Save with CampusBookRentals.com & Operation Smile!

While we’re in our 2nd week of school, there are still so many just starting this week and many college classes as well. Now I know how tough and expensive it can be to get text books. So when I heard about CampusBookRentals.com and thought what a neat idea it is! I know when I was taking some classes the books were included in my tuition and I liked that but hated it too because that meant I was forced to pay the high prices with books. Now CampusBookRentals.com is a company that offers many perks to help ease up the pain of textbooks. They offer perks such as 40-90% on the price, free shipping both ways which is great with the way stamps are going lately. My personal favorite is that it’s okay to highlight in the books, along with flexible renting periods. On top of all that, they off the largest selection of books in the nation. Now if that wasn’t pretty awesome for those going back to school, here is something better! With every textbook that is rented, CampusBookRentals.com donates to Operation Smile! How amazing is that? If you haven’t heard of it, below you’ll find more information on Operation Smile.

Operation Smile is a charity that helps heal children’s smiles. What this means is that they help children all over the world that are born with a cleft. Sadly every three minutes there is a child born with a cleft which often leaves them unable to speak, eat, socialize, or even smile. What’s even worse in some places these children are shunned and rejected and many times their families can’t afford the costly surgeries required. Operation Smile helps provide as much surgical needs for these children to allow them to live a healthy and happy live. Since 1982, and have provided more than 2 million patient evaluations and over 200,000 free surgeries to children and young adults born with a cleft lip, cleft palates, and other facial deformities. Operation Smile is one of the most prominent children’s charities in the world and has a presence in over 60 countries. I think it’s great that they are able to help heal children’s beautiful smiles and give them more hope and self-confidence to aim for a bright future!

How amazing is that? So the next time you need textbooks, why not choose CampusBookRentals.com and help Operation Smile at the same time?

*I was compensated in some form for this post but 110% of opinions in this post are mine and 110% true.

For Lauren

I have this friend that I’ve known almost 7 years. It’s one of those things where I’ve never really met her, but I know that she’s my long lost sister from a completely different family. She’s wicked awesome, spunky, and just the most caring person I’ve met. We’ve been through a lot of personal struggles together and all I remember when I lost my grandma was coming home and crying to her that she was gone. She somehow convinced me to pick myself up, carry myself to the couch and not move for a week if I felt like it because it was OKAY to do that. She helped me through a lot of stuff with Jeff and I think it helped we were going through similar situations.

Now not only is she an awesome person, but she’s a pretty rad designer if I do say so myself … and trust me I’ve seen some VERY first things and I can tell you she has this talent that is just insane …. her doodles make me jealous and in fact … they are part of the tattoo that I have for Owen. She use to ask me what she should draw and all I’d say was stars (yes I’m slightly obsessed) and when I seen these shooting star doodles I knew they were the base I was looking for. Plus she is my one of the few best friends I have and it only seemed fitting I use them. She sells scrapbook designs at Sweet Shoppe Designs and even her own shop Scrapfastic Designs. Also if that wasn’t enough her designs are how she makes a living for her and her equally rad almost 8 year old son Ce. Which I guess brings me to the point of this post.

This week has been hard for Lauren as she was admitted to the hospital for 3 life threatening blood clots. It was quickly shown what kind of person Lauren is as the digital scrapping community exploded with love, prayers, and positive thoughts for not only her but Ce as well. Some very awesome designers came together and created a beautiful kit A Little Help From My Friends and the Sugarbabes at Sweet Shoppe came together to make some beautiful templates called  Cookies for La. What’s wonderful is that all proceeds from both the kit AND templates straight to Lauren to help with her not being able to work. So if you love scrapbooking or crafting of any kind please stop and check out this beautiful kit that goes to help an awesome single mother and friend that we are all missing WAY too much!

Pennies for Penny

If you’ve been here at all, you will know that my sweet infant cousin, Penelope was recently diagnosed with Stage 4 Neuroblastoma. She has spent the last 3 weeks in Rady Children’s Hospital here in San Diego. She has a private insurance policy that will only cover 60% of her very expensive treatments.

This weekend, we are having a fund raising auction.

Please visit Pennies4Penny.com beginning Friday morning (6am) to have your chance to bid and win on some amazing products. The outpouring of love and support for this little girl has just been amazing. We have secured donations from over 30 companies and individuals. Several of these sponsors have donated more than one item!

For future reference, these are the auction terms (they will also be posted on each individual auction item):

Pennies 4 Penny is in the process of securing a non-profit tax ID number. So when you win a bid, you will be able to deduct it on your taxes. You’ll be getting some awesome deals and donating to a wonderful, feel-good, warm and fuzzy cause:

Penelope

Seriously, how can you ignore that face??

So please stop by this weekend and have a good time out-bidding your friends, all while helping this little angel beat her cancer!