Celebrate Giving

Hey y'all!  I'm surviving in the Santa Shop this week though these kids are about to do me in...  7 hours of constant cash registering in a portable with no air conditioning, 20-40 kids at a time and a cartoon blaring in the background...it can be hard for a girl to keep up her Christmas spirit!  haha  And yes, the no ac has been a beast because until about 2 this afternoon it's been in the mid 70s with about 150% humidity.  Then the rain brought the temp down like 20 degrees in an hour.  HALLELUJAH!

BUT, I do Santa Shop because I think it's so important to help kids learn the joy of giving.  Yes, getting gifts is great, not gonna lie.  But giving the perfect gift to someone and seeing their joy is just as good and sometimes even better, don't you think?  And it gives me real joy to see those (little ones especially) kids come in with their money and their list and shop for their Mama and Daddy and Nanny and Papa and sissy and bubba and even quite a few pets--it just makes my old sweaty Grinch heart melt.  ;)

And speaking of giving...Rachel the founder of do. Good Stitches decided to celebrate the joy of giving and celebrate how much good this group does.  She has more info on her blog (find it here) about this group of ladies (maybe some men..not sure on that one) around the world who work together to make quilts for charities all over each month.  It's a wonderful organization, and if you're even considering it, SIGN UP!  The friendships and creativity you'll find are icing on the cake to the joy of giving to others.

But now I have a favor to ask of you.  Rachel asked each circle (group of 10 who work together) to pick their favorite quilt made in 2012 by that circle and enter it in a little contest.  The winning quilt's circle receives a prize!!   The {Rad} Empower Circle (that's us) chose Heather's Square Pants quilt that we made blocks for in June.  This quilt is such a beauty and was my choice for top quilt from our group.  Absolutely amazing.

Square Pants Quilted by Heather.  Blocks made my the Empower circle of do. Good Stitches

So, I'm asking that you head over and vote.  If you'd like to vote for us, we'd surely appreciate it, but vote for whichever one speaks to you.  Only one thing--voting ends tomorrow (12/13) @ midnight!  So, vote early and vote often as I always say...  ;)

One other thing, Rachel has set up contests for all individual quilts for the entire group and one for anyone who's made charity quilts in 2012.  So, if you're not involved with d.Gs (yet), but you do share your quilts, please enter, maybe you'll win.

We can all do more for others.  We can all find time to share with others.  Maybe quilting's not your thing and that is fine.  Maybe you just don't have time to commit to something like this right now--that's fine too.  But we can all find time to share a smile, buy someone lunch, pick up something someone has dropped for them, give up a seat on a bus/train/bench, etc.

Even when you don't feel like it, share.  Give.  Bless others.  In the long run, you'll bless yourself.  :)