Jack Cards

My sister first introduced me to Jack Cards, and signing up has been one of those things on my To Do List for years. Literally, years. Have you heard of it? It is a phenomenal idea and service. You sign up (for free!), and then enter all the important, card-worthy events in your life. Birthdays, anniversaries, graduations... you essentially create an online calendar of all life's celebrations. Then you choose (from their vast and very impressive selection) a card for each occassion. Now I am not talking about electronic cards. Jack Cards has a wide array of printed cards from all kinds of excellent designers (like Red Cap Cards and Masha D'yans). But then- and this is the true genius behind Jack Cards- once your events are all entered, and your cards are all selected, Jack Cards automatically sends you the card you selected, with an included stamped and addressed envelope, a week or so before said event is scheduled to occur. So smart, right? The blank card arrives just in time for you to write a personal message, and drop in the box. No rushing to the card store (or not, and feeling guilty because you once again missed a birthday). No buying the card, writing the card, and then not sending the card because you don't have a stamp. Jack Cards is any busy women's best friend. Truly.

I have decided that for 2011, I will get at least 10 people's birthdays entered in. It is my gift to myself. So that 2011 is filled with (easy!) honoring of my most important loved ones special days.

P.S. I am the Guest Blogger over on Idle Hands today. How exciting! Check it out and tell me what you think about knitting lessons on Nintendo's Wii.

E Street Shrimp Boil

My friend Dawn lives on E Street in Washington, DC. She and her husband Nick have a lovely home and sunny garden and energetic dog and (sometimes) disdainful cat and many wonderful neighbors, and they are thoroughly creative and inspiring people (see the shed Nick built in their backyard? Wow!).

Anyway, this past weekend they hosted an E Street Shrimp Boil for their neighborhood. Handmade wood block invitations were delivered to neighbors and friends, and the shrimp boil ensued.

Wouldn't you love to have been there? I love this idea of a community party. We once did one for the Fourth of July with our neighbors, but since then, said neighbors have moved, and sadly, we have not reinstated the tradition.

Read all about Dawn's E Street Shrimp Boil and see more pictures here. And maybe get inspired to become the neighbor that starts the annual block party tradition.