My Overthinking

Philly Area mom, Life forever changed by adoption

GIVEAWAY: JIAYIN DESIGNS

Directly translated, Jiayin reads beautiful and graceful sound in Mandarin.
When put together, they mean good and beautiful news. And, it’s the same phrase used in the Chinese Bible for the phrase “the mystery of God.”

I have had the privilege of helping Helen, a friend who works with my parents in China, with a new business. And, to be honest, I’m pretty excited about it myself! The most precious gift we were given before we traveled to bring home Lydia was a special charm my mom had a jeweler make for me in Beijing. It was a sterling silver charm, hand cut from a sheet of silver, of Lydia’s Chinese name, Mei Yue, which means “beautiful moon.” I just loved it. I wore it everyday in China and loved when people there would notice it and ask if it was our daughter’s name. In fact, one of the orphanage staff noticed it around my neck and commented to our translator about it. I hope it showed them how much we treasured our daughter’s history.

I’m excited to be working with Helen and make these available to other families! Jaiyin Designs is selling all sorts of hand cut silver charms. Take a look, and think creatively. Do you have a child who is not Chinese as well as a Chinese child? Perhaps you could get 2 charms – one with your child’s Chinese name and one with the meaning of your child’s American name (e.g., Ashlyn means “tree by the water” which would make for a really cool charm). Or, get a charm with your child’s Chinese name, a “mother” charm, and a “big sister” charm. The jeweler will make any characters you want, and each one is one of a kind.

And, in an effort to draw people to the site and get some new business, Helen has given me the go ahead to give a charm away! The winner will be able to get any charm of his or her choice and free shipping (a value of $60). To enter, leave a comment on this post and share what charm you think would be your first choice. Leave a second comment for a second entry if you blog about this giveaway on your own blog (please provide a link to your blog post). I will close the giveaway on Friday, May 28th at midnight and do the drawing that weekend. I’ll contact the winner as well as post about it here! (If you don’t have a public blog linked to your blogger profile, leave me your email address as well so that I can contact you.)

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my entrepreneur

The girl takes after her mother (I sold drawings of the cartoon character Ziggy to people in elementary school for $.10 and then had my own karaoke business in middle school called Kelly Sounds…yup). In an effort to fund a trip to Disney World, more silly bandz (the annoying fad my kids are addicted to along with every other child from age 3-14 in our local area), and a goldfish to go in the free fish bowl she got at a yard sale last Saturday, Ashlyn made pipe cleaner things to sell. Most of them are magic wands, though she also got bold and made some people and a dog or two. She decided to sell them for $.25 each. I suggested also offering some cookies (I was fearful that pipe cleaner things may not catch on as much as silly bandz have). So, we got a pack of refrigerated cookie dough at the store today and made those to sell too.

Please, passerby, come buy something from my sweet daughter. 

I even tried calling a couple neighbors. And, Ashlyn knocked on a couple doors as well. I sent her brothers out with a quarter each. They each bought a cookie. Then, I offered them $1 to sit out there with her (apparently, just telling them it would be nice wasn’t motivation enough. Don’t judge me.). They went, and I think they may have already forgotten my offer.

Hooray! Someone came! This lady let her kids pick out pipe cleaner thingies! Yea! They got 2 magic wands and a pipe cleaner dog. Ashlyn was so proud! A few more customers came after them before Ashlyn closed up shop.

pipe cleaners – $3
refrigerated cookie dough – $4
buying cookies for the boys – $.50
paying the boys to keep Ashlyn company – $2
Ashlyn’s earnings – $3.50
Ashlyn’s pride and joy that people liked her pipe cleaner thingies  – priceless

UPDATE 4/21/2010

Since Ashlyn’s earnings were about 1/2000 the cost of going to Disney World and since she clearly doesn’t need any more silly bandz (though she may disagree), we are the proud new family to a Beta named Jules. 

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