Meet my new afternoon buddy — little miss keep-me-warm. If I’m sitting still–and that does actually happen–this little miss keep-me-warm is with me. She’s become as much my buddy as my afternoon hot drink. Can I confess here that I actually considered heating her up, putting her in an insulated bag, and bringing her with me to my Tuesday morning Bible Study? But, if I did that, I might need to bring my slippers too. So, she’s staying home.

My friend came to me all the way from IL made by a creative mommy named Jessica. Jessica and Brian and their girlies Ava and Gwynie are expecting. They are waiting for their two sons/two brothers to come home to them from Rwanda. And, as they live in expectation, Jessica is doing what she can to make some money. Bringing home 2 boys from Rwanda is a costly adventure. So, she’s making all sorts of goodies and selling them on Etsy as well as pursuing other ways to fundraise which you can find on her blog.

And, she’s offering one of her special items to a winner here–a fabric covered photo album like the ones she has listed here. And, what’s super fun about it is you can totally customize it–color, name, flowers, whatever your little heart desires. And, you know what I’m thinking? This would be awesome to take with you on your adoption trip across the world to show your new little one or orphanage staff your family. I bet she’d come up with a country specific design if you wanted her to.

I also want you to meet Tawnya and Kevin. After trying to conceive for over 8 years, they have heard the call to build their family via adoption. And, like so many others, they’ve been overwhelmed at the cost involved but also overwhelmed at how friends and even strangers have stepped up to support them. They’ve had yard sales, t-shirt sales, raffles, and auctions in addition to a scrapbook business and custom lettering store whose sales are going to their adoption fund.

And, she’s sharing something with you all–basically whatever you want. How cool is that? You can choose anything you want from her store OR you can give her any phrase you want and she’ll customize it for you–color, font, and all. What phrase do you need–I can think of a few goodies.

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW  

Become a follower somewhere over there on the right if you’d like–though it’s not required to win. Don’t want to make you be my bloggy friend. 

Leave a comment here naming your favorite item from Gwyn and Ava Quilted 

 Leave another comment sharing your favorite item or what you might like to have custom made from Tawnya M. Designs.

That’s all you gotta do to enter.
And, you have until Sunday the 6th at 9pm EST to do it.
I’ll choose a winner using random.org after that.

And, go ahead, go buy some holiday gifts from Jessica and some snazzy quote for your wall from Tawnya and support two adoptive families.

22 giveaways to go before Christmas. So, keep coming back, folks.

Everyone, I want to introduce you to Desiree and her super cute family (and I’m not just partial to them because she’s got a Lydia too).

They are in the process of bringing home a new son, a little man from Ethiopia, who will become their oldest child.

This creative mama started a little shop with all sorts of sweet little vintage looking pieces (how about this one? Seriously cute) in an effort to bring in some money to help with their adoption costs.

But, she felt called to do more.

And, I just love when people feel called to more and step it up.

Every month, she shares her profits–50/50–with another family who needs money for their adoption. Just go here and check out the families she’s blessed so far through her store and her heart.

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW  

You don’t need to become a follower here to enter. But, you are welcome to. We’re all friends here.  

Leave a comment here naming your favorite item from the Hannah James store.

That’s all you gotta do to enter.
And, you have until Sunday the 6th at 9pm EST to do it.
I’ll choose a winner using random.org after that.

And, go ahead, buy a holiday gift from her store while you are visiting and support two adoptive families. And, bookmark her blog, folks, ’cause she’s got a fundraising auction happening starting November 12th and running through the 20th that you don’t want to miss!

24 giveaways to go before Christmas. So, don’t go too far, okay?

Robin’s the lady behind Lefft. And, her story is pretty amazing.

At 8 years old, after a little fall outside, her mother (a single mother of 3) noticed a lump under her arm that grew to the size of a tennis ball. A biopsy that week changed their family forever — bone cancer. A battle began as Robin and her mom flew across the country for experimental treatments which included Robin’s arm being amputated and intensive chemotherapy and radiation for over a year all while her brothers went from one family member’s house to the next experiencing their own battles.

24 years later, Robin is cancer free and full of heart. She earned her Master’s degree in education and has been teaching now for 9 years, currently teaching 2nd grade in Northern Kentucky. And, I bet those kiddos just love her.

During her summers off, she has volunteered at Flying Horse Farms, a camp for seriously ill children. Serving there has changed her life. Robin told me, “To be able to give back the same way people had when I was fighting cancer is one of the most rewarding things I have ever done. . . . all things overwhelming about life just seem to disappear while you are there and you have a greater appreciation for life after being a part of something so wonderful.”

The camp isn’t the only way Robin has served families. She opened an Etsy store to help raise money as she started the process to launch a nonprofit to support families like her own who are battling childhood cancer. In October 2010, the Lefft foundation became official. The foundation assists families with everyday tasks that are more difficult to maintain when you have a child battling cancer. They also support the siblings of the cancer fighter by providing them with resources to learn more about their role in the process and by sending care packages, with the hopes of creating a sense of value and how they too are fighters in the battle and can also be heroes.

Her Etsy store continues to help fund these efforts. Her handmade cards and other items there have provided over $2,000 for her work.

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW  

I won’t make you become a follower. But, if you look somewhere over there on the right, feel free. Because, we’re all friends here.  

Leave a comment here naming your favorite item currently listed at the Lefft store.

That’s all you gotta do to enter.
And, you have until Sunday the 6th at 9pm EST to do it.
I’ll choose a winner using random.org after that.

And, go ahead, buy a holiday gift from her store or some thank you cards for you to use after the holidays (thank yous are nice) and know that 100% of the money made goes to support her efforts to support families who really need it.

25 giveaways to go before Christmas. So, don’t go too far, okay?

Some people just ooze joy. I think Dawn is one of those people. Back in February, a precious little 3 year old in China diagnosed with cerebral palsy stole her heart. She spent months advocating for her, trying to find her a family. It couldn’t have been them–her MS and early diagnosis of breast cancer meant they no longer qualified to adopt from China. Then, in August, someone challenged them and asked if they were absolutely sure they couldn’t adopt her. They thought they were sure. Turns out, a couple of months of doctors visits and notes and lots of paperwork, and against all odds, China said yes. “The family I had been looking for for her was OURS all along.” They are hoping to bring her home this summer and are doing all they can to fundraise to make that happen. They are selling goat soap that everyone raves about. And, Dawn burns the midnight oil making sweet little things for your girls’ sweet little dolls.

Popular blogger and adoption advocate Leslie is a mommy to 5 children…soon to be 6 (not a typo. Yes, that’s 6). They just recently sent to China what is called a LOI or Letter of Intent, saying “we want this little one to be our own!” Their “little caboose” is 20 months old and waiting for them in Guizhou Province. Since their journey to China back in September 2008 to bring home their older daughter, they had always hoped to go back for another daughter. In 2010, God took them on an unexpected detour as they brought home 2 sons, ages 10 and 5 at the time. And, now, they are headed back for that daughter after all. Leslie shared these words with me: “While our baby girl is as adorable as adorable can be, her sweet little heart is not healthy.” Their waiting daughter was born with a single ventricle heart similar to her big sister’s heart. She will need a complicated heart surgery when she comes home just like her big sister did when she came home! 

Leslie is using her giftedness to make the money they need to complete their adoption and bring their baby girlie home. And, she really is gifted…I’m jealous. One day, when I grow up, I’m going to take really good pictures. Check out these photos she took that she’s selling as postcard sets.

She is selling the Sunflower cards (3 different designs) as a set of 9 for $10. And, the Color cards are $5 for 5 cards. Aren’t they gorgeous?

And, this first giveaway’s lucky winner will get a set of each of these cards PLUS the dolly clothes. How about that for starting off Purposeful Giveaways with a bang?

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW  

Leave a comment here naming what color or pattern doll dress you’d most like to see Dawn make to sell. I have a feeling she’ll be reading the comments here for ideas.  

Leave another comment sharing your favorite design of the 4 different postcards Leslie is selling. 

I won’t make you become a follower here to enter. But, it would be nice. And, I know you all are nice.  

That’s all you gotta do to enter.
And, you have until Sunday the 6th at 9pm EST to do it.
I’ll choose a winner using random.org after that.

And, go ahead, go freshen up your dolly’s wardrobe and buy some sweet postcards to send out to all your peeps (you know, we do still like getting snail mail) and support two adoptive families as they bring little ones home.

26 giveaways to go before Christmas. So, keep coming back, folks.