Hello and welcome to the Light It Up Blue For Autism Awareness Blog Hop!
Big thanks to Veronica and Tenia for putting this hop together!!
I wanted to be apart of this amazing event because I believe so many people need to become more aware of what Autism is and how it affects family’s.
I have a cousin who has autism and he is just the sweetest kid ever!!! His mom and sister are his caretakers and man I tell you they are amazing individuals. There is nothing they can’t do!! Nothing holds them back from living life to the fullest no matter what people say. Unfortunately, we have some family members who do not understand what Autism is and they don’t really want to find out. They aren’t evil people, its just when you are not directly affect by something its easy to disregard it. That is why education is so important. Getting the word out about Autism is important. That is why I’m here!
Shout outs to you Nicky, Ashley and Tyler!!
As a Health Educator by trade, here are some interesting facts about Autism:
1. Autism affects one in every 50 schoolchildren in the United States.
2. Autism is more common then childhood cancer, diabetes and AIDS combined.
3. One common myth is that individuals with autism are not affectionate. This is not true. Although, they may be oversensitive to touch, they can and do show affection. Tyler hugs me every time he sees me.
4. Roughly half, or 49%, of children with autism attempt to elope form safe environment, a rate nearly four times higher then their unaffected siblings.
5. Between 2009 and 2011, accidental drowning accounted for 91% total US deaths reported in children with autism subsequent to wandering.
We have so many fantastic sponsors that have shown their support for Autism Awareness and you can see the complete list here.
If you would like a chance to win a prize from one of these fabulous companies leave a comment on this blog, and any of the other blogs participating in today’s hop! Winners will be chosen at random and will be announced on Monday April 6.
Now here is the card I created for today’s hop:
It was super easy to create this card. I used Laura Bassen’s smooching technique and a very small clear square block.
1. I started with Distress Ink Salty Ocean.
2. I added the ink to a small clear square block. Then I spayed the block and smooched it down onto my watercolor paper.
3. I repeated those steps 9 times, changing the colors in between. I let it sit and dry.
4. Once my squares blocks dried, I stamped my sentiment using Winnie and Walter The Big, the Bold, and the Happy stamp in the center of my blocks.
I love how this card turned out. The sentiment says it all. We have to learn to “Love Life” no matter what hand we are dealt. No judging! No smirking!
What is a blog hop without a giveaway!!!
I giving away two gift baskets full of great fun! For those of you who knows me, knows that I’m a mug giving person. I love mugs so when I fine unique ones I love to share. So these baskets will have a pretty mug full of Starbucks goodies!!
Here is a photo of my last mug giveaway:
Important notice: These will not be the same mugs, I never give the same mug twice. I didn’t have a chance to photograph today’s mugs. This is just an idea of what your gift will look like. I will update the photo soon.
Now that you have an idea what your gift basket will look like, all you have to do to win is leave a comment below. Super simple and easy.
Thanks for hopping along with us today! I hope you had fun seeing all of great creations for today’s event and learning from each blog.
Supplies used:
Thanks for stopping by!
~Kymona
Kreative Kymona 
Lovely cause and lovely card my friend!
Great card, I love smooching!
stunning card great technique !
What a gorgeous effect this smooshing has! I love your card!
I love how you color blocked by smooshing your ink blocks onto paper. Very pretty. So generous of you to donate not one but two gift baskets to the cause!
Fabulous card – hope the hop is a huge success. It is for such a good cause. Happy Autism Awareness Day. Ann xxx
I love your post, your nice words and your fantastic card! Kisses!
What a lovely card! And ooh la la – nice prize!
Such a pretty card! And ooh la la – nice prize!
Just a beautiful card! Wow!!
Love your smooched grid! Great card!
Beautiful card!!
Girlie…..I just LOVE your card!! Thanks for sponsoring and participating in this AWESOME hop!! I love ya and you ROCK!!!
Fabulous card design, loving the technique
LOVE your gorgeous card! Thanks for being a sponsor of the hop with your fab ‘candy’!!
simply pretty!!!
Such a pretty card! LOVE the design and the sentiment goes perfectly!
Beautiful card and sentiment. Love how you used the Distress Inks and the pop of black.
Oh this is so beautiful. Thank you for sponsoring!
beautiful card as usual! thanks for the info 🙂
I just have one question, my friend, where’s my mug!!!! LOL ❤
Love the final look of your smooching technique…great colour choice.
Your card is absolutely beautiful! Thank you for being a part of this!
Love how you created your background!
Wow, your card is so stunning Kymona! I LOVE the watercolored squares!!!
Hugs,
Nina-Marie 🙂
Beautiful card! I love your watercolor checkerboard! SO pretty!
Beautiful card!!!
Kisses;)
Tears… Kymona, I am grateful for your empathy! I applaud you for spreading awareness about Autism! It is truly an epidemic and hopefully the awareness will thus turn into action and answers.
Oh and I love this card!!!! You know that watercolor is my fave!
Love Always your cousin Nicky
Kymona, your card is absolutely lovely, and your story of your connection with autism, heart-warming, touching and spirit-lifting! A visit here has brightened up my day! (Side note: because of you, I discovered Suzy’s stamps and a few sets are on their way to me now! Excited…they’ll take a while to arrive, as I live in Canada, but I’m already stalking the mailbox!).
~c
Beautiful card! Thank you for joining the hop ♥
Kymona – my lovely friend!! I hope you know how amazing you are!! This is an incredible card!! Love the colors and the message is sweet!! Just such lovely work!! And your generous gift is awesome!! Thanks so much for participating and supporting this hop!! I hope you have a REALLY GREAT day!!!
Love your card. this is a great hop!
Gorgeous card! Love the watercolored blocks.
You can mug me any time you want. LOL My double cappuccino is sadly been in the same mug for 20 years. Anyway, I love your post! Very thoughtful and your card has a wonderful watercolor look to the background.
Love this card! Great smooshing. Thanks so much for sponsoring this hop and helping to raise awareness of our autistic kids. They have brought me joy for the many, many years I have worked with so many on the spectrum.
Beautiful Card & Great Technique! Happy World Autism Day!
Wonderful card. I love how you achieved your watercolor look. Thanks so much for being apart of this hop. And thank you for telling us your story too. What a wonderful prize for this hop.
What a simple but amazing card! I have two children with autism. Thanks for supporting this cause.
Great technique you used to create this background.
slrdowney at hotmail dot com
Oh my golly goodness, your patience paid off. A simple message that speaks volumes. Love! facebook.com/wavingmywand
Kymona, your card is stunning. These facts are wonderful, knowledge is power. Thank you for sharing your story.
This card is perfect! I adore the color combo and that sentiment is perfect! HUGS! 🙂 Mynn xx
I am seriously in love with your water Coloring! That smooching effect is too awesome….and I just adore this hop!
I love this technique!!
Kymona, I’m tearing up – it’s so true that sadly some family members never come around to understand autism. Thank you so much for your wonderful post, FABULOUS card, and for being a sponsor for this hop that is making my heart just sing 🙂
What a lovely card! This is a great way to raise awareness about autism.
Those smooshed squares look fab, Kymona! Great design. Thanks for the info about autism too.
Love your square smooched background, perfect for this hop!
I love that background technique. Yours is soooo pretty.
Beautiful card….great cause!!
Kymona, what a great post and a wonderful card. Your facts on autism are staggering, aren’t they? As a school psychologist for 20 years now, I have seen the autism epidemic explode…I would say that at this point almost half of the students on my caseload are on the autistic spectrum. Each student is unique, and each has his/her own amazing strengths! We celebrate “Light It Up Blue” this month by replacing our porch light bulbs with blue bilbs and we have a day in our school when we all wear “Light It Up Blue” tee shirts. It is a true community effort to raise awareness and I’m proud to be a part of it!
I love your card…what a great effect the smooching technique has! I love that you used an acrylic block to do that! Well done and way to go!