I feel so blessed to have wonderful friends. Being a citizen of the world I have friends living around the world. "Good friends are hard to find" so when you find them, keep them for life. My friends love me and I love them right back. I'm a giver and I'm blessed to have wonderful friends I can give to. On my travels I keep telling myself that I'm so lucky to be able to look for just the right gifts for each of my friends. It makes the trip more enjoyable searching for special gifts.
Around my birthday which is now, I do blog-giveaways to thank the universe for another wonderful year. Another way of giving is with KIVA microfinance. I started with KIVA in September 2010 when I wanted to reduce my daily intake of coffee. My aim was to give the coffee money to something worthwhile. I discovered KIVA and it was a perfect place for me to lend my money to. I started with 2 loans and I now have 13 loans. The repayment from the 13 accounts has enabled me to make new loans to other borrowers. If some of you don't know what to do with your spare change, try KIVA...
When I was in Japan recently. I brought back a cute little tot-bag from Arimatsu Shibori Festival to share with you. It's a very cute bag with shibori patches and sashiko stitching on one side and two outside pockets for your phone and keys, or train tickets. I gave a few away as gifts when I first came back, but I kept one for this giveaway.
I bought the New Kimono book after my return from Japan. I recommended this book for the library collection. When it arrived, I had a good look and thought it would be perfect for a giveaways. My friend, the Japanese librarian told me that there are a lot of books on kimonos in Japan, but there aren't many in English. I'm very pleased that I can share it with you. To enter this giveaways, you just need to leave me a comment with a valid email address so I can get in touch with you in case you are the winner. I will post internationally so please enter.
This pile of birthday presents arrived a few weeks before my birthday. I like keeping all my presents to open on my birthday. I get excited as the pile gets bigger. My presents comes from far and wide. It's only a few more sleeps then I can open them. Christmas comes early for me!
Thanks dear friends, you know who you are. I do appreciate everyone remembering my birthday. You are the best!
Thanks also to all my blog readers. I know not all of you leave comments, but I do appreciate you dropping by. I will be away to visit my gorgeous GC next weekend, and when I get back I will do the draw. Monday 5 September is the drawing date.
Good luck and thank you for taking part.
Enjoy
Nat
38 comments:
I am trying to replace my coffee with green tea too. : )
I am sending "happy birthday" wishes and hope your day is special. <3
I would be delighted to be included in your blog giveaway.
ancientcloth@gmail.com
I replaced my coffee with Fair Trade tea. Sometimes I do need a good cup of cappucinno though (o:
What a very special birthday giveaway. It is a giveaway that really calls your name! Love it (o:
Have a happy week and a happy birthday to be! Gefeliciteerd!!!
Happy birthday, Nat! I consider myself a new friend and I am honoured to be part of your community.
Both the bag and the book look fascinating, I would love to enter your giveaway.
You have my email...Blandina
PS: thank you for the link to Kiva
Happy birthday, Nat! Have a lovely time with GC.
Beautiful giveaway prizes - please enter me in the giveaway.
Glad to have found you - your blog is very interesting.
Hugs!
Hi Nat...of course your friends love you...have a happy happy birthday dearest...and enjoy your weekend...so much fun and so very very special...love Dzintra
Wow - how generous! Happy around your birthday (it's around my birthday too) - thanks for the chance to win these FABOULOUS (!!!!!) gifts!
Happy Birthday, dear Nat. May you be blessed.
Congratulations Nat on your birthday & also for doing something positive for someone else! I bet it makes you feel good to be able to help others without it being a huge burden on your own welfare.
Happy birthday! I hope you have a wonderful day. I would love to be entered in the drawing!
Jane
Happy Birthday Nat! I know you are a good friend to be able to have such good friends. Have safe travels.
Nedra
Happy birthday my friend, have wonderful celebrations and thank you for letting us know about KIVA.
Happy Birthday!
Thanks for a chance to win those lovely gifts from Japan. Can you speak the language?
Hugs from one of your blog friends,
Happy Sewing
Happy Birthday! And congratulations on your lovely blog.
I love Japan and I can't resist entering your giveaway.
Congratulations on your blog-anniversary!!Thanks for the chance.
Wishing you a wonderful birthday filled with joy and love. Another way to "find" money for KIVA is to throw your loose change in a jar. I am always amazed at how quickly it accumulates and KIVA is an outstanding organization to support. I hope the next year is full of creativity, happiness, and fun filled days.
Ha, playing "Santa" for your birthday is great ! So, in a few days, dear "first-follower" : Happy Birthday Nat!!!
wishing you the best birthday. i thought it was yesterday but i guess not. enjoy your GC. no coffee here. just green tea. a very generous giveaway.
Happy Birthday Nat, best wishes for another wonderful creative year for you. Thanks for the chance to enter your most generous giveaway.
wishing you a very happy birthday Nat, and now i'll go check out the KIVA
Happy Birthday Nat, Your give away looks lovely, thank you for the opportunity to go in it.I am a green tea person too!
Nat, you are a bright spot in my blogging world and I wish you the happiest of birthdays and a wonderful visit with your grands! KIVA sounds great, am going there now. Thanks for being my friend. xo
Happy Birthday to you!!!!, hope you're having a great time, love your gifties!!!!, I'd love to be entered in your drawing, I'm breathless looking @ the book and the cutest tot-bag, thank you so much for sharing *hugs*
Nat, HAPPY BIRTHDAY!
I love the idea of giving goodies away to celebrate your birthday! I'll have to try it myself when November comes. ;)
Linda (quilter at jagunet dot com)
Happy Birthday, Nat. have a lovely visit with the GC. enjoy opening those intriguing parcels. Hugs :)
Happy Birthday and safe trip! Thanks for the celebratory giveaway as this is a sweet idea. mlwright29(at)hotmail(dot)com
happy birthday, she joins in. lucky you to have an anticipated pile of presents and a visit to boot. happy!
feliz cumpleaĂąos Nat!!!!!!!....que lindo lo que escribes y como celebras!!!!!
Happy Birthday Nat may your year be full of love and sunshine.
Happy days.
Bev.xoxo
Thanks for sharing so much about your trip to Japan. I want to go next time! And happy birthday!
How lucky you are to get gifts from friends around the world! You'll have to share with us once you open them all. Happy happy Birthday and hugs from Canada!
Thanks for this wonderful chance to win some awesome goodies!
Happy Birthday to you...Happy Birthday to you... Happy Birthday dear Nat...Happy Birthday to you!
I remember you from Civil War Bride blog, am getting back to it again after a long break.
Thanks for sharing on your blog. Would love to be included in your birthday give away as well!
Happy Birthday Natima!!!
Happy Birthday, Nat! I always enjoy my visits to your blog, there is always something fascinating happening under your hands. How lovely to have a giveaway for your birthday and equally lovely to have a pile of surprises to open yourself. Enjoy!
Happy Birthday! What a great idea, I think I'll see about doing that on my bday next year! Enjoy opening the pile of packages, what fun!
Thank you for sharing your experiences in Japan and the opportunity to win :)
Email is on my profile.
Just wanted to wish you a happy birthday along with everyone else. And I enjoyed your tour of the Ziguzagu store--you take your readers to interesting places!
best, nadia
Nat, we are the lucky ones to have this wonderful blog to read! You give us so much information and inspiration...thanks, and happy birthday to you. Enjoy all those gifts!
I, too, will check out KIVA.
Hello Everybody, My name is Mrs Sharon Sim. I live in Singapore and i am a happy woman today? and i told my self that any lender that rescue my family from our poor situation, i will refer any person that is looking for loan to him, he gave me happiness to me and my family, i was in need of a loan of S$250,000.00 to start my life all over as i am a single mother with 3 kids I met this honest and GOD fearing man loan lender that help me with a loan of S$250,000.00 SG. Dollar, he is a GOD fearing man, if you are in need of loan and you will pay back the loan please contact him tell him that is Mrs Sharon, that refer you to him. contact Dr Purva Pius,via email:(urgentloan22@gmail.com)
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