• Red Glass Pocket Hearts
• Small mirror from the Dollar Store
• Craft Glue

I glued Red Glass Pocket Hearts onto a small mirror.  You can cover the entire border with hearts or glue a few on the top and bottom!  So, so simple!

• Red Glass Pocket Hearts
• Inexpensive frame from Dollar Store or craft store
• Scrapbook Paper
• A photo of someone of love
• Craft Glue

I spruced up a plain black frame by gluing hearts on each of the corners.  I found a frame with a cut-out of a heart in the center which I glued a sheet of black and white scrapbook paper to.  I then glued on a few hearts creating a perfect Valentine’s Day gift!

• A large wine glass or flower vase filled with Red Glass Pocket Hearts adds a simple elegance to your table during the month of February.
• Surrounding a candle with Red Glass Pocket Hearts makes a candlelit dinner with your sweetheart even more romantic.

Let your ideas flow!  Ideas are endless…

All you need:

• Pocket Hearts
• Craft Glue
• Magnets
• Jewelry Pins
• Hair Barrettes

Simply glue your red glass pocket hearts to a magnet, jewelry pin or line up three to make a beautiful barrette.

Replace the berries in your wreath with our Red Glass Pocket Hearts! 

What you need:

• Wreath ($1 at the Dollar Store!)
• Foliage Garland ($1 at the Dollar Store!)
• Craft Glue
• Red Glass Pocket Hearts

Wrap the foliage garland loosely around the wreath.  Then glue the red glass pocket hearts around the wreath.

Hang on your front door…and voila, a cute, colorful wreath perfect for the winter holidays or Valentine’s Day!

Another option…put a candle in the center and use for your table’s centerpiece…so simple and lovely!

~Natalie

In front of my desk is a large world map that covers most of the wall.  While I print out shipping labels, I find the different countries we are shipping to. Some of our packages have a long way to travel!  Brenda suggested I keep track of the international locations for a month and these are some of the interesting (and faraway!) places we’ve shipped to…              

At the top of the International list is Australia and Canada. Just this month we’ve sent over 20 packages to each of these countries!

We’ve been all over Europe…The United Kingdom alone 8 times this month. Here are some of the other European Countries:

• Netherlands
• Ireland
• Norway
• Spain
• Portugal
• Denmark
• Italy
• Hungary

We’ve shipped twice to Russia (Moscow and Smolensk), as well as Japan, Mongolia, Israel, India and New Zealand.

I wonder what interesting places we’ll ship to next month…stay tuned!

~Natalie

We have three tokens with the Circle and Triangle symbol.  The Courage, Serenity, Wisdom token, the One Day at a Time Recovery token and the Sobriety Blessing Coin.  Here’s what the symbol means…

Circle and Triangle symbol:  “The three legs of the triangle represent the three legacies of Recovery, Unity and Service and the circle symbolizes the world of A.A.  It was adopted as an official A.A. symbol at the International Convention in St. Louis in 1955, however in the early 1990s, A.A.W.S. decided to phase out the use of the Circle and Triangle symbol on its literature, letterhead and other material.  But, the symbol is still associated with Alcoholics Anonymous (and other kinds of 12-Step recovery fellowships) and has a special meaning for AA members all over the world.”  (source:  www.aa.org)

We have 6 Serenity Prayer items. The Blessed Sea Beans, Colored Glass Wisdom Stones, Desktop Gems, One Day at a Time/Serenity Prayer Token and the Praying Hands/Serenity Prayer Token. 

Why the Serenity Prayer?  “It was debated for years who wrote the Serenity Prayer, and its origins are still somewhat murky, but it seems most likely to have been written by Dr. Reinhold Niebuhr, a well-known theologian who served for many years as Dean and Professor of Applied Christianity at the Union Theological Seminary in New York City.  Alcoholics Anonymous became aware of the Serenity Prayer in 1941, when it was discovered printed in the New York Tribune newspaper.  Ruth Hock, AA’s first secretary and a non-alcoholic, was immediately taken with it. The headquarters staff thought of printing the prayer on a card to distribute to AA members.”  (source: www.aa.org)

We have a variety of items with typical AA slogans like “First Things First”; “One Day At a Time”; “Easy Does It”; “Live and Let Live”.    You’ll find some of these phrases on our Ceramic Word Stones, Colored Glass Christian Scripture Stones, Colored Glass Wisdom Stones, Granite Blocks and our Imprinted River Rock Wisdom Stones.  We also have a One Day at a Time token that also reads:  ‘This is the day the Lord has made. Let us rejoice and be glad in it.’

As for the origin of these slogans, as used in AA?  “We don’t have a great deal of information about the origins of AA’s slogans and acronyms, but we can provide some sharing and preliminary information. Many of these slogans, as with other practices in AA, were simply passed along verbally to other members, so it is impossible to know who started using them first. It is possible that some of the slogans may have originally stemmed from a part of the Oxford Group Movement language, but it could also be that they were original with Bill and Dr. Bob and the early members.  Members have always inquired as to the origins of various slogans, and it has always been difficult to narrow down; in our research, we discovered a letter written by former GSO Archivist, Frank M., dated 1989, who responded to a similar question that was posed to him. This was Frank’s response, “Your interest in the origins of ‘One Day at a Time’ is shared by many of us. Like hand-holding, however, it’s difficult to pin-point the exact ‘moment.’” That is the problem we find with most of our AA slogans, unfortunately!  We do know, however, that many slogans commonly heard have been around since the early days of the Fellowship.  (source: www.aa.org)

Just a little history lesson today, hope you learned something!  Of course, if something inspires you or motivates you or empowers you, or gives you courage, or enlightens you, or lifts or cheers you up, it probably doesn’t matter the origin.  But, always fun to get educated! 

Namaste, Brenda

I took a plain wood tissue box, added paint and tokens, and created a lovely bathroom fixture!

What you need:

• Unfinished wood tissue box available at craft stores
• Inspiration Coins
• Paint
• Craft Glue

I decorated my box with a sea theme that would be perfect in a beach or lake house.  First I painted the box light blue. Then I glued ‘Sailboat’ and ‘Shell’ Inspiration Coins around the top border.  Cute and affordable home accent!

~Natalie

Success is not the key to happiness.  Happiness is the key to success.  If you love what you are doing you will be successful.  ~ Albert Schweitzer

From my point of view, truer words could not be said.  I came across this quote yesterday as I updated our Desktop Gem collection and was astonished that I had never seen it before.  But then I thought, maybe I had seen it but at the time was just not willing to accept the words into my head and my heart.  Now I am ready. 

I have noted before that I love working here; I enjoy helping people, I get to bring my dog to work and we laugh at least a little every day.  What is not to love?  Before this job I was a full time stay at home mom and before that a real estate appraiser for 10 years.   Loved both of these jobs and both were right for my life at that time.  But was I truly successful or happy? 

As a real estate appraiser I thought of myself as ‘adequate’.  I am not sure rock star real estate appraisers exist.  I worked for a medium sized company and I was liked by the homeowners I visited. Then again, they were hoping for good news on their appraisal so maybe they just didn’t want to piss me off.  Anyway, it was an interesting job and it helped me grow my self confidence.  But I was not really sad to see it end.  

As a mom, I like to think I am pretty successful.  My kids are well adjusted, polite, and still speak to me.  I count that as a success!  I liked being a stay at home mom but when the kids both entered school full time I knew I would not be happy just being at home and decided it was time for a new adventure.

This job came into my life at just that moment, when I wasn’t even really looking.  The Big Boss Lady wasn’t really looking for me either, so maybe that is why it worked out so well.  I can honestly say that I am happy to come to work every day.  Sadly, I know a lot of people who can’t say that about their jobs and that bums me out.  I think I have found the elusive ‘key’.  Hopefully I can help turn that happiness into future success and growth for the business.  If not, I will still be happy…& successful! 

~Suzi