Tag Archives: downsyndrome

Recycling Book

Recycling Book Project Progress for 2024

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Happy New Year! 2024 turned into a busy year with house and garden renovations taking up any free time, so fitting in recycling pickups at the weekend was all we could manage. Social media and posting had to be put on hold, but with the illustrations ready it’s time to pick up where we left off.

We have now collected thousands of cans and bottles, so it’s time to think about publishing the book. There are still some collaboration ideas in the pipeline which we need to pursue, but the aim is to start ramping up socials again and then launch for October, which is Down Syndrome Awareness Month.

Click here to follow our progress – here is the final version of page 7:Below you can see my initial idea. I love this page as it shows the creative process – how to go from ideas and turn them into something that fits. So this page shows Elijah and Crumpet imagining what they could do if they collected loads of recycling.

Fatima my illustrator decided to use industrial size wheelie bins, which I liked as it shows scale! Then she nailed the right side with Crumpet and had Sapphire the cat sitting on a pile of books. My only thought was whether or not to use our three Elijah and Crumpet books, but our books are thinner and so I was happy to stick with the effect.

If you would like to preorder a copy of our recycling book (name will be revealed soon), you can order on our website – click here.

(Finally, the AI-generated image at the top was what the website editing software kindly offered to create. I thought I would see what it produced using my image as a prompt. Not a bad effort!)

Recycling Book

Recycling Book Underway

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Our 4th book is now well underway. It’s a rubbish book … which isn’t what you think 🙂

We have been collecting cans and bottles from local businesses and houses, so we are turning these into a book on recycling. A recycling book fully funded by recycling! Very cool. Plus Elijah is meeting more and more people around our local area, building connections which will help him later in life. (And it gets him away from screen time, teaching him a good work ethic!)

We will then give these recycling books out as rewards, as supporters give us their recycling items … and with the profits we will be able to distribute free books to schools in the local community (and then further afield) with the intention of:

  1. Encouraging reading;
  2. Creating awareness of recycling;
  3. Creating awareness of Down syndrome;
  4. Introducing more people to Elijah and Crumpet.

Recycling as a community project attracts a lot of support, from locals, businesses, council and local media. So I would definitely recommend it as a way to raise funds for a worthy cause.

To follow our book illustrations progressing from draft ideas through to final pages, complete with commentary, click here!

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Book #3 is now available!

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‘Best Book Forever’ has just been published! Written with the support of Logan City Council Libraries and the First 5 Forever team, ‘Best Book Forever’ is a celebration of libraries – showing how lucky we are to have these places to explore and seek out magical stories.

This brings our Elijah and Crumpet book series up to 3 books, which is very exciting to see. We can now start working on book #4, which is our recycling book.

If you would like to order, please click here: Order Books

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Best Book Forever

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“Hey, isn’t that this book? How clever!” says Elijah as Crumpet finally brings him the library book he is looking for.

We have been working away over the past 6 months on the third book in the Elijah and Crumpet series: Best Book Forever. This book idea came about when we made a video for our local Logan Library up in Queensland. They were keen to support early readers and also inclusion, so we came up with the idea of writing a book about the library.

Andy Marshall was busy with his own kid’s book, plus running a cafe, so understandably he had to decline the offer to illustrate this one. So we eventually found an illustrator, Fatima Arif, who was able to continue the look of Elijah and Crumpet.

Now we are in the final stages of having this ready to print … so if you would like to pre-order a copy, please click this link: https://elijahandcrumpet.com/crowdfunding/

We look forward to sharing Best Book Forever with you – you will be able to download a free pdf from our supporter page on Buy Me A Coffee in the near future: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/crumpet

Super Scout

Blogging Blues

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We did it – complete our second book, Super Scout, and received our first order of books, which we will now be sending out! (See photo below)

Reading our last blog from 2 years ago, so much has changed, including Elijah becoming a teenager, but we are still finding the time to be creative and do things for Elijah and Crumpet. The blog dropped off, but reading Andy Marshall’s blog reminded me to jump on and post something at least!

What’s new? We gave TikTok a go and so that’s another social media outlet to manage. Good engagement and easy to make videos which then could be used on all the other channels.

Finishing Super Scout took some time, but we are very happy with it now. It’s a great look to have more than one book as it lends credibility and more talking points to us when we are in the marketplace. We did one day in the Katoomba craft fair and sold 12 books, so Elijah and I will be doing that again soon.

October is Down Syndrome Awareness Month and we are being featured in the Blue Mountains Gazette, our local regional paper. They have written a lovely article and I think they are going to be using this photo:

We have also launched our recycling book project, so you can read all about that on our website – just click the button on our home page, or click here to find out more!

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October is Down Syndrome Awareness Month

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Did you know that October is the internationally recognised Down Syndrome Awareness Month?

It’s a month which is chosen so that everyone can channel their energy towards social media campaigns and projects to raise awareness of Down syndrome.

So what have Elijah and Crumpet been doing?

2021 Childhood Summit

Elijah submitted an application video for the 2021 Childhood Summit which is being held in Logan this month. He was chosen to be a speaker, so we agreed that he would make a video on his chosen subject, seeing as that’s his strongest means of communication. He will be talking about imaginative playground design.

We have been busy practising Elijah’s speech and this weekend we completed the filming (funnily enough, meeting 2 other Elijahs in the playgrounds we visited – one of whom is appearing with his sister in our video!)

Super Scout Update

Elijah and Crumpet also filmed their Super Scout video this weekend (it’s been a busy weekend!), so we are all set to launch several crowdfunding campaigns once this video is edited.

Working with Scouts Queensland is great, but we need to fund the illustration costs, so seeing as we have experience of crowdfunding, we thought we should make the most of it. We gain a broader reach on each platform we list on, so it’s really a case of ‘the more, the merrier’! We will set the target amounts very low to ensure that we can collect whatever we raise.

Our fundraising page is all ready on our website, with pre-order copies starting to sell now at $20 for a signed, limited edition copy.

So that’s enough news for October! It’s quite busy, but it’s been fun and we are continuing to sell copies of Motivate Man both through our website and through online channels.

Happy Down Syndrome Awareness Month!

Motivate Man

Going, Going, Gone!

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Well, what a month it’s been, launching our first book, Motivate Man! It was worth the wait and by the end of this month we will have distributed over 350 copies AROUND THE WORLD! The feedback we have had has been superb for a few reasons, which I will list later on.

First, though, if you haven’t had a chance to look yet, we have updated our website and you can now order your copy directly from us! Just click on the ORDER BOOK link HERE or in the menu later on. We love the book and everyone who has read it thinks it’s great too. That’s important for Andy (who illustrated it) and I – since it reinforces that what we thought (and hoped) would work actually turned out well!

Did you know … ?

Did you know that we have hidden an EASTER EGG in the book? Now, I’d better explain, as we did have some customers at the school book fair looking for a real Easter egg! An EASTER EGG is a term used by filmmakers, often animated films, and also game designers, to describe an object that they have inserted into the film or game. It’s usually an in-joke or an item that doesn’t belong or has relevance outside of the film. So we have one and it’s very hard to find. In fact, maybe we should run a competition to see who can spot it!

We realised that we hadn’t named our Siamese cat in the book. The cat appears on nearly every page, which was an idea we added in later, since it (I have to stop myself saying her name!) does love people and is always talking (when not sleeping). So we have her talking and sleeping throughout. That’s another investigation the kids can have (the answer is out there in social media!)

We have plans to create a newsletter and perhaps a Motivate Man Fan Club as well, so watch this space! It’s all designed to engage kids around the world with Elijah and also to encourage reading and develop skills and ways of thinking which can help them.

So what has the feedback been like?

Amazement – Elijah’s friends get quite a surprise when they see that he has his own book. Elijah IS ‘Motivate Man’ so they think that’s cool. With that his social standing gets a lift … not that he needs it as they are so supportive anyway, but it all helps.

‘Well done‘ – we pulled it off and created a decent book. The cover, the title, the theme and concept, the pictures and the rhyming storyline – it all came together really nicely to create a book which people are saying, “I love it!” about. The question always comes up in an author’s and illustrator’s mind, “Will readers like it?” and there is that fear of failure which we have to battle against. With it being considered good, we gain credibility with libraries and schools, so the book will reach more people around the world and have more of an impact.

Appreciation – those who have experience of writing, illustrating or publishing a book (either self-publishing like we did or going through a publisher) know what it takes. They appreciate the hard work and late nights, stress and obstacles which have to be overcome. It’s amazing to meet so many people who have already walked this path and the connections are continuing to be made.

Interest – in addition to the above, we are engaging with people who would like to produce their own book. They say it’s really motivating to see that WE DID IT! So we offer our advice and experiences or knowledge about how it was for us and encourage them to give it a go. It seems to be on a lot of bucket lists, so if we can help others to tick it off, that will be awesome.

Unspoken – we know we are making an impression, so we know that we don’t even need to hear feedback to know that we are making a difference. It’s the way someone says ‘Thank you’ to Elijah when he has written their name in the book they have just bought since they can see how he makes such an effort to write those letters. It’s the smile they give when they see Elijah showing his friends how Crumpet works. It’s the way something is said, like ‘Oh, you’ve got business cards too?!!‘ or ‘Can I have a sticker?‘ These are all moments which lend weight to what we are trying to achieve – recognition of the ability for Elijah and all people with Down syndrome to live a valued, successful and happy life when we surround them with the right love and support.

Supportive – everyone we talk to is so supportive. Supportive of the book (by buying a copy for themselves, or even 10, as some people have, to distribute themselves as gifts) and also supportive of Elijah and what it means for him. That support means a lot – Thank You!

2021TheYearofDownSyndrome

It’s Cool to be Different

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Have you ever wondered what being cool means? If you have a teenager in the house and you are a parent, at least you probably know what ‘not cool’ is! In the absence of a dictionary – my definition is that being cool is when you do, have or are something that other people think is cool at that point in time.

So sometimes being different is cool, if it’s something that others aspire to do, have or be. Otherwise, if everyone is doing, having or being it … well, I guess there are lots of people being ‘different’, so there are lots of cool people. Until one minion declares that something else is important and then the cool-o-meter resets to zero.

In fashion, like art, you often see people who are different standing out. When there is something different or unusual about a person, it seems they have the edge. The society of the day deems what that thing is, but it’s the nature of fashion (and art) that there will always be those looking for the next trend, challenging the status quo and discarding the norms of the day. We love traditions but we have come to expect change. We embrace the new breakthrough trend and wonder why it took so long to be realised.

What’s the point? Well, a thought I have been having is about Down syndrome and the whole same/different discussion. You may know the hashtag #MoreAlikeThanDifferent – Do you push an agenda that your child is the same as everyone else, or do you shout out about the differences. Obviously, there’s a time an place for both, but I sometimes wonder.

At the start of the journey, when the world seems to be turned on its head with a Down syndrome diagnosis … Different … the advice is to just treat your beautiful baby as you would any other … Same. We expect other people to view our child as a child first … Same … with Down syndrome second … Different. For Inclusive Education, we expect our child to have access to regular schooling. Same. We expect the curriculum to be modified and appropriate adjustments to be made. Different. Workplaces create dubious reasoning to justify why they could not give someone employment, thinking they have to treat everyone the same to be fair. Same. We call that out knowing that there are many other benefits to employing someone with Down syndrome, including some different to the usual criteria. Different.

Standing out from the crowd can be a good thing. In business, having a point of difference can make your business a success. So if supporters value the difference and provide their custom, a person with Down syndrome can be successful. The more people who value that difference, who see it as a positive thing, even see the ‘overcoming the challenge’ as something cool, the more successful a person living with Down syndrome can become. People with Down syndrome and their families do have to work harder for the same things. Considering the state of the story book on Down syndrome we have inherited, certain countries are very lucky that the tide is turning. That’s in contrast to countries like Iceland and developing countries like China and many other countries around the world where the governments (and therefore many people) just don’t value people with Down syndrome the same way.

So the starting point is to change the story we are telling about what it means to have Down syndrome. We need to promote the similarities and yet sell the differences in a positive way. We can take advantage of uniqueness and transform it into something cool. We need to use social media, a very powerful game-changer putting power in the hands of the people, to change the inherited stories into our new uplifting ones. The fashion around Down syndrome is changing and rather than hiding behind closed doors, people around the world are proudly showing off their successes. The energy is shared and with all the newcomers you can feel the momentum is building.

It’s a different way of looking at it.

Now I think that’s cool.

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Finally on Facebook!

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Well, we did it! We jumped through the burning virtual hoops and worked out how to get a page for Elijah and Crumpet on Facebook. Here is the link:

https://www.facebook.com/ElijahandCrumpetBooks

Now I am burning up time checking out groups on there, but it’s an amazing platform, so I’m looking forward to seeing what happens in that space.

The history of why we were not already on Facebook is quite simple – when I first tried to open an account with Elijah, he was too young. Then I had two faces in the picture (one being Crumpet), so it was blocked as it went against the guidelines. So the name Elijah and Crumpet was taken … by me! But blocked!!

Last weekend I researched what I needed to do. I finally worked out that I had to open an account with my name, then make a page for Elijah and Crumpet, then I could create a closed group. So that is all now complete and we have 10 likes and a few members. Yay!

So please come on over if you are on Facebook – you get a free entry into the book draw if you join the group! I have already connected with people from all around the world on there and it’s very satisfying to be able to add an encouraging comment for someone in need.

Short one today as it’s late and I have to get on with the edit for our Kickstarter video. 16 days to go until we launch (don’t you love the countdown clock I added on the left! It’s a good motivator for me!)

Have a great day/night! 🙂 Rob

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So Many Amazing People

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Since we started our YouTube channel, I have connected with so many amazing people – some creators on YouTube, some people working in the field of advocacy or disability services, but mainly people with Down syndrome and their families. I wish we had started earlier, since before we put ourselves out there, there were many people doing just that, using social media to advocate and make more people aware.

Why didn’t we start earlier? 3 reasons, really:

Firstly, I didn’t know what I was doing and I didn’t have the time, or I didn’t think I had the time, to learn. I didn’t have Instagram or Twitter and up until a couple of years ago I wasn’t even set up with an account on YouTube! I had no reason to be on social media, I thought life was busy enough.

Secondly, we were absorbed by working with Elijah to give him a normal life. A fully inclusive education and regular activities. Life was busy and being an advocate seemed to be something that other people wanted to do. While we do have friends who have kids with Down syndrome whom we met early on, we were not going to group functions. Again, life seemed busy enough!

Thirdly, the fear of social media and putting Elijah ‘out there’ in the world – a world where trolls abounded and it would only be asking for trouble. Now I know, the reality is that there are hardly any trouble-makers and far more lovely people. So, if I knew back then what I know now, maybe we might have started sooner!

So I commented recently that of all the supportive comments from our 1000 YouTube and 4000 Instagram followers, I have only ever received one nasty comment. Their comment doesn’t deserve to be told – it wasn’t that bad, but was intended to annoy. So I sent a nice comment back thanking them for increasing our views, reported them and blocked them. Job done. It didn’t bother me and it was actually then a talking point about how I had my first negative comment! It was like I had been waiting too long and now I had earned my first Troll badge! I am confident with the processes that Instagram and others have in place, making it quite difficult for those trouble-makers to be annoying for long.

Back to the amazing people, though … so while we are aiming to inspire, educate and entertain, there are so many doing exactly the same, or some of these. I am blown away by the abilities of so many people with Down syndrome whom I have seen on their Instagram accounts – business owners, workers, dancers, models, actors, sportspeople, or just happy kids with their families. It’s great and this in itself does such a lot to advance positive understanding of the condition.

Before social media, we hardly saw people with Down syndrome. Sometimes a group of people on a day out with their care workers. Otherwise with so many being put into institutions in the bad old days, with short life expectancy, it was hardly surprising that there was something of a veil over what Down syndrome was.

I see that veil as having been lifted now and we are all using social media to do this very effectively. When you consider the small percentage still who are on it, things are going to go from good to great. It’s only a matter of time.

The other observation is the international nature of Down syndrome. This is something that I have touched on before. The condition goes across borders, just as being human does, but the bond between families around the world is so much stronger. While in an ideal world, just being human would serve as a strong bond, we kind of stuffed that up some time ago and are trying to make things good again. With Down syndrome, though, plus the connectivity of social media, we are living in the perfect age to work together for a better world future. There is a lot of work to be done, especially with developing countries like China and those in Africa, and especially in the face of genetic testing.

So, what can we do? Well, now is the time to start working on something for 2021 The Year of Down Syndrome. It’s not just for those with or close to Down syndrome, but for everyone. I’m always encouraged when I see people without Down syndrome advocating – like Madi from the Dallas Cowboys, who is putting out stories each day through October to raise awareness. We will be doing our video for her tomorrow, having been asked by Trista the Barista, a lady we met via Instagram (she’s a worker, hence the name, and a hip-hop dancer)(and she has Down syndrome). The more people who develop understanding, the faster society will repair the historical damage that exists. Great opportunities lie ahead!

Have a great day and thanks for following! If you haven’t, please click the follow button on the left and you can also sign up for my email News-e-Letter on the menu bar. Best wishes, Rob