My friend Abbie and I have a lot in common. Together, we have ten kids, two sets of twins, a mess of crazy big hair, and the corner on the market when it comes to blogs starting with the number five.
Some day, we’re going to rob a bank together. I mean, write a book together.
In the mean time, we’re teaming up to bring you a great new giveaway sponsored by Brandi Mendenhall from The Fair Trade Fashionistas. As her blog name suggests, Brandi’s passion is fair-trade fashion.
Honestly, that was not something I spent much time thinking about before I met Brandi. I was pretty satisfied to find good deals and clothes that fit. I didn’t really think about how my purchases were impacting the global economy and combating the problem of poverty…or not.
But I couldn’t help but be drawn to Brandi and her commitment to combine her love of fashion with her heart for the world. That’s why Brandi became an independent ambassador for the Noonday Collection, a company that strives to break the bonds of poverty by training artisans all over the world and providing them with an opportunity to earn a fair and life-changing income.
Brandi sent me a piece of Noonday jewelry made by an artisan in India so I could see for the jewelry for myself. She also sent something equally stunning to Abbie.
The cherry-red bangle I received is gorgeous. I love the blue and gold details over the solid brass bracelet. The colors on this piece make me happy, and I like to wear things that make me happy. That means I’m wearing this bracelet almost every day.
Every time I wear it, I think of the young girl from India who made it. Noonday includes a laminated picture and bio of the artisan who made each piece. My cherry-red bracelet that makes me so happy was made by a young girl who is working to send her six younger siblings to school.
Now that gets at my heart.
I look at my bracelet and I think of that girl and I just want her world to be different and better, and if one bracelet can help her have that, I’m sold.
Now, I don’t have a lot of extra income to spend on jewelry and accessories. But I do have gifts I purchase for others, for Christmas and birthdays and even Mother’s Day. It seems to me that it’s better to purchase something for my loved ones that also spreads love to someone in need.
I could purchase something pretty at a mall or a big box store. It might even be cheaper. Or, I could purchase a gift that helps to change the world. That is invaluable.
It makes the decision easy when I think of it that way.
Brandi would agree. Listen to her words as she shares her heart:
“You can’t just sit in a comfortable chair one Sunday morning and hear that every DAY 5,760 more children become orphans, or that 60% of the orphaned girls are lured into prostitution, and 70% of the boys become hardened criminals, and not be compelled to do SOMETHING.”
Brandi’s “something” was to join forces with Noonday. And it’s working. Check out this video to see how Noonday is changing lives around the world.
Noonday: Kampala, Uganda. from Jessica Honegger on Vimeo.
Don’t you just love that?
As a means of getting the message of Noonday out to the world, Brandi has graciously offered one reader the chance to win a $50 Noonday gift certificate.
Oh. My. Goodness.
You will not know how to spend it! You might want to buy a beautiful necklace like this:
The Olivia necklace is beautiful in mint. I am in love with this piece!
or this…
The layers of this necklace make you look ten times more put-together in yoga pants and a hoodie. I kid you not.
Maybe you’re the bracelet type.
I love the color of this tagua seed bracelet in LAVA! Oh! But it comes in seagreen too!
Or the decorator type:
I’m a sucker for adorable bowls. Love these!
Of course, bowls won’t look as good on your ears as these beauties:
I could post pictures all day, but it’s better if you check out Brandi’s Noonday site to see all the handmade items for yourself. Which is your favorite?
Also, be sure to read Abbie’s review and her giveaway post! You’ll love how the jewelry looks on her because she’s so stinkin’ cute.
But for now–ENTER! I’d hate to have to keep this prize for myself. Worse, I’d hate to have to arm wrestle Abbie for it. {I think she’d win,}
next solution will be abolish the market all together. Indefinite interdiction of trading anything for any purpose and any time. The DOW should trade anyways at 3000.
I love the necklace with the trade beads!
Oh how fun! I’d love something bright and cheery to contrast the gray clouds of the day. 🙂
LOVE Noonday! I love supporting fair trade artisans, even though it is pricier. There’s nothing better than changing the world one purchase at a time. Love this giveaway!!
I hardly wear jewelry but after looking at this jewelry, I’m ready to start! I love it!
Love their stuff! And love the heart behind it even more.
I love fair trade jewelry. It’s nice to feel good about looking good!
I love Noonday… their products and what they stand for! It would be so hard to choose what to spend the gift card on, but I am loving deep purple lately, so the Violet Horn Bracelet would probably be my choice. The bowls are beautiful too!
I love the Pompidou Bracelet!
Oh my, this stuff is cute!!! I have no jewelry, would love to start wearing some of her beautiful pieces
Ooh, I love Noonday! I have a shopping list a mile long!
I love the bowls. So pretty!
I like the Sseko sandals!
Mmmm…I really love that red bangle you have on in the pic. It is very happy! But I’m a sucker for big, chunky necklaces, so maybe I would go for the Olivia necklace instead. Such beautiful pieces!!!
so neat! I know gals that sell premier and lia Sophia jewelry… nothing wrong with it but this is SUCH a great cause!
I love the ‘packaged pretty’ earrings!
I love the patchwork journal!
love this!!!
Love the Jewelry and your Thirty-one bag!!!
Ah I love Noonday stuff. They make up a huge chunk of my amazon wishlist. 🙂
Your bracelet is very pretty. I think I would go for the tagua seed bracelet, so gorgeous to dress up a summer outfit. This is an amazing idea for the artisans 🙂
Love this!
Love it! They’re all so beautiful that it is hard to know what to choose, but those earrings are really cute! I love how they give an artist bio with each piece. Makes it all the more precious!
I love fair trade products! My best friend sells for Trades of Hope, which is similar, but I love the different “flair” of these products as well! 🙂
Awesome stuff for an awesome cause!!!
Love just about everything on this site and love that it’s all fairtrade! I agree the Poetic Macramé Necklace woule be a easy way to dress up an outfit. Now the only struggle would be trying to pick a favorite if I win 🙂
Fair-trade jewelry is such a good gift. I also feel silly buying jewelry for myself, but love to treat other to it or get it as a gift, especially when it’s meaningful 🙂
Love the knotted nobility necklace . . . but since $50 would only pay for half of it, I also like the sterling circles, which would complement a bracelet I have just perfectly. 🙂
wow, pick me!!
Beautiful! Maybe I will get lucky!
Beautiful jewelry and beautiful to know where it comes from!
Great giveaway! I enjoyed looking through the Noonday site. Great stuff!
Beautiful jewelry!
Absolutly beautiful!
Everything is awesome! Nice giveaway! 🙂
I love Abbie’s whole outfit in her post! What a cheerful way to dress. It brought a smile to my face to see such bright colors!
beautiful! and hope to win… 🙂
That bracelet is so pretty. I love the colours! And it’s fair-trade which makes it even better. 🙂 I am in the UK; am I allowed to enter the giveaway or is it only for the US?
I forgot to ask her about that! Silly me! Go ahead and enter. If you win, I’ll pay the extra shipping. 🙂 I will clarify with her the rules of entry, and I might have to restrict it but since I was negligent, anyone who gets in before then gets a free pass!
Thank you, that’s very kind!
But if I do win (which is probably unlikely because I imagine this will be a very popular giveaway! 🙂 ) I would be happy to pay for the extra shipping. 🙂
Beautiful! Jewelry and home pieces – I might have to get one of each!