Homegrown Hospitality

Following Directions and Practicing Patience

Today is day four of me following directions and practicing patience by doing pretty much nothing besides sitting, sleeping, following directions and being patient (I know I already said that but I am reminding myself)  My sassy self is going to tell you that it sucks and so does daytime TV, but could be totally worse and I am not complaining. Sorta.

I have been spending way too much time on the couch with the dog at my feet, in bed with the dog at my feet so today, I am at the computer..with the dog at my feet and I am doin' what us ol' timers call "surfing the web" (My boys would DIE hearing me say that, actually they would not even know what I was talking about.)

ANYWAYS...I planned a Periscope for noon (it is 11:48 now) so I hope to see you there in a few minutes and I will be doing one of the three things listed below:Here are some of the supplies that I know I am going to use during the "scope" 

 

   

Documented Faith Binder -

anything else I end up using, I will add it after the broadcast.

I don't know much Periscope lingo so all I can tell you is that my name is stephanieackerman (duh) That is the name you need to click on to watch the broadcast and it is via Periscope which is an Ap you download.  Is it for all phones ? I don't know. If you don't do Periscope, DON'T FREAK OUT.  After the live thing is over, I will save it and download it so that you can watch it here but don't ask me about all of the floating hearts..I don't know how to do that and I am reaching out on a limb here to say that people give you hearts when they like something.

Okay, I am going to go set up...see you in a few minutes !

 

Wool Felt Needle Cozy Kits

AWE dang it and Thank you....the first batch of kits is SOLD OUT but make sure to register your name and email address so that you will be first to know when the next batch is ready! 

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As I mentioned in this past weeks Periscope, I have been working on a limited amount of Wool Felt Needle Cozy Un-stitched Kits and they are ready to order!  Here is the example of the one I stitched for the instructions.  Please note that colors of kits will vary:

Here is a look at what is included in the kit: 

2 wool felt tag cut outs (in same color) 

1 wool felt tag cut out (for center)

2 large wool felt circles in assorted colors

2 medium wool felt circles in assorted colors

2 small wool felt circles in assorted colors

2 small wool felt hearts in assorted colors

2 medium wool felt hearts in assorted colors

1 book ring

Your kit will not include floss or needles

 

PLEASE NOTE: Your kit will come with assorted coordinating colors of wool felt. There is NOT an option to choose colors and ya just gotta trust the process and possibly work outside your color comfort zone.  If it makes you feel better, there are no ugly ones, whew! Once you place your order, you will be automatically sent a link to a page that holds the PDF color step-by-step instructions. to stitch your needle cozy once it arrives. Please feel free to print out or save the PDF to your computer.  Do not duplicate or sell instruction sheets or kits.

Each kit is $12.00 and includes shipping to the US.  For International order, please contact me with your shipping information so that shipping charges can be applies.

 

Documented Faith Companion Kit - LOVE Kit Release

Today is all about the Documented Faith Companion Kit.  I call it a companion kit because whether you are working in the Binder, a planner, comp. book, journal or on loose pieces of paper, it can be a companion to whatever you are doing.  It started out as a "monthly" kit, and it will continue to come out each month but now will be identified by the focus word instead of a month name. This eliminates the worry of someone instantly thinking "I'm behind" "They already started" "I will wait until next year" if they join in during April versus when we began in January.  

This is the official release of the second Documented Faith Companion Kit - LOVE/February 2016.

The LOVE Kit Includes:

1 - Sheet of Sticker Strips

1-  Roll of Black & White Washi Tape

1 - Sheet of Binder Calendar Spot Stickers (new item!)

4 - Full color verse postcards with journal space on the reverse

5 - 7 x 9 Doodle printed pages to be used in your binder/planner or die cut to use in your paper craft projects.

1 - Verse Booklet with full color cover and individual perforated pages to use in planner/binders/art journals

Each Kit is $29.99 and available here 

 

 

Monthly Booklet - There is a Monthly booklet with artwork on the the front and back cover, a page for each weekly verse and doodles.  Each page is perforated so that you can tear it out, use it in your art or punch holes in it and place it into your binder or planner.  It has room for your notes and journaling. Here is a video of how I used the front and back cover of the PRAY kit:

januarykitbooketcover from Stephanie Ackerman on Vimeo.

Also in the Pray kit are :
Postcards - 4-5 coordinating postcards for you to use in your art, add into your binders/journals or to mail out to friends to inspire and encourage others.  YEP, I said MAIL.  Not texting or emailing, actual real mail!    

Sticker STRIPS - a 6" x 12" package of coordinating sticker strips. It is like strips of washi tape instead of an entire roll. No fuss, just peel and stick a strip! 

So there ya have it!  If you have already used your compnation kit, I would LOVE to see it.  You can email me photos at homegrown1@att.net or use the hashtag #praycompanionkit #documentedfaith in your social media posts.

If you are interested in purchasing the PRAY Companion kit, please click here.  

Have a GREAT weekend!

Periscope #1

Today I "scoped" which means I did a live video via Periscope via my phone.  

What that means, I really don't know and am accepting all explanations.  What I also did was save my Periscope video to my phone, transferred it to my computer and now I will post it here.  I feel pretty dang impressed with myself but who knows, the video could post sideways, in slo-mo or who knows, but here we go (NOTE: NO JOKE...I went to post the video here AND IT WAS SIDEWAYS!) oh for the love of pete....

Here are links to the Big Shot machine and the dies that I talked about in the video:

Sizzix Big Shot 

Sizzix Bigz Tag Card #660684

Sizzix Bigz Die - Banners & Hearts (I used the small hearts)

If you click on this link, you will see all of my designs.

While we are talking about felt and die cutting, here are a few photos of some of the pieces I have stitched in the past few years: 

Not shown on the video but looks awesome in felt in the Fresh Blossoms Alphabet. 

As I mentioned, I will have felt very soon. A Spring & Summer bundle and the Fall & Winter Bundle as seen below: Make sure that you are registered to receive my newsletter so that you know when the felt will be available.

Here is a great site that has lots of tutorials on stitching and another that has videos and how-to's.

Now I Know Why

I have said it before and I assume I will say it for the rest of my life. 

"The harder it is for me to go somewhere, the more I need to go"

CHA.

It drains me just typing those three dumb letters.

As I mentioned in my last post, it is not my most favorite place to go or be but most of it (okay all of it) has to do with me. It is very hard to know, work and create on both sides of the field. I am not competitive, I hate to negotiate, I am NOT a "smoosher" (I don't even know how to spell  that stupid word)  and that is all I will say (because I will be too honest) BUT as always, the harder it is for me to go, the more I need to go and this year was the hardest and now I know why.

In a nutshell, it has everything to do with this photo.

Each of us independently represent different companies, our own product lines and in the business world, we are competitors. On my left is Shana Noel (pronounced Shaw-na) She is the force behind the worlds overwhelming response to Bible Journaling and creator of Illustrated Faith. To my right is Jamie Dougherty.  and she is the creator of Creating in Faith.

Here is the thing. I should not being sharing or promoting other companies or promoting my competitors but it is not about companies, competing or business. For each one of us, it is about complementing each other, reminding others and representing....

ready for it.....

Jesus.

Is this me talking?

I don't talk like that, but really, I do..in my own sassy way. Don't think I am getting all evangelical on you. It is still me...but it is the dang truth.

Don't misunderstand it.

It is not about a religion.

I am not "religious"

It is all about a relationship with Him, with each other and how we each intertwine our creative skills and talents into it and share it.

That is it.

The dang enemy (yes, I am talking about the devil) didn't want me to feel that reinforcement this past week.  He wanted me to doubt (I was) he wanted me to fret ( I was) and he wanted me to have a lot of anxiety ( I did) but guess what?

I didn't let him stop me.

Don't let him get in your way either.

Flip him off (you don't have to do it for real, just in your mind) and move along.

You will be glad you did.

P.S. all of this above is exactly WHY I created Documented Faith.  So that when things like this happen, I have a place to write it all down, I have a place to put the photos that go along with the story and then when I am feeling yucky about something similar (because dang it, it will happen again) I have a reminder.

Hello 2016

Well, I am 8 days late in saying Happy New Year to you!  I took a few days off the grid to ring in the New Year and it is CHA season soooooo I have been working, focusing and preparing for the creative industry "Rose Parade."  This is the time of the year when the industry gets together in one big arena and rolls out all of the new stuff.  I totally get it and I do participate in it, but only a certain amount of it.

Then I am out.

I hope that I do not get busted for saying this, but here goes....

It is just a necessary evil.

CRAP, that sounds terrible but it is for me.

I am in no way speaking for anyone else. Just me.

Truth be told (as if you could not figure it out already) I am not a fan of CHA but PLEASE don't get me wrong.  I LOVE to go in and teach, meet with store owners and participate in fun, crazy antics with my Sizzix family but that is it.  I don't walk the show and I don't spend anymore time there than I am committed to.  Personally, I get very overwhelmed, over stimulated and I shut down.  Luckily, that darned convention center is only 25 short minutes away from home (whew!) so I am able to go in, do what I do and then go home.  I have no idea if other artists in the "arena" feel this way because I don't talk about my issues. 

I do not want to seem ungrateful.  I am so very thankful for the teams of people at Sizzix and ADORNit and the Retail store owners for believing, trusting and investing in me and my brand. 

Okay, done with that!

So Happy New Year and Happy Documented Faith 2016!

Binders and January kits are continuing to ship out (thankful to my crew that gets it done while I am back and forth the the show) and I have been blown away with the growth that has occurred in just the past few weeks.  I should not be blown away because that is how awesome God is.  I said a few months ago that I was going to focus on the depth and let Him handle the width...

and dang, it is happening.

I am grateful to all of YOU who are taking steps in faith with me. YOU who are committing to documented your walk...NOT YOUR RELIGION.  I will continue saying that because it is the TRUTH.  Just because Documented Faith has the word FAITH in it does not mean it is all about religion.  It is about your relationships...With Jesus and with others.  I made a little Documented Faith Binder Video yesterday because mine is headed into that "arena" today to be shared.

INSERT FLASHING LIGHTS: light bulb moment as I am typing right here, right now.....I am walking into the arena today with my amour that holds truth....documented in a binder to share with others.

BOOM.

Here is the video, check it out and do me a favor, pray that as I drive down the 5 Freeway today towards Disneyland, that I actually park and not keep driving!!! Kidding...not kidding.

 

Here is the link to Documented Faith 2016

Here is the link to purchase a Documented Faith Binder

Here is the link to the January Kit

Here is the link to Documented Faith 2015