the debut of Becky's Blog
It's here...the long awaited debut of the Becky’s BLOG!
I decided I should kick off my BLOG on #GivingTuesday, the Tuesday after Thanksgiving, which I had never even heard of (nor had the first 10 of 10 customers I queried about it). Yet we all seem to be familiar with Black Friday, Small Biz Saturday, and Cyber-Monday which are all about BUYING -- bargain-buying, buying small & local, and even buying online. But here's the big difference: Giving Tuesday is all about GIVING BACK.
I've been thinking about how I can help make a difference especially with ADO's 5th Birthday just around the corner (can you BELIEVE it?). At one point I thought I might have time to do more -- to share more -- with some of the charitable causes here on the Outer Banks. But the days get filled up in the shop and it seems like I can't ever find the time to volunteer ('cause I'm assuming I'd have to be AWAKE to help). Oh sure...I donate merchandise and gift certificates to lots of worthy organizations, but I still long to do more.
And then it came to me! Feature the artisans here in the shop -- doing all sorts of good deeds out there in the real world -- in each BLOG-post!
Here on the website as well as in the shop I am proud to feature BeeAttitudes, based in Nashville, TN...and for this (my inaugural post) I thought it would be perfect to shine the spotlight on them. I fell in love BeeAttitudes at first sight…well, actually, at first FEEL...because their shirts are made from the softest fabric IN THE WORLD. They come in fun colors and styles to flatter all our bodies...AND THEY HAVE WORDS ON 'EM!
And everyone KNOWS I love words…
At All Ducked Out you'll find lots of things with words...especially EMPOWERING words!
Look at that sweet bumblebee...now add in these words: Fearless, Strong, You, Happy, among many others! My new personal fave is Bee Fierce, plus I'm in love with their fun new Holiday Hoodie, in a winter-snowy white with Bee Merry & Bright in silver.
Wear one, and FEEL the power, and at the same time you share that power with everyone you meet. The BeeAttitudes tagline is Choose Your Attitude + Change the World -- and isn't that the perfect motto around which we can all rally, especially now? And they've put their company behind it, too, by partnering with Thistle Farms, a Nashville-based non-profit that provides a safe haven for women to support each other and heal from lives of addiction, prostitution, and sex trafficking. Theirs is a wonderful story -- PLUS, they're just plain nice peeps!
I'm while I'm proud of ALL the socially conscious artisans I showcase at ADO, I still want to do MORE -- to align the shop and me with a cause that will help define us going forward. So beginning today -- #GivingTuesday2017 -- I am kicking off a partnership between All Ducked Out and Autism Speaks starting with the announcement of a special shop-wide 20% discount each Tuesday in December, with 10% of each of those days' net proceeds going to Autism Speaks, a non-profit whose ongoing and heroic efforts are to advance research into causes and improved treatments, and to work toward solutions for the needs of individuals and their families along the broad range of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Autism affects 1 in 68 children in the U.S. and personally, being friends with several families with autistic children, I see the impact ASD has on an entire family. (To learn more visit there website at: autismspeaks.org)
Now onto my first "Becky-Rec," which I plan to include in each of my posts -- just my unvarnished recommendations on random things of interest. So since I am focused on Autism, have you been watching "The Good Doctor” on ABC? It premiered this fall and features an up-and-coming surgeon who has autism and savant syndrome. It is fascinating!
AND HOW 'BOUT THIS?
Recommend an "Artistic Do-Good'er" who'd be a good fit here at ADO -- a jewelry or clothing artisan whose treasures you think would fit well here (Where Funky Meets Elegant) – AND -- who is doing something special to make our world a kinder place.
If I decide to feature them here at All Ducked Out, you will receive a $50 Gift Certificate plus I'll share your name and a little something about you and your special artist in one of my future BLOGS!