Our Tending Tent: It's May 28.

In 2013, in honor of the average 28 day menstrual cycle,  May 28th was declared Menstrual Hygiene Day.  It created an annual focal point for an ongoing global vision: 

To create a world in which every woman and girl is empowered to manage her menstruation safely, hygienically, with confidence and without shame, where no woman or girl is limited by something as natural and normal as her period.

For us, it is a global platform uniting our tiny red tent with a determined and ever growing movement of other individuals committed to reclaiming "the curse".  It is one day of the year that we feel the uplift of something much loftier and more expansive being hoisted high above us.  It is an opportunity to be inspired.  

Here is how we are spending our day.  

Our tent is still intentionally small while we are navigating the sometimes unpredictable (and always magical!) waters of project based homeschooling.  We've wisely adopted a "go with the flow" attitude regarding our Raising The Red Tent project and have been rewarded with much less stress and much more enjoyment!  Whenever possible we keep it simple.  As Marge Piercy points out in "The Low Road", with just two and then three people you've already got something

...a delegation, a committee, a wedge. 

We've already got three and that is all we need for our first ever stitch-n-pitch:

Our communal project:  Reusable Handmade Menstrual Pads.  Luna Wolf website offers a wonderful pattern and tutorial.  Treehugger also has an article not only with links regarding HOW to make your own pads but also WHY you might want to.


Our personal project: An action bracelet inspired by the MHD website to help remind us of the commitment we are taking on:

We commit to reach 25 girls with affordable menstrual hygiene products in 2019. (With the hope that we FAR exceed that number).

Fresh from the 2019 Bay Area Maker's Faire we are overflowing with motivation to make a difference!  And, since maker magic is contagious we're hoping others will catch it.  If you do, please share your own story of craftivism in the comments section of the blog.