I love beautiful things! As a creative person I just love to be around beautiful things. I can spend hours in a scrapbook store not because I need to buy a bunch of stuff, but because I love to look at the paper designs and all the beautiful things that someone has created. It’s why I love photography. It’s why I love interior design. I try to blame clothes shopping on it as well.
A few days ago one of my friend posted a video about Raven & Lily, a non-profit studio dedicated to empowering impoverished women through design partnerships and micro-enterprise opportunities. What I love about Raven & Lily is that there not just using these women to MAKE the products, but they’re involving them in the design process. What a beautiful way to instill confidence in these women!
After I watched their amazing video (below), I of course had to take a peek at their web site and absolutely fell in love with two things:
This 
and this 
Isn’t that necklace GORGEOUS. Plus it’s made by women in Ethiopia. Unfortunately a little bit out of my price range right now. I DO have a birthday coming up dearest husband 🙂 But the bracelet made my shopping list for sure. They’re currently out of stock on the blue so it was a debate between the black and white and I had to get my friends involved with a Facebook poll. And then I ignored most of them.
The black was my first instinct because I wear a lot of black. But there is something about the clear beaded one that intrigued me. It’s a little dressier but then the leather and snaps make it casual so I could imagine it with nice jeans and a cool top. The majority of my friends voted for black (they know my wardrobe well) but in the end I ordered the clear. Can’t wait til it comes!
Watch this video that tells more about their mission and then head over to the Raven & Lily shop to check out some beautiful and unique items.
Raven+Lily: EMPOWERING WOMEN THROUGH DESIGN from raven and lily on Vimeo.