Thursday, July 19, 2012

Cocktails and summer style

What does your summer drink of choice say about your personal style? Take this fun quiz to see what your favorite hot weather drink might say about your fashion sense!

Mojito

Traditionally, a mojito is a cocktail that consists of five ingredients: white rum, sugar (traditionally sugar cane juice), lime juice, sparkling water and mint. The original Cuban recipe uses spearmint or yerba buena, a mint variety very popular on the island. Its combination of sweetness, refreshing citrus and mint flavors is intended to complement the potent kick of the rum, and have made this clear highball a popular summer drink. This minty, refreshing drink pairs fresh mint and bubbly lime to create a refreshing summer drink that is as bright and fun as you are. If the simple classic taste of a mojito is your choice for summer, you'll love the crisp, clean look of our Cloud Forest Choker.


Choose the gorgeous long-length multi for a bright, fun summer look or the elegant sea green choker (shown) to compliment your perfect summer look.










Shirley Temple

A Shirley Temple is a non-alcoholic mixed drink made with ginger ale and a splash of grenadine, garnished with a maraschino cherry. Nowadays, lemon-lime soda is often substituted in part, or in whole, for ginger ale. This sweet pink cocktail brings to mind the innocent femininity of Shirley Temple herself.







If girly style is your forte, bring it out this summer with the Tagua Pathways Necklace, which beautifully brings to mind the sweet cherries that always top a Shirley Temple, adding a touch of vintage charm to your favorite summer looks.




Margarita

The margarita is a cocktail consisting of tequila mixed with orange-flavoured liqueur and lime or lemon juice, often served with salt on the glass rim. It is the most common tequila-based cocktail in the United States. The drink is served shaken with ice, on the rocks, blended with ice (frozen margarita) or without ice (straight up). Frozen or on the rocks, this sweet and sour summer cocktail makes a great choice when paired with Mexican food, and it shows off your fun, flirtatious style.





Show off that feminine fun with the Handmade Henri Clutch, perfect for a night out.







White Wine

White wines  are made from the grape juice and grape skin of green, gold or yellowish colored grapes or from just the juice (not the skin) of select red grapes (as in some Champagnes). They are more refreshing, lighter in both style and taste than the majority of their red wine counterparts, making them ideal for spring and summer occasions. Especially chilled, white wine shows off a refined, conservative style and a fondness for sparkle and shine.





Add an unexpected dash of hipster to your white wine style with the Floral Embossed Leather Link Belt. This beautiful handmade leather belt is as versatile as your favorite Pinot Grigio, making a perfect compliment to easy summer dresses or adding an extra touch to casual summer jeans and shorts; available in rich chocolate brown or delicate dusty rose.


Strawberry Lemonade

Strawberry lemonade takes the refreshing citrus flavor of traditional lemonade up a notch with the addition of sweet summer berries. This summer classic may seem like a delicate, feminine drink but it adds a particular dash of unexpected tartness with the lemon juice.





If strawberry lemonade is your summer drink, you've got a hidden streak of daring. Let it out to play with the Same Sky Glass Beaded Bracelet in sweet hibiscus pink, or add a spark with the dark and glittering electric sky.



Heather Hurd is a writer, blogger, and content management professional. As the mother to one incredible toddler, what little spare time she has involves a budding fitness fascination and lots of reading. (@SushiJammies)


Shopping for a Change® (SFAC) empowering others, transforming lives® is a web-based 501(c)(3) non-profit organization where artisans (predominantly women) from developing countries, sell their handmade creations enabling them to earn a sustainable income and lift themselves from poverty. The net proceeds subsidize community improvement projects abroad as well as help fund select U.S.-based non-profit organizations of the web shopper’s choosing from SFAC’s partner list.

Friday, July 13, 2012

What to Wear: Day in the City

If you're headed out for a day in the city, you want your look to be as functional as it is gorgeous. Looking for top quality handbags and eye-catching jewelry is just the beginning. You also want your jewels and accessories to be easy-wear, transitional pieces that can move from travel to work to play, from day to evening without requiring an extra bag just for the details.






For travel and casual wear, start with your favorite dark wash jeans and a simple top. Keep your clothing low-key and let your fashion pieces speak for your personal style. Cold on the train? Start with a chic hand-knit sweater that not only flatters your shape but supports the efforts of women artisans in Thailand. Carry everything from your favorite book to your essential beauty buys in the Angeline Sueded Hobo, perfectly paired in sleek buff or vibrant purple. Large and hand-stitched, this great bag is a statement piece that has more than enough room for business needs, weekend travel, or day-to-day use.


Fire up your city chic with can't-miss jewelry that supports the same amazing causes we're always promoting with Shopping for A Change®. Our amazing Petal Paper Earrings are made from paper, making them incredibly light and enviably eco-friendly. Available from Quazi Designs in a selection of one-of-a-kind bright, bold colors.  Rose is a perfect color choice for a delicate, feminine color palette paired perfectly with the daring silhouette and unexpected material of these unforgettable earrings.




Finish your urban warrior ensemble with the Piedra Wrap Bracelet. A hip combination of supple leather and vibrant Tagua from the Andean Collection is another hit for socially conscious fashion. Versatile and functional, this great bracelet manages to pull of casual chic and professional style in one fell swoop. Last step? Enjoy a fantastic, fashion-forward day in the city knowing your incredible personal style speaks volumes about not only your love of great fashion but a dedication to making a real difference all over the world.



Heather Hurd is a writer, blogger, and content management professional. As the mother to one incredible toddler, what little spare time she has involves a budding fitness fascination and lots of reading. (@SushiJammies)


Shopping for a Change® (SFAC) empowering others, transforming lives® is a web-based 501(c)(3) non-profit organization where artisans (predominantly women) from developing countries, sell their handmade creations enabling them to earn a sustainable income and lift themselves from poverty. The net proceeds subsidize community improvement projects abroad as well as help fund select U.S.-based non-profit organizations of the web shopper’s choosing from SFAC’s partner list.

Wednesday, July 4, 2012

Fashion for a Cause

Shopping, apparel, accessories, home decor... it's easy to get caught up in the sparkle of new jewelry or the luxury of an incredible bag. We all work hard for what we have, and sometimes these little indulgences are the perfect reward for all the hours we put in at work, school, and home. So what could make your shopping experience even better? What could improve the experience not only for you but for someone across the world who could use a helping hand?

Making a difference while you buy.

Shopping for a Change® is more than just a chance to get gorgeous goods with a little kickback to a charity. This is a new model on an old theme. It's giving back at its best, by turning dollars into dreams for indigenous and often impoverished artisans working to change the lives of their families, friends, and communities. By providing these incredibly talented artisans with exposure to US-based buyers who might otherwise have no chance to see their work, Shopping for a Change® gives consumers the chance to increase their social awareness while simultaneously getting their hands on unique accessories that truly make an impact in the lives of the artists.

More than that, this global fashion network brings intricate, culturally infused jewelry, apparel, accessories, and decor directly to first-world consumers in a secure shopping experience that allows traditional crafts to continue to flourish. Artisans set their own terms of payment for product, giving them full control over their site-generated income. Half of the net proceeds go toward funding community projects and grants that go even further to make a lasting impact for struggling communities. What happens to the other half of the net proceeds? They go to a nonprofit of the consumer's choice from a list provided at checkout, allowing you to make a difference both domestically and abroad.

During their first year of business, consumers' purchases helped fund the Tibane Water Project in Swaziland Africa, and this year's shopping will pay for a teacher's salary in rural Kenya. Partnering with non-profit organizations such as Unicef, Water Gives Life (Australian),  and T.R.A.D.E, the Leakey Collection's nonprofit arm, provides additional support and helps insure the funds are being used as they are designated.

Shopping for a Change® broadens the reach of every consumer dollar, and helps you make a difference in the world. So whenever you go shopping, go Shopping for a Change!

Empowering others, transforming lives®.


Heather Hurd is a writer, blogger, and content management professional. As the mother to one incredible toddler, what little spare time she has involves a budding fitness fascination and lots of reading. (@SushiJammies)


Shopping for a Change® (SFAC) empowering others, transforming lives® is a web-based 501(c)(3) non-profit organization where artisans (predominantly women) from developing countries, sell their handmade creations enabling them to earn a sustainable income and lift themselves from poverty. The net proceeds subsidize community improvement projects abroad as well as help fund select U.S.-based non-profit organizations of the web shopper’s choosing from SFAC’s partner list.