J received a unique birthday present from my sister yesterday… a sunflower mug drawn and personalized by celebrity actors Sir Michael and Lady Shakira Caine. It’s actually part of donated artwork from [1] Whatever It Takes, a unique charity project by 21st Century Leaders.

Their concept is simple, they “gather artworks from leaders in all fields; royalty, film, music, Nobel Peace Prize laureates, sports, literature etc. Each ambassador donates a symbol of hope, a self portrait and a message of hope for the future.”

Their products come in the form of wristbands, footwear, mugs, clothings to bags; each with unique hand drawn pictures and hand written messages from the celebrities.

Proceeds from the merchandise sales go towards tackling key global development issues including poverty, child abuse and environmental conservation. So far, they’ve raised $1,071,663.

J’s birthday mug includes a picture of a sunflower drawn by Sir Michael Caine and his wife (as shown), their autographs and a hand written message “Smile Today. Life is not a rehearsal.” The picture, message and autographs are also fired into the mug making it washable.

What a lovely idea and a great present! It’s such a great quote to live by too. My sister has always been known for sniffing out unique presents but this one takes some beating.