The Hills - Anyone else obsessed?

Yes, I know that I am 35. I know that I am not supposed to like these type of shows, but I am mildly obssessed with The Hills. I love that you can watch entire episodes online. And I actually really like the fact that Lauren, the lead on the show, does a fair amount of charity work in the public eye. For a 22 year old, that is pretty forward thinking, and I respect the fact that she knows she is a public figure and wants to set a good example. Plus, she has good taste!

So I wanted to check out Mark Cosmetics (from Avon), b/c I know she works with them, and came across this really cute $22 necklace that donates 100% of the net proceeds from Lauren's Have A Heart Necklace to the Girls M.powerment Campaign. I think this would make an adorable stocking stuffer for the Holidays. Now I just wish that Bailout bill would go through so I could feel like I could even spend $22... But that's a whole different story...

Cancer sucks me in again...

I see I've been out of touch lately. I've been doing the famous balancing act of working full time and raising an 8 month old. I am one tired lady! But even with my tiredess, this post from Erin Zammett at Glamour brought me out of my hiberation. These absolutely adorable office/school supplies donate to the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. I am obssed with office supplies, and I absolutely love spiral notebooks and will be on the lookout for these specific ones from jackiemcfee.com. Her site is absolutely adorable as well. Check out the store locator on where you can buy this line!

Long time no talk

Hi y'all. I see that people are still coming to this blog, so I wanted to reach out to you and remind you to purchase holiday gifts that give back! I've been reading about a ton of products and companies (I believe Target is doing something throughout the store). We have a great new store here in Santa Barbara, called SB Arts (sbarts.org) that donates 100% of proceeds to an animal sanctuary. And they have beautiful stuff! Check it out and order online!

Ok, back to the screaming infant. This is what I have been doing for the past 3 months!












Happy Holidays!

Taking a Break...

Ok, not that I am a posting maniac or anything, but I have decided to take a break from posting on my blog. I am nearly 6 months pregnant, taking on more responsibility at work, and just pooped in general. I'm leaving this up though, and if you want to IM me, go ahead and send me a note through this Meebo Widget. I am usually online all day from 9am - 5pm PST, and I look forward to hearing from you... Keep buying presents that give back to reputable charities!!!

Google Alerts! "Give Back"

So the day after I posted the note about the Nature Conservancy, I got a nice note from a woman who works there thanking me for the post. It occurred to me that perhaps a few people were actually reading this thing! And then I noticed that on the days that I post, that my traffic actually spikes! Now considering I am actually an Online Marketing Executive by trade, you would think I would know these things. But since I truly do this for fun, I haven't really thought about it much other than making sure I get some good ideas on here to share with y'all.

Now I'm a bit more inspired. In fact, I signed up for Google Alerts and now once a week, I get a list of sites that feature anything on "giving back." I found a great new site based on this week's Google Alerts -- theSavvyGiver.com. It's the first blog I have seen that remotely covers what I'm trying to talk about, and let me tell you I'm thrilled to post about it.

Check out their ideas for some cute gifts, like the John Varvatos beanie hat (my hubby would love this) and the Build a Book.

I hope they keep posting!

Wednesday Afternoon Quiz...

So a quick quiz for y'all. How many vases do TWO dozen roses take up????

Yes, ladies and gentleman, count 'em, six vases full of gorgeous roses. Thanks to Mallun, Jason, Bo and Anna for sending D and I these beautiful roses from Organic Bouquet. This particular type of bouquet benefits the Nature Conservancy whose mission is to preserve the plants, animals, and natural communities that represent the diversity in life.

These roses came in a biodegradable box and each rose was carefully hand wrapped. Very high quality. I love it when people use the companies and products that I feature on this site. It makes me happy knowing that I am doing my small part and that you guys may pass along a site like this. I would highly recommend these guys for the next time you purchase flowers for someone you love... Thanks again!

Daylight Savings Optimism

I'm really excited about the extra light we are going to be getting for daylight savings. Coming home from work in the dark is always a drag, and I love it when it stays late until well into the evening. I think this is foreshadowing for the year ahead. It's the year of Optimism! Or at least it is for me.

Speaking of Optimism, I was checking out one of my favorite shopping sites: shopintuition.com and found a whole slew of cute items that donate to charity with postive messages. I especially love these bracelets by Dogeared. They are only $32 and the proceeds benefit American Red Cross, hurricane relief. What a great bday gift for your best friend - the "Friends" version in blue is adorable.

Wrapping up and moving on...

Well it's been quite a month in our household. I've been down to LA three weekends in a row cleaning out my mom's condo that we sold. Thanks to everyone who helped with this process. We worked with two great organizations that I would highly recommend if you are ever in a situation where you need to donate (or get rid of) a large amount of household stuff.

The main charity that we donated to was the National Council of Jewish Women. They came and took nearly everything which was a real godsend. Then at the last minute, they couldn't take the couch! Agh! It was like those moments when I was working in advertising when something really bad would happen at the last minute. I literally had 6 hours to get this couch and a bed out of the condo. After thinking of about 20 different crazy solutions, my real estate agent recommended gotjunk.com. You can basically pay these guys to come pick up anything, and they charge based on the amount that your stuff takes up in the truck they bring. Now, mind you, this was not cheap ($150 later), but they came in about 45 minutes and I have never been so happy to pay for something in my entire life. I would recommend them if you ever are in a last minute ditch and need help.

I've been poking around today for something to feature, and I did find a site (a few weeks too late) for organic flowers. It's call Organic Bouquet and it donates proceeds from the sale of each bouquet to support non-profit organizations dedicated to social justice, wildlife conservation, animal rights, and environmental protection. They partner with some great organizations like the Red Cross, the Jane Goodall Institute, Heifer, Amnesty International, etc... It goes on and on. Check them all out here.

Plus I get to show some pretty flowers, which I kinda need to do after a tough day yesterday.

Inspiration in Paso Robles

We just got back from a weekend of indulgence in Paso Robles. A belated b-day gift from my sweetie. We stayed at this amazing little B&B, The Canyon Villa, that had 4 rooms and the nicest owners. I would highly recommend this for your next wine tasting trip! At this B&B there was no TV, so needless to say, I devoured about 10 magazines in the course of the weekend. One of them was Oprah's Home Magazine for Winter 2006, which actually had an entire page devoted to Gifts that Give Back! Yipppeee! I immediately tore it out (sorry future guests!) and now I have a few postings worth of stuff to report on.

These blankets from a site called FunQuilts.com really caught my eye. Here's the description from the site:

Featured in TIME, The New York Times, and Country Living, these cozy blankies are a collaborative effort between FunQuilts and CARC, an organization that provides training and jobs for developmentally disabled adults in Chicago. Each blankie is made from two layers of 100% cotton flannel stitched together in a charming animal pattern. Stitching patterns include A Herd of Elephants, A Troop of Chimpanzees or A Pod of Dolphins. Your purchase of these blankies will provide meaningful employment to many hands. All colors and patterns are in stock for immediate delivery.

Here are two of my favorites. Btw, these are only $75 each, which I think a really reasonable price for a handmade gift that is as whimsical and functional as these are. Enjoy!

It's the end of Jan. and I have nothing to show for it

What can I say about January 07. Practically nothing. I don't know about you all, but mine has been exceedingly boring.. And COLD. I am freezing all the time. I wear parkas in the house. Not fun. I am day dreaming of our next trip to my in-laws condo in Akumal, Mexico. My favorite place to be in the world. Ah.......

For all you new and old mommies out there, I found this cute site, PintSizeDiva.com that donates a portion of proceeds to First Candle/SIDS Alliance to help babies survive and thrive. They have a bunch of stuff on this site, from blankets to bibs to clothes. Check out this cute diaper bag. There's also some really unique bottle holders that I'm sure everyone's babies would love. My niece is due any day now, so I will definitely be coming back here to buy her a present...

2007

Well this year has gotten off to a nice start. Absolutely nothing new to report here. In fact, I am seeing NOTHING new in my usual sources about charitable gift giving. I've got to do a bit more digging around...

Had a fabulous Xmas and New Years eating and drinking our way through NYC. Our bdays were fab as well. My brother and sister in law must have been peeping around on my site b/c for my birthday, they got me this necklace set from the Susan Komen Site! It's quite attractive on, and very professional!













One a side-note, and this will shock some of you (especially you Auntie L!), I actually cooked dinner TWICE last week and baked once! I think it was an all time record. I need some new simple recipes. If you have any good ones, pass them along to me. The husband gets so excited that it's fun to at least try. What about a great chicken recipe??? Anyone? Bueller?

Just for fun, here's a pic of my crazy pooches barking at me right before walk-time. No peace in my household, and we don't even have kids!!!!

Give Back

Christmas was a whirlwind at the Klein household. We held our first Xmas Eve dinner and played UNO until 1am. I actually won! Which I can honestly say was the first time I have ever won anything in my entire life. I hope that bodes well for the new year. Since 2006 kinda sucked, I am hoping my UNO experience is a bit of foreshadowing for 2007. What are your resolutions? Here are mine:

1. Do Yoga twice a week, even though it's not politically correct to leave work in the middle of the day for two hours

2. Keep writing on this blog, even though no one really reads it

3. Actually practice what I preach-- give more. Give time, give money, just give

4. Smile more, enjoy more, love more, be nicer

5. Be more creative in all aspects of my life

So now that you've received hundreds of dollars worth of gifts that you didn't really want, why not treat yourself to something that you do actually want! My friend Elana over at Future Fashionista is having a site-wide 35% off sale until Jan1st. And as usual, she donates $1 off every purchase on her site to a charity of the month. This month the charity is, "My stuff bags Foundation." Thanks to Elana for inspiring me to write here again.

Why not buy yourself this adorable necklace?




















We're off to NYC to celebrate New Years. I wish the best for everyone. Health, Happiness, and most importantly, FUN!

Bodanna.org

Well, I am a bad charity blogger as I completely missed World AIDS Day on December 1st. I thought about posting that day, and then completely forgot. Decemeber is a whirlwind month with all the Holiday parties, Holiday shopping, New Years planning and mine and my hubbys bdays. I personally find it a bit overwhelming. Anyway, I am sure that I missed some opportunties to share with you products that would have benefited this worthy cause, but alas, I will try to be better. You can always purchase a product from Project Red, Bono's cause to support the AIDs epidemic.

My good friend T (go Bucks!) passed along this interesting site that Daily Candy featured, Bodanna.org a New York based non profit that donates 100% of its proceeds to helping inner city youth. They focus on the creative process of making pottery to develop youth creativity and work ethics. The site has a ton of beautiful bowls, vases, mugs, sushi sets and many more great ceramic pieces. I really like these piggy banks. Wouldn't they make a great Holiday gift for a little one?

















By the way, don't forget to donate to your favorite charity before the year is over. Remember the tax break! And how great you will feel helping others! We'll be donating to DAWG -The Dog Adoption & Welfare Group and Marf.org - The Mesothelioma Applied Research Foundation (in honor of my mom). Both of these are local charities here in Santa Barbara. Let me know who you are supporting.

First Moment of Peace

LOOONG weekend, but fun weekend. I lived through Thanksgiving (barely). Then my friend T came up, and we got to spend some girl time together. Now it's Sunday, and I am counting down the hours that I have before having to go to work tomorrow.

I wanted to share with you all a GREAT blog that I often steal.. I mean borrow.. ideas from. It's called Shefinds.com and their blog often features gifts that give to charity! It's nice to find a site that has a similar sensibility so I check it often.

Last week they featured a t-shirt that benefits St. Jude hospital. I particularly like this bracelet that reminds me of a bracelet that a friend of mine from Look-Look used to have (Hi SF!). They also have a ton of other products that benefit the hospital including inspiration clothing, jewelry and more. Check their catalog out here.. Hope you all had a nice relaxing holiday weekend...

Product Red Web Site

Hey there- If you happened to be bored at work, check out the official site for Bono's Product Red. There are some good products on this site that benefit this organization that helps those in Africa that are dying of AIDs. Need a new cell and sick of those stupid pink Razors? I do. I am going to buy this one:














There's also an Amex you can get which gives 1% of what you spend to the fund. Plus a bunch of other great gift ideas (a watch from Armani, some Chuck Taylor Shoes). Plus, since it's all RED, it sure fits in with the Holiday theme!











Happy Thanksgiving. We're hosting for 27. Should be madness, but a hoot.

1000 Visits and Counting!

Well, I finally made it past the 1,000 visit mark. I would like to think that this is actually 1,000 people visiting my site, but I have a sneaky suspicion that it's mostly me, checking the site to see the count. And I think my friend KG does something with social bookmarking for me. But regardless, I'll go ahead and feel proud about it. It at least incentivizes me to keep going. I think I am supposed to comment on "similar" sites to get my traffic up, but the main problem is, there really aren't similar sites! Which is kind of a bummer. I really am going to try and practice what I preach this holiday season and buy some of my gifts through the sites that I've mentioned. And I hope that the few of you that are actually reading this blog do the same thing!

Anyway, while shopping for something to post about, I revisited the site stylebakery.com. They generally feature a few designers that donate (like my favorite Future Fashionista). I came across this site: Sweet Sky Jewelry. 10% of their proceeds go to one of three charities. Plus, the prices can not be beat ($40ish for most earrings). Great place to go holiday shopping!

How about this pair of earrings with your black New Years dress?

Future Fashionista

So I was browsing through some of my favorite sites today for holiday ideas, and came across this snapshot of my site on Future Fashionista! This really made my day. Elana looks like she really beefed up the site and redesigned it. There are a ton of new unique jewerly items that would make awesome holiday gifts. Future Fashionista also donates $1 from every item sold on their website to their charity of the month.


















Check out some of her awesome new stuff here. I particularly like the giraffe necklace. It reminds me of Africa. Which reminds me of Mom. I know my cousin likes the little heart necklace (that happens to be on sale!). I really dig all of it...

Happy Halloween!

Hi everyone. I can't believe how quickly October has gone by. I just back from a biz trip to NYC, and got my old favorite Magazine Marie Claire at the airport. I was VERY happy to see that their monthly feature of a cool product that donates to charity was back!

AND it's in partnership with Netaya, who features many of their products at great prices. This particular necklace is crafted of sterling silver and heavily plated in rich 18K yellow gold. The included box chain measures 18" in length.

Net proceeds, $5 per necklace, will benefit the National Domestic Violence Hotline, the 24-hour, toll-free national number for victims of domestic abuse - which handles an average of 17,000 support calls per month. The necklace is only $29.95!

Get this for a friend for Xmas with intials of her and her hubby or her and her baby! It's super fun...I can't post a pic for some reason, so click on this link to see it....

Flake

I sure have been flaky since getting back from India. I apologize in advance to those friends and family that I haven't called yet. I am still jetlagged if you can believe it, falling asleep at 9ish every night. And then this weekend I am off to NYC for a work meeting next week. It never ends!

On a lighter note, my bestie cousin told me about this cool site that features a pair of jeans that Frankie B created Her2Genes. These jeans benefit the testing for the Breast Cancer Gene. If I was a remotely stylish person, I would definitely invest in a pair of these. Frankie B donates $107 of the purchase price to HER2 Genes. They must be pricey, but hey, a good cause, so what the heck..

Gap.com: Red

Hope all your week is moving along nicely. I've been slammed getting back up to speed after our India trip, but finally feel like I've got caught up work wise. Now I have to get moving cleaning up all my mom's business. I can't procastinate any more (although I'd like to...).

Anyway, I saw an ad in Vanity Fair last night about Gap's new product line called (Product Red). The whole line is dedicated to raise awareness and money for the Global Fund for Women and Children with AIDS in Africa. It was founded by Bono and Bobby Kennedy, so you can feel confident that this money will really get to the right people. The products come out on October 13th (Friday) and there is really some cool stuff. T-shirts, tanks, a jean jacket, a big red purse, bracelets and more. I'm going to have to support this cause and buy something. Especially after spending time in a thirld world country. These people need our help.