Beautiful Ideas Help the World

Musings

Wine + Chocolate + Jewelry from Around the World

April 6, 2016

Hi friends,

If you’re local to Portland, come over to my house next Thursday the 14th! I’ll uncork the wine and bust out the chocolate around 7pm and we’ll get to sample jewelry from around the world.

I’ve never, ever, ever been one for house parties. (For real. I mostly avoid them.) But when my sister in law Gabby started repping the Noonday Jewelry project and shared the stories behind the pieces, I was genuinely jazzed. What’s not to love about exploring designs from artisans based in Afghanistan, Ecuador, Ethiopia, Guatemala, Haiti, India, Kenya, Nepal, Peru, Rwanda, Uganda, and Vietnam and knowing that their work and the proceeds from sales contribute to transformed lives and stories of hope?

Jewelry is my favorite way to disguise the fact that I’m actually wearing the same clothes all the time.

The key is to accessorize with something eye catching, hey?

Whether living out of a backpack for 12 months straight or pregnant and in maternity clothes for half a year give or take or (now) postpartum, nursing, and literally putting on the identical outfit five days in a row (don’t ask), I’ve relied countless times on a decent set of earrings or bracelet or necklace to be my own little trompe l’oeil, so to speak, changing basic into something special. (Or maybe nobody’s actually fooled, but at least I feel good wearing them.)

The other piece for me is to carry some sort of connection to what I wear.

A person. A place. A memory. A cause. Continue Reading…

Musings, Social Work

Beautiful Ideas Help the World: ASIA {Hand and Cloth Giveaway}

December 23, 2012

Sanaih kantha
Sanaih pantha Sanaih
parvata langhanam.

Slowly one stitches rags,
Slowly one traverses the path
And slowly one climbs to the top of the mountain.

-Traditional Bengali Sloka

Home, my friends. We fly home on Christmas morning. Ready to unwrap the gift of 2013.

As the blog rests quietly during this last stretch of December and we amble down from our mountaintop milestone of completing a year of travel abroad, I’m happy to share my final Beautiful Ideas Help the World post of 2012.

While moving from continent to continent, living out of a backpack, I’ve been unable to pack souvenirs home for everyone, but I’m grateful to be hosting giveaways along with each Beautiful Ideas post, offering friends and readers a little chance at something special from overseas while highlighting projects impacting lives through beauty, creativity, and entrepreneurship.

Feature Four: Hand & Cloth: Bangladesh
Enter to be in the giveaway for this beautiful, one-of-a-kind Hand & Cloth “No. 2” blanket from the Blue & Gray Silk Collection by leaving a comment; read below for the full story.

How do you enter to win this lovely green and gold and blue hand-stitched silk blanket?

Easy!

I’m not a fan of gimmicky giveaways, so I’m not requiring tweets or follows, but I’m providing links to Hand & Cloth, and I’d love to invite you to follow the project’s story and think about purchasing from them the next time you want your dollars and cents to go toward something beautiful.

To enter the giveaway, simply leave a comment below answering one of the following questions. (Leave a second comment answering the other question if you’d like to enter twice.)

A) What mountain top (literal or figurative) have you reached after a series of diligent footsteps?

B) What reminder makes you feel most comfortable in your own skin?

Giveaway is open to anyone, anywhere. (That means you lovely international readers as well!) All you need is a mailing address. Winner will be chosen at random and notified by email. If winner does not respond within 48 hours, a new winner will be selected and notified. See here for full giveaway terms and details.

Giveaway closes at 11:59pm Pacific Standard Time (that’s Oregon!), on Saturday, January 5th (the one-year anniversary of the beginning of our journey around the world).

Destinations, South America

Beautiful Ideas Help the World: SOUTH AMERICA {Knitting Peace Giveaway}

November 26, 2012

This Cyber Monday, let me introduce you to a different deal. While stores are luring spenders with sales and northern hemisphere folk are preparing for winter holidays, imprisoned women in Bolivia are crafting beautiful artisan goods to support their families and better their lives, empowered by local La Paz based social enterprise Knitting Peace.

Over the past few months, I’ve been featuring organizations I personally love in the Beautiful Ideas Help the World series. These project are impacting lives all over the globe through beauty, creativity, and entrepreneurship. Since I can’t bring back souvenirs for everyone, I’m hosting giveaways along with each post, to offer each of you a little chance at something special from overseas.

Feature Three: Knitting Peace: La Paz, Bolivia

Enter to win this gorgeous hand-knit alpaca wool throw (valued at $180.00!) by leaving a comment; read below for the full story.

The photo above features Knitting Peace’s alpaca wool throw worn as a wrap. The fiery orange was such a hit that it’s sold out already for the season! Giveaway winner to choose between available bone and heather grey colors.

I’m not a fan of gimmicky giveaways, so I’m not requiring tweets or follows, but I’m providing links to Knitting Peace, and I’d love to invite you to follow the project’s story and think about purchasing from them the next time you want your dollars and cents to go toward something beautiful.

To enter the contest, simply leave a comment below answering one of the following questions. (Leave a second comment answering the other question if you’d like to enter twice.)

A) What comes to mind when you think of Bolivia?

B) What handmade gift have you been most proud to make or most honored to receive?

Giveaway closes at 11:59pm Pacific Standard Time (that’s Oregon!), on Thursday, December 6th. Continue Reading…

Destinations, India

Beautiful Ideas Help the World: ASIA {Sari Bari Giveaway}

October 26, 2012

If you’ve been following updates here on my travel blog, you know that this fall I’ve been giddy to launch a new series, Beautiful Ideas Help the World, featuring organizations I personally love, impacting lives all over the globe through beauty, creativity, and entrepreneurship. Since, sadly, I can’t bring back souvenirs for everyone, I’m hosting giveaways to go along with these posts, to offer each of you a little chance at something special from overseas.

Feature Two: Sari Bari: Kolkata, India
Enter to win a re-purposed sari bag by leaving a comment; read below for the full story.

How do you enter to win one of these beautiful sari fabric hobo bags from Sari Bari?
This is my personal Sari Bari bag I’ve been carting around the world, pictured here on the beaches of Zanzibar next to little coral treasures. See below for a photo of the lovely gray and gold bag featured in the giveaway.

Easy!

I’m not a fan of gimmicky giveaways, so I’m not requiring tweets or follows, but I’m providing links to all the relevant Sari Bari information, and I’d love to invite you to follow the project’s story and think about purchasing from them the next time you want your dollars and cents to go toward something beautiful.

To enter the contest, simply leave a comment below answering one of the following questions. (Leave a second comment answering the other question if you’d like to enter twice.)

A) How many bags do you usually take on an out-of-state or overseas trip?

B) Beyond a Sari Bari bag, which other beautiful re-purposed sari item would you love to call your own? Take a look at their line! – throws, table runners, bedcovers, baby blankets, makeup cases, jewelry rolls, scarves, computer sleeves…the list goes on and there’s no wrong answer.

Giveaway closes at 11:59pm Pacific Standard Time (that’s Oregon!), on Wednesday, November 7th. So, you can wait around until just about midnight on the 7th to enter (if you find yourself needing a distraction from US election results), or you can leave your name and answer below right now… Continue Reading…

Destinations, South Africa

Beautiful Ideas Help the World: AFRICA {Nakate Giveaway}

October 5, 2012

I am so excited for this post.

I’ve been scheming with some wonderful women for the past while, and I’m just
a little bit giddy to announce a new series on the blog: Beautiful Ideas Help the World.

Feature One: The Nakate Project: Uganda, Africa & Brooklyn, New York
Enter the beautiful beaded bracelet giveaway by leaving a comment; read below for the full story.

How do you enter to win this Mkole Wrap Bracelet debuting soon in Nakate’s Fall 2012 line?

Easy!

I’m not a fan of gimmicky give-aways, so I’m not requiring tweets or follows or whatnot, but I’m providing links to all the relevant Nakate information, and I’d love to invite you to follow the project’s story.

To enter the contest, simply leave a comment below answering one of the following questions. (Leave a second comment answering the other question if you’d like to enter twice.)

A) If you could visit any country/region in Africa in the next year, where would you go and why?

B) In the spirit of Nakate’s tagline, “Where will you take Africa?” – Where do you live and where would you wear this beautiful piece?

Giveaway is open to anyone, anywhere. (That means all of you lovely international readers as well!) All you need is a mailing address. Winner will be chosen at random and notified by email. If winner does not respond within 48 hours, a new winner will be selected and notified. See here for full giveaway terms and details.

Giveaway closes at 12:01am Pacific Standard Time (that’s Oregon!), on Wednesday, October 17th. So…you can wait around until just about midnight on October 16th to enter, or you can leave your name and answer below right now… Continue Reading…