Homegrown Hospitality

Do Something

Be positive, think good thoughts and remember we are equipped for hard things.

Monday Morning Color Play

Ya know...you can doodle with fabric and thread, just substitute the paper for fabric and markers for thread.  This past weekends color play started with an idea which was spurred on by a phone conversation that I had on Friday.

I grabbed my scraps and started cutting letters.  Yes, I hand cut them, but you could use a die cutting system if you want.  I LOVE to sit a cut letters out.  For some reason, it is relaxing to me. 

I stitched each letter on with a coordinating thread.and just kept going until I got to the last letter...and I did not have room to finish.

whoops.

It read HANDMAD.Then, out of the blue, I got a great idea. I sat my stitching aside and doodled out the word and then colored it just like (well, sorta just like) the fabric that I had just stitched.  What a great way to create doodled letters. Use the fabric and the colors for your inspiration..duh! (notice I had not stitched an "E" on yet...)
Alright, so I went back to my stitching and thought (for reals) "What would Ma Ingalls do?" sooo I hand stitched another piece of muslin to the original piece and kept going. ( I know, I am a dork, it is ok!)

Then I cut out a really random flower, just like a doodled flower, a circle for the center and of course a leaf, and stitched those on. Then another flower to cover the blue paint that was at the top of my muslin scrap. (oh, and I did stitch on an E)I sorta completely LOVE how it is coming out and I love that it was a total game of picking out the fabric. The one I touched was the one I cut and stitched.  If I would have taken the time to sit and fuss over matching it, it would not have been as fun and I suppose it would have been too matchy.  I am finding that I am really becoming attracted to mixing patterns and incorporating more color to my work everyday. I am feeling a shift.

oh, and what is this HANDMADE thing anyway...

soon.

details soon.

Now go make something colorful!

Miscellany Part Two

The Miscellany continues, first by taking a doodle and mixing it up with media and now, taking a  doodle and mixing it with embroidery floss and fabric.

It started with me picking up markers that I am not used to picking up, coloring without lines and pushing myself outside my own comfort zone...and then taking the finished piece and looking past what it was, to create something else.
This is art from art and I am not quite done with the original doodle.  I have another idea...

I am hoping that my new way of making art form art inspires you to look at things just a little different, not just creatively.

Push Back the Darkness

I read and then highlighted the phrase "push back the darkness" in the book, Say Yes To God by Kay Warren. I am re-reading this book and am absorbing things differently then a couple of years ago and that phrase jumped off the page at me.

In my experiences, as I started to infuse and share my faith more and more through this blog, in my work and basically in my daily walk (although I stumble alot) I bet you will agree that when you do the right thing even when it is difficult, do what is best for others regardless of what you may feel or do what is counter culture to the worlds beliefs, things get ugly, conflicted and complicated.  Sad by true, which makes no sense, because at the end of the day, don't we all want peace, a little comfort and a whole lotta joy?

Seriously, ya do something good and someone or something is always going to be standing by to shoot an arrow at you, try to squash you like a bug or just down right spit on you...gross, BUT here is the thing,

WE, me, you, us, them...are stronger than that (go ahead, sing the Kelly Clarkson song)

Here is what it takes.. Love...love one another - sometimes very easy, sometimes very hard but we all need to work together

Brave...because we are going to be worried, fearful and unsure..

Faith...because with HIM, everything is possible.

duh.

Here is what is going to happen:

When it is the right combination, when things just fall into place, when things feel right, when we are all on the same page and a little negativity rears its ugly head..you know you are going in the right direction. It is not about Religion..it is about Relationship with God and with others.
When you mix love, brave and faith, it is a blend and a bond strong enough to defeat and push back the darkness.

yay.

Makes you want flex your muscles and scream "bring it on" and sorry if you sing that Kelly Clarkson song all day long.

Unexpected Happiness

Right before New Years, we hooked the ol' Mallard up and went camping for a few FREEZING days.  I am a warm/summer camper so this was a new adventure for me and was excited (& also confused) on what we would do without the amenities of summer, like a pool, lake or river, but I packed up my markers, papers and blankets and we hit the road.

Just as we pulled up to our site, it started to pour but because we are campers, we were not shaken..infact, just as we finished running around setting up camp, we received a welcome gift:Us "adults" (that my sister and I) found it very easy to just sit in chairs (under EZups because it was raining)  and ask for campfires (after they thought they could move the fire ring closer to us)
Nope, it did not budge, but an "A" for effort Anyways...When it wasn't raining, we took hikes through the dry riverbed and Auntie Steph (that would be me) was probably the COOLEST AUNTIE EVER by breaking the law and passing over the signs that read CLOSEDSuch outlaws Trailblazers....look at how happy they are...sorry Jen!

Anyways..as mentioned in a previous post, we "looked" for heart rocks, which meant you did not really look for them, you just let them pop out at you and we all agreed how much more special it was when you come across something unexpected...and the fact that you don't always have to take what you find.  Sometimes it is just as special to leave it for the next person so that they can experience unexpected happiness.

Then I got an idea..

On our next hike, in between campfires and rain, before we left, I grabbed a handful of Sharpies and put them in my pocket and we headed out.After we "trail blazers" crawled into a drainage pipe to get a photo
I handed each one of them a Sharpie.  

Without any real "instructions" (and the simple explanation that this was not graffiti because we were writing one small word) I reminded them of our last conversation about how little things we see and find along the way can make us happy and I told them to think of "happy words"

That is all I said....and for the next 30 minutes or so (because it started to rain again) I felt an unexpected abundance of happiness because they just knew what to do...

and because we all felt very happy (because doing happy things makes you feel happy) I placed my camera on a piece of wood, set the timer and got a happy shot of Unexpected Happiness and then ran back to camp because it really started to rain!

Today, do something that will allow others to feel unexpected happiness.

Adhere The Truth - Repurpose 2013

I am kicking off the first day of the year with my word, Re-Purpose and a plan to "do something for others" with what I have.

I have mentioned it here and on FB, but when you have that nagging urge to help, to reach out and do something, but you just do not know what to do...

it really is easy...we humans just tend to complicate and over think things (well, at least I do.)

"When you don't know what to do, do what you know how to do, with what you have, for someone else."

So now what????

First, take a look at the video: 

Now, if you have taken one of my classes in the past few months, then you know exactly how to make "truth cards" the way I am making them but, here is the thing,

YOU can create "truth cards" just the way you want!

Here is what I am doing:

1. Start by creating cards or covering regular ol' playing cards with scraps of paper and tissue paper 2. Add a little ink to the edges 3. Add some paint, some stamps and some love in the shape of hearts (or whatever you wish!) 4. Add a little more "detail" 5. Adhere the truth and hey, as you are creating these truth cards for others, think, reflect and pray about what you are doing while you are doing it. It's a win win and that is a GREAT way to start off a new year!
For more information on how YOU can create truth cards for our brave girl friends on the other side of the world, go here http://bravegirlsclub.com/truth-card-exchange-manila-phillipines

and just a little shout out to my amazing friends Melody & Kathy...YOU are changing the world...ONE BRAVE GIRL AT A TIME!

Christmas Tradtions

Last week, as I was finishing up my preparations for our family Christmas festivities and traditions and preparing, organizing and collecting my supplies to scrapbook in 2013, I had a constant sting of sadness for the families who have lost loved ones this past year, especially in the past few weeks and often thought about how difficult the holidays must be as families gather together to celebrate and enjoy their own traditions...and how important it really is to keep our memories documented. 

As I reflected on our memories of past Christmas's (via the computer, boo!) I was reminded of our Christmas Eve traditions ...

December 2005 December2006 December2007 December 2008 December 2009 December 2010
December 2011 (by the way, I do have another child but I suppose his tradition is to "watch")

and realized that I still had not bought a Gingerbread House kit for the kids and I to work on.

This year, I just was not sold on the idea.

I was not sure why, but I would go to buy a kit, pick up the box, and then set it down and that went on the entire week leading up to Christmas. Store after store after store, I'd repeat this process and go home empty handed...

and then, on Christmas Eve morning as we were getting ready to pack the car and hit the road, the light bulb went off...

or should I say, the light bulb clicked on.

I went out and gathered some cardboard, cut out 26 snowflakes, grabbed glitter, beads, glue, buttons, more glitter, and more beads, packed it in a box and decided that this year, and for years to come, our family tradition of creating something together would bless others... There is still time for you and your family to create for others and what a GREAT way to start a new tradition and kick of a new year together...Click here for information on where to send your snowflakes!

p.s...This year I thought I'd join in on the other traditions, more on that tomorrow...

Clearer.

Your overwhelming response to the doodle has been amazing. People ALL OVER are sharing it and it has been requested by many of the residents of Newtown and other places to be sold with proceeds going to the victims families and scholarships so....I am having my new wonderful friend Diana work on preparing it for printing and just as soon as it is ready for distribution, I will let you know!

It is so bittersweet for me to create work like this and I appreciate your sincere compliments.  Simply put, it is God's gift and my hands.  The glory goes to HIM and the love, prayers and strength go to those families that are going through what I can only call a nightmare.

My heart continues to break for those moms, dads, sisters, brothers...friends, family,  neighbors..the community...and it is time, at least for me, to pull up my bootstraps and get ready to help.  I cant sink into the couch any deeper...

I WE must get up and do something.

  This morning (or rather, last night) was another one of those "can't sleep..gotta get up and do something" nights so I wrote out and sent a few emails to my fellow creative souls with a few thoughts and ideas and then started to color...and things became a little clearer...
History starts TODAY and remember this We are all better together....and together we will help make a change.

12 in 13

Another thing coming in 2013 is more doodling. Doodling is one of my most favorite things to do and in 2013 my plan is to do more of it. I am in the midst of writing the third Doodle class, "Doodle 12 in 13" which is 12 verses, 12 new doodles and 12 journal prompts
My hope for this class is that you take time to do{odle}a little for yourself, at least once a month with what you have, wheverever you are. 

My plan for this class is to do it online, and if time and schedules permit, in a store near you. 

My purpose for this class is simple. JOY.  When you choose JOY, you feel good, and when you feel good, you do good, and when you do good, it reminds others of what JOY feels like. It really is simple.

More class information very soon...

Moved

Something is happening.

A shift of sorts. My heart is constantly feeling (empathy) and my mind is always wondering, thinking and ready to do something to help (compassion).That is the only way I can describe it. My heart is full of empathy and the compassion that comes from it makes the wheels in my mind spin at full speed.

With both empathy and compassion I am being “moved” to respond to others feelings and situations through art. so now what?

I am not sure, but I am ready to move.