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This marinière-style top from J. Crew and these shoes from Zara are kindred spirits - both are made more fun by a zesty dash of citron. I'm a fan of bright colors (clearly), so I'd pair it with Ilia natural lipstick in "Shell Shock" and Ginger + Liz non-toxic nail polish in "Put a Ring on It."
Can you tell I've got spring fever?
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It wasn't long ago that I was singing the praises of the new wave of shelter & lifestyle mags like Lonny, Anthology, Rue, and Matchbook for finally starting the healing process after the loss of Domino in 2009.
Well, guess what? Domino's back, baby! That's right - your eyes aren't deceiving you. A special Quick Fixes edition of the book will launch on April 17th ($10.99) and will include both new and popular old content. A second issue is already in the works for next fall.
Susan Portnoy, VP of communications & digital strategy at Conde Nast, says
(quote via LA Times)
Will you be running out to newsstands to snap up your copy? I know I will!
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One of the most touching gifts I received this Christmas was a beautiful handmade sari blanket from my parents, created by the women of Sari Bari.
Sari Bari, whose motto is 'new life in the making,' is one of the most inspiring organizations I've come across lately. Its mission is to provide a path to freedom to women who work in the sex trade in Kolkata, India. Many of these women were trafficked into the sex trade and have no way of escaping as adults, are being held against their will, or are trapped because of extreme poverty.
The throw fits into my bedroom perfectly, especially since I love lively colors.
The staff members of Sari Bari visit the red light areas of Kolkata and extend invitations to women to work at Sari Bari. When a woman chooses to work at Sari Bari, her first day is celebrated with a birthday cake as her 'freedom birthday.' These women are paid above market wages, work 40 hours per week, receive health care, education benefits for their children (school isn't free in India), 25 paid holidays per year, retirement benefits, and even assistance repaying loans.
The channel stitching throughout creates a beautiful contrast & texture, and I love the cheery, graphic flowers and Greek key pattern.
Before starting as a full-time employee, each woman participates in a paid 6 month training program, during which Each woman receives a stipend during their six-month training period prior to full time employment, during which she is educated in sewing, reading, writing, math, mental health awareness, budgeting, and nutrition. Products are made using an ancient Bengali method called kantha, in which five layers of discarded saris are sewn together to create a colorful blanket. Blankets are considered heirlooms, and it's customary to mark each creation with the name of its maker.
Each blanket features the name of the woman who made it, or in this case, the word 'Mukti,' which means freedom.
What is incredibly valuable about this organization is that they aren't simply rescuing women from horrible situations; they provide a path for women to rescue themselves and their children through education, training and honest work. It's a truly sustainable way of restoring women's livelihood, dignity, freedom, and hope.
If you'd like to support Sari Bari, you can do so by buying handmade products, donating, or hosting an event of your own.
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Here's a sneak peek video as well as some pages from the issue - I can't wait to pick this up at my nearest Anthropologie (side note: Anthropologie is DANGEROUSLY close to my office):
Editor-in-chief Anh Minh Le writes that she and co-founder Meg Mateo Ilasco created the magazine "out of a fundamental desire to make things." This issue is right up my crafty alley: it celebrates the beauty & meaning of a handmade lifestyle.
In keeping with the issue's subject matter, Le and Ilasco enlisted the crazy good skills of artist Chloé Fleury for the cover. She creates whimsical, cozy little universes using fabric, thread, cardboard, paper cutouts and glue. Chloé says:
Read more about her work on her website.
If you're not a subscriber, check here for stockists.
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