Hearts of Wellness

We did it!  Recently I was fortunate enough to come across a wonderful website, VolunteerMatch.org.   On this site you can select your area (by city or zip code) and it will show you mulitple volunteer opportunities from which you can choose.  I came across a program called "Hearts of Wellness".  

There is a clinic located nearby that is manned by volunteers (including doctors and nurses) that services children who are uninsured or whose families can't afford doctor visits.  Pediplace was asking for Valentine treat bag donations to hand out to their patients during the week of February 11-16. 



I emailed the volunteer coordinator to inquire as to how many treat bags were needed.  For some reason she was very vague and I couldn't seem to pin her down on a definitive answer to my query.  She mentioned that she had two others who had volunteered to make and donate 25 Valentine treat bags each.  Again, I asked how many more they needed and all she would say was, "Please feel free to just donate as many or as few as you are comfortable with.  We'll take any donations we can get." 

After further exploration of the website, I read somewhere that Pediplace tends to as many as 75 patients/day.  With some handy-dandy calculator magic (because yes, I am THAT poor at doing math in my head), I came up with a number of 375 (75 patients x 5 days of the week).  I then had a goal in mind and quickly got to work.

I have learned a great deal in Photoshop this year and always love working on digital projects.  So, I whipped up about 7 different Valentines that could simply be printed from one's computer and cut to size.  I then attached these Valentine pictures to a bulk email that I sent out to over 100 of my friends, asking them if any would like to participate with me on this service project?

Well, not surprisingly at all, I had many wonderful people respond with loving hearts and willing hands!  These ladies generously purchased and put together a total of over 250 Valentine treat bags complete with signed Valentines and LOTS of candy!  (Shout out of thanks to the following friends (and their families) for happily helping me with this project:  Cara Stimson, Lori Tolbert, Suzanne Strickler, Denise LaJoie, Crystal Bell, Glenda Crump and Jennifer Long.) 

Although the Valentines were made in an effort to help these children who are economically challenged feel the community's love and support for them, I'm the one who ended up feeling loved and supported!  My heart was full of joy in being able to participate in this simple act of kindness, but also by being willingly joined by wonderful friends.  I couldn't have done it without their generous hearts and feel so blessed to know these great gals!


The staff at Pediplace was SO amazed when I showed up with a giant Rubbermaid tub full of donations!  They had no idea that I would be bringing so many for them!  I only wish all those who participated could've been with me to see their happy faces.  Thank you, ladies (and families), for all you've done!

February Art Party

I am so blessed to have good friends and family in my life. I am even MORE blessed to be doing things that I love! As most of you know, I've loved scrapbooking and papercrafting for quite some time. Nowadays, I'm moving into Altered Art, as well. It's a mixed media type of art that combines pretty much any element that one finds attractive and/or meaningful.

February 13th was our first combined "Art Party". We (4 of us: Donna, Alisa, Nina, and I have started a journey together this year. We are trading ATCs every month and then having an altered art project and party every quarter, in an effort to live creatively.

I SO enjoyed our maiden party and ATC swap! I had one of the best times I've had in YEARS! Not only do I completely love and admire these 3 amazing women, I feel fulfilled when we bond together over the creative process.

Alisa, ever the gracious hostess, went all out to make it a lovely evening! From the wonderful display of hand-made and Vintage Valentine-themed decorations throughout the house,


right down to the pink sugar crystals lining the stemware, no detail went unnoticed.


We dined on delicious chicken spaghetti, salad, and yummy garlic bread knots (I'm a bread fiend!) Later, Dessert was a magnificient second feast of fresh fruits and chocolate sauce, pink champagne (and sparkling cider for me!), amazing little two-bite brownies (which I am embarassed to admit sometimes only took me 1 bite), and of course the French wonder that is the petit four.





We then moved into the family area for "art time"! Alisa had SO generously provided each one of us with our own surprise box of vintage goodies. I cannot describe to you how flabberghasted I was at not only the sheer AMOUNT of goodies she gifted, but the quality, as well.




There were sheets and sheets of aged sheet music, ledger paper, and journal paper all fromt he early 1900's. Additionally, there were wallpaper pieces, crepe paper, doilies, fabrics and trims, costume jewels and beads all beautifully tarnished by time.

Our project for the evening was an "altered" heart. How appropriate for Valentine's Day Eve! We were provided with a roughly 14" wood heart to decorate. Though daunting at first, I decided to just jump in and go for it! It was difficult actually "using" the supplies I'd just been given. They were so pretty and so cherished I just wanted to wrap them up, tuck them under my pillow, and sleep with them! Nonetheless, I am learning that beauty is to be enjoyed and shared. I am trying to live my life in the NOW and not just waiting for "good things" in the future. I'm trying to learn to be happy NOW, with the unfinished me that I am, instead of waiting for that ever-elusive day when I magically become "good enough"! This newfound ideaology includes using the "good stuff" now. So, I dove into that wonderful box of goodies and just let my creative sensitivites take over!



I am happy with my creation (though I know it is far from perfect), and more than anything, am pleased with how full of joy the process made me feel!


My altered HEART.


I had a little time to also work on a second piece. I wanted to practice using crepe paper. I love the vintage jewelry and beads Alisa made available.

At about 1am we suddenly realized it was LATE! Though the other 3 of us can sometimes be found lazing away on Saturday morning, Nina is a wonderful and devoted mother who needed to get up early to tend to her small children the next morning. Ergo, we put our art aside and got down to the most-anticipated event of the evening...the ATC REVEAL! For the prior 3 weeks, we had all been feverishly laboring on our first little ATCs, and couldn't wait to see what each other had come up with. I couldn't have been more pleased with the others' creations. Now, admittedly, we knew Alisa's would be GREAT, as she is an old pro! But, I was equally impressed with the workwomanship that went into Donna and Nina's pieces.


Donna's ATC--She Used Mica Chips and Gel Medium to Create This Look. Donna tries to teach me about real art mediums...but I still haven't got it all down!


Nina's "Gifts"! Love the Yummy Lavender Paper and Vintage Seam Binding.


Nina's Amazing ATC. I LOVE LOVE LOVE Nina's use of color and fantastic hand-stitched rose!


Alisa's Perfectly-Packaged Treasures.


Ooooooh! Look! There's one with my initial on it!

Alisa's ATC is made by covering her card with Vintage Lace. I can't imagine the painstaking effort it took to cut out each delicate image placed over the lace!


I think she said she saw the idea on Cerri's"The Little Pink Studio" site! She did a wonderful interpretation of this clever method!

As each of us took turns "opening" our swap cards (I truly believe art swaps are better than Christmas...Christmas is for kids...THIS is for US!), I just got happier and happier! Everyone had invested her heart and soul into her creation. I loved to listen to the stories behind the creations.


Presentation is Supposed to be Part of the ATC Swap. For My ATC Presentation, I Placed My ATC Card, Along With a Jewelled Clip, Inside an Altered Box.


The Inside Pocket of the Box I Decorated to House My ATC. There Are About 10 Mini French Poster Images Tucked Within.


The Front Side of My ATC. I made the "roses" out of beads, wire stems, and tiny green sequins. I chose a quote from the Quote Garden credited to Victor Hugo,

"How did it happen that their lips came together? How does it happen that birds sing, that snow melts, that the rose unfolds, that the dawn whitens behind the stark shapes of trees on the quivering summit of the hill? A kiss, and all was said."


The Back Side of My ATC. There are also a tiny lock and key hanging out from the side of the card. I love miniature things!

After the "gifts" had been opened and hugs goodbye, we all went home to a contented night of sleep. Nothing makes me feel better than to be surrounded by people I love and admire, who "get" me. I can't wait until our next swap! Cheers!