Pay it Forward: Comment, and You Could Be Next!

The lawn is mowed, and the ballot is in. My most critical community duties done, I moved on to something a little bit more fun, but still in the category of "community good," at least in my book.

Ella Rose works the main checkout desk at the Rebuilding Center. It's an awe-inspiring place, full of serviceable and salvaged windows, doors, cabinets, lighting fixtures, toilets, tiles, drawers, and even switchplate covers. It's usually the drawers that I drop by for - they make a great base for the shrines and shadowboxes that my students and I make as a part of Artmaking as Playful Prayer. Well, I dropped by a few months ago to load up on drawers, and Ella Rose was cheerful and chatty as usual, offering random discounts and even complimenting me on my earrings.

"Those are cool! Where'd you get those?"

"I made them - see, this is recycled bicycle inner tube."

"Really?"

"Yeah, and look - this is just a rubber band from produce!"

"REALLY? That is so cool - hey, wait a minute," and she paused to dig through a drawer. "I've been saving these - do you think you could do something with them?" She held out a pair of curved blue glass tiles, small, but still thick and heavy.

"They might be a little heavy for earrings . . ."

"Oh, that won't bother me!"

"Yeah, I can do something with these . . . It may be a while, but I'll make you some earrings - do you want inner tube on them?"

"Yeah, and rubber bands, too!"

I played with the glass over the weekend, and finally got a design I liked. Today, I delivered on my promise.

And she loved them! She gave me a hug, and a promised 10% off . . . but, you know, Ella Rose always gives me a good deal, so I'm not too worried about it! (and no, that's not Ella Rose wearing the earrings, just in case you were concerned for her health . . . )

She always treats me well, always has a smile, and sometimes, it's just nice to do something nice for someone else.

In a similar vein, Geek+Nerd did a "Pay it Forward" post about a month ago (ok, I checked, it was on April 9th, though I can't seem to get a permalink going to it!) After getting the tag from another blogger, she promised to send out a random handmade gift to the first three people who posted a comment with the understanding that they would do the same on their blogs . . . and I was chosen! So, I'm finally getting around to making my own "Pay it Forward" post. Be one of the first three to post, and I'll send you a handmade crafty item - all I ask is that you share the love on your own blog . . .