Spotlight Sunday

I'm going to try and do "spotlight" days every now and then to share some wonderful things that are going on in the craft world and to show off some of your creations that were made from or inspired by my tutorials. I have a few things to cover today, so here we go :)

*The first thing I want to share is something that really touches my heart. Alida, from I Make Stuff, wrote me about a current service project she has begun called Write it Out.

Let me just share her own words with you:
"I am about to share something deeply personal with you my crafty friends. I am an Iraq War widow. My first husband, Sgt. Daniel Woodcock, was killed in Iraq March 11, 2007.
The reason I am sharing this with you is that the 3 year anniversary of his death is steadily approaching and I have been feeling this enormous sense that I need to do something to commemorate it. Then last month a good friend's husband was killed in Afghanistan and it became clear. I need to help comfort these women.
The reason this blog is called "I Make Stuff" is that making stuff is my reaction to the world around me. When my friends are sick, having a baby, or just having a hard time I Make Stuff. When I am feeling the grief particularly strongly, I Make Stuff. It makes me feel as if I have some control. This year instead of spending the day with my heart in the fetal position, I want to make stuff. Not only do I want to make stuff but I want to SEND stuff.
I am starting what I'd like to call the Write It Out Project, handmade journals for grieving military widows. I read somewhere (and now I CANNOT find it!) that people who journal through times of grief are less likely to need depression medications as people who don't. I know that I found it extremely helpful.
So, to make a very long story short, I am posting this tutorial and asking my crafty friends a favor. Would you be willing to make one of these for a military widow? Composition notebooks only cost a dollar and I bet you have all of the other materials in your stash."

Here is the link to the tutorial and please, if you are able to help out, please do. I know I'm going to make a few. If you are sewing challenged, she asks that you can help by spreading the word.

*I want to give some love to my sister Christy who has ventured into the art world recently with painting. She has a blog, Front Porch Studio, where she shows off her amazing paintings that are for sale!

Aren't they just beautiful? It's on my list to get one of these :)

*Angie started to make and sell these beautiful rag quilt letters in her shop based off of the tutorial here. The fabrics used have something on them that go with the letter it's used for. Ex: the "A" has apples on the fabric, etc. If you like the rag quilt letters but can't sew or don't have the time to, head on over to her shop to buy a set or two ;)

Projects from the Happy Together Tutorials Flickr Group:

A beautiful bright, happy, cheerful sweetheart pincushion by Samelia's mom on Flickr.

Doesn't this picture just make you want to have a pom-pom skirt and dance around too? It's by Anna from Noodlehead. So precious!

And look at the cool way this crafty lady hung up her rag quilt letters?

I Also have a new button for grabs if you have been in the spotlight on my blog (meaning your project was shared, I linked back to you, etc).

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