Catching Light & Hope (A Simple Pinterest Poser Challenge)

There is so much bad happening in the world.  It is overwhelming.  It's not just bad, it's scary, heartbreaking and gut wrenching.  I feel powerless and afraid.  I turn off the news, say a prayer, sign an online petition, tweet an activist hashtag, volunteer with a group trying to create real change, talk to my kids about compassion and justice. I try to make sense of some of the bad/sad stuff happening in the world and do my small part to make some sort of difference.  

But sometimes, the only way to make sense of a world of hurt and confusion, is to stop trying.  It's then that I simply want to spend time with my children and quietly do a craft with them or read books to them.  I soak up their curiosity, honesty, silliness, love, the good and I feel hopeful.

I am generally a person that always tries to look for the good.  Not everyone feels that way.  Years ago when I was trying to help my mother with a particularly challenging time in her life by looking for the good, she  famously said "Quit being such a f#*ing Pollyanna."  

I am not naive, I fully understand being a Pollyanna doesn't fix the bad.  Looking for the good, remembering the good means I find and remember hope.  Hope is my fuel to get back up and say more prayers, sign more petitions, tweet more activist hashtags, volunteer more of my time, and keep talking about compassion and justice to my kids and my community and anyone who will listen.

This week's Pinterest Poser Challenge* is inspired by all the f#&ing Pollyanna's of the world.  I'm not sure if you are familiar with the amazing classic movie, but in it the young girl plays a Glad Game when she feels down.  The games consists of listing things she is grateful for and it always makes her feel better.   It's brilliant.  Pollyanna also loves crystals that she hangs in the window to catch light.  She explains it in the movie like this, "The sun comes through here and paints a rainbow."


(Click here to watch Pollyanna play the glad game.)

*In an attempt at not being a Pinterest Poser,** every week I attempt and detail a project/idea/recipe inspired by Pinterest.  **My definition of a Pinterest Poser is someone who is all pins and no substance.

This week, the kids and I took a break from the mad, mad world and made a suncatcher out of melted beads. 

It's a simple, inexpensive and something we could all do together.  

• We placed the beads in a cake pan.  I let the kids put whatever colors they wanted, wherever they wanted.

• We preheated the oven to 450 degrees while we filled our pans.

• Once the pans were filled, we opened every window in our small home, turned on the oven fan and put the pans in the oven.  This is a very smelly project.  The smell of melting plastic is bit alarming and I recommend playing outside while cooking.

• We baked our beads for 15 minutes.

• I took the pans out of the oven and sat them on the back porch to cool.

• After another 15 minutes, I popped them out of the pans. 

• We then drilled a small hole and tied a string through the plate/suncatcher/melted bead platter, tied a string through the hole.

Now this Melted Bead Suncatcher hangs in my kitchen window.  It is there to catch the sun and make rainbows of hope and love and goodness on my walls.  It is there to remind me of a sweet afternoon with my children.  

It is there to remind me to carry on with the praying and the tweeting and the telling and the shouting and the protesting and the fighting for change and compassion and justice and peace.

Come follow me on Pinterest, click here.

Here are a few projects that I've tried.  Have you made anything inspired by Pinterest?  Tell us about them in the comments or on my Facebook page.

Tissue Paper Pom Pom Garland-- click here
A Delightfully Simple Birthday Party--click here
Make An Awesome Omelette--click here
Outdoor Lights Inspired by the show Parenthood- click here
Herb Garden with Chalboard Pots- click here
Backyard Graffiti Art with kids- click here
Happiness Notecards- click here

Gluten Free Rainbow Cake- click here

Fruit Roll-Up Fortune Cookies- click here

Make Your Own Magnets- click here

DIY Painted Clay Necklace- click here

Dixie Cup Lights- click here

DIY Ornaments-click here

Gluten Free Clay- click here

Make Your Own Stamps- click here
Birthday Shirt- click here
Gluten Free Pop Tarts- click here
Front Porch Kid Art Display- click here
Door turned into Table- click here

Summer Wish List Chalkboard-click here

Peanut Butter Nutella Cookie Sandwiches-click here

Painted Mason Jar Vases-click here

Cinco de Mayo Paper Flowers- click here
Earth Day Cupcakes- Click here
Nail Art-click here

Homemade Photo Booth Fun- click here

Fake Bangs- click here

DIY Subway Art- click here

Furniture Painting and Bench/Chest Makeover- click here

Thanksgiving-y Project/Gratitude/Holiday Countdown- click here
The Smoothie-click here

The Free Printable Turned Artwork in a Boring Hallway- click here

The chalk board-click here
Seven Layer Dip in Individual Cups (my favorite so far!)-click here
The pumpkin address-click here
The Kitchen Dancing Sign--click here

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