The Power Of Asking For Help

During the holiday season, many of us become accustomed to offering help, charity, and service to others. This is a time when we find oursevles in the spirit of sharing - and the pwoer seems to be far reaching! One thing that often gets overlooked in the process fo seasonal charity, however, is the reverse of giving - asking. Many people find themselves busy, exhausted, and burnt out at a time when we should all be experiencing a quite festive and joyful mood!

Asking for help is an important way to manage stress and drama at this time of year. Many people feel that they have to go above and beyond to please others without taking time to ensure they are in good health. People can overestend themselves and take on more than they can handle - especially as holiday festivities and duties come around.

If you're one of the many people who tends to take on the roles of many to please the few, this is the perfect time of year to find the courage and clarity to ask for help and explore new ways of getting things done.

Here are a few things to consider when asking for help...

• Many people love being aksed to help. When you ask someone for help, you are telling them that they are valued and that they have what it takes to get the job done right.
• Asking for help is a great way to share with others and to ensure that everyone gets a chance to put their own energy into the events of the year.
• Asking for help clears stress as it lets you know for sure that other people are on your side.

Asking for help is a strong, communicative, and empowering action... and it's one that can have far reaching positive effects!

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Where To Find One Of A Kind Gifts This Holiday Season

As we approach the gift giving holidays, it can be hard to find the perfect meaningful gifts for the people on your list without a whole lot of hassle and run around. The good news is that now more than ever before there are some pretty amazing places where you can get one-of-a-kind gifts to match the unique personalities of everyone you'd like to buy for. Even better is the fact that you can do all of this while supporting small businesses, local businesses, artisans, and handmade crafters all at the same time!

Here is a list of some amazing places online, (besides HERE) that may just help you find the perfect gift for that special someone this holiday season...

Makeably

The amazing Makeably site connects buyers with makers for a truly customized experience. You can work directly with all kinds of artisans to have something made just the way you want it... the perfect size, the right colors, or the materials you know your loved one likes most. 

Etsy

Etsy allows you to find one-of-a-kind and handmade artisan goods from people all across the world. Instead of going to a big box store, try finding handmade alternatives on Etsy this year!

Craft Fairs & Art Shows

Check your local newspapers and magazines to find out about craft fairs and art shows happening in your area. These are amazing venues to find some one-of-a-kind pieces that will 'wow' everyone on your gift list this year!

Local Businesses

When you support local businesses, you are putting your money back into your communities market which is a win-win for everyone!

Handmade DIY

If you have a crafty passion, why not make gifts by hand this year? From heirloom ornaments to jewelry pieces, you may be surprised at how much you can do with just a few materials!

Charmed Design

Every one of our pieces is handmade. You can even customize your bracelet by contacting me.

Make 2012 the year when you support handmade, artisan, and local businesses - and show the people on your gift list just how one-of-a-kind they really are!

Happy Holidays!

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Holiday Sale!

Check out our Etsy shop for big savings this weekend: FREE SHIPPING  with code: CELEBRATE. Also, 15% off all of our awesome silk wrap bracelets, no code needed:

http://www.etsy.com/shop/charmeddesign1012

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Creating A Book Of Gratitude, Inspiration, and Joy

As we go through life, it's easy to forget the small blessings and overlook those moments of time when things just seem to 'make sense' for a moment. For this reason, people from across the span of time have kept journals and books to jot down important things - both to remember them and to be able to turn back to them when times are tough. I love the idea of keeping a personal book, and I find that it starts to take on such a powerfully positive energy after a few months of use that it becomes a truly sacred part of a person's life.

You can use your book to jot down just about anything, but it should all be positive. Some ideas include...

• Things you are grateful for
• Blessings, miracles, and special life events
• Steps you take that lead to good things happening in your life
• Quotes or verses that inspire you
• Things people say that empower you
• Notes about books or movies that helped change your life for the good
• Ideas and inspirations you have
• Goals and dreams
• Memories that make you smile

Your book is like a little journal of all the happy things in life, and it helps you remember the positive and keep it alive. When we take time to write things down, our minds recognize how important they are and tend to put them in a higher priority area in our memory. Many people find that the minute they write something down, they have it memorized.

Spending a few minutes at the end of each day adding things to your book is a great way to 'lock in' the positive and create waves of gratitude and good vibes for the next day.

When a bad day comes, you'll have a secret weapon! You can open up your book to a random page or a special section and remember just how good things can be. You can find inspiration, laughter, and memories that can change everything in an instant!

Your book is like a mirror of light for your life. You can feed it by adding positive things to it each day, and who knows - someday you may be able to pass it on!

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Empowering Words, Beautiful Wrap

In celebration of the season of gratitude, I've created a new line of silk wrap bracelets that feature empowering words on metal connectors so that you can combine beauty, positive energy, and inspiration in your look - anytime you like!

These wrap bracelets are made from the same hand-painted silk that my other pieces are made from, and the individual connectors are made from high quality silver metal with the word stamped right into it.

I've combined a variety of words with a full array of bracelet colors to ensure that you and the people on your gift list will be able to find the perfect piece to bring gratitude, joy, and peace.

The full selection includes several words paired with a combination of silk colored wrap ribbons. These one of a kind jewelry pieces make excellent gifts for the holiday season - for your loved ones or for yourself!

Click the link below to see the full line of word connector wrap bracelets and other wrap bracelets available now...

http://www.charmeddesign.com/store

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A Time To Share

As we approach the holiday season, it's a great time to consider simple ways that you and your family can share with the community and help change lives. This is the most important time of year to give because the weather changes, many seasonal jobs come to an end, and many families find it hard to get by. I'd like to share some simple ways that you can make a huge difference in your community and in the world this year - choose one that feels right for you and commit to making it happen within the month of November!

Give Old Clothing A Second Life

As you bring out your own cold weather clothing and purchase new pieces, this is a great time to give what you no longer need to those who can really use it. Coats, jackets, sweaters, shoes, and even blankets make excellent donations to community centers and shelters to ensure that nobody has to be cold this winter.

Time & Energy

If you have extra time, give it in service to the world! Donating your time and energy at local community centers, shelters, or other charitable organizations is a great way to create positive change in your life and in the lives of countless others.

Food

At this time of year more than ever, good food is needed in shelters and food banks. Tackle a pre-winter cleaning project in your home and give away whatever you can. This is also a great time to take advantage of sales at local stores so that you can donate even more usable goods directly to the people who need them most while supporting small businesses at the same time.

As you can see, there are many ways to get involved and you can easily find something that works with your abilities. Choose to be part of the solution this year and you will find that it changes everything in countless positive ways!

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Powerful Ways To Make Positive Change This Fall Season

Did you know that throughout the world fall is considered a wonderful and sacred time to make positive changes in your life? Many people feel that fall is a time or rest and repose, but actually there are many ways to let go of the old and create room for the new!

In nature, fall is the time when plants fade away so that roots can rest and seeds can store up energy to sprout next year. Our ancient ancestors may have taken wisdom from this time of year and done the same! We can choose at this time to let go of the things we nurture and hold onto if they are no longer good for us so that when we bloom again next year, we'll be better off!

Leaves falling from trees is a powerful symbol for the fall. As the leaves delicately drift to the earth to be turned into soil through the process of composting, we too can allow thoughts, feelings, and old patterns to fall away as well. This is the perfect time of year to follow the wisdom of the trees and 'let it all go!'.

Many leaves change color during the fall reminding us that this is indeed the season of change. The weather is changing, the path of the sun is changing, and the colors are also changing. At this time of year we can draw strength from the natural world around us to make the changes in our lives we know are best for us - or to receive inspiration if we're not sure which way to go next!

As you watch the fall roll in, the colors change, and the air cool down this season, look at yourself and see what can be released with love and willingness to heal. We get to celebrate the Halloween festivities where we don on a mask and pretend to be someone we aren't - and it just might be that while we're out playing, the real us heals itself!

Happy Fall 2012!

Shop our new Fall designs at www.charmeddesign.com

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Fun Halloween Facts

I love the harvest season, and Halloween is such a fun holiday! Every year I look forward to seeing the children get excited about the festivities, and I love the decorations! The weather cools down, the leaves change, new foods appear in the market, and I couldn't be happier!

In celebration of the spooky season, I thought it would be fun to share a few Halloween facts with you that you may not know...

* In Europe, pumpkins are not what's carved! Potatoes, beets, and turnips signal the season and in some traditions are carved to provide a safe place for wandering spirits to reside during the festivities.

* Halloween is known as 'Samhain' (pronounced Sow-In) in many parts of Europe. It's an ancient festival time celebrating those who have passed on and the mysteries of life.

* In America, Halloween is third in line after the Super Bowl and New Year's Eve for parties.

* Over 85% Of American households add some form of decoration to their homes.

* More than half of the Halloween costumes sold in the USA are for adults.

* In many spiritual traditions, it is believed that the invisible 'veil' that separates our realm from the next is very thin. For this reason, ancestors, spirits, and other beings are more able to cross over and interact with us. Halloween in America coincides with Samhain in Europe and Dia De Los Muertos in Mexico.

* The traditional Halloween colors of orange and black represent the harvest and the mystery of the season. When a plant is harvested, its seeds will create the next crop. For this reason, our ancient ancestors saw a connection between the final harvest season and the passing of a soul from this world to the next.

Happy Halloween!

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