It's a Getting it Together Giveaway!

I've been so busy that I haven't had time to stay on top of my blog reading. I hope all my friends out there are doing well. I'll catch up soon!

I seem to have bitten off a little more than I can chew this year.

I signed myself up for four holiday swaps. Yes, four. Yikes!  I'm having a cookie party on Saturday. I am still cleaning and decorating. I can't have a Christmas cookie party with no Christmas decorations up! Lol. And I'm constantly distracted by Words with Friends! Yes, I love that game.  

So, I am doing some serious decluttering since my mother-in-law and sister-in-laws are coming over to my house for the first time for the cookie party. I can't have them thinking crazy thoughts about my house keeping skills. Actually I lack the house keeping gene but can't have them knowing that, lol.

I'm so messy and just love stuff! I always see a reason to keep stuff. I think to myself "I can really use this when I get a bigger house or when I do blah, blah, blah I'll need this." That way of thinking is really holding me back. I've heard that a cluttered house leads to a cluttered mind or something like that. Well, it's true!! My mind is always occupied with "I've gotta clean this or I can't do this because stuff is in the way." My house is in a constant state of disarray, so much so that I have to embark on a major cleaning frenzy before I can even invite people over.

No more, nope, I'm getting it together.

I think that this will help me not only in my personal life (my husband can't stand all my clutter!) but also professionally. Right now, there are things I want to make but don't feel like getting out the sewing machine because it's a huge undertaking to drag it out of the closet. I feel like there is so much clutter in my craft room that it is blocking my creativity. In my defense, it is a guest bedroom/office/craft room, lol.

So, I've said all this to tell you that I'm have a giveaway, several of them actually. I have so much scrapbooking/crafty items that I'm giving much of my stash away. This is new stuff. Unopened, still in package, new, shiny things. Stickers, paper, embellishments, all kinds of goodies. All you have to do is visit my shop (LeeLu Creations on etsy) and  leave me a comment about which is your fave item. Or just tell me how fabulous of a person I am. Whatever. Just leave me a comment on this post. I will randomly pick at least five winners so hopefully that many people will enter, lol. I will pick the winners Thursday evening so you can enter any time up to Thursday, 11/30/12 before 6 PM Eastern. I hope to ship on Friday if I can get the winners addresses.

Please share!

Project Pearl

Recently I wrote about The 13 Project where I told you about an amazing group called Project Pearl.

Today I want to share more information about that with you.

Why reinvent the wheel? This is from their website:

"Established in October 2011 by co-founders Fowler Ruffin and Melissa Ball, Project Pearl is a non-profit organization in Winston-Salem, NC that works with local photographers to increase awareness of and lower the euthanasia rate of healthy, adoptable animals in Forsyth County.

Working in partnership with Forsyth County Animal Control to help educate our community about responsible pet ownership (which includes licensing and rabies vaccinations) through outreach, social media and other sources, Project Pearl believes community-wide education results in better population control, lower stray intakes and reduced owner surrenders."

How did Project Pearl get started?

"The idea had its beginnings when Ruffin and Ball met an animal shelter dog named Pearl. The adult dog was housetrained and had wonderful manners but also had some minor skin allergies and was missing patches of hair, Ruffin said. 'She patiently waited almost two months for a home.' Realizing Pearl had an unflattering photo posted online, Ball went to the shelter, gave Pearl a bath and got her ready for Ruffin to reshoot her photo. "

"Less than a day after the photos were sent in a mass email to friends, Pearl was adopted to a wonderful home," Ruffin said

-Source

Basically, Project Pearl works with the Forsyth County Animal Shelter by taking professional pictures of the animals that are available for adoption. They give them baths, haircuts, trim nails, and then make them super cute. They work with local photographers to take professional pics. They have a Facebook page where they post and promote. This project has increased the animal shelter's adoption rate by 30%.  That is amazing!

I've never met these two ladies but I can't tell you the admiration I have for them. This is such a wonderful project that they have started. I'd love to see it branch out to other animal shelters.

Here are some of the gorgeous animals that are currently available for adoption at Forsyth County Animal Control.  These pics will make you smile. Such sweet faces!! :)