Colors of Hope with Rising Star Outreach

 

When I started the project of drawing 100 girls from India for the coloring book My 100 Daughters with Rising Star Outreach, I was overcome with the beauty and presence of the girls of India. Studying photographs of their faces, clothing, hair styles, jewelry and customs, I felt such love for those I’ve never met. The first time I painted one of my illustrations, I felt like their skin should be the color gold. I searched out metallic paint, and after painting their skin a lovely brown, I tinted it in gold as a symbol of their great worth and value. I was later told what the color gold meant in India – it was a sign to them of their worth as well.

When I first spoke to Becky Douglas about the idea of a coloring book, she said, “Laura, India is a coloring book!” 

She told me about the bright colors, how the landscapes and people are vibrant and eclectic. 

With this in mind, I started to envision the magic of India. If my little girl Eden loved to color princesses, angels, fairies and mermaids, the girls of India would love that too.

 Beautiful landscapes, friendly animals and playful insects started to present themselves as well. Who wouldn’t want to be friends with a peacock, a tiger, elephant and more.

When I present this work to children at school events, they want to learn more about the 

girls of India and help any way they can.

Because of poverty and dire conditions difficult for us to understand, it is imperative to help the children of India. I asked myself, “What if this was my daughter?” 

These little girls are eating the pieces of a broken coconut that fell off a truck and was run over.

The truth is these are all our daughters. It is our duty to help provide food, health care, education, shelter and even more, love, hope and a bright future. Rising Star Outreach is an absolute miracle. 

Because of persistence and vision, they have made the necessary relationships to be in these leprosy colonies to minister to those in need. How I thank and appreciate all those who work with Rising Star Outreach to make this possible.

Me with Becky Douglas and Amy Humphrey, presenting Becky the painting of the girls in gold, also her daughter Amber as an angel who loves the children of India.

It was especially touching when I started an illustration of a woman who had lost much of her hands and feet because of leprosy. At first, I had the idea to draw her perfect, with 10 fingers and 10 toes, but as I was finishing the illustration, I felt impressed to erase her hands and feet and draw them as they really were. I had spent much time drawing her hands and feet perfect, so the act of erasing them was very emotional for me. As I started to cry, I could only image the pain and loss she had experienced. 

Her toes and fingers were taken by such a horrible disease, it didn’t seem fair. I stared at the picture of her and reverently started to draw the unique and disformed shape of each hand, the curves where her fingers used to be, the heals of her feet, how humbling the process was. I drew the praying mantis next to here so she could always have someone praying for her, the firewood within reach so she didn't have to crawl to start a fire and the chipmunk for so she could have cheerful friendship. The lotus flower above her head is a blessing for her beauty and purpose.

My 100 Daughters coloring book was published in 2017 and is available on Amazon. 50% of the proceeds go to Rising Star Outreach Sponsorship. Since then I have taken it into schools, shared it at birthday parties, church events and even an open house where I spoke about the process of creating such a special book. (You can read about that here.) This spring 2021, Rising Star asked if I could illustrate several coloring pages for the boys. We could present them in Colors of Hope, a virtual online coloring event. I am the mother of five amazing sons and as before, the same question entered my mind, “What if these were your boys?” 

Oh, how I love and pray for them. I asked for photographs of the little boys and to my delight, I saw them playing sports, climbing monkey bars, jumping, hanging out with friends and I couldn’t take my eyes off them. 

They are just like my boys who can’t wait to do their best, be silly, study, run fast and light up the world. I hope you enjoy coloring my interpretation of who these boys are and how through sponsorship, we can all play a vital and necessary role in their bright future.

Go to Rising Star Outreach to download your coloring pages. Please consider sponsoring a child today.

Love you all.

Ruby's 1st Birthday and 100 Dream Catchers

September is a special month to my family. My dad was born the 23, I was born the 24 and Ruby was born the 25. 

The night of Ruby's birthday party. Me and my dad!

I wanted to have a gorgeous 1^st birthday party for my darling girl, the last 1^st birthday I would ever throw for my little babies, so what did I do? About a week before Ruby’s party, I texted my incredibly creative bestie Kristen, “What should I theme Ruby’s birthday party? I want it to be over the top!” Honestly, I assumed I would get some images of mermaids and the beach, which was fine with me, as long as I had input/confidence/support from Kristen, I could do it. I considered the beautifully decorated birthday parties I’d seen on social media.

A gorgeous picture of Kristen with her husband Scott. They are the best neighbors.

I wanted that for Ruby so much, but knowing my skills don’t usually involve organization, decorating or getting things done on time, I wasn’t sure how I was going to pull it off. Then, I got this text, with these over-the-top images she'd found online.

Kristen’s idea? 

“Why don’t you a gypsy/India-themed party, bohemian and hippie.”

The minute I saw these pictures, I was like “Forget the birthday party! I want to decorate my entire house like this.” I was completely in love, like rip down the walls, throw everything away and completely redecorate your house in love. I could almost taste it!

I immediately texted Kristen back with a huge heart emoji and told her my desire to make Ruby a gorgeous dream catcher. I’d purchased a couple at TJ Maxx, but I wanted to make one of my own, especially with the vintage fabrics I’d been using and collecting for Ruby’s photo shoots. 

Here is a collection of those photos with the gorgeous fabric.

Years earlier, Kristen had made a couple of homemade dream catchers that made my heart skip a beat and I’d wanted to make one ever since, but how? I’d recently finished some art work for my coloring book where I’d drawn dream catchers and felt really inspired by the whole thing. I wanted to create the dream catcher of all dream catchers.\

But, with a baby and limited time, I could feel my vision slipping away. Let’s face it, when you have young kids, you can plan out your day all you want, but essentially, your best self goes to the caring, feeding, cleaning, loving of your kids. I was doing my best while out thrifting to gather gorgeous fabrics and anything that would fit the theme of my girl’s party, but time was running out. 

Getting ready for the  big day.

The day before my birthday (the 23^rd), I had so much energy. I was getting more and more excited for Ruby’s big day. I ran out on my own, running errands, finishing up edits/formatting on my coloring book, just feeling so alive and grateful, ate frozen yogurt (something I don’t do very often because it’s my drug) and before I came home, I did a little thrifting. Let me tell you, I was on a mission. 

There was something in the images Kristen had sent me, how she had absolutely nailed the vibe I was feeling, my love for Ruby literally out of this world, this beautiful child with ocean eyes and red curls given to me from the God above, I just had to manifest my love, my gratitude, my adoration somehow or I would spontaneously combust. While thrifting that night, I found lace, yarn, fabric, absolutely beautiful, feminine, whimsical textures at the thrift stores from vintage dresses, quilts, curtains, anything I could find and I laid in bed that night feeling, cutting, tying, threading, drooling over this dream catcher I wanted to make, I mean I didn’t’ sleep a wink. It was like this energy just kept me on the edge of my seat like I was watching a movie when suddenly, it wasn’t just one dream catcher, but 100 dream catchers, all for 100 daughters of India. That’s right, I was making 100 dream catchers for all these beautiful brown-skinned, black hair, glowing, precious girls and there was Ruby, right in the center of it all!

Now, if you’re wondering “Um, what does Ruby’s 1^st birthday party and your goal to help 100 daughter of India have in common?”

Everything in the world!

My little Ruby, prayed for, dreamt about, her little presence around me, how sparrows, doves, ducks, robins, butterflies, especially humming birds were so drawn to her, they were all around me as she was forming in my belly. I had to travel to the ends of the universe in sickness, fatigue and somehow defied age for her, God manifested her gender and then granted me her presence, after I dreamt of, researched, illustrated, wrote, painted, created a book, cried for, begged, almost touched my own little girl from India. You don’t have to look very far to see somehow, a loving God, in His utter brilliance, gave me a little girl that fulfilled these desires.

My little black-haired, olive-skinned Ruby at birth.

Ruby has a connection to India I can’t quite explain and she and Eden hold me to my commitment, to help those beautiful girls who seem to be forgotten, almost invisible to the rest of the world. During the year I illustrated 100 girls of India, I stared at them with tears in my eyes and wondered who they were, why was life so difficult for them. 

Eating the remnants of a broken coconut off the road.

I learned about their culture, language, religion, clothing, hair styles and felt their dreams, their connection to the heavens and earth, how the animals are drawn to them (just like Ruby), how they are loved by the sun, moon and stars, how the world does revolve around them. 

They are literally painted with gold. 

I painted the illustration of these girls with gold-metalic paint.

Sharing my art with Becky Douglas.

Just look at how the world holds them in contrast with who they really are. 

These are the girls that will change the world, these are the girls that are in alignment to fulfill their destiny, but only if they have a chance to rise out of the dust and ash, to be seen, to learn and grow, to be nourished and cherished, to have a voice and sing in their tender glorious chorus.

But, they can’t do it alone.

These are the feelings/visions/dreams I experienced as I laid in bed and the sun rose on my 47^th birthday.

I know, crazy!

Of course the next morning with Ruby in my arms, I was at Kristen’s doorstep, crying, emotional, all wrapped up in this vision and she let me in, heard my dreams, listened to my idea, and not only did she validate me, but she created something that absolutely showcased what I had went through.

This is what she made for Ruby’s birthday party.

A dream catcher on speed, a dream catcher that has never before been seen or envisioned, with its glorious vintage fabrics, textures, lace and charms.  I thought about changing my profile page on facebook from being married to Derek Lofgreen, to:

"Laura Lofgreen- In a relationship with a dream catcher.”

Kristen made one for the front door.

So, this is the goal.
100 dream catchers for 100 dreams of the girls of India.

Taking some risks here, being a bit untraditional.

Teaching Eden and Zola how to make them too.

My first attempt. I'm not finished, more work then a thought it would be.

100 dream catchers and with Kristen’s support/talent/vision/commitment as my partner, maybe, we will catch the dreams of these 100 daughters of India and their perfect dreams will fill our hearts and somehow, someway, we can help/sponsor/love/touch these beautiful girls of India.

Our goal is to finish by mid-January. I am working with Rising Star Outreach on the project. I hope to have a gala/event/launch to showcase this beautiful art. At some point, we will have some for sale, but not until we complete our goal.

What is the meaning of a dream catcher? It's fascinating. Read here.