Kleenex Packets

Sometimes I just don't know where the time goes!  It has been weeks since my last post and I have been gathering up so many small gifts as I have been traveling around.  Finally I have found some time today to pull together a few items.  I have so missed leaving any gifts lately as I find being able to do so just brightens my spirit all day!

Over the past month I have been on six plane flights.  Anytime I fly I try to take precautions to avoid  the cold bugs going around this time of year.  One staple in my carry-on is a pack of tissues.  Lately I have noticed more and more fancy and decorated tissue boxes and packets.  I picked up a few packages for myself and three to give away.

Hope the finders avoid a cold but catch the spirit of being kind to others!

The Season of Gatherings

Recently I have been taking cooking and baking classes.  Each class has been just one session for four hours, and I have picked up some new skills and ideas for things I can make and take to upcoming holiday gatherings.  This interest in cooking has been building over the last couple years (I believe I have written about it in the past on this blog).  I now have a solid base of skills to build on as I learn more and more recipes and experiment with the ingredients I find in my refrigerator on any given day.

There are a couple guys close to me who are very talented cooks and constantly are giving me suggestions and recipes.  In my cookbook cabinet I now have a stack of printed e-mails with their ideas and tips.

Since sharing a meal with friends and loved ones is such a great joy in life and being able to pass down and around special recipes is a part of that experience, I thought others might enjoy some recipe cards.

I hope the finders put them to good use and either write down their own recipes to give as gifts to loved ones (I believe a handwritten recipe is a gift just like a handwritten note) or ask others to write down recipes to be given back to them.  Years ago an elderly family friend died and at her wake her daughters had printed small recipe books with her favorite recipes (she was a great cook) for anyone interested to take.  I still have that book, have used it, and think of her each and every time.  What a great way to remember a person!

P.S. - A big thank you to the finders in Florida and Maine this week who commented on the blog.  Sometimes I wonder if the gifts are found and enjoyed.  It means the world to me to hear from a finder that the gift has made it into appreciative hands who will pass the kindness on!

  

Halloween Holiday Goodies

I was in the store yesterday (October 20th) and saw the Christmas holiday decorations all around.  Thankfully I picked up any Halloween decorations I needed a while back!  I have a black cat that I adopted on Halloween two years ago so in a way this holiday fits me, and I like to put out pumpkins and decorations at home.  Of course I also wear the same costume each year when passing out candy....a ladybug of course! 

I picked up a few gifts for others including some decorative kitchen handtowels and some Halloween pencils.  I hope the finders enjoy!

Fresh Flowers in the Fall

A few years ago someone gave me a kit to grow grass in a small pot on my desk.  It sat in my drawer for almost a year before I planted it and grew a fresh pot of green grass on my desk in the middle of winter.  It was the type of grass you want to take your flip-flops off and run through in the summer.  It made me smile just to see it!

I was shopping this weekend and I saw similar kits to grow forget-me-not flowers.  I could not resist!  I picked up four.  I will keep one for myself and will leave three for anonymous finders!

Pencils

A few weeks ago I was at a small town parade and one float was passing out pencils.  Nothing fancy...just simple pencils that need to be sharpened and had pictures of balloons all over them.  It was such a small gift but I was really pleased and sharpened and began using my pencil within a day or two.  This pencil also reminded me of how exciting it was when I was a child and my mother would put small gifts into my school lunch such as pencils, stickers, erasers, etc. 

This week I noticed all the back to school sales and picked up a package of pencils.  Each will get a note for the finder and hopefully they will bring smiles whether they are added to a child's lunchbox, used with a sketch pad or simply to make grocery lists in the kitchen.

Gifts for All Ages

I have had several instances lately when I have been out and thought to myself that I wish I had an anonymous gift ready to leave for a lucky finder!  Typically I keep a couple with me at all times in case I come across the perfect location to leave one, but I have been busy lately and had not found any time to sit down and prepare a few gifts.

Finally I did gather together four gifts for a range of finders.  I have some sidewalk chalk to provide a child with some simple summer fun.  There is a $5 coffee gift card for someone possibly in an office who gets out for a break in the afternoon.  For someone's canine companion there is bone, and lastly there is magnet with a simple saying about friendship for the finder to keep or give to a friend.

Remember to be kind!  Sometimes even a smile can improve your day!

The Gift of a Handwritten Note

Recently I was telling someone close to me a story about my mother and how proud I was of an accomplishment she had recently.  This individual lost his own mother when he was a teenager and told me not to just tell him but also to go up and hug her and tell her directly how I felt.  He reminded me of the importance of saying the things you feel in your heart because you never know when life will change and you will miss the opportunity.


I took his suggestion to heart and did in fact give my mother that hug and those words of praise and encouragement.  His comment also led me to reach out to a friend I had not spoken to in months and to send a card to my vert best friend to remind her of the important role her friendship plays in my life.


I have five note cards with pre-stamped envelopes.  I hope each of the finders has someone to send a heartfelt message to.  Maybe the message will be something to a family member or friend the finder sees every day, or it might be a thank you to an old teacher or a co-worker.  Whatever the message, I feel certain it will be meaningful to the recipient.  Be kind!