Joy in Service: Day 6 Thank a Worker

The invisible ones.

The guys who pick up your garbage. The custodian who cleans up the school. The bus driver. The kid who gathers the grocery carts. Your mail carrier.

What ideas do you have for ways to thank them. I'm thinking of standing out when our garbage truck driver comes through and handing him a gift. They drive by in the big robot trucks so the driver doesn't usually get out of the truck... I'd have to get his attention some how. We love the robot truck. We run to the window to watch the arms reach out and grab the bin and lift it up so high to dump it into the truck! I think I might still run to the window to watch even without kids.

Boro Project by Lyric Kinard

I've been mentioning this to so people as I'm out in different places and it's so much fun to see them think of little ideas they can do to make someone feel better. I did stop and say thank you to the secretary at my kidlet's school, and told her how great she looked. I didn't leave myself enough time to give a gift. I did some quick shopping later and instead of just picking up teacher gifts, I picked up extras for the bus driver, the secretary, and the custodians. They need the lift as much as the teachers do.

But I feel bad for one thing. I was rotten grouchy after some worse than usual "homework fights" with the kids last night and after they went to bed I went to the grocery store. I smiled and asked one girl who was stocking shelves how she was and she said "tired." I smiled and said "tired too." I wish, wish, wish, I had a little gift... a flower, anything, to give her. Or maybe I should have just knelt down next to her and given her a very quick hug and told her thank you for what she does. Now I know what to do next time.



And here is the progress on my Boro project. One more gore in the skirt, a zipper and a hems and then some of the real fun begins. I think I might raid my stash of hand dyed lace. I like the idea of embroidering stories into the cloth as Melly does.

Upcycling!

Please tell me what you did to make the world a better place today!

It's not bragging - it's giving me ideas for what I can do.

It's inspiring others to look outward.

There is nothing that makes one feel better than helping someone else.

And I'm having so much fun sending little thank-you gifts from my studio. Mostly some lovely Quilting Arts magazines that I need to clear out, but a few other things here and there.

Joy in Service - Day 5 upcycle something

Yesterday you did so many lovely things. Knitted prayer shawls and caps for soldiers, gave compliments, coffee cozies and desert choices to both strangers and loved ones. I offered a ride to a friend and fed a couple of hungry young missionaries who were far from home. I sat next to someone looking alone. 

Gene Black is making and collecting lap quilts for a youth center. Do you have one you can ship off?

Today I'm officially joining Melanie Testa in her Rockstar Boro project.

Look here to learn more about this beautiful japanese upcycling art form.

I've had this stack of old linen shirts - cut up and laying over the back of my studio chair for months. I'll start there and work out a skirt. I know it's not exactly following the Boro esthetic of appliquéing onto existing garments.... but I'll get there.

First this had to come off Brunhilda, my duct-tpe-double. I've enjoyed remembering my fabulous sisters every time I glanced over to it's colorful corner. (really, you've got to go check us out...you'll smile!)

This is the progress so far in the first quick hour.

After I get back from lunch and center time at kidlet5's school I'll sew a few more bits together. I think I'll take something (who knows what) as a little surprise giftie for the front office secretary.

Tell me what you did today!

Joy in Service - Day 4 Let's Make it BIG!

Sandy Snowden linked my blog to hers and asked her readers to come along on this ride and it gave me an idea. Lets all do it...  kind of a Pay It Forward thing.

Random acts of beauty, kindness, and service.

(It's certainly not an original idea, and certainly not mine - but it helps to be reminded.)

Ask your blog readers, your twitter followers, and even your facebook friends to do it too.

One kindness, one act of service a day.

It can be as small as a smile and a wave.

It can be as big as making a quilt for a charity.

Take this button and pass it on. Then come back here and tell me what you did.

Yesterday you did wonderful things like letting a friend cry on your shoulder, sending a note, walking through someone creative discovery, praying.
Yesterday I did something as small as gave my son a back rub when my first inclination was to give him a tongue lashing.

How did you make the world a better place?
(and didn't it make you feel great!?)

Joy in Service - Day 3 Thank a Teacher

Giving flowers to random people at the grocery store, volunteering at an English as a Second Language center, giving away plants, leaving your favorite magazines at the library or doctor's office. Making an auction quilt, donating toys, packing up a a friend's kitchen for a move.
So many ways to make the world a better place.

Here is an idea for today - say thank you to a teacher.

My parents were both public school teachers and so are some of my best friends.

Dad in his LavaLava

Mom, teaching in Samoa

Since my parents retired they've just kept on teaching. Locally in their rural community, in the prisons, in eastern Germany, and at a boarding school in Western Samoa.

My love of teaching probably comes from them but I've got to admit that I'm very spoiled. 

I honestly believe they have the hardest job in America.

But I don't have do deal with students who don't want to be there. I don't have parents telling me I'm doing my job wrong. I don't have politicians telling me how to do every second of every day of my job. I don't spend every evening grading papers and planning lessons and doing page after page after page of added forms of paperwork because every spare moment in during school is taken up by meetings. 

Look up that one teacher from way back when and send them a thank you note. In writing. Through the mail.

Instead of simply sending in a candy bar to your child's teacher - send them a note telling them exactly why you appreciate what they do.

You should also nominate your favorite quilt teacher for this. Then send them a note too.

Teacher of the Year Nomination Form

Do You Know A Great Teacher?

Help us find our 2012 Professional Quilt Teacher of the Year

For the 26th year, The Professional Quilter will honor an outstanding quilt teacher with its Teacher of the Year award. The winner will be chosen by her or his peers on the basis of written answers to a questionnaire. The winner will be judged on the following criteria:

• Commitment to development of fine workmanship and personal expression of students;
• Involvement in and contributions to the field of quiltmaking; and
• Professionalism, including personal code of ethics and serving as a role model.

I apologize - I don't usually talk politics here. But one thing that frustrates me to no end are people and politicians who disrespect public school teachers. I want to say to them, "Stand in their shoes for a month. You wouldn't last a week! And you certainly wouldn't ever consider doing the job for what they get paid." Teachers don't do it for the money or because they "can't perform in the real world!" They do it because they have want to make the world a better place.

So tell me what else you did today to make the world a better place.

(my first little random pile of thank you goodies will go out Monday to some of you.)

Joy in Service - Day 2

These are some of the things you did yesterday to make the world a better place.

Greeting the elderly with a smile and a hug, upgrading a buildings energy efficiency, donating clothing, shoes, and warm winter coats.

macrame snowflakes made by my mother,  Lynn Montgomery

Leaving $5 with the cashier at Starbucks as a surprise gift for a stranger in line, donating to a food bank, making quilts for a charity, dinner for a friend, using your skills and talents to help a school choir hem dresses, sending a surprise gift. Reaching out to difficult family members.

You are amazing people

"Some people choose not to donate their services because they believe that it somehow devalues them by 'giving them away.' In truth, there is nothing that demonstrates the value of your skills more than putting them to good use for a cause you believe in." ~Scott Allen

Yesterday I remembered to greet him at the door with a big smile and a hug and an "I love you" instead of launching straight into the "get out your homework and stop fighting me" speech. Then I managed to keep my patience with this recalcitrant child who is brilliant but hates homework.

Tell me what you are going to do today.

I think reading these comments is going to be the highlight of every day this month.

Finding Joy in Service

I've learned that you shouldn't go through life with catcher's mitts on both hands. You need to be able to throw something back.

~Maya Angelou~

December is a favorite month of mine.

I love Christmas.

Knipplinger lace made my my talented mother, Lynn Montgomery

I've learned to ignore and mostly throw out the things that stress or bother me about the commercialization of the season and pare it down to the things I love.

I love the music

My daughter and I are playing in an orchestra for the Apex Christmas Nativity Celebration's Messiah Sing-In Saturday Dec. 10th at 7pm.

photo by kohunt on flickr

My Christmas playlist is the longest of any on my ipod. If I haven't played my dulcimer in six months I know at least I'll get it down to play Christmas music. I don't mind running out every other night to hear my kids school band concerts.

I love being with my family and friends

I love the neighborhood and church and family brunches and dinners and parties.

I'm surrounded by wonderful people and feel blessed to be in their presence.

And the food - yes. The food.

I love helping, in whatever small way, to make the world a better place

My kids get totally excited to leave presents on doorsteps. I've already had to take my oldest daughter to the store twice to fill stockings for service projects she's doing at school. 

Photo by weddingmusings at flickr

join me

You and I together have power to make the world a better place. Help me think of things do to, and you can do them too. I was cleaning out a few piles in the studio and realized I have a huge stack of duplicate Quilting Arts magazines. And stuff. Too much wonderful stuff. I want to share it.

So every day - tell me one thing you did to love and help and serve.

(and leave me a way to contact you.) I'll send you a magazine and maybe a goodie along with it.

Yesterday I took dinner to a dear friend who is sick. I called another friend I haven't heard from for a while. Just to say how much I miss and love her.

DO SOMETHING!

big or small it doesn't matter.

(and tell me about it.)

29 Ways to be Creative by Sei Ohmori

29 WAYS TO STAY CREATIVE from TO-FU on Vimeo.

Sei Ohmori is a japanese architect and graphic designer.

I do these things although I'd replace coffee with chocolate.

I want you to do at least ONE THING on this list TODAY!