A Year in Gifts October

It came to me pretty early on in October who my recipient would be for my year in gifts project that month. After reading a few tweets and settling down to read to some very moving blog posts, I really wanted to extend a loving thought (okay perhaps a bit more than just a thought) to DragonflyPoppy who blogs here.

If you read Elizabeth's blog, you will know that recently her Mum was diagnosed with cancer and that even more recently she underwent an operation . It's not my story to tell so I won't. Instead, I'd love for you see her blog and read for yourselves.

This month, I wanted to send a gift to not only Elizabeth but also to her Mum. My Aunt has been through Breast Cancer and come out the other side a healthier and stronger woman. Armed with my limited knowledge and some research, I carefully picked out items I thought Elizabeth's Mum would appreciate if not now, then in the near future.

I then selected items for Elizabeth herself which was slightly easier given the blog reading and online conversations we've had. I stumbled upon this card (thanks to Elizabeth for the photos!) and knew it would complete my gift perfectly.

There is just two months left now of my Year in Gifts Project. I've noticed good things come to me and have felt I have made many people feel happy, cared for, real, possibly all three. Even if that only lasted a few moments it was worth it to me.

A lot of people don't understand why I chose this project. I get asked, "why do you spend money on strangers?" "What do you get out of it?"

 These people have come through hard times, are going through hard times or simply need reminding that there are people out there rooting for them-so please don't give up. I can remember each and every person I sent a gift to and the reason why I sent a gift to them.

I do this project because I care. Because I care about friends, family. I care about total strangers (although to me, these bloggers are friends not strangers) I don't want anything back but on several occasions I have and it's brightened my day. That's paying it forward, keeping the circle of kindness going. Bringing light to a sometimes dark world.

That's why I've done this project and is why I'm looking forward to my new project in 2014

Cupcake Mumma

Project Kindness: Pay for a Stranger to have a Pampering Treat

When I was jotting down notes for which acts to include for my Project Kindness, paying for someone who deserves a pampering at my local therapy studio really jumped out at me. I scribbled it down, much like the rest of the acts and waited for inspiration to hit. It wasn't long before it did...

I made contact via e-mail with a therapy studio, Lasting Touch Therapies, who I've had fabulous treatments with before. I thought I'd wing it and ask for their help. Help they did. I asked the ladies if they could place a status on their Facebook page asking their followers to nominate someone they knew who deserved a good pampering for free. I offered to pay a value of £20 but in the end we decided that we would split the cost so we could both feel that we had been truly a part of the Random Act of Kindness.

The nominations flooded in to the studio and after a day or so a random nominee was selected. A very deserving, caring and hard working person was nominated by her friend for the treatment. I really hope that she enjoys the pampering, which ever treatment she chooses and has a nice, relaxing time at the Lasting Touch studio in Heartlands.

A big thank-you to all the therapists at Lasting Touch Therapies for being so very kind and giving.

CupcakeMumma

A Year in Gifts May & June

I bet you thought I had forgotten all about my little gift giving journey? Not so my dear readers! For reasons I can't even think of I seem to of just never got around to blogging my gift in May and due to some minor issues, the June gift has only just arrived! As this gift was for family there was a high chance of the gift being seen before the post arrived so I wanted to wait before I blogged about it. Anyway, now I can finally blog about the gifts I sent lets start with May.

If you follow my lovely friend Kat on Twitter or through her blog, you'll know that these past few months just haven't been the easiest for her. I set about making up a small gift for Kat so she could get some 'me time' and have a smile brought to her face (even if only for a few minutes- this is always my aim!)

Kat has been blogging her journey through this difficult time with so much feeling and honesty you just want to reach out and hug her every time you read a post! I'm pleased to say Kat is feeling much better since we spoke and exchanged comments on her blog posts in May. Here's what I sent this lovely blogger and friend:

Keyring and door hanger to make her home a little more 'girly' ( she has 3 boys!) some relaxing bath gel, jelly sweets (her favourite), a fabulous flannel shaped into a slice of cake, some envelopes and a few other decorations for when she gets that bedroom sorted.

The gift I posted at the end of June was for my 3 cousins who I had just spent a few days with when I went away on a family holiday to Cambridge. I realised I had not yet done a gift for any little ones so put one together. 

Lolly pops, crafty bits, water beads, work books and wonderfully colourful pencils! Now it's the summer holidays I think all of these items will come in very handy! I really hope my cousins love their post.

I'm yet to do July's but I really must get my thinking cap on!

CupcakeMumma

A Year in Gifts: February

Last month I started my Year in Gifts by sending a friend who needed cheering up a little surprise in the post. I don't like to just send things without people knowing they are coming but for this giving project of mine it feels so important that these are genuine surprises to my recipient and so any clue of their arrival would some how spoil it.

I knew in the middle of February who my next gift receiver would be as she had just had a beautiful little baby in December. As usual I was pretty late in sending my 'welcome to the world' gifts and then I felt my friend really needed cheering up, so I did a bit of re-jiggling and posted my next parcel off with success!

Who did I send to this month? The lovely and very wonderful fellow blogger Hannah of Make do and Push! Her gorgeous little girl was born right at the end of 2012 and I  just had to send something to mark her arrival. I also wanted to include some gifts for Hannah because she is a lovely lady and a wonderful Mother to her little girl.

What did I send?

A MiaMoo set for Hannah to enjoy a bit of pampering. I have a set of MiaMoo products which I won last year and all the moisturisers are still going. I hope Hannah gets to use all of these products and enjoys them as much as I did (and still do!)

For the Little One, a cute little pink elephant I just couldn't ignore. I know, who needs extra teddies? But it's sweet and very soft! My Little Man and Midge had tiny toys like this and when they started teething they never looked the same again! Poor teddies..
The purple wrapping said teddy is sitting on includes a very warm and lovely cellular yellow blanket for Hannah's daughter. I hope it keeps her warm or maybe becomes a comforter like my Little Mans. It really is the cutest thing I've ever seen!

And of course another gift for Hannah. A nice bar of Galaxy chocolate and some hot chocolate to go with it. Apparently this gave me away (along with my cupcake parcel tape!) because I love drinking my hot chocolate and goodness knows I go on about it enough!

So there you have it. Another gift sent out for 2013.I love the tweets or texts I get when my gifts reach where they're meant to be. Just to let someone know you're thinking about them is such a powerful thing don't you think?

I also sent another gift out this month. I won't detail the recipient of this gift but I hope it reaches its destination in one piece. I think it's fairly obvious who this gift is for and all I will say is this: I cried my heart out from start to finish packing this up.
CupcakeMumma x