Rebecca Sower

catch-up post

All there's time for.  Heading back to Haiti and will be away from here, this screen, for a little while.

Until we meet again...a few of my latest instagram shots, been into painting lately in the spare moments.

the quote keeper's summer series (12)

A cup brimful of sweetness

cannot spill even one drop of bitter water,

no matter how suddenly jarred.

{ amy carmichael }

{ photo: quilt top, for our haiti project }

Craft Hope's 'Project Apron' for Haiti

I'm super excited to announce that Haiti by Hand is the next project for Craft Hope!

Project Apron is now launched and ready to receive aprons for the women of Haiti.  For complete details, please visit Craft Hope's facebook page (their new website is not quite up and running yet). 

For the one or two of you (like me) who aren't on Facebook, here's some quick info...

APRONS FOR THE WOMEN OF HAITI:

--Keep the style pretty-but-practical.  Nothing too frilly, ruffly or lacey.

--Make sure the fabrics are very wash-friendly.  Quilting cottons are recommended.

--Either full or half aprons are fine.  A pocket or two would be nice.

--Keep the aprons more kitchen-apron style as opposed to craft/gardening/novelty type.

--You may include a hand-written note with your apron.

--Jade has set a deadline of May 31 for the aprons because she will want to move on to her next project.  However, you may continue to send aprons through the end of July if you need more time.  We have trips planned for June and November so your apron won't miss the boat! :)

--All sizes of aprons are accepted (even girl's sizes too).

--I am putting a 'Project Apron' board on my Pinterest site so you can see styles of aprons that I think will work great for the ladies.

SEND APRONS TO:

HAITI BY HAND.

3333 BENTON ROAD

CEDAR HILL TN  37032

 

Thanks and have fun stitching up an apron or two!

Blessings,

Rebecca

{ps} thank you for allowing me to use my personal blog now and then to promote my work in Haiti...i love you for it.

quilt of many colors (in progress)

I have been part of the quilting bee making quilts for the Haitian children.  Opening boxes of beautiful fabrics, sorting, cutting.  So many treasures that you have sent our way.  We've made stacks of quilts, several of which have already made their way down to the happy new owners.

I come from a long line of quilters, but I'm not a real quilter.  Just a quilter-wannabe.  I've gotten the itch in a big way lately though.  So much so that I made a road trip up to this amazing store to buy my own little stash of colorful fabrics.

The project in mind?  A quilt of many colors for my sweet girl who graduates in May and is heading off to college.  Something pretty and full of color to take with her.  I'm following this tutorial for piecing the top. 

 

And then...Then I watch this documentary and see how one women stitched in little love 'notes' and sentiments into the quilt she was making for her son.  Of course!  Of course that's what I want to do.

Will I finish by May?  Not likely (this is going to take me forever).  But maybe by August when she heads off to school.  I'll keep you posted!

In the meantime, I'm having a blast with all this color.  Way more than I'm used to working with, but it's refreshing and fun in a dizzy sort of way.

Hope life is good to you this weekend.  Love!

 

home is where your heart is

And if that saying is true, my home is partially in Haiti.  With each trip there, another little chunk of my heart stays behind.  What will I do when all of it rests there?  Hmmm...

This trip was nothing short of amazing.  Oh the experiences!

 

Too many to share here.  My heart came back burdened...and bursting with ideas.  There is so much we can do for these precious souls...so much!  From right here at home, without ever getting on a plane, without feeling obligated to donate large amounts of money.  Small, small things that will become great things for the Haitians.

After this post, my blog will turn back into the art blog it was meant to be.  So please stop by the Haiti by Hand blog if you'd like to see how you can join me on this journey to love the people of Haiti.

 

grace and energy

Just a small extra measure of grace.  That's what I prayed for this morning, after dealing with this issue for the past couple of days.

My heart is grateful for all the support and emails I've gotten from you.  And for those of you who bought from the Haiti shop before they shut it down (with still no real reason or explanation).

The shop was only temporary at best, since our goal is for the Haitians to sell their handcrafts in Haiti.  We just weren't quite ready.

Anyway...

I suppose one good thing about sheer frustration is the energy burst.  That energy can go negatively (get angry, throw a tantrum, demand to see the manager :)...or it can work itself out positively.  I choose the latter...

...and head to my studio, with some loud music, and create.  And make something from a bunch of nothings.

...and make another something.

Feeling better already...

pulling it all together

I'm still in August.  It isn't fair that it's September already.  That means I have to start pulling everything together for the Creative Connection event next week.  Wow, next week, really?

Actually, I've been so excited/nervous about taking the handcrafts made by my Haitian girls that I've sorta lost focus on my own work.  But here I go anyway.  It will all work out just fine, as it always does.

I couldn't decide whether to post a pic or two a day to give you a peek at some of the items I'm taking.  Then decided, nah let's just throw it all out there.

As you've come to expect from me, a lot of words and sentiments in my work.

Because really that's all it takes sometimes, isn't it?  Just a word...

A word to inspire, to encourage, to soothe, to get us up out of that chair and get us going.

And if it's a reminder that's hanging on our wrist or our wall, well all the better spoken.

And so now my word must be 'go'.  So much still to do.

If you are going to be in Minneapolis next week please let me know, I'll keep an eye out for you.

Now I'll leave you with some of the best words I know...

"Be glad of life"

{ henry van dyke }

 

for what they are

"We love the things we love for what they are."

{ robert frost }

Things like...

...fresh basil on the patio, and things like...

...the prettiest cupcakes made by my sweet-16 (inspired by those cake shows on tv--she's really good at this isn't she?), and things like...

...a dear dad's 70th birthday celebration (guess who made the cowboy cake?), and things like...

...a lazy kitty in the sun (thanks Bernie, I still love her!), and things like...

...a sweet young hen from our newest flock (she actually comes up to me so I can pick her up and pet her...I've named her 'Buttercream'...because she's golden and sweet), and things like...

...a daughter who's finally coming home from Haiti this weekend (I'm so proud of her but I miss her like crazy.  Is this the first time you've seen a hippie-clown?  Yeah, me too.)

What are the things you love for what they are?  You should do a blog post about them...you should.  And let me know so I can stop by.  I'd really like that.

back from Haiti

...with much to share.  Most of which I will share on the Haiti by Hand blog if you'd like to jump over.

I'm exhausted, but also geared up and ready to get back into my garden, my studio, and my blog...I've missed you, dear friends.

For now, sending love your way.

filler photo { no. 09 }

"Priye" (pray) necklace I made for the Haiti effort . . .

"Love is a great beautifier."

{ louisa may alcott }