ETHIOPIA JEWELRY--A GOOD CAUSE

Noelie Harmon--my new fave eco-friendly boutique.  After a sandwich fest at Jimmy John's with my mom, we stepped into Noelie for a quick visit.  It used to be a mainly vintage store, but they ditched the old clothes and converted to a fresh "respect the Earth" status.  And I am super glad.  I literally just want to roll on the floor forever in that store--I want everything.  The have a great Toms selection, and plenty of yummy candles, handmade knits and hipster baby clothes.  They recently began replacing their plastic and paper tags with ones that can be buried in the soil to grow new plants.  If that isn't eco-friendly, then I don't know what is!  But what stands out to me is the shop's artisan jewelry, which mainly sits in an old wooden china cabinet.

I bought an Ethiopia necklace, made by Ethiopian women with leather and recycled vintage coins.  After a little research, I found out that the brand is partnered with Raven + Lily, a platform that employs impoverished women to use their artistic talents to create opportunities for themselves and their families.  Ethiopia jewelry is made by women with HIV/AIDS who have been banished to the Entono Mountain region in Northern Ethiopia for their disease.  The sale of Ethiopia jewelry assists these women with HIV treatment and provides educational assistance to their families.  Ethiopia jewelry is so stunning, and I love it even more now that I know it helps to support those who don't have the inherent opportunities most Americans like myself have.  I will wear it proudly.

I also picked up a $5 J.R. Watkins room freshener while I was at Noelie to satisfy my lemon craving, probably brought on by the lemon and powdered sugar piece of cake I had earlier this week for my birthday.  Nothing beats the smell of fresh lemon.