I am a mother, a daughter and a best friend...hopefully I'm good at that because that's all that matters to me. I like to experience new things, but I also like to stay grounded and never forget what's truly important to me. I have learned a lot in my short life, but the most important thing I learned is never be unhappy, life is too short.Basically I am an easy going person who loves life.
Like most people I would like to save the world and wish for world peace:) I refuse to turn a blind eye to everything that is happening in OUR world today. I wish there was more I could do! I have not figured out a way to make a major impact so for me it's the little things that if we all did would add up to something major. So I've decided to dedicate my page to numerous causes. I will post with ways to make your life a little greener, to items you can buy to make an impact on a persons life.
Here are is a list of items you can buy or better yet give as a gift!
Toms Shoes
For every pair of these amazing comfortable and fashionable light-weight traditional Argentinean shoes called alpargatas you buy, a pair will be given to a child in need. These are affordable and can be found in many stores including Nordstroms. Go to http://www.tomsshoes.com/ for more information
FEED bags...FEED project
FEED 1 bag = 1 child fed in school for 1 year was started in 2006 when acclaimed model and activist Lauren Bush designed a bag to benefit the United Nations World Food Program's (WFP) School Feeding operations. I got my $25 FEED bag at Wholefoods, it's this really cute burlap make up looking bag that unzips into a white tote. Not only is it my favorite thing I've gotten all year but in buying it I am giving a child 300 heatly meals buy a $59 FEED bag and feed a child for an ENTIRE YEAR! Now how can you pass up on that? You can get them at Wholefoods or Amazon.com. For more info go to http://www.feedprojects.org/default.asp
Macy’s “Path to Peace†collection of baskets handcrafted in Rwanda
I'm really passionate about the horror that happened in Rwanda here is some information for those unaware. In 1994, the African nation of Rwanda was torn apart by a brutal genocide. In about 100 days, close to one million Rwandan citizens were murdered. Left behind was a population of 70% women, widows who were suddenly faced with the frightening and daunting task of supporting their families, rebuilding their communities, and taking back their lives.
In 2005 the Director of UNIFEM traveled to the country and noticed how beautiful their baskets were so she reached out to a business women in the US who reached out and now their sold at Macys. The women, who had never earned money in their lives, turned back to their heritage of weaving.
Go to Macys to buy one for youself or better yet go to http://www.rwandabaskets.com/ and lean how to host a "Basket Party". Get a group of girls together, have some appys, drinks and a great time together while having an amazing impact on another fellow womens life! We're all sisters and need to stick together. Us with children more so than others
Whatever It Takes Mug Collection
This is another cool one fromUNICEF. It’s a collection of 12 mugs. On each one, a famous celebrity sketched and signed a self-portait of himself, herself, or themselves. The mug comes in a gift box, and includes a photograph of the celebrity and a personal message. The cool thing is that 50% of proceeds to go a charity or charity of the celebrity’s choice so you have a lot to chose from or hey get the entire set for coffee at your next dinner party, what a great conversation piece. You can buy at Macys and Linnens and Things
The Body Shop Daisy Soap
It not only makes your skin feel great with the powerful moisturize shea butter, it helps TWO great causes! Both I'm passionate about domestic violence and fair trade.
First, proceeds from every bar of Daisy Soap will go to the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence, helping women who are the victims of domestic violence and empowering them to end this terrible scourge.
Second, the soap contains daisy extract and Community Trade shea butter from Ghana. The Body Shop works with the Tungteiya Shea Butter Association in Northern Ghana, which is an association of around 400 women from 10 villages.
Under “fair trade†principles, they ensure a fair price for their product, allowing the women to dramatically change their lives with water pipes and wells saving hours of water collecting, better housing, medical care, food, and self esteem. They are also able to give their children, particularly their daughters and the chance to go to school.
.. For over the past 19 years the people of northern Uganda and southern Sudan have been terrorized by a group calling itself the "Lord’s Resistance Army" or LRA. With no political platform, no constituency, and no beneficial purpose in the eyes of the people it claims to represent, the LRA are led by evil madmen hell-bent on death and destruction. Sadly most of it's "soldiers" are kidnapped children - young children - forced to kill their parents, siblings and friends lest they receive the same death sentance themselves. In the past few years, the Lord’s Resistance Army has abducted over 44,000 children in northern Uganda for use as child soldiers, forced “wivesâ€, and porters. The LRA appears to exist solely for its own benefit with a stated intent of taking over the governement of Uganda.Thus, fear of abduction by the LRA and subsequent forced inscription, beatings, and/or rape have compelled thousands of children in the districts of Gulu and Kitgum to walk several miles every night from their homes in rural village areas to safer locations in the larger nearby cities. They look for sidewalks, bus stations and camps to sleep on the ground or concrete floors - every night - and often with no blankets or bedding. These children are collectively known as the "Night Commuters" or "night walkers".These children choose to make this journey each dusk and dawn because the LRA prefers to attack small isolated villages, instead of mounting complex urban assaults. These “Night Commuters†spend the night huddled together in bus stops, under patios, and in doorways; in any open flat space with the slightest amount of shelter. Without a mattress to sleep on, or a shower to bathe in, the children then rise in the morning and walk back to their villages where they attend school and work on their family farms.
I GOT MY PAIR OF TOMS DO YOU HAVE ONE YET..IF NOT MAKE SURE YOU DO WATCH THE VIDEO TO LEARN MORE This layout was handmade with love by the folks at My space or yours? Go get one!