Fair trade beauties.....

Recently came across several mentions of the online store "Bhalo". Bhalo is a fair trade organization operating out of Bangladesh, with a mission to provide affordable, handcrafted fashion and empower the artisans as well! Look for yourself...

Gorgeous "Jamdani" print silk scarves....

Love the colors! They're perfect for summer and will transition beautifully into fall...

Love this cotton tunic.

a closer look at the fabric and embroidery.....

Little black tunic anyone? Made of 100% rajashahi silk...

Bhalo's mission statement:  "Our cotton is hand loomed and hand embroidered by women in rural Bangladesh, not only giving them much needed employment and training, but providing them with simple things that we take for granted - education/childcare for their children, basic healthcare, and most of all, dignity. We oppose human exploitation and feel everyone should be given the right to fair employment terms, and given a decent price for their work. Wouldn't you expect the same?"

The ladies who make the magic happen!! :)

(In case you're wondering about the podium-- these ladies won the local "sports day" races- photos from the Bhalo blog).

Visit them here and here to find out more.

Midwestern monsoons and nostalgia.....

Dear readers, do any of you remember the days when we actually wrote (and received) letters....some days I am visited with waves of nostalgia (especially when it rains and thunders like the monsoons--yup, we've been having some pretty rough weather here in the middle). The kind of days you wish you could just sip gallons of tea (don't try it- perfect recipe for heartburn)... Anyway, before I digress any further, let me show you what set me off on my trip down memory lane.....

Image: Indika Imports

That, gentle readers, is a letter pad- the sheets inside carry the same motif in miniature. I can just picture receiving a letter (preferably from my parents- my dad has the best handwriting ever!) on paper like this. I have very fond memories of my own very precious rice paper letter pad-of letters written in ink- there was a guide of ruled cardstock that you could slip under the sheets to get the spacing right. My letters were far from works of art though- (my handwriting's lousy and has only grown worse since I discovered computers). Nonetheless......many letters were written and I'm sure some may still be around in a little keepsake box my dad used to have. Every year, I look forward to my birthday because I know it will bring the customary card with pages filled with my mom's and dad's handwriting. Needless to say, there is a small keepsake box where I store my treasures. :)

Am I the only one old enough to remember pen and paper? Tell me it isn't so...