Sseko Sandals

It's been bitterly cold here in New England as can be expected in January.  I am dreaming of spring warmth and wearing sandals.  My feet are securely bundled under socks and slippers or boots 24/7.   Then last week Sseko, whose sandals I've been wanting to purchase for awhile now, tweeted that they were having a Pre-spring (I like that word, sounds so much more hopeful than winter) Sale and I couldn't resist.  Perfect!  That was all the motivation I needed to finally place an order. 

So what makes Sseko sandals purposeful?  They employ girls in Uganda during their 9 month break between high school and University so that they can earn money to go on to become whatever they dream of becoming, a doctor, lawyer, teacher.  Can't get much more purposeful than helping someone fulfill their dreams. 



I ordered the Allya sandals, this is how they arrive.

Tying them up is simple with the included instructions. 

The details - I ordered the Allya sandals.  The great thing about Sseko sandals is that the straps can be replaced or interchanged and tied in many different ways, the possibilities are endless.  You could even make your own straps, but Sseko has plenty of fabrics to choose from if that's not your thing.  Shipping was $5.95.  I placed my order on a Thursday and they were in my mailbox on Monday!  Now that's fast - especially since they came from California all the way to New England! 

I'll spare you the pic of my winter feet in them.  Head over to Sseko's website for professional photos, more info and some shopping.  Take your dreams of spring and help someone else's dreams come true.  www.ssekodesigns.com

Light Gives Heat

This post was meant before Christmas. I've had it mostly ready to go but then I got sick and this organization is just too good not to share, so, better late than never!  Here goes:

Charity doesn't work, work works.  That is the concept behind Light Gives Heat.  And I must say that although I hadn't heard of Light Gives Heat before I started this blog on purposeful spending that this was the concept that prompted me to change my spending habits and start sharing what I found.

Light Gives Heat is a non-profit based in Colorado that employs local artisans in Uganda, giving them a source of income.  

Combine that with my heart for Uganda and ordering products from Light Gives Heat seemed a given.  It only became a question of what. The choice was only made difficult by the beautiful selection they offer.  I admit, I selfishly selected Christmas presents for ME, but hey it's for the blog and it helps lift families in Uganda out of poverty so it's all good right?


Love the beautiful paper beads strung at the opening of the purse -
these always catch people's eye and admiration.

I chose a purse and handed the package right to my daughter when it arrived and said "this is what you are getting me for Christmas, just confirm if it is pretty or not."  Her response, "You will love it!"  And I do.  Not just because it's pretty, but the story of the woman that made the purse is printed on the inside. I enjoy showing that to people that admire my purse!


Casual and stylish!

I also ordered the slouchy women's sweatshirt.  It is casual, comfy and I LOVE artist Patrick Maxcy's design. 



The multi-strands of this necklace are already done for you,
taking all the guesswork out of how to layer them. 

And as a Black Friday special I received a multi-strand paper bead necklace that is just gorgeous.  The necklace was in a beautiful box.  I not only love their products, I love their marketing and design style. 

So yes, Light Gives Heat, it is all good. 

Valentines with Purpose

The whole motivation behind this blog is putting more purpose in my spending.  So after Christmas my thoughts turned to Valentine's day and how could this time where we spend lots on Valentines for our kids' classmates that just create clutter and waste, be more purposeful.

I thought it would be great to offer Valentines that help others and of course, being a Sole Hope ambassador, that's the first organization I thought of.  So I headed over to my favorite online printing company and created a little Sole Hope Valentine.  I printed them at my own cost and am offering them for a minimum $1 per card donation to Sole Hope (100% of the money from these goes directly to Sole Hope).



They are standard postcard size and include white envelopes.  The reverse side includes more information about Sole Hope.

 



Wouldn't they be cute to hand out and raise a little awareness for a great charity and some money for them too?  Please e-mail me at crissbe@gmail.com if you would like to order these! 

Here's another idea for a purposeful Valentine.  Equal Exchange, a company that offers Fair Trade items has a 24 pack of Valentine's with Fair Trade chocolates (milk or dark) for $7.99.  Shipping is another $7.50 (or free for orders over $75). 

And lastly, this isn't a pack of Valentine cards, but an idea from a charity called Love146 that works to end Child Trafficking.  How about throwing a party around Valentine's Day to raise awareness for this issue?

Would also love comments on ways to put purpose in your Valentine's day. Please share!

Stocking Stuffers with Purpose

When it comes to filling stockings, I am definitely guilty of quantity over quality, but I'm hoping to put that behind me this year, at least a little bit.  Here are some ideas to stuff those stockings with purpose.  Maybe Santa will catch on!



Candy - look for Fair Trade chocolates and organic candy canes. Whole Foods, Trader Joe's and online at The Natural Candy Store are good places to look. Think quality over quantity. Had my first taste of an organic candy cane with no artifical dyes this season and it was SO good. 

Ginger Baby models a BeadforLife bracelet and Shea Butter Soap

• These headwraps from Tukula
• Lipbalm or soaps from The Body Shop, Purple Prairie or BeadforLife.
• Mints or gum from Project 7
• A $5 bracelet from BeadforLife made from recycled paper.

• One of these cute L.I.F.E. jackets for your coffee cup.  Pick them up at Whole Foods or order online. 

  Please chime in with your own suggestions!

Christmas Cards, or lack thereof

I don't know how to address this (pun intended) without sounding like a Scrooge, but last year I didn't send Christmas cards.  Why? 

1. The time and the stress of taking and choosing THE right picture, layout and words. 
2. The cost of the cards themselves and the postage (we've moved a lot and have a long list of people on that list).
3.  I already post pics of my kids way too often already - it's not like most of these people haven't heard from me in a year.

Was it hard?  Yes.  I felt guilty with each card I received, but I did let all my friends on facebook know I wouldn't be sending cards out and why. 

Did I cheat?  Yes, a little.  I took an offer of 10 free Christmas cards from a card printing company and sent them to people that aren't on facebook like my grandma.

What did I do instead?  I took the money I would have spent on cards (which really adds up if you think about it) and I donated it to a charity.  We had more time to concentrate on the true meaning of CHRISTmas.

Am I doing it again this year?  You betcha!  Some ideas for where to donate that $$ you would have spent on cards are: 

• a local mitten tree, food bank or fuel bank
• SoleHope ($10 sponsors a pair of shoes)
• Amazima ministries

Are you in?  Comment below with your answers or suggestions for alternative uses for your Christmas card budget.

Give Thanks, Give Hope

Lots of family gatherings will be held in the next few months.  Hopefully they will be precious times with memories made.   These times are purposeful in themselves, but here are two ideas to spread the love a little.

Order a Holiday Shoe Party kit from Sole Hope.  After the big meal, gather around the table and cut out some shoes for kids that may never get a Christmas present or a warm Thanksgiving meal.  It can be ordered here from the Sole Hope store.  Sounds like the start of a great yearly tradition to me.

Maybe cutting shoes out isn't for you, or maybe you want to do even more! How about asking your guests to bring an item that Sole Hope uses in their jigger removals in Africa, such as: 

• large safety pins
• medical gloves
• gauze wrap
• emla cream (or other topical numbing cream)
• stickers for children
• monetary donations to purchase basins and soap in country.

Supplies should be sent to:

Sole Hope
P.O. Box 1492
Asheville, NC 28802

So c'mon, give thanks, give HOPE!

The Empowerment Store

If you've read the book or watched the PBS documentary Half the Sky, then you've heard of Somaly Mam.  Somaly is a survivor of human trafficking and has worked tirelessly to help others like her survive too.  The foundation which bears her name and which she co-founded has an aptly titled  Empowerment Store with beautiful items for sale made by survivors.  And like so many of the items I like to feature, a purchase from The Empowerment Store has layers of purpose.  This is not just financial support for these survivors, it is also a statement that you stand with them and they are not alone.  It is a stand against trafficking.  Wearing the jewelry or clothing is a good conversation starter about this cause.  And lastly you will have a beautiful gift for yourself or someone else. 

I ordered the medium silk empowerment necklace.  It is $25 and shipping and handling was $8.20.   There's not a whole lot of information on the necklace in the description, such as length or a photo of a person wearing the necklace, so I was a little surprised at how long the medium is.  I imagine since these aren't mass produced that each necklace is a little different but my medium necklace can comfortably be worn as a long single strand or doubled.  You cannot select a certain color.  Some people may not like that you cannot choose a color (perhaps you could request a certain color when ordering), but I LOVED the element of surprise when opening my package, not knowing what color I would get.  I received a lovely red necklace within a few days of placing my order.  Oh and one more really nice thing, I received via e-mail a tax receipt for the portion of the purchase that is tax deductible.

So who on your nice list is getting something from The Empowerment Store this year?