A Little Break

Hi guys. I know I haven't blogged since Thursday. Just wanted to let you know, I think I need a few days of blogging vacation. I'm still planning on doing the giveaway tomorrow, so if you haven't entered, please do! I'm so proud of what an environmentally conscious group you all are!

I'm so sorry for the temporary abandonment. I need to get my head in order. Ever get so overwhelmed and frustrated at certain situations that you just need to bawl for a little while?? I had one of those moments yesterday. Like a good audible, gasping, cathartic cry. Thank goodness my office has a door! I keep trying to look on the bright side and stay positive, as a NICE gal would, but it's almost like I couldn't withhold this burst of melancholy yesterday.

There are times I'd love to pack my belongings in a giant red handkerchief, tie it to a stick, and give being a hobo a shot. But I think I have too many hair care products.

Stay tuned, I'll be back!

NICE Giveaway: Kir DeVries

Happy Earth Day everyone! How are you celebrating? I funded the planting of ten trees at a dollar a piece in the Atlantic Forest in Brazil through Plant A Billion Trees with The Nature Conservancy. Yay trees!

I also have another way to celebrate Earth Day....by hosting an eco-friendly giveaway from one of my favorite shops, Kir DeVries!

Superwoman Kristen had contacted me a few weeks ago about sponsoring a giveaway here, and how could I refuse? Kir DeVries is the epitome of a NICE company. They "work with ethical and eco-friendly companies and small designers in a close knit community to bring you the highest quality and most refreshing design and new ideas for everyday living."

And Kristen herself has created the perfect product for us earth lovers. It's the Kir DeVries Natural Ultra Concentrated Cleaner & Laundry Soap. Not only does it save money because you only need one pump of this stuff to wash an entire load of laundry OR to make an entire BOTTLE of household cleaner. But it's also good for your home because it's free of toxins and perfectly natural. Not to mention the lovely packaging design. :)


You can enter to win a bottle of Kir DeVries Natural Ultra Concentrated Cleaner & Laundry Soap for yourself! All you have to do to enter is leave a comment here telling me one nice thing you do for the earth. It could be reusable shopping bags or unplugging electronic devices when they aren't in use. I want to hear some green tips!

I'll pick a random winner next Thursday, April 29th at 8pm ET. Hey, it might make cleaning the house a little bit more enjoyable! Good luck! And big thanks to Kristen for sponsoring this special Earth Day Giveaway!

NICE Assignment: Pick 5 for the Environment

Hi there! I know I'm late with this assignment. You're going to have to bear with me this week. It's a crazy one! But really, aren't they all?

I think I'm going through a 1/3 life crisis right now. I'm not really sure what I should be doing with my life, my career, my health. Maybe it's because I'm a few months away from 30, and every time I read an article about an incredible person in their mid-20's (or sometimes mid-teens!) I feel like I'm slackin'. I should be a rock star. Or running a non-profit. Or designing for an amazing firm. Or illustrating children's books. I don't know! Maybe I should get a life coach like Miss B did. In the meantime, life is pretty good, so I can't complain. I just wish I knew what my next steps should be.

Sorry for the vent! In other news, did you know that it's Earth Week? Why yes it is! And I'm all for being NICE to the earth, so that's what this week's assignment is all about.

Today's Assignment: Pick 5 for the Environment

The EPA has a fun campaign to celebrate Earth Day/Week called Pick 5 for the Environment.


They have a bunch of tips for saving the earth, and they ask that you pledge to do five of them. I picked ones like "Dispose of solid and liquid wastes and medications safely" and "When purchasing goods, opt for sustainable, recycled or reused resources. Choose items in less packaging."

Remember, just like spreading kindness, when it comes to being NICE to the earth, little things make a HUGE difference when we all pledge to do them together.

NICE Stuff: New NICE Signs?

Happy Friday! How are you doing today? Did you have a productive week? I really can't get over the fact that we're halfway through April. Wasn't it just 2009?? Is it true that life goes by faster as you get older? Because I don't remember time flying as much as it does now!

I just wanted to share a little something with you. I was looking at one of my old NICE Signs the other day and I thought it could use some updating. It had been a while since I sketched anything, so I decided to try hand-lettering the sign.

Here's how it turned out!



I made a few different color combinations, just for fun. I haven't really decided what to do with them yet, other than hang one in my office. Any ideas?

NICE Giveaway #16: And the winner is...

Hi guys! I'm ready to announce the winner of the 2010love giveaway! Thank you to everyone who entered. Unfortunately, even with all of your support, Operation NICE is still dropping in the ranks. We're currently in spot #108. What the heck, right? I know you guys are voting, tweeting, blogging, and FB-ing your butts off. And your support means the world to me! But perhaps a grant isn't in my cards. At least, not yet.

I suppose there is still half a month left, so keep voting and promoting!

I had 46 submissions into the giveaway, and with the different ways to enter, there were actually 103 entries total! Using my friendly Random Integer Generator, the winning entry, is NUMBER 96! And entry number 96 belongs to............

Chris Hanisco! WHOOP! You might all know Chris Hanisco as The Dippy Chick. :) She had sponsored a giveaway of her amazingly delicious and addictive dip mixes herself a little while back, and look at this! Now she won an Operation NICE giveaway herself! Congrats Chris!!! I know that shirt will look fab on you!

Thank you again to 2010love for sponsoring this giveaway. You ladies are doing a phenomenal thing, and I will wear my shirt proudly! And thanks to everyone who has been supporting Operation NICE's quest for a grant. Knowing that I have you all have my back gives me the drive to keep on keepin' on! You're the best!

NICE Stuff: Karma Cards

I actually can't remember how I ended up with the link to the yes and yes blog and their Karma cards! Maybe Sarah commented on one of my blog posts or sent me the link in Twitter. Sorry I can't remember, Sarah! I really need to start taking gingko biloba. But what I do know is that I bookmarked the page right away so I wouldn't forget it. :)

Sarah created these lovely Karma Cards in order to encourage the spread of random kindness because really, couldn't we all use it?


The concept is to tuck these cards in places to surprise an unsuspecting citizen in need of a smile or a little encouragement. She even has a few recommendations of places where you can hide them:
* inside the bill folder at a restaraunt
* inside a book
* in a bathroom stall at a bar
* under wiper blades
* in bike spokes
* on the window of a bus
* in a random mailbox slot
* in a napkin dispensor

And she'd love it if you could take photos of the places you've tucked the cards to send her way. She's even having a contest for the most creative places.

How do you get the cards, you ask? Well, you can visit Sarah's blog and download them for free, just like I did! Or if you don't have a printer handy, you can order a set of 15 for $6 and she'll mail them right to you. Easy peasy!

NICE Campaign: HEY YA'LL Day

It's difficult not feeling mournful as I post this today, but the idea behind it is so lovely that I had to share with you all. Last June, my friend Lisa tragically lost her beautiful daughter, Mary-Kathryn, in a car accident. Today is Mary-Kathryn's birthday, and to honor her daughter, Lisa is proclaiming today "HEY YA'LL Day."

In Lisa's words:

Today would have been Mary-Kathryn's 22 birthday. It is very hard for me not to be utterly sad and broken-hearted. At first this morning, all I was able to think about was that instead of writing a birthday note, I was writing a Victim's Impact Statement... harsh and awful.

I miss hearing her say "Hey Ya'll" and "Love Ya'll". I am thankful I have the recording of her voicemail message. I've listened to over and over. I just listened to it again only moments ago. Hearing her voice on the recording made me think... There are some things that I must do today but to help me get through the day, I've decided to do what MK did: reach out and say "Hey Ya'll" by texting or calling somebody, most likely a few somebodies, out of the blue.

For Mary-Kathryn, so much joy could be found in the simplest of memories. And anyone who knows her, knows how she loved to text or call about things that didn't seem to be important. But she remembered something and wanted you to know she was thinking about you. Oh what joy an out-of-the-blue text can bring! It used to always make my day to be the recipient of one.

So why not pass it on? Make someone feel special today by sending an out-of-the blue text. Let someone know you thought about them and remembered something special. Call if you prefer. Do it just 'cause. Even better, tell them how much they mean to you. I've tagged family to let you know I love you, I'm thinking about you and I appreciate your continued love, support and prayers.

Will you join me?

I will! In honor of Mary-Kathryn, please let the people in your life know that you're thinking of them by texting them a little "Hey ya'll." It's so simple, and I know that I myself don't do it enough. And if you could, send a mental hug to my friend, Lisa! Thanks guys!

NICE Assignment: Call for Testimonials

Hi everyone! Did you have a lovely weekend? I took it fairly easy. Ran some errands, caught a flick, took a nap. :) All in all, it was a good weekend.

I'm starting to lose optimism about the Pepsi Refresh Everything grant. Seems like, barring a social media miracle, things might not work out. So I suppose I'll have to get creative (sans-generous-budget) with Operation NICE. Don't worry, I'll figure something out!

Oh, one thing I wanted to mention, did you see the new "Contact Us" button over there to the right?? Hopefully that'll make it easier to send over a message. And on that page, you'll also find the snail mail address for my brand new PO Box! Woohoo! I feel so legitimate. :) So if you ever get the urge to mail in something NICE, I will share it with the blog world!

Onto the assignment!

Today's Assignment: Call for Testimonials

It's been a little while since I put a call out for NICE Testimonials, so maybe a few of you have some new stories to share. I still have a few longer stories saved for future use, but I haven't been receiving too many lately. For those that are newer to this site, a NICE Testimonial is a story about how someone's kindness made your day (or week/month/year) better. It can be small or huge. It could have happened yesterday or ten years ago. But really, it's just to show that there are plenty of NICE people out there making the world a happier place!

Here's an example from me.
The other day I was driving into work. I had accidentally left my EZ Pass tag in my husband's car, and I didn't realize this until I was just about at the toll booth. Frustrated that I had to dig through my wallet for cash at the bridge for the first time in years, I pulled up to the booth and handed the collector a $5 bill. Trying to practice what I preach, I made sure to smile and say "Good morning!" because what kind of NICE person would I be if I didn't??

As the collector, an older gentleman, handed me my $1 change, he said, "You are a beautiful woman!" This caught me completely off guard! I actually felt like a mess because I ran out of the house without doing my hair that day. I blushed and thanked him. And as I got ready to drive off, he said, "Yeah, you got it going on!" Bwahahaha!!! That was not only incredibly flattering, but it cracked me up!!! No one had ever told me I "had it going on!"

So this man completely brightened my day with his kind words, and I'll NEVER forget it!

There ya go, an example of a NICE Testimonial! Do you have one that you'd like to share? If so click here to send me an email, or click the "Contact Us" button on the right to fill out the form. And if you have a photo of yourself that you'd like to include, that'd be great! I'm sure everyone would love to see your gorgeous face. :)

NICE Giveaway: 2010love

I love giveaway day, don't you?? I know you're all going to appreciate this one. Quite a few of you expressed your excitement when I posted a few weeks ago about 2010love and showed off my awesome tee. Well, the folks at 2010love are showing Operation NICE some love by sponsoring a giveaway of one of their tees!!

Can I get a whoop whoop?!

I've already mentioned how enamored I am with the logo, and the shirt is so comfy and, well, just perfect. The lucky winner will have their choice of size, from Ladies Xsmall-Large, Regular Cut: Small-XLarge, Toddlers 2T/4T, Infant 3-6mo/12mo, Youth S-L. Random winner will be drawn next Thursday, April 15!

You might be asking, Melissa, how do I win this fabulous shirt? Great question.

I wanted to find a way to tie this in with the Pepsi Refresh Everything voting, which ends on April 30th. Unfortunately, Operation NICE isn't doing as well as I had hoped. Initially I thought we'd be fairly close to the top ten, but I've been hovering around 100 all week. Drat! So to enter the contest, you can do three things.

• VOTE! Just cast your vote, hopefully daily if you can.


• TWEET! Share with your followers, maybe something like this: "Do you value kindness? Then please vote for @OperationNICE! http://pep.si/9ya8wK"


• FACEBOOK! Post a link to the http://www.refresheverything.com/operationnice voting page.


• BLOG! Write a blog post urging your readers to vote!

And then in the comments, just tell me what you did. "I voted and tweeted!" or "I blogged, posted on FB, and voted!" or "I did all four because I want you to win a grant and takeover the world!" You get one entry into the giveaway for each! And if you already did these things, that counts too, just let me know!

I know we can do this!! And if a chance to win a 2010love shirt doesn't work, then I don't know what will! More exclamation points, perhaps?? OKAY!!!!!!!!!!

Thank you to 2010love for sponsoring this giveaway!

NICE Stuff: Being Nice Makes You Cool

My husband and I have been thinking we need some new art in our house. So I was checking out the Urban Outfitters Print Shop today, just to see if there was anything that caught my eye.

Obviously this one by Will Bryant stood out. :)


Love it! Aside from being nice-centric, the hand lettering is pretty sweet. And it coincidentally matches my home office. :) The prices are really good too. I suppose I have to buy it!

NICE Assignment: Go a Day Without Shoes

Hi guys! Can I just share the excitement I have right now? I am blogging from my new iPad! This is the coolest thing ever. :) I am a total Apple fan girl, so right now I'm in heaven. The whole reason I bought this thing was to use as a blogging and email tool. I have to make sure I make good use of it.

In addition to Apple products, I also love buying shoes. And when you pair cute shoes with philanthropy, well, what could be better? That's why I'm a big supporter of TOMS Shoes. I'm sure you've heard of them. For every pair of shoes purchased, they give a pair to a needy child. That means My purchases have put shoes on the feet of three children, which makes me feel better about buying shoes. :) These are my newest ones pictured to the right.

To raise awareness about their cause, TOMS is declaring April 8th "One Day Without Shoes."

Today's Assignment: Go a Day Without Shoes

It doesn't have to be the entire day. Maybe just a few minutes even. But TOMS is urging you to "experience a life without shoes first-hand" and they are asking you to "help spread the awareness of the impact a simple pair of shoes can bring to a child's life."



Visit the One Day Without Shoes website to search for events in your area, download some banners and signs, and pledge to go without shoes for at least part of April 8th. I'm sure I won't be allowed to walk around my office barefoot, but I'll make sure to give it a shot later in the day. Will you join me?

Great Friday!

Hi everyone! Hope you're having a fabulous Good Friday. I was treated with an unexpected half day, so the day is lookin' up!

Just wanted to send out a thank you to everyone who has shown the most amazing support for our Pepsi Refresh Everything project. I have received so many comments and tweets and Facebook posts letting me know that you're behind me 100%, and it looks like I'll need it. We're currently in 45th place. I know it's only the second day, so there's still plenty of time. Remember that you can vote once a day!

Also, I wanted to give a huge thanks to Digital Philanthropy and The 4 Bushel Farm for their blog posts encouraging people to vote. That helps SO MUCH! And thanks to all the retweeters and Facebook re-posters!

Now all I need is a celebrity endorsement and I'll be a shoe in! :)

Have a wonderful weekend, everyone! I will be glued to my brand new iPad, as soon as my hero (the UPS person) drops it off! It's sad how excited I am about it. Happy Easter!

Pepsi Refresh Everything: I need your help!

Back in February I had posted about the Pepsi Refresh Everything project, which is giving out $1,300,000 every month to fund great ideas. A few of you had suggested that maybe Operation NICE would be a good contender. I mean, a grant could really help me turn this project into a certified MOVEMENT! So I wrote up the proposal, submitted it on March 1, and today, it went live for voting!

The only way we'll even come close to winning is if I have all of your support! This is huge. When I started Operation NICE, I just wanted a few people to be more mindful of their behavior. And maybe encourage some folks to participate in kind acts. In nearly two years it has grown far more than I could have imagined, and with this Refresh Everything grant I could really turn this into something fantastic!

So, will you help me?

The voting is super easy. You just have to go to this site, register, and click "Vote for this idea." You can vote once a day, every day in April. And if you really want to join the good fight, you can help me get the Faberge effect going. You know, she tells two friends, and they tell two friends, and they tell two friends. :)

And I'm going to apologize in advance because I am really going to be pushing this for the entire month, so I might get repetitive and annoying. But I hope you all know that it's because I'm incredibly passionate about Operation NICE, and I really think it has the potential to make a difference!