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Showing posts with label Glassybaby. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Glassybaby. Show all posts

Holiday Gift Guide: Give & Give Back

Usually I have gifts purchased or in view by the first week of December and am sitting in a pretty decent situation counting down the days until the 25th.  Usually.  For some reason this year is a repeat of last when I found myself in a bit of a frenzy, kind of stumped for what to buy and with only a couple tchotchkes tucked into the closet.  One thing I don't want to do is just click away at items on the internet to make it go away (although it is tempting). Giving meaningful gifts is half the fun of giving in the first place, so one thing I am planning to do is give at least one item that gives back to each member of my family.  It's really easy (at least for me) to get swept up in the excess of it all, even if I don't necessarily purchase mass amounts. And then without fail as I'm wrapping presents a degree of chagrin sweeps over as I think of thoughtful things left out that could have made an impact on someone else's life too.  So with that in mind here are a handful of wonderful goodies that can make a difference and do double duty at the holidays:
1. Pura Vida Bracelets - These are so cool to pile on and are the perfect stocking stuffer.  Pura Vida provides food, clothing and shelter for the 15 Costa Rican artisans who make these bracelets, and donates 1% of each bracelet sold back to The Surfrider Foundation, an organization dedicated to protecting oceans and beaches worldwide.
2. Glassbaby - I raved about Glassbaby last year (see here).  These votive holders are beautiful and come in a wide array of colors.  Different colors give to different causes, and one of my favorites to gift is the BFF.  A.  love the color.  B. 10% of proceeds go to the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Centers C. get your colors/sets here.
3. TOMS Shoes - I'm such a fan of TOMS.  For every pair of shoes sold, a pair is given to a child in need.  I recently had a chance to spend an afternoon at TOMS and left feeling so inspired and moved by the spirit of giving that permeates the company.  Everyone in my family is getting a pair this year.  Secret's out!
4. Made With Love Recycled Rubber Bracelets - made by a Women's Cooperative in West Africa, these bracelets not only provide the women who make them with a viable means of support, they are also sold to raise funds for L'Empire Des Enfants--a center for homeless children from the streets of Dakar, Senegal.  The center provides shelter, meals, education and training as well as works with local organizations to reunite children with their families.  I have a set of these bracelets and love them!
5. Mother and Child Candles - made in California by Maura Peters, all profits from these candles are donated to the Tibetan Healing Fund (THF) a not-for-profit humanitarian organization established to improve primary healthcare and education for rural Tibetan women and children in the Tibetan regions of the P.R. China.
6. Dutzi Design - this business is near and dear to me.  Founder Ariane Dutzi has become a dear friend and it's been wonderful to watch her business grow.  Ariane designs the bags and then empowers Mayan men and women, skilled craftspeople, to earn a living and set fair prices for their work as they bring her designs to life.

Do you consider/include gifts that give back in your holiday shopping?  If you have additional ideas, please leave in the comments.  I'm hoping to knock out some serious shopping this weekend!
Posted by Unknown at 10:39 PM, Add Comment
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Glassybaby (to the rescue)

The other day I was talking with a friend of mine expressing angst over hard-to-come-up-with last minute gift ideas.  I really like giving gifts with meaning and, having left things to the last minute this year (never again), was melting under the pressure.  Her voice lit up as she described Glassybaby - a product that I think is going to become one of my fave gifts to give and receive (Santa?, Santa?)


Glassybaby was founded by Lee Rhodes who, in 1998, was fighting a rare form of lung cancer and looking for an outlet to relieve stress.  She had given the gift of a glassblowing class to the father of her kids who, in turn, made and gifted Lee these candle holders in various colors.  They were an instant source of serenity as she filled them with votives and relaxed by their soothing colors.  By 2001 Lee began creating on her own and in 2003 opened her first store in Seattle having hired professional glass blowers to meet growing demands.  That location remains today as the primary store and studio, but two others have been added in University Village and Bellevue - as well as one in New York City.  How great is that?  

At the core of the company is a desire to give back.  Certain Glassybaby's give a portion of profits to various cancer charities.  I picked up the bff for a good friend of mine - I love knowing that 10% will be donated to Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. If you have your back against the wall and are looking for a last minute gift totally check out the site - there are so many wonderful colors to choose from I was like a deer in the headlights trying to narrow it down.

*UPDATE* The rain is still coming down and I could use about 700 Glassybaby's to relax by.  Is it January 2nd yet?  No.  To ease my pain are cookies.  Have you guys visited Mara at M Loves M?  She is one of my daily reads - I love her kind heart and great outfits, as well as the fun relationship she shares with her fiance.  Mara's been hosting a Christmas Cookie Recipe Exchange and featured my Thimble Cookies yesterday...totally check her out and read back through all the amazing and fun cookies that have been previewed!! I think these just might be the cutest ones I've ever seen.
Posted by Unknown at 1:34 AM, Add Comment
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