Find the beauty

Well, I thought I might get back on track with blogging this month, and then another police officer killed another Black man in Minnesota, and it's just so heartbreaking and infuriating. The grief and anger and protests and curfews and law enforcement tactics and everything weigh so heavily on my heart that it's hard to find any creative energy. And I hate that it's not shocking that this continues to happen -- across the country -- again and again.

Thankfully, when the verdict came back yesterday in the Derek Chauvin trial, he was found guilty on all three charges. Although I know that doesn't take away the grief of George Floyd's family, I'm relieved that Chauvin was held accountable, and I hope it's truly just a step in the right direction.

So with all the heaviness we're feeling in the world right now I decided to share a simple set of cards that makes me think of finding little bits of beauty amidst the darkness.

 

 

Unfortunately I didn't write down a supply list for these cards, but I can tell you that the flower images are from a sheet of Vintage Hues Art Acetate from Stamp On It, and the background stamp is Hardwood from Stampin' Up! I die cut a coordinating frame for each flower image and used shimmer paint to stamp the background. I gave this card set to my aunt, and I also included a set of sentiment strips mounted on foam tape so she could add a sentiment to the front of each card if she wanted to.

Another reason I decided to share this set of cards today was because I've been thinking about how I can use my talents to help bring about social change. I have a lot of respect for the protestors and community organizers who have the courage to express outrage and demand justice, but that's not one of my gifts. And while I've donated money, signed petitions, and contacted some politicians (though I need to do that more often, too), I want to do something more. So I've been tossing around the idea of creating some card sets to sell, with all of the money going to a social justice organization(s).

I haven't decided on any of the specifics of this possible plan. For instance, what types of card sets should I make? Basic floral/nature cards, like these? Something with inspirational or social justice quotes? More "artsy" cards? I'm also not sure how the logistics of selling the cards would work (e.g., just selling locally and in-person or via e-mail/blog/Instagram). Should I sell a fewer number of sets each month or have a larger selection less often? I don't necessarily want this to be overly "official," but I also don't want to just throw something together. So if you have any thoughts or suggestions, I'd love to hear them!

Thanks for stopping by today. Wherever you are, I hope your day is filled with peace and hope.