In Light Photography

By Stephanie King, Orlando Photographer

What do you need when you’re feeling down or you’ve just gone through a loss? Prayers, friendship, support.. A box of sunshine??

I have always been a crafty person but now I have to give Pinterest credit for the creativity because it has changed the way I do crafts. You can find the original craft here. I happened upon this idea on Pinterest the same week I discovered I had two friends who needed some encouragement. The Lord’s timing is perfect. And encouraging others is one of my favorite things to do! So I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to make my first box of sunshine. I have a feeling this will soon become a tradition of mine.

So what are the contents in such a box? They only need to have one thing in common – the color of sunshine! So I started out with some fresh annuals, marigolds, because nothing is happier than fresh flowers. Then I took a traditional ceramic pot and painted the middle with chalk paint since that seems to be my favorite medium right now. I added (with yellow chalk, of course) a verse from the Psalms. (The verse is: “The Lord God is a sun and shield; the Lord bestows favor and honor. No good thing does He withold from those who walk uprightly.”) Only the first part of the verse fit on my planter..

Other contents in the box included:

a box or basket (I was hoping to use a wine crate, but could not find any at my local stores)

yellow crinkle paper

sunsweet dried mangos

blonde oreos

yellow duckie cookie cutter (it is Easter season after all)

sanpeligrino lemonada

yankee candles in the scent of birthday cupcake

a pouch of sunflower seeds

a bag of miscellaneous yellow candy (bazooka bubble gum, sour balls, lemon slices, yellow taffy, sweet tarts) tied with a yellow ribbon

 and a yellow card that says ‘I’m thinking about you.’

I found a card that says, “If a little bit of sunshine came into your world every time I thought of you… you would have a tan by now!” I think a lighthearted card goes well with such a lighthearted gift.

I hope you can use this idea to encourage someone you know. If you do, please let me know what sort of items you include in your box of sunshine!

Today is the first day of spring!  Here in Florida it has already been feeling like summer with high temperatures in the 80s.  Spring is my absolute most favorite time of the year!  Why, you may ask?  Because of all the beautiful flowers that spring up out of the formerly dark, dead earth!  Flowers are just so cheerful!  They are delicate and colorful and yet hardy in that they can survive the winter and spring forth from the ground with just a little moisture and sunshine.  Here are a few of the shots from my backyard..

These beautiful purple ones are wild!