TOMS one day without shoes

i'll be taking off my shoes on april 8th... will you join me?

xoxo,

lesley

life can start again.

this weekend, a shift began to occur... we are on the cusp of spring. the air seems to be buzzing with energy and potential, and soon everything around us will be bursting into life.

i can't think of a better time for a fresh start. every day life can start again... think of the possibilities!

xoxo,

lesley

the buried life

inspiring, touching, uplifting... not necessarily the words that come to mind when you think of the lineup of shows on mtv. but the buried life is all those things and more.

the show follows a group of four guy friends on their journey to cross items off a list of 100 things they want to do before they die... from attending a party at the playboy mansion to helping deliver a baby. there's also a twist: for every item they cross off their list, they help a stranger accomplish something on theirs.

when i first started seeing ads for the buried life, i was interested, but i thought to myself c'mon, it's mtv... how good could it be? i decided to tune in anyway, and i'm so glad i did! the guys are relatable, hilarious, creative, and fearless. the ways in which they are able to help other people are amazing and totally inspiring. i look forward to watching their adventure unfold every week.

take a few minutes to watch the promo video below and check your local listings for air times :)

xoxo,

lesley

craft hope.

this is just a beautiful thing...

after hearing about the disaster in haiti, the ladies of craft hope decided to take action. they opened up an etsy shop and sent out an appeal to crafters and artists to donate whatever items they could, with all proceeds benefiting doctors without borders.

the ladies wanted to help out however they could, and had modest expectations for the shop. but in the past few days, the shop has sold 700 items and made over $10,000 for haiti relief... and the numbers continue to grow. i donated two prints from my etsy shop, and they sold before i could even spread the word!

if you're still looking for a way to get involved and help out those in need in haiti, this is it. there's still tons of great stuff up for grabs in the craft hope etsy shop... you can get a wonderful handmade craft and help raise money for doctors without borders at the same time. it's a total win-win.

and if you're not convinced yet, here is a selection of some of the lovely handmade items that have been donated to craft hope to tempt you...

click here to shop craft hope for haiti!

xoxo,

lesley

it's a wonderful life.

merry christmas everyone!

if you get a chance today, sit down and watch it's a wonderful life. regardless of your beliefs, it should help remind you what the holidays are all about... spending time with the people you love the most, taking a step back and being grateful for everything you have.

i hope you all have a truly wonderful holiday. i'll be spending christmas with my amazing husband and family at my parents' home... then we'll all be flying off to sunny puerto rico for some more quality time :)

see you in the new year!

xoxo,

lesley

thanksgiving.

happy thanksgiving everyone!

today, take a moment to remember what this day is really all about. it's not about turkey or pumpkin pie or football... it's about giving thanks. let your thanksgiving dinner be a symbol for the abundance in your life, and be thankful for all that you have!

xoxo,

lesley

the beginning.

i put up my first bit of encouragement today... a little yellow post-it on a big yellow wall.  it reads, "you already have everything you need."

in reading through all the submissions from the free encouragement project, this one seemed very important to me.  a simple reminder to keep sight of what's really important in life... in a time when, at least for me, everything seems to get more and more complicated every day... a time when people are struggling to make ends meet and feeling like they don't have enough.  

i often get bogged down with all the endless choices and tiny details of every day life, and forget to enjoy and appreciate what i have... a loving, wonderful family... a lovely home... and the freedom to pursue my dreams.  just putting this note up and seeing its message, i felt a sense of calm and relief.

sometimes it is easy to forget... but what you have is enough.  your life is abundant.  be thankful :)

xoxo,

lesley