Small Things for Sandy Hook.

If you are like me, you are probably still distraught over the happenings of Newtown CT. The shooting and those children are always in my thoughts. I even have nightmares about it. I knew that I wanted to make cards and send them to the families/ community somehow. Above are pics of the stamps I chose from my collection for cards. I am very much saddened by the cute images.

I know a lot of us feel helpless during these trying times. You can affect so much just by doing something small. A friend helped me discover this article. I just copied and pasted word for word.

From CNN.com:

"11 Small Acts That Can Have a Huge Impact.

1. When the children of Sandy Hook Elementary go back to school, the National Parent Teacher Association wants them to be greeted by a winter wonderland. You and your child can help welcome the students back to school, which will be in a new building, by making unique snowflakes! The snowflakes are due by January 12. Please send them to:

Connecticut PTSA

60 Connolly Parkway

Building 12, Suite 103 Hamden, CT 06514

2. You can also share your kind words of condolence by sending the community of Newtown a condolence letter:

Message of Condolence

PO Box 3700

Newtown, CT 06470

3. Some of the victim’s families have also set up specific pages for you to leave condolences online. Click on the names to leave your thoughts for the family of Dawn Hochsprung, Emilie Parker, Noah Pozner and Benjamin Wheeler.

4. Messages are also being collected on Evergram. They will be given to the family at a later date.

5. You can also do something you may have been putting off for a while. Go around your house with your child and find the toys they don’t play with anymore. Then donate them to a local charity.

6. You can also make a commitment as a family to volunteer at your school or community center.

7. Make sure this information gets out to the people who need it. Just hit the retweet button or copy and paste the information to post it on other social networks.

8. If you need a little inspiration for more creative ways to help your community and do good, check out this conversation happening on Twitter. People are labeling their Twitter updates with the hashtag #26acts – a kind act for each of the people who died at the school.

9. Find other people in your community who are pledging to walk for 27 minutes on Friday 12/21 at 9:30 a.m.

10. If you have a blog, write about a cookie recipe or craft and include a tribute to the victims. You can find other people’s blog post through the Twitter hashtag #BloggersForSandyHook

11. Some online gamers are also suspending online shooting for one day, Friday, Dec. 21."

Eleven Eleven Eleven (at) Eleven Eleven.

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Decided to play at Dear Lizzy's 11 11 11 @ 11:11 challenge:



I ran around the house like a mad woman!!! :)



I was on the computer and Mattie was nearby.



Ran to the family room where the babe was happily cooing to himself!



It's a dreary, rainy day.



My current project on the craft desk.



Eleven. Eleven. Eleven. at eleven:eleven.

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"For me and my family personally, September 11 was a reminder that life is fleeting, impermanent, and uncertain. Therefore, we must make use of every moment and nurture it with affection, tenderness, beauty, creativity, and laughter." -Deepak Chopra, M.D.

"Even the smallest act of service, the simplest act of kindness, is a way to honor those we lost, a way to reclaim that spirit of unity that followed 9/11." -President Barack Obama


As today marks the tenth anniversary of 9/11, I wanted my post to reflect it.

I thought...what stamp could I possibly have that would symbolize the loss, sadness, terror this day caused? Heck, I find it difficult to make 'regular' sympathy cards.

So instead, I'm focusing on hope. Hope on humanity, hope that the terror will stop, hope that our soldiers are fighting for.

And what better way to depict hope than a little girl, happy in a swing and the color yellow. Actually, I have a niece who was born on this day. So this stamp was the right choice for today.



Which brings me to my creation for PWCO's Anything But a Card challenge. I got this kraft box at Michael's and decorated it. It would make a great gift card holder or favor box. I think I overdid the flowers but I wanted it to be bright and happy. And yellow usually symbolizes support as well. For our soldiers and our fellow countrymen.



& lookie-here, doesn't this remind you of a sun or star? It's the wood grain of my favorite table. Ahhh, it radiates hope already and puts a smile on my face every time I look at it.



Supplies:
Stamp - PWCO's A Day in the Life of Abigail C- Spring Swing.
PP- doodlebug design inc.
Ink- Memento, Tim Holtz distress ink
Misc- Copics, ribbon, flowers, buttons, twine.

The Happenings of 4/30 - 5/1/2011

This weekend sure had a lot of happenings..

The wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton..

The killing of Osama Bin Laden...

I'm not going to get into the ethics of killing a terrorist and the repercussions it may cause. Rather, I'm going to just talk about my experiences and feelings of the whole ordeal.

Having lived in California, I always remembered where I was (home) and what I was doing (cooking dinner for my siblings and I) during the Loma Prieta earthquake in 1989. I thought I would never forget that day. Being the oldest but not even a teen, I felt responsible and protective over my siblings. But I was also scared and helpless for I have never been in an earthquake before.

Fast forward to 9/11. I was off from work that day, but woke up early and turned on the TV to watch the news. I felt like I was watching a movie as I watched the plane hit the first twin tower. Smoke billowed up top. There was chaos. And then the building collapsed. I couldn't believe it. I worried about my family in New York, and a friend who was their for a trip.

Thankfully, they were ok. But I was heartbroken over the lives and sense of freedom that were lost. I was angry and felt helpless. I was in my early 20's, on the other side of the country. I did not know anyone personally who died on that day. But like most Americans, that day has marked me for life and affected me in a hundred ways.

And so when people ask why Bin Laden's death should be celebrated if it does not guarantee the end of terrorism and if it may cause more retaliation, I say yes. I am a pediatric nurse, consider myself kind, and believe in God. I am supposed to be sweet and non-judgemental and forgiving, but I can't help but say that justice has been served.

66 years earlier, on the same day that Osama was announced dead, Hitler's death was also declared.

I always like to include pictures on my posts. Couldn't find the pics I took of Ground Zero, when I first went to NYC in 2004. But I did discover some lay-outs I made from that trip. These pics are very old... and way before I ever created this crafty blog.

It was a fun trip, very memorable having a mini-family reunion. I am thankful that nothing happened to my family.

It was tear-jerking having gone to Ground Zero and the museum dedicated to 9/11. Someday, I hope to scrap those pics with a news article from yesterday. HELL YEAH!

And despite 9/11, New York will always be beautiful. I fell in love with it right away, just like I knew I would.









Anyway, thanks for reading this long post. I hate just having talked about the negative stuff that happened. I'll save the Royal Wedding on another post. I don't know about you but I was also swooning this whole weekend :).