ON Dollars For Doggies (A Birthday Fundraiser & GIVEAWAY!)

Last year, for my birthday, I asked friends & family to donate to an animal rescue instead of buying me any presents. The result? $600 and my best birthday yet. This year, I'm sweetening the deal with an amazing GIVEAWAY and by reaching out to the incredibly supportive blog community to see if we can beat last year's total for two amazing dog rescues. Without further ado, I present to you...

With these kindhearted bloggers...

Ten Feet Off Beale / Katilda / Head Over Heels 

Let Me See You Sparkle / Of Corgis & Cocktails / Bubby & Bean

Heather Hearts / Walking In Memphis In High Heels

And these generous businesses...

Ziva Mind / Viesso

All to benefit two incredible rescues:

Second Chance Rescue NYC / Dogs Without Borders

Here's what you'll be entered to WIN:

a dog print from Bubby & Bean // gorgeous teal triangle earrings from Katilda

beautiful lavender earrings from Walkin' In Memphis In High Heels // custom hoop art from Ten Feet Off Beale

$25 Sephora gift card from Heather Hearts // $25 Starbucks gift card from KerryingOn (that's me!)

custom blog header and social media icons designed by Of Corgis & Cocktails

$25 Etsy shop credit from Let Me See You Sparkle

$20 Etsy shop credit from Head Over Heels

the stunning Muuto Flow Jug, generously donated by Viesso

and.. a FULL Scholarship to ZivaMind, generously offered by Ziva Meditation!

To Enter, please make sure you complete your donation here.

The minimum donation requirement is $1 but if you can give more,

the dogs and rescue folks would surely appreciate it :)

The giveaway will run through the end of the day (11:59 pm EST) of May 20th, 2013.

THANK YOU so much to the generous bloggers and companies for their support,

and Thank YOU for donating & Good Luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

On Giving

As the holiday season nears, I often hear people talk about wanting to do something for their community. Love this kind of talk, right? But I also hear chatter of not knowing where to start.

Thus, I present to you, a darn good helpful little ditty from Real Simple (real simple addict over here..).

This list has pulled all of their charity related posts, featuring helpful sites like Volunteer Match

and lots of tips for when and how to give. Delightful, no? Yes.

If you're anything like me, you're like wait wait how can I help the arts and/or animals?!

(You guys, I did say if you're anything like me..)

How wonderful of you to ask! Petfinder can help you find shelters near you that need donations of money or supplies, or volunteers to help with the animals. AND, get ready here because I'm about to blow your mind.. but, if you can believe it, volunteering is FREE! Seriously, that just bowled me over, I had no idea we could get anything for free! And my, oh my, oh my, we sure do 'get' so very much from sharing our time by helping others, right? Right, right, right indeed.

this is one of my favorite pups at BARC, miss colleen

As for ye olde arts, I happen to big a big fan and supporter of Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS.

This Broadway community staple raises money for what seems like an endless list - they truly cover such an incredible range of help. I highly encourage you to check out their site for more info.

with a cast full of people i love and a big ol' donation check to BCEFA

also, if you're not in the mood for gifts, you can sign up over at causes to ask for donations instead of presents for your birthday, a holiday, or even your wedding. you get to pick where the donations go!

and if you're like listen woman, i like presents.. perhaps you would fancy to make a donation to a charity in someone else's name. this will also mean one less tray of "i didn't know what to get everybody" brownies at your office. yes that's right: giving makes you skinny. you're sold, right?

happy beginning of the holidays, friends. xo

“I slept and I dreamed that life is all joy. 

I woke and I saw that life is all service. 

I served and I saw that service is joy.” 

- Kahlil Gibran