shirt by kate inglis, leigh steele & jeanette leblanc

"Even though I’m starting to come out of the fog now, two days later, I still struggle with what to say. So I whisper the same thing I whispered to Evan during fitful nights: mama love, mama love, mama love.

As we are able to see more baby and less machine we talk to them about skipping rocks in frog ponds, and finding treasures on beaches, and about a big brother who will teach them all kinds of tricks."

~ from sweet | salty

Upon the birth of my twins, the beautiful and soulful Leigh Steele of Meremortal sent me two of the tiniest onesies I'd ever seen, imprinted with first thing I could think of to speak to my babies as they lay in stasis in the NICU.

Since then it's come to mean so much more than an utterance during trauma. Parenthood is not wholly difficult and angsty, nor wholly easy and cheerful. But the common denominator is love. Steadfast, cheerio-crunching, snot-wiping, floor-tussling love.

Choose either mamalove or dadalove toddler t-shirt in the size and colour you prefer.

All proceeds from items sold on the To Haiti with Love auction go directly to the St. Joseph's Family in Haiti. To make a bid, simply leave a comment with the amount of your bid and your email address. The auction will wrap up on February 8, 2010, and winners will be contacted right away to arrange payment and shipping. Good luck!

mamalove/dadalove toddler t-shirt by Kate Inglis & Leigh Steele (origin: Nova Scotia, Canada)

Starting bid: $16.00