I had a question in the comment box on the last post asking where Naya's dress came from and seeing as I meant to put in a plug for them but forgot, I thought I'd just post about it instead. I bought it at The World Next Door, one of my very favorite shops in our fair city. It is a locally owned fair trade cooperative with a very broad vision. They work with representatives from forty of the poorest developing countries to give fair wages to local artisans and craftsmen and "provide opportunities for sustainable living for the global underdog." You can find out more about their mission and the work they do here. They are doing a good and powerful thing and since we can't all be globe trotters, it's nice to be able to support them in some small way.
For this reason, along with the unique, one-of-a-kind selection, I buy gifts and shoulder bags and clothes there, when I can. They also have home decor and kids' gifts from Haiti, India and Africa, to name a few. Because of the unique quality of some of their merchandise, it can be out of my price range, but they have great sales if you catch them at the right time. I got this two piece outfit for Ella that matches Naya's dress for 75% percent off.
I love the breezy gauze feel of it for the summer and the embroidered flowers. Most days I let them get as dirty as they like but I love little girls in white. Both outfits cost me about 15 bucks. Check out their blog to learn more. They posted this video awhile back and I like its message. It shows people with joy in the face of struggle and poverty. I'm hoping the source of that joy and peace is Jesus.
