Category Archives: Registry

June 12, 2011 · 8:00 am

Sunday Spotlight: A New Kind of Registry

Undoubtedly registering for wedding gifts is one of the most fun parts of the whole planning process. It is a great way to relieve a little stress and just make a crazy wishlist of household items. However with many couples co-habitating long before they say “I Do” registries are also one of the most common ways couples decide to give back through their big day. Charity registries are building in popularity as couples no longer have a need for new toasters and a fancy set of china. But for those couples that still do need to stock their cupboards and linen closets there is an option that is the best of both worlds. Seven Hopes United is a virtual mall for fair trade items that improve the lives of people all over the world. Not only are the items handmade by artisans in varying countries which gives them a dignified and substantial way to earn a living but Seven Hopes United also gives a portion of sales back to the communities that the goods are made in. The biggest bonus in my eyes other than giving back is that you get unique, handmade items that are truly a work of art in themselves.

I asked Ashley, the founder of Seven Hopes United or as she calls herself, the Co-Dreamer, about the concept, why she wanted to do it, and what fair trade means to people around the world and this is what she had to say:


Seven Hopes United is a not just for profit fair trade organization that was started as a way to provide a greater opportunity and the chance to earn a fair wage to marginalized producers around the globe. It all started the summer of 2009, after a trip to Central America, by the fusing of an entrepreneurial spirit & a passion to make a difference.
As individuals we feel we have the responsibility to inspire and challenge the people around us. Our dream as a business is to change the world and enrich lives through economic empowerment. We are here with the hope that as consumers we would recognize how our purchases affect people of the world. If every American made just ONE Fair Trade purchase a year, it would lift ONE million families out of poverty.

Our fair trade partnerships provide living wages to our producers, and offer alternatives to the poor working conditions and low wages common in developing countries. We decided to include a gift registry option as an opportunity for couples to share their passion and hope to make a difference in the world with their family and friends. For most couples, a wedding registry is an exciting opportunity to acquire both necessary and coveted home accessories to help build a new life together. But for a growing number of brides and grooms, the desire to receive gifts is balanced by the need to act responsibly toward society and the environment – which means limiting unnecessary consumption and choosing items that are produced in a globally conscious way. For them, the Seven Hopes United Fair Trade Gift Registry provides an opportunity to not only receive beautiful handmade gifts for their home, but give back as well.

One of the most exciting things for us as a Company and for our customers is how their fair trade gifts are making a difference around the world. It is wonderful to speak with our artisans, to hear their stories of how the fair trade market has given them hope, brought them out of poverty, and enabled them to support themselves and their families. All of Seven Hopes United products are produced by Fair Trade Federation members, which means the artisans are paid a fair wage. Just by registering with Seven Hopes United, registrants are able to raise charitable contributions that are invested in community development initiatives throughout Africa, Asia, Latin America, and the Middle East. Ten percent of Seven Hopes United’s net profits are donated back into artisan communities to help provide clean water, schools, and health care to thousands of residents who would otherwise be unable to access these basic necessities.

You can find a lot of information regarding our organization and what we do on our website. Please visit the What is Fair Trade? page to learn more about how fair trade is changing lives, and our About Us page to learn a bit more about our commitments as a Fair Trade Company, the meaning of our name, our logo, etc.

Pretty awesome don’t you think? In addition to household items they also have gorgeous jewelry and even handbags so it is great for just everyday gift giving or just a little retail therapy! By registering for gifts that give back not only will you be making an impact on other people’s lives but you will also be exposing your friends and family to this great cause!

Thank you so much Ashley for sharing a little about Seven Hopes United!

*All photos are from the Seven Hopes United website.

 

4 Comments

Filed under Charity, Registry, Sunday Spotlight

Tagged as , , ,

May 2, 2011 · 8:00 am

A Royal Wedding Decision Worth Duplicating

Happy Monday Friends! Did anyone else have what felt like a hangover after watching the Royal Wedding on Friday? I surely did but I won’t lie I still stalked pictures and news all weekend long. Something funny and completely fantastic occurred this weekend as well. Late last week I revealed to Kyle that I would in fact be waking up to watch the wedding. He pretty much told me I was out of my mind and that there was no need to wake up at 3am when I could easily watch all the coverage the next day. I tried to relate it to a sports game (something he loves) by saying that he would never wait and watch the recap or simply check the score. He wants to watch those events live and so did I, even if it meant getting up at 3am. As Friday rolled around I told him that he might want to sleep in the guest room so he wouldn’t have to be woken up. He said he didn’t care and that he’d just sleep through it. Well at 1am on Friday I woke up (even though my alarm was set for 2:30am- I was just too excited) and to my amazement he watched with me. We made tea, remarked on all the details, talked about what it would be like to live their lives, etc. It was perfectly fabulous. At 4:30am we went back to sleep. I appreciated him not only being super nice about the whole thing but actually watching it with me. On Friday I was making strong efforts not to talk about it anymore as I figured he had enough of it. Then he said to me on Friday afternoon- “I don’t know about you but I didn’t care less about this wedding until we watched it. Now I am obsessed and can’t stop looking at stuff online.” Seriously you guys, he said that. He is obsessed with the royal wedding?!?! Yes, I married the perfect man as if I had any doubt! Don’t tell him I told you that story- he might get embarassed.

{Source} Isn’t this picture adorable and gorgeous all at the same time!

Ok after today I swear you will never hear me talk about the Royal Wedding again. On the blog anyway. But there is one less talked about element of their wedding worth noting. Of course everyone assumes that this wedding- the dress, the bouquet, the veil…- will all set trends for weddings for the rest of the year and many, many more years to come. However the less common news is that the Royal Couple asked their guests to donate to charity in lieu of giving them gifts. I actually read somewhere that this is unprecedented. (They must not read this blog as I know many of you have considered that.) But it is unprecedented for someone of their status to do something like that. So I started to think about all the celebrities that have gotten married recently and I couldn’t think of one that I had heard of who was giving or donating or asking anyone to donate money to charity on their behalf. Crazy right? It almost seems like a given that a couple such as this one would have no need for gifts at all and should absolutely use the opportunity to give back. William and Kate selected five causes that were important to them in some way and will use any funds donated by their guests or other people (even you can donate to their fund!) to support the selected causes. To donate or to learn more about the causes you can visit the Charitable Gift Fund website. The five causes selected are below. They selected lesser known organizations in an effort to raise more awareness for them.

While the total amount raised has not yet been disclosed many people, guests and spectators alike have been inspired,  not only by the couple’s generosity but the foresight to even create such an option.

If this wedding sets any trend, my hope is that it encourages other couples to give back in any small way they see fit on their big day. Most of us don’t have the luxury of having a lifestyle like the Royal Couple but many people now days do live together prior to being married and already have a house hold full of what people normally give as wedding gifts. Whether you decide to offer it as the only option for wedding gifts or in combination with a traditional registry, I have a feeling you will get much more satisfaction knowing your wedding helped to save or change lives than you will from a new set of pots and  pans. In addition taking the time to select causes that are really  important to you as a couple will give guests an intimate glimpse inside your life as a couple and may even inspire them to get involved too!

10 Comments

Filed under Charity, Registry

Tagged as , , ,

June 7, 2010 · 2:54 pm

When Traditional Registry’s Fail

While I love the idea of having a scanning gun at my disposal to casually walk around various stores and point that laser on anything I desire, I don’t trust myself to make smart decisions. I mean the power from that gun would likely make me scan happy and my registry is bound to wind up with several things I would never want, use or need in a normal situation. Perhaps that’s the point but I know in the long run I don’t want a bunch of kitchen gadgets sitting in a drawer. Or perhaps you already have your fair share of household items and you can’t scan enough items to fill your list. Well, it’s time to get creative. This may only work for tech savvy friends and family who don’t mind ordering things off the internet. Not that I think you have to be tech savvy to order things online but my Grandma would. Anyway create a customized e-registry with links to various things you want online, things you can’t find in stores, and things you will truly use. Here’s a few fun finds I came across today.

From Delight.com comes the Concealed book shelf. Perfect for book lovers or for someone wanting some unique art. Think thrift store, old books stacked mysteriously on the wall, with a candle and various other knick knacks set on top. I love these.

From the Wine Rack Boutique comes none other than a wine rack. Chic, modern and functional. A perfect way to dress up that awkward wall in your kitchen.

Let me tell you a few things I learned about coffee, it’s not all about the beans. Of course beans are important but a crappy coffee pot can ruin them. Manual drip is the way to go because you can control the temperature of the water. From what I hear water should be 200 degrees and most coffee pots fluctuate at best producing “burnt” or “uncooked” coffee. This is awesome too because it doesn’t take up any space on the counter. For the most delicious coffee you’ll ever experience go here.

How about some eco-friendly fair trade art? This piece is made from an oil drum. Definitely better than a lasagna pan, no?

What are you registering for?

Leave a Comment

Filed under Registry

Tagged as , , , , , ,