Sunday, September 2, 2012

Labor Day

Tonight is the Labor Day party at Pine Lake.  This is our end of the season shindig, and it's always bittersweet.  It's been a wonderful summer of creativity for me.  I'm grateful for the time I've had at the lake, and also for all the inspiration from so many of you whose blogs I read.  This art community is so generous and supportive and I am so thrilled to be a part of it.

For months I have been participating in Scrapping the Music's design challenges, and have been thrilled to be named a Hall of Fame winner a few times!  Well, STM asked me to join their design team, and of course I said yes!  The current challenges are lots of fun.  There's the song "Stray Cat Strut" by the Stray Cats, which has great lyrics, and the prompt to design around a song that reflects an event in your life.  Check out the DT's layouts.  I chose the latter prompt and here's my design:
 
Each year for the past 3 years, our family has spent our school vacations in Guatemala doing service work with From Houses to Homes.  This organization was founded by an angel of a man, Joe Collins, whose devotion to helping the indigenous people in the mountain villages surrounding Antigua, Guatemala, is extraordinary.   

After our first trip, Samy wrote a book about our experience, her school became the sister school to Cambiando Vidas (an amazing school in Pastores, Guatemala), we are godparents to a terrific little boy, and we sponsor two families by helping their children with their school supplies and other expenses.  Now, Joe Collins is back in the United States fighting his second battle with colon cancer.  Every day, I think of him and say a little prayer for this man whose dedication and vision has changed the lives of so many. 

This design is also my first face for Ayala Art's 29 faces challenge.   I hope you'll go to Scrapping the Music and participate in Challenge #205.  It will be loads of fun.

Have a wonderful holiday weekend.  xo

Thank you for visiting! If you are so moved, please leave a comment. Hearing from you means the world to me.

11 comments:

  1. Wonderful news to be a part of their designs team!

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  2. What a beautiful painting! And I love the song too, I will be singing it in my mind for hours!

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  3. Your art work is delightful to see; all aspects of it.
    Your field work is stupendous!
    I pray your friend will be well soon.

    What a beautiful education you are giving your children; and the world by posting about it.

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  4. Love your work, and the work you do in Guatemala is wonderful, hope your friend gets well again.

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  5. I love a lot about this,she is so lovely and serene and your design and colors are so vibrant. There's a nice energy here with the combination of the two.

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  6. Dropping by to to say Great Job! I can't comment everyday because I am trying to download some videos, which take forever. But I will be back in a few.

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  7. Lovely painting and lovely post. So sad that your friend is battling cancer. Hope he'll recover!

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  8. Beautiful painting, Jessica. Beautiful prayers too :). It almost looked like it was inspired by the photo below it, with all the colors and feelings. TFS!. Namaste.

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