Meet a Prim Girl

Woman of Hope Interview Questions

Octobers Woman of Hope

Char Hosea     The Rusty Knob Prims and Dolls

 What gives you the most hope?

 My hope is built on Jesus protective love and faithfulness to me I’m blessed to have faith, hope and purpose in God.

Tell us about yourself.

I like long, tall wide narrow things, love the primitive look and feel of yesteryear, I love the gentle breeze on a warm day, and I enjoy watching children play in the snow and rain.  I like the deep rich colors of fall, I like who I am and I’m excited to see how God will shape me and who I become.  I’m a Christian wife, mom, grandma, and doll artist. I have lots of close faithful friends who love and encourage me. I am also unable to speak.  In July 2004 I became ill and by October I lost my ability to speak with many other health issues attached.  In 2007 I began making Primitive dolls as my sister-in-law said in passing “I’d like one of those as she points to a primitive doll.  That’s how the Rusty Knob Prims and Dolls began. I bought a few Primitive doll patterns and thus began this sweet journey as a doll maker.  Creating handmade dolls has helped me over come in so many ways.  The dolls help me keep my hands busy and my creative mind creating rather than on ME and my circumstances.  These silly dolls give me hope as each one is created and she develops her own personality. They give me a purpose as I plan to move forward each day.  I paint or stitch a heart on each doll.  I give each prim doll a name and I just can’t make two exactly the same each one has her own primitive personality.  Sometimes they talk to me like… you know I want wings or I’d rather have a rusty knob (red hair) and Annie legs for my dolls. (What I, Holly, want to share is that Char recently entered her dolls in the State Fair and was the winner in so many categories. AND, last year she sent some of her dolls to Somerset Publications and this September she will be in PRIM magazine along with some of her wonderful dollies). Go Char!

What do you consider your gifts?

I can look at something and then I create my own rendition with my own Primitive style incorporated.  I have to think and mull it over for a few days or weeks to get to where it comes to me then I go for it.  Sometimes it will come to me in the middle of the night so I get up write down what I’ve come up with then I can finally sleep on it.

I have enjoyed many of your creative gifts.  What is your favorite way to be creative?

 I enjoy each part of the creative journey a doll makes from the design decision to dressing her. The cutting is therapeutic the sewing is soothing as the machine raps along with the motion of movement, then comes the turning and stuffing, and hand stitched assembly.  My favorite part is when I have a whole bunch without faces and they fill a bucket or I have painted legs hanging on the cloths line in the kitchen that to me is Beau-t-i-ful.  Then comes painting and hand stitching faces, color choices oh, that lets the creative juices flow and she becomes a doll of beauty and personality.  And best of all is when someone picks out a doll it’s the giggle and laughter that it music to my soul.  That’s when you know the girl and the doll are kindred spirits. I kiss them good –bye as they leave to go to their new home.

What do you do to relax?

 My best down time is when I go with my husband while he metal detects or golfs. I relax as I watch him and read or do hand stitchery that’s relaxing for me. I love my family and of course my new grand baby I’m in love all over again when I see him, I sure love to hold him and play as he lifts my spirits to new heights. O the blessed joy of grandchildren.

What is your favorite saying or verse?

 My favorite verse is Isaiah 26:3-4 Thou will keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on thee because he trusts in thee. Trust in the Lord always, for the Lord God is the eternal Rock.

My favorite quote comes from Oswald Chambers “our circumstances are the means of manifesting how wonderfully perfect and extraordinarily pure the son of God is”.

What color is hope for you?

I believe the color of HOPE  is RED for me.  We purchased our little home with the intention of redoing the inside plus adding on to the existing house then building a new home for us on the lot next door.  Well plans change seasons come and go and  in God’s plan for me I became ill and all those dreams went to the way side as my health became first priority.  I’ve had a long wait for my kitchen to get done. Yippee!  It’s almost complete now its red and tan with primitive stars I love it!  It’s warm and comforting to me I can appreciate it a whole lot more.  It has been a good lesson in hope and patience because something’s are worth waiting for.

What is hope to you?

Hope knows and believes God has created you to be a person of worth.

Hope it the joyful day you say I do.

Hope is a new born child and the future he holds.

Hope is a life lived for God and with purpose.

Hope is knowing life is short, a moment in time, soon I will meet Him face to face with a voice that sings and shouts as this life’s trials will be over.
As always on this fun day, please stop by to say hello to Beverly and the other Pink Saturday ladies!

Blessings,

August Woman of Hope

As summer draws to a close I look forward to the next season.  I like the change of seasons because sometimes they bring a much needed change of pace and always they have things to teach us.  Today I share with you a woman who has experienced some seasons in her own life and uses her experiences to help and encourage others.  

A few years ago I had the pleasure of meeting Alane Pearce.  Talk about an inspirational woman with a heart for others!  She started a non-profit, has written two books (so far), is a wife and a mother and uses her story to help encourage others in similar situations.  Alane currently lives in Texas.  What a blessing she is!  I know you will enjoy reading what she has to say.  I especially like what she says about "hope".  (Thank you, Alane).

August Woman of Hope

What gives you the most hope? Laughter. It is honest and true and healing and it gives me hope that no matter how bad things get around us, we will still be okay if we can find something to laugh about.

Notes from the Margins

Tell us about yourself.  I am an Air Force wife and the mom of an 11 year-old who is a big gift to us through adoption; I love to cook, hate to clean and spend way too much time on the computer! I am a writer—for a long time just by passion, but now also by trade. I have written and published two books; Notes from theMargins: Healing Conversations with God and a companion Bible study called Comparing Notes. (Both are available on Amazon.com) I have recently started coaching new authors on writing, publishing and book promotion, which feels more like fun than a job. I also started a nonprofit that runs conferences for military spouses from which I learned many things including the fact that I am better one-on-one with people than I am in big groups. Unfortunately the economy has not been friendly to the start-up nonprofit so we will be closing that in the fall.

What do you consider your gifts? I am definitely an encourager; my friends always tell me they feel so good after they’ve been with me (which both humbles and thrills me). Hospitality is another gift; I love to have people over and treat them like they are so special. Unfortunately this makes some people feel uncomfortable or like they couldn’t reciprocate in the same way so I’m learning how to pull back a little to help people feel more comfortable. I think that is an important aspect of hospitality. I also have the gift of exhortation (which means to have wisdom and ability to give advice to point someone toward healthy choices).

You are an author and have conducted conferences for women whose spouses are in the military.  What inspired you to do this (these)? In a way, the book I wrote, Notes from the Margins: Healing Conversations with God, and the military spouse conferences were both born out of the same desire to share my story to help others. It probably also stems from my spiritual gifts; especially the gift of exhortation which gives me the desire to challenge others toward a healthy relationship with Jesus and to make God-honoring, healthy choices.

I wrote the book because after losing 7 pregnancies (two of which were tubal pregnancies that ruptured and nearly killed me), and after losing our first-born son to a severe heart defect when he was just 15 days old, I couldn’t get help from anyone. I asked my doctors who told me to, “just get over my past,” and my family didn’t really know how to help me, so I went to God with my hard questions and noted them in the margins of my Bible. I wanted other people who have experienced loss to understand that even though it seems like God has abandoned you, he is still there working in ways you may never realize.

I started the military spouse conferences because there was a time (actually when I was writing Notes from the Margins), that my husband was deployed or gone so often that I only saw him for 120 days in the course of two years. I realized during that time how important it was to be with other military spouses who could understand what I was going through. My weekly coffee meetings with other military spouses were so healing and helpful for me that I wanted other women to experience it and understand the importance of camaraderie. 

What do you do to relax?   Relax? I’m not sure of the last time I relaxed! Between balancing writing, author coaching and conferences with household and family, it sometimes seems like I’m always doing something and late for something else! Camping with my family is relaxing. So is reading when I’m not too tired to do it!

 What is your favorite saying or verse?  Philippians 4:8-9 “Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.  Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.”

What color is hope for you?  Green because it represents new life—new growth on trees and plants in the spring, cool green grass in the summer. It’s funny because my dad’s favorite color is green and everything we had growing up seemed to be green; our house, our car, his boat and his company logo. I swore I would never love green. And now I do! How’s that for a cosmic joke?!

What is hope to you?  I read an article one time that explained the difference between hope and a wish that said something along the lines of: A wish is just a dream or a request; hope is a strong desire with the confidence that it will come to be. I think that it would be hard to have hope without having faith because it is faith that can give us the confidence that good will come.

Anything else you would like to add?  

You can find out about my books and writing/publishing at AlanePearce.com 

I am linking with Pink Saturday.

Blessings,

Happy Pink Saturday Birthday to You!

Happy Birthday to you, miss Beverly!!  You have created such a special place on the web!  Thank you for allowing us to share our love of pink, to build relationships and encourage each other through our warm messages!   May you have many, many more!!Happy Pink Saturday everyone!

May Woman of Hope
Cindy Adkins
What gives you the most hope?
I think what gives me the most hope is that I know that there are so many truly good people in this world.

Tell us about yourself.

I am an artist and through my creativity, I hope to touch people in a personal way.
What do you consider your gifts?
I think my gifts are that of creativity and that of reaching others because I truly care what happens to people. I would say that my spirituality is my core.
I have enjoyed many of your creative gifts. What is your favorite way to be creative?
My favorite way to be creative is through mixed media art, but also, through writing and music.
What do you do to relax?
To relax, I go to the beach—I have all my life—and that is my joy. And I love to dance, so I am truly “home” on the dance floor.
What is your favorite saying or verse?
Oh gosh, Holly, it’s Jeremiah 29:11! Do you want to know where and when I heard it the first time? I was in a church parking lot in 2005 and a woman was telling me about her life and she told me the verse. Later, I got home and looked in my Bible, but could not remember which verse it was. I made several calls and it took me a week to track it down! I kept thinking, “I know it’s there!” I had to find it!
What color is hope for you?
I would say pink, but I have always been drawn to cobalt blue. I think it is dramatic and really beautiful.
What is hope to you?
Hope to me is the love that people have in their hearts. There are so many good and selfless people in this world.
Anything else you would like to add?
Yes, I have an amazing art story to tell you. But, when you hear it, you will know it is about art and spirituality combined. In September of last year, I bought some glitter glue. The night I bought it, I wanted to know how it worked. So, I dabbed it on a little card and put it on a shelf in my kitchen. An hour later, I picked it up off of the shelf, looked at it--and it was a picture of Jesus! I almost fainted. To say the least, this “accidental” piece of art is my favorite thing I have ever made. It gives me hope.

I am so excited!! I try to schedule the monthly special Woman of Hope toward the end of the month and it just happened to correlate with the celebration of Beverly’s wonderful Pink Saturday celebration! Many of you know about Cindy Adkins from http://cindyadkinswhimsicalmusings.blogspot.com/. Not too long ago she was the featured Pink Saturday girl. If you missed her interview, she allowed me to share it with you again. Below are a few extra questions that I posed to Cindy. I think you will enjoy this amazing and wonderful woman!

April Woman of Hope

Happy Pink Saturday everyone.  I hope that it is full of blessings and that you are able to visit many of the amazing ladies who participate - especially our hostess, Beverly.  Today I get another distinct honor of sharing with you another Woman of Hope.  Her name is Elizabeth.  She is gifted in so many ways and has made me laugh (many times) until I cry.  I hope you enjoy Elizabeth's sharing heart and that you are able to glean something. 

This is a picture of the pond in their backyard that she and her husband put together.  It is full of lily pads and large gold fish and the sound of the water is mesmerizing.

 Here is a picture of some of her fruits that she has produced.

In the foyer you are greeted with a wall of crosses.

A peek inside.

Elizabeth and her husband rescue Dachsunds.  Meet Gracie.  I love Gracie. (I love you too, Iris and Spigot).

Elizabeth in her HOT PINK top - her color of hope.

Woman of Hope

What gives you the most hope? Knowing Jesus has my best interests and well-being at heart gives me such hope. I know that if I stop and listen I am more likely to follow his plan for me and less likely to go too far astray.
Tell us about yourself. I am a 50 year old wife and mother of two. I became a Christian late in life, but I was being groomed for a long time. My husband and I have been married for 22 years and we have a daughter who is finishing her first year in college and a son who is about to be a senior in high school. They are what I am most proud of and who I am most inspired by. Family and home are what really bring me joy. As far as my work life I have had a wide variety of jobs over the years. When I was in college I worked for two summers on the highway as a flag-girl, later I was a buyer of skiwear for a sporting goods company. I owned and operated a landscaping company for 22 years and a few years ago I decided to use my brain more and my body less so I went to Denver Seminary and got my Masters in Counseling. I have always loved people and my heart always goes out to those who are struggling. I believe that God called me to make this change in my life and I am now building my practice and loving the time I have to slow down and be more in tune with Him.

What do you consider your gifts? I believe that my gifts are compassion, mercy, and encouragement.
I have enjoyed many of your creative gifts. What is your favorite way to be creative? I have lots of ways that I enjoy being creative. I love, love, love, working on my house. My dad had a hardware store and I worked there for several years when I was a teenager. I learned to love all of the tools and gadgets and things that made things work. (Last week I was able to fix my washing machine AND my toilet and I felt like I had just painted a masterpiece!) My husband and I have worked on nearly every room of our home, sometimes going down to the studs and starting over. It is so fun to put it all back together and turn our house into a home. When I'm not revving up my table saw, I love to garden only now we do it for ourselves instead of for a living. There's a lot less pressure, that's for sure. When I got my bachelor's degree in Fine Arts I had the opportunity to draw and paint and sculpt. I really want to do more of that but currently if I feel like being quiet and creative, I pick up the knitting needles and make a little something, but I am far from being an accomplished knitter. I've got a long way to go there! Lastly, I love it when I can feel the creative juices flowing when I am sitting with a client, of course, that's really just the Holy Spirit giving me a new idea and that is just too cool!
What do you do to relax? I watch far too much TV (home and gardening shows, and movies mostly) and I read. Just finished Rob Bell's new book, Love Wins. Loved it!! Almost anything on the creative gifts list is relaxing to me too...even if it requires a lot of sweat and work, it is still relaxing to me, probably because it is so rewarding at the same time.
What is your favorite saying or verse? "Be still and know that I am God." Ps. 46:10 It is short, but it reminds me to slow down, stop, listen and know that God is with me and if He created the universe, He can handle my problem, whatever it may be. It just tells me to pause to reconnect to Him.
What color is hope for you? I love hot pink. It is bold and it reminds me of my favorite peonies that come up in spring, and spring always reminds me of hope.
What is hope to you? Hope is often defined as wishful thinking or a sense of optimism, I think it can definitely be those things, but it becomes so much more when you allow Jesus into the equation. His amazing love for all of us just assures me that everything, ultimately is going to be alright. Being secure in Him, allows me to be very hopeful.
Anything else you would like to add? One of the most important things that I have learned or come to understand is that God is so much bigger than we can fathom and he sees the big picture. When I stop thinking small and step back and get a different perspective of things I can face the harder things in my life. I also need to remember that my story and the story of those around me is not yet finished. There is more I can do and there is more that God definitely intends to do.

February Woman of Hope

I am so pleased to share with you February's Woman of Hope.  I consider Natalie to be a dear friend of mine even though we have yet to meet face to face.  (Natalie lives in Australia and I live in the United States.)  She radiates such a warmth through her emails.  I met Natalie through DIY Websites about threeish (is that a word?) years ago when I was looking for graphics for my website.  I loved her creations and she was so easy and wonderful to work with.  The rest, as they say, is history.  Please enjoy a look inside the life of this month's Woman of Hope.  Why you're at it, make sure that you stop by to say hello to Beverly, our Pink Saturday hostess, who makes all this possible.

February’s Woman of Hope

Natalie Ferguson

What gives you the most hope?

My family and the support and love they have given me throughout the years.

 Tell us about yourself.

I am a full-time Mum of 3 young adults (Nandie, Lewis and Emma), in a long term relationship with Pete (soon to be married in June of this year, yay) I work full-time, and I am a part-time Web Designer and owner of Fergygrrl Designs & Reborn Websets.

I have enjoyed many of your creative gifts. What is your favorite way to be creative?

I would have to say creating my graphics – I love it, it’s not only a hobby but a passion.

This is where it all happens... 

Bella the Cat

 

In November 2010 I was diagnosed gluton and lactose intolerant and have spent the last couple of months adjusting to my ‘new’ life. It certainly has been an eye opener and have had lot’s of ups and downs but believe that this has been the best thing to have happened to me, I have never felt better!

I also love reading; Diana Gabaldon is my favourite author along with Stephen King, Bryce Courtenay andWilbur Smith.

What do you consider your gifts?

My ability to empathise and listen to people.

What do you do to relax?

Spending quality time with my little family, creating graphics, reading, watching DVD’s or cooking shows on tv and writing to my penpals.

What is your favorite saying or verse?

The happiest of people don't necessarily have the best of everything;

They just make the most of everything they have.

What color is hope for you?

Green

What is hope to you?

To see a better future, a better life ahead…to know that the hard times are just stepping stones…and to remember “God doesn’t give us more than we can handle” and as humans we are very strong and resilient.

Anything else you would like to add?

I would just like to thank you Holly for allowing me to be this months Woman of Hope. You are a very kind and special person and I am glad that I have met you!

Footprints on our Hearts

Some people come into our lives and quickly go. Some stay for awhile and leave footprints on our hearts. And we are never, ever the same....
Don't you just love that verse?  I do.  I have been blessed to have many people come into my life and leave their footprints on my heart.

Coming soon will be a post about our February Woman of Hope.  I consider it such a joy and a privilege to share the lives of women that I meet.  Each one has taught me so much and enriched my lives.  They make me want to be a better person and they encourage me along on my journey.  

Internet withdrawal

I’ve been computer deprived all week because my computer has been in the shop.  It seems that it got attacked with viruses and like us, it needed to get better.  My daughter asked me how I was going to survive.  I told her I wasn’t sure.  But, alas, when presented with a challenge, we seek to overcome.  I am using “other sources” to get this post to you today.  I love so much putting a post up because of all of the wonderful women who stop by and have good things to share. (That would be you).  So, what did I do this week without the internet?  Hmmm….lets see….I probably cleaned a few more dishes, I visited longer with others, I did not play solitaire while I waited for my heat bag to get warmed in the microwave, I read, and the last thing I did was make a time line of the last 20 years.  I have to admit, I was not having a very good day yesterday and I thought that I would draw it out.  I had also been reading about drawing our prayers to God and since I enjoy being creative, I decided to try that. (That will probably be another post).   I have to tell you that most of the time I go with the flow and I can see the good things that God is doing.  Then there are those moments that I get down and discouraged and have to process through it.  Last night was one of those nights….So, I did a time line of sorts to see where we had been.  I was feeling sorry for myself (I admit that), but then I saw something that helped me to feel better.  I also did a timeline of Joseph in the Bible…his life was not so easy and I did not realize how many years he went through difficult times before he saw how all of it was meant for good.  I continue to wait…

Wasn't that special?

You know you're getting old when...
Should I share it?  Should I not?  It gives away my age....oh, go on and share it....We're all doing it - getting old that is.
Okay, here is the scenario...I'm standing at the door of the school letting the children in as they get off the bus.  It is -10 outside.  A student grabs my arm and shakes it saying that she is cold and then she says....drum roll please....."When I shake your arm, I can see your neck jiggle."  Wasn't that special? 
What can I say?   I mean really...  So, I just thanked her.  Heavy sigh...
So.....how was your day?

January Woman of Hope

Hope…what is hope? It is a word I cling to when things are tough or when I am waiting for something to happen. Hope is what we wait for.

Each month I will be featuring a Woman of Hope. I have met so many incredible women with powerful stories. They inspire me. I hope they inspire you too.

January’s Woman of Hope

Cheryl Butcher

Cheryl calls this picture circa 1988. =0)  I call it Miss Kitty, a.k.a. Cheryl

Cheryl and I share a booth at our local art gallery.  Her other alias is Catnap Studio

Please enjoy my interview with this month's Woman of Hope!

What gives you the most hope?

Contentment. I’m at peace with where I am and where I’ve been.

Tell us about yourself.

I was Chief Probation Officer for 20 years. You work with unsavory people, but they become human when you allow them to be who they are. They are just like you and me – human. After all, aren’t we supposed to hate the deed and love the person? Probation is to help them – give them a hand and help them up.

What do you consider your gifts?

I am kind and caring, compassionate, fun, creative and a good friend.

I have enjoyed many of your creative gifts. What is your favorite way to be creative?

I enjoy painting, beading, piano, knitting, encaustic art, mixed media, collaborative art (round robins), but I always come back to beading. I love the computer too – you learn so much.

What do you do to relax?

When I can, I sit and look at the changes of the season. I sit outside on my bench. It doesn’t happen often, so it is really special. I love to read and I like to decorate my home so I can love it again. When I do that I get to remember my things and where they came from.

What is your favorite saying or verse?

Ephesians 4:4 You (we) are all called to travel on the same road and in the same direction, so stay together, both outwardly and inwardly. 4:32 Be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God has forgiven you because you belong to Christ.

What color is hope for you?

Green – it is a sign of new life, hope and God giving us another chance to start over every spring. Just the thought that there is peace…

What is hope to you?

Hope is a teenage grandchild that unquestionably loves you and kisses you and lets you kiss them.

When you have learned that you tell your children that you love and hug them and they are special and that I need them. Hope is courage and I didn’t always have the courage to tell my kids that I loved them. I had to learn that because I wasn’t raised that way. Hope is being able to let go of a deep resentment and replace it with love.

Hope means it can get better.

Here is a peek into Cheryl's home, her studio and her life!

Beautiful pins that Cheryl creates!  I want one!

Cheryl's adorable dogs, Mason and  

Cheryl is a master beader.  She made this exquisite Santa Claus and I love it!!

Here is a peek at the knitting that she enjoys doing!

She combined more than one of her loves with this one of a kind necklace!

There are so many amazing women out there.  I would love to hear your message of hope!

Speaking of women of hope, please stop by to see Beverly, our amazing Pink Saturday Hostess!