National Kindness Day...with Heidi Swapp & Starbucks

Hey hey everyone!

Today is National Kindness Day!

And in honor of this very special day I want to share how my kids and I try to spread kindness this time of year...

A few years ago, we started a brand new tradition in our family...one that we continue throughout November and December...and it's a tradition we all love.

During the 8 weeks around the holidays my kids and I will go "Starbucking." Yep, Starbucking.

We'll stop off at a local Starbucks and grab about $100 worth of $5 gift cards...and throughout the fall we'll leave these cards on car windshields. It's probably one of the most fun things we do all year.

And it's definitely one of the most valuable.

This year we did a little something just a little different. This year we added some handmade Christmas cards to our little gifts.

To create the cards I used pieces from a brand new line of Heidi Swapp products found exclusively at Joann stores...products such as card kits, art screens, package decorating items - the list goes on and on...(find a list of stores carrying these exclusive items HERE).

Here are just a few of those exclusives...these are the ones I've used for this project:

*woodgrain card kit

*layered mistletoe cardstock stickers

*holiday art screens

*red art screen ink

*black art screen ink

*layered tags

*Special Delivery address labels

*red & gold tinsel ribbon

*acrylic stamps

And here are the cards I created...

These little layered tags are just perfect for turning into "ornaments!" For this card I simply added one of the little mistletoe layered stickers, and a small length of the gold tinsel ribbon...a little string and bow (created with my journaling pen) and done!

The stag art screen is just gorgeous...and this icon has become one of my very favorite winter symbols. I used black art screen ink for the deer and I adhered a few of the gold layers from the mistletoe stickers and a small piece of the gold tinsel ribbon to give him a little wreath. Some red art screen ink with the "merry christmas" art screen and this card was finished! 

Here's another little "ornament" I created with the layered tags. For this one I added a little red bow (created from the red ribbon found in the ribbon pack along with the gold tinsel).

Here I used the "merry christmas" art screen again...and a few of the green layers from the mistletoe stickers.

This card was definitely the quickest one to create...all I used here was the "glisten sparkle etc." art screen. I love the simplicity...

And finally, another little stag - again with the black art screen ink. For this card I added a tiny little pearl (found on the mistletoe stickers) to the deer's nose...and I tied a length of the red ribbon around his neck as a scarf.*

*To do this, I punch two small holes into the front of my card with my Crop-O-Dile. Then I threaded the ribbon through and tied it...easy peasy!

What's your favorite? I truly can't pick just one...I really love them all...

OK...so once the cards were made I stamped a few of the envelopes that come in the kit and put our little kindness packages together...

We left Wednesday morning (the kids were off school for Veterans' Day) to run errands and stopped off at our local Target parking lot...

Here's Kinsley placing the first card...her M.O. is to find cars with baby seats in them...she figures moms with small kids really need a Starbucks break. She's right.

Gray is a lot less selective...

We did a few cars at our local Joann as well...

We still have some cards left...we'll finish those up in the next few weeks.

I always have such a feeling of excitement after we do this...I wonder "who will get the card?" "Will they like it?" "Will they be happy?" "Do they even like Starbucks?" (smile)

I sure hope so...and I hope that whomever receives the cards feels some sort of push to pay it forward.

It's really amazing to me...and I think my kids are learning this, too...that being kind to, and serving others, really benefits the one doing the kind act far more than the one receiving the benefit. It's a wonderful feeling.

How are you helping to spread kindness this year?

Here's my challenge to you...do something kind, something completely selfless, for a stranger today...I'll bet it brings a smile to your face.