Tag Archives: pay it forward

A Sneak Preview (You’ll Heart This!)

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If you like to be the first one in the know, you’re going to love this, because today I have a special sneak preview and you are the very first person I’m sharing it with. Tomorrow we’re unveiling a fresh new website and when we do, this is one of the first things you’ll see…

Pretty cool news, isn’t it? Chef Art and Jesus (pronounced hay-soos) are two of our most favorite people in the world and they’ve been doing some pretty amazing things with the Common Threads Foundation these past ten years. Their 2013 goal is to get one million kids cooking and eating healthy over the next five years.

Gigi (my friend & business partner) and I knew we wanted to help, so we brainstormed and came up with something we know you’re going to love.

I think you’ll agree that the only thing better than a fabulous bag, is a bag that is fabulous AND pays-it-forward. Isn’t this one beautiful?…

I adore this bag. In fact, I rarely leave home without her. She’s my go-to bag for the office, travelling, shopping and more – she’s even prettier in person.

And she’s not just another pretty face. A close-up reveals she’s pretty darn smart too, with a sheer mesh top, faux leather bottom and pockets for your water, bottle, cell phone, pens – even a clip for car keys…

I see her hanging nearby on a chair and my heart goes pitter patter…

And guess what? The best part about this sneak preview is that today you can get your very own limited edition Common Threads Carry Bag AND a portion of your purchase will go directly to the Common Threads Foundation.

You can purchase the bag alone or make it a combo with our desktop file holder/bag insert…

We love that when the bag and file holder are used together, the bag sits upright wherever you set it down.

Choose either the…

The Common Threads Carry Bag -15.5″L x 14″H x 6.75W $45.00 plus shipping

Or…

The Common Threads Carry Bag plus Desk Top File Holder/Insert - 15.5″L x 14″H x 6.75W  File Holder 13″W x 11.5″H x 4.5″D $58.00 plus shipping

 
Which are you going to choose? Have a great day! xo Amy

A Valentine Pay-It-Forward Kind of Day

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In the past, I have been really, really bad about correspondence. For example, I love getting and sending out Christmas cards. If you sent me one this year… I so very much appreciated it and at the end of the holidays, packed it away with the rest of our Christmas treasures and apologize that you didn’t get one in return.

Each year I have the best of intentions.  There’s always a box of cards on my desk ready to sign, address and mail – yet every year, December 25th comes and goes without a single card sent out. I hate that.

This year is going to be better. Yes, I’ve missed a few birthday’s already, but I semi-passed the Valentine’s Day test – my family members in Cincinnati should get their cards today, although I’m pretty sure that Tyler and Jaimie in NYC and my brother’s family in Maryland, won’t get theirs till tomorrow or Saturday. Ugh.

After getting my valentine cards in the mail, there was one card left….

In the spirit of Pay-it-Forward week…I decided to give it to my favorite greeter at Wal-Mart. He’s an older gentleman… a gentle soul, with a bit of stutter and a genuine smile for everyone who walks through the doors. If you are in a rush, you will be past him before you can hear him say ”Hello, how are you? Welcome to Wal-mart”. In fact, you’d probably be half-way into the store before he finished, because it takes him a bit of time to get those words out. Can you imagine the inner strength it must take to be a greeter with a stutter? I really admire that about him.

I’m almost always in a hurry when I run into Wal-mart, but when I see him at the door, I slow it down so I can hear every single word he has to say. It’s always the same… “Hello, how are you? Welcome to Wal-mart”.

I saw him at door on Christmas Eve and gave him a hug. It just happened. I actually hugged him without thinking… that’s just who I am, but he was so surprised… and happy. It made me feel good. Funny how that works. So today I am bringing him a Valentine’s Day card and inside I wrote “Thank you for making my day a little bit brighter each time I see your smile at Wal-mart”.

I hope it makes him feel good, because giving this card to him is going to make my day. xo Amy

Want to see the most awesome video about an adorable six year old paying it forward? Click here!

Pssst…look what I got! The Good Karma Swap

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How fun is this?

At the beginning of the year I set a goal to blog more often and get to know some of my fellow bloggers. I also started twittering diligently a few weeks back, which is when I saw a tweet by Kaileen of kaileenelise.com saying there was only a few hours left to sign up for her Good Karma Gift Swap.  Moments later I posted a comment saying sign me up and I was in, along with 29 other Good Karma Swap bloggers.  The assignment was to send a secret blogger a treat that calms, something that comforts, a bit of celebration and a piece the promotes creativity. I’m so excited about this I’m a big fan of sending good Karma and talked about it in a post a few years ago when I wrote about Pay it Forward.      

A few days after signing up, I filled out a short questionnaire about things I liked and didn’t like and sent back to Kaileen to anxiously wait for a secret name to send my gifts to. I’ll blog about her when I know she’s received my gifts, but in the meantime, I want to share you what I received from the blogger that got my name!      

This past Friday I went to the mailbox and was sooooo excited to find a package. Could it be the Good Karma Gift? It was!       

A package from Megan (Yay!)

 Megan Loftin of Megan-Moir had sent me a package, but I was in the middle of a deadline and saved it to open until I got home…it was killing me not to open it immediately, but I wanted to enjoy it!    

I should add at this point that another New Year Resolution  is to “have a place for everything and everything in its place”, so I’ll also share with you exactly what I’m going to do with all my new goodies!     

   

Look at the goodies!

 As I opened the package, the first thing I saw was a burst of color…      

     

Tea with a bit of cream and sweetener -mmmmmm

 It’s tea! Who doesn’t  love a good cup of tea? This could be a new favorite…spicy but light…I’m going to have to find out where Megan got  this…it’s that good!    

     

This will not last long!

 This is a no brainer…It’s going straight into my favorite mug!    

      

Beautiful Stationary

 Look at this beautiful stationary! I can’t wait to write my first note. After my son Tyler suffered a head injury this summer, I received beautiful notes from friends that I will forever treasure and I promised myself to make a point of writing notes this year. Tyler is doing better every day, by the way!      

      

A new home for the note cards

 The note cards are on a desk that has a special place in my heart. My father-in-law, a few months before he passed away, asked if I wanted a small desk that wasn’t fancy, but had been his mother’s - of course I said yes, Though I have a few random items placed in it now, I’m getting ready to give it a fresh new look and when finished, I’ll  properly accessorize it. Of course, you’ll be the first to see photo’s when it’s done.      

      

Isn't this journal beautiful?

  I soooooo love this journal…I’ll use it more as an idea book and because a girl never knows when she’s going to get a fabulous bright new idea to jot down, this is where you’ll find my new journal…      

      

Perfect in the outside pocket

  Yep! I’ll carry it with me at all times and store in an outside pocket of my handbag.  

A Happy Book!

 It’s no secret…my friends all know that I’m a glass is half full kind of gal and I can’t wait to read this book… 

I wish this for you too...

 And isn’t this the most lovely note? awwww Megan… I wish you that too! I’ll tell you where this book is going after I show you the next gift…  

I love words...

 I wrote in my questionnaire that I love words. Quotes inspire me…and this word she sent is something I want need to see everyday, because I, like probably most of you, get so caught up in getting things done, that I forget to stop to enjoy the beauty of now.       

   

On the road...

This is where you’ll find my happy book and  enjoy…I carry this bag everyday to the office and sometime this week. It’ll be travelling with me to Florida on business.  Enjoy is a daily reminder to stop and breath… The happy book is perfect to read on the plane!        

Hugs to Megan for the beautiful and thoughtful gifts as well as Kailene for putting this all together. And while I’m at it hugs to you too… It’s been so much fun! xoxox