Homegrown Hospitality

What Can I Do?

A storm, a diagnosis, a grieving heart...whatever it might be, unfortunately, we live in a broken world full of disasters, death, distress, disappointment and discontent and bad things happen to good people all around us.  (Thanks alot, Adam!)

There are so many circumstances surrounding us and when we are on the outside looking in, the "What can I do besides in addition to praying?" feelings are overwhelming.  It is the question I have been asking myself and others alot lately. There has got to be more I can do, whether I am 3 feet or 3,000 miles away.

Personally, I am tired of hearing people complain about gas prices. We are lucky to have gas..

and politics...

We are lucky, blessed, whatever you want to call it, to have a choice.

So, again.."What Can I Do in addition to praying?" start by working together with others towards a common goal because

"..Two people are better off than one, for they can help each other succeed" Ecc 4:9

We can lend a helping hand and a prayerful heart to those who need assistance. 

It is our job.

".. we must work, doing something useful with our own hands, that we may have something to share with those in need." Eph. 4:28 NIV

With great optimism, resilience and faith, ultimately we can help in turning the bad into good by getting up and doing something....

• Offer Your Physical Presence - Be there. Be Close.
• Offer Security - Open your doors to offer safety and protection.
• Offer Practical Assistance - Offer to prepare meals, run errands & make appointments.
• Give Emotional Support - Pray for them and with them..out-loud.
• Love One Another - "We belong to each other and each of us needs all the others"Romans 12:5
• Demonstrate hope & remind others that giving up is not an option.
  

Create Art & Count Blessings

Start with a blank tag and layer on strips of newsprint, Tim Holtz District Market Tissue paper, and dictionary paper using Glue-N-Seal. Use a dryer to dry and then add hints of color using Distress stain in Antique Linen and Distress Ink in Rusty Hinge & Walnut Stain to reflect the beauty of Fall colors.Create coordinating pieces to adhere to your tag using ribbon, floral trim and your spray inks in Fall colors...like Butterscotch & Pure Sunshine

Make sure to dry each piece you create..Color your ribbon by spraying your ink onto a surface... Drop it into the color and move it around...and dry it and just look at it together for a minute (and smile) Add the floral trim piece to the bottom edge of your tag.  To adhere the flower trim, use Glue-n-Seal or Glossy Accents to secure into place. Time to add a sentiment.  I always use my favorite Grunge letters and add color to them using ink but you can use whatever you have.  Stickers, chipboard, die cuts, etc....  Here is what I did next...

While my letters were drying,I decided to add a little fall detail by stamping the Tim Holtz Mini Blue Prints Leaf image here and there on my tag.I adhered my sentiment "We Give Thanks" and decided that the letters were just a little too light so I grabbed a Black Distress Marker and....
added a little ink here and there and smudged it in with my finger...
added the ribbon... and called it done. Now just sit back, enjoy your work and count your blessings.

Here is what I used:

ble-cell;text-align: center;float:left;

Movers and Shapers Sizzix Die- Tag and bookplates	Tim Holtz/SA Mini Blueprints	Ideaology Lavish Trimmings	District Market Tissue Wrap - Terminology	Dylusions Ink Spray - Fresh Lime
Adirondack Color Wash Butterscotch	Dylusions - Pure Sunshine	Dylusions - Postbox Red	Distress Ink - Wild Honey	Distress Stain - Antique Linen
Distress Ink - Walnut Stain	Distress Ink Pad - Rusty Hinge	Tim Holtz Distress Markers	Tim Holtz Non-Stick Micro Serrated Scissors	Ranger Heat It Craft Tool
Ranger Non-Stick Kraft Sheet	Glue-N-Seal	Jet Black Archival Ink

InLinkz.com

Happy Fall-O-Ween

No spider webs,

No black lights,

No spooky sounds...

just two uncarved pumpkins... which also covers my Thanksgiving decor as well!

Yes, we hand out candy as soon as the sun goes down, but our porch light goes out by 7:00 (hey, it is dark by 6!) I think we might be Halloween Grinch's and really, the only Halloween stuff I love is the Charlie Brown special.

Now tomorrow,

is another other story.

Nov. 1st means I can kick off the holidays!

Happy Falloween!

Just Do It...

make a deal with yourself today to do it...

Thank You

..to Martha & Tony for having me come teach at Scrapbook Daises as I kicked off a new creative journey.. getting back to teaching with a purpose to "Teach & Inspire", being a positive creative influence and of course, to create a beautiful mess wherever the path leads.

Things like this make me happy and confirm to me that I am doing what I am supposed to be doing...Happy, smiling, non-stressed, creative inspired souls doing just that...

smiling

creating enjoying each others company and getting the "thumbs up" stamp of approval (no pun intended) Proof of a wildly creative and productive day filled with Heart...no pun intended!

Beautiful Mess

I am packed, re-packed, over packed and ready to hit the 405 to teach 2 classes at Scrapbook Daises in Long Beach...and speaking of "long" it has been a long time since I have taught.

...and as I was packing, re-packing, unpacking and getting supplies ready for class, I was a little giddy, which is not normal for me.. Usually I am nervous, unsure, second guessing...

I mean, I am nervous, but over-riding the nervousness and anxiety today is excitment to get out there and create with others because I know it is a part of my purpose...To teach & remind myself and others to look beyond the ordinary things, like manila tags and old books, red rubber unmounted stamp, bottles of colors, brand new paint brushes... to get to the nitty-gritty of creating extraordinary homemade art from ordinary things.I betcha God feels the same way when HE sees us apply ourselves to what HE created us to be.

You Know When You "Just Know"

I did not know her personally, but I know her now.

She stood behind me once in Micheal's and she was holding a whole bunch of things...I bet she was getting supplies for the first Joy Jars... I wish I would have known what she was doing...

But I know now, and when you know better...you do better.

One night, in our jammies, my friend & I "Ding Dong Ditched" Jessie and left a big glass Joy Jar of love, prayers and wishes from many women to bless her with some JOY like she was doing for so many others.  They did not know us...They did not have to know us...but I believe they knew....and when they knew better...they did better...and are now doing

AMAZING THINGS...life changing..history making...heart strengthening things.

Again, you know when you just "know"

I never got to experience Jessie's silly side, but I know that she would have made me laugh and I know that we would have made her laugh at how silly we were and how much fun we had to bless her with a little something..at night..in our jammies!I did not know her before she went to be with Jesus, but I know her now.

You know when you just know...

I know.

I know what kinda of girl she was and what am impact she has made on my life...more like a footprint, a constant reminder to NEVER EVER GIVE UP.

It is so similar to faith...

You just know.

So what is one to do, when there are SO..MANY..LITTLE...KIDS with cancer? No, not just little kids, big kids, too....

Reach out, share, inspire, remind and enfluence others to spread Joy.

To do better...

To make a difference....

This morning on FB, Jessie's daddy posted that a donor has offered to give The Jessie Rees Foundation $25,000 on December 25th if  her FB page gets to 250,000 likes!
and I immedialty, like many many others said, BRING IT ON...we can do this...and then I knew.

 I remembered that I have something very special that my mother-in-law made me to auction off in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, which reminded me of this..

Cancer is cancer, yound or old..and it SUCKS. so here is the challenge for you...and your friends (because you need to share this with everyone!) I have this beautiful 52" x 67 1/2" handmadewith LOVE brown, pink & turquoise quilt that is covered in butterflys, flowers and words of hope & strength.
and I am willing to give it to one of you, my blog and Facebook friends...(and your FB and Blog friends that you share this with)

All you need to do is go to Jessie's FB page here:

https://www.facebook.com/JessieReesFoundation

and click "LIKE"

Then come back here and leave me a comment including YOUR NAME AND EMAIL ADDRESS.

On December 1st, I will throw all of the names in a BIG HUGE BOX (because I know you will all do this) and I will ask Jessie's Daddy to draw a name and this beauty will be yours:

We are better together... Let's do this !!!

Grip Tape Snowflakes

I now know why I have spent many an hour at the local skate parks and why I know where all of the local skate shops are...So that I would know what to do should a roll of grip tape fall into my lap.

When my husband found a roll of clear grip tape from a job site, he knew. He did not know what I would do with it, he just knew that I would do something.

Cut a piece, remover the backing and fold it together so that you have one piece that has grip tape on both sides.

Insert Big Shot...
Die cut snowflakes.  Notice that I missed a few of the edges? It is okay because I trimmed this one into a smaller snow flake, duh. Then, using Tim Holtz Picket Fence Crackle Paint, I swiped the brush back and forth until I got enough paint on the flake.. Then I grabbed my BRAND NEW JAR OF DRY STICKLE ROCK CANDY GLITTER...and I dropped it.  So, instead of FREAKING OUT...I drew a heart in it, swept it up and poured in all back in the jar...including the dust. Then I sprinkled just a little onto my snowflake, dried it, punched a hole into the top, added a string and smiled. Now, I am not real sure that you will run out to a skate shop and buy some grip tape, but you can do the same thing I did and use cardboard or sandpaper! Happy Holidays!

Control

Here is a thought....

Homecoming 2012

Homecoming dances are not the way they used to be when I was in High School.  (and yes, I did go to HS even though my kids often tell me "I don't get it" or "I do not understand")

It is quite a production which starts with boy asking girl in a creative way.  Some boys dress up and stand on the corner of the school with a sign waiting for the girl to arrive and say yes...

Some boys ask using school marquees...

Some boys nail 10 signs to 10 different trees leading up to girls house with a word on each sign...

Some boys put 10000 post its on girls car with phrases like "homecoming" "go with me" etc.

the idea is...Boy asks girl in a creative way and let me tell you how that is right up my alley...(as if you had not figured that out) so when my boy wanted to ask his girl...I suggested this:

On his birthday cake, at his birthday party was written the invitation to go with him to homecoming (good thing I know the baker!) so on with the planning...and have you ever tried to get details out of a 16 and 17 year old?

Dinner...no dinner?..and where do you want to go for dinner....?

Group going...no group going?....who is going with you?

How are you getting there...wait...who is driving...who is picking up???

Flowers, what about flowers...and what color flowers??

What are you wearing..what is she wearing???  wait, what color is she wearing? what about shoes?

Tickets..did you get your tickets...(ut umm...today is the LAST day to get tickets so please get your tickets..)

stuff like that...and then the answers.

No "out to dinner" just a picnic for two.

No fancy, just them..bow ties, suspenders, a cute dress and chucks and a pre-dance photo destination that stopped grandma's heart.  All I think I remember saying is OH MY GOSH!!!!! because why would you go to the lake, or the park or to someones house when you can trespass in the canyon and use a broken down, graffiti strewn, trailer with a super super gross mattress and a tire swing as a backdrop...Creative genes run in our and her family....

and this is true happiness:

why I did not get a picture with these two as the police car rolled up on us is beyond me because it would have made another awesome backdrop...DANG IT!!!  but all was good and the officers kinda giggled (no, they were confused) on the attire and the photo location and even said..."what kinda dance is it? and "I have never seen kids dress like this for a dance..kinda nice"

oh, did I mention is was raining?  well not "rain" but a really good drizzle and had been all day long...and our girl loved it because she got to put a flannel on over her dress !!Happily ever after..They were back at our house by 9:30!