FTF - The Girl Effect

Alright, people, I had a whole plan of how this post was going to go today.  I was going to show you really cool sites with fair trade maternity clothes, and maybe some baby clothes thrown in for good measure.  I would go through my favorite picks from those sites, and it would be awesome.  Why maternity clothes, you ask?  Well, here's why:

Um, yeah.  That would be mine.  (*excuse me as I giggle uncontrollably...*)  Yep, this will be our baby #2, already christened with the nickname Lima Bean.

Unfortunately, fair trade maternity clothes, and baby clothes for that matter, are a lot harder to track down than I expected!  So, instead I'd like to share a video with you from a non-profit called The Girl Effect.




Now, this may be the pregnancy hormones taking over, but this made me kinda sad, and weepy, and a little angry after watching it.  I know I'm extremely blessed to have been born into a country where I got to choose my husband, had access to trained healthcare professionals all through my first pregnancy, and will have access to those same benefits with this child as well.  I got to go back to work as an option, and even got to go to college (forever ago!), with the option of dropping out (which I did).  There are so many girls worldwide that never get the chance to make any of those decisions!

Thankfully, The Girl Effect, a collaboration between people at the Nike Foundation, the NoVo Foundation, the United Nations Foundation, and the Coalition for Adolescent Girls, is working towards making a difference through spreading awareness and asking for donations from the general public.  Now, I sometimes get a little nervous sending money to an organization without really knowing where it's going to be spent.  So, I did a little digging on their website, and found out where those donations go.  There's two options for giving.  The first is to make a donation to the Girl Effect Fund, where the money is equally distributed between the projects listed on the site.  There's also the option to pick the project you'd like to fund, such as the Daraja Academy for Exceptional Kenyan Girls, or the Nyaka AIDS Orphan Project in rural Uganda.

Overall, I love what The Girl Effect is doing, and I love getting the chance to share their story even more.

Have a great weekend, everyone!  Oh, and wish me luck on pulling together a 2nd birthday party for a certain daughter of mine!  Photos will probably be posted very soon.

FTF - A Guest

Today's Fair Trade Friday is brought to you by a guest blogger, the lovely Jessica from monster cakes.  Enjoy!

Who they are: Falling Whistles.

What they do: Campaign for peace in Congo.

I first discovered these beautiful whistle necklaces from a friend. After learning what the whistles stood for, I knew I had to have one. I had to do something, even if it meant simply wearing the whistle and raising awareness about the war in Congo. It's a small start, but it's something.

Why a whistle? I think the Falling Whistles website explains it best...

"Captured by Nkunda's rebel army, some boys not big enough to hold a gun were given merely a whistle and put on the front lines of battle. Their sole duty was to make enough noise to scare the enemy and then to receive--with their bodies--the first round of bullets."

"Their weapon could be our voice. Wear your protest and join a growing conciliation for peace in Congo. Be a whistleblower for peace."

I wear my protest.

And every time I get to share their story and shed light on the situation in Congo, I feel my heart burn deeper for those kids. I feel a desire growing in me to do more. To be more. That's my I wear my whistle: to remind me to be the change I want to see in the world.

It wasn't planned, but this post actually ends up having great timing, in light of the KONY 2012 campaign that has garnered so much attention recently.  It's great to get a chance to hear about and support another organization that is working towards peace.  Thanks for reading, and if you get a chance, check out Jessica's blog! 

FTF - A Twofer

As you may have guessed by the title, today's Fair Trade Friday is a twofer.  And, as if that's not enough, today's organizations are very special and personal to me.  First off, I'd like to introduce you to my sister-in-law.

This beautiful little girl is Anna.  She is one of three children my in-laws have adopted from China.  Now, I know the cliche is that I'm not supposed to get along with my in-laws, but that is the farthest thing from the truth!  I can honestly say I am so blessed to be a part of my husband's family, and so happy to get to be a part of their lives.  What impresses me the most is that, after their three boys were grown and (mostly) out of the house, my parents-in-law were willing to take in three more children, all of whom had special needs.  Anna, in particular, required multiple surgeries to repair a cleft palate.  Oftentimes, the stress and medical costs associated with the medical care a child like Anna would need would interfere in whether or not a family decides to adopt a child.  Which brings me to the first organization, Love Without Boundaries.

Now, technically, Love Without Boundaries isn't fair trade.  It is a non-profit organization, founded in 2003, that is "dedicated to improving the lives of orphaned and impoverished children in China, [providing] humanitarian aid in the following areas - Education, Foster Care, Healing Homes, Medical, and Orphanage Assistance. (from their website.)"  They are doing amazing things, including the fact that they helped pay for a surgeon in China to repair my sister Anna's cleft palate before she came home. (I told you they hit a personal spot for me!)  They have a whole array of ways to get involved listed on their website, including monetary donations, sponsoring a child, or with even more in depth ways.  However, if you're hoping to actually get some shopping ideas from today's post, I'll go ahead and introduce you to the second organization on the agenda today.

Meet Sevenly.  Sevenly sells T-Shirts, with a business model that is meant to raise money and awareness for multiple organizations.  Basically, they partner with a new organization each week, 52 each year, design a really cool T-Shirt, and donate $7 from each shirt to the charity of the week.  It's all explained in this nifty flow chart on their website.  In the past, they've partnered with some amazing organizations, such as Love146, water.org, and Autism Speaks.  This week, they're partnered up with, wait for it........... Love Without Boundaries!  They've got this amazing Tee-Shirt design available:

Seriously, how cool is this shirt!  It's also available in two other colors, AND, if there's a guy in your life, they come in a guy's style too.  And, if Tee-Shirts just aren't your thing, they also offer hoodies.

This style for Love Without Boundaries is only available for three more days, before Sevenly starts selling a new style for a new organization.  So, if you miss the time window, don't freak out!  I'm sure there will be even more organizations featured on the Sevenly site, with more amazing designs.  There's even a little box on the bottom of the site where you can enter your e-mail and get a preview of each week's shirt.  They're doing amazing things, and I hope you get a chance to check them out!

Thanks for reading today, and I hope you have an amazing weekend!

FTF - Indigenous Designs

I found today's fair trade company through one of those Google ads that are here on the blog.  I thought it only fair that I shared them with you as well!  The company is called Indigenous Designs, and they've got some great  clothes on their website.  The company was founded in 1993, after one of the founders had encountered some of the beautiful work of artisans in South America.  He came back with an idea for a business model, and a company, with a commitment to sustainability and socially responsible actions, was created.  Their products are made with eco-friendly and organic fibers, dyed without harmful chemicals, and handmade by artisans that are paid a fair and livable wage.   And their products are gorgeous!  Take this cardigan, for example:

Belted Silk Cardigan

I know spring is on it's way, but the past week has been kinda dreary in these parts.  Dreary weather always makes me crave cozy sweaters, and this one is gorgeous!

Striped Poncho

Speaking of cozy, how comfy would this poncho be? (Rhetorical question, by the way...)  I'm in love with neutral tones lately, especially camel.  This little caplet of comfy is also available in green.

Flower Pins

How fun are these little pins? (Okay, enough with the questions!)  I love all the little colors, and I'm already making a mental list of everything in my closet I'd want to pin these on.

There's so many more products on the Indigenous Designs website, as well as more information on the backstory of the company.  Thanks for reading today!

*Total side note: did you know my niece (the photographer) has a fashion blog now?  She's got this amazing sense of style, and is just starting out in the blogging world.  I'd love it if you'd check out her site, and maybe send a little encouragement her way!*

FTF - Tiny Hands International

As I'm sure you're aware, Valentine's Day is on it's way.  A lot of flowers and candy will be given as gifts, and you can bet I'll be heading to the grocery store on February 15th to get half-priced chocolate hearts!  Some guys tend to opt for jewelry as a V-Day gift for their significant other, kinda like my husband did!  However, instead of diamonds and gold, he bought me this bracelet:

One Girl bracelet

This is the One Girl bracelet from Tiny Hands International, an organization that is "dedicated to empowering the Body of Christ in the developing world to fight against poverty and social injustice by employing effective strategies and biblical principles."  Basically, they're in a fight against the injustices of human trafficking, as well as working for women's empowerment and orphan care.  The bracelet, handcrafted by young women in Nepal, is a physical reminder that I've committed to praying for one girl, out of the 10,000 trafficked in Nepal every year. The bracelet's braided black band represents the darkness and bondage of trafficking, while the golden color of the stone signifies God's light of hope for the girl I've "adopted."  I'm so excited to receive this bracelet, and so proud of my hubby for thinking of this gift for me!

On top of the bracelet, there's more products available on the Tiny Hands website, the sales of which go towards supporting and improving the organization's children's homes, anti-trafficking efforts, and women's empowerment ministries.  They've got some really beautiful stuff in their online shop, and what makes it so much more beautiful is knowing that buying those products has an incredible impact on these girls' lives.  Products like this bracelet are already on my wishlist for later:

Green Multistrand Bracelet

I also really, REALLY want this scarf!  The color is just so vibrant:

Purple Scarf

There is so much more information, as well as many more beautiful products, available on the Tiny Hands International website.  I'd encourage you to check them out!!

FTF - Coffee

Today's Fair Trade Friday isn't going to focus on a particular company.  Instead, I'd like to bring up a specific product instead, a product that makes my mornings so much brighter.  A product that keeps me from falling asleep after Lexi has requested watching ANOTHER episode of Blue's Clues.  That product is coffee.  Now, there are a lot of Fair Trade coffee companies (which is Awesome!), so I thought I could focus on just the coffees available at your local Wal-Mart.  

Sam's Choice, Decaffeinated 

Some nights, I want coffee, like those nights that I make breakfast for dinner (because I'm lazy, or because it's awesome?  You decide.).  However, drinking coffee at night is usually a recipe for lack of sleep.  Thankfully, one of Wal-Mart's in-house brands, Sam's Choice, makes a really tasty Decaf blend.  And, all Sam's Choice coffee's are Fair Trade certified.  They're not available on the Wal-Mart website, but I haven't been in a store yet that doesn't carry the brand.

Now, my mother-in-law recently bought one of these bad boys:

Keurig Brewing System

This coffee maker, excuse me *cough cough* brewing system is really pretty cool.  It makes single serving beverages, such as coffee, hot cocoa, and tea, with these cute little packages you can get called K-Cups.  There are K-Cups of almost every type and variety, including a blend by Newman's Own that is also Fair Trade Certified.  I've had it before, and it's actually really good.  I say actually because it's an extra bold blend, and normally I don't like my coffee to be bold.  This is the exception, 'cause this stuff is awesome!

Newman's Special Blend

There was one more company that I ran across on the Wal-Mart website, called Full Circle Exchange, that I'm actually really interested in trying.  They're a socially conscious company that has the empowerment of women around the world at the core of their mission.  Pretty cool stuff.  And at only $7.88 a bag, plus $0.97 for shipping, their coffee is pretty affordable too!

Full Circle Exchange French Roast coffee

There's a coffee shop here in Fayetteville that are worth checking out as well, if you haven't already.  It's called Mama Carmen's Espresso Cafe, and it's pretty awesome.  If you want to know why, you should check out their website and see the story behind it all!

Happy Friday everyone!

FTF - Mata Traders

Today's fair trade company I'd like to share with you is one of the first companies I discovered when I was introduced to the concept of fair trade. Their name is Mata Traders, and they feature beautiful clothing and accessories (with some home decor items thrown in for good measure). I love their mission statement featured on their website: "At Mata Traders we believe that giving women economic power and viable working skills can transform a community (and so the world) and is the surest way to combat poverty. That’s why all of our fair trade clothing and accessories are handmade by women’s cooperatives in India and Nepal. We work with local communities and use traditional artisan skills to create products that make the world a better place - and make YOU look good too!"  And they're not lying, their products are beautiful!  Like this dress, for example:

Oak Park Dress

Seriously, how adorable is this dress?  I'm a big fan of the color too, I can't seem to get enough of teal/turquoise tones lately.  Which brings me to this necklace:

Macrame Necklace

Let's face it.  Statement necklaces are here to stay.  I'm actually pretty happy about that, since they are definitely the easiest way to help dress up a look.  And what's better than two million beads in a gorgeous hue to adorn your neck?  (Well, umm, I can think of a few things, but that's not my point!)

Ravinia Top

Since I started this turquoise train, I might as well continue to ride it.  I love this top.  I love the color, the cut, and the hand appliqued details along the neckline.  I also happen to love that it's on sale for about half the original price. 

There's so, so, SO much more on the Mata Traders website, and I found out a few weeks ago, there's a local store here in Fayetteville that carries some of their jewelry, including the Macrame necklace I featured here.  Anyone in the area that hasn't been to The Mustache is missing out!

Well, that's all for me today, I hope you guys have a great weekend!

FTF - Novica

Happy Friday everyone!  Thought I'd share a really cool website with you guys today.  The website is called Novica, and it's a virtual forum for artisans from all over the world to share their creations with the world.  Reasons this website is cool: a) it was founded by National Geographic, b) it has EVERYTHING!  Literally, they have sculptures, home decor, rugs, men's and women's clothing, jewelry, and even more, and c) they have testimonials from quite a few of their artisans on their site that are amazing.

Now, normally at this point, I would show you pictures and links to my favorite items on the site.  But with so much to choose from, I thought I'd do things a little differently today. With all the choices out there of where you can shop, and knowing the fact that you can buy similar items for a lot less through other companies, I want to share with you the story of how Novica has changed one artisan's life.  When you get down to the core of fair trade, that's what you get to participate in: helping a person on the other side of the globe make a living.  And, in the process, you get to buy a beautiful piece of art.

Wayan Rendah

wood sculptor, Bali

"Times were so hard before I joined Novica. I couldn't afford to pay the hospital for my wife giving birth to our daughter. I had to give up my motorbike, the only thing we had left, to pay the hospital and take my wife and daughter back home. God answered my prayer, and here I am now living happily with my wife, a daughter, and a son. Regular income from Novica means so much to the life of my family, and the lives of other carvers in our village - I am now working with 20 carvers! We started with nothing. Now we have savings, and are building houses. My place is full of statues we're working on for Novica customers. It feels as though the Novica office is my own office, yet I don't have to pay for Novica, or Novica's employees, or any packaging or shipping expenses. I just get 24 hours of promotion every day, internationally."

There are so many more testimonials on the the Novica website.  There are even links underneath each artisan's story where you can shop for items made by that person, like Wayan's beautiful wood sculptures.  My favorite piece of art that he is created is this carving, named "A Mother's Love."

A Mother's Love

Thanks for reading, and have a great weekend everybody!

FTF - PeaceKeeper Cause-metics

You guys, I love makeup.  Makeup is fun.  I like playing with makeup, especially with new colors of lipstick and eyeshadow.  Earlier in the week, I was told about this makeup company that not only donates its profits to fighting human trafficking and slavery in Thailand, but also ensure that their employees, both here and overseas, are paid a fair and liveable wage.  A lot of products are also mostly organic, some are vegan, and none are ever tested on animals.  Their slogan for their cosmetic ingredients is “No nasty anything!”   The company's name is PeaceKeeper Cause-metics, and I'm so excited I found them!  There's so much information about them on their website, and I'd really encourage you to check them out.  For now, I'd like to share with you some of their items that are now on my ever-expanding wishlist:

Paint Me Free

There's a whole cavalcade of lip paints that are offered on the site, including this color described as "rich fuchsia with a hint of playful pink.  The perfect everyday lipstick - with an edge."  There's one more color I absolutely wish I had, named "Paint Me Compassionate," and it's an absolutely beautiful, bold red.

Paint Me Compassionate

The other product that is just so cool to me is their 'Eco-Easy' Vegan Nail Polish Remover, which is made completely from natural ingredients, without any alcohol or acetone.  On top of that, it smells like mint!  What more could you want?

Nail Polish Remover

Thanks for reading!  Have a great weekend, and (no offense to any Kansas State fans out there), GO HOGS!!  Win that Cotton Bowl!

FTF - Half United

Hey, guys, it's Friday again, and that means another installment of Fair Trade Friday!  Are you excited, because I know I am!  I wanted to share a company with you that I've known about for a while, but I'll have to fudge the boundaries of FTF to do so.  Technically speaking, this company isn't fair trade.  But, that doesn't mean that they're not doing amazing things, specifically working to fight global hunger with the sale of their products.  The company's name is Half United, and they're a fairly new company.  They were founded in 2009 by a brother and sister team with the concept that children in need would be fed with every purchase made.  The founders, Carmin and Christian Black, have their own intriguing back-story, that you can read on the website.  What I really love about this company is not just that they're doing an amazing job with fighting global hunger (according to the site, Half United has given away 30,000 meals to date), but that their products are really cool and wearable.  Here are my favorites:

Cambodian Bracelet

These bracelets are made by children in a Cambodian orphanage as an arts and crafts activity, with $3 from the bracelet going straight back to the child to help care for their needs.  They're also right on trend with the friendship bracelets that seem to be making appearances everywhere.

Aztec Sunburst Dress

Another huge trend is southwestern inspired wear, and this dress/tunic is a great example of it!  The sunburst pattern is gorgeous, and I love the color scheme.  And, there's an added bonus: this dress is currently half price!

Bright Eyes Sweatshirt

Not gonna lie, I love animal print.  The only thing I love more than animal print would have to be an animal's face emblazoned on a super comfy sweatshirt.  The only thing better than that is a animal-face printed sweatshirt is one that provides a week of healthy school lunches to a child in need.  Looks like I've found my  perfect match!

Thanks for reading!  Be sure to check out the Half United website, if you're so inclined, and have a great weekend!

FTF - Fair Tribe

Okay, so, how awesome is Pinterest?  I will admit, it's a humongous time-sucker, but I love the amount of information and ideas I can find there!  I came across this company the other day while scrolling through pages and pages of pins, and thought I would share it with you guys.

The company is called FairTribe, and they feature both fair trade and sustainable items.  The company was started by three women in the San Francisco area who are all mothers of young children, who wanted to start a "hip, fun company, [with their] shared belief that business can and should be both ethical and successful, and the desire to give consumers the power to make socially and environmentally responsible purchasing choices." according to their website.  They carry all sorts of items, such as men's and women's apparel, baby and kid's clothes, and purses.  What really caught my attention, though, was their jewelry.  It is absolutely beautiful!  It may be a little too close to Christmas for me to expect one in my stocking, but I have three months till my birthday to start dropping hints.  Here's the top three items on my list:

Fair Trade Dove Bangle

Fair Trade Orange Bangle

Fair Trade Glass and Pearl Necklace

There are so many beautiful items on this site, and I would love to own all of them, if I only had that kind of expendable income!  These are some awesome products, and I would definitely suggest checking out the whole site.

FTF - One Mango Tree

Have you ever heard of Uganda?  Well, it's a country in East Africa, also known as the "Pearl of Africa."  It is a land-locked country bordered by other countries such as Sudan, Kenya, and the Congo.  It shares a large portion of Lake Victoria with some surrounding countries.  The official languages are English and Swahili.

Uganda has been torn apart by a war that has taken the lives of thousands, displaced more than two million, and destroyed the once-vibrant local culture and economy.  The Northern portion of the country has been devastated by more than twenty years of armed conflict.  Yet despite living through such painful circumstances, these women have a reason to smile.

Meet Aloyo Gloria and Lawill Margret.  These beautiful faces are two of the many artisans that contribute to a fair trade company known as One Mango Tree.  They are given a chance to not only earn a fair wage, but to learn a trade that can support them and their families as they rebuild their lives from years of war and the ensuing poverty.  On top of that, One Mango Tree also provides bicycles for their tailors to commute to and from work, and provide education scholarships not only for their own children, but for the orphaned children that these women have brought into their homes.

One Mango Tree is doing amazing things, and a big part of what they do is to provide a market for the beautiful clothing and accessories that their artisans produce.  Each piece is also labeled with the artisan's name, so you can put a face to the product, and see whose life you're helping to change.  There are so many great products on their website, so it's hard for me to choose my favorites, but I'll make a hearty attempt!

Party Dress

First up, there's this dress.  It's such a great and versatile piece to have in your closet, and would just be so easy to center an outfit around.  I'm thinking boots, tights and a funky patterned cardigan for fall/winter, or strappy sandals and a statement necklace for summer, and you're set.  I really do love getting dressed, and I love it more when it's just that easy!

Maxi Tank Dress

I really just want to say that I love this dress.  It's just another fun piece that I'm pretty sure my closet actually NEEDS!

Lunch Bag

And, seriously, how awesome is this lunch bag?  It's funky, quirky, and just makes me want to have any excuse to have a picnic (despite the fact that it's 30 degrees outside!), just so I can carry this bag around.

There are so many more great pieces on the One Mango Tree website, and I'd highly suggest you check them out!  Plus, today and tomorrow they're offering free shipping on orders over $50, and free shipping PLUS a free gift tote (because who's going to turn down free stuff?) on orders over $100!  This company is awesome, which I may have already said, and they're definitely worth checking out.


I inexplicably feel the need to apologize for the extreme amount of exclamation points in this post, as well as the overuse of the words "awesome" and "funky."  It's just that I get carried away, and I'm sure you'll understand.  You're just super awesome and funky like that!!!

Introducing Fair Trade Friday!

This week, I would like to introduce a weekly feature I’m beginning known as Fair Trade Friday.  For anyone unfamiliar with the term ‘fair trade,’ here’s a nifty definition from The Google to help:”Fair Trade is trade that is carried on legally, or a trade in which fair prices are paid to producers in developing countries.”  Basically, these products are quality pieces which are re-sold to us, the consumer, at a price that helps support their producers by ensuring they receive fair compensation for their products.  In addition, fair trade companies promise that their employees and suppliers are working in humane, safe conditions, and are not exploited in any way.  The companies I’ll be featuring are wonderful examples of organizations that are trying to better other people’s lives, while offering us the opportunity to both buy beautiful things and help to support those people.

The first company I’d like to share with you is called JOYN.  They are committed to helping bring a market to artisans located in the mountains of northern India.  They feature both accessories and home furnishings made with beautifully hand-stamped fabrics.  Their story is a wonderful one, and I’d encourage you to read more about them here: http://joynindia.com/about/

What I’d really like to share is their products.  JOYN has a full catalog for their Fall/Winter line on their website, and I’ve picked out a few of my favorites:

I love the design of this bag, as well as the color!  Yellow is definitely my favorite, no offense to those other colors out there!

Here’s another gorgeous yellow item that may or may not be at the top of my Christmas list. (hint hint)

And, even though I’m really not big on home decorating, I have a feeling that would be a lot easier if everything I had to choose from were as amazing as this table runner!

Jewelry from JOYN is currently available online through Dayspring, and there’s a great selection of their purses on the site Purse and Clutch.  A lot more of their products are available at some local shops here in Fayetteville, that are listed on the JOYN website.