Amazing People in my Life...

I am surrounded by amazing people.  Amazing people that make a difference.  Who to even start with... I know, Cassie Stephens.  So as you might have seen I did a 'sew-a-long' with Cassie Stephens a while back.  We (several ladies in the nation) all made aprons. I posted about the fun experience I had (click here).  It was really great to all sew together and be united.  It was fun to see the different aprons from bloggers that I have seen for years like Phyl, from There's a Dragon in my Art room to people I have never 'met' before.

Now, She is doing it again.  Cassie is doing another Sew-a-Long (click here).  This one is for little girls around the world.  There is a project called 'Dresses Around the World'.  She is taking this powerful idea,  and spreading it on social media.  My Grandma makes these all the time and I've made a few.  If I can get this into my life... I will fully participate.  If not, let me encourage you to.  This is a great simple pattern that would be good to 'try' sewing.  If you are local... I have fabric, come talk to me.  I think Cassie wants to help dress these girls in need to give them the same confidence that she has in a beautiful dress.  I think this project just might do that, take a look at these two images below. 

Then, a good friend (and my son's Kindergarten teacher many years ago), Tiffani Glew sent me a message.  Her school is going to participate in a anti bullying project that I posted about earlier.  Nicki, from MinneMama, a blog out of the cities is doing some BIG things things and her word is spreading.  Last time I check her blog site, her participation was in Minnesota and two in Wisconsin.  Now her 'Kindness in Chalk' program is spreading.  Today as I look, it has made it to Colorado, Oklahoma, South Carolina, and Connecticut, not to mention how much it has lit up in the mid west.  Tiffani and Nicki and doing great things for other and have invited you to participate too!

Finally, we had a man called John O'Leary come to speak to us in Rogers, Minnesota.  Our district is HUGE and it is hard to get united.  My principal, Heidi Adamson-Baer along with the other principals in the Rogers/Otsego area have started something called the Connect Effect.  This was kind of the kick off.  See, we, the five schools in the southern part of the district will be doing activities that show how we are connected.  We want to connect to our community so they invited businesses and churches to participate.  Our teachers (such as Tiffani mentioned earlier), are going out of their way to connect beyond our community, beyond our state.  This is a very cool concept that I think holds great promise for all people in our community!  

So, back to John.  Mr. O'Leary was our 'kick-off' to this new idea of the Connect Effect.  He spoke to us about the power of one person, he challenged us to look at the world through a positive lens... well, he simply 'got real' with us.  What a light!  He worked his tail off to speak to our middle school (about 1200 kids) and did a couple breakouts with smaller groups.  He talked to our High School (about 1600 kids), he spoke to our community (about 500 adults)... He had breakfast with us, our staff in a small group setting (my favorite part of his visit).  He finished by speaking to the 3 elementary schools, 4th and 5th grades (about 600 kids) in the southern cluster.  He spread his powerful message.  You want to talk about the power of one... I have a 100 examples, and these people I mentioned are just to name a few.

I have been inspired.  I'm so glad to have so many amazing people pass through or are currently in my life.