Hi Sweet Friends! Many of you saw on my Facebook page that I will be in and out until school begins for my children. Thank you for being so patient with me…these times are so fleeting with our little ones, aren’t they? I did, however, want to take a moment to share with you where I went the other night. Additionally, I have the opportunity to GIVE something away to YOU! Recently, my dear friend Katina and I met sweet Lisa Foster at our friend Brooke Taylor’s home (shout out to 95.5 The Fish!) where she was hostessing a “Noonday Collection Trunk Show”. Lisa is a Noonday Collection ambassador, which means she is a part of a team of women in this country who help develop a marketplace for jewelry and accessories hand-crafted by artisans in countries such as Ethiopia, Uganda, Rwanda, Guatemala, Ecuador and Peru. 
Through the trunk show, Lisa shared the stories of these artisan groups, their everyday struggles to overcome poverty and how they transform paper, melted bullets, seeds and fiber into beautiful one of a kind wearable art. Noonday Collection was established in 2010 and has partnered with artisan groups in the developing world. By creating a market for those goods, the cottage industry has blossomed in a short time to provide dignified jobs in 10 countries at living wages, allowing artisans to support families and access health care and schooling. Noonday also offers no interest loans, makes advance payments on orders, and offers scholarship programs and emergency assistance. It donates a portion of sales to place orphans in forever families—which remains a core value as Noonday Collection’s first trunk show was hosted by founder, Jessica Honegger, in her home as a means to raise money to adopt her son and third child from Rwanda. The style and purpose of the products drew an overwhelming response, and the business quickly grew beyond a fundraiser. Lisa shared how she stumbled upon the website in November 2011 and became the only ambassador for the Noonday collection in the Midwest at that time—Jessica’s story and the vision she had for the Noonday collection and alleviating poverty one necklace at a time was too powerful to not get involved! A trip to Guatemala gave Lisa the opportunity to meet the weavers and beaders responsible for creating many of Noonday’s beautiful accessories, she was able to not only share the stories of poverty and difference these purchases have made in these artisans lives…but also to convey the intricacy of the work, especially after attempting to work on some of these items herself. The methods are passed on generation from generation and these women are extremely proud of their handiwork, not to mention grateful for the orders from Noonday and very hopeful for the work to continue. If you’d like to take a look, you can see how to make the galaxy wrap bracelet—using needle and thread! It’s amazing to see watch these women work.. Here Cindy weaves while daughter Lucy plays; Lisa learns how the weavers first dye the yarn using flowers and bark and need to process the yarn at least 3 times..and the amazingly beautiful scarf! 
Now, the GIVEAWAY!!! These beautiful Water Drop earrings handcrafted in India were my pick and Cindy has been so kind to offer to give a pair away to one of my readers! WOHOOOO!!!! I’m wearing mine right now by the way…love them. All you have to do is comment below. If you share on social media, let me know that as well and you will be entered that many more times! Names will be randomly chosen in 48 hours and will be announced here! If’ you’d like to browse around, make sure to visit Lisa’s Page!
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