Monday, June 23, 2014

Trip with Bird Houses


Friday, June 13 might seem like a day for bad luck, but ours was good that day. After dropping two of my kids off to see their dad, Carl and I continued on down I-85 into South Carolina. We pulled our Jeep into the Comfort Inn. We were on a mission. A mission with forty bird houses.

Debby Stephenson, a.k.a. Flash, greeted me and introduced me to many of her Courageous Kidz, staff, and volunteers. The group of nearly 100 were waiting to load the buses for fun, a.k.a. Carowinds! Our job had nothing to do with riding roller coasters, our job was forty bird houses.

Debby ordered these bird houses from our business, Carved By Heart, after seeing a photo of a carved bird house that I had posted at my home away from home, a.k.a. Facebook.


When it comes to her non-profit cancer organization, Courageous Kidz, Debby is always full of ideas. The group goes bowling, on picnics, to festivals, and yes, annual trips to Carowinds. Debby's 70 years old, and yet you'd never believe it. She has the energy and joy of a child. The love in her eyes for "her kids" is heart-warming. And when one of them is near death, Debby sends out fervent requests for prayers.

My son Daniel never got to meet Debby or have her give him a nickname; my path found Debby years after he died from cancer treatments. But I have benefited from knowing her and being called one of her cancer kid "moms". Debby's love and generosity makes any bad-luck day, a good one.


The last of the group boarding the buses for Carowinds.


The boxed bird houses loaded on the bus.

Debby plans to have kids decorate these unfinished bird houses at a Halloween event later this year. We look forward to seeing those pictures.

Earlier that week---carving the wood and preparing to craft the bird houses.

Monday, June 2, 2014

Discover Your Creativity: Journal for Life! Workshop


Want to see just how creative you can be? Pick up a pen and unleash your mind onto paper!

The gift of writing is one all of us can experience. In my workshop this June, I'll be sharing tips and techniques to make journal-keeping both relevant and fun. I'll let you see what an eye-opening and valuable tool journaling is---one you can use to write your next work of art. With plenty of prompts, and even a pen and journal (provided for you), we'll spend a morning of writing and discovering.

By the end of the session you will have at least one completed written piece you will be proud of and ideas for many more.

Journal for Life! will be held from 9 to 11 AM at Gifts With a Heart, a store in Raliegh's Swift Creek Shopping Center off of Jones Franklin Road (near Cary).

Each participant gets a pen and journal as well as a 10% off coupon that can be used for purchases at the store.

Journal for Life!
June 28, 9 to 11 AM
Cost: $27.99 (includes journal and pen)


Held at:

Gifts With A Heart
2889 Jones Franklin Road
Raleigh, NC 27609
(919) 858-0755

SIGN UP TODAY!
Send a check for $27.99 to
Alice Wisler
201 Monticello Avenue
Durham, NC 27707

OR

use the link to pay via Pay Pal.