These golden, dangly, fun earrings are made from magazine paper! Rolled into delicate cylinders and strung onto these perfectly sized hoops. Light and pretty, a compliment to any outfit day or night.
I've written about Global Goods Partners in the past...because I positively love what they do!
Smitten again and again.
This uncomplicated, elegant, confident piece of jewelry for men has a power all its own. The craftsmanship is bold and distinguished...adventuresome. Pig and Hen have created a line of jewelry for men..."meant to survive a lifetime, stronger than steel and will age like your wrinkled face."
I landed in Amsterdam a couple of days ago for a reunion with my husband who was working on a film just outside the city. We had been apart for too many weeks...I love buying him gifts...I wanted to find something special to commemorate our reconnection.
While strolling Rozengracht that first afternoon, I landed at the door of Les Deux Freres - a posh, distinctive men's store that beckoned me in with its heavy lush aroma. I went straight to the accessories counter, and there were these black shackle and rope arm bands. I really liked the titanium toggle and the monikers, this one is called "Legendary Larry".
I am totally notablySmitten with Pig and Hen's message and story:
In the early 1600’s the Dutch were the leading nation sailing out to unknown parts of the world, with the biggest naval fleet the world had ever seen. With some serious sea legs, they discovered new lands, different ways of life but also ran into some big obstacles along the way.
To protect themselves against bad luck the men had a tattoo of a pig and a hen on their feet. It was believed it gave the sailors the ability to survive when they had to abandon ship.
The sailors felt they would be able to find land, just like the Pig and Hen who were kept in wooden crates and thus floated, and would let the tide bring them home.
Pig&Hen will save your life, even in a tight situation.
Their bracelets are handmade in Amsterdam, using authentic ship rope...they carry on the Dutch legacy.
Yes, Smitten.
With a golden shimmer of utility, and an uncomplicated, effortless, delicate design...the Honeybee bangle from Half United is a must gift, coupled with a grace-filled benefit.
With $200 in their pockets and a desire to make a difference, sibling duo Carmin and Christian Black established Half United in 2009. They are fighting hunger one radiant, handsome piece of jewelry at a time - and that's brilliant.
The cost of seven meals is built into each product, so you can wear your fight against hunger proudly! Half United provides meals fro hungry children in Fiji, Haiti, Cambodia and the USA.
notablySmitten first wrote about HU in August 2015...I am so happy to support this growing organization.
Yes, Smitten!!
How about displaying pics, art, inspirational memes or quotes in this absolutely delicious alternative to a classic frame. Reclaimed wood, simple, elegant...stylish.
Holstee met the team from Urban Ashes, a company that creates with reclaimed wood, and also works and trains formerly incarcerated individuals.
The frames are handcrafted using wood taken from deconstructed homes and buildings in the Detroit Metro Area...excellent!! (The frames themselves are put together in Ann Arbor, MI.)
"We are proud that through our work with Urban Ashes, we are able to give both the wood of these frames, and the craftsman and women who assemble them, a second chance." ~ Holstee
Holstee also creates outstandingly dynamic letterpress stationary, cards and paper goods made from 50% elephant poo and 50% recycled paper! Handmade, acid free and 100% natural.
Reclaimed wood...elephant poo?
Totally Smitten!
The Summer Lovin Necklace Stack from The Shine Project is the perfect accompaniment to a sundress or beachy outfit. We love it when doing good, looking good and feeling good are all wrapped into one great accessory!
The Shine Project’s jewelry line was born from blogger Ashley LeMieux’s desire to provide scholarships for her under-prepared and potentially college-bound mentees. What started as a group of students making friendship bracelets in Ashley’s condo - initially called Threads by The Shine Project - has grown into a full fledged for-profit company with a beautiful line of accessories. Thier mission is to provide scholarships, life experience, employment and mentoring to teens who otherwise would not have the resources to seek higher education. Since 2011, The Shine Project has provided over 40 Scholarships, and currently employs 11 inner city students at their Phoenix, Arizona workspace. In addition to the support from product purchases, 100% of direct donations go to providing books and supplies to their scholarship recipients.
Shine on! Smitten.
Lamon Luther is a furniture company who, in their own words, “turn brokenness into beauty”. Brian Preston founded Lamon Luther in 2007 after meeting a group of homeless men living in a tent village in the woods of suburban Georgia. After learning that many of the men were skilled construction workers and laborers who lost jobs after the economic crisis, Preston realized that meaningful employment was the key to transitioning out of addiction and homelessness. He started first by picking up men each day to take odd jobs, and slowly grew into a furniture company. Providing hope, pride, and a source of income has made all the difference in the lives of Lamon Luther’s craftsmen.
Brian Preston
Today, partnering with huge companies like West Elm has allowed Lamon Luther to grow into a steady and reliable employment source for skilled laborers who strive to break their cycle of poverty. Using over 240,000 lbs of reclaimed materials and hiring only homeless or transitioning craftsmen, Lamon Luther has built thousands of beautiful tables, cabinets, bookshelves and benches in Douglasville, GA.
Strong, hopeful and Smitten.
Unlock Hope’s Africa Key Necklace is a beautiful gift with a very serious mission as it’s namesake. A relatively new organization with an ambitious focus, Unlock Hope works hard to fully fund the Think Humanity Hostel in Uganda solely through their sales!
Too often, girls in small villages do not advance past primary school, often leading to early marriages and large families that are difficult to care for without any education or skills. In 2012, the Think Humanity Hostel began in Uganda as a place for 30 orphaned girls to break the cycle of poverty with an education, basic life skills, and entrepreneurial training in a yearly “Girls' Leadership Summit”. Think Humanity believes that “patience pains, but later pays”, and the success of the girls living in their hostel is proof of that being true. Unlock Hope has an exclusive partnership with Think Humanity, and because of their sales were able to 100% fund the hostel’s budget last year!
Unlock Hope’s Africa Key necklace is a great reminder of how much has already been achieved, as well as how much more is still needed globally.
Hopeful and Smitten.
Beautiful designs and an innovative approach to creation make Anekdot a notablySmitten favorite!
Pictured here is the Cherry Blossom Set. Sheer, pink and perfect.
Anekdot is an innovative and unique company that approaches fashion and creativity in a totally revolutionary way. Rather than designing undergarments and seeking textiles to fulfill those visions, they focus first on the fabrics and allow those vintage and reclaimed textiles to dictate the designs and collections.
The result of this process is a beautiful collection of bras, knickers and loungewear that leaves a significantly smaller ecological footprint by minimizing waste and shifting the fashion industry’s level of responsibility.
Anekdot turns left-behinds and leftovers into beautiful, wearable collections!
Forward-thinking...We're Smitten.
Cynthia Koenig has spent the last two years creating an extremely innovative solution to a very real problem in Rajathsan: the gathering and storing of clean water. Simply put, water collecting eats up a large portion of the day for many women and is very taxing on the body. The Wello WaterWheel is a deceptively simple tool that allows up to 45liters of water at a time to be gathered and safely stored by simply pushing the wheel like a cart.
Wello claims that 1 in 7 people globally lives more than a kilometer from the nearest water source, and most women carry 20 liters on average (weighing around 45lbs) at a time. It is also estimated that 75% of the girls between the ages of 15-17 in Rajathsan drop out of school to help with the household. Water gathering is a slow, tiring process and almost exclusively a woman’s job.
With the WaterWheel, women are able to dramatically improve their daily life with an estimated 35 hours a week saved by no longer gathering water in a traditional method! They have time to work a job and produce income, have more water each day to keep their home clean, are able to properly hydrate their families, and can create better irrigation for their crops. All of these factors are key elements to breaking the poverty cycle.
Interested in donating.
We’re so excited to see Wello reach their full potential as they begin distributing WaterWheels this year.
Inspired and Smitten.
Mela Artisans’ gold and turquoise Cleopatra Earrings are fit for a queen! I love that they are completely handmade, as well as their slightly retro shape, bold color palette, and traditional elegance!
After a life-long appreciation for the handcrafted goods and jewelry from India, father-daughter duo Navroze S. Mehta and Sonali Mehta Rao recognized a growing problem for indigenous artisans - the ability to market their products and sustain their livelihood. After reading one too many articles about artisans trading their time-honored skills for unskilled laborer jobs in large cities, Mela Artisans was created as a platform to connect these craftsman to the global market, as well as preserve the traditional methods necessary to create these handicrafts.
In addition to this mission, Mela gives 1% of sales back to the artisans’ communities. This fund provides basic needs for these artisans to succeed as independent entrepreneurs, such as medical care for their families or solar energy for improved workshop lighting.
Mela translates to ‘Festival’ in Hindi, and I couldn’t agree more - their products come together as a true festival of beautiful handmade goods!
Smitten!
These vivid, recycled, wrapped, rubber bangles are so well constructed and hip, they make me happy!
Made With Love bracelets are made by a Women's Cooperative in Djenne', Mali, West Africa.
In 2007 designer Mary Jane Marcasiano formed MADE WITH LOVE. MWL is a global call to action, dedicated to raising funds and awareness for NGOs aiding women and children. Through the production and sale of products that provide a fair income for women in Brazil and Africa, Made With Love is addressing the need for aid.
Made With Love works in tandem with the Cygnet Foundation, which through the proceeds realized from art-related programs, seeks to help those in need: women and children, the homeless, the hungry as well as abandoned and endangered animals.
The women are paid a fair price for their work, so the money the bracelets provide create a means of support, and are sold to raise funds for L'Empire des Enfants.
L'Empire des Enfants is a center for homeless children from the streets of Dakar, Senegal. L'Empire grants shelter, meals, education and training programs. They also work with local organizations to return homeless children to their families.
Smitten.
What a choice way to start the New Year...this delectABLE, stackABLE ring from fashionABLE...talk about starting the new year with intention!
Delicate, feminine, dazzling, delightful.
These stamp rings can be custom made. All rings are 14K Gold Fill, Sterling Silver or 14K Rose Gold Fill. And you can choose up to 5 characters per ring.
That being stated, I like the idea of wearing the ABLE ring to start the year. It's prescient...and sets the tone!
I adore fashionABLE and have written about them several times before here...and here.
Smitten one more time.
Exciting, eye-catching, ear candy: classic gold shimmering hoop earrings. Strung with metallic faceted beads...perfectly wearable day or night.
These yummy hoops are available in both Gold and Silver and have a 2 1/4" drop, with a 1 1/2" width.
I love these earrings, but I love the company behind them more.
Purpose jewelry, is handcrafted by survivors of modern-day slavery.
100% of the proceeds from Purpose benefit International Sanctuary, a non-profit that provides holistic care for young women rescued from sex trafficking.
When a girl escapes or is rescued from sex trafficking she is faced with an enormous level of trauma with very little support.
In 2007, International Sanctuary (iSanctuary) was created to address the needs of these young women through holistic care and empowerment. The women are offered mentorship, education, medical and dental care, scholarships, and micro-loans to prepare them for brighter futures.
In September 2014, International Sanctuary launched Purpose, a way to empower the survivors through employment and financial stability. The women are able to enjoy a healthy workplace, free to laugh and grow. A place that helps to transform these once victims, into skilled artisans, survivors...and thrivers.
Super Smitten!
I love the new oxidized finish on The Giving Keys classic necklaces. I wrote my first article about The Giving Keys when I was looking for an anniversary gift for my husband...something significant and loving.
I am grateful and thrilled that this organization exists. Go The Giving Keys!
My being Smitten continues...
Gracefully wrapped beads, delicately strung together to create dazzling neckwear. I couldn't love 31 Bits more!!
Perfectly named The Romantic...it is whimsical, hip and pretty. A simple strand of gold accent beads adorned by a row of marble shaped paper beads, here shown in Cream and Gold.
The Romantic is also available in: Cream, Black, Multi and Mint.
- Handmade in Uganda
- Beads are made from recycled paper
- Approximately 29" when laid flat
- Single strand
- Fastens with a button clasp
All their beads are made from recycled paper. "All accessories are handmade in Uganda with exceptional quality and sophisticated design."
More information on 31 Bits from notablySmitten.
Always and forever...Smitten.
notablySmitten introduced Half United in August of this year...and now these Gold Bar Rae Earrings! Divine and delightful...they come in silver and rose gold as well.
For every product purchased, Half United will give 7 meals to a child in need! Currently focused on the United States, Fiji, Cambodia and Haiti.
Food is really just the beginning for Half United. Currently primarily focused on hunger-alleviation, they also have strategically partnered with organizations that work hard to empower, educate, and inspire the children, families, and communities they feed.
...continue to be Smitten!
This Talisman necklace is a magnificent, elegant piece of jewelry...with an extraordinary story.
I introduced Article 22 to notablySmitten last year...and I am thrilled to continue to write about this unprecedented company.
Made by artisans in Laos. These jewelry pieces are made from a combination of Vietnam War era bombs, plane parts, and other aluminum scrap. Each Peacebomb is hand poured and cast in wood and ash molds.
This gorgeous neckpiece comes complete with story card and hand-woven cotton pouch.
Your choice of chain: rose gold, yellow gold or sterling silver.
Forever Smitten.
These are the most delicately crafted, perfect brass bangles! Thinking about a uniquely flawless bridesmaids gift? Well, these are it...Sole Sister Bangles!
The names imprinted into the metal are those of women that live a million miles away. The idea here is, that by wearing another woman's name on your arm, you are reminded that you are not alone, and that her life and story may not be all that different from your own.
These bangles represent the global community of tenacious, powerful, talented, loving women that we gals are all a part of.
After a trip to Uganda (shortly after completing University in 2008,) Liz Forkin Bohannon, became witness to the enormous gap in gender and education there. Concerned, she began to create relationships and connections with women living in severe poverty.
Without a question, she stayed in Uganda, and slowly began to build what is now an organization, Sseko Designs, that supports women with fair wages and a workplace founded on dignity, grace and dedication.
Sseko also supports women in Uganda with the work experience and money needed to go to University.
Wholeheartedly beautiful.
Entirely Smitten.
In August I came forward to speak about my experiences while working on the "The Cosby Show" back in 1989.
Though the show has been dropped from many networks that were still airing re-runs, I am still receiving residual checks.
I recently received my first couple of checks since coming forward.
This post is to share that these most recent checks, as well as any that come to me in the future, will be entirely donated to notablySmitten.com. The money will go to the running, the advertising and the support of all of the companies and organizations that notablySmitten...is Smitten by!
I am grateful to be able to use this money for the growth of this (joy generating for me) seed that is notablySmitten, to help it fully bloom.
Thank you for shopping through us! I am Smitten!
Yes, the "Darcy" necklace from Half United is delicate, charming...and tis' delightful. Handmade in Los Angeles, the charm is stamped with LOVE...literally. But the most important bit to know about the "Darcy" is that it feeds hungry children.
For every product purchased, Half United will give 7 meals to a child in need! Currently focused on the United States, Fiji, Cambodia and Haiti.
Food is really just the beginning for Half United. Currently primarily focused on hunger-alleviation, they also have strategically partnered with organizations that work hard to empower, educate, and inspire the children, families, and communities they feed.
Hangs on an elegant 18" gold plated chain. And also available with the words "GIVE" and "FEED"...
Smitten!