Let's get real for a minute

If I go more than a couple of days, I have so much I want to blog about and then I don't do any of it because there is so much to say.. haha!

But really... what I want to say is HELP!!

Charity Wings needs your help.  I need your help.

What is charity wings?  We raise money for other charities through art and creativity. 

What charities? Any registered non profit organization. PARTIAL LIST HERE

Why did I start Charity Wings? My goal was to tap into the crafting and predominately female community and design fundraisers based on things they love to do.  My idea was that if you get a group of women together doing what they enjoy and then make it for a good cause that you can raise money.  

This is the short version.  We have grown so much and now, anyone can contact us to raise money for a charity they support. We work with them to put on a unique and fun event.  Have we ever helped a charity you support?  I BET WE HAVE

"What we do is real. We are real people putting forth real effort to make a difference. We are not scientists searching for a cure, we are not overpaid executives directing the little people, we are the little people and we create real opportunities for people to do good things."

~yep! I said that :)

I have volunteered for Charity Wings full time ++ for almost 6 years, without paying myself.  Charity Wings has grown to the point where it needs employees.  Unfortunately, I am not able to volunteer anymore.  I have to take a salary. I've tried to make money selling handmade stuff, doing side jobs, teaching etc... it just doesn't work with a growing organization like Charity Wings.  It saddens me to have to look for ways to pay administrative costs and to have to hire people to do charity work but I have no other choice.  I have tried every way I can to not have this be the reality but it is, so now I am just putting it out there.  I need your help.

I have never asked for donations without giving something in return 

so when I knew I needed help, we came up with  

For an $89 tax deductible donation you will get over $89 worth of stuff!  

DanitaArt.com

LIVE from CHA details

• beautiful Danita Art print, exclusive to Club TLC members, signed by Danita herself
• a cool personalized membership card
• a handmade charter member charm
• LIVE from CHA for free!!

We will regularly offer ideas on good deeds you can do based on the different charities that are scheduled on our awareness calendar. 

Did you know that Jan is:

• Cervical Health Awareness Month
• National Glaucoma Awareness Month
• National Birth Defects Prevention Month
• Thyroid Awareness Month
• American Heart Month
• Library Lovers Month

 we will be giving you ideas on how you can help these great causes!  Club TLC is about being part of a community of creative people that want to do good deeds.  I truly believe everyone wants to do good deeds.  They just need a little push. Is this you?  Then please please join me.

Please sign up.  Please tell your friends.  

People think I'm an energy ball
but it's really the Rock Star!

If we can get the word out about this wonderful club, I can keep Charity Wings alive. All of you that have written me with praises telling me how much you admire what I do, asking how I have so much energy, expressing that I am doing amazing work.  All of those words keep me going but what I really need is for this amazing group of supporters that love what I do, to show your support by signing up for Club TLC.  

If just a fraction of the people I have touched in the last 6 years would sign up for Club TLC It would make all the difference in the world.

My mantra comes from Ghandi “Be the change you want to see in the world” This is how I live my life.  The acts we do may be small but they are mighty and as a community, we are unstoppable. 

Redesigning Elena...the traveling princess-artist-do-gooder (Part 2)

What do I really really really want...

Part 1 was having this question asked of me and letting it sit for about a year... till Suzi Blu reminded me that I really really really want to make art.

And there are others who have helped me find my way....

My young friend Jesse. She is one of my best friends.  I have known her for like 8 years, since she was in highschool.  When I lived in Taiwan, she came to visit me and it was such a different time. When I left my husband, she was the first one to take me out and get me back to being me.


I knew when I left my husband that it was time.  I knew that if I did not leave I would end up cheating on him and I couldn't do that to him.  He deserved so much more than that. He deserved my respect and he always had it. Even though we were not right for each other, it was one of the saddest things I have ever lived through.

Jesse helped me realize that another thing I really really really want is to always come from a place of LOVE AND COMPASSION.  

I want to see the positive in people and treat them according to what I know is good about them and not according to how they might hurt me. To always know that "hurt people, hurt people" but that even the most miserable unhappy people have goodness in them. 

So I made some art and it made me feel good...

I have two "book clubs" that I run each month.  They are both based on creative idea books in the art and crafting industry. Each month we meet and and socialize and do crafty things.  And every 3 months we do a swap. This cycle we each made an ATC card with one letter. My letter was "F".  I was inspired by my new friend Fran Valera from Little Windows. An awesome resin company. I am super into resin right now and as I type this I have 4 pieces curing on my table! Fran is a super star so I had to have a nice shiny star on this piece!

and I made jewelry.  This one has more beads than the one a couple posts back. so its lays different but I like it still.  I made a bracelet to match with the leftover charms.  This piece has a "hidden mickey"!  Come on Disney fans! Tell me you think that is cool!

And then there is Sheila my personal Angel. She has been a huge part of why Charity Wings was able to stay afloat while I had my own personal midlife crisis.  She keeps me on track and makes me realize that I am not just Charity Wings. That I deserve to have a life outside of this organization and that if for some reason, I have to walk away from it, It will be ok.

She freed me up to find another thing I really really really want...I want to be more than Charity Wings. I want to get back to being known as a creative mind, teacher and a fierce friend.

I am so lucky...I am a super happy people. 

Redesigning Elena...the traveling princess-artist-do-gooder (Part 1)

(This is going to take several blog posts but I promise it will be worth it.  Wait till you see!)

Which do I want to be associated with?

ALL OF THEM! I am finally at a point in my life, a year and half after leaving my husband and starting on this new journey where I am coming out of my fog and ready to find the answers to the question..."What do I really really really want?"

 

This is me and Melody Ross at Brave Girls Camp.  I went 4 times last year and it was a life changing experience. She asked us this question at camp about a year ago and I just about lost it trying to figure it out.  So I just let it go... and didn't answer it. And maybe since then it has been in the back of my mind and now, I am finally getting to it... "What do I really really really want?"

So, there are some people that have helped me figure this out.... Its going to take a few posts but I am going to document this journey...  It started with Melody and then a year later, it resurfaced with Suzi Blu.

Suzi is always trying to get me to do art. To share my art and teach my art. She pushes me to promote me...not just Charity Wings. She tells me I am an artist.


On the left is Suzi and I at the first event she helped me at. On the right is me and  Suzi on our way to an event where I got to help her!  I got to be Elena an artist 1st and charity do-gooder 2nd.  It was strange and nice and different.


Suzi helped me remember that I need to be me first.  And I will do my best work when I am feeding my creativity.  And when I keep my creative glass full, I can do amazing things for others.

Thank you Melody for asking the question.

Thank you Suzi for getting me started in answering it.

The first thing I really really really want is to have time to create art.