Autism Awareness Blog Hop 2018

Hi Everybody! I'm back today with a really special blog hop. April is Autism Awareness Month and you may remember that on April 2nd (International Autism Awareness Day) I participated in a different hop to raise awareness (you can see that post HERE). Well, April lasts for 30 days and we are only on day 18 so it's time to hop again for Autism Awareness. I've teamed up with a truly amazing group of stampers for today's hop. I hope that you will visit each of us and read what each of us has to share today. You can do this by clicking the next button at the bottom of each post or by clicking the links in the blog roll at the bottom of my post. Thanks so much for joining us.

All over the world Autism affects so many people in so many different ways. When I made this card I was thinking about a friend of mine who has two autistic children. She is truly one of the loveliest people. She is kind and thoughtful and patient. She never seems to get tired or frustrated... how that is possible I do not know. When I saw this sentiment I felt like it was the right one for her because it just warms my heart to know that people like her exist in this world.

I made my card in tones of blue as that is the color for Autism Awareness.  Earlier in the month my post was about lighting it up blue for autism. That post was more about creating a feeling of solidarity and making sure everyone affected by autism feels supported and that they are not alone. Today I am focusing more on supporting one specific individual and I am painting a card blue just for her. 

I stamped my image in Basic Gray Archival ink and then used my aqua painter with Dapper Denim, Pool Party and Soft Sky inks to watercolor it. I layered the watercolored piece over a mat of Pool Party and added that to a preprinted card base. You can't see it in the pictures but I added Clear Wink of Stella to the flowers to give them some sparkle. I also added some Glitter & Clear Epoxy shapes for subtle texture that reminds me of dew drops.

Whether or not you are directly affected by autism you can make a difference in the lives of those who are. There are many national and international organizations that you can donate to (tax deductible). Today I am fundraising for the Organization for Autism Research. If you are interested in making a tax deductible donation you can get started by clicking on the Donate Now button below... and, Thank You! If you are not able to donate at this time no problem! You can still help me spread this fundraiser by sharing this blog post with your friends or on your social media pages. Thank you for any support that you are able to give!

Thank you so much for joining us for today's blog hop. I hope that you will continue on with the hop by clicking on the Next button below and heading over to see the fabulous Elizabeth Price. Have a wonderful day!

Maria Willis

mariawillis@hotmail.com

BLOG ROLL:
Sue Plote
Jenny Hall
Denita Wright-Smee
Maria Willis: You are Here.
Elizabeth Price: Next.
Tami Hewlett
Lisa Curcio
Lauren Alarid
Tanya Boser
Jen Sootkoos
Eva Dobilas
Kim Oliver
Charlet Mallett
Sandi MacIver
Adrienne West
Amy Koenders
Carolynn Sander
Stella MacKay

PRODUCT SUPPLY LIST:

Want to shop with me? No problem, just click the button below. 

Let me know if you have any questions!

Email: mariawillis@hotmail.com

Want a great discount on Stampin' Up! Products and to have a fun new stamping family? Join me on this fun adventure! I can't wait to be your super excited Stampin' Up! side kick and support lady! In case you didn't know, you can join Stampin' Up! just for the discount and never sell a single product. If you want to know the details just let me know. If you're looking for a discount on your favorite hobby (stamping and paper crafting with Stampin' Up! products) and want to earn money doing it... let me know! I'd love to talk with you whatever your interest might be! If you want to see a little more info go ahead and click the button below. Looking forward to hearing from you!

World Autism Awareness Day Blog Hop

Hello everybody and welcome to my blog. If this is your first time visiting me- Hi! My name is Maria Willis and I am a Stampin' Up! demonstrator from California, USA. Today I am participating in a very special blog hop and I will be "Lighting It Up Blue" for Autism...

All around the world April 2nd is Autism Awareness Day. I am so happy to be collaborating with this amazing group of people to help spread awareness and to raise money for autism. 

One of the ways that people show their support for both individuals on the Autism spectrum, and, families of those on the spectrum is to wear the color blue. A number of years ago I read an article explaining that on April 2nd many people put blue light bulbs in their outside lights and turn them on. The idea is that even if you personally are not affected by Autism that someone may see your blue light and know that they are not alone. This idea that we can let people know that they are not alone through such a simple and beautiful gesture has stuck with me. This idea of "lighting it up blue"is the inspiration for my card today...

I drew the lightbulb by hand and watercolored my background attempting to make it look like the lightbulb was shining down on all of the houses flooding them with blue light. In my mind shining the light over all of the houses is symbolic of unity, support and understanding.

The little houses are all sponged with ink (multiple colors) and are popped up on foam strips to give them dimension. I like that when you look through the house you can see blue inside... as if that light has shown through and has filled each home with care and understanding. In the top left corner I've cut a tiny ribbon and written "light it up" on it.

Today's blog hop is more than just an artistic interpretation of the "light it up" movement though. I thought I might share some Autism facts or statistics with you now but luckily I am able to do something more personal. I have multiple friends with children on the Autism Spectrum. I asked one of them if she had a platform to share just one thing about Autism that she wished everybody knew, what would that one thing be? She thought for only just a second before she said, "If you've met one kid with autism... You've met ONE kid with autism." I love this reminder that every individual on the spectrum is an individual with their own unique interests, personalities and needs. 

I have a goal today to help fundraise for the Organization for Autism Research. My goal is to raise $1500 by the end of the month. It'll be tough I'm sure but every dollar counts and if you have a few bucks to spare (or a lot of bucks-lol!) I would greatly appreciate your donation. Your donation will go directly to the Organization for Autism Research and is tax deductible (tax ID info is available on their website through the link provided). If you are interested in making a donation please click the donation button below and Thank You!

Organization for Autism Research

That's it for today but I hope you will continue on this World Autism Awareness Day Blog Hop. Just click on the next button below to head to the next blog.

Thank you so much for stopping by today and I hope you have an amazing day!

Maria Willis

E-mail: mariawillis@hotmail.com

BLOG ROLL:

Want to shop with me? No problem, just click the button below. 

Let me know if you have any questions!

Email: mariawillis@hotmail.com

Want a great discount on Stampin' Up! Products and to have a fun new stamping family? Join me on this fun adventure! I can't wait to be your super excited Stampin' Up! side kick and support lady! In case you didn't know, you can join Stampin' Up! just for the discount and never sell a single product. If you want to know the details just let me know. If you're looking for a discount on your favorite hobby (stamping and paper crafting with Stampin' Up! products) and want to earn money doing it... let me know! I'd love to talk with you whatever your interest might be! If you want to see a little more info go ahead and click the button below. Looking forward to hearing from you!