Friday, January 7, 2011

Happy Birthday Better Life Bags... the blog!

Tomorrow (Saturday, the 8th) is the ONE YEAR birthday of Better Life Bags... the blog.

Back then, I had NO idea why I started this blog,
other than I wanted to start sharing some crafts, 
thoughts, 
ideas, 
and have a way to show off all the bags that YOU were designing in my shop!

I had no idea where it would lead.

I thought it would be fun to plot on a map where each Better Life Bag has gone.
(This is since August of 2009 - when my ETSY shop opened). 
Those outside the US include Australia, Malta, and India!

Here's a close up of the US Map. 
Looks like BLB is most popular in the Midwest, Southern California, and Coastal Georgia
 Of course, I thought it would be fun to look back at all our Kiva loans, too!
We've given 29 loans...
a total of $1,225...
to low income entrepreneurs in these 18 different countries:


12 of you have joined our Better Life Bag Kiva team - where you can loan money of your own to whoever you want!
(I'd love to see more of you join!! Click here  to see what it's all about)

I have been incredibly blessed by the people who read my blog.
I LOVE when you email me, comment, and share your pictures.
It really does warm my heart.
Thank you.

Who knew that ONE YEAR later I would have 1,293 Facebook fans,
386 Blog Followers,
624 Email Subscribers,
and  366 RSS Readers.

Yikes.

To celebrate, how about a giveaway?!

This time a $25 Gift Certificate to MY SHOP!
(and I know it's partially closed right now, but you can save it for the Spring Has Sprung campaign in early March!)
 
All you have to do to enter is:
1. Be sure you "follow" my blog or "like" my Facebook page, then leave a comment (with your email address) telling me what you enjoy most about BLB... the blog and what you'd like to see more of this year!

What an extra entry to improve your chances??
1. Join the BLB Kiva Team, then come back and leave another comment saying you did (or already are)!

Giveaway winner will be announced Monday, January 10th!
Posted by Rebecca @ Better Life Bags at 10:58 AM

22 comments:

  1. Patricia NewhouseJanuary 7, 2011 at 11:09 AM

    Thanks for the giveaway! I am a google reader follower. I love your designs. Your family's mission has been so inspiring. We love your updates about reaching out and positively impacting your neighbors and the world!

    ReplyDelete
  2. KellyJanuary 7, 2011 at 11:12 AM

    I follow your blog by RSS feed. My favorite part is to see all the different designs of bags you make and send out.

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  3. Amie {Kitty Cats and Airplanes}January 7, 2011 at 11:34 AM

    Wow!! I would LOVE to win! I follow your blog!

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  4. Jenny JJanuary 7, 2011 at 12:19 PM

    I follow your blog and I love so many things about it!! The pictures that you take and post with each of your blog posts are so beautiful. The creations you come up with I adore! I look forward to grabbing a cup of coffee and seeing what you've posted for the day. Keep it up :)

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  5. AnonymousJanuary 7, 2011 at 12:45 PM

    I follow you via email and on Facebook. I love that you pay it forward, upcycle and have great designs. I hope to create things that you have inspired.

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  6. Rachel C. ClayJanuary 7, 2011 at 12:55 PM

    I'm a blog and facebook follower. I love the tutorials and hearing about what's going on in your life!
    rachelcclay@gmail.com

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  7. JenJanuary 7, 2011 at 1:02 PM

    I follow your blog via RSS. I love all the fun projects you do, and as an "artsy" gal myself, I glean lots of fun ideas to try in my own home. The do-it-yourself stuff (like the husband prayer calendar) are some of my favorite posts, so keep em coming in the new year! (pretty please!) Also like seeing your new bags. How cute and fun!

    creativeseitz(at)gmail(dot)com

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  8. JanaFloydJanuary 7, 2011 at 1:36 PM

    You are one of my favorites on Etsy - and my favorite items are the bibs. :)

    janahopefloyd@gmail.com

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  9. SavannahsSmilesJanuary 7, 2011 at 1:52 PM

    I follow your blog via an email subscription-I am a fairly new subscriber. I love your blog and your bags and how you give away money to bless others! I look forward to seeing more of your crafts and bags.

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  10. ring@nc.rr.comJanuary 7, 2011 at 2:03 PM

    Hey Rebecca.... I joined the Kiva Team a long time ago, and have made one loan so far.... but I can't tell if it got credited to the BLB team. This is all so confusing to my older brain. :) How do you tell? Or does it do it automatically?

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  11. Sarah FredericksonJanuary 7, 2011 at 2:11 PM

    I follow you through email and liked you on Facebook. Thanks for the giveaway, your bags are amazing.

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  12. EFYJanuary 7, 2011 at 2:55 PM

    Rebecca, I'm following your blog. I've enjoyed getting to know you. I love your heart for ministry. As a fellow "sewer" I love looking over your work... Blessings to you!

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  13. Cathy VJanuary 7, 2011 at 6:15 PM

    I follow your blog and love it. I just love how you use your talents to bless others.

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  14. TiffanyJanuary 7, 2011 at 6:55 PM

    I'm a blog follower. I love seeing all the bags you make, the fabric choices help open my eyes to what can go together, whereas normally looking at the individual pieces I would never thing that. I also love the tutorials!

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  15. brianandcourtJanuary 7, 2011 at 9:35 PM

    Love your blog. I'm a follower and facebook fan, because, well I like it that much. I personally can't sew a straight line, but I do so love the bibs and the little ruffle clutches. I first "met" you with the 31 days of praying for your husband thing. Finally ordered mine with snapfish the other day and my neighbor and I are going to go through it together. I love that you are open about Loving God and Loving Others.

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  16. traceyJanuary 7, 2011 at 9:42 PM

    I enjoy following your blog and am a fan on Facebook. I appreciate your heart for others. Thanks for being such a great example of Christ's love in the way you serve others with your time and resources.

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  17. KimJanuary 8, 2011 at 10:55 AM

    I LOVE the way God uses your gifts and talents! You have come up with an "out of the box" idea to serve the kingdom!
    kimcanell @ msn.com

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  18. bekJanuary 8, 2011 at 11:31 AM

    Happy BLB Birthday! Blow out a candle and have some fun! My favorite thing about Better Life Bags is that it is God-centered and self-less. Your blogs and business reveal your heart for God and those he made. You are a great example of how anyone can take something simple and expand it for the glory of God. You've shown us that we can just take what we can do, as simple as it may seem, and if we do it well and let God do the rest, absolutely amazing things will result. You are an inspiration to us all. Thank you for not just selling bags, but actually selling bags for a purpose. Keep up the great work. Our prayers for you during the coming birth of your new one. ~Becky Castle

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  19. TriciaJanuary 8, 2011 at 12:49 PM

    I follow you on FB and love not only your positivity, but also the flip prayer book :)

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  20. MichelleJanuary 8, 2011 at 12:59 PM

    You know I'm a follower of your blog and facebook! I love all of your bags and I love reading all of your crafty posts! Happy Birthday BLB the Blog!

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  21. SarahKJanuary 8, 2011 at 2:32 PM

    I just wanted to say it overjoys my heart to see the maps of where your bags have gone!!! I am soooo proud of you!)

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  22. ShannonJanuary 8, 2011 at 4:10 PM

    I love your blog! I really enjoy seeing how you reach out to the world around you and have some awesome crafts and ideas!

    ReplyDelete

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