I was over at Tea N Honey Bread today and learned all about a great take on Pay-it Forward, which is one of the greatest gestures of kindness ever. This random act is known as Craft-it-Forward, where you pay-it-forward through art. It doesn't take a lot to do or major artistic skill. We all are creative in our own ways and by crafting-it-forward you will get to showcase your creativity by making something homemade.

If you are ready to get crafty and share your art, here's all that you need to do...

• Be one of the first 5 people to leave a comment, then email me your name and address.
• Get something homemade just for you created by my hands.
• Blog all about how to Craft-it-Forward
• Then craft and share.

That's it... see, I told you it wasn't going to take a lot to do it. Just a little bit of creativity and kindness, which you already have! If you don't happen to make it in the first 5 and you still want to participate go right ahead. Blog about Craft-it-Forward and brighten someone's day.

The Dots & Blocks Personalized Lunchbox from Che'demi's Boutique, created by the wonderful LaTonya Yvette. I won this last month in one of Denene's giveaways. I am super excited that it has arrived and I know Miss J will be too when she gets to see it in a couple of hours. I wont have to ask what she'll be taking her snack in next week!

Another thank you to both LaTonya and Denene for their generosity and ability to spread happiness in their work. Hopefully I will be able to get pictures of Miss J toting her new box.

Answering the President-Elect's call to service on MLK Day, I will be participating in making some donations of coats to my city's community center, which is hosting a Serve Expo.

Get involved by committing some hours out of your day to serving your community or make a donation of canned food, blankets, coats and anything else that you think can help someone in need, to local service organizations.

Go out and make your mark on the world!

I was very happy to find this in my mailbox. That's Little Monkey, wearing that super cool hat of his, snoozing and snuggling the blanket that I made. He is so precious. His happiness makes me smile.

No, I didn't make a sale. I have decided to pass the source of my finger cramps on to a deserving little boy who is cuter than Benjamin Button. Everyone, meet Little Monkey


Son of Mr. Tuffy and Mrs. Round Peg, and little brother of Rorysaurus, over at Mostly Medical Misadventures & Mishaps. In case you can't tell, he's celebrating his first birthday and a happy recovery from numerous cranial operations this year. You see, Little Monkey was born with non-syndromatic synostosis. His skull didn't develop properly, which left him sporting a spiked skull at birth. But look at him, wasn't he ultra adorable?


Little Monkey had surgery and grew into those bones.


And then he had another surgery...


And he got to wear the coolest hat EVER!


And now, its like this rough start to life never even happened.


We will be heading over to his place today to help celebrate his first year and to welcome his Uncle Needlenoggin home from the hospital. You can get introduced to this extraordinary family here. Through every trial and tribulation of this year, their smiles have overshadowed their tears. They are THEE most resilient people I know. I love em' to death. These folks are my Cal family and each day that they "keep on keepin' on", they inspire me to continue to overcome.