Giving. It’s an art form

Last Thursday, before leaving for school, Kegan came into my office asking for spare change. He told me his high school was collecting money for mosquito nets to help protect families in Africa. We filled his bucket and away he went. I have to admit I was rather proud of that boy – he can’t remember to make his bed in the morning, but he can remember to give to charity. I must be doing something right. Either that, or he’s come up with a splendid new scheme to support his vending machine habits.

Then, this morning, my cousin Hanan suggested I check out a Facebook page, called Artsy Fartsy Miranda. Oh. My. Goodness. This 8-year-old (adorable!) artist from Liberty Lake is selling prints of her original paintings for $5. That alone would be cool enough for me to like her … the world needs more creative entrepreneurs. But when I learned that she’s donating all of her proceeds to the Vanessa Behan Crisis Nursery, well, I pretty much felt like the world was becoming a better place, one young person at a time. (And I felt like a chump for wondering if Kegan was buying Sun Chips and Mountain Dew with all those quarters we dumped into his bucket.)

Miranda wanted to raise $100 by Valentine’s Day. As of this afternoon she’s already raised over $235!!! That’s so awesome. You go, girl!

Visit Miranda’s webpage, browse her artwork and choose a few to purchase, by clicking here . (The flip-flop print you see here is just one of Miranda’s creations. There are many more!) Take a minute to check out the Artsy Fartsy Miranda Facebook page by clicking here .

To learn more about the Vanessa Behan Crisis Nursery – a wonderful organization that provides 24-hour, immediate refuge to children in crisis situations, as well as providing families with invaluable education and counseling – click here .