We have reached 200,000 members. Some may ask what is the big deal about painted rocks. It's the benefits. They go far beyond a simple paint session or walk in the park. You should paint rocks too! Be inspired and become an inspiration.
Creating is good for you. Did you know it is good for your health? It is! It is good for your entire body. It reduces stress, anxiety and depression. Experts even say it can reduce chronic pain.
Since
April I have been on medical leave due to several heart conditions. A
lot of stressful things have happened in 2017 especially since April.
Not being able to work to pay rent is a stress that I can't allow to
take over my mind. I am a mental health therapist who sees clients in
their home or school. I have many clients I couldn't say goodbye to
when I stopped working. These kiddos have suffered traumas not having
closure with their therapist didn't settle well with me. To help me
remain calm and positive I started painting and hiding rocks. I'm so
happy to have found Northeast Ohio Rocks! to share happiness when I'm
feeling so sick. It has lifted me up. After all this is a therapeutic
project I would be doing with clients. I did visit my co-workers to
tell them about joining North East Ohio rocks, to encourage them to
paint rocks with their clients and to give them each a smile rocks. Member, Jodi Kovach.
Zentangle Squirrel - Member, Karen Bailey
One Potato, Two Potato - Member, Fran Hale
Tiny Rock Embellishing - Member, Joni Briggs
Cactus Flower Pot - Member, Joni Briggs
Camper - Member, Carol Lapham
Taco Tuesday - Member, Carol Lapham
Painted Frog - Member, Karen Bailey
Sharing kindness is good for you. Kindness makes you happier whether you are giving or receiving. Kindness is contagious. When a person has received kindness they are more likely to share kindness with another.
I
was like a little kid the first time I found a rock. It reminded me
not to forget how the simple things in life & small blessings
make life worthwhile! And that something as simple as a painted rock
can make the difference in someone's day. The first rock that we had
painted was found by a young man who had been having a rough time at
school & it made his day!!! Member, Deb Barnes
Watercolor Butterfly - Member, Diane Bonifati
Watercolor Cat - Member, Diane Bonifati
3D Wedding Rings - Member, Caroline Sokol
Rainbow Trout - Member, Caroline Sokol
Super Heroes - Member, Jennifer Pickering-Theodore
Silhouette Love Swing - Member, Hope Wood Shernit
Elephant Silhouette - Member, Kelly Vogel
Sharing kindness makes you healthier and stronger. It has been proven to boost your immune system and your energy level giving us the ability to cope with the stress, chronic pain and emotional trauma.
Back
in January, my daughter Ivy Thompkins told
me about this group so that my husband, who is disabled would have
something to do. We started painting and I could not stop. He painted
a little but I painted every free moment. It was so relaxing and fun.
In May I was in a very bad accident, and it was touch and go for a
couple weeks. My daughter posted my accident on Northeast Ohio Rocks
and asked for prayers. Thousands of prayers and well wishes later, I
am home, still recovering and back to painting! I believe everyone's
prayers pulled me through! Thankyou! Member,
Judy Tompkins
Cat on a Wire - Hope Wood Shernit
Coloring Page Decoupage - Member, Sue Atwell
Freedom - Member, Alice Noneya
Beach Life - Member, Tina Givens
Dots - Member, Jessica Freeland
Zombee - Member, Tracy Zimmerman
Bee Sweet and Bumble - Member, Angela Lopaska
Fievel - Member, Michelle Wahl
When we are painting rocks, we are using our imaginations. We are able to move away from our electronics and create something that makes us feel good and makes the receiver feel good. Our minds are concentrating on what we are creating.
I
started painting rocks with a couple of friends, our hashtag
rockndolls comes from the name of our bowling team, Dolls With Balls.
I quickly became addicted to rock painting. I lost my daughter in
March of 2014 and my son in June of 2016. Painting has become
therapy. When I'm painting I can shut my brain off. Focus on the task
at hand, take a break from grieving. And knowing that those rocks
will put a smile on someone's face, help them thru a bad day, well
that's icing on the cake! Member, Tina Underwood
You otter paint rocks - Member, Jessica Freeland
Blue Bugs - Member, Nancy Powell Pierson
Firetruck - Member, Shelia Beach
Cupcake - Member, Carole Hogan
Lil Dino - Member, Carol Hogan
Moo Cows - Member, Nancy Powell Pierson
Red Dice - Member Britt Fox
A friend added my name to the group because I'm always posting crafts
that I do. I started painting & hiding rocks, never finding any
or never seeing any of mine posted until 1 day (Memorial Day) when
someone posted my rock and wrote me this heartfelt post. Member,
Shelia Beach
We
are still forever thankful for the group. My daughter has turned many
corners due to her healing. The rocks helped enormously with her
healing. She still loves to paint rocks. She paints rocks for many
other reasons now. It is also a great activity for her myself, my
other teenage daughter to work on. I just wanted to say thank you
again for giving my youngest a way to heal. Member, Jennifer Betz
The rocks mean many things to people. They are fun to paint and it is fun hiding them for an unsuspecting person. The rocks are given a life and sent on a journey to share kindness. So many people who do not understand why we paint and hide rocks have their opinions changed when they find a rock. Finding a rock causes a child-like excitement that makes you smile.
Back
in July my friend asked me to paint rocks with her at her sister's
after I expressed interest in her new hobby. It was the most relaxing
and fun afternoon! I had the best time. Two months later and there
are bags of rocks in my kitchen from Home Depot, finished rocks on my
stovetop, and rocks all over my kitchen counter where I have my
painting/mod podge/duraclear station. It's the best hobby and I love
this group and all the joy it brings to the world! Member, Susan Reynolds
Front and Back - Member, Sue Atwell
Opening Day - Member, Ryan McMurray
Joe Cool - Member, Ashley Wallace
Pikachu - Member, Nancy Powell Pierson
Madeline - Member, Tina Givens
Where's Waldo - Member, Michelle Wahl
Cleveland, OH - Member, Sandi Hangauer
One of the benefits of the group is learning about all the places in our communities we didn't know about. The hiking trails, the parks, the events. Getting out in the fresh air is good for us. Getting some exercise is even better for us. But most of all hiding a painted rock while you are visiting a new place shares random acts of kindness and may just change a person's day. We hope they are inspired to start painting rocks and hiding rocks too.
I
have always been artistic but I hadn't drawn or painted anything in a
few years. My best friend found a rock back in October and gave it to
me to hide since my husband and I hike a lot. After joining, I posted
my 'gonna hide this rock' pic. I painted a couple of rocks after
about a month of just seeing smiling finder faces in my news feed.
Then I had some stressful stuff happen and needed a distraction. I
started painting more rocks and after a few months of painting,
shared one to the page. Everyone was so nice and I even had people
say that my rock inspired them to paint a rock or two. Couldn't
believe that something so simple as a painted rock could inspire
people but I liked the idea of other people finding some peace in
painting. The smiles when people find them are amazing and seeing the
posts of what everyone paints is wonderful! This is a much needed
happy spot in my day. Member, Kimberly Atwell.
Mother Teresa Quote - Member, Sue Atwell
Scrabble - Member, Ryan McMurray
Fred Flintsone - Member, Ashley Wallace
Rainbow Unicorn - Member, Kelly Vogel
Bassett Hound - member, Stacy Honen
My
daughter started me painting the rocks, since I live near a park and thought it would be a good hobby for me. Now, I am a rocking granny! Member, Janet Vogelgesang.
Owl - Member, Carol Lapham
Mushroom - Member, Danielle Ellen
Toothless - Member, Nancy Powell Pierson
School Bus - Member, Shelia Beach
Cleveland Indians - Member, Sandi Hangauer
Patriotic Butterfly - Member, Tina Underwood
Snowbird - Member, Barbara Fazzini
Negativity does not have to be the norm in our lives. The group has allowed us to not accept that. In the hustle and bustle, hurry there world we live in, so many of us have lost the ability to share kindness. Strangers don't make eye contact. We no longer exchange pleasantries. The rocks have changed that. They have given people and communities a way to share kindness and a way to connect.
In
my opinion Northeast Ohio Rocks is amazing. Spreading kindness one
rock at a time to strangers who otherwise would have no contact with
or positive impact on each other's lives in this harsh world now a
days is unheard of. And here we are not world leaders or government
decision makers but simple moms, dad's, children, just regular people
trying to make what can be a cruel dark and down right scary world a
little kinder, a little sweeter of a place and maybe make the
heaviness on someone's heart a little lighter. One happy painted rock
hiding just around an unsuspected corner spreading one random act of
kindness at a time. It makes my heart sing? Thank
you Nancy for having the insight to create
this group giving me a way to channel some creativity into a genuine
vessel of love and kindness. Member, Tina Givens.
Smile Quote - Member, Sue Atwell
Gnome - Member, Nancy Powell Pierson
Tree Frog - Member, Michelle Wahl
Googly Eyed Frogs - Member, Nancy Powell Pierson
Smarties - Member, Angela Lopaska
Hope, Love, Joy Lettering Rock - Member, Kelly Vogel
Pirate - Member, Carol Lapham
Holidays and seasons can be an inspiration.
Halloween Cat - Member, Joni Briggs
Scarecrow - Member, Diane Bonifati
Christmas Rocks - Member, Tina Givens
Halloween - Member, Tracy Zimmerman
Glow in the Dark - Member, Shelia Beach
Snowmen - Member, Barbara Fazzini
Our Favorite Music can be an inspiration
The Beatles - Member, Sandi Hangauer
Elvis - Member, Kelly Vogel
Prince - Member, Joni Briggs
Saxophone - Member, Alice Noneya
John Lennon - Sandi Hangauer
The Grateful Dead - Member, Michelle Wahl
Pink Floyd - Member, Joni Briggs
Or, a favorite story
Somewhere Over the Rainbow - Member, Angela Lopaska
The Wizard of Oz - Member, Beth Grimm
Hedwig - Member, Nancy Powell Pierson
Harry Potter - Member, Nancy Powell Pierson
Corduroy - Member, Carol Lapham
Alice in Wonderland - Beth Grimm
Alice in Wonderland - Member, Tina Givens
And, sometimes our inspiration comes from our favorites places.
Mosquito Lake - Member, Heidi Nuskievicz
Beach - Member, Hope Wood Shernit
Salt Life - Member, Tracy Zimmerman
Beach Sunset - Member, Shelia Beach
Sailboat - Sue Atwell
Beach Sunset - Hannah Stopar
I have watched members come to the group unsure of what to paint and unsure of their abilities. I have seen their art grow from the simple to the elaborate.
The stories in our group are inspirational. Rocks seem to find the right people just when they are needed most.
Some people come to the group thinking we are a game of hide and seek and when they become painters and hiders, read the stories, see the smiles, they begin to understand there is much more going on here. And, there is!
