random acts of flowers

It's so simple, so loving...I'm crazy about Random Acts of Flowers!

RAF recycles and repurposes flowers and distributes them to individuals in healthcare facilities across the country...so cool!!

Random Acts of Flowers’ mission is driven by floral recipients, and strives to be a 100% recycling organization.

With more than 500 volunteers making up the core of the operations and mission fulfillment around the country, if you've got the time, they would love to include you in the volunteer team at a branch near you.

Please check out their story here.

Totally Smitten!

right-sized, go-to make-up bag - All Across Africa

This is just a simply perfect gift for any pal in your life that deserves a little pick-me-up. It's bright, colorful, chic, and functional. Would make a divine gift for bridesmaids as well...filled with all their favorite beauty effects!

 ·      Approximately 5” X 4”

·      African cotton print fabric with plastic liner

·      Made in Burundi

These right-sized, go-to bags are made with pride by youth from the north of Burundi, trained to create income for their families and future. 

All Across Africa is a Benefit Corporation. A new, revolutionary class of corporation, working to create a positive impact on society and the environment without losing sight of their bottom line.

It's a healthy, sustainable business model, which does not rely solely on fundraising and donations.

Their work reaches deep into rural villages in the under-served areas of rural Africa, providing artisans with a "market bundle" that includes education, finance, materials, training and market access.

While financial aid has many benefits, All Across Africa believes providing jobs and promoting self-sufficiency, creates a true partnership between the artisans and the market.

"It allows us to offer training to create the highest quality product so that each season there is a market for their outstanding workmanship."

Smitten again!!

vegan goodness - Matt & Nat

I would be totally remiss to not include Matt & Nat (Vegan handbags) on my shopping blog at this stage! I've recently been looking for a new summer bag...I truly have found nothing I feel good about purchasing. Then I came across this red cross body from Matt & Nat...sold!

Founded by Montreal-based designer Inder Bedi in 1997, Matt & Nat offer sophisticated styles, a delicious palette of colors, and environmentally conscious, well-designed vegan handbags to the world of fashion.

The name is inspired by MAT(T)erial and NATure, and “means exploring the synergy between the two, the reflection of one on the other."

“At Matt & Nat, we live by a simple motto, ‘Live beautifully’. Living beautifully means appreciating the humanity, creativity and positivity found in all of us. Our values include social responsibility, excellence, inclusiveness, integrity, learning, authenticity, and, of course, love. We are inspired by the textures and hues of nature, and to better protect it, we aim to constantly better our ways.”

Crafted from smooth Vegan leather and lined with 100% recycled plastic bottles, the entire Matt & Nat line is good for animals, the planet, and us two legged creatures as well.

The concern for sustainability is evident in their manufacturing process and their usage of sustainable materials such as rubber and cork. You can read about their ethics & sustainability practices here.

I am entirely Smitten with Matt & Nat's genius craftsmanship and inspirational business practices!!

Check them out on social media...they've got a lot to share! 

jewels brimming with good will - Fortuned Cuture

I am so incredibly grateful for the inspiration and energy that the companies and organizations I write about enkindle in me.

Fortuned Culture, founded by Eritrean American entrepreneur, Azie Tesfai, is a recent revelation. An incomparable jewelry line with good will intentions of hope and change for the world. 

Each of her collections reflects the culture of its collaborating charity, while symbolizing what the charity hopes to achieve. Fortuned Culture is currently working with the Fregenet Foundation in Ethiopia, that provide early childhood education to children from lower income families. They also work with Corazon de Vida in Mexico, whose work supports orphanages in Baja.

This article features her Health Bracelet, priced at $30. This splendid, delicate adornment will feed a child in an Ethiopian school, 65 meals! She wants to remind consumers that they can make a difference with every dollar they spend, "Why not buy something beautiful and help feed a group of children."

Through the farsightedness of Fortuned Culture, the consumer has an observable way of connecting to a charity and the goals it seeks.

The team at FC, tell each culture’s story beautifully, giving the consumer an insight into the impact that their contribution will have.

I am Smitten with this collaboration of charity and art!

[All of Azie Tesfai's hard work caught the attention of TOMS, and Fortuned Culture is now a part of TOMS Marketplace - ever working to change the consumer’s perspective on spending.]

campfires, candles and clean water - Obakki

I'm from Minnesota, where there is nothing more reminiscent of home, or comforting to my senses, as the scent of a smoldering campfire.

Creating that scent in Southern California, without a fireplace, is virtually impossible. But Treana Peake has created a candle that if I close my eyes, takes me right back to Kabekona Lake in July.

The Obakki Cinder Candle smells of roasted coals, river stones and dry wood...and when purchased, helps provide clean water in other parts of the world.

100% of all candle proceeds go toward Obakki projects.

Treana Peake is an avid traveler and leading humanitarian, and founded Obakki in 2005. Based in Vancouver, the luxury label is an extension of Peake. The Obakki Foundation is Obakki's philanthropic counterpart, a registered charity that focuses on providing clean water and education in Africa.

Obakki absorbs all the administrative fees of the charity, allowing 100% of the foundation's donations to go directly to its charitable initiatives.

So Smitten!

beauty basically - LUSH

So the brightly colored, delectable smelling party that is LUSH (created by Mark Constantine and Liz Weir) has been going strong since 1995. At that time I was addicted and dedicated to another product line and could not be swayed. But as my concern for our environment, our animals and our planet has exponentially increased over the last several years...LUSH has landed smack dab on my radar!

I feel particularly concerned about the amount of materials companies continue to use to package their merchandise. Plastic wrappers around tubes of product, that are then boxed, then sealed again with a much harder plastic...ridiculous! It's a problem, one that LUSH has been addressing for years with their innovative solid beauty products. Sold like produce at an open market, with ingredients and aromas to heighten the luxury.

Today I shine a light on their artful shampoo bars. Long lasting, concentrated, packed with active ingredients and essential oils (with 14 different flavors to choose)...and will do the job of 2-3 bottles of liquid shampoo!

No packaging whatsoever, it sits in a soap dish on the side of the tub. Perfect.

Lather. Rinse. Repeat.  The bars last for up to 80 washes for lavish locks every time.

LUSH products are 100% vegan.

LUSH are against animal testing and are supporters of animal rights and welfare.

LUSH are charitable and support environmental conservation and human rights.

LUSH works tirelessly to leave a small carbon footprint behind.

Smitten!!

in philly?...Rosa's Fresh Pizza!

A simple, friendly, loving gesture = how we might save ourselves, and the planet.

Mason Wartman, spent three years on Wall Street...then he left to open Rosa's Fresh Pizza in Philadelphia.

Rosa's serves hot, cheesy, yummy slices of pie to their regulars...those with homes, and those without.

Not like any other pizza shop, colorful Post-its cover the walls and each note represents a free slice of pizza, paid for by other customers.

Homeless can come into Rosa's and exchange one of the Post-its for a free slice.

So far, Rosa’s has given away 9,000 slices.

Wartman says he didn’t come up with helping the homeless, rather he just wanted to provide a place to grab a $1 slice, like you could in New York. It was his customers who came up with paying it forward...one dollar and slice at a time.

Rosa’s serves about 40 homeless customers every day and each patron is recognized like any other paying customer.

Wartman says he named his restaurant after his mother, Rose..."I think she's proud.”

Daily, directly, openly, gently helping one another...this is the world in which we all want to live in.

This business model truly knocks my socks off! Well, well done Mason!

Absolutely Smitten.

for the love of elephants - The Elephant Art Gallery

What a unique and creative idea...Elephant paintings! These 9000 pound elephants create rare and striking works of art at The Thai Elephant Conservation Center (TECC) in Lampang, Thailand.

The TECC is 19 years old and works in elephant conservation science. They are focused primarily on the care and wellness of Thailand’s elephants, 2,700 of which live on private grounds. They operate an onsite hospital and Thailand's first mobile clinic, which treats sick and injured elephants free of charge.

Asian elephants are an endangered species. If something isn't done to halt the rapid decline in numbers, it is likely that within the next 50 years, this amazing creature will be gone forever.

The TECC in conjunction with The Elephant Art Gallery (TEAG) found a genius solution with Elephant art...selling paintings in order to raise awareness and funds for the preservation of this endangered species.

While the elephants are painting, they are unaided in the creative process by humans. Elephants understand spatial awareness and are able to apply strokes within the confines of the paper.

Each piece is original...and a blessing.

This painting was created by Thanwa. Glorious. This painting being sold through Design With Benefits.

These are cool. I am Smitten.

a splendid union - Stella Artois & Water.org

This is just a no brainer of a post for me. I grew up in Minnesota, where we are practically bred on beer. When I didn't know any better, I drank Coors...I now drink Stella Artois.

When I heard that the Belgian beer makers had officially announced a partnership with Water.org at the Sundance Film Festival in January, I literally jumped out of my chair. 

Women in developing countries spend a combined 200 million hours a day walking for miles to collect clean water for their families. To raise awareness of this issue and to help provide solutions, Stella Artois has launched its first global social impact campaign, “Buy a Lady a Drink."

With the support of Water.org and its co-founders Matt Damon and Gary White, “Buy a Lady a Drink” aims to help put a stop to this global water crisis.

These entities have come together to tell the stories of women around the world who take these long journeys for water. The stories focus on what it is like to live without water...and the betterment of life with it.

All videos currently take place in India. However, you can buy a limited edition Stella beer chalice with patterns that represent India, Ethiopia or Honduras. For every chalice you buy, Stella gives an extra $6.25 to Water.org - enough to provide one person clean water for five years.

Stella has made an outstanding $1.2 million donation to Water.org to date.

Love this partnership. Totally Smitten.

socially conscious since 2007 - FEED

I cannot do a blog about conscious gifts and giving and not write about Lauren Bush Lauren, who had the brilliant idea in 2007 of founding FEED. 

As an Honorary Student Spokesperson for the World Food Programme she had witnessed the effects of hunger firsthand and decided FEED’s mission would be: "Creating Good Products That Help FEED the World."

The conscious company’s first creation was the FEED 1 Bag, a reversible burlap and organic cotton bag stamped with "FEED the Children of the World" and the number '1' to signify that each bag would provide enough meals to feed one child in school for one year.

Every product sold has a measurable donation attached to it. To date, FEED has been able to provide nearly 84 million meals globally through the WFP and Feeding America. FEED has also supported nutrition programs around the world, providing over 3.6 million children with Vitamin A supplements through the WFP and the U.S. Fund for UNICEF.

Throughout the years, FEED has also forged successful partnerships with Target, Disney, Pottery Barn, Clarins, Whole Foods Market, Gap, Tory Burch, Rachel Roy, DKNY, Links of London, Godiva and TOMS, among many others.

Smitten with FEED.

100 beads at a time - 100 Good Deeds

In the world of charming, fashionably conscious jewelry, the 100 Good Deeds bracelet is at the top my list. Engaging colors, beautiful, hip...and glamorous! 

In 2000, artist and activist Mary Fisher, was asked by the White House AIDS office to act as a Special Representative of the UN and travel to Africa. While there, Mary worked with those affected by poverty, violence and the stigma attached to HIV. 

Mary started the Abataka foundation to partner with these women by designing jewelry that they could make and thereby earn a positive, sustainable living. 

In 2012, Mary released her memoir Messenger, and also met filmmaker Thomas Morgan. He shared with Mary a game that he and his family created, where they would complete 100 good deeds anonymously. 

Mary was Smitten and responded by designing the 100 Good Deeds bracelet. Each bracelet is hand-braided with one hundred glass beads and a single rubber ring. After wrapping it around your wrist, each time you do a good deed, you move the rubber ring one bead closer to the 1GD charm.

"The motivation behind the 100 Good Deeds collection is to inspire simple acts of kindness around the world." ~ Mary Fisher 

The bracelet serves as a reminder to pay it forward, and has found ambassadors in celebrities like Susan Sarandon, Katie Holmes and Naomi Watts.

Smitten!