(Free Printable) Prayer Reminder for the Christians in Iraq

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When it comes to praying I can have good intentions and a bad memory.

There are so many things I can pray for, but if I don’t write myself a note (or am reminded regularly) I forget certain requests when I pray. Lately I’m trying to remember certain prayer requests on a regular basis, especially since there are so many things that need prayers today.

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The Christians in Iraq are one of them, so I made myself a printable to remind me to pray for them, and thought you might like to join me.

It’s an outline of Iraq with the Nun symbol on it. The top flick of the symbol sits over Mosul where most of the problem has been occurring. I’ve found the simple reminder of pray encouraging me to do just that more often over the week.

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If you want to join my in praying for our brothers and sisters in Iraq CLICK HERE to download a free printable version to tape on your walls or stick to your fridge.

So how you remember to cover prayer requests?

If you prefer having a professional print, I’ve put the print up in my Society 6 shop. I do make some money from each sale in my Society 6 shop, but the reason I made it available in both ways is so you can get a copy in the way that you prefer and will work best for YOU.

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1 Reason Bumblebee’s Make Me Smile

Bumblebee’s are so cute.

When they’re not flying next to my head that is. Then I turn into an arm waving maniac, but today I found this especially sweet one outside!

bumblebee-flower

Did you know that a French entomologist (fancy name for a bug guy) named Antoine Magnan wrote this in his 1934 book Le Vol des Insectes*?:

“First prompted by what is done in aviation, I applied the laws of air resistance to insects, and I arrived, with Mr. Sainte-Laguë, at this conclusion that their flight is impossible.”

That quote is about the chubby bumblebee.

I remember hearing that they shouldn’t be able to fly, but to find that their flight is “impossible” reminds me how great God is.

It doesn’t matter what I think will work, if God wants it to it can work. We just haven’t figured out how He did it yet.

So if you’re feeling down remember you can “do all things through Christ who strengthens” you. (Philippians 4:13) It might feel impossible, but just like the bumblebee if He wants you to be able to do it — you CAN fly.

   “Aerodynamically, the bumble bee shouldn’t be able to fly, but the bumble bee doesn’t know it so it goes on flying anyway.” Mary Kay Ash

*Got the translation of Magnan’s work on Wikipedia

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Big Doings – New Computer

That might officially be the dumbest title yet, but I’m so excited this week I don’t care! (Which is why I commented on it, go figure.)

No, I haven’t published a new story, though I’ll admit one is in the works. Can I just take a second and say: watching animal videos to see how to draw the main character in my next picture book is the best? It really is so much fun, and inspiring.

Bunny trail.

hurdlejump


Photo Credit: Foxtongue via Compfight cc

The real reason I’m excited is the hurdle of an old computer is out of the way. That’s right I’m clacking away on not just a new keyboard, but a whole new machine. I feel so special and blessed at the same time (been saving for a while). The reason I’m calling this a hurdle, instead of an excuse, is people tend to look down on the “I can’t do such and such, until I ______”. You fill in the blank.

Seems some can’t stand that type of talk, and I understand. Really most people come up with fearful or lazy excuses (guilty), but quite frankly sometimes you can’t do something without that little blank that’s driving you crazy. That was my computer, and I can’t tell you how glad I am to have that hurdle out of the way.

Now I’ll have to figure out how to accomplish everything I’ve wanted to do when I got — Ward. That is my sister’s idea for a name for the machine, which is a step above her high class suggestion of… *ahem* Herman. Which is an “Uhh… no. Absolutely not”.

Anyhow (spell check doesn’t seem to care for the attitudinal “Any-hew”), that’s what I’m up to this week.

Have you overcome any hurdles in your life lately, or is your hurdle really an excuse in disguise?  Whisper your confession below.

(Warning: whispers on the internet are a ton louder, just so you know.)

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Updates 12-13-13

Busyness is such a weird looking word, but one that so often gets in my way. Am I the only one who trips over this guy?

When you’re trying to find time to do everything, simple stuff can get in the way and throw you off your game. Then you realize that you haven’t written since November (wow, November you guys), and you feel bad.

It’s not that I haven’t wanted to write, or had things to write. But I haven’t put my fingers to the keyboard to get the words on your screen. Yes, those words that your eyes are reading right now. Pretty aren’t they?

Anyway.

I thought I’d update you on what’s been going on this end of the screen.

Christmas for Woodstock Peanuts

Photo Credit: sfroehlich1121 via Compfight cc

Last month gave away two copies of Harold Hark on Goodreads, and it was awesome! You gotta sing the word awesome so it comes out right. I’ve held giveaways on a previous blog I had, and it was sad. Like ten people entered it, and when you see those things on Pinterest or Twitter (etc) you’re like “Wow, if I do that millions will flock to my blog.  Okay thousands… Hundreds?”

I’m not saying I wasn’t grateful for each person who entered, I was, but it was a bit of a let down that a giveaway wasn’t a magic button that got tons of entries.

Enter Goodreads giveaway. I think I’m in serious like.

330 people entered my giveaway. Three hundred and thirty. Wow, no way I could have gotten that on my own. People who’ve never heard or seen me entered, and the lovely ladies who won wrote two wonderful reviews!

Harold Hark ReviewsI’m blown away, and my heart is very full — thank you all!

On top of that I joined and learned a lot from Katie Davis’ Little Chicken’s Big Christmas picture book launch. It opened my eyes to the simpleness of a picture book and was a lot of fun.

That’s what’s been going on here. If you don’t have a copy of Harold Hark yet this might be the perfect time to snag one! (Amazon has been putting them on sale lately.)

So, what have you been up to? Or if you can’t think of anything how about telling me what your favorite color is? (That is still one of my favorite questions to ask, and no I’m never growing out of it xD)

Some links are affiliate links.

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Harold Hark Goodreads Giveaway

Hey Everybody!

Found out that as a part of Goodreads I can host a giveaway of Harold Hark — how cool is that? So I’ve decided to giveaway two copies. Enter soon because it ends on November 30th, 2013. Consider it a Black Friday, Christmas-y, November-ish present for you (if you win of course, but I can make no promises).

Early Christmas Present

Photo Credit: JD Hancock via Compfight cc

You have to be a Goodreads member to enter, but otherwise it’s so easy and fun. Hopefully it will work well enough that I’ll do it again. Who knows?

The entry button will be in this post and on the side in a really cool way, so you can’t miss it. Have fun and let me know it you entered!

Excitedly,
Hannah

Goodreads Book Giveaway

Harold Hark by Hannah Kosek

Harold Hark

by Hannah Kosek

Giveaway ends November 30, 2013.

See the giveaway details
at Goodreads.

Enter to win

 

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How to Be More Awesome

I like watching Kid President. From his message to his laugh and the way he talks. I laugh a lot listening to him.  I mean where else are you going to get someone quoting Robert Frost before going off on his own ending?

But you won’t fully appreciate him until you watch an episode to see my point.

Throughout his videos Kid President has question and answer how do we make the world a better place?

By Being. More. Awesome.

But I was thinking the other day… yeah, I know it’s dangerous, but my question was — is that really true? Will being more awesome make the world better?

I think it will if we do one thing — realize that being awesome is being more like Christ.

Yup, so go out there people — Be More Awesome = Be Like Christ.

Be More Like Christ

Luke 9:23 ESV

And Jesus said to all, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.”

 

I replaced the word “he” with Jesus since that’s whose talking. ;)

 How’s a way you think people need to be more like Christ?

 

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My First Picture Book – Harold Hark – Release Party!

I don’t think I can describe how it feels to write this. A huge part of me is psyched, yet it feels unreal.

About a year ago a silly question popped in my head. “We have Hark the Herald Angels Sing, but what if there was an angel named Harold Hark who couldn’t sing?” Usually I get stuck in the idea phase, but this one refused to stay there and it’s the picture book that I’m releasing today!

My Mom is wonderful. On top of everything else she encourages me to reach for my dreams. So when the idea for Harold Hark popped into my brain, and out of my mouth, she loved it and reminded me from time to time that I should really turn it into a book.

I’ve always wanted to be a writer, and illustrating had seriously caught my interest last year, but even though I agreed I probably should turn it into a book I had no idea what to write.

Most of my ideas don’t come as a complete package and filling in the blanks isn’t always easy. So I put it on the back burner.

To be honest, without Mom’s prodding it might have stayed there, but her gentle encouragement came to mind when I was trying to decide what to get her for Christmas last year.

I thought it would be cool to give her the completed book as a present. I could imagine Mom’s face lighting up when she opened the box so my creativity kicked in.

And so with no story, no idea what Harold would look like, only an iPad to do my digital drawings on, and a 4 day deadline — I set to work.

 Can you say pressure?

You’re probably thinking I’m crazy right now, but where I can get something done for others on time I tend to be a procrastinator when it comes to my own ideas. Knowing I had a locked amount of time I looked for an idea and sat down to write.

I wrote the story in a few hours and spent the rest of the day sketching ideas until Harold’s face appeared on the page.

Then with the help of my sister the book was edited and we decided 16 simple images would work best. I sketched into the wee hours and for the next day and a half I turned them into digital images with my iPad. And when every image was complete I uploaded my book. The next day I found out the “deadline” was a misunderstanding on my part, but looking back I’m glad because it gave me that push to complete it.

Harold Hark was carefully wrapped and under the tree well before Christmas, and on Christmas morning it was so special to watch my Mom’s face when she opened the box and saw it sitting there. She had no idea I’d actually made it.

It was an amazing moment to hear her read it out loud for the first time.

And now Harold Hark is published! (Click to Tweet)

 Click Here to buy a copy of Harold Hark at Amazon.com.

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I’m so happy and blessed to have my first picture book out, and I hope that the story will mean as much to you as it does to me.

 “Harold can’t sing. Which would be okay except he’s an angel, and angels sing… right?

Instead of doing the best job in heaven Harold’s stuck with a little job. But then an idea strikes — why not try more important jobs? Walk with him as he tries building the golden cities and picking up a sword to join the warrior angels. It isn’t until everything seems hopeless that you’ll both learn a secret to serving God. And how a change in attitude makes all the difference.”

And those of you who buy a copy, from 10/7-10/14/13, can email me a copy of your receipt I’ll send you a small thank you PDF package! One you can print as many times as you want . (Just can’t sell them.) ;)

final-pinterest-collage

Please tweet, post on Facebook or your blog, and pin about this! Harold Hark’s success depends on you!

I’d like to see how many people we could tell, who knows maybe we’ll reach the #1 position in Children’s Books at Amazon (wouldn’t that be so cool?!).

 Want to have some extra fun?

Check out the Harold Hark Pinterest Board and come back Monday for links to cool projects you can do with your kids!

Have a question? Drop me a line, tweet, or comment on this post and I’ll get back to you.

*The amazon link in this post is an affiliate link.

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Fabric Pattern Design – Cupcake

FYI – this post is just me having fun and challenging myself (I wasn’t hired to do it or anything).

I call this pattern group cupcake. Based on the cupcake liner I drew in the Design-Seeds Cupcake challenge I gave myself.

cupcake-pattern-collage copy

I liked some of the patterns I was finding while sketching it out, so much I had to make them bigger. On top of that I’ve been watching what people in the Make Art That Sells e-course have been posting. (Like this one from Chicken Girl Designs.)

It looked like so much fun I thought I would challenge myself to make a bolt fabric portfolio piece.

My rules were the whole collection could have up to 8 colors, but only 6 colors per piece. It had to include only the color family I found in the cupcake photo, as well as the patterns I came up with from it. (I had a blast by the way.)

cupcake-pattern extras copy

Couldn’t resist sharing the extras! Which do you like best?

What do you think?

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Remington (Character Backstory)

remington4webYou might be wondering about this character. Course you might not be. Could just be my imagination, but then I’m very curious and tend to assume others are as well.

Remington is definitely my all time favorite character to draw. I have to say it that way since I get on new kicks/favorites from time to time, but given enough stress or a not great drawing day and you’d probably see this guy pop up in my sketch book.

I didn’t intentionally name him after a gun company. Basically all my drawings name themselves, sounds kooky, but let’s just say a name seems to “lend itself” to each character.

But when he popped out onto the page one day, with a cheesy grin and big eyes it was an instant draw. Course my funny side insisted on turning a messed up version of Remington into his brothers — Smith and Wesson. (Or if you don’t want those names — With and Swesson.)

I come from a long family of punsters and this is what we do.

Nutsy and Trigger by Disney

Now for the record I’m not talking about guns here, just the little characters I love to create. Somehow I always picture Remington as being slightly like Nutzy from the old cartoon Robin Hood. Which is probably why he brings a big smile to my face!

The only problem I have with him is anytime I try to draw him face on he never turns out right.

Any tips on how to draw things from the front so they look good? Love to hear ‘em!

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