Participation in this project has been redirected to the Holocaust Museum Houston

The Butterfly Effect project closes on December 31st, 2011  BUT, you still have plenty of time to send your butterflies to the original source for this project at The Holocaust Museum Houston.


Please follow this LINK for further instructions on how to contribute to this important project or copy and paste their web address into your internet browser - http://hmh.org/ed_butterfly1.shtml

If you would like to spread the word....
(Double Click to Open and then Right Hand Click and "Save")

Add this picture along with this web address:
 http://twodressesstudio.blogspot.com/2010/08/butterfly-effect-open-is-calling-you.html
 and post to your sidebar


NOTE:  Please see UPDATES at the bottom of this posting.




or....here's a BLINKIE made by Tara!!!  Thank you Tara you Rock!!!! 
Instructions to add moving image:
Double Click on the image below, then right click "SAVE AS" - you now have the moving images stored to your computer to upload to your side bar.

You must be wondering  what all of  this is about???

A few days ago, while I was enjoying several visits to some of my favorite artful blogs, I came across a project underway called "The Butterfly Project" hosted by The Holocaust Museum Houston in Texas, USA.    Their mission  as follows:

The Holocaust Museum Houston is dedicated to educating people about the Holocaust, remembering the 6 million Jews and other innocent victims and honoring the survivors' legacy. Using the lessons of the Holocaust and other genocides, we teach the dangers of hatred, prejudice and apathy.  And the tag line following it reads:

Stop Hate. Starting Here.

That grabbed my attention.  I read on.....

The Butterfly Project mandate is   to remember the 1,500,000 innocent children who perished as a result of the Holocaust  by collecting 1.5 million handmade butterflies. 

 In Spring 2013, these butterflies will then become a break-taking exhibition to serve as a memory of this event.  

 Can you imagine?  1.5 million children translated into  1.5 million butterflies....?  If  you wondering why a butterfly,  the project is based on this poem -

I Never Saw Another Butterfly

The last, the very last,

So richly, brightly, dazzlingly yellow
Perhaps if the sun’s tears would sing
against a white stone....

Such, such a yellow
Is carried lightly ’way up high.
It went away I’m sure
because it wished
to kiss the world good-bye.

 For seven weeks I’ve lived in here
Penned up inside this ghetto.
But I have found what I love here.
The dandelions call to me
And the white chestnut branches in the court.

Only I never saw another butterfly.
That butterfly was the last one.
Butterflies don’t live in here, in the ghetto.

Written  by Pavel Friedman, June 4, 1942

Born in Prague on Jan. 7, 1921.
Deported to the Terezin Concentration Camp on April 26, 1942.
Died in Aushchwitz on Sept. 29, 1944.

He was 23.    23.  I have a daughter that age. 

After a brief moment, I decided,  I have to send a butterfly.  Then I thought of how I'd love to send a lot of butterflies.  Then I thought of the great group of artist friends here !  Who doesn't love a butterfly?  And who wouldn't be touched by this poem and this tragedy and want to  contribute to this meaningful and lasting exhibit and  tribute?  And wouldn't it be rewarding to encourage as many people as I could to play along with me??? 

I believe when I come from a place of abundance, a place of Giving,  of Heart and of  Light, anything is possible.  The universe will support me and everyone else when we act  from that Higher Place. 

I can already see  butterflies arriving in my mailbox from kindred spirits like you who share a similar belief.   I'll open the envelope, photograph the butterfly and begin collecting a box full of butterflies to send on behalf of all of us! 

Will you play with me?   Would you like to be a part of this?   Join in and make a butterfly? 

 We'll call it ....

The Butterfly Effect "OPEN"

...borrowing from  chaos theory, but  much more importantly  based on the wonderful notion that if enough people think enough healing thoughts, then slowly our world will be at peace. No one said it better than Gandhi - Be the change you want to see in the world.

 The power of the collective consciousness.   Wouldn't this be a great place to start? 

Consider yourself invited!

How it will work -

Follow the instructions  as outlined by the  Holocaust Museum highlighted in blue below.  When your  copyright free butterfly is completed, pop it into an envelope  including your name, email and blog or web address  and mail it to:

 
Two Dresses Studio
1554 - 20 Avenue South
Lethbridge, AB  T1K1E9
Canada

DEADLINE -December 31st, 2011
 
When I receive it, I will email you and then snap a photograph  and  post it in a central post like a registry and include  a link back to your blog.  Then once I'm sure everyone's butterflies have made their way here, I'll send them on their way to the museum .... but NOT before I take a photo of ALL OF OUR  BUTTERFLIES!!!!
 
 Or,  if you'd prefer to bypass the group project,  (though it won't be as much fun!) you can mail your butterfly or butterflies directly to the
 
Holocaust Museum Houston
c/o Butterfly Project
Education Department
5401 Caroline St.
Houston, TX 77004

The deadline for butterflies to be received at the museum has now been established as June 30, 2012

~Here are the Instructions for Making the Butterfly ~

•Butterflies should be no larger than 8 inches by 10 inches.

•Butterflies may be of any medium the artist chooses, but two-dimensional submissions are preferred.

•Glitter and all glitter-related products should not be used.

•Food products (cereal, macaroni, candy, marshmallows or other perishables) also should not be used.

Want to play but time broke?   Well, I have an 'app' for that!   Here's a simple, quick and easy solution for you.  Click on  any one of the following images of butterflies, save one, print it out and following the instructions above, art it up, cut it out and mail it in!

Want to get others involved? Here are a few ways - 

1.   Double Click the image of the hand holding the butterfly above,  add it to your sidebar and link it back here.

2.    Or write a post about it, or post your butterfly to your sidebar. 

3.   Or tell two people and ask them to tell two people. 

4.  Are you an educator or a teacher?  Get your class involved.  The organizers have a special section devoted for this very purpose here along with five activities, objectives, lesson plans and examples.

Ok, can you tell by how the font size is increasing that I'm excited about this?  If you have questions, please feel free to email me at twodressesstudio@shaw.ca  (Trudi).

 Finally - here are  a few links for more information:

1.  Holocaust Museum Houston

2.  The Butterfly Project

3.  Butterfly Utopia (direct link to the black and white butterfly   images I've posted above)

Remember, don't forget to include your email address and your web site or blog address so I can link your butterfly photo back to you.

Add a bookmark to this post so you can come back and watch the butterflies appear!

And a huge  thank you in advance for playing along. I can hardly wait to see what you create!

PS - If you plan to play, please leave a comment here so I can send you reminders!  Or if you don't want reminders, let me know that too!

LINKS TO ALL UPDATES: 
(click on the date )

1 -  September 3rd, 2010

2. September 11th, 2010
MAIN Catalogue of   BUTTERFLIES NOW SAFELY LANDED 

 3 - September 22nd, 2010

4 -  September 29th, 2010

5 - October 10th, 2010

6  - October 15th, 2010

7 - October 22nd, 2010

8 -  October 30th, 2010

9 - November 5th, 2010

10 - November 12th, 2010

11 - November 19th, 2010

12.  November 26th, 2010

13.  December 3rd, 2010

14.  December 16th, 2010

15.  January 7th, 2011

16.  January 16th, 2011

17.  February 19th, 2011

18.  March 3rd, 2011

19.  March 17th, 2011

20.  April 11th, 2011

21.  May 5th, 2011

21a.  May 8th, 2011 (continuation of Carstairs Elementary School butterflies)

22.  May 13, 2011

23.  June 18, 2011

24.  July 23, 2011

25.  July 27, 2011

26.  September 6, 2011

27.  September 28, 2011

28.  September 30, 2011

29. September 30th, 2011

31. October 5th, 2011

32. December 5th, 2011



Please remember to send me or include your email address when you sign up!!!  My email is twodressesstudio@shaw.ca  Thanks!!!

Also, please accept my apologies in advance if I don't respond to your comment here indicating your desire to join.  I have made the decision to acknowledge the receipt of the butterflies as they arrive.    However, if you have any questions before you send your butterfly, please email me at the address above.