Wednesday, May 25, 2011

Things you should know...


I asked two of my BLING girls to write a list for our blog entitled: "Things You Should Know About Our Neighborhood". There were no positive things.

Their list:
1. There are gangs
2. People shoot each other
3. Prostitutes on the corner
4. Selling Drugs

Yes, these are realities of our neighborhood. But, when we began talking more, they also realized that in addition to these "notable negatives", there were also positives that people should know about our neighborhood.

1. Families who help each other when things are bad (deaths) and things are good (quinceneras, graduations)
2. Barbeques in the summer
3. Friends
4. Derrick Rose (who isn't from this neighborhood, but most girls in this neighborhood cheer for him :)
5. Hot Chips and Ice Cream Trucks

We talked about specific times when hard times were met with by love of the people that lived around them or kids they went to school with or from the center. This was the final consensus: There is a lot of bad and a lot of hate, but there is also a lot of good and a lot of love in response to the bad and hate. For middle-schoolers, I thought their observations were quite astute. I hope it blesses you all as much as it blessed me.



Monday, May 9, 2011

 


The Beauty of Broken Glass catches a child's eye,
the
urban hope project is born...

Handmade by youth on Chicago's west side, Urban Hope necklaces are creations of street glass wrapped in wire, charms, and chains. Each necklace demonstrates the reality of destruction and chaos while speaking the hope found in Christ's love for each city. As God himself spoke to his reluctant urban prophet, Jonah: "Ninevah has more than a hundred and twenty thousand people who cannot tell their right hand from their left...
Should I not be concerned about that Great city?"






Operation: Getting the Word Out!
Today, we learned a little bit about marketing. The girls took pictures, designed shots, had fun with chalk, and worked in groups of three to four to come up with photos for Urban Hope!

Chalk + Cement + Creativity = Girls having fun!
In the words of Lucia, "I am Picasso!"

Finding a good place to take a photo.

Maria's great shot outside!

Modeling a gold Urban Hope...these girls are pros!

Thursday, May 5, 2011

BLING blogging? Yes, it's true!

Located on the West Side of Chicago at New Life Centers also known as "The Church", BLING, a small, grassroots jewelry business has decided to blog! We received a couple of calls and e-mails from Ohio, California, and other places in Illinois wanting to purchase our Urban Hope necklaces and hear our story. So, here it is! 

In the coming days, the girls will post stories, new projects, and ask you to join us on our journey with beads, Jesus, challenges, funny moments, new adventures, disappointments, life lessons, and neighborhood happenings!

Designing a necklace on bead board


Paper Clip rings

Bracelet rolls

We love making earrings!