Life is about riches, not wealth!

Wealth is defined as a great amount of money or possessions.  Rich is defined as having a large supply of desirable things.  There are so many ways how to be rich!  And having desirable possessions isn’t what counts.

With the financial recession things are a lot different than they were a few years ago.  Many of us were more set on making money and ‘getting ahead’ and trying to figure out how to be rich.  Working to make money, taking overtime to make more money, sitting at a computer buying- selling stock, finding the best interest rates to move cd’s, working on that resume, trying to find an even more time consuming  job to make more and more money.

Balancing work, home and life can be a struggle sometimes.

Ideas and thoughts are so different now about how to be rich.  The recession has forced us to take a greater look inside ourselves and take inventory of what is important to our true selves, rather than always trying to climb to that next ‘how to get rich’ job.

Spending time with family, friends, neighbors and work partners gives more riches than any ‘thing’ could.  Sharing a game night with family instead of sitting at a computer; enjoying a barbeque with friends and neighbors; taking time to have lunch with work partners instead of polishing up a resume and thinking about how to make and spend money.

That is HOW TO BE RICH.

We’re all taking time to smell the roses and learning how to be rich in so many new ways. What have you been doing lately to be rich?

Spending time with family will make you rich!

Charly Brown and Snoopy Salt and Pepper Shakers

Our Charlie Brown and Snoopy salt and pepper shakers took me back to a simpler, childhood time, when my sister and I would look forward to our two times a year opportunity to bond with Charlie Brown, Snoopy, and the rest of the Peanuts Gang in “It’s The Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown” and “Charlie Brown Christmas.”  The sounds of their voices, the funny dancing, the classic music, all fond memories that came rushing back, just by pulling out my salt and pepper shakers.  A pleasant way to begin this day….  

At CardCycle.com we carry a whole selection of character themed salt and pepper shakers.  Be sure to check them out!

Have a wonderful week. May it be filled with unexpected pleasures.

We're happy to present a free how to for increasing your leisure time.

Is one of your resolutions to save yourself time and make your life a little less hectic this year?

We can help you with a free how to for increasing your leisure time!

The average person mails 35 greeting cards per year. For some this means:

• Driving to the store and back 35 times
• Browsing through the card selection 35 times
• Waiting in line at the store 35 times
• Looking for stamps 35 times
• Looking for the address book 35 times
• Addressing 35 envelopes
• Driving to the post office 35 times

  

Spend Time At The Spa?

Go Mountain Climbing?

Golf With A Friend?

We have inexpensive ways to thank employees and show appreciation for your employees.

Your employees and co-workers do so much for you. Would you like to give them a special “Thank You” this Thanksgiving? During these stressful economic times, you can show them they are appreciated for as little as $2.95.

We’ve put together a flexible program where you can spend the amount within your budget to thank employee and show employee appreciation. We make it easy with our address book and reminder system to keep a list of you employees and set up reminders for  important dates like employee work anniversaries and birthdays.

To get started today on your employee appreciation and thanks visit cardcycle.com or contact us to discuss ways Cardcycle.com can help.

10 Tips for Halloween:

It’s very important to be safe for Halloween, especially at Trick or Treat time.  With that in mind, here are some tips for Halloween safety:

Tip 1) When carving pumpkins, giving kids a sharp knife is not a good idea.  Have your little helper scoop out the pumpkin guts with a spoon or draw the face of the pumpkin with a marker before you cut it out.

Carving pumpkins is a fun Halloween tradition if done safely!

Tip 2) To help prevent fires, DO NOT place lit pumpkins close to your house, especially don’t place them near the door which is a high traffic area where someone is likely to kick the pumpkin over.

Tip 3) When baking, keep your little ones away from the open oven.  Instead put them at the table and bring cookie or baking ingredients to them and place the final recipe in the oven while the child stays at the table. 

Tip 4) Let little ones help hang decorations, but not using a ladder or stepstool as it is easy for them to lose their balance and fall off.  Let them hang decorations down low, where kids are more apt to see them anyway.

Make sure your child wears a safe Halloween costume!

Tip 5) When putting a costume on your child, keep the costume bright and reflective by placing reflective tape strips on the front and back so cars can see your child crossing the street.

Tip 6) Keep costumes short enough to avoid tripping and have your child wear snug fitting shoes, even if they don’t go with the costume.

Tip 7) Use makeup instead of a mask to let your child have better peripheral vision.

Tip 8) Include your child’s name, address and phone number somewhere inside the costume in case you get separated from your child and especially if they go out alone.

Tip 9) If your child’s costume includes a prop weapon, make sure it DOES NOT resemble the real thing and is soft and flexible.

Tip 10) Equip your child with a flashlight to let them see and let them be seen, especially if they will be out after dusk.

Have a fun a safe Halloween!

I hope you’ve found these 10 tips for Halloween to be helpful.  Keeping them in mind this Halloween will allow you to make sure your child has a fun and safe Halloween.

Also, if you are looking for Halloween gifts for kids or Halloween cards to send out, please be sure to visit our site CardCycle.com for a full selection of Halloween items.  At CardCycle we make it easy for you to send out cards and gifts to the special children and people in your life, safely, inexpensively and easily from your computer.

Happy Halloween,

Jennifer

"Ahoy Mates! Your tooth is my treasure, let me hold it for you until the tooth fairy arrives."

First up is a fun tooth holder for kids.  These fun stuffed characters hold your child’s tooth as they wait for the tooth fairy to arrive.  We have a selection of tooth holders for both boys and girls, from fairies to a pirate and a super hero.  The special child in your life will love the extra fun of placing their newly lost tooth in the fun tooth holder!

Kids always love stuffed plush monsters and animals.  Especially fun for Halloween is the collection of My Own Monster stuffed creatures.  These soft lovable creatures are fun for kids and at the same time benefit the Global Action for Children charity, so while you’re making your special child happy you’ll also be helping kids in need from around the world!

My Own Monsters make a great Halloween gift and benefit charity!

Kids love toys and so I’ve added a whole new section full of fun toys for kids!  One of the many fun and inexpensive gifts we have are the mini jigsaw puzzles.  We have six different pictures to satisfy a wide range of kids.  We make it easy to quickly send a puzzle and card to your special child letting them know you remember them this Halloween.

Mini jigsaw puzzles make for a fun and inexpensive Halloween gift.

Finally we have Halloween cards especially for the season!  Send a card and a gift from a fun selection of gifts for kids and you’ll brighten the day of the special trick-or-treater in your life.  Best of all, we’ve made it easy in this economy to send your special child a fun Halloween gift and card this season for under $10!

Send a fun Halloween card with your gift to brighten a child's day!

At CardCycle.com we make it easy to send a card and a gift to your special child this Halloween.  You can purchase the card and gift now and schedule to send it for Halloween when you check out.  Our greeting card and gift mailing service makes it easy to send the gift and card directly to your special child, with your personalized hand-written message and you never have to leave the house!  As always, if there is anything I can do to help your search for Halloween gifts for kids, please let me know! 

Have a fun and safe Halloween this year!
- Jennifer

With the holidays fast approaching, I put together my top list of traditional children’s toys.  This list should help give you ideas for all the gift giving times ahead, as well as bring back some wonderful childhood memories.

Top List of Traditional Children’s Toys :

A whizzer is not only fun, it provides a good arm workout!

#1) Whizzer – fun for children and a surprisingly satisfying workout for the desk bound.  This classic toy features a wooden disk mounted on a nylon rope and looped through two wooden handles.  The disk is wound tight by holding on to the handles and rotating the disk.  Once it is fully wound you simply pull the handles apart and the disk rotates at high speed.  Once fully unwound the disk will then continue to spin and rewind the rope, setting it up again to be pulled apart.  This toy is fun and a great workout for your arms!

The yo-yo is the classic 'trick' toy.

#2) Yo-Yo – this classic and addictive toy consists of a well balanced wooden disk or ball with a twisted string wound around the disk and looped around your finger.  The yo-yo is then dropped or thrown and when it unwinds near to the end it is pulled back toward the hand where it winds itself up again.  With practice, many incredible tricks can be performed with a yo-yo  while providing a way to burn some energy.

Tiddlywinks is a multiplayer game of skill.

#3) Tiddlywinks – is an indoor game played with sets of small discs called “winks” lying on a surface, usually a flat mat. Players use a larger disc called a “squidger” to pop a wink into flight by pressing down on one side of the wink. The objective of the game is to cause the winks to land either on top of opponents’ winks, or ultimately inside a pot or cup.

Playing cards can be used for many different games.

#4) Playing Cards – playing cards provide for an infinite number of games to be played.  There are games for the younger set,  like Concentration, Go Fish, and Crazy 8s, to more challenging games like Poker, Rummy or Bridge.  Playing cards also make a great toy for the budding magician as there are tons of magic tricks that can be performed with a deck of cards.  Cards are easy to take with you on road trips or for playing games when stuck in a hotel room or hospital.

Kites are perfect for young minds fascinated with flight.

#5) Kite – from the beginning of time man has been fascinated with things that fly.  What better way to stir a young imagination interested in flight than by letting them fly a kite?  Flying a kite takes practice and skill while also helping to provide exercise and burn calories while running around launching it into the air and chasing it when it crashes.  Just be sure to keep your kite away from trees and electrical wires!

I hope you found some good ideas from this top list of traditional children’s toys.  If the list brings back some memories for you, let me know by leaving a comment on this blog entry.

Are you a guy looking for an easy way to buy cards?

 Are you a guy who’s wondering where to buy cards?

The other day I was at a card shop that was going out of business. While I was checking out my fellow greeting card shop competition, a man walked in and immediately said to the clerk, “Hey, I’m a guy. Can you help me find a card? I don’t know anything about this stuff. I’m staying at a hotel and some of the people have been really nice. Can you help me find something to give them?”

I can see how a man may feel uncomfortable by the typical card shop experience. You’re wondering where to buy cards and enter a typical card shop. But with all the sentiments floating around in a confined space, flowery designs, and feminine gifts, it’s easy to see buying cards may not be one of your most favorite activities. I imagine it’s the same way I feel when I have to take my car in for repairs – totally out of my element.

Well, there’s some good news for you guys wondering where to buy cards! You can now buy real greeting cards at my online card shop – CardCycle.com. You won’t have to worry about entering a shop that may be uncomfortable for you since everything is done online! I’ll even save you time by hand-writing, stamping and mailing the cards for you on the dates you designate! If you would like card or gift suggestions, contact me by email or give me a call.

Buying and sending cards doesn’t get any easier than this. So if you’re wondering where to buy cards, I hope you’ll visit my online shop.