Cultivating Gratitude

I'm currently in Guatemala, attending the wedding of our godson's parents.  This is a re-post about why I keep going back to this beautiful, inspiring place.  As it is the week of Thanksgiving here in the USA, I thought it was fitting to share my love for this country and people, and how it fills me with gratitude.

My family's work in Guatemala started out as service with From Houses to Homes, but it has become so much more.  Every time I go, I return rejuvenated and inspired to do more, be more, help more.   And I can't wait to go back.

What inspires me?  Foremost is the love of our adopted family - the joy of my godson - the hope of his parents and their beautiful dedication to giving him a better life.

Then there is the quiet dignity of people who live in extreme poverty, but who repeatedly teach me about gratitude, loyalty, and what really matters. 

There is the joy and beauty over small things, like receiving one simple gift for Christmas; 

the juxtaposition of ruin and rebuilding

the colors and vitality

the humor

the persistence of life, pushing through decay

hope and reward from dedication and perseverance;

smiles, laughter, and clarity about why I am on this planet.




Here's a quick video my family made after our second trip to Guatemala.  I hope it gives you a little jolt of the amazing inspiration I glean from each trip.



You can also watch "A Child Does Community Service in Guatemala" on YouTube here.

Una pregunta:  What makes you say - OK - I know why I'm here?

Your comments make me so happy and let me know you were here. I read and treasure every comment and will happily answer any questions as soon as I can.

Handmade Ornaments Using Stitching and Stenciling

I've been having a blast making holiday gifts using old white sheets and cloth napkins that I have dyed and "patterned" (I use that word loosely) using my stencil designs and acrylic paint.  Here are some sweet ornaments I made recently using my Seven Hearts Stencil for Stencil Girl.   They are for three special art friends, and go in the mail today...

They were easy to make - I cut out my hearts and stitched them onto other pieces of fabric.  I cut out a double layer of batting in the shape I wanted, and them sewed them all together.  I covered both sides in glass bead gel to stiffen them up a bit and give them sparkle.

I look forward to more stitching and stenciling this weekend in my monthly Meetup class.  There are still some spaces, so if you're in the area, come on by!  

Speaking of art and friends, I have been so moved by the outpouring of support for our Artists Give Back online auction.  You can bid through Friday.  Even if you don't have a winning bid or aren't in the market for art (but who isn't??), please visit our auction site and consider making a donation to Pastoralist Child Foundation.  

Your comments make me so happy and let me know you were here. I read and treasure every comment and will happily answer any questions as soon as I can.

If you don't already, please sign-up for my newsletter HERE, and follow me on Facebook, Pinterest, Bloglovin and YouTube, so that you never miss a giveaway, and always get the latest Jessica Sporn Designs News!  

 

Do Good, Be Good; Artists Give Back

http://www.32auctions.com/artistsgiveback

In my last post, I wrote about my yoga teacher's teaching that all of yoga can be summed up in one phrase: Do Good, Be Good.  Well, artists around the world have come together to "do good."  Won't you help us?  100% of the proceeds of this auction will go to Pastoralist Child Foundation, a truly grass roots non-profit that supports rural Kenyan tribal efforts to improve the lives of their girls and women.  Here is their video, where you will see my friend Sayydah Garret, who founded the foundation, speak about its work.  

You can also watch the Pastoralist Child Foundation Official Video on Youtube here.  

I have donated these two pieces:

I created Being Strong using my Five Hamsas stencils from Stencil Girl Products.  You can read all about its creation here.  

I created Be Fearless using my Hearts, Flowers and More stencil for the background, and my Shiva Deity Stencil for the foreground.  Here's a blog post where I talked about Lord Shiva, and what his energy represents.  

There is amazing artwork on the auction site.  The auction starts Monday morning at 7AM EST and lasts until Friday 12/12.  I hope you'll check it out!

Your comments make me so happy and let me know you were here. I read and treasure every comment and will happily answer any questions as soon as I can.

If you don't already, please sign-up for my newsletter HERE, and follow me on Facebook, Pinterest, Bloglovin and YouTube, so that you never miss a giveaway, and always get the latest Jessica Sporn Designs News!