Blog it Forward

This month, Wayfair is challenging bloggers to Blog it Forward.  Especially with all the unhappy things going on lately, I'm totally on board for spreading a bit of cheer!

Yesterday, I saw a news story about an 8 year old girl who lost her family in a fire in 2013.  Safyre suffered burns to most of her body as well, but she survived miraculously.  Despite her injuries and circumstances, this little girl, according to her aunt "wakes every morning with a smile on her face. She is the true definition of hope, faith and love."  If that isn't inspiring, I don't know what is!

This Christmas, Safyre told her aunt that she wanted to completely fill up a 4' tall card tree that her aunt had purchased.  Challenge accepted, Safyre!  After posting her wish to Facebook, Safyre's aunt has been overwhelmed by the response.  What better way to Blog it Forward than to put a smile on the face of a little girl.  The holiday cards that I had on hand seemed oddly appropriate, quoting Oscar Wilde "What is beautiful is a joy for all seasons..."

Right before I popped it in the mail, I thought about what might make an 8 year old smile.  I addressed it with a gold pen, and grabbed out my colored pencils to put a very quick doodle (don't judge- it's for a child...) on the envelope.  Then I added Daisy and Charlie's names to the inside of card "Meow."

If you'd like to send Safyre a Christmas card, here's the address: Safyre, P.O. Box 6126,  Schenectady NY 12306

There are so many other ways that you can share the love and hope this holiday season!  What about paying for a stranger's coffee, shoveling a neighbor's driveway or simply holding a door open with a smile? With so many people stressed out and rushing around, you'll be surprised by what a seemingly simple act of kindness can do.

If you are also a blogger there's an extra special way that you can pay it forward as well: for each blogger in the month of December who posts about spreading cheer with the Wayfair Blog it Forward button above, Wayfair will donate $50 to Habitat for Humanity.  Win-win!

How do you plan to spread a bit of cheer this holiday season?

Uncommercial Gifting

The week after Thanksgiving always feels like a game-changer to me.  Suddenly it's Christmas season filled with cheesy holiday songs (my absolute fave), holiday parties, gift shopping, and decorating.  The cheesy songs I have down pat, but the rest are still a work in progress.  I've been having a bit more fun with holiday shopping this year as I'm trying to go less commercial and more personal. Holiday shopping back story: A few years ago, my family had a holiday discussion and came to agreement that none of us need tons of gifts or lots of money spent on us.  With Hubby and me and my sister and brother in law now all in our 30s (!) we generally will purchase something when we need it and don't want to accumulate additional useless clutter.  In a mutual family agreement, we all decided to stop going overboard and pare down the Christmas gifting.  One or two well thought out gifts seem to mean more than lots of money spent on things we'd buy ourselves anyway.  With that in mind I've also been trying to buy one of a kind, hand-made, vintage, and generally unique holiday gifts that won't be tossed aside and forgotten when the season is over.

*This is NOT a sponsored post, these brands don't know me from a hole in the wall.  I just wanted to share some of my favorite unique holiday sources with you!*

Local gift shops, thrift shops, & antique shops are always a great place to start, but if you're a bit short on time, an epidemic that seems to be more prevalent in December, there are some amazing online resources to score that perfectly special gift.

One of my absolute personal favorites that seems to be a well-kept secret is Shoppe by Scoutmob

necklace/mugs/print/embroidered art/canvas bin/t shirt/planter

Scoutmob sells small batch items by independent makers, guaranteeing that your loved one won't be receiving 3 of the same sweater.  They have everything from hand made furniture, to quirky T's, to amazing art for your wall.  They even have useful items that everyone needs like organic mustache wax and gourmet spicy ketchup... which just gave me another holiday gift idea....  I've honestly loved every single item that I've ever purchased from them (which includes clothes, jewelry, art, gifts....) and their customer service is beyond stellar.  "Oh, that personalized wedding gift came in damaged and the wedding is next week?  Sure, we'll get you a new one in time!" *actual experience*

This goes without saying but Etsy.  If you can't find it for sale hand-made on Etsy, maybe it doesn't exist.

necklace/garland/bunny/jars/paper dolls/print

From knitted amazingness to adorable stuffed animals to custom whatever-your-heart-desires, Etsy is a gift-buying wonderland.  Unlike Scoutmob where you purchase from them and then receive the goods from each maker, on Etsy, you're dealing directly with the creator.  This puts more power in your hands if you want to take your gifting to the next level.  Do you think your niece/daughter/friend would just LOVE that doll, but would be even more special if it had BLUE eyes? Message the maker and a special gift gets even better.

Or, for the crafty one in your life, what about a DIY kit or monthly subscription?

For the Makers: planters/necklace/embroidery/hoops/bowl/kit

I can't say I have any personal experience with For the Makers yet, it just seems like such a great gift idea!  At For the Makers, you buy the kit to create some wonderfully unique items.  Mostly centered around home decor and jewelry (with a few random things in the mix) this is pretty awesome for the person on your list that loves to make but may not have the time to come up with the ideas or shop for all the pieces.  The gift of fun stylish projects to DIY?  I loves me a good DIY!

So there you have it, a few great new sources to jump start your holiday shopping and ensure that you give the best gifts on the block!

Do you love these sources as much as I do?  What other unique shops would you add to this list?