Contain Yourself!

Today we will share other people's transformation of trash and talk about my minor obsession with things that hold things... CONTAINERS! I suppose it is related to my mom's love of Altoid Containers (great job on Whacking that yesterday, by the way), but my obsession is not specific to any single product. Basically, if you sell something and it comes with cool packaging, the value of it increases exponentially and in some cases, can be responsible for my brand loyalty.

I'll explain further, but first a brief note...

The mailman just came and went yesterday and either she FORGOT my mail bag filled with postcards or nobody... not one of you... took five minutes to jot your mailing address on a postcard and send it to me. I knew you were going to think I was talking to someone else. I knew it.

So, I'll try again. For all new comers, old-timers, and lurkers of highlowaha.com... Eager Beaver looking to do acts of kindness. Send postcard with your mailing address to 4012 Harvestwood Court, Grapevine, Texas 76051 and see if you're the lucky recipient of a random act of kindness. Remember... if you don't want to, you don't have to include your name.

Now onto containers.

There are 

all kinds of containers and packaging I love to collect. Red boxes from Talbot's are the perfect way to create fancy packaging for homemade coupons, redeemable for either a dinner of your choice; an outing of your choosing; or any of the other hundred ideas you can come up with. Shoe boxes from Stride Rite can be covered with contact paper, fancy wall paper, or decoupaged and used when packaging up a box of cookies. I used four Stride Rite boxes one Valentine's Day and covered them to look like white envelopes. When you lifted the lid there were lip shaped cookies on the inside. S.W.A.K! Brooks Brother's shirt and suit boxes make great Attitude Boxes (a whole idea we'll cover another day). The boxes pictured here came when I purchased stationary. I've been keeping them for something I want to make at Christmas. If you could see them up front you would agree, they are way too nice to simply throw away.

Boxes aren't the only containers I collect. My husband ordered a bunch of these white containers in order to do a temperature study at his warehouse. All I know is there were a few left over and I was the lucky recipient. I am trying to be judicious with them, so I've only used a few. Here's one I use to hold all my spare buttons.

I love Mott's Applesauce containers. I stalk my kids as they are eating a serving, in order to make sure they don't throw away the containers. I use them to hold paint when we're painting, beads, rhinestones, google eyes... any and all craft items. They're easy to wash out and to stack and store when I am finished.

O.k. enough about me and my the trash. Cassie sent me some fun pictures of two things she likes to keep... wire hangers and old socks. Check it out.

The socks become puppets and the hanger becomes a awire trellis for her potted plants! Ingenious, right?

Announcements:

• Taste of USA: Yesterday was New York. Today is Tennessee and Michigan. Friday is the day that residents of the state should post the "taste of their state." If you have questions, click on the Taste of USA icon in the top right hand corner. Cheryl and Katie have done a nice job of presenting all the important information!
  

Whack on the Side of the Head Wednesday: Dumpster Dive

Sometimes when working with students in higher education you must engage in team building activities. We use them to get to know students better and to help students get to know one another. Every once in a while I participate in an icebreaker called, "I never." The purpose of the activity is to have each person contribute one, "I never" statement (I never... went scuba diving. I never... ate a peanut. Both are true, by the way). Someone then reads each statement aloud, while the rest of the group tries to determine to whom it belongs.

Thanks to my mom, I've always been able to offer up the one, "I never" statement that left everyone talking for hours afterward. Here it is... I never... have seen my mother in a pair of pants or shorts! It's true. I have NEVER - as in... not one second, of one minute, of one hour, of one day, of one month, of one year, in forty-two - have seen my mother in anything but a skirt or dress.

Yesterday my mom added another to the list. My mother has never... disposed of an Altoid Container. Now, I'm not exactly sure how many she has, but... she has NEVER thrown one away. I did not know this about her. Yesterday afternoon we were talking on the phone about my theme for this week's blog. When I told her it was about creative uses for what others might consider trash, she chimed in, "Oh, I have a great one for you." It was then she revealed her obsession with the perfectly-sized, sturdy, and practical tin in which Altoids are packaged.

At that moment the subject of today's whack was born. Empty Altoid Containers. What possible uses could there be for an empty Altoid container? My mother said the only thing she could think to do is... stack them on top of one another, drill a hole through them, wire it, add a funky shade, and turn it into a fun lamp. It is safe to say... that would NEVER have occurred to me... which begs the question... why am I the one hosting this blog and not my mom?

But she's not and I am, so instead... I'll resort to some back up from my friend von Oech and his Whack Pack. Now for the "whack."

See the Obvious. "Only the most foolish of mice would hide in a cat's ear," says designer Scott Love, "but only the wisest of cats would think to look there." Don't miss the obvious. What are you overlooking?" What's the most obvious thing you can do? What resources and solutions are right in front of you?

The obvious? The most obvious thing I can think of is continuing its use as a container. It held mints and mints make me think of money. Hmmm... the more I look, the more convinced I am it is the perfect size to hold a gift card (I just checked and bingo, I was right). Ok. I could use the Altoid container as a gift card holder, wrapping it with ribbon, and attaching a note stating, "You're worth a mint." or "Enjoy the mint."

Along the same lines... I could use it to hold change. Hmmm.... maybe I could begin filling them with quarters, so that by the time Ricky heads off to college (4 years), he has a "small mint."

It's made of tin and is the front is nicely framed in red with gold trim. A little less obvious... but I wonder if I (code for my husband) could remove (code for use one of his million tools) the white portion of the cover - the part that bears the logo. I would be left with a tin box, with a hole in the top, but framed with a pretty red and gold trim. Once that part was done, I could add a photograph to the top and a magnet to the bottom. It could still be used to hold things, but instead I could attach the box- made photo frame - to my refrigerator.

That's my whack at it. Now your turn. Hey, if someone comes up with something compelling, my mom has offered to send you the whole lot of them for experimenting.

Wait... one more. I just read today's entry to Richard and he wants to add one to the list. How about a candle? A peppermint smelling candle. His favorite part... close the top to snuff it out.

I never... will get my kids off to school if I don't sign off...NOW!

Stockings and So Much More!

Welcome back! I hope everyone had a great holiday weekend. I did and am now ready to jump into another fun-filled week of getting and giving creative ideas. Hopefully you are too.

I know I need to jump right into today's blog and save announcements until the end, but today I'm going to indulge myself and make one announcement up front. The rest will be at the end. If you did not read Saturday's blog (Zip-a-dee-do-dah, Zip-a-dee-ay), please go back. There's a proposition in there that I hope everyone will consider.

Ok... If you read yesterday's blog, you know the theme for the week is, "One man's trash is another man's treasure." This week we will look at a few things I have a really hard time getting rid of... and why. Maybe as the week goes on you will also share some of the items you consider treasures that others might consider trash.

At the expense of repeating myself... I like paper. I am not especially crafty or artistic, so stiffy bow baskets, needle point, crochet, pottery... none of these things are in my future. I do, however, get a charge out of making use of paper products that I collect along the way. Below are some examples...

The best part of wearing stockings (from my perspective, not my husband's) is the white piece of cardboard that comes in the center. That is, of course... unless you buy your pantyhose in an egg. I love those pieces of cardboard. They are the perfect size (6" x 9"). Crisp and white. Sturdy, but not so thick it feels like a clumsy piece of brown corrugated cardboard. I've designated an old magazine holder to collect these and other pieces of cardboard just like it (bedding usually has great cardboard inserts too).

Today in less than five minutes I combined: (1) Talbots Mircorfiber Opaque (control top... of course) Stocking cardboard insert; (1) quickly taken photo for the purposes of this project; and (1) advertisement from a magazine featuring a picture of an ornate gold leaf frame. Put them together and in less than five minutes, I voila... I have this fun little pic to send my mother. I added the yellow ribbon later.

Nothing stupendous, but it will be a nice little pick-me-up when it arrives in her mailbox in New York.

Here's another one... Nothing is cuter than a baby in a crisp and clean onesie....chubby legs showing for the world to see. Imagine my excitement the first time I bought a package and found narrow white pieces of cardboard rolled into each shirt. The pieces of cardboard are

1.5" x 5.5." The first time I laid eyes on one... "bookmark" immediately came to mind. I love them and think they make great homemade accents to accompany a top-selling birthday book. Today, I set five of them in front of Matthew with a big box of markers. It was just the right amount of coloring for him... and in the end, he made something functional.

So you see... I have a hard time throwing away cardboard, card stock, or any other piece of paper (magazine ads, decorative catalog pages, etc...) that I think can be used to make something fun. Granted, I could easily go buy a big piece of poster board and cut it down to size, but what fun would that be? This is all about finding the perfect use for the perfect piece of cardboard.

How about you? How do you reinvent your "garbage?"

Announcements:

• Today begins week #2 of Taste of USA. Last week was fun, thanks to the hard work of Cheryl and Katie and still... I know we can do better with regards to our participation. Let there be no confusion... Here's all you need to know: (1) Today, tomorrow, and Thursday residents of the featured states AND non-residents should feel free to comment. (2) On Friday, only residents of states featured this week should post their favorite thing about their state. The winning state, receives a fun-filled afternoon of brainstorming, prize-winning, and community building!


• This week's states are: Idaho, Alaska, New York, Tennessee, and Michigan.


• On deck for next week: Illinois, South Dakota, Minnesota, North Carolina, and Arizona.


• Matthew's first puppet show was a hit last night (for background, see Monday's blog, Scene Three, Take Two).
  

Take Two, Scene Three!

Maybe it's that I'm not the sharpest tool in the shed... or maybe it's the echo created by repetition that speaks volumes to me.  Whatever the reason... it took three separate incidents before I saw the common threads between each and, in turn, today's message about creativity.   

Join me in this little script.  Three scenes, each with two takes.  Take #1 comes from "Mom" with a capital "M."  That's the mom filled with self importance.  The mom whose to-do automatically trumps the seemingly less important needs of her children.  The second response comes from "mom" with a lower case "m."  This is the calmer more relaxed mom.  The mom I aspire to be.  This is the mom who not only stops what she's doing to give her undivided attention, but more importantly... this is the mom whom makes time to ask follow-up questions!   

Questions (and MKB) are the star of today's performances. 

Follow me through these three scenes and see how the most minor of changes can make all the difference.

SCENE #1

Matthew (MKB) dragging a big brown box (which I already had in the garage for garbage pick-up) in my bedroom and coloring it, while I take a shower.  

Take #1:

MKB: Mom, come look at my space ship.

Mom: In a while, Matthew.  I'm drying my hair.

MKB: Ok. it's really cool.

Mom: (Looking inside the space ship).  Wow, that's really cool Matthew.  You worked really hard on your space ship.  You're going to have fun playing with that.

Take #2:

MKB: Mom, come look at my space ship

mom: In a while Matthew. I'm drying my hair.

MKB:   O.k.  It's really cool.

mom: (Getting inside the spaceship).  Wow, that's really cool, Matthew.  You worked really hard on your space ship.  Tell me, what do all these buttons and dials do?

MKB: (Pointing from one to the next)  This one gives you cherry bubblegum.  This one makes everything fluffy.  This one puts everything back the way it was.  This one catches bad guys by turning the space ship into a police car.  This one reads a book. This one dresses and undresses you...

And on and on Matthew went, listing the functions of about 15 different buttons and dials.

SCENE #2

Matthew runs into my bedroom from the garage holding four strands of shimmery plastic necklaces. 

 

Take #1:

MKB: Mom, Why did you throw away my necklaces?

Mom: (Thinking, ooohhh... BUSTED!).  Oh, I'm sorry Matthew.  I didn't mean to.

MKB: (Putting the necklaces over his head).  Do you want one?  You can wear it on the weekends when you have to get dressed up.

Mom:  Ok. I'll take the purple one.

MKB:  You know they have magic powers, right?

Mom: No. Really?  That makes them extra special.  You're lucky to have necklaces with magic powers.  And, thanks for sharing one with me.  You're so generous.

Take #2

MKB: Mom, Why did you throw away my necklaces?

mom:  (Thinking, oooohhh...BUSTED!).  Oh, I'm sorry Matthew.  I didn't mean to.

MKB: (Putting the necklaces over his head).  Do you want one?  You can wear it on the weekends when you have to get dressed up.

mom:  O.k.  I'll take the purple one.

MKB: You know they have magic powers, right?

mom:  No, really?  Does each necklace have it's own magic power?

MKB:  (Face lighting up).  Yes!

mom: Tell me.  What does each of them do?

MKB: The red one turns the t.v. on.  The blue one makes you fall asleep.  The purple one turns on the dryer.  And, the pink one cools me down.

(At this point I'm thinking I'd like to turn my purple necklace in for the blue one).

SCENE #3

Now I've got the hang of this question-asking thing.  Matthew just finished spreading eleven puppets out all over the living room floor.  We are hosting a puppet show for some people tomorrow night and we have to come up with a plot.  

Take #1

mom: Ok, Matthew.  Looking at all the puppets what do you think we can make our puppet show about?

MKB: I think it should be a party.

mom:  What kind of party and for who?

MKB:  (Pointing to what Matthew thinks is a police man).  It can be a birthday party for the policeman.

CKB: Ok.  How old is he turning?

MKB: Four. 

mom: (unintentionally squelching his creativity). Really?  Doesn't he look a little old for four years old?  

MKB:  O.k. how about if he's ninety-twenty-seventy two years old.

mom:  Wow 90-20-72 years old.  Ok.  Now... what happens at the birthday party? 

MKB:  The bad policeman (pointing to another puppet) tries to ruin the party.

mom: How does he try to ruin the party?

MKB: He's says, "No parties allowed and quiet down, it's too loud."

mom: Then what?  

MKB: The wizard (pointing to a puppet that really is a wizard) puts a spell on the bad policeman....

... And so the scene goes for another twenty or so minutes with mommy (small "m") asking questions and Matthew developing his own three act puppet show... to be performed tonight.  In an effort not to keep you hanging... The bad policeman is ultimately turned into a string bean and captured in a metal can. 

Yes, yesterday I relearned a couple of important things....  First.  Questions serve as the springboard for our creativity.  Second.  The cardboard box and necklaces were  - to me - garbage.  They were, in fact, in the garbage waiting to be picked up and hoping to go unnoticed by any of the three boys.  But to Matthew, the box was a space ship and the necklaces had magical powers.  Proof that...

One man's garbage is another man's treasure... the theme for the rest of our week.

Have a great Memorial Day.  Signing off until tomorrow...

Zip-a-dee-do-dah, Zip-a-dee-ay...

My oh my, what a wonderful day.

Plenty of sunshine headin' my way

Zip -a-dee-do-dah, zip-a-dee-ay!

It's true.  Saturday is here and I am feeling much better about things.  It is in part due to a GREAT conversation with a good friend; taking time out to read the book, Wacky Wednesday to Matthew's preschool class on Wednesday (and making all the kids turn their shirt backwards and inside out!), and enjoying a family picnic on Tuesday evening.  None of those activities are completely out of the norm for me, so I attribute the real turnaround to randomly leaving books for customers at Starbucks (or trying to), mailing four random letters (one to a complete stranger), and today... leaving treats on the doorstep of three of my favorite Texas locals. Cassie, Toni, and Cheryl... go look on your front door step. 

Here's the one thing I haven't been able to figure out... until now.  How, with such a terrific readership can I randomly perform acts of kindness for YOU - readers who I haven't yet met, or who live out of town, or whose mailing address I do not know?  Sure, every once in a while I make a post asking someone to do something and then maybe I follow up with note asking for your address, so I can send a note saying, "thank you."  But that's not really random, because the moment I ask for your address, you know chances are something is coming your way.  So, here's what I want to do.  Read on...

HEAR YE! HEAR YE!

CALLING ALL READERS... 

(first time visitors, lurkers, frequent posters, close friends, and relatives who are out there reading).  I'm talking anyone and EVERYONE.... 

 

Send me a postcard with your name and mailing address.  And, if you don't want me to have your name then just send your mailing address and, should I choose to mail you something, I'll I'll come up with my own name or send it to "Anonymous."

I will gather the postcards in a box (sure to be creatively decorated) and periodically I will pull out one, so I may surprise you with a random act of kindness.  Now, to be included you MUST (even if you think I know you address) send me a postcard.  The postcard is what I will put in the box to draw from when I'm feeling like I want a pick-me-up.  No postcard, no chance you can be the random recipient.  In other words, you gotta be in it to win it!

Please, please, please don't think I'm talking to someone else.  I'm talking to YOU.  Yes, you.  I really want you to take five minutes, sometime today, to simply jot your address on a postcard and mail it to me at:

Claudia Beeny

4012 Harvestwood Court

Grapevine, Texas 76051

Don't add it to a long to-do list.  It will continue to sit at the bottom of the list and by Tuesday it will seem less important.  Then by Wednesday you'll convince yourself it's too late, and by Friday you'll think I don't want it anymore.  Don't do that to yourself or to me.  Just take a second before day's end and make it happen.  A postcard stamp is 27 cents.  If you don't have one and the post office is closed, try buying one from a machine at a post office, a grocery store, a drug store, the stationary store where you buy the postcard, or even at USPS.com.

Added bonus... by doing this you will also actually be conducting a random act of kindness...for me. I can't think of anything that would make me smile more than a heavy influx of MAIL over the next week!

 

So, here's to capping your week off with one final act of kindness.  As for me... I keeping my fingers crossed for a trip to P.F. Chang's.

Signing off until Monday...

Free For All Friday: Tents, Tiaras, Timely and Thoughtful Tips, and Taste...of USA

As you can tell by the title - which is nothing less than a novel - there is A LOT of Free-For-All-ing to do today.  I don't want to waste any time before letting the devoted and creative readership of highlowaha get busy doing what you do best... sharing your collective creativity.

If you're new to highlowaha or just new to our Friday ritual, today is the day we brainstorm solutions to topics raised by you the readers.  Put on your creative caps and get ready to contribute.  Or let us know a topic for which you would like highlowaha's input and I will make a note to cover it next week. 

 

Here we go.  Let me set the stage...

TENTS:  Andrea is hosting her son's sixth birthday party in two weeks.  The party will have a CARNIVAL theme.  She strikes me as organized, so I wasn't surprised to learn that Andrea already has a number of games selected for the children to play.  What we are brainstorming today are things such as: decorations, food options, treat bags, prizes, and novelty items she might have on hand... basically anything that helps create the ultimate carnival ambiance.

TIARAS: Maureen, our loyal reader from New Yawk is already in the midst of making plans for her daughter's Sweet Sixteen extravaganza... in FEBRUARY!  I might live in Texas where everything is supposed to be bigger, but I feel comfortable in saying...we miss the boat on birthday parties.  Apparently in portions of the country Sweet Sixteens are quite a formal ordeal with male and female friends serving on the "court" and participating in some ceremonial activity.  This is Maureen's first time going through the whole Sweet Sixteen Court Ceremony, so if there is anyone out there with a clue about what this is supposed to entail, do share.  I'm guessing many of us will get a kick out of reading it (mostly because it sounds a little like wedding planning) and Maureen can certainly use your help.

TIMELY AND THOUGHTFUL TIPS: We've had whisperings throughout the week of people sharing a favorite acts of kindness they have performed (paying for the person behind you, etc...), but how about formally opening today's lines to share all the examples we can think of.  There are still two full days left to the week.  With some of your random act ideas, we can still do a lot of "damage" before week's end.  Here's another one of my favorite things to do...  I love to spend ten dollars on $1.00 lottery tickets at the gas station and randomly distribute them to people, while wishing them good fortune.

TASTE OF USA:  We made it through the first week of Taste of USA, thanks to the able work of Cheryl our Cruise Director and Katie our Bean Counter.  So, here's what happens today... the first REAL day of competition.  Residents of Alabama, New Mexico, Texas, D.C., Massachusetts, and Hawaii should:

• Click on the Taste of USA icon in the top right hand corner of my blog.
  
• Go the Comments section immediately under Cheryl's post for today (6/23)
  
• Tell us what your state is made of.  Do this by telling us a place you'd love to take me should your state win and I end up traveling to your city. 
  
• ONLY residents of the state should be making posts today!  Be sure to let us know from which state you are hailing.

BRIEF ANNOUNCEMENTS:

• Starbucks Update:  I went to Starbucks this morning at 8:30 a.m. and the books WERE STILL THERE and... placed back in a perfect stack!
  
• This morning there was an article in the Dallas Morning News telling of Herb Kelleher's retirement after 31 years as Chairmen of Southwest Airlines.  Here's a quote from one of the many pilots employed by the company.  "I still have personal notes written by Herb," he said.  I can't imagine any other executive having time to do that or taking the time to do that."  Yet again, affirmation that a simple note packs a powerful punch.
  

The lines for brainstorming are officially open...

Signing off until tomorrow...

The Power of a Note

Years ago my mother sent me an article cut from the New York Times. The article was about the president of Harvard University, Rudenstine, who served from 1991-2001. If my memory serves me, the article told of the president's return to work after being required to take an unexpected leave of absence for health related reasons. He explained upon returning to work, that he expected to modify his style in a number of ways... fewer people reporting to him, delegate more, and relinquish oversight of the central administration budget.

Interestingly enough... one thing the president refused to change was making time to write the handwritten notes that made him famous around campus. I always thought to myself... if someone as busy as the president of Harvard can make time to write handwritten notes - while simultaneously being responsible for a $2.1 billion (yes, billion) capital campaign, then by golly, I should surely be able to scrounge up a few extra minutes. Because, it's true... no amount of email, phone-calling, faxing, texting, or instant messaging can replace the unadulterated joy that comes from finding a handwritten note in your mailbox. It's so rare, that yes... this simple act has the ability to evoke a level of joy that goes virtually unmatched by other gestures of kindness.

So today - this fourth day of our random acts of kindness celebration - we will focus on the power of a note. This seems especially appropriate since it was only a few weeks ago that I was the recipient of such a gesture. A friend and colleague sent a postcard... a simple postcard. At the top is are the computer printed words, "Random acts of kindness." Below it is a simple note saying, "You inspire me. I wish we lived closer." Wow! What an unexpected treat to receive in my mail box. So simple, yet I can't bring myself to toss it... I think because it is handwritten and because it is from someone for whom I have a great amount of respect. So, yes... today I will think of a few people I know who deserve a note from me and before the day is over, random notes of kindness will be mailed. That's one approach to sharing the power of a note... making time to recognize deserved people we know.

Here's another. Share the power of a note with someone you do not know - a total stranger! When I lived in Oxford, Ohio I had a United Way appointed Little Sister. We had two dates a week. One on the weekend and one every Wednesday afternoon. Amanda's house was about thirty five minutes from my on-campus apartment at Miami University. Each time I drove to and from her house, I passed what to me - a New York City girl - seemed like the most perfect farm house and barn. The house was a deep, brick red with white shutters, and pristine green grass for as far as the eye could see. The barn was painted black and when set behind the red house and under the blue skies, seemed to be - in my eyes - perfect! I found myself looking forward to passing the house four times a week and making up all kinds of stories about what it was like on the inside and who lived there.

Before I moved from Ohio in 1995, after passing the house four times a week for three straight years, I decided it was time to tell the owners how appreciative I was of their home. One Wednesday afternoon, I slowed my car down while passing the red farm house and quickly jotted down their address. That same night, I sent them a note telling them of my trips to Hamilton, Ohio and thanking the owners for keeping such a well manicured home - one that I looked forward to visiting each week as I passed by. I still don't know who lives in that home. I never met them. I feel great, though, about sharing with those owners how much joy they brought me... without intending.

How about you? Do you have a favorite house you pass? What about a store you love visiting because of their unique items... or a restaurant that over-delivers with great service or impeccably clean restrooms? Consider using today to make someone you don't know the recipient of a random act of kindness?

Announcements:

• Today we celebrate Washington D.C., Massachusetts, and Hawaii. So, regardless of where you call home, if you have a fun memory, favorite place, or a friend in any one of these places, let us know. Click on the Taste of USA icon, check out our fun facts (provided exclusively by Cheryl) and then leave a post. It's simple and fun.
  
• NOTE: If you live in anyone of the states celebrated this week (Alabama, New Mexico, Texas, Washington D.C., Massachusetts, or Hawaii) you will want to gather forces for TOMORROW. Friday is the day residents of their respective states must post "what your state is made of" (favorite locations, cools sights, novel places to see). The winning state - once we've completed our national tour - will win a creative brainstorming session with me to help create the future of highlowaha.com (not to mention win cool prizes and so much more!).
  
• Next week we celebrate... Idaho, Alaska, New York, Tennessee, and Michigan.