My, how things have changed!

Hello dear friends! I realize it's been many, many moons since anything has been posted here. I have a confession to make! I got pregnant, had a wonderful pregnancy, gave birth to the cutest little boy on the face of the earth, had maternity leave for 12 weeks, and went back to work... all of this happened over the past year! ZiZi Designs has been put on the back burner a little bit, while I've been trying to adjust to all of life's changes, which have been oh - so - good...! So thanks for your patience and understanding. The jewelry business is not dead, but it is far less active than it had been. Needless to say, you can still purchase jewelry from the Etsy shop, and I hope to eventually get some more pieces added. I have all sorts of wonderful designs floating around in my head! Just not enough time or energy to make them happen. We have continued to make donations for fundraisers - this week was the Reach Out and Read silent auction, and next week is the Church World Service Refugee Banquet. And, we continue to support Ralph & Deb Muenstermann, who are heading to Kona, HI for training with Youth With A Mission in January 2010. Check out their blog here: www.ralphdeb.blogspot.com. Thanks for checking in. Come back soon, when I hope to have some cool jewelry up for your perusing!
Kirsten :)

Lots of Upcoming Shows!

We'll be busy over the next couple of months!
We have several shows lined up, as well as other events.
Check out any of the following:

JEWELRY SHOW - CANCELLED DUE TO A DEATH IN THE FAMILY!
TO BE RESCHEDULED.
Date: Saturday, October 11th
Time: 2 o'clock - 4:30 o'clock
Hostess: JoEllen Reynolds
Location: Flourtown, PA
Click here for a map!

ARToberfest '08
Date: Saturday, October 25th
Time: 2 o'clock - 7 o'clock
Location: The Kennel Farm, Mt. Joy, PA
Click here for details!

JEWELRY SHOW
Date: Wednesday, October 29th
Time: 7 o'clock - 9 o'clock
Hostess: Sonya Pena
Location: Elizabethtown, PA

JEWELRY SHOW
Date: Saturday, November 15th
Time: 1 o'clock - 4 o'clock
Hostess: Nancy Horst
Location: Maugansville (Hagerstown), MD
Click here for a map!

JEWELRY SHOW
Date: Sunday, November 30th
Time: 2 o'clock - 4 o'clock
Hostess: Mary Lehman
Location: Lancaster, PA

Lots of great new items in our Etsy Shop!

We just had a great show last Sunday, so needed a little time to get stock up on Etsy again. We have several wonderful pieces featured now, with lots more to come. Check out some of our latest designs! Today ZiZi Designs is having our first "showcase" on Etsy!

ZiZi Designs Supports a New Missionary Family!

Ralph and Deborah Muenstermann
Youth With A Mission

Herrnhut, Germany

Background

Missions outreach has been at the heart of Ralph and Deborah’s relationship ever since they met at a missionary retreat in South Africa.

Ralph spent five years in South Africa with YWAM, developing a seminar to teach local pastors and lay persons the inductive Bible study method. Throughout this time Ralph, who is also an architect by profession, had a long term vision to incorporate the arts in discipleship.

Deborah served with Eastern Mennonite Missions (EMM) in Thailand and also on a short-term team to China. Her passion was to equip others serve in the most needy parts of the world. She then served as Missionary Support Team coach at EMM for 4 years, helping missionaries form caring teams to walk with them while overseas.

Lukas has a heart for people and loves to interact with them. He makes friends wherever he goes and is often the key that opens up hearts for deeper conversation.

Herrnhut
We feel God has led us to Herrnhut because the vision of the Youth With A Mission (YWAM) base incorporates the things God has placed on our hearts: missions training and the arts.

The town of Herrnhut has a rich heritage as it is home of the Moravian church that - during Count Zinzendorf’s leadership in the 18th century - sent about 10% of its members out as missionaries to many parts of the world. Their 100 year prayer meetings laid the foundation for the modern missionary movement.

Herrnhut is located in the former Communist East Germany where only 27 percent of the population identifies themselves as Christian.

Global Vision
Our vision is both global and local. Our heart is to send young missionaries on short- and long-term assignments to the 10/40 window, the most poverty-stricken and unevangelized region of the world. We want to train them while they are working on the YWAM base, focusing on developing their creativity in any kind of arts. The skills they learn can be a powerful tool in their hands to combat extreme poverty in the 10/40 window.

The 10/40 window - Picture Source: www.wfwradio.com/the-10-40-window

Local Vision
Locally, we want to provide training in the creative arts (especially the visual and writing arts) in a workshop setting within the 1600 people town of Herrnhut, situated in the German state of Saxony, where unemployment is 18 percent of the active population. We hope to train local residents as well as overseas YWAM staff members.

Timeline
Our plan is to leave in March 2009, staying in Herrnhut for an initial term of 3 years. During those years, we hope as a family to engage on short-term outreaches into the 10/40 window.

Partnering with us
PRAYER- Please pray that God will guide and provide for us as we seek to be a blessing to Herrnhut and the nations.

FINANCES- We would be grateful for your contribution towards this work.

Endnotes
1 visit http://www.1040window.org/ for more information about this missional focus region
2 visit http://www.ywam-sf.net/ for more information about the YWAM base

Upcoming Jewelry Show - to Support Ralph & Deb Muenstermann

The first official jewelry show to support Ralph and Deb Muenstermann is coming son. See the flier below for details. Ralph, Deb and their son Lukas will be serving in Germany with Youth with a Mission (YWAM) beginning in early 2009. Come out and support them at this jewelry show!

Gift Certificates Now Available!

Give your friend or loved one a gift that keeps on giving - they'll get to choose wonderful jewelry, and you'll both be supporting missions. Gift certificates are currently available in $25, $30, $35, $40 and $50. Other amounts are available upon request. They can be purchased at our online Etsy shop.
Gift certificates can be redeemed at www.zizidesigns.etsy.com, at any of our jewelry shows, or by visiting our workshop (by appointment only).
Get your gift certificates today - birthdays, anniversaries, graduations, Christmas, or just to say "I'm thinking of you!"

Going to the chapel...a wedding celebration!

I had the honor and privilege of designing the making the bridesmaid jewelry for a friend's wedding recently. The gals were decked out in beautiful navy blue dresses with silver embroidered ovals. Each necklace used the same components of labradorite beads and silver oval links, but in a unique and different design for each necklace. This was a lot of fun! Thanks, Jenny, for the opportunity to share in your special day in this way and for supporting our ministry!
Check out the photos of the various designs.