Homegrown Hospitality

Women of Faith

I joined an amazing group of women from Saddleback this past weekend and we planted ourselves at The Pond, well, The Honda Center for a weekend full of women, faith, worship, tears, laughter, Cece Winans, Selah...and a whole lot of wow at the Women Of Faith event.

Standing on the floor and looking back onto 11,000 women (and a few men) for the same reason...JESUS.

WOW.That's all I can say right now..wow.

 

...and yep, in case you are wondering because you know I do not like to vere too far from home..I spent the night there with my friends, my faith and my bravery, not to say that there were brief moments (before we got there) when I just wanted to go home.

I stayed, I danced, I sang, I cried and I cracked up with laughter...alot.  If this event gets to your town, please make an effort to attend...

I hope to be back later with more thoughts.

Etsy Shoppe Update

 Restocked!  http://www.etsy.com/shop/StephanieAckermanDes

I am..

BRAVE....

even when I feel like I am not,

I am.

and courageous

and vulnerable

and an artist

and sensitive

and sarcastic

Brave is

hard

rewarding

courageous

scary

and part of life so don't waste a second being a fraddy cat..PICK YO' SELF UP AND GET GOING!

Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” Joshua 1:9

Uncommon Courage

This past weekends message at church was all about "Standing Courageously For the Truth" and if you were there or watched it on-line then you know it was jammed packed with ALOT of things and it would take me 74 blog posts to cover it, so in a nut shell, here it is...

This is a hot topic right now in our little home sweet home because TODAY, Jack is going to be learning about "Conspiracy Theory's" in his "History Through Film" class.

Again, TRUTH MATTERS and as a parent I have to reinforce that.  Does an 11th grader with an open mind need to learn about conspiracy theory's?  Maybe, maybe not...but I am going to stop here because I could be walking into a can of worms..and I do not like worms, especially those big gross green disney-character looking ones that eat tomatoes.

So back to the message..just a little more...

it all takes courage.

Something I personally battle with DAILY, sometimes...HOURLY!

There it is...the Truth about me. (I suppose that was courage right there by admitting that to you..) You might not know it or think it if you are around me, but it is there, more than ever and I tell you, ever since I "FULLY SURRENDERED" that damn red suited guy likes to sprinkle my day with doubt, anxiety and anything else he can muster up to toss in my path.. Sometimes I can karate chop it away..and sometimes I can't and that is what I am working on. (It is okay, you can call me a "fraddy cat.")

The thing that helps me get through this crap (and it is crap) is prayer and art.  The more anxiety, the HARDER it is to get up, but I make myself do it...and the more powerful I create.   This is yesterdays harvest:

I am finding comfort, peace and meaning through my art and I want to suggest that if you are in a spot that is not comfortable..try creating.  Many times I just work on getting the base of a project down so that when I am inspired, I can go out and create HEart.

I am using old marquee letters as my base.  I start by layering on tissue wrap and dictionary paper using Glue-n-Seal. Make sure to dry....

Then I add swipes of crackle paint  and while those are set aside, I use color wash and distress stain to add color to dictionary paper so that I can tear out hearts and just those steps starts to take the crap away...then when I am ready to create, I have all of the pieces and parts I need to create a piece of HEart!

Eggs For Halloween

I do not have alot of Halloween decorations so I REALLY try each year to create a few things to display for the day from the things I have and if you remember my eggs from earlier in the year,

then you know I bought a TON of plastic eggs on clearance after Easter....

and it got me thinkin...

Get out your Glue-n-Seal and tear up a bunch of dictionary paper and tissue wrap paper

and start adhering the papers to your egg

If you are going to make a mess, you might as well do a few...

and make sure you use your heat gun/dryer to dry them.

Now add color... I am using a few different things.  I am starting with Crackle paint: 

don't forget to dry in-between layers....Then add ink:and then a little more Crackle:and then dry...Then add a little stamping here and there: and don't forget to dry.  

Now, I created a ribbon to coordinate with my egg but forgot to take photos...BUT..I do have photos of making colored coordinated ribbon for another project, so just pretend the green is gold...

Grab a piece of ribbon, some tweezers, Color Wash and get ready to make a beautiful mess...

Spray a color on your mat.and then add your ribbon to the color and start to coat your ribbon...You can move your ribbon around the color with tweezers or use your fingers: and then...dry! Okay, now I also created a charm that reads "Trick Or Treat" using "Chit Chat" stickers, a charm and a little jump ring:Now all you need to do is wrap your ribbon round your egg, attach the charm and sit and look at how cute your halloween egg looks...

and of course start thinking about how great these will look created for Thanksgiving and of course, Christmas....
Happy Creating!

InLinkz.com

 

 

 

 

Never Forget

Work In Progress

Don't ever try to figure me out because it is impossible.  I, like you, am a work in progress and sometimes you just have to roll with the changes.

Just call me Simply Complicated,  I know.

So, first I was whining about Summer ending and now I am so happy to have Fall & Winter right at my doorstep..now if the 100 degree weather would subside that would be awesome!

Anyway...

Yesterday kicked off Soccer season so I made up a little "Center Console Stitching Kit" to carry around with me in the car and on the field and I got that ol' lovin feeling back...

So what is in my "center console stitching kit" you are wondering?  Right now it is die cuts of "Tattered Florals" in Muslin and cream embroidery floss..well and needles and scissors...and my glasses!!!

Oh, and speaking of the Tattered Florals die, a while back I adhered "Heat-n-Bond" to a ton of my felt scraps and adhered those onto a large piece of felt and created this 

and cut more flowers from it...

I know!

What am I going to make with these?

I do not exactly know, but I have a few ideas....

Happy Sunday!

Bigz Die - Tattered Florals

InLinkz.com

Do Something

Did you watch Stand up For Cancer last night?

Me, too.

Did you cry?

I almost did..and along with the heartache that I felt, I felt strength.

I felt that NEGU feeling.

Like I could do something as long as I Never Ever Give Up...

So can you.

But what? 

Follow The Jessie Rees Foundation on FB https://www.facebook.com/JessieReesFoundation and simply JOY MOB a child that is fighting Cancer.

PRAY.

Visit the Jessie Rees NEGU website site to read about 10 great ways to help.

PRAY

Volunteer to stuff JOY JARS this month..there are 22,000 (seriously!) that need to be stuffed and delivered for Christmas!

PRAY

Show your support with Team Negu Wear

PRAY.

The Swing of Things

AimeeB in Oregon.. YOU are the new owner of my doodle!  Please email me at homegrown1(at)att(dot)com.  THANK YOU all for your comments!  ...and thank you to all of you who made a purchase over on the ETSY site!  Orders will ship this weekend and hopefully I will be able to add some more art in the coming week, or so.

Structure is back in full force with school/work starting and it is just what the dr. ordered.

I thought it was just the boys who needed it, but it is me that needs it most!  I am embracing it all with my God given long arms and feel a sense of peace as things get back in the swing of things (although my new schedule does not allow for my summer workout schedule or my early morning creative time)

I am also embracing this VERY SIMPLE but meaningful quote:

and really, it is simple and an awesome reminder, in fact, it helps me to relax a bit. 

Speaking of relaxing...I went to work on my stitching project as an after school treat yesterday and just as with doodles, for me, it is VERY relaxing!  I hope to have the kits listed in the next few days.  All you need to supply is a needle, some thread and a little time..

oh, and stuffing if you want to make a happy basket filler!

Now if the heat would turn down a notch, I could pull out the ol' crock pot and get ready for Fall!

Happy Friday.

New Things

Today is our first day back to school and my first day back to work/school and I am ready for the new beginnings...I am Iam Iam.

and speaking of new, I re-opened my ETSY and it will be the new place to list my ART FOR SALE...

here is the link : http://www.etsy.com/shop/StephanieAckermanDes

Including art for sale, there are going to be a few other things listed, including felt!  I spent the evening on the floor cutting fall colors and as soon as I get a sample completed, I will list them. 

and as I mentioned., I have a giveaway in honor of all of this newness....this doodle (shown below) ..framed!

All you have to do is leave me a comment...about anything.  I will announce a winner tomorrow morning!
Happy new day!