Tag: smile

November 2020 – Parcel Contents

Hello Lovelies!

I hope you’re keeping safe and well.

We’ve reached the end of November and we can almost smell Christmas, so it’s time to reveal the contents of this months parcels…

Our theme this month was “Get Cosy” and they contained products all connected with encouraging the recipient to make the most of the colder days and nights, and get cosy!

November Contents:

Scarf –

The theme of your parcel this month is “Get Cosy”, so we’ve tried to include items with this in mind, starting with a scarf, which in the current circumstances, also doubles up quite nicely, as a face covering!

It has a great geometric design and is bigger than it looks at first glance, so wrap up warm, it’s cold out there.

Christmas Countdown –

Now, don’t panic, we know this is your November parcel and not December, but as you won’t receive your December parcel until after 1st December (for those of you with a subscription), we wanted to include this Christmas countdown in this parcel.

We loved the simple design, with its slight bit of sparkle – now it’s just up to you whether you put it away until December arrives, or not!

Save The Drama… –

When we’re thinking about getting cosy, we’re thinking of PJ’s, hot drinks, blankets, fluffy socks and a boxset- so there’s definitely no space for everyone else’s drama – save your drama for the llama, because we don’t want to know…

This wooden block can be stood on a shelf or hung on the wall, but whichever you choose, make sure it’s visible to all those who need to see it!

Coaster & Popcorn Tea –

We just mentioned hot drinks and for us, a key ingredient to getting comfy and cosy, is a nice hot cuppa! So, while you’re getting settled with your boxset, you may also be tucking in to some popcorn, so what is more appropriate than popcorn flavour tea, honestly!

We’ve included a slate coaster too, as you need somewhere to put that cuppa while it’s a little too hot!

 ”The Proud Potato” –

The Proud Potato is here to tell you to always be proud of who you are – they’ll only ever be one of you, you are totally unique – and no one can do you, better than you. Postcard from Katie Abey.

Smile Cards –

As always, there should be a couple of these little cards in your parcel, I’ve written one for you, and the blank one, is for you to write a short inspirational or positive message, and give to someone you know, or maybe, leave somewhere for a complete stranger to find.

Parcel Assistant –

The Pom-Pom Parcel Assistant who helped (or hindered!) us with packing your parcel this month was, Bailey.

Karen x

September 2020 – Parcel Contents

Hello Lovelies!

It’s almost at the end of September, which means it’s time for another parcel contents reveal…

Our theme this month was “Me-Time” and they contained products to give the recipient an excuse to take a step back and prioritise themselves for once!

September Contents:

Sleepy Sloth Mug –

After a very odd summer, this month we wanted to celebrate you, and remind you to simply take a little me-time, and this cute sleepy sloth mug was a must-have, as your first item.

Make sure anyone in your household, or even visitors, are fully aware that when the sloth mug is in use, you are not to be disturbed, as very important me-time is in progress!

Be Happy Tea Light Holder –

We wanted to help you to create a nice relaxing atmosphere while taking time for you, so we thought lighting a tealight sounded like a great idea. This “Be Happy” glass tealight holder seemed to be a perfect choice – we’ve included a tealight for you too, so all you need to do is find a lovely (and safe) place for it to sit, so you can watch the calming flame flickering.

Lucky Stars –

Now, these are very special “Lucky Stars” that have been carefully handmade by Ellesha from Craft Create Dream. Each of the 5 colourful paper stars contains a hidden inspirational message, just for you. Sometimes, when we’re feeling low, a simple pick-me-up and motivational quote can be enough to give us a little lift. You can find Ellesha over on Instagram or her Facebook business page.

I Can’t Adult Today Coaster & Tea Bag –

I think there are times when all of us are allowed a “non-adulting” day, and while having me-time, is definitely that time! Keep this coaster close to your sleepy sloth mug, and you’ll be ready to go. And, of course, we couldn’t give you a mug without including something to go inside, so we’ve given you a “Chocolate Flake” flavour teabag, to help you melt away…

 Stronger Than You Think –

We’ve included another postcard from Katie Abey this month, and this one is a reminder that you’re stronger than you think – the bunny says so! (P.S. These postcards look great in frames!).

Smile Cards

As always, there should be a couple of these little cards in your parcel, I’ve written one for you, and the blank one, is for you to write a short inspirational or positive message, and give to someone you know, or maybe, leave somewhere for a complete stranger to find.

Parcel Assistant

The Pom-Pom Parcel Assistant who helped (or hindered!) us with packing your parcel this month was, Colin.

 

Karen x

What Makes The Smile Parcel Different?

So, what makes us different? – This is an important question for businesses, especially small businesses and especially, at the moment.

So, I wanted to tell you a little more about us, what we’re all about, and what does make us different.

We don’t offer continuous subscriptions…

We decided when we created The Smile Parcel, that we wouldn’t offer a continuous subscription, as we know it can be off-putting to feel trapped in a long term subscription, so instead we offer just 3, or 6 month subscriptions (or one-off parcels) which naturally expire after your last parcel payment is taken, it’s then completely up to you, if you want to re-order again (lots of you do, thank you!)

We don’t have many offers or sales…

You may of noticed that we don’t have a lot of sales, discounts or offers at The Smile Parcel, as we wanted to ensure our customers knew they were receiving value for money, always.

We do occasionally have a one-off discount, to celebrate our birthday or an anniversary, for example, as we want to treat our lovely customers from time to time, but otherwise, our prices are what you see.

We don’t bombard you with emails!

We routinely send just 2 emails a month, one to let those of you who have placed an order, know when they are on their way, so you know when to receive them, and one as a little update, or maybe to share a mental health tip, to those of you struggling.

When you place an order, you’ll receive an email as a thank you and confirmation, but this will be a personal email, not an automated one, and if you decide to cancel your subscription, we won’t send you emails begging you to come back, as we understand there could be lots of reasons for doing this.

We have amazingly loyal customers!

Now, this may be controversial, but I’m going to say it anyway, I’m pretty certain that The Smile Parcel has the best customers in the whole world!

We have such fabulously loyal customers, some of which have received every single monthly parcel.

We’re fortunate to have a very low cancellation rate, I can count on one hand how many customers have cancelled their subscription early over the last 3 years, and one of those sent a lovely email to apologise and explain why she needed to cancel! (of course, she didn’t need to do this!)

Basically, you lot are amazing!!

We’re not all about growth and expansion…

This is a difficult one, as we are a huge supporter of small business, and growth and expansion are important to run a successful business. But, for us, we’ve worked hard over the last few years to build The Smile Parcel into where we are today, and it’s where we want to stay.

The next stage could be to hand over our packing to a fulfilment centre, or give the reigns of customer service to an agency, but this isn’t for us.

We want to keep all our packing in-house, so we know exactly what’s going inside your parcels, and I know I may sound a little odd in saying this, but talking to our customers is my favourite part of the job!

Our ambition now is to continue where we are, keep sending smiles, providing great customer service and of course, wrapping parcels!

Karen x

June 2020 – Parcel Contents

Hello!

Right, I’m back on track this month and have remembered to show you this months parcel contents, on time…whoop! 😉

Our theme for June was “Step Outside” and they contained products all associated with making the most out of our time being outside, seeing nature and exploring the great outdoors!

June Contents:

Butterflies & Bees Welcome Here –

This month your parcel theme is ‘Step Outside’. Usually at this time of the year, we’d be encouraging you to get outside, see the countryside, visit parks and generally enjoy the great outdoors in every way possible. But, as we know, this year is a little different! Having said this, we can still enjoy being outside, within the parameters allowed, and hopefully we will be back experiencing it with friends and family soon. What we can do though, is enjoy being with nature, take in our surroundings and notice the butterflies and bees, whether that’s in our own gardens, or while taking a leisurely stroll.

Heart Decoration –

We loved the delicate design of this hanging metal heart decoration. Now it just needs somewhere lovely to hang, maybe in a window, on a door handle, or even as part of a gallery wall display.

Bee Wish Bracelet –

This lovely “Don’t Worry Bee Happy” wish charm bracelet has been lovingly handmade by Mermaid Marys UK, who you can find on Etsy.

The Law of Attraction is the ability to attract into our lives whatever we are focusing on, and using the power of our mind to translate whatever is in our thoughts, to materialise into reality. Now, I admit, this isn’t something we know a lot about, however, we do believe that positivity and focusing on our dreams and goals, is a great first step to achieving them!

Mini Rainbow –

“Be A Rainbow In Someone Else’s Cloud” – we loved the little gift bag alone, so when we discovered the cute resin rainbow inside, these were a must-have addition to your parcel this month. Rainbows have taken on a new meaning during the current pandemic, and we’ve become used to seeing them to support the amazing work of the NHS and our key workers. It’s understandable that some people will want to forget about this period in time when this is all over, but for others, they want to remember a time when they got to spend time at home with family. We decided to include the rainbow, so you can keep it as a memento yourself if you wish, or pass it on to someone who may be struggling, or maybe give to a much-valued key worker.

 The Tiger of Unapologetic Awesomeness –

Well, there’s not a lot we can say about “The Tiger of Unapologetic Awesomeness” apart from, well, he’s awesome?!

Postcard from Katie Abey Design.

Smile Cards

As always, there should be a couple of these little cards in your parcel, I’ve written one for you, and the blank one, is for you to write a short inspirational or positive message, and give to someone you know, or leave somewhere for a complete stranger to find – but this is of course optional, there’s absolutely no pressure to do this if you don’t want to.

Parcel Assistant

Your Pom-Pom Parcel Assistant who helped us to pack your parcel this time was, Kenny!

Karen x

May 2020 – Parcel Contents

Hello Lovelies!

Eek! This post is slightly (very!) late and I have no excuse, other than in the ongoing situation, I, well, forgot to show you the contents of last months parcel, Oops!

So, our May theme was “Cuppa Break” and they contained everything you need to take a short break from the current chaos surrounding us (something I obviously could do with now!).

May Contents:

“Mind Your Own Biscuits” Mug –

This month your parcel is all about those times when we need to give ourselves a break – and even better, a cuppa break! We loved these mugs as soon as we spotted them, the lookalike enamel style looks great and the quote is fabulous too – and if you’re on a cuppa break, everyone else should definitely mind their own biscuits!!

Pukka Tea Bags –

Obviously, we couldn’t give you a mug without including tea bags. We would usually recommend you share these and use them as an excuse to meet up with a friend, and have a natter and catch-up…but sadly, at the moment, that just isn’t possible. But, it will be, we will all be back together again soon, so you can either keep these tea bags until you can share them, or, just as importantly, give yourself a break (or two!) – we’re all going through a tough time at the moment, so don’t forget you deserve a break too.

The cute tea bag envelope was created just for our parcels by Crafty Little Fox.

Biscuit Tub & Coaster –

This cute biscuit tub is perfect for popping in the car, or in a handbag, just to have a sweet treat ready at hand, just when you need a little pick-me-up. The coaster “Doughnut Worry Be Happy” is from Old English Company.

Puzzles! –

Now, I don’t mind admitting that I had a little help creating this puzzle sheet – it was all created in-house at The Smile Parcel, as we wanted to give you a little something “to-do” while you’re enjoying your cuppa break. So, sit down, put your feet up and take your mind of everything else for a few minutes, and get puzzling!

 “Stronger Than You Think” –

I think there have been times over the last few weeks when all of us have wondered how we’re going to get through this difficult time. It’s definitely been (and continues to be) very challenging, in lots of ways, including, of course, our mental health. So, this postcard has been included in this parcel, to remind you that you are stronger than you think, I promise. Sometimes, we all need a moment, just to breathe and be reminded that, whatever is happening in our lives, we are strong, and we will get through this.

Smile Cards –

As always, there should be a couple of these little cards in your parcel, I’ve written one for you, and the blank one, is for you to write a short inspirational or positive message, and give to someone you know, or leave somewhere for a complete stranger to find – but this is of course optional, there’s absolutely no pressure to do this if you don’t want to.

Parcel Assistant –

Your Pom-Pom Parcel Assistant who helped us to pack your parcel this time was, Oliver!

 

Karen x

Mental Health Awareness Week

I hope you’re all still keeping safe and well.

I wanted to do another quick little blog post today, as this week is Mental Health Awareness Week, hosted by the Mental Health Foundation – this year, the theme of their campaign is, kindness.

We hear a lot about how important it is to open up to others about how we’re feeling, and you may of noticed that ITV have been running a campaign for a while, telling us to share with each other and “Britain Get Talking”.

Being open about how we’re feeling can be difficult, especially if we’re not used to it, or it isn’t something that comes naturally to us.

Sometimes, it can be easier to start a conversation about something entirely different, until we feel more comfortable to share our emotions – you don’t have to be an expert, or a professional to talk, or to listen to others, it just needs time, courage and kindness to take that first step, it may not feel like much to simply ask “How are you?” but it’s often the smallest of things, that make the biggest differences.

You can find out more information regarding the work of the Mental Health Foundation here: https://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/

 

Karen x

April 2020 – Parcel Contents

Hello everyone!

Well, it’s the last day of April and it’s definitely been one of the strangest and most challenging April’s we’ve all ever seen…

Despite this, you’ve continued to support us and we are so grateful. We’ve loved hearing what a difference receiving your parcels is making to your lockdown experience – we hoped we could continue packing your parcels, as we know so many of you say you’re looking forward to them, more than ever, as a much-needed distraction and smile, at this difficult time.

Our April theme was “Keep Growing” and they contained a lovely splash of colourful Springtime!

April Contents:

Terracotta Pot –

Your parcel theme this month is “Keep Growing”, as we wanted to bring a welcome burst of Springtime to your home. Your first item is a very cute terracotta pot. We thought the daisy design was lovely, and it’s the perfect way to get you started on a little challenge we’ve set you, read on…

Bean, with Instructions –

We loved these beans as soon as we discovered them – for obvious reasons! We’ve included an instruction sheet with these too, to give you a head start, and explain more about them…and why they are “magic”. We’d love to see your photos as your beans begin to grow, so do send them over to us on our Facebook page.

Friends Photo Frame –

We’re all going through a very uncertain time at the moment, which probably means that sadly, we aren’t able to spend as much time with friends and family as we’d like to. The quote on this frame should be a little reminder that they are still there, even when we can’t see them every day, and remember, this unique situation will pass, although it’s difficult at the moment, it’s temporary and we will come through the other side, together.

Pink Gerbera –

It’s going to take a little while before you begin to see the beginnings of your bean plant, so we’ve included something that is already in full bloom – albeit artificial! Nevertheless, this pretty pink gerbera will add a spot of Springtime colour to any arrangement.

 “Keep Going” –

We thought this postcard was very apt at the moment, with all the uncertainties, it’s important to keep going – and I promise, it won’t always be this difficult. Postcard from “Colour Your Life Club”.

Smile Cards

As always, there should be a couple of these little cards in your parcel, I’ve written one for you, and the blank one, is for you to write a short inspirational or positive message, and give to someone you know, or leave somewhere for a complete stranger to find – but this is of course optional, there’s absolutely no pressure to do this if you don’t want to.

Parcel Assistant

Your pompom Parcel Assistant who helped (or hindered!) us with packing your parcel this month, was…Albert!

Karen x

 

 

Keep Going, It’s All Temporary…

Hello!

It’s been a while, but as we enter the fourth week of Coronavirus lockdown, I think it’s time we had a positive mental health tip!

It’s definitely a very strange time, Spring is here and we should all be outside, enjoying the sunshine and looking at the beautiful scenery, as the Springtime colours burst into life…but sadly, at the moment, it’s essential that we all stay safe inside.

Spring is known as being a season of new life and growth and regardless of how old we are, or what we’ve been through, we are all growing, all of the time.

We may not be able to get outside to see a lot of it happening around us at the moment, and it may feel like life as sort-off, well, stopped, but while we are quarantined inside, it’s also a great opportunity to refocus on our goals, and make plans for what we’re going to do when the lockdown is lifted.

Personal growth is an important part of life, it gives us the chance to experience new things and learn about ourselves, about others, and the world around us.

We are always evolving as people, life is always changing, and we can choose to stay where we are, or we can continue to grow with it, keep learning, challenge ourselves and have new experiences.

Personal growth can be great for our overall well-being and mental health too, as it can make us more prepared and able to deal with the challenges that life will undoubtedly throw our way, and develop the skills needed to handle our emotions.

Sometimes, it can be difficult to keep fighting on and know which direction we should be heading, and that’s Okay, but if we want to make the most out of life, we need to learn to push through these obstacles and barriers.

Keep going and keep growing…it may be difficult at the moment, but remember it is all temporary, and we will come through the other side, together.

Karen x