Fair Trade Friday (and a giveaway!)

So I'm feeling all the feelings today, and it's one of those days where I can't make sense of the thoughts and feelings in my head. I am so excited to share the ministry of Fair Trade Friday with my readers today.  But I'm so afraid of "doing it wrong" or not doing it justice.

This ministry is so amazing that I don't even know how to share it with you. Fair Trade Friday was started by Kristen Welch as a ministry of Mercy House Kenya (also amazing). Kristen is the author of Rhinestone Jesus, a book that shares her journey of little yesses that led to some scary yesses and resulted in lives changed, girls rescued, and babies given a chance at life.

The truth is, we think that one person can't make a difference, but just like the story of the little snowflake, when we all work together, it CAN impact the world. These women depend on our purchases. One artisan said, "Tell the women in America that we need them to keep buying what we make. Tell them it is feeding my son and two daughters. Tell them not to forget us." And that is why I do what I can. One person can make a difference, when joining hands with other people to make a difference.

Our monthly budget is not huge by any stretch of the imagination, but God always meets our needs. I'm thankful to have the opportunity to be a part of the Fair Trade Friday club for a time. Getting my box each month was so much fun as I "oohed and aahed" over the items and then read the cards to find out more about the story of the women who made these items. To be honest, the jewelry is my favorite! Especially the earrings, so I was delighted when they came out with an "Earring of the Month" option.

The biggest reason that I love working with Fair Trade Friday, is that they are Gospel-Centered! Changing lives here on earth is good, but changing lives for eternity is so much more powerful.

The details: Fair Trade Friday is a monthly membership club that delivers high quality fair traded items to your door. The items in the box are fairly traded and provide employment to women all over the world. If you aren't ready to commit to a monthly subscription, there is an option for a one time trial box. They also have an "Earring of the Month" subscription which is currently my favorite!!

As a bonus, I am offering a giveaway of some of the items I have received in my monthly boxes/earrings. In addition, I am including a copy of Rhinestone Jesus!

Included in this giveaway is:
A copy of Rhinestone Jesus (retail $15.99)
Handmade Market Tote by Joyn (retail $12)
Blockprinted Key Chain by Joyn (retail $6)
Tears of Joy earrings by Village Artisan (retail $11.95)
Fabric bracelet by Tukula (retail $16)


Enter Here:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Thanks for sharing!

Creating a Latte

I'm a procrastinator so I'm always behind the rest of the blogging world. They all did their recaps of OneWord 2013 IN 2013... but here I am wrapping up 2013 on Day 6 of 2014...

Create ... Create ... Create

I wrote for class, I attempted and almost succeeded at 31Days in October and I did a little more writing for me and for the blog.

I made connections through the God Sized Dreams Team and made new friends at Allume and loved on my local friends.

And then there was my cardmaking... It comes in shifts, which is why it's mostly a hobby! But I made some progress this year! I opened an etsy shop... and I made some sales.  I created a bunch of cute Christmas cards (and had less success). I have thoughts and dreams for 2014 and I definitely plan to keep creating... and hopefully more selling.  Like these cute coffee cards "Thanks a Latte"

They are for sale in my etsy shop, but you also have an opportunity to win a set for yourself.  One of my God-sized Dreams Team friends (who I had the lovely privilege of meeting at Allume) is doing a giveaway extravaganza for her birthday this month. This giveaway includes my cards, so be sure to stop by her site and enter. Then be sure to subscribe to Melissa's blog to catch the rest of the great giveaways she is offering this month.

And if you are in need of some newborn photography she has a great deal going on right now (Yes, she lives in South Carolina, but maybe a few of my readers are close... or you know someone who is, so spread the word with your friends, too)

and if it's not too much to add, I'm doing a Sale on the Christmas cards in my etsy shop. Spend $10 or more in my Christmas section and use the code CHRISTMAS20 and receive 20% off your order from Whimsical Words!

Thanks, friends... and here's to creating even more in 2014!

Quiet Time/ Organization Dayspring Giveaway!

Quiet Time, Bible Study, prayer and reading, devotions ... whatever you want to call it. For me this week, it was non-existent. Just didn't make it a priority. The urgent took over, even the un-urgent.

Distractions here, not enough time there and before I knew it I had gone a whole week without "cracking open my Bible." I put that in quotes because (sshh, don't tell my pastor father) I've been reading my Bible on my iPad through YouVersion. I opened the app once or twice and then got distracted and never actually read it.

You can feel it when you do this. I know I did! Frustrations came easier, outbursts happened a lot, guilt shoved itself in my face occasionally. But the Holy Spirit didn't leave, He just kept prompting me.

And today, I started right. I caught up on my reading plan, Fearless Journey through YouVersion. I took notes... two pages worth and I remembered that grace is always present.

What's working for me these days? What tools do I use?  Well, there is the reading plans from YouVersion, a journal, and pretty colored pens... lots of pretty colored pens! I do a lot of writing out Scripture. I find that helps cement it in my mind and I love coming back and reading over the Scripture, knowing that God's Word does not return void.

Some of my problem this week was too many opportunities, too many things to do... I didn't say "no" when I should have! I'm so thankful for all of it ... a side job, a special card order, my family, my writing class, prep for Allume, baking for church functions... and that's just what I can think of off the top of my head ... there was also dentist/doctor's appointments and family activities and church activities ... and I'm stressing myself out just listing it all.  Problem is I didn't say no and now I'm drowning.

Enter a family planner... will it help? I don't know, but I hope so!!  I had the opportunity to review some product from Dayspring... maybe you've heard of them? I've mentioned them once or twice. :)  This month, I received a fun Peanuts theme Family Planner and a perpetual calendar

Peanuts - Smiles and Blessings - Perpetual Calendar

don't look too close, I think my spider plant needs watered

My kids are loving this calendar, always trying to get there first to change the calendar to the next day, and anxious to check out the cartoon on their birthdays, etc. so it's definitely adding some smiles and blessings to our day... just as promised!

Peanuts - 16 Month 2013 Family Planner Wall Calendar

I had so much fun using my pretty pens to write in our names on the side to keep us all organized and filled in the month of October... it filled up FAST!  I love the pocket in the back holding cute little calendar stickers... and my meal planning info (when I use it). And it's BIG! I had to clear the side of my fridge for it, but I love that I can read it... and fit a lot in one day (maybe that's not a good thing). Anyway, I am thoroughly going to enjoy using it for the next 15 months (it started in September) You should totally go get one. (did I just say, totally?)

Or you could just try to win one here, on my blog! Yep, that's right, I am one of the lucky ones chosen to do a giveaway of this fine Dayspring product.

To win this helpful family planner and festive perpetual calendar, just leave me a comment on the blog telling me...

What tools do you use to spend time with the Lord?
What are your favorite organization tools or Christian studies?

Giveaway ends on Wednesday, October 24 at 10:00 pm EDT (right before I head off to Allume!!)
Giveaway open to US residents only.
Please leave a way for me to contact you in the comments (email, twitter, blog... something!)

disclosure: The Dayspring links in this blog are affiliate links, but I don't know if they work, because no one has ever clicked a link from my blog and ordered anything... so feel free to click one of these links and buy something (Dayspring products make great Christmas gifts), so that I can see if they work!

Girls Crochet Headbands Giveaway

UPDATED with winner: chosen by Random.org

True Random Number Generator 

  Min: 1

  Max: 52 

Result: 1  

Powered by RANDOM.ORG

 

Hurray, Cathy!! emailing you now!! 

So, growing up, I was not a girly girl... hated the color pink, didn't play with dolls much. My favorite Christmas presents were the remote controlled car and the race track I got one year.  

But then God saw fit to give me THREE girls... in less than THREE years... and suddenly, much to my chagrin, my home was filled with pink and purple! :)

It's grown on me, but as a new mom to girls I wasn't very good at putting girly stuff in their hair.  Now they are 7 1/2, 6 and 4 1/2, and two of them miraculously love stuff in their hair.  (I even got my middle one to model some stuff... the tutu is her favorite part)

So when I was contacted by Girls Crochet Headbands regarding sampling some of their items, I knew my girls would love it!  I even let them pick out what they wanted.

Here's some of what we ended up with.

Turquoise/White Crystal Heart Flower Clip

 

Purple/Hot Pink/White Star Flower Clip

 

Purple Dottie Flower Clip 

The flower clips are awesome. You can use them alone in their hair, or add to a ponytail or a headband... and they are very affordable! The crochet headbands are adorable... and stick on my girls heads, even though they are no longer babies. And the romper and tutu... my girls' favorite items! :)

I'm already plotting a Christmas order soon! So much fun stuff to be had!

The bonus for you, my lovely readers is...you can use the coupon code "whimsy10" to get 10% off your entire order!

(this code expires in 30 days)

 

I also get to do a giveaway for this great shop!!

The giveaway winner will receive a $30 gift certificate to Girls Crochet Headbands. and with her great prices, you should be able to get some great stuff for the little girlies in your life! Giveaway will end Monday, October 15 at 10pm EST... so don't delay!

To enter this awesome giveaway:

1) Mandatory: Head over to the Girls Crochet Headbands website and look around. Then come back here and leave a comment telling me what your favorite Girls Crochet Headbands item is. For extra entries you can also:

2) "Like"GCH on Facebook, then leave a separate comment letting me know you did.

3) Follow GCH on Pinterest (we're pinning so many awesome things!) and leave me a separate comment letting me know you did.

4) Follow GCH on Twitter and leave me a separate comment letting me know you did.

Please leave a way for me to contact you if you win! the "noreply-comment@blogger" won't work for me!!!

Disclosure: As much as I love free stuff, I should not agree to do reviews in exchange for free stuff... Then I'm obligated to actually post on my blog! :) that being said, I love the stuff that I received for free from Girls Crochet Headbands... and my girly girls love it even more!!!

Cut it Out!

Giveaway extended until Friday August 3, at 9AM!

I was going to take a day off from blogging, but I forgot that I had this great book to share with you...

Grocery shopping... Do you hate it or love it?  I personally enjoy it when I'm all by myself, searching for the best deal on the shelf, comparing the prices of smaller sizes vs. larger sizes, and even more lately reading the ingredient list!!  But when you are shopping with small children in tow, you don't have time to think through all that stuff.

and I used to be really good at meal planning and shopping carefully and I used coupons and all... and then I had kids... 4 of them in 4 and 1/2 years, in fact, and suddenly grocery shopping with coupons just took too much time.  And we used to stick to a cash budget, but I got lazy in that regard too!!  I keep saying I'm going to get back on track, but it hasn't happened yet.

Then a bloggy friend, Kate Megill, shared about her new e-book and gave me a pdf copy to review. So I checked it out and I loved it!  It was a quick and easy read and gave some great suggestions, some of which I already know and use!

My favorite part was the link to download a price book template... she already did the work, you just have to edit it for YOUR preferences! How awesome is that? Having a price book would alleviate the stress of comparison shopping when I have my kids with me!!

I don't want to give you the whole book here, but there is a lot of ideas... master meal list, meal scheduling, how to stock a pantry, etc.  And how to make it work if there is only 1 or 2 of you, instead of a family of 10 like Kate!

And one more thing, there are even some recipes in the back!!  Altogether, it makes it well worth the $3.99 (or $1.99 if you buy it in the first five days of launch).

You can learn more about the book at Cut it Out Without Coupons or Kate's blog:

Cut it Out! will be available for sale July 30. The cost of the e-book is $3.99 but for the first 5 days of the launch (July 30-August 3) it will be available for half price - only $1.99!

OR, you could get it FREE! Kate is giving me one copy to give away to one of YOU, my readers! To enter simply leave a comment below and tell me one thing you love (or hate) about grocery shopping. The giveaway closes at 9pm EST on Wednesday, August 1, 2012.

Have you been redeemed?

UPDATE: Giveaway over: winner chosen by writing names on slips paper and drawn by my 5YO.  WINNER is Zohary Ross! Congrats!

I've mentioned on occasion how I love Dayspring! I've been shopping there a bit lately! I've won some giveaways, and enjoyed some great sales! Like the one for 20% off select Redeemed items! through the end of the month.

Recently I was able to receive some items specifically for review on my blog! About 2 weeks ago, I got yet another package from Dayspring... and inside were two items from their newest line (at least I think it's their newest line! :)



"The Redeemed collection celebrates the way God, in His generous grace, sews together every beautiful bit of our lives to form one masterpiece creation after another."

I am so thankful for His grace and His work on the masterpiece of my life!  I also enjoy using these items from Dayspring!

This fantabulous Makeup bag... which I so desperately needed to upgrade! (my last makeup bag, I'm pretty sure I've had since college... which was over 15 years ago, but we won't go there) This one has lots of space, such fun prints and patterns inside AND some pockets!!

and the message on the front... that God makes everything beautiful... in His time (makeup or not) makes me stop and think, each time I pull it out!  and it held everything I needed for a trip home to see family!  PERFECT!!

Redeemed - Truly Beautiful - Makeup Bag

 

I also received this chic wallet that reminds me where my treasure is!!
I have to confess that the little clasp on top reminds me of my grandma's change purse... does that mean I'm getting old, that I like it anyway?!?!  :)  So it's fun to use and my wallet needed replaced, too, so I am enjoying these new items!!

I also have the opportunity to give ONE OF YOU a Redeemed Wallet, to remind you how treasured you are in God's eyes!!

To get in on the giveaway, go visit Dayspring, then come back and tell me what your favorite Redeemed product is!

Tweet the giveaway for an extra entry and let me know!
Giveaway is open until Monday, April 23! Winner will be announced Tuesday!

(Disclosure: I was given these items to review... and I'm experimenting with affiliate links, but struggling. so there is a slight chance that I could benefit from you clicking on a link and buying something from Dayspring)