Service Is Painless: Say Hello to DeAnne!

I'd like to introduce you to my friend DeAnne from the S.I.P Project. This gal is a BEAUTIFUL person, inside and out! She is incredibly talented in so many ways! Photographer, blogger, cook, DIY, you name it, she does it. The most amazing thing is how she uses her talents for good, without asking anything in return. Her heart is HUGE, and I am honored to get to introduce you to her! Take it away, DeAnne! :)

* * * * * * * *

Thank you Natalie for giving me this opportunity to guest post :) This is where the guest poster gushes about the host blogger. Yep, I am going to, why because it's just as hard to make friends in the blogging world as it is in person, at least that has been my experience. One the my greatest joys in life is making new friends. I have made some good friends through blogging and come closer to others I already knew through blogging. Natalie is one of them :) She is fun and full of life, has a big heart and we have a lot of the same interests. I hope someday that I do get to meet her in real life since we only live like 5-6 hours away from each other.



I believe this to be absolutely true. Thoughts about how I could use photography to give back were on my mind almost daily for about a year before the idea for The SIP project came. I will try and be brief in my explanation and examples, something I have a hard time doing. Not only that but getting across what I want, I have so much in my head and it's hard to lay it out in a way that makes sense. I want you to see that I had this great idea and made it happen, that it's still a huge work in progress that I struggle with feelings of inadequacy, with balance. I have had moments of extreme joy because of The SIP project I have grown and learned things I didn't' know I needed to learn. It's brought these things to light that I need to change in myself and I am grateful for that. We are all striving to be better, to love ourselves to love others in the way pure love calls for. It's a hard, crazy life filled with unforeseen obstacles and unforeseen joys. I just want to do some good a long the way and I want you to come with me and I want you to pull me along with you.

We all have talents. We are responsible for how we use or don't use those talents. As a massage therapist it was easy to see how I could give back - if I come across someone who was in physical pain due to their muscles being out of whack, I knew I could help. It seemed to be more of an obvious  way to serve. A real need, I mean it's hard to function if you feel awful, right?! Well when it comes to photography it's something that is more in the want category. Do you NEED a picture of yourself or family...no. Is it nice, yes but it's not a need. Well in time I found a way through The SIP project to give people an opportunity to get some great photos taken and use their talents and mine to give back.

That's what it's about for me. Encouraging others and myself to find ways to use their talents or attributes to make some positive changes in their communities. Yes, I do want people to think big. I want people to look at the world as if through the eyes of a child and say if I could use my talent or just change something in this world what would it be? Children don't see the barriers we do...the barriers we adults put up around ourselves and others. Start by seeing what needs to be better and then step back and take a doable chunk of that problem and find a way to make some positive changes.

The SIP project has become so much more then just me taking photos of others and them doing service projects. I want to be out there doing service too. Here are a few things from my blog...

Misty the mom of this adorable family found a way to serve using her scrap-booking/paper crafting talent. See the gallery of photo shoots and service project here.



This summer we did a weekly hands on service project with our kiddos(there are 8 on my blog so far). It's called the SIP Summer Camp. One of my favorites was this project A Ray of Sunshine Craft. You make a holder for your cards and then write 10 cards to one person. They can then take out a card anytime they need a ray of sunshine when life is feeling dark and cloudy.

Another thing that I have done is start posts called...

 

  Someone makes and then takes their favorite recipe to someone, anyone then shares the recipe and why they took it to who they did on my blog. Check out the posts here. I know you want to do one! Which I would totally love for you to do!

I can't leave out DIY projects. Photo rock picture holder.

Well this is a glimpse into The SIP project. Thank you Nat for having me over today :)

I hope to see you all around! If you just want to lurk or get involved in some conversation I would love to have you over! I respond to every comment not out of obligation but because I want to get to know you and make new friends. 

How have you been responsible for your talents? Give it some thought and then tell me, I want to be inspired by you and I know I will be!

                                                                 * * * * * * * *

Thank you, DeAnne! Isn't she AMAZING!?! I am so happy that we met each other through blogland. She is such an inspiration! I know that this is the beginning of a beauuutiful friendship. :) Please be sure to follow her blog over at The S.I.P. Project! The world needs more people kind people like her, why don't we be them, too?

She and her sister also have a really great blog called Our Journey to Self Reliance. They have all kinds of neat tutorials on becoming self reliant and DIY things like making your own body butter, making your own toothpaste, making your own re-usable snack bags and lots more! Go check them out! And as always, thank you SO much for stopping by NatSprat!