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bloom

    Today I have three things to talk about. Each has a little something to do with flowers.

    Thing One:

    Meet the Butterworth family

    butterworths

    {how cute are they?!}

    I went to college with both Jesse & Marisa {Azusa Pacific University, in case you’re curious} and have just recently been back in touch with them. Jesse is a super talented musician, Marisa has a heart for those who are overlooked and the two of them have been called to start a new church – a place for those who are not church people to come investigate the whole Jesus and church thing. It is called Rain City Church and I can’t wait to watch this church flourish.

    A few weeks ago, Marisa asked me if I would like to be part of their fundraising effort to adopt their baby girl from Ethiopia. As we all know, adoption is expensive. But I also know that this sweet baby girl needs a home and Jesse, Marisa and their two boys will be just the blessing she deserves. And so we came up with the idea of a fundraising event that will help them get closer to adopting their baby girl.

    bloom-invitation

    I’m excited {and a little nervous!} to teach a few of my favorite flower making crafts, meet new ladies and eat yummy brunch food – all the while helping the Butterworth’s raise money.Ā  If you live in the Seattle area, I would love for you to join us! You can purchase your ticket {HERE}.

    Now I fully realize that most of you do not live in the Seattle area, and so I have a way for you to help out as well.

    This is thing two:

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    Flower Pins.

    For this weekend only, I will be selling these sweet flower pins with proceeds going towards Jesse & Marisa’s adoption fund.

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    These pins are great on a jacket, a bag or a scarf and would make a delightful Mother’s Day gift {we’ll ship the pins by Tuesday so that you will have it in time to give to your momma, or your daughter, or your best friend}.

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    You can choose yellow or white. Please click below to purchase and help the fundraising efforts of the Butterworth Family’s adoption.

    ***UPDATE***

    Oh, my. What sweet ladies you are to support this great family! Thank you for all of the orders and I hope you wear your flower pin proudly knowing that it played a part in bringing a baby a new loving family.

    ***

    And finally, thing three.

    flower-week

    Next week {may 2 – 6} I will have a new flower project each day. I’ve been dreaming of this one for a while and I’m so glad MAY is finally here! Please come back on Monday ready to try out some new blossom-making tutorials.

    41 thoughts on “bloom”

    1. I LOVE your blog and am so glad I have found it…. Wish I lived near Seattle….have visited there tho! Keep up your inspiring work!

    2. I have several friends that are at APU right now, what a great school! I am apart of a newly planted church in TX. I love that they are starting a church and feel like this is their calling! It thrills me that you are helping with thier adoption fund! Such a great blessing to them!

    3. What a wonderful idea to support a great family! And (like others said) what a small world you went to APU!! I didn’t go there (would have loved to, but financially CSUF was all I could afford), but I have a lot of cousins that did! Great school and so fun to find out that you were right in our backyard! Keep on creating and inspiring, Emily!

      1. oh and…my parents are traveling to Seattle this week to visit family. I should have climbed into their suitcases…bummer….I would LOVE to go to your workshop!!

    4. What a small world…I am from Seattle (currently living in CA), went to APU (graduated in 2003) and are in the process of adopting a 4 month old baby boy from Ethiopia. I might try to schedule a special trip home to come for this-too many things in common to skip it:)

    5. Good luck! This sounds so much fun for a wonderful cause! I wish I was in the area, but it’s a bit far to make the trip from Texas. What a neat family!

    6. I wish I had $12 to spare right now – I would absolutely purchase one of those pins to help the Butterworths with their adoption fees. But I will definitely be praying for the Lord to bring in all the finances they need.

      I’m looking forward to Flower Week . . . it sounds wonderful. :) Going to post about it on my blog now . . .

    7. When I saw the picture of them I thought I was on the wrong website at first! I had no idea you knew them… I went to OCC for a few years where Jesse was a pastor. Small world :)!

    8. oh my gosh! You went to APU? my father in law is the Dept Chair psychology. Brian Eck. My sister in law graduated w/ her masters from there 2yrs ago. ALL my children will be going to APU -LOL because there “Pakka” teaches there.

    9. I went to high school with Jesse (i actually sang in chior with him and my hubby played in a band with Jesse…..small world!) ! I was so happy to see him and his beautiful family on your amazing blog and it is such an awesome thing you are doing to help support them.

    10. Great idea and a great way to help participate in the loving option of adoption! (And it made me smile to know you went to APU too!)

    11. What a great project, I will be purchasing my flower next. I am having an event in two weeks that I am calling “Bloom & Shine”. I wish I had your graphics ability when I put things together. I hope maybe you will be doing a print with some of those great flower images that you created. Looking forward to the projects.

      Take care, Laura

    12. LOVE what you are doing to help your friends adopt! Got an email today from “Parents Mag. ” with your baby girl’s nursery in it. Congrats on having your pretty pretty nursery on display for the world to see! Blessings to ya sista!

    13. What a blessing to read of you plans to bless you friends in this simple and wonderful way! My 13 year old daughter (who we were so blessed to adopt!) have been making your ‘melted’ sating flowers for gifts all last week and just having so much fun crafting and bonding! I am really looking forward to more blooming tutorials – we’re always up for something new!

    14. This is lovely. All of it. I like it so much that I have posted it on my blog and tweeted about it too just for fun! May the fundraiser be beyond what you expect and may you be blessed for your efforts!

    15. What a great gift you are giving your friend by participating in fund raising for their adoption and to those who live local and can attend your workshop! Thank you for ALL of your tutorials, they have really inspired my creativity. Looking forward to next week!

    16. What a great workshop. And holy moly…you went to APU??? My hubby went to school there and I worked there for about 5 years in the Teacher Ed department. Small world.

      I think this is a wonderful thing you are doing to help your friend. I hope they reach their goal! blessings!

    17. Oooh I’m so excited for flower week! My birthday is next Wednesday, and your flower week will be the perfect thing for it!

    18. My two kids became ours through adoption, and I’m happy to help! Just placed my order, and added a print I’ve had my eye on. What an awesome idea to help the Butterworth family bloom a little (a lot?!?!) more!!! :D LOVE!!

    19. Adoption is such a blessing! I’m so thankful for my two adopted nephews. Perhaps it’s just me, but I am getting an error when I try to order. Is anyone else having this problem?

    20. What a wonderful idea and such a beautiful space to do it in! I recently had my wedding reception at The Great Hall. Unfortunately, I am unable to come on the 4th, but look forward to hearing how it goes! Your friends sound like amazing people, so deserving of this. Thank you for sharing!

    21. would love to help out..DONE!:) i too would love to adopt a little girl and add to my family of boys:) don’t know if i could ever afford it. u r so sweet for helping your friend out emily.

    22. I LOVE that you guys are working together on this amazing project! I’m going to put the word out to all my Seattle family to come make flowers! xoxo

    23. How awesome is that? I’ll try and order a flower or two. Too bad my baby boy from Ethiopia couldn’t wear one! And I am SUPER excited about the tutorials!!!

    24. I’ve been reading your blog for quite a while now and I didn’t know you went to APU! I went there as well, graduating in 1996. What a nice surprise!

    25. So wish I lived near Seattle (just for the weekend anyway)! What a nice thing for you to do!
      P.S. Wanted to let you know that I have not received an email notification on either of your last two posts. Usually I always get one. You may already be aware, but in case you weren’t I wanted to let you know! :)

      1. just an update – I did get today’s post through email later this morning. It’s just the living room one that I never got. No big deal. Probably a random occurance.

    26. Oh Emily…I will be up in Port T. for a baby shower on the 4th! If the day wasn’t already planned, Chrislyn and I would have been at your workshop! In the mean time, I bought the “Butter” Rose pin in honor of te Butterworth’s…I plan to pop it on my chandie for the summer, when It is not being worn. Best of love to you and your family! ~Lynne

    27. Emily I have only been reading your blog for about a month but I have found so many ideas that I want to try and create for myself and friends that have children. I have a 14 month old boy so the cute girly things I can’t make for him. I am also inspired by your walk with God. I am trying to get on a better path with my walk. I am really excited for your flower week next week and I will be reading and trying to figure out how to follow your directions and make all these cute crafts. I was so inspired by you that I went out and bought a “Craft Notebook” where I can keep all the patterns and insructions in one place and when I want to make something again I have it all in one place and the pattern is there and pictures of the different steps!!! I just wanted to say Thank You for all that you do. Also I believe that God has a message and is sending it thru you!! You have inspired me in more ways than one. Again Thank you!!

    28. First off, I can’t WAIT for next week and a new project everyday. Your blog is the first blog I check every morning to see if there is an update (even though I get your updates delivered to my e-mail….I don’t want to miss a minute of it!) Thanks for inspiring us. What a wonderful gift you are giving the Butterworth family. If I were anywhere near Seattle, I’d be there in a heartbeat. Alas, Connecticut is a bit of a commute.

      I didn’t know you went to APU. I grew up in Glendora and spent many hours at APU’s campus. Many of our friends were professors, choir directors, Board members, etc. I would have chosen to go to APU in a heartbeat, but wanted some place that wasn’t next door to where I grew up. So, Point Loma won out.

      1. What a lovely idea and beautiful flowers! That’s awesome you went to APU. I went to Point Loma and ran track up at Azusa a few times! Small world!!!

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