29 Gifts!

Before I get into '29 Gifts', I wanted to show my drawing I'm doing for my BJP 2011. Yep, FINALLY I decided on what to do. I've had 2 or 3 different ideas and finally decided my theme is Nature. I'd really like to learn to do more still life or real life beaded pieces and thought this might be the way to learn. I'm going to start with a simple beaded bird. OK, I'm hoping it will be simple! Yea, right! If it doesn't work out, then I'll go back to doing a different leaf each month. That's still nature, right!
Today was beautiful again with temps in the high 70's! I left early to go to the Pet store, bead shop (of course!), Lowe's to get some cheesecloth to paint, then home to clean the Lanai floor and mop other floors. Two loads of laundry then I played in my sewing room working on my stained glass Georgia O'Keeffe! I've got all the pieces cut out and ready to get to the basting lines where the stain glass will go. I'll post pics tomorrow on this project. But it was a good productive day!

Check out the Valentine I rec'd from my friend Carol T. back in Michigan yesterday. Isn't he cute!!
Also, on another note, Carol T. is going to be published in the Lark book, The Natural World. She's not sure which quilt will be published but I'm thinking it is her wonderful lizard she did for our MQAI exhibit last year. I won't post pic until the book comes out in the fall, but isn't that exciting! Congrats, again, Carol!

And here's my finished envelope/box that we did this past weekend at the Weaver's meeting. I had to go and buy some more envelopes because I forgot about the top!
This is the inside of the box. Kinda cute, isn't it. Not sure what I'd put in the little box inside but nice to know it's there!

Now on to my '29 gifts'! I mentioned in a previous post a friend of mine who blogged about the book '29 Gifts: How a Month of Giving Can Change Your Life'. I purchased the book and decided to print out the calendar and start my own '29 days'. I'm only on chapter two/day '2' of gift giving but I'm enjoying the book (I just don't read during the daytime...only at night in bed, so it might take me awhile to get through it!). But I have been inspired to start 'giving' more or at least recognizing when I do give a 'gift'.

So today I was during laundry, cleaning, etc. and as I was coming in and out of the house and I kept watching this elderly couple across the street working in their yard. They were laying new sod down where the old grass died out. That doesn't sound like a lot except they had to dig out the old dirt/lawn, carry it away then place the new sod down. I was feeling so guilty watching them and thought I should go over and ask if they wanted help. Well, to be honest I really didn't want to offer mainly because I didn't really think I could do what they were doing! Call me a wimp but all I could think of was "yikes', my hands"! They hurt so much now that using the shovel and trying to lift the dirt, yada, yada...YES, I was using my RA as an excuse. I stood in the garage for a few minutes and thought...if this elderly couple can do all that, then at least I can do is offer to help just for a little. Maybe I could just be the foreman and tell them how to do it! OK, I'll off to help shovel and lift the sod!

So across the street I went! I introduced myself and asked if they could use some help. I told them I had been watching them work so hard and hoped I could help them just a little. They were the sweetest couple and the wife said, "that's so nice but we were just thinking about going inside to clean up as we have a Dr. appointment" (heart Dr. to boot!). We stood and talked for several minutes and they were just delightful.

As I was walking back to our house, I have to admit I was a little relieved! I did thank the 'big guy up above'! Is that bad of me!! I thought about the '29 gifts' and I'm wondering if I can count this small offering as a 'half' of a gift! I think it might count a little...guess another one of my 29 gifts for this month might have to be a tad bigger to make up for this 'half' one!! But the thought was there!!! So what gift did you give today? A kind word to someone, a smile? It does make you feel better doesn't it. I just hope this couple finishes up quickly! Or I hope I'm not home the next time they are replacing sod! Oh, gosh..this karma and gift giving might just bite me in the butt!