Pay It Forward Giveaway Winners!

lampwork sunflower bead by c. hansen

On September 19, I posted this giveaway, for the first three commenters...then on the 21st, I posted an additional opportunity for three more commenters to win, to be randomly selected...but only five more people commented, and I just CANNOT have six people winners and two people not, especially with everyone committing to paying it forward!

This means...yes...you got it right...you're ALL winners!

I will be in touch soon to get clues as to what sorts of goodies you might like to see in the mail. And remember - you don't know exactly WHEN the prize will arrive - but it will arrive sometime during the next 365 days!

Be well and have a super day all!

xoxo, c

Pay It Forward Fun: Giveaway!

white tulips on lavender focal by c. hansen

It's been AGES since I did a giveaway on my blog, and when I heard of Jenn's fun giveaway, I knew I had to get in on the fun! (Jenn is the creative powerhouse behind Soul's Fire Designs - she creates exquisite jewelry that you MUST go check out when you get a chance.)

Paying it forward means doing something nice for someone else, with no expectation of return - one person does something nice for someone else, who does something nice for someone else, who does something nice for someone else, and so on...(you didn't *really* want me to continue that, did you?)

So here's the deal:
The first three commenters on this post will receive a surprise gift from me within the next 365 days...it'll be handmade by me, so you know it's going to be cool, right? It'll be extra cool, because you won't know exactly what it is, or exactly when it'll arrive.

For the first three commenters, I will contact you in the near future (next week, most likely), and request your mailing addy and some ideas of what colors/themes/styles you like.

How to get in on the action:
Leave a comment WITH your email address AND post a Pay It Forward giveaway on YOUR blog too. Easy peasey!

Pay It Forward giveaway rules: Handmade item giveaway for first three commenters, surprise goodies to be sent/received at a surprise time within the next 365 days.

Oh, this is going to be such fun!

May all be blessed: how one mom fights back

May all be blessed: etched metal art charm, lampwork bead, & recycled sari silk pendant by C. Hansen

Twice a day, I was reminded.

Every time I looked at the clock and it read 9:11, I remembered the horror of that day, the fear, the anger, the desperation, the unthinkable loss and devastation…and how the whole world changed, for all of us, forever.

At first, every time I saw that time appear on the clock, it made me ill, not only for me, but for everyone else too, knowing that they were experiencing the same negative feelings I was.

I quickly realized that this wasn’t how I wanted to live the rest of my life, in dread of seeing the time on the clock.

I decided to fight back, in my own way.

I decided to take that time back and turn it around, and turn it into something positive instead.

I decided to say a little prayer for everyone on the planet, figuring if each person is touched by grace, then just maybe, healing can begin.

The prayer had to be really short and easy to remember.

The prayer also had to bless everyone and everything, with no exceptions.

And the prayer had to be a prayer that anyone could use, because I wanted everyone on the planet to join me in saying it.

Now, twice a day, I am reminded to say, “May all be blessed.”

I invite you to join me in fighting back, by taking back these moments each day, either with “may all be blessed,” or with a prayer of your own.

Perhaps if each of us is blessed, even in some small way, we can make the world a better place.

December Love Drop: Diomi & Nallee

 

Help give a Love Drop this season!

This Christmas the team's coming together for Diomi and her son Nallee, who are going into the cold Milwaukee winter with very little food, clothes, and other necessities. Diomi has been through so much, including the loss of her father, the loss of her job, and clinical depression. But even through the pain you can see all the love she has for Nallee, who has one of the most beautiful personalities you'll find. :)

We want to make this month special for them! We're working with their pastor to help get things they really need including school uniforms for Nallee, interview clothes for Diomi as she looks for a job, and food to help them through the winter months.

If you can find it in your hearts to give one extra gift this year, whether it be money or a helpful item they can use, please send it in - our goal is to reach $3,000 worth of necessities.

 

Want to join us in helping Diomi and Nallee? Here are 3 ways:

1. Give $1.00 - This money will be put towards basic necessities and care.  Maybe even a Christmas present or two (They're currently spending it alone, w/out anything at all).
2. Give a gift card - Gift cards are extremely helpful, especially to places that are national.
3. Donate personal products -These two need anything you can think of in the personal product department: bathroom/kitchen/bedroom stuff, etc.

Thanks guys! You can reach the Love Drop team anytime over at: team (at) love drop (dot) us, or by checking them out at LoveDrop.us. Thanks everyone! We'll let you know how it goes!

Love Drop for June: helping the Aubin family

The Love Drop team is at it again! Last month we gave over $9,200 worth of cash, goods and services to the Stalnaker family, who had been going through a financially hard time due to the effects of the BP oil spill on the Louisiana economy. The family was in need of a car and the Love Drop team was able to surprise them with one, making it one of the most exciting Love Drops ever. You can watch how it all went down here.

This month we rally behind the Aubins - a Michigan mother and her three children who are mourning the death of Keith, husband and father, after his lengthy battle with multiple health problems. Our goal is to raise at least $3,600 to pay the family's rent for three months, which will allow them to focus on what they need to during this time, without fear of losing their home. Additionally, since Keith was an organ donor, he leaves a powerful legacy and the Love Drop team hopes to raise awareness of organ donation this month to honor Keith's memory. Help us make this month special for the Aubins!

Want to help? Here are three ways you can participate:
Give $25 towards rent - Click this link to contribute $25 towards their rent for the next three months - it will relieve so much stress for them.
Give a gift card or service - Gift cards are always helpful. Places like Target, Wal-mart, restaurants, etc. would definitely help them out. Services too - especially those you can offer yourselves, or from your company.
Organ donation - We're giving the Aubins the gift of knowing that the people on our team are organ donors. If you are one now, or pledge to be soon, please tell us so, and we'll relay the total number as a gift at the Drop.,

Love Drop #3 - Katie

Last month the Love Drop Team raised over $13,000 (and 3 iPads!) to help two little boys with autism receive a service dog. They were beyond touched, and we did this in only 1 month - that's it. Everyone came together and gave a few bucks each to impact one family's life. If you were a part of it, THANK YOU! You can check out the final video of us showing up to their house here - it's pretty cool.

This month we start all over again and rally behind Katie, a single mom out in Dallas battling not only two brain tumors so far (she's knocked out one, and currently working on the other), but who's also dealing with hydrocephalus. We're teaming up with folks at Blissdom this month to not only bring the community her way, but to make a huge dent in her medical bills.

Wanna help? Here are 3 ways you can make a difference:

1. Give $1.00 - This is the best way to help out and join our team at the same time.
2. Join our blogger network - Blog about our Love Drops each month like I am :) It's easy, it's rewarding, and it REALLY helps spread the word (which in turn helps our families). Love Drop will give you all the content you need.
3. Give a gift or provide a service - Gift cards are always helpful. Places like Target, Safeway, gas stations, etc would definitely help them out.

Thanks for reading! Here's to love, baby.

We did it!!!

I don't know about you, but the constant barrage of bad news lately is wearing my normally optimistic spirit down...so when something positive rolls along, I hang on to it like a greyhound with a new bacon-flavored squeaky toy.

My "something positive" is Love Drop.

The folks over at Love Drop have decided to do something good - in fact, something life-changing - every month for a family in need...and I'm in on it! (doing a happy dance)

Love Drop is based on micro-giving - the idea that if enough people donate $1 or $5, then all of that money put together can accomplish something really incredible.

And we DID accomplish something really incredible in February - Love Drop raised $13,000 (!!!) in order to get an urgently-needed service dog for Ethan & Alex - brothers who are both battling autism. (Click the link for details on their story.)

I'll be posting the details of March's Love Drop Mission in the next day or so -  I encourage you to check it out, and consider whether you might like to participate in Love Drop too!

Love Drop (recap of #1, and details on #2)

The first Love Drop is now complete, and Jill & her family are getting settled in their new home. The Love Drop Team raised over $2,500 and boxes after boxes of goods and items to help Jill and her family get through a hard time in their lives (homelessness & financial worries). We did this in one month. More than 400 people came together and gave a few bucks each to impact one family's life. If you participated in this, THANK YOU!

Nate & J$ put together a great video of the Love Drop, so we can all enjoy watching this incredible event! Jill & kids - sending oodles of love & light your way, to help smooth the path ahead. Wanna get to know Jill a little more? Check her blog out here.

 

This month we start all over again and circle around 2 beautiful kids with severe autism -- Ethan & Alex. Our goal is to raise $13,000 so we can get them a highly trained service dog. And if possible, two iPads so they can speak again (they can't even say "I love you" to their mom -- these iPads allow them to get their voice back).

 

Here are 3 ways you can help:

1. Join the team - This is the best way to help out, and all it takes is $1.00.
2. Join our blogger network - Blog about our Love Drops each month like I am :) It's easy, it's rewarding, and it REALLY helps spread the word (which in turn helps our families). Love Drop will give you all the content you need.
3. Give a gift or provide a service - Gift cards (iTunes would be great!), two iPads (so we can help the boys speak again!), and anything else you think could help out.

Some Thoughts on Kindness

My religion is very simple. My religion is kindness. Dalai Lama 

water drop on stem - © Sascha Burkard | Dreamstime.com

A drop of kindness...

abstract multicolored drop - © Andres Rodriguez | Dreamstime.com

Creates gentle ripples in people,

as a drop of water creates ripples in a still pool.

drop - © Sergey Lavrentev | Dreamstime.com

Nourishes a parched heart,

as a drop of water nourishes parched earth.

dried mud - © Ian Maclellan | Dreamstime.com

But a drop of kindness does more than bless others.

A drop of kindness blesses the giver as well.

droplet falling white into blue - © Dirk Ercken | Dreamstime.com

Some of my favorite quotes regarding kindness:

If you want others to be happy, practice compassion.

If you want to be happy, practice compassion.

Dalai Lama

Kindness is the language which

the deaf can hear and the blind can see.

Mark Twain

Wherever there is a human being,

there is an opportunity for a kindness.

Seneca

Kindness, like a boomerang, always returns.

Author Unknown

Be kind, for everyone you meet

is fighting a hard battle.

Plato

water - © Pedro Diaz | Dreamstime.com

Kindness is the greatest wisdom.

Author Unknown

I expect to pass through life but once.

If therefore, there be any kindness I can show,

or any good thing I can do to any fellow being,

let me do it now, and not defer or neglect it,

as I shall not pass this way again.

William Penn

Always be a little kinder than necessary.

James M. Barrie

Constant kindness can accomplish much.

As the sun makes ice melt,

kindness causes misunderstanding,

mistrust, and hostility to evaporate.

 Albert Schweitzer

Kindness in words creates confidence.

Kindness in thinking creates profundity.

Kindness in giving creates love.

 Lao-Tse

a drop - Kornwa | Dreamstime.com