What could I do but to pass it on.
There is a young girl at church who is blossoming before our very eyes, from a sullen early teen to a lovely young lady with much, much more confidence. She creates the cutest felt food characters (French Toast with a French mustache, happy little cupcakes, that sort of thing). She also makes jewelry from what she has around.
I thought, “Someone should encourage this budding young artist!” So I did.
I put together a box of goodies from my stash: inexpensive duplicate tools, a bag of costume jewelry parts I had been given, earring findings, and these two books to instruct her. I gave the package to her yesterday and she was very excited! I cannot wait to see what she makes. I have encouraged her to set up an Etsy shop and I hope to help her there.
It cost me next to nothing, and yet I got so much joy from seeing her face light up. It is like planting a seed, so small and almost insignificant, and yet, there is no telling how far a little nurturing will go and what type of fruit it might produce.
Here is my challenge to you:
1. Find a budding artist in need of encouragement (whatever medium you work or enjoy)
2. De-stash some object/items/tool/books from your studio and pass them on to the budding artist
3. Blog about it with a link to this post and tell me about your blog post with the URL address (counts as one entry)
4. Comment on this post (counts as another entry)
5. Become a follower of my blog, remind me in a comment if you already are a follower (counts as yet another entry)
So, that’s three chances to win.
When I post my 100th blog-post, I will announce the winner of a random drawing (this is post 86, so about 2-3 weeks – around St. Patrick’s Day). The prize is the Bindweed Beetle Bracelet, which only seems fair since it was the winner in Kelly’s bracelet challenge and the start of the bounty {LINK } back in November.
Now get out there and pass it on!
18 comments:
What a great idea! I'm so glad to hear that you are "paying it forward" with beady goodies!
that young girl from your church is a lucky girl to have you as a mentor, I know she will enjoy the enchanted adornments book, I have it and it is enchanting to say the least! and it has losts of ideas a young girl would love., I have done similar things for people wanting to learn beading, one time it was my son and his girl friend of the moment, I taught them peyote stitch for making beaded bottles, it was my passion of the moment......I made them each a beading kit of a about a pound of mixed seed beads, a packet of needles and a spool of thread, and we spent the day togeather, me teaching them to bead, it was lots of fun for all of us.....it is such a thrill for me to pass on what ever knowlege of beading to any interested person.....I am a true addict! years after teaching my son, my sons little boy was facinated by grandmas beads, so I went out and bought him a bunch of pony beads and gimp to thread them on, so he could bead with grandma, that has to be the high point of my teaching history, to be able to share with my own children and grand children......letely it has been more random things like donating my excess seedbeads to scout troups and after shcool crafting clubs mostly through freecycle, I would love to do more hands on type things though
First,Emanda,congratulations on your 100th Blog! What a great idea to assist someone else in pursuing their artistic goals. We have a local Community College, and I'm sure that I can find a budding artist that might be able to use some of my stash and books. Thanks for Paying it forward. Oh, and I love your bracelet.
I've done some of this with my oldest nephew. He's seen some of my beadwork and was interested in it...But, in order to respect his dad's wishes (we are working on him, but he finds beading too "girly" for his son), I haven't taught him that yet.
But, over Christmas, I found my opening to teach him a new medium...I showed him a polymer clay bead I'd made with a simple cane and told him I could show him more about playing with clay. So, a couple of weekends later, we had a couple of projects for him to work on, and we spent the day playing with clay. My husband helped with some of the work and kept the younger kids entertained :o)
He had a lot of fun, and we left him with some extra clay to play with...He's got a lot of artistic ability, so I was glad to be able to show him something new.
Now, if only we could work on his dad....
And congrats on the 100th post!
Congratulations on your 100th post!
I just became a follower!Hope I win you're work is gorgeous!
What a lovely idea!!!!!
I became your follower earlier today! congratulations on your 100th post, I have a long ways to go before I catch up!
I love this! I want to congratulate you on your 100th post! I'm coming up on mine and yes--it's EXCITING! For long time bloggers, it may be blase--but for us newbies--TOTAL GIDDINESS FACTOR!
Second, I'm also passing on some of my beading stuff (beads mainly)to my cousin's daughter--only I didn't realize I was passing on this love of beading as well. My husband and I bought one of her first beading kits seven years ago and she's graduated into crystals and glass and stone now! Another exciting idea you have! I'm going to make up a bead box for her! Thank you for such a wonderful idea!
What a lovely idea! I can't decide if I'm that budding artist who is waiting to be encouraged or the one who is ready to bring someone else into the fold. . . . Truth is, I'm probably both, as are all of us. There is always room to grow, and always room to share, right? I am very happy at how artistic my daughters are and how confident they feel about their creative abilities. I believe that I inspire them by being open to becoming something new, even though I'm "old." It's not the kind of encouragement I got from my mother, though I think she was (and is) a very creative being.
Thanks so much for this opportunity.
Hi Emanda, what a lovely idea. I have 4 nieces and 2 nephews by now, and one of them expecially is all excited when I come to their house and show my new jewelry, new beads or even start making something. I bring her beads regularly, and she insist on all doing it herself. She does not have a lot of patience yet, so it is a bit of a challenge, but she love all craft projects in general, so I am sure she will be one of us.
I blogged about it - see this link
http://nickisreef.blogspot.com/2010/02/emandas-challenge.html
and I am also following you now.
A lovely giveaway.
Hi Emanda! What a lovely idea and gifting! We never know how much a small gesture like that can encourage someone for a lifetime!
I have no one currently that I could mentor but I am supporting many women in Haiti through Rebecca's Haiti by Hand which sends supplies to these woman to make a difference in their lives. I blogged about it here:
http://organicodysseys.blogspot.com/2010/02/feed-you-creativity-friday.html
does that count?
And I have been a follower of you from way back!
Beautiful bracelet too, and my fav color!
Kate
i did it. check out today's post on my blog: www.lisaoram.com. And I'm your follower, too.
I'm getting close to my 100th post, too. wonder what how i'll celebrate. . . .
I am all about paying it forward. You are a generous, sweet soul.
Enjoy the day!
Erin
Such a beautiful bracelet. How wonderful of you to help a new artist.
Beading lady passing on the love...Hope your young protegee does as well as you seem to have...Lovin it !
hat a gorgeous bracelet! I'm already a follower...
I love the idea of sponsoring a budding artist. right now i have been nurturing my grand daughter!
That is a beautiful bracelet. I like the idea about encouraging a budding artist but I wouldn't get it done in time. I will keep my eyes and ears open for someone to encourage though!!
Thanks for a great contest and challenge.
~Nancy
E-So proud of your new business adventure/job. Love the "pass it on" challenge. You're the greatest! Teresa
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