photo by Christian Holzinger

Happy New Year, dear friends. It’s winter. This is the time to hibernate. To dream about fresh dew, toes in the ocean, warm sun on the skin. Our tiny team here at the BSP has collectively decided to take a long winter’s nap and our ray of sunshine will shade itself for a brief spell. This is not intended to be an eternal winter. Merely a brief respite; a long winter’s nap.

We want you to take this time to do us a favor: live in love. A few other requests, if you’ll humor us.

Do something nice for someone, every day. Find joy in the daily tasks that often seem daunting. Smile, a lot. Compliment yourself once in awhile. Spread joy. Eat pancakes at four in the afternoon. Sing “Happy Birthday” to your pets. Hug your loved ones like you mean it. Then bottle up that good feeling and remember to spray the air with it on occasion. Just to remind yourself of the good. We’ll do the same. And we’ll see you as soon as the frost melts.

2015 is full of possibility, dear Bright Siders. Make it happen.

xo,

The BSP team.

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Growing up, one of my dreams was to be a greeting card editor. (To be honest, it is still one of those things I still aspire to be.) I believe in the power of the right greeting card and have always held steadfast to the idea that written sentiments are long lasting and worth preserving. My long-standing dream of working directly in the business is something that springs from my absolute love of the form and I couldn’t be happier to bring you our friends at Blue Mountain for today’s giveaway.

BlueMountain.com is an online greeting card company that was founded in 1996 to celebrate the connections we have with our loved ones. Full disclosure: I have been a fan of Blue Mountain for about the duration if it’s conception because my mom has been a long-time member, sending me e-cards for any and all reasons. Blue Mountain is a name I associate with love, humor, celebration, joy. Seeing their name in my inbox has always filled me with excitement and I can assure you that (while long-form, handwritten correspondence is its own wonderful beast) an ecard from Blue Mountain is a simple joy that cannot be measured. Be sure to check out their seasonal greetings as well. You will find yourself sending cards to everyone in your contacts list. This is a brand with a special tie to my heart and I am so honored to share them with you.

Blue Mountain is giving away one $250 Visa Gift Card +1 Blue Mountain Membership (both to one winner!) and one runner-up will receive a  Blue Mountain membership! To enter to win, please follow the directions below no later than Monday, December 15th. *Open to residents of US & Canada only.*

Please visit Blue Mountain and do the following: Use one of the free Letters to Santa downloads to write a letter (from anyone in the family) telling Santa what you want for Christmas and then share that letter with us here in the comments. Blue Mountain will be reading your letters and will gift one winner a membership AND a $250 Visa Gift Card to help make your wishes come true!

Today we are honored to introduce you to Caroline from BlueMountain.com.

Please introduce yourself to our readers and explain a little bit about your business.

Hello. I am Caroline Martlew, the Senior Editor for BlueMountain.com. We are in the business of connecting people with one another through online greetings. We’re a dedicated team of artists, writers, and musicians providing fun and imaginative card designs and site experience. We believe that life is for celebrating, and we strive to make the world a happier, more connected place to be, one greeting card at a time.

We believe that one of the ways to achieve happiness is to “Do what you love, love what you do.” How does this philosophy apply to your life?

I have always loved to write and I am very fortunate that I get to do it every day in my work. I derive great pleasure from helping others to express themselves, to celebrate life’s big and little moments, to support and encourage their loved ones, and to share happiness, laughter and love. Blue Mountain not only embodies this philosophy, but they make it easier to spread that joy.

Our mission here at The Bright Side Project is to spread sunshine on a daily basis because we firmly believe that life is (still) beautiful. Where do you find beauty and inspiration?

Much of my inspiration comes from listening to our members, through social media, surveys and customer communications. We feel a close connection with our BlueMountain community and share their belief that nurturing relationships and making a difference in the lives of family and friends is what is most important in life.

On a dreary day, what do you do to infuse your life with a little bit of sunshine?

I’ve always found that the best way to cheer up myself is to brighten someone else’s day with a kind word or a happy thought.

What are you most grateful for?

I think that life is amazing and I’m happy to be in this beautiful world. I am especially grateful for my son, my parents and my dear friends. In my work, I am surrounded by fun and talented people and it’s a rare day when we’re not laughing out loud about something. Particularly around the holidays, I’m reminded of how grateful I am for the people in my life. I love getting Christmas cards (and ecards!) from family and friends, because it’s such a great way to connect— and reconnect.

Check back later today for an amazing giveaway from BlueMountain.com!

{Updated to add:}

We will be featuring one more AWESOME giveaway before the hiatus so be sure to check back later!

Friends, we are going to be taking a much needed break for the holidays. We wish you the warmest of holiday seasons and that your celebrations are full of love and laughter and joy. We will be back sooner than you can say 2015 with a fresh collection of wonderfully inspiring artists, brands, and joyful content. Please do us a favor while we’re away, will you? Promise us you will spread your love as far as you possibly can. Promise us you will gather those closest to your heart and hold them tight. Promise us you will look in the mirror at least once a day and tell yourself how very lucky you are to be you. Live in love. And we’ll do the same.

See you next year!!

xo,

The BSP team.

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December is when I start thinking about one of my favorite traditions of the season: setting up my new calendar! For years, I have looked forward to my new calendar and I have even been known to have a few going on at once. I generally have one family calendar kept in the kitchen for everyone to consult, a day planner where I generally keep my life, and a pretty calendar that makes me feel as though my life is one of luxury and ease. All have their function. All have their form.

Nicole Lissenden creates stunning letterpress under her banner, Mink Letterpress. From custom invitations to stunning cards, Lissenden is a true artist whose works speaks of depth and heart and beauty. But let’s get to the calendar, shall we? Mink Letterpress’ 2015 Quilt Calendar is at the top of my list for my new decorative calendar. Each gorgeously designed month becomes a piece of the “quilt” you can later frame and hang (either all together or separate, you choose.) December is a joyous month, indeed. Mink Letterpress can carry you through.

Mink Letterpress is giving away three (3!) 2015 Letterpress Quilt Calendars to three lucky winners (one each)! To enter to win, please answer the following question no later than Tuesday, December 9th.

Please visit Mink Letterpress and tell us: How do you prepare for the New Year? (Or do you just let it happen all on its own?)

Start checking the winner’s box on Tuesday, December 16th, to see if you’ve won!

Today we are honored to introduce you to Nicole from Mink Letterpress.

Please introduce yourself to our readers and explain a little bit about your business.

I’m Nicole Lissenden, mother of Asher, wife of Alex and daughter/sister of the Minkins. We live in the mountains of Asheville, North Carolina, and I get to spend my days printing and designing. Mink Letterpress takes pride in making pretty things for engaged couples, small businesses and lovers of letterpress.

We believe that one of the ways to achieve happiness is to “Do what you love, love what you do.” How does this philosophy apply to your life?

When I quit my law firm job, I had high hopes of being able to incorporate this philosophy into my daily life. Since that day 3 years ago, I’ve been working for myself doing what I love.

Our mission here at The Bright Side Project is to spread sunshine on a daily basis because we firmly believe that life is (still) beautiful. Where do you find beauty and inspiration?

I find beauty and inspiration in nature, in heirlooms, in the bright eyes of my sweet son.

On a dreary day, what do you do to infuse your life with a little bit of sunshine?

If I’m in the studio and can take some time, I might set up a little set of notecards just for myself or a friend, and print a small run in a color I like. If I’m home with my son, we’ll go to the park or to the nature center to look at animals. Seeing him get excited always brings sunshine to my days!

What are you most grateful for?

I am bursting with gratitude for my husband who is a wonderful father, who works on fixing up our house, who works a steady job so that the inconsistancies in paychecks of my contract work doesn’t cause us huge problems. I am grateful beyond measure for my beautiful son and the joy he brings to my life. I am grateful to all of the people who trust me to make pretty things for them, because they enable me to spend my days designing and printing.

Check back later today for an amazing giveaway from Mink Letterpress!

Friends, we have reached the end of the year and the height of the holidays. There is so much love in the air this time of year and I absolutely feel that we have the power and the responsibility to share that love with as many people as we can so that those among us who are struggling can feel it and use it as well. While the idea of over-consumerism and financial strain can sometimes place some stress on us at this time, we want to focus our energy on the power of giving. Whether it be an actual purchased gift or an idea or just some love and empathy, December is all about “The Perfect Gift.” And we can’t wait to share them with you.

To download, click on the image to open it full size and select file “save as” for your own personal use.

The Lemonade Stand is where we meet to share from our hearts, inspire each other to enjoy the simple pleasures in life, and gather as a community to celebrate the bright side of life.

 

Hi friends! This week is a short one. Well, I suppose that’s an odd thing to say since weeks are really all the same length but it already feels like a vacation when I am menu planning on the weekend for one meal. Posts will be light this week so that we can all prepare to share our love and time with our families and we want to wish you the happiest of Thanksgivings and may your holiday be filled with joy and food and laughter and gratitude.

We are thankful for you, our community, and this space we have together. Truly.

To download, click on the image to open it full size and select file “save as” for your own personal use.