International Women’s Day – March 8th

- Posted by to Fair Trade News General

March 8th is International Women’s Day!

international-womens-day

Photo Courtesy of Half the Sky

This year’s International Women’s Day theme, “Equality for women is progress for all” emphasizes how gender equality, empowerment of women, women’s full enjoyment of human rights and the eradication of poverty are essential to economic and social development. This years theme truly embraces the meaning of Fair Trade, empowering and enriching the lives of those living in poverty around the world.

Many of the women Seven Hopes United helps support are not only the head of the household, but leaders in the community, women creating change to provide a better world now and in the future.

Seven Hopes United helps support:

        • Young women in Uganda working toward their college education – to pursue their dreams & create change! To date, with our partners Sseko Designs, we’ve enabled 47 women to continue on to university.
        • Women in Cambodia that are in need of healing & are working to rebuild their lives after being victims of sex trafficking. Through our partners Malia Designs and Five Accessories we are helping to provide a life of dignity and respect, as well as the opportunity for a sustainable income.
        • Women in India and Bangladesh that have suffered the effects of extreme poverty and sex trafficking, living in the slums. Through our partners ConneXions, we’ve received some of the most beautiful kantha quilts, and we’ve helped provide a better life for hundreds of women through a sustainable fair income.
        • Women in the far-reaching parts of the world like Kyrgyzstan – in a part of the world where there are few opportunities for women we’ve helped support small felting businesses that provide food, shelter, and education to their families .

Please join us in watching this short video from Half the Sky, for an excellent example of how women are empowering one another and inspiring change within their communities:

One thing all of these women have in common is that they have overcome poverty through fair trade, by coming together, and they are using the opportunities given to them to provide a better life for their families.

All over the world people on March 8th will celebrate women and their accomplishments for International Women’s Day. We hope that through sharing the stories of the women who inspire us we will also inspire something in YOU. These women are our mothers, daughters, and sisters, and our community’s small business owners, teachers, political leaders, farmers, community health workers, activists, and more.

Please join us in the fight against poverty, hunger, and injustice by empowering our sisters through Seven Hopes United and in your own community.

All Things Garden! {Product Spotlight}

- Posted by to Product Spotlight

It’s almost March! Do you know what that means? People start talking about their gardens, and I must admit here that I just cannot relate. I know not how to plant herbs or even how to keep a vase of flowers alive in my kitchen, if you want the truth. But for all of you passionate gardeners out there, I assume your basil and your tomatoes grow a little bigger and happier when your garden is pretty. Am I right?

So if you’re preparing to spend some time harvesting and planting and digging around in the dirt this Spring, we can help make your backyard a pleasant place for it! Behold our lovely new collection of garden adornments:

Fair Trade Garden Accessories

1. Garden Dragonflies: These adorable dragon flies are hand carved from a fast growing garden wood high in the mountains of Bali.

2.  Shining Sky Wall Art:  Handmade from a 55 gallon oil drum in Haiti, this gorgeous sculpture would be perfect above a rustic outdoor bench!

3. Red Mini Beehive Lantern: These cute little lanterns make the perfect decoration for any garden party, wedding or outdoor celebration.

4. Felt Flower House Birdhouse: Handcrafted in Nepal,  this snug little flower house will make your backyard birdies feel right at home.

5. Strawberry Felt Birdhouse : The 1.25″ diameter opening of this cutie is perfect for smaller birds like wrens, chickadees, titmice and others, or it can be enlarged for larger birds like bluebirds or swallows.

6. Big Dragonfly Felted Birdhouse: These whimsical houses are handcrafted by skilled fair trade artisans, and your purchase helps preserve cultural traditions. Fun and functional outside or inside!

Are you a garden dweller when the sun starts peeking out? You can find me admiring my pretty Seven Hopes backyard accessories from a lawn chair, lemonade in hand. I figure that’s close enough. :)

Check out the rest of our garden collection right here!

XO,

Casey

Friday Favorites!

- Posted by to Fashion Friday Favorites General

Happy

I think Fridays call for a little extra dose of happy. (!) If you agree, read on for a collection of some of my favorite things this week. I’m currently on vacation and headed to the beach as soon as I hit publish here—so that’s definitely at the top of my list. :) Wherever you are, I hope you’re enjoying some sunshine in the sky and in your life too!

Favorite Thing I Must Buy Immediately: Yellow Leaf Hammock. These gorgeous hammocks just scream “summer.” And who isn’t wanting that right now? Yellow Leaf Hammocks are 100% hand-woven for fair wages by artisans in rural northern Thailand and come in a variety of patterns and shades. The company is “on a mission to change the world—from the comfort of a hammock.” I’m sold!

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Other Favorite Thing I Must Buy Immediately: Otter Appliqued Pillow Cover While we’re on the subject of relaxing, this adorable pillow cover can’t go unmentioned. Made in Indonesia, these soft covers provide sustainable income to artisans and their families. You can grab one of these right here on the Seven Hopes Website. Make sure it doesn’t clash with your new hammock!

PIllow Cover

Favorite Activity: Sunrise Hike. I must admit, “being on vacation” and “getting up early” don’t always belong together in a sentence for me. But at 6am this morning, prompted by some shaming by my husband, I was out the door, coffee in hand, for a hike. And I’m so glad I didn’t miss this view! Some things are worth waking up for.

sunset

Favorite Link: This “Shopping Ethically” diagram from the Let’s Be Fair Blog. “Ethical shopping” summed up very nicely:

ethical

Favorite Recipe: This deliciousness known as Hawaiian Pulled Pork Nachos. Really, need I say more?

iowagirl

Favorite Technique: Highlight and Contour. This technique comes from one of my favorite beauty bloggers and makes such a difference in makeup application. It doesn’t require fancy makeup or brushes; a quick drugstore run will provide all you need!

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Favorite Dream: Traveling to Santorini, Greece. It’s been on my list for years and years, and hopefully will wait for me, as it will probably be years and years more before I can see it in person. ;)

Santorini

Favorite Mani: Gold glitter + Nude + Chevron. Gorgeous combo for Spring!

Mani

Favorite Funny: If you’re female, you will feel me on this. If you’re a guy, please just take it to heart, as there’s really no changing it.  Sorry boys.

Funny

Favorite DIY: Dip Dye Placemats. Because, well, anything labeled DIY makes me feel like Martha Stuart and makes my husband feel like we saved money. Double win.

placemats

Favorite Furball: My own, of course. My goldendoodle, Bob Barker, is enjoying the snow a lot more than I am.

Barker

Favorite Fashion: Oh, summer. How I miss you. Are you sensing a theme here? And this look would be great with some Sseko Sandals!

Fashion

I hope you enjoyed, and have a very happy weekend full of happy things!

XO,

Casey

Fair Trade Wedding – Kathleen & Russell

- Posted by to General Real Couples Wedding Wednesday

Fair Trade Wedding Wednesday – yay! I know lots of you love these posts as much as I do, and today’s real couple, Kathleen and Russell, have a great list of favorites from their fair trade registry. A big thanks to Kathleen for sharing her list and beautiful wedding photos with us!

We are a young couple from the Midwest who have a laid-back and eclectic style. Our first home is an apartment in Bloomington, Indiana (Home of the Hoosiers!) and we’ve worked hard to make hand-me-down furniture and thrift store kick-knacks look cohesive. I am a self-proclaimed “lazy girl crafter” meaning I love homemade, unique decorations but don’t have the patience for long projects. With Fair Trade items you get quality craftsmanship without having to do it yourself – perfect! After learning about and becoming an advocate for Fair Trade in college, Russell and I were excited to find a wedding registry to promote the cause.

Without further ado, here are a few of Kathleen & Russell’s favorite fair trade products!

fair-trade-wedding-kathleen-russell

1. Turquoise Paisley Table Runner
This beautiful table runner makes our $10 garage sale table look much greater than it’s worth. There are beautiful bits of red and yellow in the design which inspired the color scheme for our living space.

2. Turquoise Blue Vetiver Placemats
These placemats tie in well with the Paisley Table Runner. Best of all, you can throw
them in the washing machine with no damage done!

3. Green Ginkgo Pot Holder
My great-grandma’s favorite tree was the Ginkgo. She would display the dried leaves on the wall of her apartment, among the other oddities that she collected. This pot holder is sentimental, cheery, and bright.

4. Blown Glass Pitcher
In my opinion, this pitcher is one of the most beautiful items on the site. I can’t wait for winter to be over so we can sit on our porch and drink lemonade from it!

5. Handblown Drinking Glasses
These glasses, like the pitcher, are beautiful yet sturdy. We use them daily, but we’re also sure to put them out when guests are over!

Thanks again Kathleen, for the fabulous list of products and your awesome product descriptions! If you are interested in having your favorite fair trade products featured, email me and I will give you more details!

wedding photography: Maggie Russo // engagement photography: Abbey Grim Photography

Get to Know Our Artisans!

- Posted by to General

giraffe

Happy weekend, all! Today I thought it might be fun to take a virtual tour of some of our artisans’ home bases. These hard-working, passionate women reside in many different regions and possess many different talents. Want to take a peek?

When I’m purchasing fair trade items, I like to stop and imagine the work and dedication that was poured into them. I like to picture the hands that crafted them and the landscape and dreams that brought them to fruition. There’s a deep satisfaction that comes from the knowing and the imagining that I just don’t get when I buy from a big-name department store. If you feel the same way, read on!

Let’s take a little trip of the regions we work with and get to know these beautiful areas and their inhabitants. We’ll throw in a typical recipe too (in case you’re having that dinner party sometime soon!) Because what says “local flavor” like a delicious recipe?

1. Uganda

Oh, Uganda. I know your red dirt roads and breathtaking sunrises hold a special place in many a heart. Both our 31BITS products and Sseko Sandals are made in Uganda. This country is in the midst of a 22-year-long war and has a long history of violence. But the fascinating landscape also sets the scene for one of the most beautiful areas of the world. Its’ unique mix of jungle and rainforest have earned it the rightful nickname “The Pearl of Africa.” Over half of the population of Uganda is under 15 years of age, so helping to make a way for education in this country is absolutely essential to the well-being of its people.

Typical Recipe: Rolex (AKA Roll of Eggs; Breakfast Dish)
From our Friends at Sseko Designs

Rolex

2. Rwanda

Here again, a stunning area with a young and largely rural population. The economy is slowly climbing after the 1994 Rwandan genocide and relies heavily on coffee and tea export. Art and dance is entrenched in the culture and tourism is increasing. Many people travel to Rwanda to track the endangered mountain gorillas, of which there are fewer than 1,000 left. Our Cocoki Market Tote Bags are made in Rwanda and help provide sustainable income for families in the region.

Traditional Recipe: Isombre (Vegetarian Stew)

Stew

3. India

Our lustrous organic sateen sheets and duvet covers are made in India. This beautiful region is the second most populated country in the world. India is a deeply religious, traditional country; many marriages are still arranged by parents today and Hinduism and Buddhism prevail as the main religions. India is the birthplace of yoga; the word “yoga” comes from the Sanskrit word yuj, which means to unite or join. The heart of yoga is a joining of one’s heart and mind with the divine.

Traditional Recipe: Kheema (Indian Ground Beef with Peas)

By the way, if you have a love for a particular region of the world and want to support artisans from there, just type that place into the search box on our site and it’ll pop up all the products made there.

I hope you’re enjoyed getting to know a bit about the beautiful corners of the world where some of our products are made. Have a very happy Valentine’s Day!

XO,

Casey