Sunday, December 15, 2013

Better than charity…EMPOWER HER TODAY!






My friend is a makeup artist in strip clubs…she has been working in these clubs for several years and about 2 years ago, she surrendered to the gentle and powerful force calling her name…Her Creator, Her Father in Heaven…Jesus! In the last 2 years, the girls who sit in her make-up chair are blown away by what God has done in her life and the LOVE and TRUTH of Jesus that is over flowing onto them. Most of them call her "Mom" because she is the only consistent and positive person in their life. Girls are going to church with her, asking to study the bible with her, and confessing they NEED freedom from addictions, pimps, etc. I am so thankful God brought her into my life this year; she is such an encouragement to me!

She wasn't "trained" to "minister" to these women, she is just being herself...the woman God created her to be...with the personality God gave her…using her profession to transform lives and make a difference in this world! She is just simply giving away, what God has given her!!!!!!

She is a single mom, and struggling to make ends meet financially right now. She could easily quit working in the clubs and go get a different job to make more money. But God has obviously called her and been preparing her to help transform lives in these strip clubs as a make-up artist! And if we all pull our money together, we can gift her with a fully loaded makeup kit…currently her kit is in a very sad condition, b/c she does not make much money in teh clubs, and she is nearing the end of all of her product.

With this makeup kit she can continue to make a difference in the strip clubs, AND also she will be able to grow her business as a makeup artist, getting jobs as a makeup artisit at weddings, etc. which pays a lot more money. 
…Which EMPOWERS her to provide for her and her daughter! This is so much BETTER than charity, it is an investment in her business and the transformation in NUMEROUS lives!

Do you want to help me invest in her business, her family and God's calling on her life and in these strip clubs?

My goal is to help her raise $2,000 in MAC makeup gift cards, by the end of this month. I got us started with a $250 gift card, and I posted on Facebook last week, and raised $900, so far…only $850 left to go!  So we just need 2 people to donate $250, 2 people to donate $100, 2 person to donate $50, and two people to donate $25.

And if we want to go above and beyond, let's not stop there, she could use gas cards, Wal-Mart cards, etc. She has needed new tires for a year now, she and her daughter both need to go to the dentist, etc, etc. The ice storm caused her to miss out on 1/4 of her monthly income last week, so a hard financial situation is even worse now. Email me directly at mkw304@gmail.com if you have questions or want to hear more about her, her work or help her in another way.

It is EASY and FAST to send her a gift card online:
Click on: "gift cards" and then "e-gift cards"
Email the card directly to her: alabastercloister@gmail.com
Use "alabastercloister" as her "name" in the "to" field

Please PRAY and BELIEVE with me that we can meet this goal, this month and truly invest in and be a part of transforming the lives of so many! 

Who can you send this to who would be interested in supporting this woman?
Please forward it on! 


The pictures from above are some of my friend's work. 

Here is her work station. 
She writes encouraging quotes on the mirror.
The book is a Christian Counseling book. 

These 2 pictures show you the new brush and products she was able to buy when I sent her the $250 gift card. Look at the difference between old nad new brush. And the new color pallet she can use in clubs, but especially at weddings for future jobs. 




Saturday, October 12, 2013

COME ONE, COME ALL...


This Saturday, October 19th, 1-4pm, 6327 Ridgecrest Road, Dallas, Texas
INTERNATIONAL MARKET and ART FESTIVAL

You don't want to miss this:
Local and hand-made vendors from around the world!
Live art and games for the kids and whole family!
Dancing, singing, poetry!

















Wednesday, August 14, 2013

THIS SATURDAY: Mini Market and Talent Show

This Saturday we are doing a mini market and talent show to practice for our big markets in October....

Saturday, August 17th, 6-9pm
6327 Ridgecrest Road, Dallas, Texas
next to the "VMLC" building


We are calling it, "VICKERY MEADOW's GOT TALENT." We invited residents to come show us their talent and it should be pretty interesting to see what happens! :) :) :)

The vendors should be impressive too: hand made items; art; fresh veggies from the community garden; house plants from the famous "plant man" in our neighborhood, etc.

The pictures below show will give you a sneak peak of what to expect...

And I DESPERATELY NEED VOLUNTEERS to help us this Thursday, Friday and Saturday!!!!!!!!

  • Passing out flyers and inviting people
  • set up, serve and clean up on Saturday


If you can volunteer, PLEASE CALL, TEXT or FB me ASAP!
Michelle
817.939.9519
mkw304@gmail.com


Henna Body Art: Temporary Tattoos


Water Colors


Jewelry and Head Bands


Henna Art


Lots of fun with Vickery Residents!


Up-cycled Clothing...with BLING!


Paintings


Lots of fun!


Hand-made Journals


Paintings from a famous Iraqi Artist who lives here in Vickery Meadow.


More water colors!

Meet the "Trans.lation Team" that I am working with to make these markets happen!


Up-cycled and Re-purposed Jewelry


Music and Talent from people from all around the world!


Hand-made Jewelry

Up-cycled and Bling-ed Up Jeans


Meet the gardeners and buy their local veggies!

World's Largest Okra! 


COME JOIN US THIS SATURDAY!
YOU DONT WANT TO MISS THIS SNEAK PREVIEW!!!!!







ps. I just turned 34...and I got to spend the weekend with my favorite people in my favorite place: 
with lots of games, giggles, running, playing, spinning, jumping, cuddles, kisses and hugs! 


My neice, Maya Sangabriael
My nephew, Truitt Lowrance
in PORTLAND, OREGON (at my sister, Michaelis's house)



Me and my twin Sister, Rochelle
...now, known as "Thing 1" and "Thing 2" (from Cat in the Hat)
I was excited to be #1, but then Rochelle told me that Thing 2 is always mentioned first! grrrrrrr! :) 


Wednesday, July 17, 2013

My dream coming true...


5 years ago, when I moved into the Vickery Meadow community, as I looked around and got to know my neighbors, I remember thinking, "why do we go to Pier 1 Imports and World Market...and why do I bother going to, what I think, are ethnic restaurants?" The culture and delicious flavors are RIGHT HERE! 

I thought it would be so wonderful to have an outdoor international market in my community. I wanted my neighbors to be able to share their culture and generate income from doing what they already know how to do and what they are good at. And I wanted the greater community of DFW to be able to appreciate and support what is right here in their back yard. 

Well, it was a "great idea" and all, but I had no idea how to make it happen...so I just kinda forgot about it. 

About 1.5 years ago, our ministry team was pretty burnt out and defeated by what we considered failure. We decided to just clear the slate, and forget about what we thought we "should" be doing...or what we thought others "expected" us to do, and just ask God, "WHAT THE HECK are we supposed to do!??!" ...We were desperate!

When I got alone and asked God for direction and answers, I started to think about that vision...dream...desire I had to see an international market in this community. And God showed me that, it was not just a random "idea" I had...it was God's vision for this place...and He would make it happen, and I should go after it, believing and trusting Him to do it!

That is when I started going down the economic empowerment side of things. And I have been working with groups like Vickery Threads to make and sell bags, and the New Roots Gardeners at White Rock Local Market. All that has been so fun, but it still felt like a market in Vickery was soooooo FAR AWAY...and I had NO IDEA how it would become a reality! 

....WELL, NOT ANYMORE! Nasher Sculpture Museum is sponsoring a project with a large number of artists and there is going to be a market HERE, ON MY STREET, starting THIS October!!!!!!!!! And they asked ME to be on the Steering Committee (the 5 decision makers). Wow, I still can't believe this is happening!!!!!!

So Mark Your Calendars for our markets and stay tuned:
October 19, 2013
November 23, 2013
December 21, 2013
January 18, 2014
February 22, 2014
...after this PRAY, PRAY, PRAY the market will continue!

Here are 2 articles of a community event we did a few weeks ago that tells a little more about the project:

http://frontrow.dmagazine.com/2013/06/nashers-citywide-public-art-initiative-begins-to-take-shape/

http://blogs.dallasobserver.com/mixmaster/2013/06/public_markets_in_vickery_mead.php


To introduce the project to the community, we threw a big party...it was sooo fun!
What I love about this picture is, I see so many different cultures of people in one place: Ethiopia, Burma, Bhutan, Mexico, Russia, Vietnam, etc, etc.  

This is my sweet friend Eden, who performed the traditional Ethiopian coffee ceremony.
Notice her hair, earrings, nails, makeup, jewelry, dress AND coffee cups are ALL in the Ethiopian flag colors! It was SPECTACULAR!


Forget face painting...we have HENNA artisits! 

We had traditional food prepared by 20 residents from all different places around the world!
The event was a great success and so much fun...and NO leftovers! 




 We started doing different creative workshops to discover the talent and potential artists in the community. We have been blown away by what people are capable of with some resources, encouragement and an outlet. 


This is a watercolor that an artist named Ameer did for me during one of the workshops. 
He was a famous artist in Iraqi and I am praying this market will get him the recognition and connections he needs here in the Dallas.

Needless to say, Ameer (in this picture) has joined the leadership team on this project and has been teaching and helping other residents work on their artistic skills to prepare for markets. 





 TUESDAY NIGHT JAM SESSIONS UNDER THE TREE
I met a great guy who just started "The Social Jam," check it out on Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/165335200296897/
He and his friends are coming to Vickery every Tuesday night to "jam" and build relationships with the residents. I am praying this will create some community around creativity, and all types of creative expression will be alive, like dance, poetry, story telling, painting, etc, etc. 
...who knows what can happen! 



 I believe God created us all with different passions, interests and abilities...and being who He created us to be gives us ultimate purpose and fulfillment.  

He is our awesome Creator, He is a Creative God, and He lovingly created each one of us so unique and wonderful...and He knows best what is inside of us waiting to be discovered by the world!

I pray that people will discover that the random things they like to do, or the things they are just "naturally" good at or drawn to, is EXACTLY who God created them to be. It is so wonderful!!!
I pray people will be empowered, encouraged and courageous enough to be the UNIQUE person He designed them to be! 
And I pray they will get to know and fall in love with their generous, patient and loving Creator...who designed them for ABUNDANT JOY!





Anjana (in the shorts) told me she saw people ice skating last year and was too scared to do it. She always regretted not trying it...so we went to the galleria and she almost chickened out again, but I FORCED her to go. She never took her hands off the railing!!!!!!!  I was so proud of her for trying...but I highly doubt she will ever go again! LOL!  Her cousin Rita (in the blue pants) was a little more daring, but not much more talented! LOL What a FUN experience to have with them! 




Some of us were invited to go visit the Nasher Sculpture Museum.
True to form, all art is not for everyone, and there was some pretty random stuff in there...
As we were looking at the random-ness, it was HI-LAR-I-OUS, b/c one of the girls looked at me with this funny look on her face (the girl in the white shirt...with that same look) and said, "I don't get it!"  Ha ha!  Neither did I!!!




 Subeit turned TWO! 





OmQueteba, welcomed a grandson, Leith (Lion) into the world and I was honored to be there with her and her family. Honored, but tired, I think this picture was taken at about 4am and didn't get into bed until 6am! :)