Tag: smile

March 2020 – Parcel Contents

Posted on by thesmileparcel

Hello…we’ve reached the end of another month, and a very long, strange week – Coronavirus lockdown has definitely brought us a few challenges, as it has to most of us.

We will endeavour to keep going and continue packing your parcels, as we know lots of you have said you’re looking forward to receiving them more than ever, as a welcome distraction and a mental health boost throughout all the constant changes, news updates and uncertainties – which is so lovely.

Our March theme was “Hopes & Dreams”, and they contained lots of colourful products to help the recipient keep those dreams alive…there was a noticeable rainbow vibe going on too!

March Contents:

Believe You Can… –

Your parcel theme for March is “Hopes & Dreams”, and we wanted to celebrate the beginning of Springtime, by making them bright and colourful. We love this quote “Believe you can, and you’re halfway there” as having a positive attitude towards achieving our dreams, can only help towards making them a reality! This print comes ready framed, perfect to hang on the wall, pop on a shelf, or even add to your desk at work.

Compact Mirror –

You’ll notice that there is a rainbow theme to your contents this month – starting with this super cute compact mirror.  We thought it was the perfect size to simply pop in a bag, or in the car, and have handy should an occasion arise…to turn that frown upside down!

Rainbow Notebook –

We just mentioned the rainbow theme running through your parcel, so we continued it with this A5 notebook – “Spread a little happiness wherever you go…”. We decided to include a notebook this month, as we believe, rather than keeping all our hopes and dreams in our head, writing them down, whether they are big or small, can help make them feel more real, and achievable.

“Yes I Can” –

At The Smile Parcel, we do love a button badge! They make great accessories to a bag or coat collar, and add a spot of colour at the same time. This one says “Yes I Can” and is a great reminder that, well, you can do, and be, anything you want to be – so go get ‘em!!

 Imagine The Possibilities –

Just imagine the possibilities, so many things to do, places to see, dreams to make come true, so what are you waiting for?!

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 *Parcel Assistant who helped us with packing your parcel this month, was…Harold!

Karen x

*Parcel Assistants are cheeky little pompom chaps who help (or hinder!) us with packing your monthly parcels!

February 2020 – Parcel Contents

Posted on by thesmileparcel

Hello…it’s time for our February contents reveal, and this month the theme was “Love Yourself”.

The contents were all about the importance of putting yourself first and investing in a little self-care – you deserve some me-time!

February Contents:

The Pad Of Productivity –

Your February parcel is here! And, as this month is associated with all things “Love”, we wanted to celebrate the importance of showing yourself some love and self-care – something that is very easy to forget to do! This Productivity Pad is a great way to help unload our mind. It can be stressful thinking about all the daily tasks and chores we have ahead of us, so writing them, in a list, and the satisfaction of ticking them off, one by one, can be a great help!

“My Mindful Day” & Star Pencil –

We spotted these lovely sheets on Facebook and contacted the creator, “Tiny Acorn Mighty Oak” for a collaboration, as we thought they were a perfect fit for this month’s parcels. Mindfulness can be great for anxiety – it can sound daunting if you’re unfamiliar with it, but in short, it simply means slowing down, taking time to breathe, and allowing yourself to refocus and become grounded. This sheet is a great way to begin…we’ve even included a cute star pencil to help you get started.

Spotty Socks –

Now, when we’re thinking about self-care, we think, cosy, warm, snuggly…socks! So, these had to be included in your parcel this month, now all we need is a blanket, a hot chocolate and our favourite box set, and we’re sorted…

Home Sweet Home –

These wooden heart decorations look lovely wherever they are hung. Home Sweet Home is a safe place to lots of us, and where we can relax and take some much deserved me-time…there’s nothing wrong with investing a little time in ourselves and our own wellbeing…and taking advantage of that long overdue duvet day!

 Go At Your Own Pace –

We’ve included another inspirational postcard from “Katie Abey Design”. Remember to take a moment to breathe, to step back and to enjoy the journey – it’s Okay to go at your own pace.

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…Robert!

 

Karen x

Make Time For Me-Time!

Posted on by thesmileparcel

Self-care is something we hear mentioned quite a lot, and it can sound somewhat self-indulgent, and ‘fluffy’ – but it certainly isn’t selfish, in fact, it’s essential!

Self-care is a very personal thing, and can be interpreted differently from person to person, basically, it’s the routine of doing something you enjoy, and essentially doing it, for you.

It could be down to simply being kinder to yourself. Our lives have become so busy and hectic, that most of us operate on auto-pilot. We are so consumed with work, household chores, and family…and now, technology and social media have been added to that list too, so we forget how important it is, for our own health and wellbeing, to, just, press pause.

Investing in some well-deserved self-care is important to help prevent burnout, and allows us to take time out to recharge our batteries.

The practice of self-care has lots of great benefits, both physical and mental, it can help boost our self-confidence too, by taking part in activities that we are good at, and enjoy doing.

One excuse for not making time for ourselves, is that we just don’t have the time. But, the best thing about self-care is that it can fit into our routine, and can begin with small little habits implemented each day.

Ideas may include going for a walk and unplugging from technology for an hour, or trying mindfulness, and just, being still. Taking time to laugh, whether socially, or while watching a funny sitcom, or maybe, if you enjoy physical exercise, spending an hour at the gym, listening to your favourite music, or going for a run.

It doesn’t matter what it is, as long as it is good for you, and helps you to reconnect with yourself – the key to self-care, is little and often.

 

Karen x

 

January 2020 – Parcel Contents

Posted on by thesmileparcel

Hello…we’ve almost successfully made it all the way through January – lots of us don’t particularly enjoy the first month of the year – it means a return to work and reality, it’s cold, and it seems to be very very long!!

Our parcel theme this month was “New Beginning” and with the contents we hoped to make your January a little brighter, by including products all associated with kick-starting your new year with positivity and inspiration!

January Contents:

Llama Water Bottle –

For your first parcel of 2020, we wanted to focus on the theme of new beginnings and add contents associated with inspiration. Lots of us are starting the new year by trying, where we can, to reduce the general waste we create, and particularly, single use plastic, so we thought we’d start by including a reusable water bottle. We loved the cute Llama design, as well as being great for the environment. (We will be doing more ourselves, and making the switch to biodegradable packaging inside all our parcels soon!)

Be A Flamingo… –

We love this quote. It is a great reminder to embrace being you, and standing out from the crowd. Be proud of your differences and flaunt them – there’s only one you! This artwork card has been handmade by Rachel over at “Rae Creates” – you can find her other lovely designs over on her Facebook page.

Dreamcatcher –

Lots of people choose to set resolutions for themselves at the start of a new year. For some, this is great and helps them to focus on achieving their goals, but for others, it can mean too much pressure, and have the opposite effect of feeling down or deflated if those goals aren’t reached. But what we do believe, is that everyone should have dreams, whether big ones or small ones – so what could be better than a dreamcatcher, to stop them getting away!

Mindfulness Charm –

As soon as we discovered these beautiful charms, we knew they were a perfect addition for our parcels. They have been created by “Claire Craft at Little Gestures”, who also writes lovely poems to go along with her inspirational products and gifts.

Appreciated, Valued, Loved –

We’ve included another inspirational postcard from “Katie Abey Design” this month. We all go through tough times, and sometimes we all need a little reminder of just how appreciated, valued and loved we are – I hope this card reminds you of this…because it’s true.

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 –

As always, a pompom Parcel Assistant helped (or hindered!) us with packing your parcel this month, and for January, it was the turn of Victor!

Karen x

Just One Thing…

Posted on by thesmileparcel

Happy New Year…can I still say that on 13th January?! Well, as this is my first post of 2020 – I’m going to go with it anyway!

I hope you had a lovely New Year and that 2020 brings you health, happiness and of course, many reasons to smile!

It’s a brand new shiny year, and lots of people are discussing their new year’s resolutions, and the goals and targets they are setting themselves.

We can all think of numerous things that could possibly make our lives better, happier, or simpler, but thinking that way can be overwhelming and stressful.

So, instead, choose just one thing that you’d like to change, to give a try, or improve at, and concentrate on just that one thing, thinking about how you could achieve it.

Tackling things one at a time is much more manageable, and we often find we can do them more efficiently because we are giving them all our attention, and not getting distracted by all the “other things” –

then, once you’ve conquered that, move on to the next…

Karen x

December 2019 – Parcel Contents

Posted on by thesmileparcel

Hello lovelies! I hope you had a lovely Christmas!

We’re now right in the middle of that strange little area between Christmas and New Year, where we have absolutely no idea what day it is, or where we should be!!

We kept the contents reveal this month, until a bit later, as we know lots of our customers choose to save opening these for Christmas, or give as gifts – which we love!

Our parcel theme for December was, of course, “Christmas” and they were bursting with festive treats and decorations.

December Contents:

Shortbread Mix & Christmas Cutter –

Happy Christmas! I know for some of you, today will be Christmas day, as we know lots of you choose to save opening your December parcel until 25th December, and others like to have an early treat. Whichever you’ve chosen, we like to include something you can “do” in this parcel, so this month, we’ve opted for baking, and have collaborated with “Katie Bakes” to include her lovely shortbread mix. You’ll find a Christmas cookie cutter in your parcel too – just to add that festive touch to your bakes!

Starry Night Hanging Decoration –

In our opinion, Christmas just wouldn’t be Christmas without a little shimmer, sparkle…and of course, glitter! These pretty hanging star decorations fitted that brief perfectly, and are sure to add a little extra sparkle to your décor!

Adult Reward Stickers –

If you received our Christmas parcel last year, you may remember that we included some similar reward stickers for December 2018. At The Smile Parcel, we firmly believe that, regardless of age, we all deserve a little reward for our achievements, however big or small those achievements may be. So, as you battle through the chaos and festivities, and tick those items off your to-do list, we hope you wear your stickers with pride!

Metal Daisy Heart –

We didn’t want everything in your parcel this month to be Christmas related, and these daisy hearts, although they won’t look out of place for Christmas, they can be left hanging all year. We loved the intricate detail of the daisy design, and we think they look particular lovely when simply hung from a door handle, or even on curtain tie-backs!

 Christmas Card –

We wanted to pop a thank you Christmas card inside your parcel for supporting us and purchasing from us this year. Without you we wouldn’t have the pleasure of packing these parcels, and we have big plans to increase our ready-to-go gift range in 2020, so do follow us on Facebook for updates. Card from mental health charity MIND.

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 *Parcel Assistant this month is Clive…or how he prefers to be known, Christmas Clive!!

Karen x

*Parcel Assistants are cheeky little pompom chaps who help (or hinder!) us with packing your monthly parcels!

November 2019 – Parcel Contents

Posted on by thesmileparcel

Hello lovelies!

I can hardly believe it, but we’re already in the last few days of ordering for our Christmas December parcels – November seems to be going by so fast!

But, before we can think too much about Christmas, we need to reveal the contents of this months parcels…

Our parcel theme for November was “Warm & Cosy” and they contained products all connected with making the most of the chilly days and colder evenings, by getting super cosy!

November Contents:

“I Can’t Adult Today” Mug –

It’s getting colder, and we think you deserve a much overdue day off – a day off from adulting that is! So, get yourself comfy on the sofa and put your feet up, pop your favourite boxset on the TV, the kettle on, and enjoy your…

Hot Chocolate Sachet –

This was an obvious choice for your next item, we couldn’t give you a new shiny mug without providing you with your first warming hot chocolate to have inside it. This time we went with the bubbly goodness of Aero, yum!

Christmas Countdown –

Now, I know we are a little early with a Christmas countdown, however, our December Christmas themed parcels, won’t arrive with you by 1st December, so we wanted to include a little something this month. We loved these cute “Dreams until Christmas” countdown decorations – perfect to pop on the shelf to keep you on track!

Slate Coaster –

We love a quote or slogan, and also, we really love a coaster! These are slate too, which added a lovely winter vibe, and with Christmas creeping up on us, the more coasters in the house, the better!

 The Porcupine Of Positivity –

It can be difficult to stay positive at this time of year – the clocks have gone back, the nights are drawing in, and the evenings are chilly. So, trying to embrace the colder days and nights can be helpful. Dig out those blankets, fluffy socks, warm PJ’s and of course, hot chocolate! 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 *Parcel Assistant this month is, Kevin. Now, you’ve been warned, but Kevin loves (really loves!) hot chocolate – so if your Aero sachet is empty when it reaches you – you know who took it!!

Karen x

*Parcel Assistants are cheeky little pompom chaps who help (or hinder!) us with packing your monthly parcels!

Christmas Is Open!

Posted on by thesmileparcel

Wow, the time has arrived when we can officially talk about…Christmas!

The website opened for our December Christmas themed (of course!) parcels on 1st November, so you can now grab the one-off version, or sign up for a 3 or 6 month subscription, with the first parcel being our Christmas parcel – (subscriptions make great gifts!)

Ordering for these will close on 30th November, so we can get them all wrapped and packed, ready for posting during the first week of December, hopefully beating the posting rush!

As always, our Christmas parcels will be super festive, but will still contain our usual mix of inspirational gifts, decorations, handmade items, and maybe, treats to eat!

We know lots of these will be bought and given as gifts, so we won’t spoil the surprise and will save the contents reveal until after Christmas. As with all our parcels, we can also add a personal note inside from you too, if you wish, and we can post to any address within the UK, so we can send them to you, or directly to the recipient.

Subscriptions can be paid for in a one-off lump-sum payment, rather than by monthly instalments, as we know when buying as gifts, some of you like to have the option to pay all at once and then not have to think about it again, just let us know what you’d like to do.

And remember there’s no limit to how many one-off parcels you can order, so if you’re looking for surprise gifts for friends and family, we’ve got you covered!

We also have something brand new this year…a Christmas Eve Box! These are available now, to order directly through our Facebook page, and currently over in our Etsy shop. These are ready-to-post, so there’s no posting times or waiting for these, along with our other ready-to-go range.

We wanted to create a Christmas Eve Box for adults, who after working hard all year, deserve to take a break, put their feet up, and have some me-time, even if it’s only for a few moments, before the bustling festivities of Christmas Day begin.

Remember, if you have any questions or queries about any of our parcels, feel free to pop me an email, or a Facebook message, I’d love to hear from you!

Karen x