Week 40: Keep On Keeping On

Wow, it's week 40! Only 5 more weeks to go...I'm in the home stretch (literally. at home.).

I thought, since we're starting to see the end of this little project come in sight (for this round anyway, I have future plans rolling around this aging head-o-mine), I'd spend this week focusing on positivity for the future and share one of my favorite things I've discovered this week.

I'm a big Green Bay Packers fan. Actually, a HUGE Packers fan. I'm the person people tag in Packers articles, call with Packers news, and text during games (but there is a very short list of people I text back while the clock is still running, I'm usually too busy high-fiving my family or people near our seats inside Lambeau).

Fun Fact: I was a finalist for the Aaron Rodgers episode of Jimmy Kimmel's show Big Fan a few years ago, but sadly, didn't make the final cut. I would have studied my butt off to have won an opportunity to toss a football around with Rodgers (Aaron, if you're reading this, call me...it would be the BEST birthday gift ever!).

OK, I'm off track. See, this is what happens when I get talking about the Packers. Now, where was I? Kindness-Packers-Community Campaign, that's right...

So, I was on the Packers Pro Shop looking around last week and noticed some colorful, positive, inclusive merchandise. I clicked on the link and voila, I was in love!

The Keep On campaign was started to inspire hope for people all across Wisconsin during this crazy time in our history.

"Help us encourage everyone in our communities to Keep On doing all the right and good things. Keep On staying safe. Keep On supporting one another. We're all in this together. Let's Keep On Wisconsin."

All of the items are really reasonably-priced, being sold at cost, and the yard signs are FREE!

I bought my kids t-shirts, myself a pin for my jean jacket, a set of postcards to mail to friends and family, and I ordered 3 yard signs (one for my house and the other two for my parents and brothers' houses).

Join me in spreading some joy across Wisconsin! Order a free yard sign to make your neighbors smile, a pack of postcards to snail mail to a loved one, and a t-shirt to cheer yourself up. You deserve it!

Keep On keeping on, everyone! We're in this together, and together we can do ANYTHING!

Week 39: Surprise Snail Mail

Dear Reader,

Life here in Wisconsin is picking back up. My kids' school is in the home stretch, and my real estate practice is getting increasingly busier as the Spring market has finally arrived (although inventory is low...if you know of anyone in Wisconsin looking to move, send them my way, I have buyers who need houses! 😉)

I know I'm not the only one feeling an increase in to-dos and (places) to-be. This is why I decided to carve out time to surprise special people in my life with some snail mail in hopes of brightening their days as their schedules fill up.

The recipients of my letters spread across all areas of my life, to a friend of 30 years, a mentor I have today, special family members, and more.

I thanked all of my pen pals for the meaningful role they play in my life, I expressed how much I appreciate their unique qualities and talents, and I told them I was rooting for them, their health and happiness.

Writing letters is such a simple thing to do but I know from experience that the ones I've been lucky enough to receive have had a huge impact on me the day they arrived, as well as every other time I've stumbled upon them (I keep them all)!

Who in your life could use a pick-me-up?
Who has played an important role?
Who are you grateful for?

Why not write and tell them?

Sincerely,
Shannon

Week 38: Signs of the Times

What a time to be alive!

Never did I ever think I'd see my children wearing masks outside of a hospital during flu season.

Never did I ever think I'd be excited to find someone to make matching masks for my daughters and me in Rifle Paper Co. floral fabric.

Never did I ever think I'd be crafting encouraging mask signs.

But here we are.

This week, I painted a half-dozen signs* with a positive message to hang up around my town in hopes of making people smile behind the masks they're wearing to keep our community safe.

I painted them on the back of cereal and snack boxes and then sprayed them with a protectant coating to guard against precipitation (it's May and I wish I could have said "rain" there, but alas, it's Wisconsin and it snowed yesterday and may again tomorrow).

I hung the posters up outside of a couple of restaurants that take window order, on a tree in a park where people exercise, and downtown where lots of families are taking nightly strolls.

I hope the signs provide a boost of encouragement for people to continue wearing their masks (peer pressure is real).

I hope it makes people happy who are hiding their smiles for a while.

I hope everyone continues to care for one another in all of the creative and compassionate ways I've witnessed each day of this surreal season of our lives.

What a time to be alive!

* - Sign design is based off of a photograph someone took and shared online while out on a walk in California. (:

This week's Kindness Countdown activity was photographed and videotaped by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel for an article they'll soon be running on my little project. I'll share the link when it becomes available! 

Week 37: May Day Baskets

I was a little girl growing up on the south side of Milwaukee in the 70s and 80s, where May Day was celebrated...at least it was in my family. My mom had us put together baskets of goodies, set them on our neighbor's front steps, ring their doorbells, and run!

Seeing as we're currently social distancing, I thought this would be the perfect year to bring back the tradition of May Day baskets (but not the Maypole...I never understood what that was all about).

My kids and I crafted glittered butterfly cards, cut a half-dozen daffodils from our yard, and assembled some of our hen's fresh eggs in cartons, safely loaded it all in a basket, and walked down our block dropping goodies off on our neighbor's stoops. 

Although our intentions were to "ding dong ditch," we were happy to be caught in the act a couple of times and enjoyed the chats with our neighbors.

It doesn't need to be a special day and you don't have to drop off anything big...however you let your neighbors know, they'll appreciate you thinking of them and wishing them well. 

Hopefully we can all do that in person, complete with hugs and cookouts and such SOON!

Week 36: BOGO Masks

For Kindness Countdown week 36, in an effort to protect my family, along with the doctors and nurses working with the COVID-19 patients in hospitals, I purchased masks from a few generous resources I'd like to bring to your attention.

I bought two denim masks from Food52 and Ft. Lonesome, who are both donating a mask to a frontline worker with each mask purchased. (I love anything denim!)

I also purchased cotton masks for everyone in my family from a local tactile crafter, annachorism (on Instagram), who is using the profits from the masks she sells to purchase materials to make masks to donate to area hospitals. All of us love the fabrics we chose, they're really comfortable, and easy to clean!

Times have changed and I don't foresee the need to sport a mask leaving us anytime soon. If you're going to purchase a few to have on hand, why not help others while purchasing quality products to keep you and your family safe?

It's a win-win!

The gorgeous mural behind me is the work of uber talented Milwaukee artist, Mauricio Ramirez, and is titled Frontline Heroes. It's located at 600 W. Lincoln Avenue. 

Kindness Countdown in Real Simple

I still can't believe this happened!

A few days ago, I clicked on a DM notification in Instagram and saw a message from an editor at Real Simple who had seen the Kindness Countdown project in her feed. She asked if she could ask me some questions and write an article. 

Ummmm, I obviously said YES!

Fast forward 24 hours, and the article was live on their sit. 

Read all about why I started the project, a bit about my daily life, how I've switched things up since the pandemic hit, what future plans hold, and more. 

I tell ya what...you wake up in the morning and you just don't know what the day will bring.

I still can't believe this happened!

Week 35: Paper Chain Countdown

Hello, all you cool cats and kittens!

Sorry, I couldn't help myself...it's a sign of the times and a subject the friend I'm about to mention and I've exchanged numerous texts about.

I never intended to write about what I'm about to for this week's Kindness Countdown blog post, but it's such a simple idea that my friend said meant a lot, and since the purpose of writing a blog about these acts of kindness each week is to hopefully encourage others to spread some love, I'm sharing it (but I'm keeping the details private).

I have a friend who's counting down to a big day. To help make the waiting a little bit more fun, I made her a paper chain and left it on her back door while she was at work.

I come from a long line of paper-chain makers/lovers. We made them for loads of things when I was growing up...and I've never really stopped.

I can't tell you how many times I've said, "I think I'll make a paper chain" or "You should make a paper chain" when talking with a friend for family member about something exciting and heard them laugh as though it was a joke.

You'd think, after almost 45 years, they'd understand I take excitement, joy, and anticipation quite seriously, that I'd never joke about something as serious as a paper chain, but alas, here we are. Hopefully reading this in black and white will erase all confusion, set the record straight, and garner paper chains everywhere with the respect they've long deserved! ;)

Do you know someone looking forward to something special? Maybe a big birthday? An anniversary? The start of a new job? A family reunion or house closing? An extra-special concert? The end of quarantine? I kid, kind of...

Surprise them with a paper chain!

It's such a simple thing to do, and according to my friend brings upon a smile and is "incredibly thoughtful."

Spread the love! Share in the joy! Make them smile!