pics!

b-e-a-utiful banner!

suit drive cake!

made by lucky lucie designs

http://luckyluciedesigns.synthasite.com/

and the darling dog jumps in the fountain

adding to the rack

kimmy digging into the donated pizzas from PASTAZIO'S

the gang

l-r: me, katie, cady (in front), shonda, darcy, kimberly, suzy

suzy wondering where my table went

where will i sleep?

showing off some beautiful pink suits

tada!

clothes taking over my apartment

celebratory dinner at Tirelli's

l-r: kimberly, crystal, darcy, me, mom, lizzy, suzy

true methodist...

i guess i'm a true methodist bc i'm all about the numbers! ha...

so here are the results of a successful suit drive:

suits (blazer and skirt/pant set): 84

blazers: 27

pants:28

blouses:49

skirts: 30

dresses: 15

handbags: 15

for a grand total of 248 usable items!!! (there were even more items donated but some were deemed "non-business related" and are not in the 248 total).

thank you, thank you, thank you to every single person who helped, encouraged, donated, supported, worked, labored, toiled, made cakes, had pizza donated for lunch...i could go on and on...it was a blast and a true blessing. my apartment is stuffed to the brim with clothes...sort of smellin like a goodwill store over here. ha! here's a pic but there will be many, many more pics posted tonight when my momma sends me some from her camera. i'm pointing to the 50 suits on one rack, the rest are laying on my couch, ha! i think coco is mad at the clothes everywhere, they're taking over her lounging spots...she spent most of yesterday under my bed...pouting.

tomorrow, tomorrow, i love ya tomorrow! you're only a day away!

hokay, so here we are, one day away and things are really picking up!

lizzy got in town last night... my sweet, little coworker laura van horn has collected some suits and is bringing them up to work today...another sweet, little coworker lucie brought me a ______ for me to surprise my friends with tomorrow at the suit drive (it's a secret, hence the blank, ha)...katie collected suits from one of her coworkers...my mom will be here this evening...and then the party starts tomorrow at 10am.

i'm quite excited.

i also just got a hit counter thing for my blog today, it's at the bottom. i'm a little bummed i didn't know how to do it when i first started the blog. it says 8 people have come to my blog, ha! more like 8,000...kidding! i'm not that popular :)

and tonight lizzy, her mom ronda, me, and my mom are all going to dinner, yay! our moms have never met, so this is a blast just waiting to happen.

mission suit drive= 2 days away!

yes, i know, i can't believe it either! the suit drive is only TWO days away! and i've got some last minute things to do still :)

planning this drive has opened my eyes...while we humans have our flaws, we want to do good. it's like people might not know the hows or wheres to giving generously but when you put something in front of them that enables them to give back, they take it and run. in the right direction, too. so many people have already contributed to this drive- we have collected 32 suits (full suits, blazer and pants/skirt set), 8 business skirts, 10 blouses, 4 slacks, 4 dresses, 4 handbags. and the drive hasn't happened. and people that didn't necessarily contribute a suit want to help too. we have 4 restaurants that are giving coupons to all the people that donate and a jewelry store (www.hersoutherncharm.etsy.com) that is giving a 5% discount if you donate to the suit drive. and then there's all the people that have given their time, energy, thoughts, etc to make this suit drive happen...it's truly amazing how so many want to be a part of something good. and this is good. :)

it might be that this drive has given some of you a chance to rid your closet of the old so that you may purchase some new. or it may be that some of you have been in the same position as the women who have been helped by Attitudes & Attire (tm), and you know how these women feel and what they need. and then others caught the giving bug and just want to give, give, give because it just makes you feel warm and fuzzy inside. whatever the reason, we all deep down inside want to help others and to do good things. i like this. we don't always do good things, and we have moments of greediness and an un-giving spirit, but innately, i think we really do want to help. we are wonderfully and fearfully made and i praise our god for this.

if that don't make ya feel great, i just don't know what will.

catch the giving bug too and head on over to the SUIT DRIVE on SATURDAY!!!

4 more days...

http://www.attitudesandattire.org/ has our sweet, littly flyer up on their website :)

check it out and spread the word.

peace!

we have made the KLTY website

http://www.klty.com/family_fun_calendar.php?date=2008-6-14

scroll down and look for "women's suit drive."

KUDOS DARCE!

return of the mac...

you are singing that song right now, aren't you?



well, i'm happy to report that i'm getting a new hard drive and then i will once again have a computer at home. sweetness. the other night i was at home and i was so bored that i ironed clothes for like 3 hours. granted, it was for a good cause. this thing called a "suit drive." lol...i was ironing suits that an awesome friend brought over, but they just needed a little pressing (on a low, low heat of course which averaged about 5 hours per suit...not really) . and since i didn't have a computer to help me waste time, i ironed :) ha! quite a romantic little evening, if i do say so myself.

question: does this mean i lost all of my music? so when i go to plug in my ipod, what happens? riiiiight, did i mention that i'm starting a class at apple about how to understand your machine? ha...one day, you'll be asking ME questions.



and i'm posting the banner again for you myspacers...trying to make it as convenient as possible. i mean, heck, heaven forbid you have to scroll down a few blogs to find the banner! ha, only jokes. so here it is again, in clear view:

wanna help?!

300 flyers are printed for the drive...oh? what was that? you'd like some so that you can put them at your place of work? oh and you know someone at a restaurant or business nearby and you'd like to see if they would put some flyers out for people to pick up?
WONDERFUL! i'll be over to your place in a bit to drop off the flyers :)

did you like my role-play to show you how easy it will be for me to give you flyers, and then you can put them somewhere for people to see? easy cheesy indeed.

lol...i apologize, i just ran a few miles and have tons of energy now!?!?!

ok, well i'm prob going to be out of pocket until next tuesday...i'm headed to the lake house tomorrow for a mini vacay. i'll post pics next week of how i won the waverunner races and tubed the longest...lol...i kid, i kid. but i will post pics :)

until then, take care, be safe, and enjoy your holiday!!

happenings

my sweet little macbook has crashed and burned...it's at the apple doctor as we speak...err type. note: a flashing folder with a question mark in the middle of it is a bad sign.
on the brighter side: they offer one on one training classes for $99 where you have your own "personal trainer" that teaches you all the wonderful things this genius machine can do. so i'm enrolling pronto.

also, i am not sure how all this works, but for you myspace peeps, i think you can copy and paste this banner on your page to help advertise the quickly approaching suit drive...



did i do that right? lemme nose...

Suit Drive, baby

click image to view bigger :) now go spread the word please!

lots of thoughts in my head

-just picked up 100 coupons from Astoria!!!! free glass of wine with purchase of food. sweetness.
-Zen and Antonio's will also be supplying coupons to us.
-minutes ago i got an email from greenz saying they have 75 coupons for us...hallelujah!
-the flyer is complete (well, almost, we're lacking one sponsor's logo)
- darcy is a flyer making rockstar
-katie is a dear for dealing with my multiple emails/text messages ALL day :)
-these tiny kids on dancing with the stars are incredible. lol...have you seen the way they move their tiny hips?
-oh back on track...does anyone know how long helium balloons float? really, that is relevant. if we got balloons filled friday night, would they still float on saturday for the duration of the drive (until 2pm)?
-is apple really coming out with a new iphone next month?
-oh yes, suit drive, suit drive, suit drive. kidding. we're doing good, we have lots of things in place and ready to go. i finally feel like i can breathe because it's really happening and so many people are helping to make it happen. when it started it seemed so big and such a difficult thing to pull off. however, family and friends along the way have offered their services, knowledge, time, even finances to make this thing be as big and as awesome as possible. you have no idea how great my heart feels as friends and family step up. you all know how important this drive is for me and so you make it important to you too. that's just greatness, people. i love each and every one of you.

after saying how warm and fuzzy my heart is (lol), i also need to ask you for a prayer request. my friends jason and crystal elwell have an uncle named Son. He has down-sydrome and has amazingly lived 62 awesome years...he is in the hospital right now with pneumonia and tomorrow the drs will be taking out all of his tubes- feeding, breathing, etc. Crystal called tonight and said he's already having a very hard time breathing with his tube, so tomorrow is going to be tough. for Son, for his loving family, and for all the people who have been blessed by knowing this really great man. i'm kind of typing like he's already passed away, and he hasn't. crystal just said that the drs said there's nothing more they can do, so the time has probably come. living until 62 with down-syndrome is an amazing thing anyways.

wow, i don't want to end on that note, but i'm going to...our god is faithful, true, loving, and kind...he has blessed us all in so many ways. reflect on that. sweet dreams ;)

updates

so today after work, katie and i walked to a few restaurants in addison circle and asked if they'd like to help out with the suit drive. we were thinking that if they could offer a coupon or discount to the people who donate clothes then that would be even more incentive for people to be a part of this drive. plus they would get more people to visit their restaurants as well as their logo on our flyer...i think that is a fair deal!

*Zen said "absolutely!" the owner's mom should be calling me soon ;)
*Astoria, Antonio's, Greenz, and Avanti's all said probably, they'd have to check and then get back to us.
*and Addison Circle Cleaners is donating hangers and possibly rolling racks.

it was a GOOD day!!

and on top of that, i talked with the town of Addison yesterday. i just wanted to make sure that we could use that parking lot next to my building. the past couple days it has been barricaded off, so i thought, "hmmm i'd better check!" i talked to a very nice man Rob who talked with the Addison police who said "sure!" well that was just too easy. thanks Rob!

one more day gone by and many more goals accomplished...that's how i like it.

be my spark

so tonight katie, maggie, and i got together and nailed down some details. as far as getting the word out, we came down to a general consensus...

it only takes a spark to get a fire going, and soon all those around will warm up in it's glowing....

be the spark and spread the word about the "suit drive"...

JUNE 14TH, 10 AM-2 PM

WOMEN'S BUSINESS CLOTHES (interview-ready...aka clean, pressed, and on a hanger)
ACCESSORIES/SCARVES/HANDBAGS
PANTY-HOSE (must be brand new, no used ones please :) )

***i tell you this 6 weeks in advance bc you will need time to take a good, long look at your clothes, possibly get them to the cleaners or iron them, hang them, and tell everyone you know to do the same***

"For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do." Ephesians 2:10

thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you!
so, what i'm trying to say is....thank you.

bueller?

put on your thinking caps peeps...we are in need of:

• extra hangers (clothes are required to be on hangers, but i anticipate that not all clothes will be on them when they're dropped off)
• large, plastic bins- quantity 5
• signs
• we need a large banner with the name of the event on it
• smaller signs to point people to our location (anyone in the sign business?) :)
• paper to print flyers...something thick and sturdy

anyone? anyone? bueller?

*and the date is now leaning towards june 14th*

the suit drive is on!!

ok, so some brainstorming has gone on, and this suit drive is on!! the date will either be May 31st or June 21st...i would like to do the May date, but i also don't want to rush it. i want to make sure that it's planned well and ready to go with ample time to advertise. the awesome thing is that i talked to my apt complex and they want to help put it on. SWEETNESS!

so here are some ideas/thoughts:
*location: esplanade park in addison circle (area where jazz concerts are held in the summer)
*time: 10 am- 3 pm (is that a good time...wanted to give people to have time to see signs and go home and get stuff)
*need signs in the area, directing people to the park; also a large sign for the location
*music? what do i do about that?
*need rolling clothing racks bc clothes have to be on hangers (ask adidas and vanity fair, both are located in the building i work in)
*extra hangers??
*bins to collect nice accessories, scarves, handbags (also a bin for non-interview items that people bring)
*make flyer...errr....get darce to make the flyer :)
*what about asking local restaurants (avanti, pastazios, astoria cafe, greenz) to offer some kind of discount/coupon to people who donate? think they would??
*need volunteers to help at the drive- accept clothes, sort them, help take them to WTC in dallas (guys, this is where you'd be of great help!)
*becca with attitudes and attire is emailing me a receipt (to duplicate) to give people to use for tax write-off

*advertising ideas:
-flyers at work places of volunteers or...anyone who wants to help advertise
-see if IBC's women's ministry can help advertise...or maybe just email lots of women
-put small flyer in showcase boxes on 1st floor of each building here at post apts
-get flyer printed in post's newsletter
-darcy is making a banner for people to use on their myspace/facebook- yay for that!
-hand out flyers to businesses in the area

whew...i'm beat. are there any doable ideas in there? any suggs? please help friends!!

for more info... ATTITUDES AND ATTIRE

:) loves!!!

Attitudes and Attire

ok ladies, it's GO TIME. this org "attitudes and attire" has been weighing on my heart for well over a year. and every time it would pop into my head, i doubted myself. but you know what? we really can do this.

go to the website- www.attitudesandattire.org and let's organize a suit drive. we all have plenty of nice clothes that either don't fit well, are "out of season" or we just don't want them anymore. but we can give them to the Attitudes and Attire boutique and allow low income women a chance to wear a nice suit for an interview. we can give them that first boost of self-esteem, the boost that comes with feeling good and confident about yourself. the org also has workshops, image consulting, and job training which includes positive self-image, appropriate workplace behavior and appearance (many volunteer opps there!!). it's a truly super organization for women. check out the website, read about it and the success stories, and then contact me and let's get this party started.