Hannah's House

Meet the most amazing Hannah Butler ( just typing this girl's name makes me smile!) Hannah and Katie met their freshman year at Baylor and then lived together for the next three years with Molly, Kitty & Rachel. All the girls are from Houston and Kitty and Hannah have been friends since preschool. I think Hannah wrote as a early elementary school cutie that when she got to college, she wanted to live with Kitty.

Hannah is described as the goofiest, quirkiest, most loving person..... I can't think of a more fitting description. One of my favorite memories of Hannah is pulling up to their house about noon on Saturday and out she walks in her red, fuzzy, footed, sock monkey pjs and jumps on her scooter to cruise campus. Over the years I had many silly, serious, hilarious, wise and a couple heartbreaking conversations and texts with this sweet girl. My last time with Hannah was over pancakes with the
 " girls (and Austin)".  I left her with a big hug, I'm proud of you and a plan to have a lasagna making day after the holidays.  A year ago today Hannah passed away.

Katie, her precious roomies, Kappa sisters, family and friends have done many projects this past year to honor Hannah and keep her sweet spirit  alive- a cabin or two of kiddos were able to attend Camp Ozark; through Living Waters, water wells have been drilled in Nicaragua and Guatemala; and
family and friends are currently working on the biggest project to remember Hannah and one that will have the most lasting impact, Hannah's House.

Through Family Legacy, Hannah's House will be a home in Zambia that will provide Hope, shelter, refuge and family- Hannah's favorite topic and her great love, for 8 orphaned children, http://familylegacy.com/hannahs-life-vision-home/ . Katie hopes to go to Zambia this summer to help teach for a week and then be there for the opening of Hannah's House. She can share some funny Hannah stories and some sock monkeys with the 8 girls that will become part of Hannah's legacy.

Rachel, Katie, Hannah, Kitty & Molly

I have decided to donate 20% of the Paper Crown's earning on Saturday, Nov. 21st , Glitter Market day, to Hannah's House. Additionally, in January Hannah would have turned 24 so we will be donating 24%  of the month's earnings to Hannah's House. In January the store will be full of hearts and I can't think of a better tribute- the hearts you buy will go to fill a heart of a orphan girl in Zambia while reminding so very, very many of Hannah's sweet, quirky, loving heart.

So after you hit the fabulous Glitter Market next Saturday, Nov. 21st, come shop Paper Crown and then go crazy in January!

Hannah's House verse is Isaiah 40:31 "But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint."

Thank You Friends!

This weekend we are having a FABULOUS time with Julie Haymaker ( so much more on that soon! ) but I felt today was the perfect time to say a very sincere and heart felt THANK YOU!

So very often when we make a donation or help an organization, we have an idea where our contribution is going but very few times, if ever, do we actually see the person that we are helping. I am so happy to show you who so very many of you actually helped.

You might recall I had a blog post titled Meet Hannah, http://papercrownokc.blogspot.com/search?q=hannah
One of Katie's college roommates passed and her family and friends were working together to raise money to build a lifehome for 12 girls at the Family Legacy Village in Zambia, Africa. A couple of times a portion of the Paper Crown earnings were designated to Hannah's House and you my friends, were very generous. Well this morning at approx. 1am our time, Hannah's House opened and 12 girls  received a new safe lovely home and you were a part. I sent a little bit of Paper Crown to Africa, the girls are well stocked in art supplies and hopefully they will enjoy them as much as we do.

Thank you all for helping to make this possible- you all are angels and there is an angel in heaven ( possibly wearing sock monkey pjs that is smiling at you! )

I Love Me This House

I was called out yesterday for using "poor grammar." I think the exact words were "you are an English major and even worked for Dr. Wortman." well Mr. Smarty Pants the phrase " I Love Me Some Home" comes from the lyrics of Home by Johnnyswim ( If you aren't familiar I highly recommend you check them out on iTunes) who just happens to be the opening song on Fixer Upper which seemed quite appropriate. And guess what, I'm doing it again today!

One perk from our weekend with Stephanie was in addition to taking a special bible journaling class from The talented, nicest and inspiring Stephanie, we were able to be awash in all things Magnolia.

 

 

I have driven by these silos hundreds of times over the past 30 yrs and until recently haven't given them much of a second thought. They really were kind of an eye sore and a forgotten reminder of what built Waco. The Gaines vision has changed all of that and they taken a forgotten piece of Waco history and turned it into one of Waco's biggest assets.

 

 

Our Paper Crown group with bags galore!

 

 

 

 

Even if you don't like shopping it is worth it just to see the complex and how well it is created. To have that spectacular sense of vision is an impressive talent. There is the main building with the home goods, the bakery which I think we missed opening by a day or two- but we got delicious free lemon lavendar cupcakes without the wait so add that to our list of blessings, a seed and gardening store and the open area with picnic tables , shelter, games for the kids and food trucks. All that attention to detail makes me exhausted! And the shopping is great, definitely worth a stop!

 

Lunch at Olive Branch one of Katie's favorites and where her roommate Hannah worked while at BU.
Ya'll are officially in Bear Countrty!

Another favorite Manny's on the River. It's a Dallas favorite and they opened last year in Waco. Great huge outdoor patio but since we were going to be outside all day Saturday we opted for AC.

Drum Roll Please.....
Magnolia House

Deep, Deep Sigh !

 I forgot to post a picture yesterday of all the Bible covers created

 

I Love Me Some Home

It appears I have taken this phrase to heart lately.

 At the moment I have a lot of "homes"- my home in OKC, Austin's home in Dallas, "Happy Place" home at Paper Crown, Austin's dream of a safe house home for girl's who need a fresh start and love, Katie's dream of "Hannah's House" home where African girls who have been orphaned are taken care of and nutured, and a my dream along with others of a " creative home" where ladies can spend a few days together creating, sharing, bonding and recharging. I'm like a mother hen gathering (I hadn't thought of it until Sat., thank you friends for being so very insightful) her chicks. Some of these homes are realized and others are just seeds drifting in the wind hoping to find fertile soil where the can grow- we will just have to be patience, pray and dream.

Last weekend I was given the blessing of taking a few friends to a place I have called home- Waco. In college if you would have told me in 30 yrs I would be bringing a group to Waco for the weekend I probably would have asked " why?!"  Waco was a great sleepy town and one I have always loved but not a lot to do- my, my how things have changed.

 

We headed south because were invited by Stephanie Ackerman to attend a bible journaling class at the Magnolia House. It was a double blessing, we got to take and be inspired by Stephanie and enjoy all things Magnolia.

It was a little toasty but honestly, we didn't care AT ALL!

 

 

 

Stephanie and her sister made sure we all were taken care of and felt at " home." Unfortunately, Jennifer may have taken a little bit of "home" with her to CA- chiggers. I hope you were able to leave that reminder of the weekend in Waco. :)

 

Class was a mix of ladies from OKC and TX with a cornhusker, Jennifer A., thrown into the mix. We were all a little awestruck by this opportunity. Twenty + women with ear to ear smiles is a great thing!

 

 

We spent a majority of the day painting canvas covers for our new journaling bibles and then began some journaling.



Happy, Happy Faces!

Love this picture of Amy and her best friend Jennifer from NE. So glad these two could share this weekend.

 

It was a very quick trip for Lisa but I know she would do it again in a heartbeat!

Thank you for my gift! I love it and especially what it says, it's even more special than you realize!

Nancy and I had some issues with Siri Saturday morning. Thanks to all our classmates and Stephanie for being patient while you waited for us to arrive - with the supplies! When I arrived very late and flustered, Lisa gifted me with a cuff-thks friend!

 

Mary Ann and her husband run the Magnolia House and made sure everything was absolutely perfect. A huge thank you to them for making our visit magical.



Two Texans- Tara came with her mom and they have Royer's Pie Haven in Round Top. You might have seen an article on them in a Somerset Magazine. The pie is definitely as good as they say! On the right is Martha from Waco and I just realized this morning she is friends with one of my college roommates, Susan P.

Jill and Colleen  with Tara's mom. I loved her tshirt I think it said " Be Brave  and Eat Pie"

Meet poor Jamie who was unfortunate enough to sit by me. Stephanie had water bottles on the tables so we could " mist" each other if it got too hot. I managed to "mist" Jamie with a hard and fast stream right in the eye. I don't know what  I was thinking. Jamie is a  sweetheart; I might have pushed me to another table.   

 

Lunch in the gazebo

 

Criss cross applesauce!

 

Robin and her traveling buddy Alisa

 

 

 

Colleen on the left was Stephanie's hairdresser in CA who is now a Texan.

 

Dr. Pepper the official drink of Waco.

"seven"

 

 

It's so very hard to put this weekend into words but I know we are all so very grateful for the opportunity and blessed by the experience and new frienships. Thank you Stephanie and Joanna for sharing your dreams with us. We are anxious to see how these dreams will grow to something even larger than you could imagine- Thank you and keep the faith : )! ox