Help Support Go Team Ghana!

August 28, 2012 by Leave a Comment
GoTeamGhana

Several years ago, I had the privilege of working on a few sets of Extreme Makeover Home Edition. I met Kim there, and was instantly drawn to her passion for design and caring for people.  I have often wondered if being skilled in design is really any good to anybody.  I am surrounded by doctors and nurses, teachers and Spanish-speakers and I wonder what real good all my design education did.  Those musings are what led me to start "design for good" posts on this blog a few years ago, and more recently to start my "Free to Adopt" offerings.  Also the Lord has taught me some good things from Ecclesiastes about finding enjoyment in work … [Read more...]

Filed Under: design 4 good

Free to adopt: Free design services for adoption fundraisers

August 1, 2012 by 15 Comments
freetoadopt-button-300

  Not sure if you know this or not, but about a year ago (2011) we welcomed Levi into our family.  We are privileged to be his parents, not biologically, but through adoption.  We are convinced through God's Word that caring for orphans is not a charity case or something for those that can't have their "own" kids, but something that we as Christians are called to and a picture of what we have been given.  We have been adopted as brothers of Christ (Romans 8), we receive the inheritance as sons of God.  We are all called to care for orphans by adopting them ourselves, helping others adopt, foster care or perhaps feeding, … [Read more...]

Filed Under: adoption, charity, design 4 good

Join in and Dress a Girl Around the World

March 8, 2011 by Leave a Comment
FzalyD

I love this idea! What a great way to share your creative skills with sweet girls in need around the world. Check out Dress a Girl Around the World for more info...or... Check out the tutorials on this site the whole week, right here. … [Read more...]

Filed Under: design 4 good, sewing Tagged With: ,

Help others adopt

November 21, 2010 by 6 Comments
africa

Adoption is something my husband and I have been passionate about since the beginning of our marriage. Well, even before we were married. To adopt a child is such a picture of the way we are adopted as sons of God (Romans 8). For us it has been much more a question of WHEN than of IF. Our heart's desire is to care for those that are without parents, to show them love like we received and to show them the ultimate love of Christ. Especially as I have taken the last year to reflect on the life of my Dad and the way he loved me and taught me and cared for me. What an amazing calling. We have spent the last 13 months pursuing an adopting … [Read more...]

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Craft show wrap-up & tons of Christmas gift ideas

October 29, 2010 by 2 Comments
craftshow1

Last weekend, my mom, sister, and I( (laughing hysterically in photo above) sold crafts to benefit a foster care/adoptive family here. I can't bring myself to individually put in the 20+ photos, so this gallery deal will let you look at everything and click on what you are interested in.  If I know where the craft idea came from originally (or something similar), I am tagging it at the bottom of the post. Literally...there are so many cute ideas!  But the best part is that through ticket sales and proceeds we were able to help a family care for their children, build homes for other foster parents , and begin work on a foster care … [Read more...]

Filed Under: design 4 good, diy gifts, life

100cameras fundraiser in NYC

July 28, 2010 by 4 Comments
photos11

So I have a cool friend.  Pretty much everything she does gets cool points. She has the most cool points for being friends...maybe roommates...with girls from the FSU interior design program.  Go Noles! Anyway, she works for this amazing company that I have blogged about before here called 100cameras. They just had a party on top of a building in NYC--is that like 10000000 cool points? I think so. The purpose of this post is two-fold. 1.  This is a really cool project that we need to support. 2.  They did a really good job on the party, and you can use these ideas. The rooftop location is a win.  Great location with great … [Read more...]

Filed Under: charity, design 4 good, parties Tagged With: , , ,

Design 4 Good: Inner City Rehab Center Part 3

May 25, 2010 by 6 Comments
45

So...what do you think? Here is a purchase and cost breakdown. Wall Paint: $45 for 2 gallons Blue Spray Paint: $16 for 4 cans (Walmart) Bedding: $100 (TJ Maxx & Walmart) Towels: $20 (TJ Maxx) Bath mat: $10 (TJ Maxx) Soap Pump: $7 (TJ Maxx) Rubber maids under beds: $20 (Walmart) Blue Shelf: $30 (Craigslist, listed for $70) Wicker headboard: FREE (listed on Craigslist for $15) Iron headboard: FREE (had it in the family) Lamps: FREE (donated by sweet Rebecca...almost went to my house instead!!) Wicker trunk: FREE (from super great friends Jamy & Lynde) Wicker side table: FREE (found somewhere by Mom) Wicker Dresser: FREE … [Read more...]

Filed Under: design 4 good, DIY home, sewing, thrift store/yardsale

Design 4 Good: Inner City Rehab Center Part 2

May 24, 2010 by 1 Comment
1

A picture is worth a thousand words.  You can tell there was much cleaning and painting fun had by all. These are the great women I share my life with at church.  I love my small group! I sewed curtains...can you believe it? And when our room was switched, we ending up with 2 windows instead of 1!!!! Good thing Rebecca is also a handy designer and could whip up a solution on the spot! You go girl! Can you see the paint on the ceiling and the floor!?!?!? … [Read more...]

Filed Under: design 4 good

Design 4 Good: Inner City Rehab Center

May 23, 2010 by 8 Comments
loveladybefore5

When I think about what most of us live with...the grandness of our possessions...we are very rich.  That we even have money to consider making our homes more lovely, means we are blessed with excess.  So I don't show you the before pictures of this ministry experience to flaunt my talents, or what we did to make someone's life "better" with more "stuff, " I show you so that you can see how others live.  Others that have less than you do (most likely).  I know I can speak for Americans, and probably many other wealthy nations, when I say that we have a whole lotta stuff!! Even these women that we ministered to last weekend have more than … [Read more...]

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Design 4 Good: 3seams

May 18, 2010 by 3 Comments
3seams

I would like to start a new category today.  I sorta hope this category takes over the blog!  Sometimes I wish I had become a nurse or pursued some other useful profession.  Design seems frivolous in a world full of starving people. But I have been blessed with a few friends along life's journey who have encouraged me and shown me that design can be ministry and I can serve the Lord in the skills He has blessed me with.  So, I would like to start hi-lighting talented people who are using their Design 4 Good. 3seams is a brand new project out of Nashville, Tennessee.  I can't say it any better than the founder can, so here is how … [Read more...]

Filed Under: design 4 good, kids Tagged With: ,