All About Baskets! {Product Spotlight}

- Posted by to General Product Spotlight

When I registered for wedding gifts with Seven Hopes, it’s possible I went a little too far with the baskets. I’m willing to admit this now. I couldn’t help myself; there are so many styles to choose from on the site! I love anything woven and colorful. If it’s a basket I can use to hide my piles of “stuff” and make it look like I have any semblance of organizational skills, all the better!

These baskets can be used for a playroom, bathroom (what? toilet paper needs a pretty home too), or even your living room or bedroom. Sturdy enough for books, bankets, or anything else that needs its very own resting place, they’re perfect for any area of your living space! Your husband might ask why you need 14 of them, but then nobody promised marriage would be perfect. :)

I listed some of favorites below:

Pink Woven Storage Basket: Made in Senegal, this stylish piece also comes in aqua. Wolof women in rural Senegal have been crafting coil style baskets for generations. While traditional baskets were crafted using cattail stalks bound with strips of reed, modern baskets are bound with strips of plastic either recycled from old prayer mats or purchased new from a mat factory in Dakar. Isn’t it fabulous?

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Yellow Herringbone Garden Basket: See, I didn’t even list “garden” above, but hey—use this one in your garden! Hand woven by the Wolof women in rural Senegal as well, these brand-new beauties serve to generate income to provide food, shelter and educational materials for Senegalese homes.

yellow-white-garden-basket

Graphic Lidded Hamper: Fair trade craftswomen weave these beautifully simple laundry hampers from typha stalks (cattails) and recycled plastic. If your hamper is stylish and gorgeous, then that makes your laundry stylish and gorgeous too, right? (Yep, even your running socks.)

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Yellow Lidded Warming Basket: This colorful little container is a perfect way to gift homemade rolls or cookies. Wipes clean inside and boasts a beautiful woven pattern outside!

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Mini Bolga Market Basket: This mini African market basket was handwoven by artisans in the Bolgatanga region of Ghana. Each mini market basket is beautiful and unique, designed with a sturdy leather handle and a thick base, perfect for use as a farmers market basket or for your “mini me” who wants to be just like mom and dad.

mini_african_market_basket

Which is your favorite? Check out the rest here!

XO,

Casey

Fair Trade Father’s Day Gifts

- Posted by to General Gift Guides

Well, you know if we do a Mother’s Day post we have to do one for the dads too! Father’s Day is June 15, and we have some great ideas if you’re still searching for that perfect present. We’re  sure Dad will love a fair trade Father’s Day gift!

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PicMonkey Collage Father

1. Personalized Wood Cutting Board: handcrafted in the US from harvested cherry or maple wood, this beautiful piece will be a welcome addition in the kitchen!
2. Paulino Bud Vase: Add some modern flair to Dad’s office with this intricate bud vase, which supports a family’s pottery business in Nicaragua.
3. Recycled Cork Coaster Set: Nothing like a man in a ‘stache! The recycled wine cork program that makes these coasters keeps thousands of corks from ending up in landfills across America.
4. Seven Hopes United Classic e-Gift Card: Always a good choice! Let him pick out his own gift and enjoy knowing that whatever he chooses will help support the worldwide fair trade mission.
5. Laughing Hippo Cork Wine Stopper: If he’s a wine lover, you’ve gotta go with this one. Who doesn’t love a laughing hippo?

Whether your dad enjoys whipping up a feast in the kitchen, toasting the fam with a newly popped bottle of wine, or just has a passion for sustainable and ethical shopping, I’m sure you’ll find something wonderful for him at Seven Hopes United!

XO,

Casey

Summer Chocolate Poke Cake

- Posted by to General Recipes

POke cake 2
(photo source)

It’s been a while since we featured a recipe! Especially one with “cake” in the title. :)

This recipe has many variations, one of which you’ve probably seen before. The one my mom always made growing up features cool whip, chocolate cake mix, crumbled Heath bars, and sweetened condensed milk plus caramel sauce drizzled in holes in the cake (hence, the “poke” portion of the name).

I usually buy a boxed cake mix for this, but why not try making our own using fair trade ingredients? Here’s a basic chocolate cake recipe from our friends at Fair Trade USA:

Ingredients

Mix cocoa, flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl. Stir in water, melted butter, and vinegar. Beat until smooth. Butter a tube cake pan and dust with flour. Bake in oven at 350° degrees for one hour or until toothpick is removed dry.

Now comes the fun part! Let your cake cool slightly. Then grab a wooden spoon and poke holes all through the cake, going down about halfway through. Drizzle the sweetened condensed milk and caramel sauce on top, then set cake aside to cool completely. Spread the cool whip over evenly over the top of the cake, then sprinkle with Heath pieces. I’ve also had this with Butterfinger instead of Heath pieces, and it’s fantastic! Feel free to get creative here. :)

This cake would be perfect on a warm summer evening, sitting around the patio with friends. You can plate the whole thing on our gorgeous Talavera Ceramic Serving Plate, then dish it up in individual portions in these elegant Sea Strip Capiz Bowls. Just because a dinner party is outside doesn’t mean it shouldn’t be fancy! :)

PicMonkey Collage

XO,

Casey

“Follow” Fun with 7 Hopes United!

- Posted by to General

Hello friends!

I’m just guessing here, but I’m making an assumption that you have a Twitter account, a Facebook page, an Instagram, and maybe a Pinterest login thrown in for good measure. Well, guess what? We do too!

Within the past few years, social media use has skyrocketed. I love the way all of these platforms can be used to spread the fair trade message. Each sharing site is fun in its own way!

Around here, we:

Use our Instagram account to share behind-the-scenes photos and styling ideas:

social media 1

Pin interesting facts and figures about fair trade as well as new product images on our Pinterest page:

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Use Facebook to showcase our talented artisans doing what they do, and update you on how your purchases are making a difference in their lives:

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And Tweet inspiring quotes, links to blog posts, and new product updates!

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Are you following us on all of these pages? Make sure to keep up with us on social media to learn about how purchasing fair trade products really does make a difference in the developing world. If you sit in the front of a computer all day, a few minutes of social media can be a refreshing break. And it’s extra fun when Web surfing and shopping can help open your eyes to the need you can help fill in our shared world!

XO,

Casey

Fair Trade Bridesmaid Gifts

- Posted by to General Gift Guides

Ah, wedding season. It’s almost here, and as much fun as it is for brides, there’s no point in pretending there isn’t a bit of stress involved. Right, ladies? I’m sure my husband considered asking for the ring back when he witnessed my colossal meltdown over table settings (during which he had the good grace to remain absolutely silent).

Hopefully, if you’re a summertime bride, you’ve already registered for your gifts the easy way right here on SevenHopesUnited.com. A fair trade wedding registry is the perfect way to give hope to developing nations while furnishing your first home as a married couple. And as for one of those other small “stressors”—what to give your bridesmaids as a thank-you gift—we can help with that too!

PicMonkey Collage bridesmaids 2

When I’ve been a bridesmaid in the past, I’ve always loved getting a “goodie bag” filled with fun items the bride handpicked. It’s a thoughtful way to show your bridesmaids how much you appreciate them! Above, I selected our cheery Large Recycled Plastic Beach Tote to stuff with the surrounding items. From clockwise, we’ve got a sweet-smelling Batik Soap made in Bali; chic turquoise Tagua Nut Earrings handcrafted with sustainable materials from the rainforests of South America; our gorgeous 31BITS Rosette Necklace from Uganda; 100% cotton Shibori scarf woven in India; and a Peruvian eco-friendly Brazil Nut Candle. This gift bag would be especially perfect for a beach-themed wedding! And if you wanted to go ahead and have your girls wear the jewelry during your ceremony, how beautiful would the necklace and/or earrings be with a simple, flowing black or cream bridesmaid dress?

If you have several bridesmaids, you might want to consider any of our roomy bags stuffed with items to match your friend’s personality for an even more personalized touch. You could create one for a cook, one for a wine lover, one for an artist, or anything else you can dream up!

For more details on how to register with us for your wedding gift registry and how it makes a difference, just click here. Thanks for considering making Seven Hopes United a part of your special day!

xo,

Casey