good deeds ~ rad poster art

this is so true! and a beautiful poster.

but what's even better about this particular work of art?

if you buy it, 40% of the proceeds will go to charity!

i found this on help ink, a poster shop dedicated to making the world a better place.  

each week they showcase a new poster by a talented artist.  when you make your purchase, you get to choose from a list which charity you would like your payment to go towards {heifer international, charity water, etc.}.  so there you go.  art = great for your living room and the world!

happy november everyone!

good deeds ~ bicycles

bicycles are awesome!

here are just a few reasons why:
+ you get to exercise while you commute,
+ you don't need gas {when i first started driving gas only cost $0.86. sigh...},
+ you don't need insurance {other than health insurance that is},
+ you look adorable, especially if you have a cute bike with a basket and/or saddlebags,
+ you can repurpose your worn out bike tubes into cool earrings,
+ you won't pollute the environment,
+ you get to bypass all the cars stuck in traffic,
+ you'll make all sorts of fun discoveries and see your city in a whole new way.

{1, 2}

but did you know the most important benefit of a bicycle is that it saves lives?  that's right, without a bicycle hundreds of thousands of kids in impoverished countries have no way to get to school which are often in villages miles from home.  without an education, these kids are never able to attain good jobs as adults and are forced to rely on others for their care, which means many end up in slavery or abusive marriages.  

some people can only be saved by a top brain surgeon or a million-to-one odds of a miracle, but a simple bicycle?  if it's as easy as two-wheeled transportation that saves a life, then shouldn't we all be contributing what we can to get bicycles into the hands of those who need it?

{photo borrowed from 88 bikes}

here are some ways you can help:
- upgrading? donate your old bike!
- sponsor a bike through a church, school, or club fundraiser.
- help fund the cost of shipping bikes/bike parts overseas.
- donate bicycle repair kits.
- spread the word.

there are lots of organizations that are working hard to deliver bikes to those who need it.
here are a few i've found with a variety of services, collection times/locations, and donation options
{you can also ask at your local bike shop for donation opportunities}:
88 bikes
wheels 4 life
pedals for progress
bicycles for humanity
bikes for the world

good deeds ~ have you laughed today? {part II}

a few months ago i posted about the benefits of laughter {there are tons!}, and after the past couple of weeks i needed to do a little laughter therapy myself.  so i took to the interweb and gathered up some funnies.  here are a few of my favorites:

of course i also watched numerous "it's always sunny in philadelphia" episodes, 

and i spent some time reading these hilarious cards.  it feels so darn good to laugh doesn't it?

how about you? have you had a good laugh lately?

{1, 2, 3, 4, 5}

good deeds ~ 826 national

where can a pirate find necessary supplies like designer peg-legs, planks for all manners of creatures to walk, and scurvy medication?  why the pirate store of course! yes you can find plenty of booty and more! like trustworthy pirate advice, a fish tank theatre {but please, do NOT judge the fish}, and dangers lurking behind trap doors.  you may think i'm joking about all of this, but i assure you, i am not.  for a small pirate girl from treasure island, this shop was my heaven!  {if you ever visited me in san francisco, i probably took you there with evil plans to get you mopped.  it even made an appearance in the great proposal treasure hunt of 2010!}

now you may be wondering what the pirate store has to do with doing good deeds {no, i'm not going to ask you to sponsor a pirate. although my imagination had a pretty fun time with that thought}.  the pirate store is actually just a front for 826 valencia, a non-profit dedicated to providing free writing workshops and classes to kids ages 6-18.  i know, so cool!  as a writer, former teacher, and lover of providing underprivileged kids with awesome opportunities, i am especially excited to share this pirate-themed shop with you.

826 valencia {named after its street address in san francisco} was started by a teacher and dave eggers {yes, that dave eggers} in the early 2000's.  they wanted to start a program where kids could gain a love of literature and have access to creative-minded adults who would help them grow as readers and writers.  the hilarious-themed shops became a fun way to promote their non-profit and fund all the good work they do.

 the pirate store was wildly successful, and soon other 826 shops opened all over the country, each with a different theme.  we actually just so happened to move in a few blocks from one in LA, the travel mart {dedicated to everything one would need for time travel}, which made us feel a littler closer to home.  other stores have opened in seattle, new york, chicago, ann arbor, boston, and washington d.c.  if you live near any of these cities, you must go check them out in person, you won't be sorry!  

826 does amazing work for kids all over the country, and since many of us in blogland
are writers, it's a cause i think we can all agree is extremely important.  

here are some ways you can help:

* donate directly to 826 national online.

* volunteer in the writing labs of any of 826's locations.

* purchase hilarious books, t-shirts, posters, and helpful products for pirates, superheros, robots, etc.

* pre-order your she & him christmas album {yup, that counts! zooey deschanel & m. ward are two of the biggest supporters of 826, and they're donating portions of their christmas sales to the cause.}.

who doesn't want to hear she & him all christmas long?  and now you'll be helping
 underprivileged kids all over the country grow a love for writing.  win-win!!


{all photos & funnies were found at 826, with the exception of the she & him photo, 
which was found at she & him's place of interweb residence.}

good deeds ~ milk & bookies {giving up my birthday}

remember when i shared the "good deeds" post on paul rudd giving up his birthday to a charity and encouraging others to do the same? i found that completely inspiring, and since this thursday is my birthday, i've decided to ask my friends to give children's books, instead of gifts, which i will donate to milk & bookies.  

milk and bookies is an organization that teaches kids the beautiful act of giving by collecting books and donating them to other children who don't have access to books in your home town.  it's a really beautiful way to impact your own community and teach the joy of giving.  i love this adorable video explaining how important it is that children get books.  as a former teacher i've read all the research that links childhood reading {including reading to children} and later life successes.  providing books and stories to kids is absolutely vital.

if you are in the LA area i would love to see you this thursday as i celebrate my final birthday of my 20's!!  that's right, i'm not a kid nor do i have any, but i am a lover of my inner child.  as adults i think it's extremely important to experience the act of giving to others.  if we think it's a valuable lesson to teach children, then we should certainly be living this out as grown-ups as well.  

i'll be at alcove bakery between 7:30-10:00p on august 25th.
stop by if you can to:  

- give me a birthday high-five,

- grab one of alcove's famous desserts or hot chocolates, 

- drop off a book for a needy child.  

if you're not in the LA area i highly encourage you to:

- donate books directly to milk & bookies,

- donate books to a library, school, or other agency in your area,

- throw your own milk & bookies party to collect children's books!

{if this idea sparks an interest in you, i recommend contacting a local bookstore to team up with.  they can help you advertise to the larger community and provide the space for fun activities.  you could do a book reading with one of the donated books, offer free milk & cookies to everyone who donates, and provide cute bookplates where the donators can leave a message for the child who will read it.}

ps - erin!! you should especially check this video out.  ;)

good deeds ~ what anne frank & dr. seuss know

"how wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single moment 
before starting to improve the world." 

                                 -- anne frank

"unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing 
is going to get better.  it's not."

                             -- dr. seuss

what do anne frank and dr. seuss have in common?  

for one thing they both know the great importance of making the world a better place wherever you may be right this very moment.  so stop right there!  look around you.  what can you do right now? smile at a fellow coffee shop patron?  ask a coworker how he/she is doing?  take care of that thing your roommate/partner dreads doing around the house?  or perhaps clean out the litterbox for your very patient kitty?  

great! that's a solid start.  now, can you go a little bigger?  check in on a loved one maybe?
volunteer at your child's school?  deliver treats to your neighbors?  

{photo}

there are so many things we can each do that take anywhere from a few seconds to a few hours, but which are overwhelmingly powerful to those around us.  just think what this world would be like if we all partook in these "small" selfless acts on a regular basis!


ps - happy august!

good deeds ~ it gets better

some friends of mine made an it gets better video, sharing their personal experiences with coming out as
gay and lesbian, and transitioning to the opposite gender.  this particular video is focused on surviving the hardships of coming out within a religious community, specifically the seventh-day adventist church.
this is the religion i grew up in, although i am no longer a part of it.  like most other religions, there are many church members who are strongly against being gay or lesbian, to the point of extreme rejection, shame, and abuse.  i feel really fortunate, however, to have befriended the most loving, accepting, and supportive seventh-day adventists of the crop, and i'm so happy that my gay, lesbian, and transgendered friends have finally found safe communities where they can embrace their spirituality just as they are.  

sharing painful experiences like these can be terrifying to say the least.  i am blown away by their courage to open themselves up to the world in an effort to provide someone out there on the other end of the interweb with hope. these videos are tremendously powerful, and they've got me thinking - what sorts of hope can i spread to others?

i think it's important to be open about the hardships we've been through in our lives.  after we have come to that point where we are fully healed from it, we are often able to look back and identify ways we learned and grew from the struggle.  but if we are willing to share these hard times with others, think of how many more positive things could come from our difficult experiences!  being open about your past is a tremendously personal way of helping others, so make sure you are in a healthy place to handle it.  but i do hope you will consider sharing your struggles when the time is right with someone who could really benefit from it.
life really does get better, but with that support from someone who understands, the hard times
will get better just a little faster.

good deeds ~ see beautiful!

last week i was sent a great new blog which i am excited to share with you guys!

as we all know, the modern world is a pretty rough place.  we are constantly bombarded by messages and ideas that there is a very particular sort of beauty which we must attain, and for those of us who don't fit it, well... up a river, minus paddle.  now we all know that media-created beauty is not what we should be striving for, but has it really sunk in to our inner beliefs about ourselves?  think about each time you head out with a group of friends for dinner, or meet up with a cute boy for a first date, or how about this one: hanging at the beach!  in each of these situations, have you worried about your looks?  have you had that little {or let's be honest, loud} voice inside pointing out the things which aren't up to par in the beauty department?  have you covered things up with make-up, hair spray, and strategically placed clothing?  i bet, despite the fact we are all disgusted by idolizing unhealthy models in the media, each of us still struggles with seeing our own amazing beauty.  but when you take steps to replace those crazy notions of beauty by surrounding yourself with positive outlooks on beauty, you will begin to embrace your own wonderful gorgeousness.

{photo}

see beautiful is devoted to helping all of us do just that - to see true beauty in ourselves and the world around us.  they celebrate beautiful women, charities, products, and ideas, all of which will contribute to a more accurate understanding of what real beauty means.  it's thrilling to see a site like this stand up for all the women and girls out there, and to offer healthy alternatives to the plethora of misrepresentations of beauty.  there are all sorts of funny, uplifting, and informative stuff over on their site, so please go check it out and join the beautiful movement.

when we love all the pieces of ourselves, tossing any judgment out the window, we will overflow with confidence and joy... and that's the most beautiful YOU of all!  

see beautiful: blog, website, twitter, facebook. 

good deeds ~ have you laughed today?

okay, this is going to be my good deed for the week - sharing with you the importance of laughter and then {hopefully!} making you laugh right here, right now.  what an important cause!

first of all, isn't laughing weird?

think about it, when you like something so much, and it pleases you in such a specifically delightful way, you shake and convulse and noise comes out of your throat {and sometimes nose}.

weird!

but i'm so glad we can laugh because it's absolutely positively good for you, physically, mentally and emotionally.  some studies even suggest that laughter increases your life span.  woo-hoo!  a therapist friend of mine teaches laughter yoga, which i can't wait to try one of these days.  do any of you practice this?  if you have never seen laughter yoga you must check out this hilarious and informative clip.  how can life get you down when you face it with a little laughter?

here are some fun facts about laughing: 

* laughter releases and reduces the stress chemicals in the brain.

* it increases the cells that produce antibodies, giving you a stronger immune system.

* it exercises the diaphragm, your heart, and your abs, back and shoulder muscles.

* laughing helps to distract you from the negative and shifts your focus to more positive outcomes.

* laughter provides great bonding experiences with others.

* even animals laugh!

it's interesting to me that a lot of us laugh when we're nervous or overwhelmed in addition to being happy.  i think that just goes to show it's a natural way our bodies react in order to make things better.  so go ahead and let it all out through laughing!  

having trouble? here, let's see if i can help with that....

{photo}

***

or how about hyperbole and a half's problem with being an adult?
i'm pretty sure she wrote this after shadowing me for a week.

{ouch, my stomach!}

***

of course there's always a lot of funnies to be had with making charts out of song lyrics:

{90's and rick astley}

this one has terrible quality, but still funny:

***  

and of course, wickedly bleeping out favorite sesame street clips.
i don't know how many times i've seen this and it still makes me laugh!
{let's be honest, this song was just asking for it.}

***

so did those work? i hope so.

now let's see how many of us can pay it forward by helping others laugh today, okay?
okay!

good deeds ~ shout-outs

lately i've been noticing all sorts of random acts of kindness going on around me.  it began with the bake sale as i watched how many of you found ways to support the cause, and since then it has felt as though my eyes have been opened! i am a firm believer that we are changed by the things which hold our attention.  of course i know all too well how easy it is to get caught up in our worries, stresses, fears, and confusion in life, so i wanted to take a minute right here on my blog to focus on the positive.  i hope this can be a great reminder to both you and me that there is a whole lot of good in the world, and that we too can help spread hope, cheer, and peace to the people around us.

so i want to give a great big shout-out to:

* the girl on sunset who picked up a plastic bottle on the sidewalk and put it in the recycling.

* the guy at trader joe's who offered to hold the elderly woman's basket while we waited in line.

* the neighbor lady down the street who stopped by to check on the health of our neighbor kitty who was attacked by a dog last month, and to offer her friendly support.

* my two year old student who gave her toys to another little boy along with a hug.

and in honor of these kind acts, i will be looking extra hard for ways i can make the world a sweeter place for those around me.  i will be looking for opportunities to open doors, clean up the neighborhood, offer smiles and waves, give a listening ear, volunteer my helpful services, and anything else that presents itself to me today and through this week.  how about you?

{of course we need ideas - everything starts with an idea after all - but it is only through acts that those ideas have any sort of meaning.  found here.}

have you seen any random acts of kindness lately?  

i would love it if everyone could share at least one act of kindness you've witnessed in the comments.  maybe together we can help foster an attitude of giving, pick up a little inspiration for our own positive actions today, and start this week of right.

good deeds ~ hosting a fundraiser

well our bake sale is over now.  a whole lot of hard work, time, energy, and love went into the making of our fundraiser and i am so excited to say that it was a HUGE success!  we were able to raise $480 for the pablove foundation, after just a few hours.  it was a gorgeous day and we were in the perfect spot {thanks to our hosts vacation vinyl} to meet tons of neighbors out and about.  the good people of silver lake definitely came through and bought up just about everything {which was a huge task - we had so much food!}.  brandi and i really can't thank you all enough for your support - whether you baked, came out to help us saturday, or spread the word on twitter, your blogs, and facebook.  we had so many bloggers and non-bloggers alike supporting us, and the baked goods were A-mazing, definitely treats we were proud to sell for our good cause.  we could not have done it without all of you!

 {l-r: amanda, me, brandi, erin}

the good news is you can still donate to pablove anytime, anywhere.  it's such an amazing cause, being run by the most amazing people, so you can be sure your money will go to help children with cancer and their families in really important ways.

how to host your own fundraiser

many of you live too far away to have helped us in direct ways, but after my experience throwing a fundraiser, i just had to share the how-to's with you.  this was my first time hosting an event like this, and it was far easier than i thought it would be.  here are some of the tips i learned:

* find a great charity that you can feel passionate about.  large charities like the red cross are amazing and deserve a fundraiser in their honor, but not everyone can feel personally connected to an organization this big.  try checking out the non-profits and charities in your own community to find something that is a little more personal to you, or consider helping organizations which have helped a friend or family member {such as, raising money for the rescue shelter where you found your furry four-legged love}.

* contact the charity which you choose.  non-profits and charities are more than happy to help you work out logistics and advertise for your event.  megan, from the pablove foundation, was instrumental in helping us find a great location to host our bake sale.  usually charities have connections with other people and businesses in the community who can help host your event, thereby avoiding issues of city permits, rentals, etc.  you can also get some great tips from the charity on what other people have done when fundraising.

* find a partner.  brandi and i were so thankful to have partnered up with each other on our bake sale.  together we were able to brainstorm, divide up tasks, rely on each other's unique skills, and double our network of volunteers.  fundraisers are only successful when people come together, so launch your efforts with a trusted partner from the very beginning.  

* ask for lots of help. reach out to anyone and everyone.  you may be surprised to find who will be excited to get involved, or how many of their friends will join in.  we had all sorts of folks bake treats for us, one of whom i had never met before, but was a friend of a friend.  asking for help from volunteers also makes things so much easier for you in spreading the word {some of you who promoted our bake sale don't even live in the US!}, and for setting up/taking down on the day of the event.  brandi and i were so lucky to have had erin, amanda, and the mister help us get everything started {and by the way, setting up definitely involved the most amount of work so have plenty of volunteers on the day of}.

* share a google document.  this may sound simple, but it was so incredibly helpful.  since brandi and i didn't live near each other, it was essential to stay organized and to keep an ongoing form of communication.  we were able to see who was handling each task and which things still needed to be done, all without having to fit in too many phone calls and skype sessions during our busy schedules.

* sleep really well the night before, reserve time to exercise, and use lots of sunblock.  these are probably self-explanatory, but the day of is inevitably going to be pretty crazy. get good sleep, find ways to de-stress, and remember to stay safe if you're out in the sun.  that way once you get going with your event you can sit back and have fun making the world a better place.

so those are my main tips for hosting your own fundraiser.  if you want extra advice i would be happy to share more specifics from what i learned this weekend.  like i said, it really was a lot easier than i expected, and i hope this can be of some inspiration for those of you considering hosting your own event.  our bake sale was just a small idea in the beginning, but we ended up raising almost $500, money which the pablove foundation would not have had without our "little" idea.  just a wee bit of effort and you too can make the world a better place!

{all photos borrowed from brandi}

good deeds ~ blogger bake sale {details}

it's almost here!  

this is our final week before our big blogger bake sale to benefit the pablove foundation.

here are the specifics:

date: this saturday, june 4

time: beginning at 11:30am till around 3ish {or whenever we sell out}

where: just outside vacation vinyl at sunset junction  

don't live in silver lake? how about make a day of it! 

there are tons of great stuff all within a couple blocks of where we'll be selling sweet treats for a good cause:

+ the incredible silver lake farmers market,

+ intelligentsia coffee {where you're sure to run into a favorite musician},

+ pazzo gelato with dozens of flavors,

+ the spice station where you can get any sort of tea or cooking spices your little heart desires,

+ reform school {pretty much the renegade craft fair in shop form},

+ our fantastic hosts, vacation vinyl, with an amazing selection of records,

+ the cheese store {ooooh so good},

and dozens more restaurants, cafes, specialty shops, & vintage stores.

there's even a great little movie theatre close by, fun bars, and tons of live music if you want to stay through the evening.  plus, you'll get to meet brandi and me, all while helping out children and families affected by pediatric cancer.  have i sold you yet? 

and if you would like to donate some baked goods, we still need local bakers.  

just email me at fillyourwell{at}gmail.com to work out the details.

for those of you who don't live in LA, you can still donate to the cause here, 

or if you feel inspired to host your own bake sale {or other form of fundraising for a good cause} i would be happy to share what i've learned and help get you started.  just drop me a line.

{feel free to grab this cute flyer brandi made & pass it around}

i really hope to see you there!  

good deeds ~ blogger bake sale!

that's right, only two more weeks until our bake sale! 

  i wanted to take a moment to introduce you all to

the fantastic charity we will be supporting through

our sales -> the pablove foundation.  if you've

ever been to sunset junction in silver lake

{intelligentsia anyone?}, than you're probably

familiar with this beautiful pablove mural 

scrolled along the dangerbird record 

label's building.  

pablove was started a couple years ago by jeff castelaz and his wife jo ann thrailkill {jeff is the ceo & co-founder of dangerbird records, the label for amazing bands such as silversun pickups, sea wolf, & hot hot heat, to name a few}.  jeff & jo ann were mom & dad to little pablo, a brave boy who passed away at the early age of 6 from a rare form of cancer.  in response to their tragic experience, jeff & jo ann decided they wanted to do something to help other children with cancer, and thus the pablove foundation was born.

the pablove foundation is an incredible non-profit.  not only do they fund research specifically looking at treatments and cures for pediatric cancer, but they also provide education and support to families who have been effected by pediatric cancer, as well as offering programs in play, music & arts to help kids with cancer have some fun. 

on their childhood cancer facts page they share the following: "Cancer claims the lives of more children each year than AIDS, asthma, cystic fibrosis and diabetes combined. It is the leading cause of death by disease in children and adolescents." yet... "In the past 30 years ONLY ONE new cancer drug has been approved for pediatric cancer."  with this in mind, our world desperately needs organizations like the pablove foundation to keep the research process going, and you can help!  join brandi and me on june 4 in silver lake and make a difference for children all over the world in the fight against cancer.

here are 3 ways you can help:

1. bake up some goodies to be sold at our bake sale.  

2. stop by sunset junction on saturday june 4 and buy some delectable goodies to benefit the pablove foundation.

3. donate directly to the pablove foundation on their website.

if you would like to donate baked goods, or other supplies, please 
email me at fillyourwell{at}gmail.com, or 

brandi at brandi{at}notyouraverageordinary.com.

good deeds ~ levi's waterless jeans

i first read about levi's waterless jeans a couple month's ago on eva's blog, four leaf clover, and i am so excited to finally share it with you all! 

levi's jeans have dedicated themselves to not only conserve water through a revolutionary waterless washing process in their factory, but to also provide clean drinking water to people living in impoverished areas.  through their new manufacturing techniques {which you can learn more about on their website}, they are able to save about 28-96% of their regular water usage during the manufacturing of their 

jeans {depending on the product}.  that translates into a savings of 16 million liters of 

water during manufacturing this spring alone!   

but levi's can't conserve water all on their own.  in an effort to help conserve water after their jeans have found a home in your closet, they've created a campaign encouraging all of us to care for our jeans in sustainable ways.  and might i add, this campaign is hilarious as well as informative.

hopefully, other clothing companies will adopt similar practices in near the future.  in the meantime, we can help by taking into consideration the ways in which we use our water {especially those of us living in the desert}.  and by the way, does the thought of washing your jeans every week seem crazy to anyone else?
i mean, how dirty can they really get in a week? not to mention the fact that washing your jeans
weekly wears them out and fades the color faster.  i'm going to choose to be a dirty girl
and help conserve water by waiting as long as possible to wash my jeans,

 how about you?

good deeds ~ seed bombs!

over the weekend, we spent a few hours exploring unique LA, a handmade extravaganza similar to the renegade craft fairs.  we found several amazing booths selling products which make the world a better place {other than looking really cute}, and i had to share one of my favorites: seed bombs!

 common studio is a local {to los angeles} design studio, which came up with this brilliant idea to spread plant life in urban areas.  it's a young idea {it was just started last year}, but has already caught on by people all over the world. it's not surprising either, seed bombs are some of the coolest things ever!  it's such a beautiful concept to add some nature to your neighborhood, an empty lot, and the ghetto -- to literally bomb life in an otherwise cement-filled area!  what's even more beautiful?  common studio employs homeless men and women to hand-rolled each seed bomb, thereby providing opportunities to help people get back on their feet.

you can buy all sorts of plants packed with seeds native to your area of the world, plus they sell slingshots for growing greenery in hard to reach locations.  these are now being sold in gumball machines all over the US, austria, and italy.  you can even find them at whole food stores here in LA {possibly elsewhere}.  of course, anyone anywhere can buy them online, so don't miss out if you happen to live in canada or the philippines {you know who you are!}.

pssst! great idea here:

we almost gave these out at our wedding as favors, so people could spread the love all over the world.
i still love this idea for a wedding, and i really hope someone out there steals it!

***

and while we're on the subject, i also found make shop live - a handmade shop that sells mostly recycled home goods, but which also just began making seed gift tags.  when planted, each gift tag grows hummingbird-attracting plants!  since this was a local shop, they were all in the shape of CA  {hanging in the center of the photo below}.  the gal behind these, however, said she will probably be making more shapes soon with different types of seeds in each, good for a variety of ecosystems.  

so how about it? ready to start planting?

all photos borrowed from their respective websites & blogs.

good deeds ~ LA blogger meetup

what's better than sharing all sorts of ideas for making the world a better place? 

actually making the world a better place together! 

today i bring you some news that i'm super excited about!
brandi {from not your average ordinary} and i are teaming up to put good deeds into action.
on june 4, we will be hosting a bake sale for charity here in los angeles, and everyone is invited!
of course i know many of you don't live nearby, which is totally sad! you will be missed, but
maybe you can host a charity blogger meetup in your neck of the woods?...

{photo}


more details to follow soon, but for now,
we need your help with one thing: finding a location.

here's what we are looking for:

- a gallery, cute shop, or cafe that has some extra space for a table full of treats.

- a location that would be happy to give us permission to host our bake sale on their property
{owning or knowing an owner of a gallery/shop is preferred}.

- a location in the LA area that is well-known, easy to get to, and has a lot of foot traffic
{examples: silver lake, santa monica, los feliz, etc.}.

if you know of a location that sounds like this, please contact brandi or me, either in the comments or by email.

my email: fillyourwell{at}gmail.com

brandi's email: brandi{at}notyouraverageordinary.com

thank you so much for any and all of your help!
this is going to be such a fun opportunity for us to get together and make the world a better place.
i can't wait!

good deeds ~ give up your birthday

okay, so we all probably know paul rudd as the dreamy funny man from clueless, friends, anchorman, and i love you man, just to name a few.  lately, however, he's been doing something much more serious, selfless, and incredibly beautiful.

a couple weeks ago was paul rudd's birthday, but instead of throwing a party, he decided to give his birthday to the american cancer society.  that's right, he gave up his birthday in honor of his father {who died from cancer} and everyone else who is affected by cancer every day.  

instead of spending money on him, paul rudd asked everyone he knew, including his fans, to donate to the american cancer society in the amount of the donator's age.  so if you're 20, donate $20, and if you're 48, donate $48, etc.   how amazing is that?!  

if you would like to donate to the cause, head over to paul rudd's crowdrise page and click donate.

and i would like to encourage all of us to consider taking on paul's challenge to give up our birthdays when they come around.  i know how difficult this sounds when it's the one day a year people want to give you things, but honestly, none of those things matter if you or a loved one gets sick, loses a job, or experiences a tragic event.  so whether it's the cancer society or some other foundation close to your heart, think about what an amazing fundraising opportunity your birthday could be for the good of others.

good deeds ~ random acts of kindness

so how is everyone doing with those good deeds out there? i don't know about you, but some weeks i feel totally inspired to help other people in about a million different ways, while other weeks i
think "jilkemnr people yotreqwnoxf help tpugvbar good."  

so what do you do when you want to make the world a better place, but you're a total incoherent mess? 

don't worry, the internet has a solution for you - randomactsofkindness.org to be specific.

{you can buy this print in the sweet etsy store heidiburton}

random acts of kindness has all sorts of ideas for do-goodery, true life tales of charity, and other kindness-focused resources to get you inspired.  so head over, get in the spirit of spreading some love, and go make a difference in someone's life today.  and who knows? maybe we'll see one of your stories on random acts of kindness one day soon, providing heaps of inspiration for some other blogger and her readers!

***

while we're on the topic of kindness, the mister has a job interview this morning for which we would greatly appreciate any kind thoughts you may have to spare.  he desperately needs a job, and this one would at least be in his field {which means a lot when you're searching high and low for all sorts of random jobs}.

i have also sent in an application to a real live person at an awesome residential facility thanks to the networking event this weekend.  i would love to get your good vibes sent my way today, so that this person will actually look at my resume and call me in for an interview... and then hire me!  at this point it's
easy to think nothing will come of these interviews/applications since nothing has panned out
so far, but for some reason, i'm feeling extra hopeful today.
we shall see!

good deeds ~ handmade with a purpose

anyone planning on buying anything this month? 

if so, check out the shops participating in handmade with a purpose.

over 30 etsy & blog shops have joined handmade with a purpose in donating their sales profits to a charity of their choice during the month of april.  here's what they have to say:

handmade with purpose is about:

acknowledging creativity.

using our creativity to produce handmade goods.

selling our handmade goods for a profit.

taking our profit and giving back to our communities, 
those less fortunate, & those in need.

isn't that wonderful?! 

so if you are looking for a gift, or something new in your life, check out the shops and do a little good for the world with your purchases.  you can also donate directly to the different charities if you feel inclined.
but hurry, it all ends april 30.  

find out which shops are participating, as well as the charity to which each shop is giving, by scrolling through handmade with a purpose's blog posts.  you'll probably even see a familiar shop or two!  

here are a few of my favorites from all the shops:

{coffee cuff: oh, sweet joy!, tote bag: aPearantly sew, rosette hair clips: along for the ride}

good deeds ~ one day without shoes

tomorrow, april 5, toms shoes is challenging you {and anyone you can finagle into joining you}, to participate in one day without shoes.  every day millions of children go barefoot around the world, trekking long miles, and suffering injuries and infections which could be avoided with a simple pair of shoes. many of these children don't have access to
shoes, however, something which we greatly take for granted in the developed world.  

but wait, there's hope! toms shoes is working hard to bring free shoes to children of the world, and you can help!  in addition to purchasing toms shoes for yourself {which will provide one free pair of shoes to a child in need}, you can also join in the challenge to spend the entire day tomorrow {or however long you can, even 15 minute counts!} experiencing your daily routine... barefoot {gasp!}.

now i know what you're thinking - oh the horrors of running around town barefoot {trust me, i know how hard this sounds. my ocd is freaking out about this.}! i mean, what if you step on something sharp, get really dirty, or catch worms?  but i think that's exactly the point here.  people in impoverished areas have these exact same worries, only they can't do anything about it.

so why go without shoes?:

in addition to starting a conversation with co-workers, classmates, and neighbors, i think we here in the blogging community have an extra advantage of getting the word out to hundreds of people at a time.  so i highly 
encourage you to not only join the challenge, but to also share your experience 
sometime later in the week on your own blogs.  
if i can do it {panic attacks and all}, you can too!