completely inspired by :: kickstarter

Anyone feeling generous these days? Maybe you made a New Years resolution to give more charitably in the upcoming year? In any case, Kickstarter.com is waiting for you with a bevy of worthy cases. Perhaps you have a soft spot for budding artists or people who love pugs (more on that in a moment), or peeps with a passion for making espresso machines? Step right up and find yourself a reason to give!

I first heard of Kickstarter when my husband and his bandmates (Me & Mountains) applied for a slot, and actually got in! The boys who grew up listening to their parent's music on record players (there were still a couple of those hanging around when we were little) had a dream to bring their sweet tunes to vinyl. So in an effort to share some of that nostalgic joy that is the sound of a real record, they decided to ask their fan base for help. Kickstarter gave them the platform to do so, and the response was amazing!

With this awesome website, you apply for a space on their site to make your pitch—be it through video, images or copy. You set a certain amount of money that you need to raise to accomplish your goal, and then offer backers sweet goods and incentives to pledge some money toward it. If at the end of your allotted time frame you've reached your monetary goal, the money is yours! If you fail to make it, you get a big ol' goose egg.

Does it sound kinda fishy to you? It did to me at first, too. However, the more I dove into the topic, the more I found to love. Some projects are a little off the wall, some endearing or funny, and some just plain old heartwarming! And most importantly, it works! Me & Mountains reached their $1000 goal in something like 6 DAYS. People continue to contribute to their cause and the boys couldn't be more tickled.


Here are a handful of my favorite causes. Check them out, or go find your own project to champion!

I am a pretty serious pug-lover. Not the crazy kind that refers to her pugs as her "kids" and totes them around with her everywhere she goes... But I do have a pretty healthy affection for the pudgy little mouth breathers. Amanda from Frolic Photography shares this love, times 1000.  Check out her 1000 pugs photo project.

This might be a shameless plug the hubbs and his band, but I'm okay with that. They already hit their goal anyway. Check out their Kickstarter page for a preview of the new album, Feral, and to pre-order it on vinyl!

Oh, Expletive won me over with their hilarious little promotional video. It features a teddy bear and a boston terrier. Both of which talk. If that's not enough to get you reaching for your wallet, their beautifully simple (and funny) screen prints just might. (I'm leaning toward this unicorn print myself)