It's All about ME!!!

“If you light a lamp for someone else it will also brighten your path.” ~Buddha

Hi Everyone and Thanks for dropping by...
so, do you want to know a little more 
about the woman behind the blog? 
Keep reading...
My name is Kalaimane, but my friends and family 

fondly call me Suzy. I am happily married with 
two grown Kids and am living in Houston. I was born in Singapore but currently reside in  
Houston, Texas with my family. 

I am constantly immersed in DIY house projects

like quilting, knitting, decorating-on dime, thrift store finds, cooking, capturing memories with my camera.
I find comfort and solace in being crafty. 

Seriously, it maintains my sanity. I adore               
anything creative. Anything to do with
crafting captures my attention. My eyes 

literally light up!!! 

I also love to cook. I learned that from my mom. I know I can do much better at this moment but
I am still struggling to get better with my

sewing skills. Whenever possible, I  try and learn something new. I love to download patterns from the internet and attempt them.

It is a challenge for me and when I get a particular pattern right, I am overjoyed. Most of the time I get remnants from fabric stores and make  out of 
clothes them. I am always constructing, drafting,

and altering my next creation, which is usually 
a dress, pencil case or a tote bag or quilt. You name 

it and I have tried it all. I love to make things and give them as gifts rather than buying 
something fromthe store. I know everyone loves a handmade gift.

One of my favorite times of the day is dawn. 
There's something magical about that time

of the day.I call it the Golden Hour. 
Mostly, that's the time I bring my dogs for a walk. 
It has such a calming effect on me. 

I want to make friends who have the same ideas
and passions. I love to travel and visit countries. 
I hope that one day I will be able to meet 

the friends I have made all over the world. 

I am new to Blogging and this is my first attempt.
I need some support from my Friends and Family. Sometimes I do get new ideas and would love to share it with my fellow crafters out there. 

Honestly, when I first started visiting India, four years ago, my main idea or my thoughts were to make lots of money and start my own business selling Sarees and jewelery. But after a couple of visits there, I realized that I 

have changed my thought process. During my last couple of visits to Chennai India, I just had a dying need to help the poor and needy. I was lucky to befriend a beautiful young lady who was teaching in one of the government schools for the underprivileged. Though she had a wonderful  
career in the corporate world, she had 

chosen to teach underprivileged kids and that motivated me. 

It was truly inspiring to see that she has such
a big heart to give back to the poor. I was very
proud of her and after visiting them in the school, I realized how lucky and privileged 

we are and felt that it was time for me to give back to the society what GOD has given me. 

I am just currently hooked on making lots of 
bags and pencil cases for the kids in that school. When I donated these bags and pencil 

cases to these kids, the last time I was there, 
they were so happy and they were jumping
 with joy just to receive these pencil cases and 
bags that I actually stitched with from  

remnants that I had bought,which cost me close to nothing. 

At this stage in my journey I am just at peace 
and feel very happy helping these kids and it has brought so much of joy to me. 

My motto is "LOVE CONQUERS ALL!!!."
It makes the world go around and I am a true 
believer in living life to the fullest! 

“Why be ordinary when you can be extraordinary!” 

Soon I will be posting pictures of my finished
projects and patterns. I enjoy reading your 
comments so please don't be shy to write to me 
or say "Hello" 
Now tell me something about yourself. 
Let's chat and be friends. 

Joyfully, 

Suzy

 http://azarausa.blogspot.com/  

Chennai Primary School Visit August 2014

Me handing over the bags and pencil cases to the kids from Chennai Primary School











 

                                                 I LOVE SCHOLARS!!!






 

Donated my Ipad and Kindle to the school for their classroom needs.
 


 
Kids happy with their biscuits that I distributed to them.
 



 

Miss Gowri with the one of the kids...he is smiling with his goodies with a small packet of cookies.

Chennai Primary School Visit August 2014

Me handing over the bags and pencil cases to the kids from Chennai Primary School











 

                                                 I LOVE SCHOLARS!!!






 

Donated my Ipad and Kindle to the school for their classroom needs.
 


 
Kids happy with their biscuits that I distributed to them.
 



 

Miss Gowri with the one of the kids...he is smiling with his goodies with a small packet of cookies.

Must Read - No one has become Poor by Giving!!!

Hi Everyone, I hope this message finds you in great health and spirits!  I want to take this opportunity to share with you a recent experience that has had a profound impact on my life.  As many of you know, I visited India in the spring of this year.  My recent trip to India was wonderful and eye-opening, as the time I spend in India always is.  However, I departed India this time with a nagging concern, a concern that has inspired me to write this message to you today.  Despite the progress of India and of today’s modern world, I was touched and alarmed to see so many young children still living in extreme poverty, abandoned, and with little hope to gain an education or a means to survive in adulthood.  For this reason, I have decided to devote my time and energy to try and help, in just some small way, to alleviate the misery of some of these unfortunate children in India.

In my quest to help, earlier this year I became involved with the Chennai Primary School in Kotturpuram in Chennai, India.   This school is dedicated to enabling some of the most desperate and disadvantaged children in India to become contributing members of society and leaders of the next generation.  The foundation fulfills its mission by promoting health care, basic education, a healthy environment, and livelihood opportunities to poor and underprivileged youth in South India.  

 Currently, the School serves 55 school-aged boys and girls by attempting to provide them a basic education through its Despite the grand intentions of this School, however, its resources are extremely limited.  Sadly, with such meager resources, the school is forced to house dozens of children in cramp classrooms.   The school has no tables or chairs and almost no access to teaching materials.  Even clean water and basic lavatory facilities are often lacking.  Most of the students of this school have been orphaned, abused, abandoned, or otherwise neglected, and thus the School has become their only hope for becoming well-adjusted, healthy future members of the society.

 It has become my personal mission to aid the Chennai Primary School through assisting them in teaching services, and fundraising for the improvement and maintenance of the School's programs and facilities.  I am planning to visit India in September of next year.  I intend to volunteer my services including teaching English while I am there. 

I am reaching out to you today because I would sincerely appreciate your help in this cause that has become so dear to my heart.  One way in which I am assisting the School is by collecting lightly-used children’s clothing, children’s books, and funds to be used for the educational and basic living needs of these children.  I plan to personally oversee that any donation you provide is used productively and solely for the benefit of the children.  If you can spare any of the above-mentioned items, please let me know by email (azarausa@gmail.com) or call me at 832-545-6561.  If you are able to donate funds to the School, no matter how small, please consider sending a check to my address indicating Kalaimane Govindasamy  as the recipient.  Also, please leave me with your physical address so that I may provide you with a receipt for your donation.  Thank you for your time, love, and support. 

 My mission is to enable some of the most desperate and disadvantaged children in India to become contributing members of society and leaders of the next generation.

“We tend to forget at times that it is the little ones, the children, who do suffer the greatest hurt. If we cannot comprehend why certain sorrows are visited upon us, how on earth can they?”

― Sharon Kay Penman, The Sunne in Splendour

        

A Plea from the Teacher herself Miss Gowri Gurumurthi...

Dear  Potential donor,

“To teach is to touch a life forever.”

I remember using this exact same quote at a debate in school, back then it was just a sentence. Today it’s a statement. A statement that I relate with the ‘Miss’ attached to my name. I am a TeachforIndia fellow and I spend the day teaching 32 whizkids in a “corporation of Chennai public school” everything from the Solar system to long division. My students and their families come from a high-poverty neighborhood and in most cases, are the first in their family to attend school. However these conditions do not deter these champions from learning and enjoying anything that has to do with technology and hands-on activities in the classroom. My students “The Scholars” are on the path to change; change themselves and their families for the better!

Like all good schools that look out for their students, this school has budgets allocated for their various activities, but like all government run schools, it lacks the minimum lower limit to ensure it. I do not want something as trivial as that to get in the way of my students education and overall development.

I am therefore raising funds to bring the following to my classroom

(a)    Classroom supplies – Stationary is a luxury that they sometimes cannot afford. I want to keep a ready stock of stationary and art supplies in the classroom for my kids.

(b)    Story Books - My students are more intelligent than they can express in English at this point. Great books and exposure to literature can negate the language deficit. I want to set up a mini library inside the classroom and let my kids fall in love with good literature.

(c)    Footwear and Sport shoes – One of the first things I did as a teacher was to ensure all my students came wearing footwear to school. No child should have to walk barefoot on hot roads or wade through puddles and mud on rainy days to get to school. PT is important to nurture their bodies at this age, canvas shoes will help protect their feet during fun and games.

(d)    Field trips - Because seeing is believing and believing helps retaining! Plus, there's just so much WORLD to see. The exorbitant fuel prices at present seem to be eating into my available allowance and hence, the opportunities I want my students to have are contesting with the classroom supplies for them. Your contribution might make all the difference!

(e)    LCD Projector – Latest research has shown that children respond best to a mixture of audio visual and kinesthetic means of teaching and practicing. I would love to for them watch their subjects come alive without having to strain themselves in a crowded classroom.

Your contribution will tip the balance in the favor of my students in their fight against their current conditions. All the money raised will be utilized for the above in priority from A to E.

As for me, I promise to let them be little, fill their hearts with laughter, help them grow wings, nurture their sense of wonder and inspire them to believe in a brighter tomorrow. Here's your chance to also be a part of the CHANGE we're working towards. Be the change you wish to see in the world, and we'll make sure you get to see it in our classroom. Lots and lots of love coming your way! 32 hugs included.

Please click on the below link to donate !

http://www.giveindia.org/iGive-GowrisClassroom">

Thank you for taking the time to read this.

Gowri Miss and The Scholars.