11 September 2013

Your daily dose of pretty: Balloon brooch

I love brooches. I do think I should wear them more often, but I never remember to put one on even though I have some really cute brooches. Despite this, I think I might need to add one of these balloon brooches to my collection, so that I can then forget to wear it:


Each brooch is hand cut from paper covered wood and covered with a layer of varnish. The rope is made from white leather cord. There are four colours available - pink, blue, mint and yellow:


The balloon brooch is £11 from Folksy seller Lucie Ellen.

07 September 2013

Wear PUNJAMMIES™. Wear hope.

I'm not only in love with these pyjamas, I'm in love with the idea behind them:


This is the story behind PUNJAMMIES™, as told on the International Princess Project site:

"In February of 2005, International Princess™ Project founder Shannon Keith went on a trip to India that opened her eyes to devastation of lives happening on the streets and in the brothels. After visiting a red-light district, she could not forget what she saw - young girls sold by their families, orphans picked up off the street by pimps, even young mothers just trying to feed their children. Many were held against their will. Others were trapped by economics. Those who escaped the brothels often returned just to survive.

Compelled by the magnitude of this reality, Shannon and her team of volunteers founded International Princess™ Project to advocate for these women, give them opportunities to restore their broken lives and empower them to live in freedom. The traditional Indian Sari, worn in even the darkest places in India, became the inspiration for International Princess™ Project. The sari’s bright color and beautiful design are fit for princesses.

Women who leave the brothels need occupational training and job opportunities to help them find dignity, self-worth and hope for a future outside of the red light districts. When women become a part of an International Princess Project sewing center, they take the first step toward supporting themselves in a dignified way.

PUNJAMMIES™, pajamas made from the beautiful Indian fabrics by women employed at sewing centers in India, are exported to the U.S and sold as a premium-brand of sleepwear. Proceeds from these sales go back to paying the ladies fair trade wages, money towards their living expenses, holistic support and restoration, funding towards their children’s schooling and operational support for the program. International Princess™ Project is committed to creating self-sustaining enterprises in India that provide opportunities for women formally enslaved in prostitution a place to heal from the past and find hope for the future."

Made from 100% cotton, in a gorgeous range of colours and prints, PUNJAMMIES™ come in full-length, capri, and shorts, and there are a variety of tees and tanks available on the site too.

It will cost you $35.00 for a full-length pair like those pictured above, available from PUNJAMMIES™.