QUILT HEALING!

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Having suffered clinical depression and anxiety most of my life, the sudden death of my sister manifested as Agoraphobia.  My counselor was unable to find a "day program" to take me out of my comfort zone and lead me into the path of recovery.  The only programs out there were for the mentally challenged.  Not sure what to do, but wanting recovery so much...I found some peace in meditation to begin with, and then things just came my way.  I was focused on healing and so the resources to "heal" came to me.  Had I stayed focused on "being disabled," I would have remained there.

I took up painting by watching Donna Dewberry on PBS late one night.  I began to create hand painted crafts, many of which I was able to sell.  I began making a new angel every year around Christmas, and I wrote a cookbook with my family which we now sell on ETSY.com and donate the proceeds to Cancer, Heart and Autism research. I returned to college to complete my degree (at age 60) by taking my classes online. The greatest resource I found was in "quilting." I began by researching online and finding patterns, learning rotary cutting, and attempting to make wonderful quilts.  I wasn't very good at it, but I loved doing it.  On a whim one day after leaving my counselor's office I found a little Quilt Shop right near her office.  Unable to just pass by, I went in. I entered on the side where they were having quilting classes and moved my way over to the material section.  I inquired about classes and they told me a new beginner's class was starting the next week. Without hesitation I signed up.   

The first day of the class I got there 30 minutes early and sat in my car, feeling anxious but almost giddy that I had gotten myself there; and with sewing machine and materials in hand I was going to "learn" to quilt the right way and end my frustration.  Although the class was three hours long, I managed to get through the first one and was shocked at how smoothly it went, but even more by how I was feeling.  I managed in those three hours to separate myself from my anxiety, and like a fly on the wall, I saw myself relaxed and happy, and the time flew by quickly. I felt healing when I left the class.  I am so content to see what I accomplished, and am embarrassed to say, I love the praise I get from my friends when they see how much I have improved.

Having always believed that success comes from focused attention on one's strongest desire, and the continued effort in the direction of one's intention; I was reminded of an experience I had many years before and had to abandon, to take care of my mother when she was diagnosed with terminal colon cancer. "When you believe in  your purpose and keep faith while always going in the direction of the intention without wondering where the resources to accomplish the task will come from, the resources come to you.

I have created my own "day program" called "our Gratitude,"and have applied to the Pepsi Challenge for the funding, but I know that even if I don't get accepted, the resources will show themselves as long as I keep going in the direction of my ultimate desire.

Watching the movie, "The Secret," was what reminded me of what I already knew, and it also renewed my continuous gratitude for all that I already have. Living a life of purpose is all that is expected of us, and with faith in your intention you will see the results in your own  life.

I hope everyone will look for my project next month at PEPSI CHALLENGENGE 
and vote for me to fund my "day program" for high functioning disabled  adults, designed to lower the number of people on disability and increase jobs and income to the state.

TEA BAG FOLDING, NOT FOR HOLDING!

This morning, sitting here watching the snow fall, when I should be getting ready to go to dinner with the kids for my daughter's Birthday, (phew)I started creating a Squidoo page and ran across this amazing craft. It's like Origami but it is called Tea Bag Folding I am looking to see if I can make an Angel using either of these crafts. I have been sitting here for what is now hours, after canceling dinner with the kids, (weather is really bad)trying to make this origami rose called Kawasaki Rose, and I still have not mastered it yet. The video is great but I think you have to look at it as though you were looking into a mirror, because most of my folds seem to be going the wrong way, but it's fun to do and I will master the art this year, but for now I think I'll take a break and settle for a little painting.
I am trying Donna Dewberry's new method. It's called High Def and the effect is wonderful, it's like painting in 3 dimension. I am trying to master a Lighthouse Landscape, which is one of my Christmas commitments. I made a commitment to my son to paint a lighthouse for him on canvas. I gave him a lighthouse ornament for Christmas and he reminds me that he sees it sitting there each day on the shelf waiting for the painting. Nothing like a putting a little pressure on myself. Well time to get the paints out. Here is the Kawasaki video for you to watch...let me know if you master it.

DONNA DEWBERRY WAS "THE SECRET"

Image via WikipediaI was suffering from Agoraphobia for 4 years. Although I had reached therapeutic levels of medication, I still found it too difficult to leave my home for even short periods of time. After awhile I developed insomnia, and found that I was sitting for hours on end watching television not even realizing when I had already seen the shows that were on.

One night I was channel surfing and ran across Donna Dewberry teaching her "One Stroke Painting Method" and I was instantly attracted to it. The next day I drove to an A.C.Moore and purchased all the products necessary to learn her classic "Cabbage Rose" and the leaves. Never being very crafty, except for short periods of time, I started to paint and then I began to create. I worked with wooden serving trays and matching stemware, wooden jewelry boxes, various types of candle holders that I painted and filled with gel wax for candles and anything else I could find. What took place was a miracle to me, I began to recover. It was only for short periods of time but I developed more tolerance over time. It was shortly after that that I discovered "The Secret" and "The Law of Attraction" and my life has improved tremendously. I occasionally have short periods of PTSD but I recover quickly now, and I am able to function again. I started to go to school online to get a degree and I am about to train for certification in Family Advocacy for members of families that have mental and physical disabilities. I have blogs on "The Secret" and "Oppositional Defiant Disorder", with resources for other mental illnesses and also resources for legislation related to mental and physical disabilities and research.

I have suffered from depression since my early teens, and only in the last year have I actually found recovery, and it was because of "The Secret" and Donna Dewberry.

WOODCRAFTERS!

Image via WikipediaWoodcrafters, You are not going to miss the sale at Ac moore...ALL WOOD PRODUCTS ARE 25% OFF. this is when i stock up on wooden trays to make my favorite project.
I first prepare the wood, then paint it, put a sealer on and then I begin to hand paint my design. The beauty of putting a sealer on first is...if you make a mistake you can just do it over and the surface will remain the same. When using Donna Dewberry's One Stroke method of painting...there are no mistakes, she shows you how to just paint over it...I do that all the time. Once I have finished my hand painting I put another sealer coat on the entire tray and then I pour the most amazing product int he bottom of the tray to give it this indestructible high gloss effect. Enviro-Tex Lite. There is nothing better. They use this products to put the high gloss on bars when you go into restaurants. The product comes in 2 bottles and you mix equal parts and then pour it in about a 1/4 inch thick and voila...the best gloss coat you have ever seen, and then I move on the matching stemware.

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"You Are Just Moments Away From Discovering Amazing Secrets On Quilling
Compiled From The World's Best Quillers"

Image via WikipediaI started painting about 4 years ago when my depression escalated to Agoraphobia. (Fear of open spaces.) I was only able to leave my home for very short periods of time and there were times I could not leave at all. Needless to say, I was bored to death, you can only watch so much television.

One night unable to sleep, I was watching PBS and Donna Dewberry was on doing a telethon to help raise funds for the station. She painted with such ease. It reminded me of Captain Bob from when I was a kid and also Bob Ross who painted with those big brushes. You know, you would just sit in front of the tv and watch him create this vision with those massive brushes, he was amazing. Captain Bob sketched usually with pencil and chalk. They were both something to see. But when I watched Donna Dewberry draw her cabbage rose, I immediately wanted to do that. Never having been very crafty I kind of chuckled to myself thinking that I could actually do it, but I did. My nights were filled with practice sheets trying to paint that rose. The beauty of her method is that she has developed a style to teach it and also a line of products that make it easier to do and make perfection closer than you can imagine, and the biggest thing is even when you make a mistake it is so easily and magically corrected with her method.

I began to paint on paper for practice, and began to tape her show so I would have a new lesson and a greater choice of designs. I took really quick trips to the craft store to pick up supplies and then I would just revel in the idea of creating something so special, that others would revere me the way they do her. But it was her method, so nothing I did was going to change that. That was the "EGO" raging in me. I even took some lessons with a certified "One Stroke" teacher, who became a friend. I began to think I would be able to earn money, so I created serving trays with matching stemware and found an amazing coating to fill them with. I even got creative and made tracings of sports logos. I created a lot of different projects, always with the idea that I could sell them, but that would mean leaving the house for long periods of time and displaying at places that were filled with people. I developed a brochure and tried to sell them by posting them in different places, to no avail. I tried the coops but they charged so much money to display your wares with them, it was like a catch 22. Eventually, maybe I would have made money, but the only thing I really got from that experience was the desire to run my own craft store and help others to display their wares. In time that will take place. In the meantime if you have not experienced Donna Dewberry and her One Stroke method, try this video and there are several more on you tube and on PBS channels. If you want some ideas on the kind of projects to make with this painting method, just contact me and I will send you some information. In the meantime here is Donna herself...tada..