In So Many Words

Thanks to Super Mommy for introducing me to this fun meme created and hosted by BeccaGirl.

So, what’s “Give Me Five Monday”? Well, here’s BeccaGirl’s description:

The ‘Give Me Five’ Monday meme is designed to share fun information with each other in a simple short list! Here’s how it works. Each week, I will put out a random topic from my list of topics and you share 5 answers of your choice on the given topic and link back here! You can add photos, links or stories or just a simple list of your own of 5 things that relate to the topic as it pertains to you and your life experiences. It doesn’t have to be in any order of importance unless otherwise specified.

This week’s topic: Give Me five of your favorite ways to be crafty or creative.

Well, I don’t usually consider myself to be very crafty or creative, but I’ll give it a shot.

1. Stamping – I really like rubber stamping, especially making cards. You can totally copy off other people’s ideas and just tweak them to make them your own. People love getting something handmade, and they have no idea whether yours is as good as the original inspiration. Also, if you mess up, you’re only out a couple of sheets of paper!
2. Writing – I love the feeling of having written something that I think people will want to read, whether it’s a serious reflection on something or a funny thing that happened. Even at work, I have a sense of pride in the training documentation I have put together (although there’s not too much of that going on with the lessened hiring these days!)
3. Blogging – This may seem similar to number 2, but I do enjoy the fun of creating a blog and choosing a layout or updating the way it works to be more functional or accessible. I do have trouble with the design aspects of it, which is why my color palette is so plain at the moment, but I am hoping the inspiration will strike me at some point and I can bring it all together.
4. Cross Stitching – This one is a bit of a stretch since I haven’t done it in a long time. I liked it because I could create something pretty using my inclination towards specific rules and order. As long as I followed the pattern and counted everything correctly, it would come out right. I don’t tend to do well with free form expression.
5. Drawing for my son – I’m listing this one because even though I don’t consider myself good at art, I have had to go outside my comfort zone to draw many likenesses of super heroes and other items my son wanted. I do feel proud of myself for doing it just to please him and engage with him and have even gotten one or two compliments from my husband (who is very artistic).

I know a lot of you much more crafty and creative than I am, so tell me what your top ways to express it are. Also, visit BeccA’s Buzz to read more or join in.

I can hardly believe a whole year has passed since I first start blogging. I really had no idea what I was doing but just decided to jump in and figure it out as I went along. One of the things that inspired this blog was how people often compare autism to a puzzle. I really see it as just one piece of a bigger puzzle, and how you approach that bigger puzzle is what’s really important.

Anyway, since today is a special day for me, I wanted to give a shout out to two special bloggers who are, more importantly, my best friends: Hands-Free Heart and Lisa. Ironically, they represent the first blog I started reading and the most recent one, and they are both loving, creative people who give to others everyday.

I mentioned creative – check out this amazing turtle cheesecake Hands-Free Heart made for my husband’s birthday earlier this month. It was an amazing concoction of crust, cheesecake, caramel, and chocolate-covered toasted pecans.

I had told him to be ready to answer the door that Sunday morning (the day before his birthday) because there was a surprise coming. He couldn’t imagine who would be coming or what they could possibly be bringing, but this wonderful dessert certainly made it worth being up and dressed earlier than he likes on a Sunday! (Before you think we are heathens, I will tell you that we attend church on Saturday night most of the time.)

My other friend, Lisa, is a paradigm of both creativity and generosity, making homemade goodies and crafts for all occasions. She whipped out these scarves in what seemed like mere moments for Bob and I (plus another one for Michael that is not in the picture, much to his chagrin) at Christmastime. She even made one for my coworker, and all I did was pick out the yarn. They are incredibly soft and warm, which is great given how cold it is this winter!

Lisa is also an avid stamper and scrapbooker and has started a volunteer project for the non-profit social services agency she works for. The goal is to help individuals who don’t have a way to tell their story make scrapbooks to share their lives and interests with others. She has started a blog, Life On a Page, to talk about this project, which I can see becoming a template for similar projects in other places.

So, anyway, I just wanted to thank both of these women for their friendship and support and tell them how much I appreciate their presence in my life, especially as Hands-Free Heart is going through a difficult time and Lisa is stepping out to get Life On a Page up and running. If you have a moment to visit their blogs and encourage them, that would be a wonderful thing!

So the biggest question I have gotten from people who have read my blog (but not posted!) is, “Why Happy King?”

Well, as some of you may know, my DH is very creative and expresses this in a variety of ways, including through music. “Happy King” is actually the name of one of his songs, and it comes from a poem that he was writing at the time we first started dating–in fact, he showed it to me the first night we were talking and getting to know each other. (So I guess I can’t say I didn’t know what I was in for!)

I can’t say that I have always appreciated his right-brain thinking, being a firm left-brainer myself, but as time goes on and the Lord continues working in me, I am finding it easier to let him be himself and even be thankful for his creative influence. Just in case you are reading this, Happy King, that doesn’t mean I don’t still want you to hang up your clothes and put your stuff away when you are done with it!!

I have (I think) linked the song here so you can listen to it if you wish. Enjoy!

Happy King