IKEA Soft Toy Aid 2012

The global IKEA Soft Toy Aid holiday campaign has begun. Through 29 December, for each soft toy (or children's book) purchased, the IKEA Foundation donates $1.00 (or 1 Euro equivalent) to UNICEF & Save the Children. 

We'll post updates & reminders throughout the season, but if you're shopping this weekend, please keep this campaign in mind. And to double your donation, think about dropping an IKEA soft toy off to Toys for Tots or another local toy campaign drive in your town or country. 

Here is the charming Soft Toy Aid video to brighten your day.

ciao-meow/xoxo

(photograph via IKEA)

Adopt a Circus, Put on a Show

People, it is wild here lately. Giulia is up to all sorts of nonsense; this is a huge relief because she's been ill for a week. Signs of feeling better? She's eating breakfast + dinner + snacks + getting into trouble.

So from our circus to yours: please remember IKEA's Soft Toy Aid Campaign to benefit Save the Children & UNICEF. Many of you will not be near an IKEA this holiday season but the website has finally put a few of the soft toys available for purchase online, here.

ciao-frenzied-meow/GGCM

(photograph via IKEA)

Audrey a Roma

We're running late (as usual) on this Monday. If you need an espresso break (yes, please), check out the Audrey a Roma tumblr & exhibition site. The exhibit runs through 4 December in Rome at the Museo dell'Ara Pacis. If you can't be there, you can at least check out the photographs & site. Funds raised will benefit UNICEF in Chad. The book from the exhibit is not available in English (yet).

Here's an excellent comprehensive-but-short article about Audrey & Rome, a description of the exhibit & information about the Audrey Hepburn Children's Foundation.

ciao-rushed-meow/GGCM

(photograph by Pierluigi Praturlon)

IKEA Soft Toy Aid 2011

A favorite holiday ritual has begun: the IKEA Soft Toy Aid campaign launched November 1st & runs through December 24th. As always, IKEA donates $1.00 (or 1 euro) for each soft toy purchased to Save the Children & UNICEF. This year, IKEA launched the U.S. campaign by donating thousands of much-needed cuddlies to Toys for Tots, another favorite organization. You could echo this by purchasing an inexpensive toy (or more) & then donating it to Toys for Tots. They've had a very difficult time the last 3 years & this year is unfortunately more-of-the-same.
 

Visit here for the Wembley (UK) store (or go to your nearest by changing the city); they are double-duty giving as well. We'll post more information throughout the campaign & do a round-up of what's going on in Canada, Europe & Australia. As far as we know, every IKEA store, in every country is involved in the campaign.
 

Suddenly, we're excited for the holidays. Giulia's pink ears perked up when she heard the IKEA video song. It's adorable, do watch!
 

ciao-merry-meow/GG Central
 

(Bjorn Bear via IKEA)

The Heart of Haiti - Art

The long-term recovery continues, one year after the earthquake. Read more about Haitian Metal Art, here. (painting in the Haitian Art Museum via United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti flickr stream)

Faces of January 12

Some very much unfinished 2010 business. It's days before the first anniversary of the earthquake in Haiti. Things are really bad. Everyone can do something. If you can do a little more, there are Haitian artists ready to sell you some fabulous paintings & drawings. (photograph of Patricia Brintle charcoal Faces of January 12 - #2 via MedaliaArt. More Haitian art for sale, here.)

ciao-meow/GG Holiday Central

'Twas the Saturday Before Christmas

...& you're going to IKEA. (Yes, you are. Admit it.) Why don't you pick up at least one soft toy & help UNICEF & Save the Children? Please remember the Soft Toy Aid campaign. The need is great, the prices on the IKEA soft toys is very low. (Their cuteness is indisputable, just like Giulia's.) As we've suggested before, even if you don't need any little-person toys this year, Toys for Tots (& gift collection campaigns in other countries) is in great need. (image via IKEA.com)

ciao-meow/GGCM

Side With the World's Children - Week's End

Join GG in the Soft Toy Movement for every child's right to education. Please go to your country's IKEA website & click on Soft Toy campaign at the bottom of the homepage. There you will find all the information you need to pass the word on. It has downloadable wallpapers, a coloring book, a banner for blogs & Facebook pages, & videos.

This year, from November 1–December 24, for every soft toy sold, 1 euro (USD $1.35) will go to IKEA global partners UNICEF and Save the Children to extend and start new children's educational programs in 22 countries.

Pick up an inexpensive soft toy at IKEA & put it in a holiday gift donation basket if you don't need it. Giulia is holding a meow-in this very moment because she wants a soft toy this year. The spring has gone out of Celeste the IKEA Pig's curly tail. We'll see about an addition but Celeste the IKEA Pig (her full name) is not going anywhere...there's a familiar orange & white pink-nosed feline draped over her every day. (images via IKEA website)

ciao-merry-meow/The Management

IKEA Launches Annual Soft Toy Campaign - 2010

Ta da! Oh. We're five days late...eep. If you're planning a trip to IKEA, pick up a soft toy. If you don't need one, donate it to Toys for Tots or another toy-collection campaign. This year, from November 1–December 24, for every soft toy sold, 1 euro (USD $1.35) will go to IKEA global partners UNICEF and Save the Children to extend and start new children's educational programs in 22 countries. The 2010 campaign goal is to raise over $13 million dollars globally, with $1 million being raised in the U.S.

You can count on us to remind you every so often & about the specials upcoming in December, as well. But if you happen to be going to IKEA tomorrow (or today, if you're up too late in Europe--go to bed!), any purchase, however tiny, goes to the campaign. Don't forget about Darfur Peace & Development baskets (either seconds or firsts) & Made4Aid's Etsy shop. (image of Klapper animal set & Klapper elephant mama & baby via IKEA US website)

ciao-wow-meow/GGCM

Audrey Hepburn's Ballerinas Auction

Audrey Hepburn's eldest son, Sean Ferrer wrote last month that he & his brother Luca Dotti have decided to auction off one of the last pairs of his mother's ballerinas to benefit the Audrey Hepburn Children's Fund & UNICEF. Please visit the Foundation website & see how you can help. Wouldn't Audrey do that for your children? (You bet!)

ciao-pirouette-meow/GG Central

(Audrey Hepburn, 1955, Norman Parkinson Archive, via Liverpool Museums)

FEED Trick-or-Treat Bag

FEED Trick-or-Treat Bag to benefit UNICEF

It's never too soon to think about Hallowe'en. Giulia is dressing up as a FEED Bag this year. OK, kidding. But she'll be taking a turn in the neighborhood in one. Treat yourself to your very own Trick-or-Treat bag & help UNICEF. (photograph via FEED Projects Facebook page)

For 60 years, Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF has helped children in need worldwide. UNICEF works in over 150 countries to reduce child mortality through health care, clean water, nutrition, education, emergency relief and more.

HSN honors Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF’s 60th anniversary with the FEED Trick-or-Treat Bag, created by FEED Projects. A portion* of every HSN-exclusive bag purchased will help UNICEF provide one child in the developing world with an entire year's worth of vital micro-nutrient supplements.

So leave the pillowcases at home and help kids while collecting goodies with the FEED Trick-or-Treat Bag to benefit UNICEF.

ciao-meow/GG Hallowe'en Central

Audrey & a Café Cat

It's a Wednesday & GG is not allowed to go to the museum (again!). A GG dream come true would be AH, another cat, & a café . [undated photograph but via Audrey1.org; lots of fun for the admiring legions.]

ciao-darling-meow/GGCM

PS: Visit AH's fabulous official website & see what you might do to contribute to her charitable work. Which has never stopped, of course.

Adopt a Lion - Week's End

Adopt a cute lion at IKEA & help UNICEF & Save the Children. There's a new Facebook Fan page for the IKEA Soft Toys Aid 2009 campaign. Or you can read about the Adopt an African Lion program at the National Zoo. Either way (or both), you will be helping out worthy causes. And have fun. What more do you want, really? (You are so difficult to please, some of you cranky pusses!)

Please remember Toys for Tots, too. Here is the video of First Lady Michelle Obama's remarks at the White House for the beginning of the holiday season. She announces the participation of the White House staff in this year's campaign. It's all good.

a ciao-snowy-meow from Washington, DC

[image via IKEA.com]

IKEA's Soft Toy Aid 2009 Begins

For every soft toy you purchase from now until December 24, 2009, $1 will be donated to UNICEF and Save the Children. (See here for other countries' currency donations.) This year's campaign tag line is $1 is a Fortune. And so it is. This year, the soft toys got together & made a darling video. There's an interactive website for us regular people to join in, here. We will be featuring the soft animals as we did last year. They are so cute & very inexpensive.

At the moment, GG is asleep beside ancient Celeste the IKEA Pig (her full name). We just might keep one of the toys this year for GG, too.

[GG Central collage made from IKEA images/2008 archives]

Darfur Fast for Life

Outside of Darfur fasting is an option, even a health choice (a pretty dodgy one, actually). It's quite the opposite for those trapped inside Darfur who are out of options. This is it: out of options. We are not messing around now; we're angry.

Here is the Darfur Fast for Life website with links to information. Please also check with Enough Project. Raise holy hell--especially on what is Mother's Day. Can you imagine how these mothers are feeling right now?

A Darfur peace conference in Ethiopia has been cancelled because on Friday night Darfuri leaders were told they would not be allowed to attend. We are almost used to this by now; you may not be. But let's just tell you why this should matter to you...though we can hardly believe we'd have to. Look at a map, locate Sudan, locate where in the world this is, the countries to which it is adjacent. No one wanted to hear about Somalia either, until pirates took an American ship. Don't come to us, we told you a year ago, when the Horn blows back on North America, Europe, elsewhere. A little (enlightened) self-interest is a good thing. Think about it.

[photo courtesy of IRIN: Women recently displaced by fighting in North Darfur have settled in a camp for displaced people in Zamzam, south of El-Fasher/© Heba Aly/IRIN]

a fuming ciao-meow/GG Central

WWAD (What would Audrey Do?)

It's not just about manners, little black dresses, & Cary Grant. It's about what she did with her life. GG & her editor think WWAD a lot...not just sartorially speaking. Take a visit to UNICEF & see what's happening. See you later today! (photo via scan/audreystyle/by Steven Meisel)

ciao-elegant-meow,
GG/mgmt

Update: Apologies to all who have tried to leave comments on this blog & bricolage. Have no idea what is wrong but investigation has commenced. Thanks for stopping by! (Meanwhile, you could visit UNICEF:) xo, GG Central.

Adopt an IKEA giraffe & help a child

It's the last day of IKEA's soft animal toy campaign to raise funds for Save the Children & UNICEF. Please go here for all the details. We love this darling giraffe. There's a zoo's worth of sweet animals to choose from...please help. IKEA can be fun at the last minute, too. (It is!)

Merry ciao-meow!
GG's Santa

Miss Mouse at IKEA

As it's the last shopping weekend before Christmas, another reminder about IKEA's soft animal toy campaign (through 24 December 2008). A significant donation goes to Save the Children & UNICEF for each toy sold. The campaign is ongoing in Canada, the States, & the UK. This adorable mouse is one of many ready to go home with you (or, to double your donation, to a toys campaign, such as Toys for Tots). Look at that adorable face...how can you not adopt her?

Even GG would leave this mouse alone...we hope.

bisou!

A polka-dotted Christmas camel

...from IKEA is just the thing for the holiday blues. Bringing home this little guy will ensure that $1.00 (US & Canadian, 1 British pound) goes to Save the Children & to UNICEF. The campaign goes through Christmas Eve. There's a whole zoo of goofy adorable creatures available for immediate adoption. Prices are as low as 49 cents. Can't beat it with a stick (ouch)!

xoxo,
GG's Santa

Snagglepuss

A reminder of the ongoing IKEA soft animal campaign to raise funds for UNICEF & Save the Children. In the States & Canada, $1.00 for each toy is donated equally between both organizations. In the UK, it's £1 per animal.

We love this rucksack-wearing crocodile. When GG is asleep, one little snaggle pops out. (It's so cute it should be illegal.) Today we look forward to a visit from some French friends & GG will be in her element.Perhaps an IKEA visit is in our future today. If so, then Fabler Krokodil will be coming home with us. IKEA's two series of children's accessories, along with the soft animals, are: 1) Fabler and Barnslig. At least one animal (there are some for 49 cents) is affordable for most people. Here is a link to IKEA Fans blog (yep!) with a post on the campaign.

Also remember in the States, the Marine Corps Toys for Tots campaign. The IKEA animals are a perfect donation. (No, we don't work for IKEA.) Donations across the board, from food to toys are down everywhere. We know it's rough; GG Central is between contracts. We know. But surely 49 cents for a toy or a dollar to buy a non-perishable food donation is possible?

Have a great Monday.

ciao-meow,
GG's editor