Saturday, February 27, 2010

Clothes with a Conscience


Kids often have the coolest ideas (remember the movie Big?), and verymeri celebrates their innovative spirit with a line of T-shirts created by the under-18 set. Design contests help the company find its newest looks; winning designers receive 3 percent of the sales of their shirts, with another 3 percent going to the charity of their choice. Current offerings speak out against things like bullying and in favor of concepts like peace, love, and conservation, supporting organizations such as Free Arts for Abused Children, GLAAD, and Autism Speaks. Out of the mouths of babes come some pretty simple ideas we grown-ups should embrace too.


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Tuesday, February 16, 2010

Banding Together


Bella Tunno’s new reversible headband ($8) doesn’t just look good, it does good. One hundred percent of the proceeds from sales of the product go to the Lift Up Ellie Fund, which provides financial support for Ellie Potvin and her family as the eight-year-old battles a rare form of cancer called Rhabdomyosarcoma. About 350 children are diagnosed each year with the disease, which accounts for about 3 percent of childhood cancers. The Potvins are doing everything they can to find a cure for Ellie, and by buying this headband for a special little girl in your life, you can help another special little girl fight for hers.


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Monday, February 8, 2010

The Beat Goes On


With Tiny Revolutionary’s “This Shirt Saved a Life” T-shirt, you can do more than just wear your heart on your sleeve. Buy the shirt (available in kids and adult sizes) and $20 from the sale price is donated to Save a Child’s Heart, which provides pediatric heart surgery and follow-up care for indigent children from developing countries. And through February 9, everything at Tiny Revolutionary is 15 percent off for the company’s Valentine’s Day sale. Just enter VDAY10 at checkout.


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Wednesday, February 3, 2010

What a Card


Don’t say “I love you” this Valentine’s Day with just any old card. Instead, pick one that shares your love with some kids who could use it. Valentine’s Day cards ($4.99) from St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital’s Hope Gift Book feature artwork created by patients at the hospital. Each set of ten cards includes five different designs that should bring a smile to your honey’s face. And that smile should get bigger when they realize that 100 percent of the profits (after related expenses) go right back to the hospital, which treats about 5,700 patients a year from around the country and the world.


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Put a Ring on It


When it comes to Valentine’s Day, jewelry tends to be a good gift choice for most women out there. And while old standbys like diamond studs and heart-shaped pendants are always appreciated, there are also lots of fashion-forward choices for women who like to stand out from the crowd. Melissa Joy Manning designs modern pieces using gold, silver, precious and semi-precious stones, and found objects. Inspired by the natural world, her rings, necklaces, earrings, and bracelets have an organic, slightly bohemian vibe and work with everything from a little black dress to a T-shirt and jeans. Through March 30, 10 percent of all sales from her Web site will be donated to the American Red Cross to support Haitian relief efforts.


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Monday, February 1, 2010

Smart Cookies


I’ve got grand plans this year to whip up some special Valentine’s Day treats for my husband and daughter. I just hope I’ll have the time to do it. If time isn’t on your side but you’ve got a sweet tooth for a Valentine, check out Baking for Good. The California-based bakery offers a whole host of all-natural Valentine’s Day goodies, from red velvet whoopie pies to iced sugar cookies. You can even add a little mystery to your order by signing it “Your Secret Admirer”—Baking for Good will include a code with your package that lets the recipient log into its Web site to learn who sent him or her some love. And the sweetest part is that 15 percent of every purchase is donated to charity. Purchasers can pick from any of the nonprofits listed on Baking for Good’s site, which include organizations like Action Against Hunger, the National Alliance on Mental Illness, and Women for Women International.


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