My pastor and his wife have been ministering to the community at GRACE for 20 years!!! On June 19th we celebrated them and I had the honor of designing the postcard invitation and coordinating pieces for the event. Pastor Lou is an amazing communicator and you can listen to his sermons at http://www.gracelbmedia.org
I have been working with Tim Brandon at COMMAND MASS....he is a GREAT web programmer and I really love working with him....here is the latest site we collaborated on. Check out there website for all the work they do...www.cmdmass.com [& just for fun...http://www.commandmass.com/dance-party-at-work/ ]
I have a friend who coaches basketball for the Azusa Pacific University Women's Basketball team...she asked me if I would design a t-shirt for the girls and I said YES! I have become quite the fan of the team - not only because they are AWESOME and play great ball, but because they each have amazing hearts and are just cool people!
So the design on the right got put onto maroon shirts and they sported those shirts all the way to the National Championship game...oh yes, I like to think that a team in a well designed pregame shirt is destined for success.
I have had the privilege of discipling/mentoring a group of amazing girls since 2003...I try to make them things occasionally. Mainly because...well, I simply like to make things.
My grandmother and I found some old wood at a fleamarket type shop in VA--we spent SEVERAL days trying to find the right wood and I actually wish I had found even older wood then what we came across. We ended up getting some old shutters that came from a barn and I had my grandfather help me chop it up into rectangles and sand the edges. I printed out some pictures of us, sewed them onto fabric, frayed the edges and then attached them to the wood with these cool nails my grandmother had. And wa la...a simple little gift.
I LOVE designing and making custom cards, invitations, announcements, etc!!! They take A LOT of work to put together but an invitation sets the whole tone for your event and its fun to be a part of creating something that gets people ready for a GOOD TIME!!!
Kim DeAllen came to me and asked me to create a invitation for her daughter GiGi's one year old birthday party which was also going to be a fundraiser for breast cancer and her baby dedication. She also wanted to somehow highlight her daughter's formal name of Margaux Gisele DeAllen as well as the name everyone calls her "Gigi"....SO this was quite the challenge to combine all of these pieces in one formal invite but we both LOVED how it came out.
The invitation was fun but the party was AMAZING!!! Kim is such a great party planner and they were able to raise so much money for breast cancer while celebrating a beautiful little girl.
SO....I know I posted A WHILE ago about my friends and I putting on a conference for high school girls called FLOURISH....it was an awesome day!! This is because we had the most amazing team of friends come and help make it happen!!!! I was overwhelmed and in awe of how incredible it is to be a part of such a great community that supports and encourages each other. It was a one day event from 9am-6pm and girls from all over California [San Diego to Modesto to San Luis Obispo to Long Beach] came and worshiped, laughed, studied, and learned about what it looks like to live out Ephesians 4:1"....live a life worthy of the calling you have received".
[it was a beautiful day.]
Besides speaking, I got to do a few things that I love to do, like paint!!! I wish I made more time to sit and paint...it is so therapeutic for me even though I am not very good at it, I still like it! I made this sign for our photobooth that we set up for the girls to take pictures at the event as a keepsake of the day. [thank you Randy Marshman for setting up the photo shoot/backdrop, etc and Taylor Johnson for taking such fun pictures all day long!!]
I also got to design tshirts for the FLOURISH team. I designed patches and my friend Kevin Jenkins who owns EMBRACE APPAREL [www.embraceapparel.com] printed them up for us and then I sewed them on at different places on each girls shirt...so we all had different ones!!! AND I maybe a little bias, but I think we had the world's best band made up of all amazing women - lead by Jessica Lindstrom Garcia...her voice is truly angelic & they have hearts to match!
We are currently setting up FLOURISH conferences in Modesto, Long Beach and Mechanicsville, VA for the fall/winter! More details to come!!!
While I was back home in Virginia during the month of April, a group of my friends from high school got together for dinner. We each brought different toppings for a salad and had a great night of catching up and eating:) I love how encouraging, beautiful and funny each one of these girls are. We've been friends pretty much our entire lives and to grow from preschool, jr.high, college, weddings and now having babies and still be able to laugh through it all is a special thing.
Ginny started a cake business a couple of years ago and everything she makes is EQUALLY delicious as it is beautiful!! She just "whipped" up these personalized cupcakes for each of us. If you are in the Richmond area, you definitely need to use her for your next big event! The cupcakes had a delicious filling and the icing was a whipped chocolate frosting with cherry and chocolate chunks!!! SO GOOD.
The day started by deciding to take a stroll along the beach and as we came to a huge mound of sand, like typical girls, we set up a little photo session, enjoyed the sun and caught up....THEN out of nowhere our silence and serene beauty was interrupted by 3 boys. There were the two brothers (one plump/so precious and the other super skinny and never stood still) and then token random friend. who was off in his own world. They climbed onto our mound of sand with boogie boards and I wondered..."Are they going to do what I think they are going to do?" And sure enough...down the sand dune they went. We watched. We laughed. We thought it was cute that the plump little brother looked like he was praying before he scooted himself off the edge. I thought it looked like fun but they were boys and I am such mature, classy lady.
But you see, I am reading this book, "A Million Miles in a Thousand Years" by Donald Miller (THANKS mike forrest!!). It's been like a little treat each night before I go to bed. I try to force myself to only read a chapter or two because it's like a good dessert after a tasteful day. ANYWHO. The book really dives into this whole concept of our life being a story and challenges you to look at the life you are living. Is your story compelling? Is it Fun? Is it meaningful?...Donald Miller writes, "A good movie has memorable scenes, and so does a good life."
So back to the beach....I decided, why not join in on the fun and make some new friends. First attempt down was so fun! It was like sledding but even better because I wasn't cold and I didn't have 45 layers of clothes on. Then skinny brother started doing crazy things like 360s and jumping so I was like..."Oh I am doing that!!! He is 10years old. If he can do it, I can".....Unfortunately, it was an epic fail. I was flipping and rolling all the way down the sand dune and was a human sand box for the rest of the day. The moms asked if I was ok. My friends were crying they were laughing so hard. The boys definitely did not think I was cool. But it was a memorable scene in this life I live.
life is but a BREATH. live it well.
[Thanks for coming to visit Kimi&Taryn. You both live a very compelling life and am thankful to be a part of it!! Keep shining.]
Do you see someone using their gifts and talents beautifully?
TELL THEM.
Recently, someone I admire and respect took the time to believe in me. To encourage and push me to be the best designer I can be. She gave me advice and spoke life-giving words. The power of LIFE is in our TONGUE...so let's USE IT!!! Let's allow those around us to FLOURISH by speaking life into them, not to receive anything but the joy that comes from seeing someone live life to it's fullest!
Olive Leaf is a line of products I designed and Janie Seltzer penned the beautiful poetry. My favorite pieces are the mugs!! The shape is perfect for a big cup of coffee in the morning...and I definitely need a big cup of coffee in the morning :). These were released in the middle of 2009 through DEMDACO and are available at bookstores and retail stores around the country. [www.demdaco.com]
I have been a part of the MeganHearts team for a little over a year now and it has been so much FUN! Kimi and Megan started a publishing company called Kegan Publishing and they published their first book "Megan Hearts Baking" in 2008. I came alongside as the art director and we [Kimi, Megan and I] have been taking this book on the road. Our goal is to use every minute of the hour and a half event to redefine FUN! Our hope is that each girl walks out of the room a little more confident, knowing that she too can find JOY in unexpected places through giving, encouraging others and having a positive outlook in all situations!
January 8th-12th we were in North Carolina--With almost 300 kids & adults and 5 events we have many crazy memories and moments from this trip! Here are a few highlights via our facebook status' in case you missed them :)
ON BOOK TOUR: Charlotte, NC...was getting odd looks at Starbucks...which was odd till Rachel reminded me that a Mohawk isn't normal [megan]
BOOK TOUR DAY 3...a little 6 year old girl just told Megan she had "fonkay hayer"...seeing girls leave more confident then when they walked in has been amazing!! Kimi-we MISS you. [me]
STOP #4: Asheville, NC @ gas station dressed in purple sweatpants & lime green/purple striped beanie & was greeted with, "you girls ain't from around here, huh?" [megan]
Final stop: Salem-Winston & Colfax, NC. I asked the inevitable question, "so do I sound like I have an accent to you guys" to which a new friend replied, "no darlin, you just sound like those people on them tv do." We all delighted in her answer, drank some tea, and then discovered we have two different definitions of ......the word Shag. Thankfully, they were referring to "dancing" with their friend's dads.
left 14 degree weather in NC and arrived to 74 degrees...eating breakfast outside overlooking the ocean in manhattan beach. thank you california. [me]
VERY SPECIAL THANKS to the guys house in Charlotte, NC and for Sandlin & Hunter Douglas for housing us [and for playing our little game :)]
There was once a young man who decided he wanted to change the world. His mission in life was to make a difference in the lives of others. He worked tirelessly each day trying to cure hatred, poverty, and violence. As time passed, he concluded his dream of changing the world was unrealistic, and he therefore turned his focus to his country. He got involved in politics, met with decision-makers and tried to change laws and policies. After years of exhausted efforts, he again found himself overwhelmed and unable to change his country. So this man turned his attention to his town. He was confident he could make a difference and a valid change for the better within his community. However, by this time he was an elderly man and after hours and days of working, he was tired and worn out. This man, defeated and unsuccessful in his endeavors, felt shameful and disappointed. He sat wallowing in self-pity, angry at the world and all alone. It was in this moment he realized all his efforts were strictly to bring glory and recognition to himself. The more aware he became that it is Christ’s power that changes the world and not our own fortitude and pride, his pursuit for Christ became more personal and intimate.
Out of the overflow of God’s love for him, he changed the way he loved and served the people around him and in his community. He watched as they began to come together, as one body, making an incredible impact for the Kingdom of Heaven. This man finally realized that true change had to start with his heart and his relationship with God, unfortunately, it just happened to be so late in his life.
as the new year begins... each of us consciously or unconsciously begin to look at our life and evaluate where we are and where we want to be. Our goals, passions, desires and dreams begin to surface. This morning I had coffee with a friend who shared how she keeps hearing God ask her, "What are your motivations behind your wants and desires? Is it to bring ME glory or yourself?" I was struck by the one word...motivation. Many times I act or serve in hopes to fulfill some need or desire I have, however, when my motivation is strictly to be a light and to bring glory to God (and not myself) my life begins to flourish in unexpectant ways.
flour·ish (flûr’ĭsh, flŭr’-)
[v. flour·ished, flour·ish·ing, flour·ish·es]
1. To grow well or luxuriantly; thrive: The crops flourished in the rich soil.
2. To do or fare well; prosper: “No village on the railroad failed to flourish” (John Kenneth Galbraith).
3. To be in a period of highest productivity, excellence, or influence: a poet who flourished in the tenth century.
4. To make bold, sweeping movements: The banner flourished in the wind.
May our lives reflect Christ and FLOURISH as we seek to bring HIM glory and not ourselves in this new year.
