Tuesday, May 27, 2008

MEET JAN IN PERSON – DOLL SHOW DATES

Mark your diaries!  If you would like to meet Jan then this is the ideal opportunity! 
 Jan loves meeting up with her collectors and would be delighted to personally sign your purchase. Here are the dates:-

AUCKLAND, NEW ZEALAND
Midwinter Doll Teddy & Craft Festival at Howick Recreations Centre, Auckland, New Zealand on 12th – 13th July 2008. This is one of Jan’s favourite events. Always so wonderful to have such a great turnout of Doll Lovers from all over New Zealand. 

SYDNEY, NSW, AUSTRALIA
Doll Collector’s Club Doll Show at Blacktown Leisure Centre, Sydney, Nsw, Australia on 26th – 27th July 2008. This is probably the largest doll show in Australasia with people queuing well before the doors open. 


RUSSIA
 Jan has been invited to make a personal appearance at the Grand Opening of a Russian Art Gallery where she will be exhibiting alongside other Russian artists. Jan is the only artist invited outside of Russia to attend the exhibition. This is an invitation seen as a position of priviledge. 
Jan has been commissioned by the Minister of Russian Culture to create a doll which will then be signed by both the Minister and Jan McLean. This Minister of Culture has requested that Jan design and create a doll in keeping with the era and heroine of “Gone with the Wind”. This unique one-of-a-kind doll will then be auctioned and all proceeds will go to a worthy charity.

Russia is an exciting new country for us to do business in.  There has been much work going on behind the scenes establishing the connection since we were first approached by a private gallery to supply them with a selection of dolls.  This has finally come to fruition with the first order now being processed for shipment.

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Wednesday, March 19, 2008

AUCTION NIGHT RAISES $30,000 FOR HERCEPTIN HEROINES


 The eight Herceptin Heroines hosted a dinner and auction event in Auckland on February 23. MC Jools Topp and entertainers The Beat Girls headlined the evening, raising over $30,000 for legal costs.
 Jan McLean flew to Auckland with two beautifully crafted one -of-a-kind dolls,named Madeline and Sigfreda.
These dolls were made especially for the event, raising $15,000 at auction.
 Chris Walsh (the spokesperson for the Herceptin Heroines) was thrilled with the amount raised. 
Jan pictured below with her dolls (Madeline seated and Sigfreda standing).
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Thursday, February 14, 2008

JAN MCLEAN EXHIBITING AT COOLANGATTA DOLL FAIR, AUSTRALIA

Mark your diaries doll collectors, Jan McLean will be exhibiting at the Rotary Club of Coolangatta as part of a one day doll fair on Sunday 27th April 2008. This is a very special fundraising event with all proceeds going towards Children’s Cancer Research in Australia. Jan will be exhibiting her latest collection of fabulous dolls along with showcasing her popular range of funky Lollipop girls fashion. The show will include numerous other doll stalls and related merchandise including spot prizes and raffles. There will also be a Lollipop Girl fashion parade. The event is to be held at the Twin Towers Clubs & Resorts, The Stars Lounge, 7th floor, Wharf Street, Tweed Heads, NSW, Australia (enquiries to 07 5508 2065). This is a great opportunity to combine a fantastic weekend holiday on the beautiful Gold Coast with the opportunity to meet Jan in person and see her fantastic latest collection.

 
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Wednesday, February 13, 2008

FUNDRAISING DINNER & AUCTION – HERCEPTIN FIGHTING FUND – IMPORTANT READ

Fundraiser Auction Dinner the woman going to High Court to challenge PHARMAC and their decision to only fund 9 weeks of a 12 month course of Herceptin drug.

Most of you will be aware of the 8 brave woman taking Pharmac to the High Court. Each has fundraised to pay for their own life-saving Herceptin drug treatment, and now they are fundraising to pay legal fees which could, at a later date, benefit a member of your family or friend if they get HER2+ breast cancer. Pharmac only approves a 9 week course of Herceptin when the International standard is 12 months. New Zealand women’s value is relegated to the third world! Pharmac seem to think it is fiscal prudence to limit life-saving medicine when the social and fiscal costs of motherless families are huge, because HER2+ cancer usually affects young women.
The fundraiser dinner will take place on 23rd February 2008 at the Crowne Plaza, 128 Albert Street, Auckland from 7pm – 11Pm. Jool Topp, of the Topp Twins will be the MC and auctioneer and The Beat Girls are providing the entertainment.
Tickets are $150.00 each and include a buffet dinner & complimentary wine/juice.
Tickets available from The Women’s bookshop, 105 Ponsonby Road, Auckland or contact 021 528 878.

This event looks to be a great night as I have personally attended one of the Beat Girl’s evening and WOW it was a blast. Those girls can sing and have such energy on stage; you’ll be up on the dance floor for sure. Come and share a fabulous night and support these most deserving women. And if you can, please circulate the flyer. Some items for auction are a Jan McLean original doll and 2 paintings by Lance O’Gorman plus many other items.  

This week 8 brave women, Christine Walsh, Diane Edwards, Amanda Rudd, Diane McCormack, Mangalika Mendis, Judith Ridout, Lois Blair, Annette Wikeepa who missed out on the funding for part or all of their breast cancer treatment are fighting PHARMAC in High Court to have the decision reversed and to explain why they will not fund treatment in NZ.
The fight is for the future of the treatment of NZ women with HER2 positive breast cancer.


Proceeds from the fundraiser auction dinner are going towards the legal fees  for 8 women going to the High court in Wellington on 11th February 2008, challenging PHARMACS decision not to fund 12 months of Herceptin for NZ women with HER2 positive breast cancer. The 8 women have funded the $100,000 for their own 12 month course of Herceptin and believe that other NZ women should not have to pay for this standard treatment to increase their chances of surviving this deadly form of breast cancer. 

As some of you may know by speaking to Jan and reading our blog page on www.janmcleandolls.com, Jan has actively been supporting the fight against breast cancer for women in New Zealand and also supporting the fight for the Herceptin drug for NZ woman with HER2 positive breast cancer. When Jan was in Christchurch last year , she read in the local paper about a woman needing the 12month treatment drug – Herceptin – but who could only get the government funded 9 week course of Herceptin. She would have to self-fund for the remainder of the 12month course. 
Twenty-four other OECD countries now fund the proven and recommended Herceptin treatment regime of 12 months. Oncologiests recommend. However the GOVERNMENT funded agency PHARMAC will only fund the drug Herceptin for nine weeks. Therefore women have to fund-raise to pay for as many treatments as they can afford. At a cost of $90,000 – $190,000.
After Jan read this article she just knew she had to do something to help these women. Jan has since donated a number of her dolls on the New Zealand Trade Me auction website with all proceeds going towards helping the breast cancer sufferer and also the Herceptin Fight Fund. Jan also hosted a Pink Tea Party auction night in Dunedin for the Breast Cancer society. This was a huge success raising $15,000 for breast cancer society. Jan was approached by Chris Walsh from Herceptin Fight Fund about donating a doll for their auction night fundraiser (please see flyer attached) and Jan was more than happy to oblige by donating one of her stunning dolls to be auctioned. 

Your support will help to get the 12 months treatment that all oncologists are recommending and 24 other OECD countries already fully fund.

See www.breastcancer.org.nz for more information about Herceptin and the Judicial Review.
You can read other newspaper articles about Jan’s support for breast cancer and the Herceptin Fight in our previous blog posts.

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Saturday, February 9, 2008

THIEVES ALLEY MARKET DAY – Dunedin

Thousands of people thronged to the Otagon in Dunedin on Saturday 9th February for the opening of our 19th Annual Thieves Alley Market Day. Added to the  bumper crowds were passengers from 2 cruise ships and Master Games competitors.
 There were 250 stalls plus entertainment surrounding the Octagon and streets.
We had a stall down Bath Street selling our Lollipopgirl dolls and their fashion plus our Lollipopgirl cotton/lycra tshirts and our new awesome funky colour merino tshirts.
People were crowding our stall all day as we were also offering children to be “lollipop’d or Fuzu’d”  – this meant that they could get their hair styled and hairsprayed funky colours of pink, blue, green, yellow and orange.
The market opened at 10am and we finished our last hairstyle at 4pm! WOW! It was great to see all the children queuing up to get their hairs done and even some mums’ got in on the fun and got their hair done.

We had a fantastic time talking to all the locals and foreigners. Two sister who were Jan’s grand-daughter, Alani McLean, was there to model one of our Merino tshirts and give a helping hand.

Our local newspaper was there to capture some images from the day and took this great shot of 2 sisters after they were “Lollipop’d”.
 

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Tuesday, January 15, 2008

FUNDRAISING CONTINUES FOR BREAST CANCER SUFFERER

Breast cancer sufferer, Carolyn Skinner, from Christchurch has raised enough funds for the treatment drug Herception till March this year. Her wonderful friends have been rallying for her to have the extended 12 month treatment but until the government approves this, Carolyn is only entitled to a 9 week government funded course. The rest of the course has to be has to self-funded. Her fundraising efforts has allowed her to continue with the treatment which is great news. But this will only last her till March and more funds are needed. We should all join hands and fight for all women to have better access to any drug that will give them a fighting chance.
Please refer to our previous posts (Archives on left hand side, August folder) about Carolyn Skinner and the fundraising efforts. Anybody wishing to donate to the Herceptin Fund for Carolyn Skinner can do so by contacting her friend, Val on 03 3477 397 or Jane of BCAC on 09 428 3385.  We can all give up one flat white or glass of wine to help Carolyn.

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Wednesday, January 9, 2008

HAPPY NEW YEAR

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to everyone around the world! 2008 has just started and already we are very busy shipping out dolls and working on some new designs. In the next few months we’ll be posting information about our new dolls and other projects in the pipeline.
 After a well deserved rest over the festive season, we are all back at work and ready to tackle the challenges that 2008 offer us. Some of us went away to visit family, some of us went camping and some of us stayed in Dunedin enjoying the time with family. We closed for the festive holidays with a great staff lunch at the studio and continued with an evening BBQ at Jan & Graeme’s beach house. We all sat on the deck sipping champagne as we watched the sun go down and the boats sail away. A wonderful way to wind down a very busy 2007!
Our collector’s club newsletter went out before Christmas and we have had amazing response for some of our new dolls and our Boho Chics. We’ve also had new members join our circle of collector friends and old ones renew. So if you are not a member yet, here’s your chance to join and be able to purchase some of our new dolls and also the special edition doll available exclusively first to collectors. Click on www.jancmleandolls.com and onto the ‘club’ page to join.
 All the best for the New Year.
 Thought for today – I have success with everything I touch and do!
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Friday, December 7, 2007

HIP HOP LOLLIPOPPIN FASHION SHOW on YOUTUBE

You can now view our Hip Hoppin Lollipoppin Fashion Show during Dunedin’s ID Fashion week, March 2007. We launched our new children’s wear tweenie ranges Lollipopgirl and Fuzu boy at the Mercedez showroom in Dunedin, New Zealand. The show was sharp, snappy and very colourful as our models danced and cruised their way along the catwalk to show off our range for boys andf girls aged 6-12 years. It was invitation only event with goodie bags stuffed full of cool things and non-alcoholic cocktails for the children. About 300 people crowded the showroom on a hot sunny day to watch our fashion show extravaganza. But dont just take my word for it, watch it for yourself, simply click on http://www.youtube.com/v/qty4PZ4UJk8 to watch it . If you have trouble with this link, go to www.youtube.com and search for lollipopgirls and then select Hip Hop Lollipoppin to watch the video.
Check out our gear at www.lollipopgirlshop.com
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Thursday, December 6, 2007

LOLLIPOPGIRLS LIVE AT SANTA PARADE WOWS CROWD

Thousands of spectators lined the main street of Dunedin to watch the floats of all shapes, sizes and description drive by in Dunedin’s Annual Santa Parade. This year was extra special as it celebrated its 10th anniversay and was bigger and better than ever! There were all kinds of floats, from story book characters to local and national icons including the funky Lollipopgirls and jolly Santa himself. Jan’s shop in town was buzzing with excitement and chatter as our Lollipop models and Fuzu boys got their hair teased and hairsprayed in pinks; blue and green ready to dance on our float. When our vibrant float drove past the crowd went wild with whistles and shouts as our Lollipop models dressed in our new summer t-shirts rocked to the beat waving their arms; smiling to the crowd and singing along to our groovy tunes. We event had our littlest cutest Lollipopgirls (Jan’s five granddaughters)on board this year, dressed in our new Merino Lollipopgirl t-shirts for littilies (age 2-4) . It was a gloriously warm sunny day and we all had a good time. Our new t-shirts and Merino t-shirts will be available at our store in Dunedin and online www.lollipopgirlshop.com from January 2008.
 Check out our Santa Parade Album to see all of the gorgeous photos from the day. ***Click once on each photo to select that photo and then CLICK again to view a large image of that photo***

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Thursday, November 22, 2007

HO! HO! HO! SEE YOU AT THE SANTA PARADE

Merry Christmas everybody!!!  With christmas just around the corner we are once again getting excited about next Sunday 2nd December, 3pm when we will be joining the annual Santa Parade along George Street in Dunedin.  Our Lollipop Girls and Fuzu boys are all excited about waving, smiling and giving away lollipops as they parade on our vibrant lollilicious christmas float.  You can get to see the exciting new summer teeshirt range on our gorgeous young stars and these will be available for purchase at our George Street Store early December so make sure you pack one in your fave childs santa stocking.  It promises to be a bubbleliciously good time!!!

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