Passionate about coffee. Passionate about people.

If you’re a true coffee lover, your ears typically perk up when you hear expressions such as “heady aromas” “freshly roasted” and “Fair Trade” It’s true, most of us can hardly resist the sounds of the grinder and the smells of fresh coffee on a daily basis! Enter… I Have a BEAN a roasting company that not only roasts and delivers specialty grade coffee~ they also brew hope and inspiration on a daily basis to ex-prisoners. Passionate about fresh coffee. Passionate about fresh starts.

Today is a shout out to a company that’s making a difference + an awesome idea for couples needing great charitable wedding favors!

I Have a BEAN is the premium brand of coffee roasted and sold by Second Chance Coffee Company~ a roasting plant in the western Chicago suburb of Wheaton, IL.

How and Why ex-prisoners?

I had the pleasure of speaking with Pete Leonard, one of three partners that founded the company in 2007.

After a missions trip to Brazil in 2005, Pete was inspired to roast and sell great coffee back home. But, it wasn’t until a relative and a former employee {of his then software co.} was convicted of a felony. Pete watched as this person was released and then started right back down the same road that led to prison the first time… aka recidivism. Recidivism is a cycle that doesn’t seem to end for many. With that in mind…

Pete and his partners wanted to be part of the solution- knowing that “gainful employment, job training, and a nurturing community acceptance” plays a big part.

I Have a BEAN was formed in 2007 and have been roasting beans ever since. They employed their first former offender in August of 2009 and 6 more have followed suit.

Before getting hired, each former offender must go through an  “established post-prison re-entry program. “It’s been both very hard work and very rewarding at the same time” said Pete. “Seeing people’s lives change for the better makes everything worthwhile.”

Pete and his partners have watched as men and women have come through their doors and then with dignity and confidence~ gone on to further their personal and career goals.

You simply must check out their fun site and read more about their mission and purpose.

Coffee Store & Gift Boxes

This is great coffee all! I have experienced their coffee and I can vouch that it is truly wonderful! MagnetStreet {Wheaton office} gets their coffee from I Have a BEAN and we send their gift boxes out as well!

Additionally, they have an aweome gift store and will even customize a gift box- just for you! 

Do yourself a favor {Brides, tell Pete I sent you} and visit their coffee store~ you’ll find Fair Trade and organic options AND they will deliver to your doorstep if you’re in the area OR they will ship it to your doorstep. FRESH COFFEE FOLKS… delivered to your doorstep! It’s java bliss I tell you!

Thank you~ I Have a BEAN~ for bringing light into the world… one great cup of coffee at a time!

*This is not a sponsored post!It’s simply a shout out to a great company doing great works as well as offering up a great idea for couples wanting to give charitable wedding favors to their guests.

Wedding Favor Notepads

Practical and Personalized.

I’m a big fan of “pretty” functional gifts. Personalize any Notepad Favor from MagnetStreet Weddings with your wedding colors, photo and special “thank you” text for a gift that your guests can use!

Striped Perfection

A Ribbon of Romance favor notepad

Paris Appeal

Florida favor notepad

Browse all the wedding favor notepads and round out your look with coordinating items. Each page is personalized. 25 sheets per pad.

Let’s face it… You can’t invite everyone! It’s just not possible.

And there are lots of reasons for that. Perhaps you’re simply not close to your cousin in Fargo or that your venue can only accommodate so many or that you’re watching costs or that yours is a destination wedding…

I say have your guest list and keep it too! Those that didn’t get invited to the wedding can still share in your BIG NEWS when they receive a Wedding Announcement! Include your wedding date, a wedding photo, your new mailing address, phone number… whatever you’d like.

You can opt for a formal Announcement that looks similar to your invitations or you can opt for a design that coordinates with your wedding theme or even something fun and casual. Thinking outside the lines, I used the Design Studio and borrowed a few Thank You wedding Favor Magnets to create these unique Announcements.

{click to enlarge}

No pressure! Wedding Announcements do not imply that gifts be sent!

When to mail: The day of or day after the wedding… even for up to a few months afterward.

{Announcements aren’t usually sent to those who attended your wedding.}

See more Favor Magnet options

Want a more formal Announcement? Try this Flat Invitation

Can you imagine it?

Nuthin but paper chaos!

Well, thank goodness for our brilliant Aussie friends from Down Under who around 1902, decided that somebody had to do something about righting the fundamental wrong of  paper disarray and married these lost, single sheets with glue and cardboard!

The notepad! How sweet the noun.  We use them every day… a collecting place for all things grocer-y, love-y, scribbl-y and arbitrar-y.

Little ones. Big ones. Cleverly inscribed ones. Ones with lines. And ones with without.  I’ve never heard someone say… “Nope! don’t use ‘em! Notepads aren’t for me.”  Everybody loves notepads! So, if you haven’t settled on your Favors yet, consider them as Thank You gifts for your guests!  Did you know that MagnetStreet Weddings has the most awesome Wedding Favor Notepads?  Change the colors to carry yours… Replace the text with your own sentiments… Add your fav photos… so fun!

I call them functional keepsakes

because your guests will use them and be reminded of your wedding day for a while to come.

Here are just a few out of the 200 different Notepad designs to choose from… {click to enlarge full design}

And, thinking out of the box, what about Notepads for shower gifts too! Or… wouldn’t it be super fun to personalize a great notepad design with a special photo of just you and the girls~a keepsake gift for your bridal party, MIL, MOM, flower girl…

Do you have a favorite?  See the entire gallery of Wedding Favor Notepads here.

orange roses

a fall getaway

a ribbon of sophistication

Circle Bliss

dreaming blue

Florida

vine outline

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