Unlock Hope

Hey guys, I'm sorry it's been a week since I have last posted anything!  It has been crazy busy.  April is like a second Christmas at our house.  Triston, Lilah, and I all have birthdays in April.  We are also moving in a few weeks.  (Fingers crossed that this buyer works out), and I have a lot of different projects I've been working on in my personal life.  So I apologize for being absent.

Let's move on to today's post.  I'm featuring Unlock Hope on the blog today!  They are a phenomenal company that helps girls in Uganda have a better life.  They are also sponsoring a giveaway!!!  Let me explain a little about Unlock Hope before I talk about the giveaway.

 Uganda can be a hard place to live.  If you are a female who doesn't have an education, you can expect to marry young, have a large family making it hard to make ends meet, and you would have to do many hard and laboring jobs which pay very small amounts.  Unlock Hope provides many opportunities for females.  They've teamed up with Think Humanity which is an organization that runs a hostel in Hoima, Uganda.  This hostel provides health care, food, safety, and helps with education for many refugee girls which sadly most of them are orphaned.

When you purchase a product from Unlock Hope, you are helping cover a multitude of expenses that these girls are unable to provide.  Things like transportation, uniforms, health care, toiletries, books, and many other expenses.

The key shaped necklace is a great way to connect to a child in Uganda.  Most of the children in Uganda have a lock box of belongings that they keep locked up.  The key that unlocks everything they own is tied on a string around their necks. Thus the reason for the key shaped necklace.  Unlock Hope also has inventories of shirts, and one of their shirt designs is based off of one of the children's uniform patch.  The patch on the uniform is a design of crest which shows the school they attend.

I think this is a great company that really focuses not only on education for girls, but they help give them hope by offering so many things we take for granted everyday: Friends, safety, shelter, food, water, and the list continues.  Please check out their website and take a look at their clothing inventory and necklaces.

*Giveaway Rules*

National Giveaway only

Please follow Unlock Hope on Instagram or Facebook

Please subscribe/follow my blog or follow me on Instagram

Come back to this post and leave a comment telling me you did all the above.  I've heard from some people that sometimes they aren't able to leave a comment.  If that happens please inform me on Instagram under the post talking about Unlock Hope that you were unable to leave a comment on my blog and leave the comment there instead.

For an extra entry tag at least two friends on instagram.

The giveaway will close on Thursday April 17 11pm MST.  Winner will be announced on Friday's post!

Good Luck to you all and please spread the word about this giveaway.  

Lots of Love
                   Jaimey

Red Earth Trading Co.

I have another amazing company featured on the blog today!  I am so excited to inform you guys about their mission and expose their beautiful and unique products to you all.  Keep reading to see how this company supports artisans in Uganda and Kenya and how it gives back  to community development work.

In 2010, Travis who is the founder of Red Earth Trading Co.  was working in East Africa.  He noticed that regardless of the social classes among the natives, they all shared a common goal:  Survival.  Tourism is a huge part of Africa's income, so many of the artisans' livelihood is dependent on tourists.  Travis saw how he could help artisans grow beyond their local market and contribute in helping them have a more secure income.  For the previous six years, Travis had also been working on ways to sustain the community development work.  The creation of Red Earth Trading Co. allowed both of Travis' goals to be attained.

Red Earth Trading Co. creates hope, and opportunities through trade and business.  It is also involved with supporting non-profit organizations in East Africa by donating 5% of each sale. Red Earth Trading Co. has teamed up with artisans in Uganda and Kenya to provide fashionable, unique, and beautiful handcrafted jewelry, accessories, AND home goods.

Red Earth Trading Co. is also involved in the Know Think Act, which helps empower local leaders by helping to end poverty in their communities.  You can read more about it here.  Red Earth Trading Co. recognizes that the small businesses in Uganda and Kenya are what keeps families out of poverty and helps build their economy. Their support for their artisans extends to helping them manage their business in a variety of markets.

It's an amazing company that provides so many opportunities to help the people of Uganda and Kenya rise from poverty and have a healthy, happy, successful life.  To read more about Red Earth Trading Co. and their story please visit their website.

Red Earth Trading Co. has been generous enough to provide you the opportunity to win one of their most sought after necklaces.  The simple stag pendent necklace which is valued at $50.  This necklace is so beautiful and unique.  It is definitely an attention grabbing accessory, and is also a very versatile piece.  I think it would fit in with any style type.  Below are a few shots of the beautiful piece.

***GIVEAWAY CLOSED***

Giveaway Rules!!!

Giveaway will close Thursday April 3, 2014 at 11:00 PM MST.  Winner will be randomly chosen and announced on Friday's inspirational post.

This giveaway is opened to EVERYONE in the US.

Please follow Red Earth Trading Co. on instagram (REDEARTHTRADE) OR their facebook page

follow me on insta (jaimeytripp) OR subscribe to my blog

***For an extra entry go to my instagram page (jaimeytripp) and tag at least two friends.***

Please comment on my blog letting me know how you entered.   

Good Luck to you all!  

Don't forget to check out Red Earth Trading Co. website. They have such a variety of things and it is all so beautiful and unique!

Hugs XXXxxxxXXXX
                                    Jaimey

Fashion + Giving Back = Sword & Plough

Happy Friday friends.
I'm really enjoying doing my inspirational Friday posts.  I hope you guys are able to find some inspiration from them.  Inspiring people was one of the biggest reasons why I started blogging.  It's been fun finding quotes and books and fashion companies I think will inspire you.

I came across this company who I find has a very inspiring mission.  The company is Sword & Plough.  Are you wondering what their name means?  Here you go.  Sword & Plough is an ancient saying that means "To turn swords into plough shares."  Translation... "To take military technologies and materials and apply them to peaceful civilian applications."  So basically they take military supplies and turn them into items civilians can use.  In this case their items are handbags, and accessories!!!

Their mission: Empower Veteran employment, Reduce waste and Strengthen shared civil-military understanding.  What their company does is first they recycle over 1000 pounds of military surplus materials (tents, sleeping bags, parachutes) that would've been trashed.  Then they combine durable fabrics with Eco-friendly leather accents into stylish designs.  These leather accents, and other durable textiles are manufactured in America.  From there the materials are sent to Veteran owned, and staffed manufactures.  This is where the construction of the bags take place.  One of the manufacturers is Green Vets LA.  Sword & Plough also works with many other American manufacturing companies as well as non-profit organizations. These beautiful bags are then sold and with each sale 10% of the profit goes back to the initial users of the products.

How cool is that?  Their mission is both amazing & beautiful.  Are you guys ready to see their products? Well I think you all will be very surprised.  Theses bags are not only beautiful, but because they are military products, they are all extremely durable and water resistant.

 I will be the first to admit that I forget that there are men and women overseas fighting for our country which allows me to raise my children in a safe country.  I am so grateful for all the selfless men and women who sacrifice their lives and time away from their families.  So thank you so much to all of you who have ties to the military.  We appreciate your service so much!  My challenge for you friends, is the next time you see a vet or a military personal smile at them and thank them for their service.  Or if you have an opportunity to do help them out, please do so and don't forget that they've helped you too.  Pay it forward!!
Don't forget to check out Sword & Plough's website.

I hope you found a little inspiration in today's post.  Big Hugs XxX
                                                                                                   Jaimey