Friday, April 29, 2016

Sharing Kindness -- A Charitable Opportunity and a Giveaway

"Kindness has a beautiful way of reaching down into a weary heart and making it shine like the rising sun..."


 (my contribution to the Kindness Quilt project)

 Can you...
 sew, knit, crochet,
paint, quilt, embroidery,
stitch work?
~~
(if not, don't worry--
I have a special plan for those of you
who don't have any 
of the above skills!!)


 A little story...
One of my friends on Instagram started a project
to bring cheer to a friend who was recovering from surgery.
She created a beautiful quilt from bits and pieces 
that were donated from her friends on Instagram.
I became involved in the project 
and donated a quilt block that I knitted and embellished.
My little quilt block traveled all the way to Australia
to become a part of what my friend called 
"The Kindness Quilt Project".  



 with the exception of the first photo
(my own contribution to the project)
~~
all the photos shown here
belong to my amazingly talented friend, Deb...
who graciously allowed me to use
photos of her wonderful project
for this post.
~~
you can find Deb on Instagram..
her page is
"Raspberry Treats"
~~
to see all the photos of Deb's
amazing project
and meet all the generous ladies who contributed...
search #kindnessquilt
on Instagram 
 
Continuing my story...
...after the quilt was finished and delivered
to Deb's sweet friend...
those of us who were involved in this project
formed our own little group within the Instagram
community...
we call ourselves the 
"Kindness Quilt Group"
~~
those of you who have IG accounts
can search #kindnessquilt
to see an assortment of photos
 from our first project
 


With Deb's quilt now completed,
we have decided to begin
a new project for our group.
~~
You are all invited  
to participate
in the latest
Kindness Quilt Project...




Some details for the project..
1. you may donate a quilt block
of any size--
no larger that a 6 inch square

2.  you may knit, crochet, quilt,sew...
your square using any
yarn or fabric of your choice.

3. your square may be embellished 
in any manner that you wish...
embroidery, beaded accents,
quilted embellishments,
embroidery work,
or painted with washable paints.

4. In fact--
you may make your square
and embellish it in any manner you wish.
~
details continued below...




5. your quilt square donations
may also be totally not embellished..
they may be left plain without
anything on them...

6. you may donate as many squares
as you wish to this project...

details continued...




7.  for those of you who do not wish to make 
a quilt square...
you may donate items
of any sort that can be used
to embellish the squares
that are left plain.

8. you may donate buttons,
floral embellishments,
crochet flowers, granny squares, hearts,
lace, .....
you may donate any item that can be added
to the squares to 
further embellish the quilt.

9.  these donated items
may be purchased or handmade--
this is totally your choice..

details continued...




10. Your generously donated squares
will be sewn onto a backing fabric by me 
and I'll use your donated items
to embellish the squares as needed...

11.  this project will run for
a full year--
until April 1, 2017.
~
you will have ample time
to make generous donations 
to this amazing project.

12.  this project is open 
to anyone and everyone..
wherever you live,
~~
If your heart is generous...
you are invited to share your talents
or to share a bit of embellishment...
~~

 You may mail your donations
as often as you wish...
the donations may be mailed to..
~
The Kindness Quilt Project 
150 Pine Ridge Drive,
Grayson, Ky
41143


Updates will be shared regularly
here on my blog..
I will share your donated squares,
and any embellishments that are also donated.
If your name is included
with your donation,
I will list the names of everyone who
donates to this project...
~~
Photos of the quilt in progress
will also be shared from time to time...
~~
Those of you who have Instagram accounts
may follow me there for updates as well. 
All photos of donated items
will be shared regularly on my IG page
"2BagsFull"
You may search the photos
using the hashtag
#KindnessQuilt


Once the quilt is completed...
the ladies in my 
"Kindness Quilt" group will prayerfully
choose someone who is needful
of a little love and kindness...
~
someone who needs to be surrounded
by the loving arms
of those who so generously donated
to this project...
~
the quilt will be gifted
to someone
in need...




And of course...
I have gifts to share with you!
~
...because I already know
that you are going to be amazing
and will pour your hearts into
this wonderful project...


three beautiful, sparkly,
Vera Bradley totebags will be given away
next April 1, 2017.  
~~
everyone who sends in a donation
will be entered to win 
one of these tote bags.
(the flowers aren't included...)
~~
every quilt square that is donated,
is an entry...
(If you send in 3 quilt squares,
you will be entered 3 times.)  
~~
A small assortment of embellishments
will also count as an entry.
If you send in a large assortment,
you will be entered 
in several times.
~~
(you will just have to trust me to make it fair)
I promise that I will!


I'm thinking that the quilts will be lap size..
about 50x50 inches...
~~
should there be enough donations
to make more than one quilt...
I will reach out to you all
and ask for your suggestions
as to the recipient of the second quilt...
~~
I hope that you will set about this prayerfully,
knowing that your efforts
will bring comfort and joy to
someone who is desperately
in need...




If you have any questions about
this project,
you may email me at any time...
Vboster1@windstream.net 

~~
So many of you have written
to me asking about a future
charitable project...
~
my prayers are that this opportunity will
touch your hearts
and that each of you will want
to give a little bit of yourself so that
someone... a stranger in need...
 can be touched by 
kindness....

Love,love,love,
Vicki 

ps--
I'm going to take a little blog break -- I will be back in early to mid June.  I wanted to use this time to leave this post up so that it will have a chance to be seen by more of you.  While I am always available by email, there may be some lag time the first 3 weeks in May regarding my availability to return your emails.  So please be patient if I have not responded in my usual manner-- it may take a few days or so...xoxo

Saturday, April 9, 2016

A Welcome to April...

April...
 that blustery month that brings beautiful days, whispery warm breezes, sunshine and SNOW, gale force winds that blow the tops out of trees, beautiful blooms, and busy bees...

 Already in the few short
days that April has been upon us,
we have had every kind of
weather imaginable...

one day
 I am out in the sunshine
picking flowers from our yard,
and the next day 
I am watching the tree tops
blow across the field in front of our house...

our yard and gardens
are filled with the most beautiful
daffodils,
some bloom early, while others bloom late...
with over a dozen varieties,
they are always in a state
of blooming... 
 
 I've been posting 
some of my photos on my
2 BagsFull
Instagram page...
this is one of my
 favorites,
taken a few days ago at the
historic Lexington Arboretum and Cemetery

 the Lexington Cemetery
is a spectacular showcase of
blooms in early Spring...

this is one of my favorite places
to visit in the Spring,
I could spend hours driving and walking
around taking photos of the trees
there...

the blooms from the 
Weeping Cherry trees
fall all the way to the water's edge
at the ponds there...

the beautiful colors
only last a few days though,
so I rush to get there right after the trees
begin to bloom..

this photo,
(also posted on my Instagram page,)
was taken last week at the 
Museum of Appalachia
in Clinton, TN

we love this beautiful place...
while traveling south 
a few days ago,
we stopped here for lunch
and I snapped a few photos...
Isn't this just the most perfect
little "fixer upper" ever!!

my newest friend
at the Museum of Appalachia...
(also edited and posted on my Instagram account)
(If you have an IG account-- I would love
for you to join me there...)
 
 
 and of course...
the most sure sign of Spring--
 
 there is already lots of nest building
going on outside in our yard... 
(and inside my craft room too!)
 
Notes from me...
I was so in hopes that Spring was finally here!  Have organized my shoes making my cutesy little sandals front and center, put away my winter coats,and then.... this morning I drove to work in an ALL out snowstorm!! My 30 minute commute took over an hour. Then-- about 3 hours later, the sun came out and melted off all of the snow. Geez!! I'm telling myself that this was the last little bit of winter blowing it's way out!
 
I'm taking a few weeks to create my next blog post -- I will be back then with a wonderful charitable opportunity for you all and... of course a giveaway to coincide with this amazing new way for you to share your love...
xoxo,
Vicki