Yep, I am actually posting. Been a crazy year so far, including a rotator cuff injury and knee surgery. However, life is good and full of blessings.
After careful prayer and consideration, I am officially retiring from event hosting for Cards for the Troops. Doesn't mean I won't still be making cards and a few select kits, just means I won't be taking it on the road anymore.
I hope you join me for our final Christmas in July Extravaganza on July 12th. Details on sidebar.
It takes a lot of hard work to put on these card making events, especially the design and production of kits that produce thousands of cards each year. Hauling a myriad of supplies out on location and back again is exhausting. Usually halfway through the year I am knee deep in items that haven't made it back to where they belong in my studio and desperately need re-organized. I am still pretty much a 1 woman show with assistance from a couple of good friends. I will be scaling down my participation in From Our Hearts to a much smaller scale. I will be focusing on smaller card making projects and the occasional private event.
It is also time for me to focus on new ministry ventures and exploring a wider variety of art. A lot of my personal art has been sacrificed for the basic elegant card designs for the troops. It is time to stretch, grow and evolve my style again.
I wish to thank everyone who has supported these efforts for the past 5 years and for making Cards for Troops a huge success in the Norman OK area. Your gift of time to make cards, donations of supplies (both for card making and for our troops directly) and some $ for postage have been truly appreciated. You have truly blessed our service members.
Here is an excerpt from a thank-you received at From Our Hearts, we have truly made a difference to our troops and their families.....
(note: this card was donated to our efforts)
I live in Maine and have two soldiers currently serving in Afghanistan:
Our son – SPC Brandon W.
Our new (6/8/2013) daughter-in-law – SPC Lisa W.
Recently, we received a beautiful card from Lisa for Halloween – all the way from Afghanistan!
In the card, Lisa had asked me to send her some family and friend’s addresses for Christmas. I’m just sitting down this weekend to do that … I had assumed that Lisa made the card, she’s creative like that … and for some reason I turned over the card and noticed:
Brandon and Lisa have only been in Afghanistan since October 4,2013 (which happened to be Brandon’s 24th birthday) and I continue to be amazed by the thoughtfulness and generosity of fellow Americans. Brandon recently received a care package from a church in Ohio. Then Lisa received these homemade cards from your From Our Hearts “troops” across America. What a great country we live in!
Simply wanted to extend a sincere THANK YOU to everyone that assists with creating these cards for our troops who are serving overseas. It really is special to receive mail FROM them … and even more special when the cards are truly made from the heart.
If you could pass this email along to the person or group in Norman, Oklahoma to extend my sincere gratitude, I would certainly appreciate it.
With sincere gratitude,
Lou Ann W.
Enjoy your Memorial Day Celebrations and know you have made a difference to our military heroes.
