"Each of them has a strong story.
Each of them gives me hope.
Each of them stands up.
Each of them inspires me."
Each of them gives me hope.
Each of them stands up.
Each of them inspires me."
Monday, April 18, 2011
Helping Peace Grow
To learn more about the Somaly Mam Foundation mentioned in James' blog earlier. Watch this video.
Service = Hope
Atlanta, Georgia. April 5-9, 2011. National Service Learning Conference.
Have you ever been so inspired by something that it may very well have changed your life? Your perspective of something has changed a bit. You want nothing more than to take action, regardless of the "size" of that action (for I feel that every sincere effort is immeasurable....each effort creates a ripple that carries with it the heart of that effort). Have you ever had an experience that awakens within you, an improved vision of HOPE?
This is what I experienced at the National Service Learning Conference. I spent 4 days in Atlanta attending this conference and at every turn and during every conversation.....hope sprang forth reconfirming a resolve to do everything within my capacity to make a difference setting a foundation for a world that will be better for those that come after us.
There were workshops and speeches and opportunities to go off-site and actually do something to effect some positive change. All activities were great. The off-site opportunity that I took part in was one that supported the efforts of the Somaly Mam Foundtion. There were these 8th grade girls joyously decorating apartments for refugee families, who had to escape their homeland due to the deplorable conditions in which they lived. These girls, along with a few of us from the conference, selected items that were splayed across a parking lot to decorate with. The items, that I believe were proffered from donations, were arranged according to room. Now I was part of the kitchen "team".....and we were really "shopping" for items as if it were to be our apartment. There was so much heart put into this act that at times I would just take a step back and watch with HOPE welling in inside of me. They really cared....they cared whether this Woman and her baby boy from Burma had enough cutting boards, whether they should have wine glasses and espresso cups, did they have enough spices?, what about the pots and pans....they should definitely have enough of each (just in case they have company), what would make them feel at home....did we provide anything that would allow them to cook as if in Burma?
These apartments were a place that these families could actually call home without fear of some atrocity occurring in their daily life....this was a place that a little boy could grow up and have a chance to not only survive....but to live a life. It was truly inspiring. I know when I was at that age, I surely did not act upon my thoughts to help others.....it took me a couple of decades to reach the point a lot of the young people at this conference are at now. Hundreds of participants from around the world took part in this conference. They all shared the same heart and vision.....to make the world a better place for others...so others may find joy in their lives. Awe-inspiring, if I may say so.
Anyway, I will end this for now....as I digest the deeper significance of what transpired during those four days in Atlanta, I may have more to share ;)
Though, I propose a question: what do you wish to do to change this world? what acts can you perform now, that will make a difference? Thoughts?.......
Take care.
View the video below....it is amazing!
Have you ever been so inspired by something that it may very well have changed your life? Your perspective of something has changed a bit. You want nothing more than to take action, regardless of the "size" of that action (for I feel that every sincere effort is immeasurable....each effort creates a ripple that carries with it the heart of that effort). Have you ever had an experience that awakens within you, an improved vision of HOPE?
This is what I experienced at the National Service Learning Conference. I spent 4 days in Atlanta attending this conference and at every turn and during every conversation.....hope sprang forth reconfirming a resolve to do everything within my capacity to make a difference setting a foundation for a world that will be better for those that come after us.
There were workshops and speeches and opportunities to go off-site and actually do something to effect some positive change. All activities were great. The off-site opportunity that I took part in was one that supported the efforts of the Somaly Mam Foundtion. There were these 8th grade girls joyously decorating apartments for refugee families, who had to escape their homeland due to the deplorable conditions in which they lived. These girls, along with a few of us from the conference, selected items that were splayed across a parking lot to decorate with. The items, that I believe were proffered from donations, were arranged according to room. Now I was part of the kitchen "team".....and we were really "shopping" for items as if it were to be our apartment. There was so much heart put into this act that at times I would just take a step back and watch with HOPE welling in inside of me. They really cared....they cared whether this Woman and her baby boy from Burma had enough cutting boards, whether they should have wine glasses and espresso cups, did they have enough spices?, what about the pots and pans....they should definitely have enough of each (just in case they have company), what would make them feel at home....did we provide anything that would allow them to cook as if in Burma?
These apartments were a place that these families could actually call home without fear of some atrocity occurring in their daily life....this was a place that a little boy could grow up and have a chance to not only survive....but to live a life. It was truly inspiring. I know when I was at that age, I surely did not act upon my thoughts to help others.....it took me a couple of decades to reach the point a lot of the young people at this conference are at now. Hundreds of participants from around the world took part in this conference. They all shared the same heart and vision.....to make the world a better place for others...so others may find joy in their lives. Awe-inspiring, if I may say so.
Anyway, I will end this for now....as I digest the deeper significance of what transpired during those four days in Atlanta, I may have more to share ;)
Though, I propose a question: what do you wish to do to change this world? what acts can you perform now, that will make a difference? Thoughts?.......
Take care.
View the video below....it is amazing!
Sunday, April 17, 2011
Spring time
My favorite nail color for spring: Turquoise and Caicos
My first sterling silver 925 project: Lotus ring
Monday, February 21, 2011
Saturday, February 19, 2011
It would be a dream come true...
...to be in that workshop and be able to sit inches away from these jewelers benches.
more than 10 years of apprenticing before being able to work there?!?!
It would be a dream to be able to one day be just as skilled as these legendary artisans.
more than 10 years of apprenticing before being able to work there?!?!
It would be a dream to be able to one day be just as skilled as these legendary artisans.
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
Rough Diamonds
After watching Blood Diamond tonight I dove right into reading about Liberia and Sierra Leone, Angola, Kimberley Process Certification Scheme, Fowler Report that led to the conference for the Kimberley Process, etc. It's a lot of information to take in, but well worth knowing if you are in the diamond industry. Actually, it is well worth knowing if you like diamonds and don't like war ;)
The movie made me think about rough diamonds and how I love them. Looking at the unpolished, uncut stones makes me think about how they are a great representation of our generation today. With everything going on in the world we can't help but want to fix what those before us have done so that the world will be healthy enough to exist for those after us. We are willing to do anything to fix the world even if it means we have to start from scratch; a new beginning. Check out this rough diamond ring design by Sruli Recht. I love this ring and if I could afford it I would be wearing it everyday to remind me that underneath it all there is a beautiful diamond in all of us ;)
 | ||
| r¿ng by Sruli Recht |
Check out the ring here. What's also great is that the rough diamonds have been handled in accordance with the provisions of the Kimberley Process International Certification Scheme for Rough Diamonds and come enclosed with a Kimberley Process Certificate. I So Want One!
Sunday, December 26, 2010
It all started by lighting a torch and playing with fire
 |
| Designed and created by Christine |
The marker for the beginning of this new journey. Sketched it on my notebook, carved it out of wax, then began the cire perdue process. Created with sterling silver in a class that was just supposed to be an outlet from my nine-to-five career. The theme, the motivation, the inspiration - pretty hard to explain to strangers, in a blog post, to the world wide web. The strength, the femininity, the humanity is hard to showcase in a cuff bracelet, but that is a brief summary of the inspiration that helped create and complete this project.
To get a little bit of understanding, I'll leave you with these suggested reads by great men: Greg Mortenson and Nicholas Kristof.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)