Wednesday, February 8, 2012

Today I have been working on a small order but thinking of things much more grand!  Sometimes I am unaware of how often I daydream....other times, like today, I wallow in my daydreams.  I have a very grand idea that when I decide to pursue will have many baby steps along the way before it will become the reality of which I dream.  Of course it is a "bag" idea.  But it would also be something in rememberance of my dad.  "What!? A purse that reminds you of your dad?" you ask.  No, my dad was definately a gun toting guy, not handbag toting kind of guy.  But there was something that my dad said so many times. 

I never became aware of the words until the weeks before his death but now they echo lovingly through my soul.  The words were, "I love you, with ALL of my HEART.  They were spoken slowly with such a depth of feeling.  They were always followed by a closed lip smile and often a kiss.  What a gift he left behind!  So although it is still in the dreamy,  state of the process of making things happen, I can see something wonderful and sweet and with a heart theme.  Hey!  You don't expect me to give it all away right now, do you?  My dream of the bags would be something that I could make "with all of my heart",  individually as if I were making them for myself.  Bags that only I would sell in my shop instead of offering them wholesale.  Each bag would have some sort of heart reference.  Some blatant, others subtle that you would have to search for.  I envision keys and locks and tassles and such in jewel tones and leather and wonderful kimono silks!  But as I have learned, you have to wake up to make your dreams come true.  And right now, that means finishing this small order that still sits on my table to earn the money, to order the supplies, that fit on the bags... that I dream of. 

a hui hou

Wednesday, February 1, 2012

Relay For Life

I have just been invited to join team "Drug Runners" at the July 14, 2012 Relay for Life event. Here are the details I was sent today:
"The Relay is July 14-15 (overnite). We each commit to raise at least $100. Our team name is Drug Runners (it was started by a group of female pharmacists who formed a running club, hence the name). Our theme this year is "A Spoonful of Sugar" in line with the overall theme Songs of Hope. Our decor will be Mary Poppins-esque. We have a lot of fun at the Relay and we all work real hard to raise as much as we can for ACS, we have been the top fund raising team every year we have participated and this will be our 4th year. We have to really work hard to do better this year."
With the loss of my dad this year from esophageal cancer, I am looking forward to being able to contribute in a positive way towards the fight against cancer. I will be making some bags to donate to the silent auction. I am also brainstorming about other ways to raise funds for this event.
Last year, one of the team members made this lantern in honor of my dad's fight. I was out visiting him during the event so they emailed me a photo of the lantern made for him. He was SO very touched that strangers would be cheering him on. I remember the tears in his eyes and the smile this photo brought to his face. This year, I will be making my own lantern in rememberance of my dad.
If anyone would like to help out by sponsoring my efforts, feel free to email me or message me on Facebook.
ahui hou