Inspiration Friday No.34~ Out of Sadness Comes Love

  This has been a difficult week, I have not cried this much since 9/11, as I'm sure many of you have.  I am so happy to have had no work scheduled for this week so I could go through all the stages of shock, grief, anger, and finally sadness that has encompassed me.
  I do not watch the news often, I get most of my news from my Facebook or Twitter feed, but this week I have been glued to the news stations.  I have stayed up way too late for too many nights looking at guns statistics and becoming more angry the more I learned.  This one week feels like a month and I am no where near Newtown, Connecticut.  I can only just imagine what it must be like for them.
  With today being a week since the shooting I am going to take a moment of silence along with many others.  You may see some websites go black for one minute tomorrow starting at 9:30 a.m..  If you are on Twitter you can find out information at #momentforSandyHook.
  I have cried so many tears listening to the parents of these children.  My daughter and I even talked about doing a "peace sign" birthday cake like Grace McDonnell did for her 7th birthday.  She is the same age as my daughter, but Grace will never celebrate her 8th birthday.  This is so difficult for me to even comprehend how this must feel for her family, so many beautiful children, their teachers and principal, all lives lost too soon.

Angel who was killed in Sandy Hook shooting, Grace McDonnell.

  As seen on the Emily A. Clark blog, if you want to do something to help you can go to Brickyard Buffalo to purchase downloadable prints, like the one you see below.  All of the proceeds will got to the Sandy Hook School Support Fund through the United Way.

"My Heart Carries Me Through" - Kelli Murray

   I am sure today will be difficult for so many, but I know for myself, I need to move on.  

The news stories are becoming less about those that were lost and more about the disturbed 

young man and his motives.  No matter what they may be, it will never justify the killing of 

innocent children, so I really don't care to hear it.  

Today, I will prepare to celebrate Christmas with a heavy heart 
and I will not take for granted 

that I will have what so many families will not have this holiday season.

  

You can follow what is going on with Newtown, Connecticut by following their Facebook page.

~  Kim

My thoughts on the Sandy Hook Elementary tragedy...

I try to keep this little blog of mine light and easy, but I have something I want to say, and I hope you don't mind.


I have come to terms with the fact that I put myself in danger when I walk into a mall, a movie theatre, or a grocery store, but I will be damned to accept sending my child into a living hell as I send her off to school.

I am so sick of hearing that if a criminal wants to commit violence that there is nothing we can do. How many children need to die before we throw our hands in the air and say "Enough is enough"? 

This is a gun issue, a mental health issue, a school security issue, a societal issue. How can you send your child to school tomorrow and say that our system is not broken, that there is nothing we can do differently to make sure that our children return home safe?

This was not a surprise to me. I have walked in to my child's school and noted the one woman sitting at the front desk would not be any match for a gunman. I have noted how close to an exit door my child's classroom is and how little to no security is present as I walk through the halls. I have worried, I have watched, and I knew something like this was coming. But no matter how your logical mind may prepare itself, the truth is so overwhelming and heart-wrenching that it is hard to breath.

The absolute worst has happened, now we must use this chance to fix what is broken. It is our responsibility to do everything in our power to protect our children and those that spend their lives teaching them. We have to work together to look with open minds and open hearts to do what is right and what is required for us to send our children to a place a safety and security.

To the victims of Sandy Hook Elementary, may you rest in peace. You will never be forgotten.

Kim

Sadness

I am so incredibly saddened by the tragedy that occurred at Sandy Hook Elementary this morning.  I don't know if it's because I have children that same age but I have been crying all day, unable to shake it.  In the picture that the news is showing of the children coming out of the school, crying and with fear in their eyes, I can see my own children's face in their faces.  This could have happened anywhere, to anyone of us.  My heart is broken and I can only hope that those families who lost a loved one can find peace during this time and heal their broken hearts.  Bless them all and those little angels that are no longer with us.

~  Kim

Holiday Makeup Look

So you know how I am a makeup artist?  Well, I have been busy working, promoting, networking, social networking...you name it, and I've been busy doing it.  

I was really excited a few weeks ago to come across a beauty blogger who was looking for guest posts.  I sent over a holiday makeup look and she featured it on her blog today.

Here is the post with a full break down of products used, please go check it out:

 http://www.15minutebeauty.com/2012/12/an-amazing-gold-eye-look-with-makeup.html

 It's shimmery gold and red lips, so pretty for a holiday party!!! 

You can check out all of my work at www.makeupbykimporter.com.

 ~ Kim

Inspiration Friday No.33~ Starfish & Christmas Trees

I really love the idea of incorporating starfish in decorating for the holidays.  

They are so simply and pretty.  I keep meaning to buy some since mine have 

been used elsewhere through out the house.

 Cottage Living

This is what our home looks like (currently...it could always change!)

This table I purchased at a garage sale for $10, I meant to paint it white-ish but never 

got around to it.  Thought it kind of fit in with my Christmas decor just the way it is!

The kids decorate a real Christmas tree with tinsel, colored lights, and colorful ornaments.

This is my tree.  I like white. 

Top pictures can be found on my Pinterest page.

How are you decorating your tree this year?

~  Kim

Christmas Jar: 25 days in December & an elf named Mr. Jingles

  I really should have posted this 6 days ago!  I saw this idea on Pinterest (I think) and I wanted to try it out this year.  I don't know why I take all of my "overachieving mommy" issues and put them all on myself in one month.  There is something about the holidays that I want to be perfect, fun, and most of all magical for my children (see Elf pics below).  I call this the Christmas Jar and to do it, you first type and print out 25 fun or thoughtful things to do with your family, cut each thing out on, and place them in a jar.  Next decorate your jar, I just cut out a picture from a Christmas card and stuck it on the front.  Everyday a child grabs a piece of paper and you do on that day what they picked out.

Here is a list of things to do that are in our jar.  Feel free to print them out to use for your Christmas Jar.


Open one gift early.

Bake cookies and take them to a friend.

Pop popcorn and play a board game while listening to holiday music.

Go to the library and pick out books about Christmas. Read them together.

Buy or make stocking stuffers for your sibling(s).

Write a note to each member in the family to tell them how special they are and what you love about them. Leave the note in their stockings.

Draw a holiday picture and send it to someone.

Take a tour of lights in your neighborhood in your pajamas. Eat popcorn and listen to Christmas music in the car.

Make an ornament together for the tree.

Bake cookies for yourselves.

Start a holiday memory book. Quote your child and ask them what their favorite thing is about Christmas and what they want from Santa Clause.  Take a picture Christmas morning and put it in the memory book.

Print out a Holiday Coloring Page and color it.

Put together a box of items to donate to the less fortunate.

Make Reindeer Food
(Find recipe here:  http://thatscountryliving.com/2011/12/how-to-make-reindeer-food-free-printable-reindeer-food-poem-tag/).

Make and decorate a gingerbread house.

Make popcorn and cranberry garland for the tree.

Make paper chains for the Christmas tree.

Write a letter to Santa to leave on Christmas Eve.

Have a holiday movie marathon.

Eat candy canes and drink hot cocoa.

Make cards and gifts for teachers.

Go to the Dollar Store and pick out gifts for your family.

Make special cards to send to your cousins.

Do something nice for someone else, just because.

Make and send Christmas cards to the grandparents.

Purchase non-perishable food to donate to a food bank.

Make a present for Santa.

Drink peppermint tea and eat Christmas sugar cookies.

Make and put out food for birds and squirrels (toilet paper roll, peanut butter, and bird feed).

Make snow globes.

Research holiday traditions around the world on the computer.


Some ideas came from these two websites:

http://www.momadvice.com/parenting/christmas_jar.aspx

http://domesticsimplicity.com/2011/11/14/merry-making-50-things-to-do-with-kids-in-december/



  Of course some days they pick things that are inconvenient or I don't have the supplies.  My children know to pick another one if that happens.  Like if they picked the "Go to the library" and we have an already packed day, they pick another one.  Yesterday my daughter picked, "Make holiday cookies," so we baked cookies and decorated them last night.

I hope you will use the rest of this month to do fun and memorable things with your family!

Now onto the elf:

So this is the first year that an elf has visited our home.  My children named him Mr. Jingles and they absolutely love when he does naughty things.  

Like toilet papering our Christmas tree or my daughter's door!

...or writing a little warning on the chalkboard.

Gotta keep them in check!

...and this morning we woke up to my son's bed and floor covered with bows.  

That silly elf had gotten into the bag and had them everywhere!! hehehe :)

I will need a serious break come January!!

Do you have an elf that is creating raucous in your house?

Do you think the Christmas Jar is something that you will do with your children?

~  Kim

Link Party

I linked my holiday decor project at

www.sandandsisal.com.

Go check it out!

~  Kim

Pretty & Sparkly Holiday Decor

This picture popped up on my Facebook newsfeed the other morning and 

all I could do was ooh and ahh over how pretty and sparkly everything was.

If imitation is the sincerest form of flattery... I was all over it!!!

I grabbed a large wooden tray that was currently holding magazines.  

Then gathered up all of my blue and silver ornaments and mercury glass

candle holders.  This is what I came up with!

I like sparkly things!!!

So pretty!

Now I just have to keep the kids from playing ball ~ornaments~ in the house!!

The top inspiration picture can be found at Style Events Facebook page.

~  Kim