May24

The Truth about Constructive Feedback

Posted on May 24, 2011 by PepperMakepeace

Let’s face it, asking for feedback can make us feel pretty vulnerable. Whether we’re asking our loved one if we look OK, or asking our boss for input on our last presentation, we tend to feel a bit uneasy about the response. Generally, we are our own biggest critics, but somehow hearing it from someone we love, or work for, or just met, it has a certain sting to it even if it’s exactly what we thought to begin with.

When you ask for feedback on something and the person starts with “Can I be totally honest?” you know it’s not going to be good. You know that your ego will receive nothing less than a big fat bruise and possibly much more. What follows after that, despite how accurate or necessary to hear, already stinks a little more of condescending insult than loving feedback. But regardless of the delivery of the feedback, there is a huge opportunity to learn about yourself and apply that to whatever you do. Remember, dis-ease is our greatest tool for positive change.

It’s important to remember a few things when receiving feedback:

Be Loving: Check your emotions and do your best not to react. This includes getting upset with the person providing feedback AND feeling bad about yourself. Watch what comes up inside of you and respond lovingly.

Be Strong: Don’t throw in the towel because somebody’s not a fan. If you’ve been working hard on something and have asked for feedback on it, it’s important to remember this. Carefully consider their feedback and keep moving forward.

Be Open: All types of feedback offer opportunities for growth, greater clarity, and helpful self-analysis. Do your best to look for ways to change for the better, even if it’s not in the way they said you should.

Be Grateful: Regardless of the delivery of the feedback, the person giving it most likely really wants to help. Try your best to be grateful for them taking the time and effort to consider it, irrespective of whether or not it was actually helpful.

When providing someone else with feedback, do your best to be:

Loving
Kind
Compassionately Detached
Honest

May20

Bolivian Lion Rescue ~ The Wild Animal Sanctuary

Posted on May 20, 2011 by PepperMakepeace

Bolivian Lion Rescue ~ The Wild Animal Sanctuary

Last summer, my husband and I visited The Wild Animal Sanctuary here in Colorado.

The Wild Animal Sanctuary rescues captive exotic and endangered large carnivores who have been abused, abandoned, exploited or illegally kept. They provide the rescued animals a permanent home at their facility which consists of over 320 acres of rolling grasslands outside Keenesburg.

This beautiful place is now home to rescued bears, tigers, wolves, lions, cheetahs, leopards, coyotes, mountain lions, and many more.

We have built multiple species-specific habitats ranging from 5-acres to 25-acres, and have three tiger habitats, three wolf habitats, two black bear habitats, a grizzly bear habitat and an African lion habitat. Other animals dwell in very large enclosures during the transition process to build groups who will ultimately have habitats built for them. These roomy, comfortable environments offer our rescued animals unprecedented freedom and more natural living spaces. All habitats have underground dens built out of concrete in order to supply temperature controlled housing – or hibernation dens – year round, as the temperature underground stays around 60 degrees all year long.

They have created a unique system of elevated walkways and observation platforms which allow people to view the rescued animals enjoying their new life in large acreage habitats. You can take a Vitural Tour on their website.

Needless to say, it was a deeply moving experience and we have since become supporters. We just received their latest newsletter and got to read about their recent Bolivian Lion Rescue in February 2011. It brought me to tears instantly.

The newsletter showed pictures of the 25 lions rescued with the help of Animal Defenders International (ADI) from horrendous conditions at various circuses in Bolvia. But they’re not pictures of their horrible past, they are pictures of the lions in their new beautiful home here in Colorado. What brought me to tears was the look of relief, exhaustion, curiosity, and joy in their faces.

I’m so grateful that they have a new home at The Wild Animal Sanctuary. They’re getting to roam on 80 acres, touch grass for the first time, get much needed dental surgery, build up muscle and much needed weight, chase tumbleweed, play, and most importantly…feel loved.

There is a wonderful online journal that details their transformation after their arrival in February. It has wonderful, intimate details of how they interact and blossom and heal after their long journey. It brought happy tears to my eyes again. It’s definitely worth a read!

For more great pictures, check out their awesome slideshow!

If you’d like to adopt a lion, click here.

May18

Caddies and Wallhangings

Posted on May 18, 2011 by PepperMakepeace

Caddies and Wallhangings

I recently finished a few sewing projects and wanted to share them with you before I completely forgot.

SEWING CADDY

This first project was one that I’ve been wanting to work on for a long time now. I’m so very excited that it’s completed! I was in need of a sewing caddy but had very specific requirements so I decided to design my own. It turned out great and everything is right where I need it and can find it. I love it! On the top right is a coaster for my tea cup. I never had a good place for it before, but now it has a safe home. There’s sand in the top to keep it in place. I didn’t want it hanging in front of my machine like many of them do.

RECIPE CARD CADDY

This next project goes with a gift I made for my sister. It’s a recipe card caddy. If you remember, the I made her the turquoise one for Christmas. She asked for another one for her birthday, it’s the pink and brown one.

“JOY” WALLHANGING

This last project was a birthday present for my mom. There’s not much to say about it really. I kind of made it up as I went along and had a lot of fun making it. There’s a close up of the hummingbird. I did reverse applique on the letters.

May16

Pillowcase Dresses Going to Haiti

Posted on May 16, 2011 by PepperMakepeace

Pillowcase Dresses Going to Haiti

I’m excited to report that I’ve officially made 13 pillowcase dresses for Dress a Girl Around the World. I dropped them off a few weeks ago and also included a pair of plaid shorts that I wore as a little girl that my grandmother made for me in with the pile of dresses. It made my heart sing to think of her handiwork being worn by a child in desperate need of shorts.

I wanted to share some pictures and update you on where these dresses are going. A local man is going to Haiti this summer with 25 dresses, undies and dolls and 10 shorts for the school he has visited several times. And 229 dresses, 43 shorts, 103 undies and 85 dolls are going with a local publishing company to Guatemala and Haiti in early summer. I’m not sure which group my dresses are going with, but I promise to share any pictures I receive of the girls wearing the dresses I made.