A Beautiful Bracelet with Thanks

A Beautiful Bracelet with Thanks

Over the last few months I have found numerous items that are made in the USA and have thoughts so many times "that would be perfect for my blog". While I have definitely not given up my efforts to support American industry, once I stopped making this an every day activity I noticed that time simply started to slip away and now it has been a good long stretch since my last post. But I received a gift over the weekend that made me smile, not only for the gesture and intent of the item, but because this was from a collection I featured on this blog several months ago and it meant something all the more special because of that.

I was in attendance at a workshop over the weekend where a lovely young woman (our state pageant titleholder who had emceed a program for me earlier this year) and her mother stopped me as we were leaving to give me a thank you present. It was a beautiful bangle charm bracelet from the Alex and Ani collection.

First, I love it for the gesture it was. Second, I love crowns...as do they and everyone at this particular event :) and third, I love it because I know and believe in this company because of their commitment to keeping their jewelry made in the USA. Was it coincidence or a similar way of thinking? Either way, it was a perfect gesture that made me think "I simply MUST share this on my blog". To them I say thank you for a sweet and appreciated gift. To you, my blog readers, I say thank you for being with me along this journey. Even when I am not actively posting each day, I still believe in this efforta nd hope you do as well. And to Sharon who I heard from again recently, thank you for inspiring me down this road. Whether I am commenting daily or not, supporting this American ideal has made a difference in how I look at things and what I take note of every day of my life. So if a stretch of time passes before we meet again, just know that I am thankful that this blog was part of raising awareness for others, but also making a tangible difference in me. So every time I encounter an item like this and notice that it is made in the USA it will make me smile all the more thinking of my year of exploration and blogging that made me so much more aware and attentive to finding great products and gifts that are made in the USA. Thank you!

Black Friday Shopping Starts When?! I Will Shop Small Business Saturday

Black Friday Shopping Starts When?! I Will Shop Small Business Saturday

Black Friday shopping starts when?! It's Thanksgiving morning as I am writing this and by all accounts there are already sales in progress. Wow. As for me, I am choosing to avoid this shopping experience and instead wait for Small Business Saturday...

https://shopsmallneighborhoods.americanexpress.com/

There are lots of reasons to support small businesses, but to me the most important reason is that by supporting our neighbors we are supporting our neighborhoods and communities and that translates right into the supporting our country. Let's show them some love and save some dollars to spend in the small local stores. I will choose that myself...and if I wait long enough, maybe Black Friday will fall on Wednesday next year.

Glue Dots

Glue Dots

I must admit that after posting something every day for a year, once I crossed the one year mark I decided it was ok to be a little more sporadic with my posts and share only when things really speak to me and I am moved to do so. Well, today I was moved...by glue dots.

 

 

Ah, glue dots (which, incidentally, are incredibly different from glue spots). And as it turns out there are about ten different varieties of glue dots. I know because I spent a fair amount of time today in the local craft store looking at the choices. Some were too big, some were too small, some were micro, some were super strong, some were permanent. These removable dots (as Goldilocks would say) were just right. I believe they will be perfect for the project I am currently working on. I know I have friends who have nightmares over the sheer volume of glue dots they have used to hold various bulk projects together. But I am new to glue dots, so for now my project still is quite a novelty and I look forward to applying these sticky circles to hold all the pieces together. And best of all... 

 

...these glue dots are made in the USA...yea!

Take This Out To The Ballgame

Take This Out To The Ballgame

Last week I noticed one of my co-workers coffee drinking out of this tumbler...

 

She said she got it at a baseball stadium. I was impressed and asked to give it the once over. On the bottom it was marked as being produced by Whirley Drinkworks of Warren, Pennsylvania. So I looked into this a little more. Check out the awesome video on their website http://whirleydrinkworks.com/ that shows more about the many plastic products they make right here in the USA...and take this out to the ballgame!

Styling Some Fabulous Custom Soaps

Styling Some Fabulous Custom Soaps

I love learning new hobbies and craft techniques. This week I decided to try my hand at soap making. It was so much fun! First I found a great glycerin soap base to start with. I found these bags of Something Fabulous pure glycerin soap cubes that could be melted in a microwave. They are conveniently packaged in re-sealable bags and so easy to work with...

 

And the soap, colorings and fragrances I used were all made in the USA...

 

 

 

I molded some opaque soap shapes using some fancy beads with a theme. Then I melted a layer of the clear soap and let it create a surface, placed my opaque soap pieces inside and finished a couple of bars off by sealing them with more clear soap.

 

 

I created these fun bars with an 80s rock theme. Soap making is a great project and a wonderful way to personalize a gift for someone!

"Green" Jeans Made From Recycled Water Bottles

"Green" Jeans Made From Recycled Water Bottles

I want to thank and credit my friend Omar for pointing me in the direction of this link to one of the coolest concepts I have encountered since starting this blog. "Green" jeans made in the USA using recycled water bottles. You really just have to see this for yourself...

http://www.defynewyork.com/2013/09/23/dirtball-made-in-the-u-s-a-green-jean-made-of-recycled-water-bottles/

Can we give this idea some big applause?

The Gift of Caring

The Gift of Caring

Occasionally I break from pointing out American-made items to pointing out American-made spirit. October is breast cancer awareness month, so before the month is over I want to take a moment to salute the walkers at a recent event I was involved with that raises money for the fight against breast cancer...

 

I don't know of anyone who hasn't been impacted either personally or via someone they know and it is time to find a cure. Find out more about the fundraising efforts here... http://www.cancer.org/involved/participate/makingstridesagainstbreastcancer/index. We've lost too many already...it's time now for cancer to lose.