Fair Trade Friday - Ember Arts

I have been getting some great suggestions from some of my readers lately for Fair Trade companies I'm excited to share with you all.  I have had so many great companies brought to my attention recently, it's hard to pick which one to feature each week!

I'm going to pick one that I just happened across, since they began following one of my Pinterest boards, called Ember Arts.  Read their story, it may bring a few tears to your eyes (like mine).  From that page:

"We partner with 28 Ugandan women, all survivors of war and poverty, who handmake every piece of our jewelry from recycled paper. And they use the money they earn to chase their dreams: to educate their children, build homes, start businesses. They are transforming the future for their families and communities.

And they are reconnecting with deep, hopeful parts of themselves. People are at their best when they pursue their best dreams. "

And the jewelry is so pretty!  It definitely speaks to the beauty that this company is bringing to its' artisans lives.

Ember Solana Necklace

I've been wearing a lot of long necklaces lately, since they dress up just about any outfit!  I especially love pairing a draped tee and jeans with a great necklace like this one, for an easy little bit of extra 'pop.'

Ember Laguna Earrings

I also love these coordinating earrings!  They'd be great paired with that necklace, and they're also pretty enough to stand on their own.  I love how the printing on the rolled paper looks almost like patterned china, and I've been really loving gold toned metals with just about everything!

Ember Bwindi Bracelet

Another color that I've been seeing (and buying!) a lot of is this sky blue/brown combo.  That little shot of color is a great accent, and the natural brown Ugandan seeds add a great detail.  Like the description says on their website, "it's a story on your wrist."

Ember Cuff Bracelet

Another great bracelet that Ember offers is this cuff, made with all kinds of multicolored beads.  It's a little symphony of color, plus at only $11 a piece, they're affordable enough to stock up on; you could buy a whole arm party's worth of bracelets!

Ember Plume Earrings

Lastly, there's these earrings.  They're just so pretty!  I love the royal blue ones on the bottom, but all the colors are great, and would coordinate with so many outfits I know I already have in my closet.

There are so many more items for sale on Ember Arts' website, you should check them out.  Like, today!

Thrifted Pinterest - Copycat

Has anyone else been watching Under the Dome?  I read the book, so I was pretty excited to see how the story would translate to the small screen.  Obviously there were a few violent parts that they haven't been able to translate to primetime TV (it is Stephen King, of course), but I've been enjoying the story!  The only criticism?  I really imagined Big Jim as being... well, bigger!  But, the actor's portrayal of the character has been awesome so far.

Of course, half the time I'm watching, I'm not really noticing the story, it's the clothes (surprise surprise).  I've loved the wardrobe choices for Julia, especially her ankle boots.  They made me decide to be on a hunt for my own boots, to wear with everything from jeans to dresses, just like in this scene:

It's a super easy combo: dress, boots, done, you're dressed.  Plus, I also ran across this pin for a little more styling inspiration:

http://pinterest.com/pin/216806169534572805/

A super sweet friend had brought a printed dress to a clothing swap we had, specifically with me in mind. And, I ran across the perfect pair of boots (neutral color, almost no heel, great strappy details), so I had an easy outfit to throw together for last night.

I always seem to have an audience!

 

This is my 'too cool to have my picture taken' pose ; )

Outfit Details:
Dress: from clothing swap
Boots: F21 via Plato's Closet Resale, $12
Earrings: Icing by Claire's, $0.50 (clearance)
Shorter Necklace: gift
Green Necklace: DIY, $1.50 for materials

Grand Total: $14

(Yes, I chopped my hair off, with help of course, and yes, I love it!  Whitney at Twin Scissors did a great job on both the cut and color!)

Kidlet Style - One of Those Days...

It's already one of THOSE days.  You know, the kind where you didn't fall asleep until after 1 am, and it took you until 10 this morning to get breakfast together, and you've already spilled coffee on your shirt, and your kids are feelin' it too?

Actually, it's not all that bad.  Sure, I need a little extra caffeine boost, but the energy my kiddos bring to my mornings make them so much better!

 

Whatchu want?

Plus, there's always sweet little songs and faces to make everything better:

(Little background on Big A's video, she came out wearing that hat this morning, and I told her she looked like a little hipster, so she ran back to her room to grab those shoes, and asks, "mom, are these shoes that little hipster girls would wear?  I like my hipster shoes."  That made me smile, but of course, the moment the camera was on, she didn't want to say it again!)

Outfit Details:
Little A's onesie: OUaC, $4.50
Little A's babylegs: handed down

Big A's shirt/shorts: handed down
Big A's shoes: OUaC, $3.50
Big A's hat: handmade by a lovely coworker!

Fair Trade.... Saturday?

Well, guys, I made you a promise, and then yesterday completely got away from me!  I did have a few things I got done yesterday, but blogging was not one of them.  So, I get to share some awesome Fair Trade items with you today, instead!  The subject? Shoes.  Now, I have what you might call a problem when it comes to shoes, as in, I have too many!  I've stopped counting how many pairs I have, but they've overtaken the bottom of my closet.  And yet, the shoe rack at Goodwill always seems to be calling my name every time I go shopping, and another pair inevitably goes home with me.  To celebrate the shoe lover in all of us, here are some fair trade offerings for your viewing enjoyment.

SoleRebels tooTOOs in Over the Rainbow

First up are these happy little flats from soleRebels, called tooTOOs.  The fabric upper is hand-loomed by artisans in Ethiopia, and the rubber sole is made from recycled tires.  These little shoes are available in over 100 different colors/styles (literally, there's 101!), so there's sure to be a style for everyone.  They also offer flip-flops and boots, so there's a shoe for every season!

Hiptipico Satander Flat

I have been seeing versions of these little woven flats everywhere lately, but I haven't seen any nearly as colorful as these from Hiptipico!  They're handmade in Guatemala, and by saying handmade, that means everything!  The materials, stitching, dying, embroidery, and assembly is all done by the artisans.  I'm already envisioning the different outfits I could put together around these.  Plus, Hiptipico is offering free shipping right now, if you enter HipFree at the checkout.

Teysha Guate Boot

I love a good boot.  These from Teysha are especially calling my name, because they're completely custom-made for each of their customers, featuring the handwoven fabrics you see on the sides.  You can choose from pages and pages of different patterns, as well as three different shades of leather, and can choose to get either two different fabrics for the inside and outside, or a leather panel instead.  And they're so pretty!

Osborn Naranja Ikat Oxford

Last up are these ahh-may-zing little oxfords from Osborn, also handmade in Guatemala.  They pretty much speak for themselves, but I'll fill in the rest!  These look so comfy, and the purple and orange fabric is just so pretty!  I've been loving the way a girly dress with this style of shoe looks lately, and the color palette would just take that outfit right from summer into fall, no problem.  There's also a few pairs of their new booties that have caught my eye as well!

If you're looking for a few more fair trade shoe options, don't forget about Sseko sandals.  Also, the lovely people at TOMS recently purchased a bunch of fabrics from the artisans at JOYN (you know I love them!), and are going to use that beautifully block printed fabric for some styles of their shoes.  I'm not sure when those are going to be available for sale, but keep an eye out, and as soon as I see them I'll be sure to let you know here.  I'm so excited to see this collaboration come about, and can't wait to see the finished product!

Are there any specific fair trade items you'd like to hear more about?  Leave me a comment and I'll be sure to put together a blog post about it just for you!  Enjoy the rest of your weekend!

Thrifted Pinterest - Popularity Contest

I spend more time than I should admit on Pinterest.  Like, every other conversation starts, "hey, I saw this thing, on Pinterest....." and I might need a 'pintervention' (ha.).  AANYways, all that time means that I see a lot of popular pins repeated.  This outfit is one of those frequent pins:

http://pinterest.com/pin/216806169534139499/

Turns out, I have pretty much everything in my closet to re-create this!  So, here's my take:

Outfit Details: 
Shirt: Ann Taylor via Half of Half, DIY'ed to sleeveless, $9
Skirt: gifted
Shoes: Target, $7 (clearance)
Earrings: $1 Jewelry Galore
Various rings: don't recall, I've had them forever
*Little note, some of those are toe rings (remember those?).  They're the perfect size for a 'knuckle' ring!*

Grand Total: $17

Teaser alert!  I may or may not be talking about shoes tomorrow for Fair Trade Friday.  Just sayin'...

Kidlet Style - Jammie Jams

Who has two thumbs and loves pajama parties?  This girl!  Actually, my kiddos are the ones that love romping around the house in their jammies if they get a chance, so I thought I'd share some of my favorite pictures of them in their PJ's lately.

Not jammies, but proof I live with a tiny crazy person ;)

Yes, those are hippo's on her toes!  EEP!

And, just because I can, here's the cuteness in the form of a couple videos!

All clothes are either hand me downs or from our local Once Upon A Child.  I've picked up another night at work, so if you decide to go shopping, there's a good chance you'll get to see me there!  And that's a situation where we both win. ; )

OOTD - Frilly

Well, it's officially hit that awkward season, the one I like to call "pre-fall."  Basically, everything in me wants to start wearing tights, sweaters, and scarves, because it's back to school time, and almost autumn, but it's still going to be 80 degrees outside for at least two more months.  AARRGHH!!  But, there are much bigger problems to be dealt with (how did my daughter end up with peanut butter behind her ear, and why are there SO MANY dirty dishes in my kitchen, and when will the medical community find a cure for cancer?), so I'll suck it up and continue to wear happy summery clothes for a little while longer!

   

Outfit Details:
Top: Kohl's, $4 (clearance)
Blue Tank: Charlotte Russe, $5
Jeans: Wal-Mart, $20
Earrings: NY & Company, $3 (clearance)
Necklace: Rue 21, $4 (clearance)
Shoes: Payless, $10 (old)
Headband: Wal-Mart, $3 for two (clearance)

Grand Total: $49