As a society, we are on a downward spiral when it comes to public behavior.

Back in the old days, men wore suits in public, ladies had fancy hats, we minded our p’s and q’s, kids were taught to be respectful of things and people, and trash wasn’t strewn all over the place.

Jump forward to today where guys show more underwear than pants, gals advertise on their derriere, cussing is overheard and seen everywhere, kids are given free-reign by their lax parents, and some people have no qualms about tossing garbage out their car window or onto the ground.

Remind me not to attend a movie opening weekend unless I want obnoxious teenagers trying to impress each other to ruin my experience (also remind me to always sit on the back row so I won’t have a kid kicking the back of my chair throughout the movie).

Iron Man 3 opened on a school night and we thought the 10:40 pm show would be late enough to avoid the crowds. Not so with two-thirds of the audience filled with loud, cell phone using teens (I understand using it up until the movie starts, but during the show I shouldn’t have to see it, thus the messages before every movie that says turn off your cell phone).

The other thing that shouldn’t be at that movie? A baby. With a shiny helmet. That poor little thing jerked at the loud explosions and shooting (it’s Iron Man, there is always LOTS of exploding and shooting) with scared-looking wide eyes taking it all in. Thanks to the parents for the baby sneezing our direction, all over our straw and into our bucket of popcorn… mmm, baby phlegm.

It’s not the baby’s fault it doesn’t know proper public sneezing etiquette (away from others and into your elbow if not a tissue or inside your shirt/jacket). And every time the baby would move it’s helmeted head the glare off it from the giant screen would flicker our direction, like the sun glazing off a mirror. Awesome.

“Wah, get over it,” you say? Yeah, I know people who are pro-baby’s-at-movies and pro-teens-doing-whatever-in-public that think I’m uptight or overly sensitive. But I don’t think it’s bad to wish there was more common courtesy in the world. I’m not at a playground expecting kids to be quiet or at the swimming pool wanting more coverage (come on already with all the side boobage and nipple slippage). In a movie that I’m paying for, I’d like to enjoy it without unnecessary distractions and phlegm.

Speaking of phlegm (how many times can I write phlegm in one post?)… We were at a scarcely attended movie a while back with a continual cougher; like he had bronchitis kind of cough, over and over and loud. It was obnoxious and annoying to miss movie dialogue because his coughing drowned out the sound. Not fair. He did this throughout the entire movie, not like when you get a coughing fit and leave to cough it out… he never left, he stayed and coughed. If I have a cough, I stay home until I don’t. If I get a coughing fit during a movie, I get rid of it by leaving and getting a drink. If that doesn’t work then I ask for a movie voucher to come back later.

People are expected to be quiet (whisper) in libraries, so we should teach and expect similar manners in other public places.

Don’t get me started on the screaming/crying kids at Old Navy every time I am there. Every. Time.

EDIT: The next Sunday after this post, I happened to sit in front of some kids at church who couldn’t not kick the back of my pew. What a coincidence.

The post Movie Nuisances + Phlegm appeared first on Lucky Red Hen.

SNAP Conference and Queen Bee Market 2013 at Thanksgiving Point, Lehi, Utah was packed full of information, fun, fantastic sponsors and crafty bloggers. Here are some of my tips to make it great…

Tip #10: Stay at the hotel with other bloggers, even if you don’t know them. I knew two of our six roomies, so at least I was pretty sure I’d wake up the next morning ;) Staying at/near the conference location gives you more opportunity to meet and mingle with others, talk about and share what you know, cuts down on travel time (although it also cuts down on sleep time), and saves gas. See, it’s earth-friendly to stay at the hotel!

Tip #9: Make it a point to meet new people! I had met Pink Cake Plate (the cutie with the glasses) briefly at a previous blog event then met her photo bombing roomie and Treasured by Holly as I walked to other open-doored rooms with a box of Station 13 Texas Donuts. If you want to make friends fast, share donuts.

Tip #8: Come up with a reason to talk to people. Our idea was to make our door decorating contest interactive. When we met new people, we asked them to come sign our door and leave their business card so we, and other attendees, could get to know them. At least it was an excuse to talk to someone. We LOVED the interaction and visitors to our room/door!

Tip #7: Ask questions you think others would want to know when the instructor(s) are talking about that subject (instead of asking questions that will probably be addressed later in the presentation/lesson, which can throw off the class)… especially if you ask the kind of questions like mine. What can I say? I have a knack for questions. If you have a specific-to-you question, write it down and ask the instructor(s) at the end of class or email them soon after. Brooke and her hubby from All Things Thrifty did a wonderful job explaining their reupholstery process!

Tip #6: Know when and what foods will be provided and plan for drinks and snacks so you have enough fuel to carry you through all the fun you’ll be having. Our hotel, Springhill Suites in Lehi, provided a complementary Continental Breakfast every morning. However, the packed hotel made for a packed breakfast area so we walked across the parking area to the deli at Thanksgiving Point for steel-cut oatmeal with fresh fruit and breakfast bagels in a spacious and vacant seating area. They also had coffee, tea, and other beverages (pebble ice!) for those needing their caffeine kick ;) I also brought fresh-cut veggies, cheese, and fruit for mid-day snacks and kept them in the hotel room’s mini-fridge. If you don’t have a mini-fridge in your hotel, I recommend buying a plug-in cooler like truckers use (it plugs into the car cigarette lighter and a wall outlet). I bought ours at Walmart years ago for about $50.

Tip #5: If there is a place for shopping (like the Queen Bee Market, with loads of handmade vendors), budget to buy yourself or loved ones a little somethin’ somethin’. I lucked out with those green Trinkets and Butterflies earrings that Megan wanted to eat then ran out of money when I wanted some potently delicious Rosemary & Mint soap from Karol’s Handmade Soap, a Brush Your Teeth sign from Evie Ivy, and a cute fox purse (for my daughter, shh). I DID get their cards and will be hitting up their websites, but I’ll get stuck with paying shipping because I didn’t budget for more.

Tip #4: Take advantage of the wealth of knowledge at your blogging conference. Sponsors, vendors, and speakers are there to share their love of their product/knowledge. Ryobi was there with tools we could try out safely and ask experts how to use them (I found out our drill has a clutch… what?!?)

Tip #3: Keep track of all the hashtags, Twitter handles, and website names so you can pimp out things you learn. We had a #snapsnippets hashtag on Instagram that kept us plugged into each other as we were spread out across the conference grounds at Thanksgiving Point.

Tip #2: Sit in a spot that’s best for your learning. For Bruce Johnson’s Minwax presentation, Kaylynn and I chose front-and-center so we could not only hear what he was talking about but see and touch the demo products. And if I were sitting further away, I wouldn’t have gotten this great pic of him with my iPhone! In other classes in this theater room that used microphones and Power Point presentations, I sat up higher and in the middle so I could get clearer pictures of the screen.

Tip #1: Be open, meet people, introduce yourself to those you’re sitting near, talk to strangers, offer your assistance, be real and honest, and expect the unexpected. Okay, those are all lumped together but they’re part of the same theory. Big conferences can be intimidating and cause anxiety, especially if you’re not used to them. Even though I am pretty outgoing, I still have moments where I wonder if I sound like a dork, if my breath stinks, or what I’m saying doesn’t make sense. But more than likely others feel the same way and won’t notice those things and will appreciate your friendliness.

If I had a gajillion dollars, I’d attend every blog conference that’s put on. Because I have the opposite of a gajillion dollars, I try to make the best of the events I attend, hoping to gain knowledge to improve and experience that will last. Meeting new friends is like having a gajillion dollars!

The post 10 Tips to a Successful Blog Conference appeared first on Lucky Red Hen.

Katherine Nelson‘s “What’s Mine is Yours” song is a poignant and empowering song relating to losing a child through death or adoption. She isn’t labeled a gospel or religious singer (she’s listed under Country), but as a believer in Christ, this song reminds me that all I have been given is from Him. When I feel heavy with burden, I know I can turn to my Father in Heaven for guidance, strength, understanding, and love.

(the above script from her album, in case it’s hard to read)
Women of the World…
the odds are stacked against us. There is an adversary who knows all too well that the annihilation of the spirits of the Daughters of God will destroy families, communities and even nations. Women have been born with the ability to reach inside for that instinct of survival, both physical and spiritual. Whether being passed down in our hearts by the countless women and mothers who came before us, or born out of our darkest hours of struggle.

THERE IS A DEEP WELL OF STRENGTH THAT LIES WITHIN US
that fuels our capacity to exercise courage, to face the unfaceable, and to rise above every circumstance. We carry the banner of faith, love, perseverance, and HOPE to all those whom are within our circles of outreach in life.

I truly believe that
WHEN WE STRENGTHEN WOMEN, WE STRENGTHEN THE WORLD.

WE ARE ALL BORN BRAVE.

- Katherine Nelson

I was lucky to be a part of a private album release in Salt Lake City, getting to hear Katherine’s beautiful voice in person as she sang this song live.

You can find Katherine Nelson’s website and social media links here:
Website: http://www.katherinenelson.com/
Facebook:http://www.facebook.com/katherinenelsonmusic
Twitter: http://twitter.com/knelson_music
YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/katherinenelsonmusic
Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/katherinenelson/

The post Katherine Nelson : What’s Mine is Yours appeared first on Lucky Red Hen.

Last minute schedule change… I’m going to be assisting the great Jet Set today at the Salt Lake Tribune Home + Garden Festival Cupcake Competition from 2-3pm today at the South Towne Expo Center in Sandy, Utah. My man and I went last night (the parking lot was FULL, the place was PACKED) and put aside FREE-ENTRY TICKETS for four of my Lucky Red Hen fans!

Want one (two, three or four)? Leave a comment specifying how many you would use (today 10a-10p or tomorrow 11a-6p) and I’ll put your name(s) on the first four to pick-up at Will Call. (Hurry, because I will be leaving in a few hours and won’t be able to check my comments while I’m cupcaking!)

For anyone else who’d like a $3 discount (making the $10/person tickets only $7/person), use the promotion code “SWEET” during checkout!

On to my hair. It might look different during cupcake assisting today… we’ll see!

I want to look as gorgeous as my sweet friend Mama Leisha
(even when she makes funny faces she’s still beautiful)…

And my cut looked like hers, but didn’t act like hers (bangs made me sweaty)…

Even with the bangs shoved away, sweat still happened so I decided to whack it…

by myself, in the mirror (you know that thing REVERSES the image?!?)…

which resulted in several accidental cuts of my FLESH instead of HAIR…

and a messy mess all over the bathroom (I’m one person,
why do I have so many scissors out for my hair?)

The day after my solo hair cut, it looked like a duck butt
when I took a pic with Studio 5′s Brooke Walker.
P.S. I don’t want to look like a duck butt.
But remember, I don’t know how to cut my own hair so no laughing!

Then I got a wild hair/hare to go platinum.
Luckily yours truly was smart enough to go to a professional.
Sitting in the bleach stings. But NO PAIN, NO GAIN, right?!?

Then under the dryer makes it hot stinging…

But Brooke and her Blue Steele face made the pain worth it.

This is my chop job before, and Brooke’s fix and style after.

If I want, I can resemble The Incredibles villain, Syndrome…

or Guy Fieri…

or Jimmy Neutron.

See? Very Jimmyesque.

But it really doesn’t matter what it looks like, right? We’ve all looked at someone’s hair and thought, “Hmm, I don’t like it.”

So what if I don’t like how you do your hair, what you wear, or the other choices you make? As long as it’s not hurting or affecting someone else, it is not my business. Unless you ask for my opinion, I should say something nice or keep it to myself. Do you agree or am I way off base?

The other day on The Talk, Sheryl Underwood ripped off her wig (man her wigs are cool) and I shouted HOORAY! Good for her to be transparent and real about her beauty. That moment was my confirmation that I’m not the only one who feels comfortable enough to not care what other people think of how I dress, what my hair looks like, and the choices I make. I’d rather dress comfortably and not worry if my hair doesn’t look amazing.

Moral of the story: be yourself, do good things, and worry not about the opinion of others.

The post Woops! I Cut My Hair plus giveaway to the SLC Home and Garden Show appeared first on Lucky Red Hen.

Shih Tzu’s have been pampered lap dogs for eons, so why am I surprised that our pooch follows me around… Everywhere. All the time. No matter what.

Wait, that’s not true, if someone has food or there’s the potential of food to fall within her grasp then she’s not on top of me. Other than that, she’s my barnacle dog.

This is what she looks like when she’s sneaks in behind me and waits while I potty… only looking up when I giggle at her. Doesn’t she look guilty to you?

Today’s adventure includes an annoying smoke detector battery warning (which freaked her out to the point of shaking – don’t worry, we went to Costco and got replacements for all the alarms so it stopped), nudity, and Stalker Dog.

Yes, I said nudity. As in, I was nude today (getting ready to shower; I don’t think I’m alone in the fact that I get nude in order to shower) and I took pictures while in the nude, even getting part of my body in a photo.

If you’re a weirdo, you can look closely at my leg to see how often I shave my legs (the answer is: rarely).

Then I got into the shower and she followed me.
(Yep, I brought my phone into the shower with me. Don’t you?!?)

I closed the curtain AND liner, then she wiggled her way in between them……to continue to stalk me O.O

She’s been like this for a while, thus prompting me to start her own hashtag on Twitter. If you’d like to see more of her antics, type #stalkerdog into the Twitter or Instagram search box and you’ll find her silly stuff under @LuckyRedHen.

The post Adventures of Stalker Dog appeared first on Lucky Red Hen.

As I laid on the couch worrying about getting my son to his performance that night an hour before curtain time (the rest of us were sick, as is about 3/4′s of people in the United States), the doorbell rang. A neighbor girl came to ask if they could give him a ride… out of the blue… without a word from me.

After the performance I found out that it wasn’t her parents idea (those kind of things are usually a parents doing). Their daughter had a feeling she should ask. Now THAT is awesome when a kid listens to their inner whisper and does good for someone else.

A woman recently shared a story about a similar experience. At first, she didn’t understand the prompting because the person she was supposed to contact wasn’t someone she knew well. She kept getting a feeling that she should send her a message and ask how she was doing. She did with no answer. That made her feel a little awkward, especially since it took some time for her to build up the courage to step outside her comfort zone. Time passed and the voice insisted she try again, and tell her that God loves her. This time she explained a little more about how she felt like she was imposing because they barely knew each other and didn’t want to seem like a creeper (these days people are used to being left alone that any sign of caring seems strange). A reply came this time, assuring her that it was just what she needed and she understood the intent in which it was meant.

• Do we stifle thoughts that come to mind because we feel embarrassed?
• Would we welcome -or- question someone coming to us with their concern for us?
• Where do you think these whispers come from if not from God? You don’t have to be religious to get whispers or promptings.
• Have we gotten so protective of our hearts (because we’ve all had experiences of heartbreak) that we aren’t willing to let others share their love/feelings with us?
• How do you think that makes them feel when they’re just as nervous to try as we are to let them?
• Isn’t it a vicious cycle if nobody is willing to give/receive?
• Would we push that whisper away to the point we can’t hear it anymore?

Thankfully, I have people in my life who express their love for me. It’s not always the fluffy, lovey-dovey, positive words of affirmation. Sometimes it takes a person who we know loves us no matter what to give us the nitty gritty negative.

Like one friend who will point out when I’m being inconsistent. The first time it stung because, I think, people are intimidated by my awesomeness (said tongue-in-cheek) so they keep their negative thoughts to themselves. But when I dig down deep and listen to her, I can admit when I’m wrong (which is super rare, by the way) and correct myself so I don’t make that mistake again.

Last point (because this is getting long and blah blah blah). I picked up the phone to hear my friend on the other end start out, “Now listen to me and don’t talk back. I want to tell you…” then he went on to point out specific things about me he’s admired, wanting me to know my actions don’t go unnoticed. All he’d let me say is, “thank you,” and then we hung up. I love him, and not just for that.

Who could you reach out to and share some positive vibes? It shouldn’t be hard to think of at least ONE person. Now go do it: call, email, send a letter or postcard, give love in person, drop off a surprise on their doorstep…

The post Listen to Your Inner Whisper appeared first on Lucky Red Hen.

My cute friend at Entirely Eventful thought it’d be nifty to share the same artwork with other blogging friends to see what craftiness we’d come up with and share it with you! Lucky you, right?

Who doesn’t like getting personally written love in their postal box? NOBODY, that’s who.

Designed in Illustrator (I’m still practicing) into 4 x 6 sized post cards, these little guys want to rush through the post office system from your heart to another’s.

Want one? Leave a comment at the end of this post and I’ll pick someone to receive a love note from ME :) Yay!

(You guys, I hope SOMEONE wants one and comments. At least ONE person, huh?)

Want to make your own? Download the following PDF file and print to your hearts desire! It’s all ready to be sent to your favorite printer so they can lovingly (I hope they’re gentle) apply the design to a 28 x 22 white poster board as many times as you want. Then you’ll cut, round the corners if you want, add some love notes, address it, stamp it with a postcard stamp (as of today it’s just 33 cents), and stick it in the mailbox. Easy peasy, lemon squeazy!

Click here for FREE PRINTABLE

And more craftiness of this same design by other blogger friendlies… 

The post Bee Mine, Valentine ~ Free appeared first on Lucky Red Hen.

not the charm for me, but I’m pretty sure the next time I’ll be more successful because I made ALL THE MISTAKES possible already.

Spray painting tips (borrowed from Krylon’s website; my DON’Ts are in green):

1. Choose your location. Make sure you work in a well–ventilated area. Spray outdoors whenever possible or when using spray paint indoors, make sure the area is well-ventilated by opening doors, windows or using a fan. Avoid painting in direct sunlight and in hot, humid weather.
   DON’T: use your windowless laundry room with the door closed (so overspray doesn’t end up on the hardwood floor in the hall), even if you’re using a fan. A fan will blow all the neon green paint particles around the room and onto every surface, including your walls, tables, expensive washer and dryer, bamboo floor mat, sink surround, electric cords, linoleum floor, clothes, hair, skin, bottom of feet, white towels, dirty clothes, and stainless steel table). And the hairdryer that I thought would help speed the dry time ended up in the garbage because the vent got covered in the paint and it won’t come off.
2. Protect from overspray. Overspray can occur both indoors and outdoors. To prevent overspray onto other surfaces, use newspapers, painter’s tape or drop cloths to cover surrounding areas. You can also create your own “spray booth” by turning a large cardboard box on its side and place objects inside when spraying.
   DON’T: think that all that plastic sheeting you taped against the wall, table, and up the sides of your paint area will hold your neon green spray paint. Those little buggers thought my “spray booth” was the entire laundry room (thank goodness I closed the door – I may have ruined my lungs but at least I protected my hardwood floors.)
3. Prepare the surface of your project. Paint only clean, dry surfaces. Ordinary household detergents or mineral spirits are great for most surface cleaning. Glossy or hard surfaces should be sanded to improve adhesion. Use a primer whenever possible as it creates a clean, smooth surface, increases paint adhesion, seals the surface and ensures the true paint color is achieved.
   DON’T: use a bristle brush and paint stripper on a vintage metal item because those tiny flecks that hit the wall, fixtures, washer/dryer, and bamboo floor mat probably contain deadly lead paint and is a beast to get unstuck.
4. Read all directions. Before beginning your project, thoroughly read all directions on the can. Pay particular attention to safety tips and recoat times. Always follow label directions and warnings when using any aerosol paint.
   DON’T: figure that just reading the directions means you’ve absorbed them and will follow them properly. Pay attention.
5. Test your spray paint. Shake the can vigorously before spraying. Test your paint or spraying technique in an inconspicuous area or on a piece of scrap material before beginning your project.
   DON’T: be overambitious and skip this test. Luckily me skipping it this time didn’t ruin my project. Everything else did, but not this one.
6. Apply multiple thin coats. Once you have completed your paint test and are satisfied, spray your project using several thin, multiple coats instead of one thick coat. Begin and finish your spray pattern off the object, releasing the button at the end of each pass. Use an even side-to-side motion with each pass overlapping your spray pattern by about one-third. For best results, always apply a coat to the entire project as opposed to completing parts of the project in stages.
   DON’T: think they’re kidding, they’re not. I’m kind of impatient and impatience equals a thick coat that dribbles like candle wax.
7. Allow project to dry. Check the directions on the back of the can for a recoat window. A recoat window identifies when additional coats can be applied within a certain timeframe. When you are finished applying all coats, do not handle the project or surface until it is dry.
   DON’T: expect the paint gods to smile upon you and let you pick up the project so you can move it to a secret hiding spot to finish drying. Leaving your fingerprint on Santa’s gift to your child is evidence admissible in a court of North Pole law.
8. Clean spray valve after use. Before storing your aerosol cans for future use, clean the spray valve by turning the cans upside down and spraying for 5 seconds.  This helps prevent the spray tip from clogging.
   DON’T: worry about getting to this step because, if you’re like me, you’ll run out of paint just before you’ve finished the last two inches. (By the way, cursing absolutely DOES please the paint gods because that last 2″ got barely covered… barely.)
9. Celebrate your success. Enjoy your newly painted project. Feel good about yourself knowing that with a little work and very little money, you were able to finish your project.
   DON’T: expect too much pride or pats on the back when you’re not ever going to get credit for all that work and mess because a fat guy in a red suit that breaks into your house once a year will get all the glory.

Which reminds me of that one time I made myself a dress from scratch. ONE TIME because it was not worth it when I could get a dress at Ross on clearance for under $15. Sometimes it’s best to pay a professional to do the job right.

10. Save spray painting projects for warmer weather. This is my personal tip. Don’t spray paint indoors (unless you’re a professional with proper gear), even if you think opening a door is enough ventilation (it is not), do it outside (if in the garage, the door must be open). Even though you think you’ve protected all surrounding surfaces with plastic, you didn’t do it well enough. It’s preferred to be completely outside, in decently warm weather, where all those noxious fumes can go into the atmosphere (instead of in your lungs) and contribute to global warming with the ozone-killing can (at least that’s what the internet tells me).

I am new at the pinning of my stuff on Pinterest, so I wonder if you’d pin this post if you think the tips would be helpful to others? Thanks!

The post Spray Paint DON’Ts appeared first on Lucky Red Hen.

Thanks to a super friend (and that her kidlets are sickly so she has to stay home and gave me her tickets; thanks, Becky – hope the kids are better quickly, but not fast enough that you’ll take the tickets back, hehe), Lindsey and I will be wandering around the Salt Lake City Home Show at the South Towne Expo Center tomorrow (Saturday; but it’s also open Sunday) and

HOPEFULLY

might run into Ty Pennington SQUEE!!!

Who’s going? I’ll be back to report on the funness that we are expectantly going to have, you can bet on that.

Stuff that I’m interested in learning more about for our home:

1. eventual remodel on the main level adding a gas line to the kitchen so we can have a gas stove
2. building in a corner fireplace in the living room
3. building the 2nd story deck finally (we’ve only had this house 9 years sans deck)
4. splash pad in place of the hornet-infested sand box
5. refinishing the wood floor on the main level (it’s basic oak that’s been distressed and stained dark)
6. fancy carpet in the living room and office
7. new furnace system
8. master bed BED (oh how I want a Sleep Number; my number is the same as the Bionic Woman)
9. window blind replacement on the back of the house where the sun BEATS THE BEJEEZIES out of them
10. and TIPS TIPS TIPS on home organization and DIY stuff because I DO own my own drill (although it pooped out on me, RIP Makita, so I’m borrowing my husband’s)

I’m going to take a pad and pen to take some serious notes. When we have money to do any of the remodeling (hahahaha), I’ll be ready.

Do you want me to scope out vendors or products for you if you can’t make it? But, really, you should come because it’ll be information overload and you know what Oprah has said… “When you know better, you do better.” Or something like that. You catch my drift.

The post SLC Home Show : 10 Things appeared first on Lucky Red Hen.

Can I tell you about the night I had?

It started out as an informal demonstration of how to use the new Cricut Mini cutting machine at the Provo Craft office with a few bloggers and Nathan, the PC social media manager.

As we were being schooled on manipulating one of the thousands of designs (bigger, smaller, mirrored, weld, omit parts, etc.) we got word that help was needed to create decor for the upcoming funeral of little Emilie Parker, one of the victims of the tragic Sandy Hook Elementary shooting in Connecticut.

Nathan jumped into action providing us with several Cricut machines, matts, tools, and artwork so we could assemble as many decorative hanging balls before the building lights went out at 9:30 p.m.

If you want to get familiar with a new-to-you machine, busting out 5,000 cut flowers in a few hours will do that. We learned how to tell if a blade needs to be replaced (snags the material you’re cutting), the tension needs adjusting (a little more if the paper slips), or the blade depth isn’t deep enough (your cut pieces don’t come easily apart from the material you’re using).

After the lights went out, we cleaned up our paper mess (I wrote “I elephant Cricut” on the white board) and hauled the supplies over to Cobi’s house to finish the assembly (and some more cutting – those poor blades and cutting matts are trashed after so many cuts in the same spot over and over). A few more ladies joined us there until almost 2 a.m. so we could finish.

One of the ladies is related to little Emilie. As we worked together, she shared little bit about the family (Emilie was the oldest of three kids; children process death differently than adults and each other), their faith in Jesus Christ (Emilie’s grandfather, to whom she was very close, died recently from a freak accident; the belief that they are together in heaven is comforting to those still here), and how the chaos of that fateful day unfolded (waiting hours for confirmation of the whereabouts of their daughter).

I am grateful for the network of bloggers I am involved with and the amazing companies that show they care about their customers. Not only did Provo Craft bend over backwards to support the Parker family and those of us who wanted to help, but the kind manager at Hobby Lobby authorized a sweet discount for the supplies (pins, paper, styrofoam balls, ribbon).

We hear all the time about negative experiences with products/services and companies, so if you like the idea of supporting positive experiences with your voice or pocket book, consider dropping a tweet, email, Facebook comment, purchase, or compliment to Provo Craft, Cricut, and Hobby Lobby soon.

By the way, after purchasing and assembling the decorations, we estimate it cost about $20 each (retail) to recreate these pretty hanging flower orbs. If you have a lot of the supplies already, you could do them for much less.

Happy crafting!

INSTRUCTIONS TO MAKE PAPER FLOWER ORBS

• Orbs (like styrofoam or green flower foam balls)
• Card stock in your preferred color
• Cutting machine/punch (Cricut)
• Pins (with a decorative head would be prettiest)
• A lot of time
• Ribbon
• Long dowel, knitting needle, or something to push
• ribbon through the orb so it can hang
• (Optional: paint the orb the same color as the
• card stock to avoid seeing foam between the flowers)

1. Cut 1-3″ flowers enough to cover orb twice
2. Stick pin through the middle of two flowers
3. With your fingers/thumb, rub the top flower
   petal upwards to create a soft bend
4. Stick the pin all the way into the orb, flush
   with the bottom petal
5. Continue #4 overlapping slightly with the
   nearest flower so the orb isn’t visible until
   the entire orb is covered
6. Push your desired length of ribbon through
   the middle of the orb out the bottom and
   double knot the end so it stays in place
   (like you would the end of a hoodie string
   so it doesn’t slip back up into the pocket)
7. Hang and admire

The post Doing Good Deeds appeared first on Lucky Red Hen.