OUR WARMEST WISHES TO YOU

Our warmest wishes to you for a Happy Holiday Season
and a New Year filled with Peace, Joy and Artistry.

May 2010 be filled with Celebrations of Artistry that make
the world more Happy, Harmonious and Beautiful!

Anelle & Gwendy
Co-Founders

CHANGE IS GOOD

This year has been a year of change and challenge. And sometimes, changes which seem to be endings are really beginnings.

Recently, one of our favorite magazines - Domino -- closed. No more leafing through glossy pages filled with great, doable and real decorating ideas.

But now, Michelle Adams (formerly an editor at Domino) has co-founded LONNY (www.lonnymag.com), an online lifestyle magazine filled with a passion for beauty in the home, in fashion and in life!.  A harbinger of the future of magazines, LONNY is like reading a magazine the old fashioned way, except it is on the web! And more personal, interactive and connective with links just a click away ...

Take their holiday gift guide for threefold gifts that benefit  the creator, the recipient and you! The Original Women white cutwork cotton and silk shawl is featured.

So check out the just published second issue of Lonny. We are sure you will agree with us, that out of a change, Lonny is a great new beginning of a new way of "printing" magazines!  We look forward to MANY more issues and wish LONNY great success.

STILL TIME TO SHOP ONLINE- WITH A DISCOUNT

There is still time to shop Original Women for the holidays, now with a discount just for FRIENDS AND FANS.

Shop online: https://shop.original-women.com/

Enter coupon code: THANKYOU09 at checkout

Save 15% on purchases!

Save and the artistry that improves lives, families and communities.
Inspire all those on your list.
Spread the Joy
AND
Celebrate!

THE ARTISTRY OF CONNECTING

We went to Tufts yesterday to participate in their inaugural OneWorld event.
It was great fun. And we are so impressed by the students and their interest in and passion for making the world a better place. Neema (pictured above with her amazing mother who was visiting from Africa) and the rest of the entire executive committee pulled together a festive day to celebrate sustainable development. Delicious food, crafts, representatives from nonprofits, and live performances all contributed to a very rich experience. I've never seen students so happy and involved, especially with end of term exams and papers so close ....

On Sunday, we go to Princeton for their third Emerge! festival.

And we learned that some of the student organizers of the two festivals are connected and sharing this wonderful experience.

And we found a new artisan group too!



Women weavers in Morocco. We will be featuring some of their beautiful rugs at the December 7 Original Women event in our Heritage Gallery!

ONE WEEK TO GO

One week to go till our Holiday Celebration -- MONDAY DECEMBER 7, 2009

JOIN US: IN PERSON

Date:	Monday, December 7, 2009
Time:	6:00 - 9:00 pm
Where:	Society of Illustrators 128 East 63rd Street (between Lex. and Park Ave.)
	A festive evening of shopping featuring Original Women's unique collection of hand crafted creations - wearable, decorative and functional. 10% of sales will be donated to support CARE

JOIN US: ONLINE

https://shop.original-women.com/

WE ARE THANKFUL

This Thanksgiving, as we sit down to dinner, our table will be filled with food and artistry -- Luscious pumpkin soup in La Chamba bowls, artisanal breads in a Tonga basket, a felt leaf-edged runner in the center of the table, and a warm glow from a sprinkling of soapstone tea lights. We are thankful for the beauty, heritage, culture, and knowledge that artistry embodies.

We are truly inspired by the women artisans who create objects and real, lasting change in their communities and the world.

We are Thankful to all our FANS and FRIENDS and supporters for helping us help make the artisans and their artistry sustainable!

And as a way of saying THANKS, shop online this THANKSGIVING weekend, use code THANKSWE at checkout and receive a 10% discount on all full priced artistry.
This offer expires on Sunday, November 29, 2009. Quantities are limited.

CELEBRATE THE ARTISTRY OF GIVING: MONDAY DECEMBER 7, 2009

CELEBRATE THE ARTISTRY OF GIVING.

This year we have faced challenges and we want to Celebrate the holidays in a thoughtful, caring way.

Now more than ever, make your holiday gifts even more meaningful.

Original Women is partnering with CARE at our holiday event:
Come. Society of Illustrators, 128 East 63rd Street, NYC
Shop. From 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
Spread the joy!

Each gift you purchase gives back to Care AND the women artisans.

Isn't that a great multiplier effect?

PICK YOUR FAVOIRTE PRODUCT AND BE FEATURED!

Calling all ORIGINAL WOMEN fans and friends:

Go to our website. (https://shop.original-women.com/)

Pick your current favorite product.

Tell us why you like it. (email: info@original-women.com)

We will feature the winning products (AND YOU!) on our website.

Email us by November 15, 2009.

Can't wait to hear from you.

Trash into Jewelry!

Trash into Jewelry! Recycled flip flops, now super fun necklaces from an organization that is providing sustainable employment and cleaning up the environment! 

We've just added them to our website. 

Check out the necklaces.

 We've been mentioned as a shopping resource at the end of a great article about the group on HandEye magazine's website! 

Would you like recycle flip flop animals too?

INSPIRATION: GET SOME ON OCTOBER 24, 2009.

Inspiration seems to be on our mind lately. Actually for a while.
It sustains us -- to dig deeper, reach higher and do more.

Another woman who inspires us is Analisa Balares. -- Smart, energetic, passionate and creative.

She is the driving force behind Womensphere.  Their mission: Unleashing potential, creating opportunity, inspiring talent, transforming the world. They bring together leaders - women, men, organizations – to collaborate on solving some of the most important global and local issues of our time.

Want more?
Join the Original Women delegation at the Womensphere Global Summit.
Register here: http://globalsummitcommunity.eventbrite.com/  for a preferred community rate.

Come as part of our delegation and we'll inspire you with a piece of Original Women
artistry. Email us: info@original-women.com.

INSPIRATION: THE KEY TO SUCCESSFUL REINVENTION

The MORE Magazine Reinvention convention was a success by all measures.

The speakers were all so inspiring!

We were fortunate to spend some time with Sheila C. Johnson, one of the speakers and an amazing businesswoman, philanthropist and CARE Ambassador. Here she is, adorned in a Guatemala scarf and necklace from Original Women.

"If we're going to improve the lives of women around the world — and I believe we must — then we have to stretch beyond ourselves. We have to challenge ourselves and we have to challenge others. That's what the 'I Am Powerful' movement is all about. I'm honored to be a part of it."
—Sheila C. Johnson

We couldn't have a more beautiful model to inspire us to reach further and higher.

HELP A VILLAGE IN MALAWI

Our friend Carline Burwell asked us to help raise money for a village in a CARE program funded by General Mills.
This would be great to do with your friends and children:

You sign up, (ok, the most annoying part, but it is only six fields and for a great cause...) answer up to three learning questions and $1 per question is donated to the village.
You can come back every day until the $15,000 for that village is reached ...

Join Caroline and OW in raising money for Kaisi village.

It goes to help keep girls in school by addressing the issues and pressures girl face in their communities.

Three questions a day and a small donation that will be matched - will make a real difference!

For more info:  joinmyvillage

REINVENTION CONVENTION - SUPPORT CARE -10/10 Offer

In honor of our partnering with CARE at the MORE Magazine Reinvention Convention.

Since many of you can't make it to this wonderful event, we have a way for you to participate:

Just for our blog readers, friends and Fans on Facebook,  our 10/10 offer.

Shop online. 

Get a 10% discount off all regularly priced items AND 10% of ALL sales will be donated to CARE!   

Use code: CARE at checkout. Offer expires midnight 10.06.09.

See you in person or online tomorrow. 

MORE MAGAZINE REINVENTION CONVENTION partnering with CARE

Today, we set up for the Reinvention Convention.
The list of speakers is very impressive.
We are excited to meet the 600 women who will be attending.
And of course, our sales help support CARE.

 

We are featuring products made from recycled, re-purposed and re-imagined materials made by women who are re-inventing their lives by creating their artistry. Here from Kenya, are fun necklaces made from recycled flip flops. These products clean up the environment and sustain families and communities.

WELCOME TO GUATEMALA

Arrive in Guatemala after a completely full, yet remarkably good Continental Airlines flight.

The airport in Guatemala City is beautiful, new and almost completed. Everyone was very, very nice.

I was immediatley struck by the juxtaposition of the traditional and the new. And how the acncient culture is everywhere in daily life.

Even in the faces.

Here is Chris who met me at the airport. He told me his life story on the hour ride to Antigua. As a student, he fled the rampant violence and walked through Mexico to the US, where he was granted asylum. With no money!

TECHNOLOGY OR NOT.

Well, you get ready for a trip. You make lists and more lists. You carefully plan and pack and get batteries and cords and wall plugs and all the other things to keep the technology humming.
And then you reach your destination, only to find that your access to the internet is limited to certain hours and those don't match your hectic schedule. Unless you pay the equivalent of the GDP of five countries.

So, we made the decision to unplug and BE in Guatemala and EXPERIENCE the wonderful country.

Now that we are back, we are re-connecting!

TO GUATEMALA

We are off to Guatemala to meet many artisans and artisan groups.

We are especially excited to see the women weavers.

Stay tuned for more info as we begin our Guatemala Adventure.

EMPOWERING WOMEN IS A CRITICAL PART OF THE EQUATION

The Clinton Global Initiative has been meeting and we just read this quote. Of course, we have heard those same statistics earlier in the week at the Womensphere Forum.
But no matter how many time we hear them, they resonate and motivate.

"Women perform 66 percent of the world's work, and produce 50 percent of the food, yet earn only 10 percent of the income and own 1 percent of the property," President Bill Clinton said. "Whether the issue is improving education in the developing world, or fighting global climate change, or addressing nearly any other challenge we face, empowering women is a critical part of the equation."

THE GIRL EFFECT

We've seen this video 3 times in the past three days.

POWERFUL!

Spend the two minutes to watch it. It is worth it.





Share the video.

INVESTING IN EMPOWERING WOMEN WORLDWIDE

Today, infused with a new energy, we are even more connected to our passion to celebrate women's artistry. We are preparing for our next event with renewed dedication.

Last night we attended a Womensphere Forum: Investing and Empowering Women Worldwide.

Seven amazing and inspiring speakers.

Many "big" issues were discussed:
Women’s economic empowerment; investment in the education of women and girls; health care access for women; investment in women’s career success and leadership development around the world; and enabling women's visibility in media.

Our two biggest take-aways:
1. Inspiration.
Each of the speakers is passionate, dedicated and firmly believes that women are the key to making the world a better place.
2. Each of us can make a difference.
Find what matters to you, educate yourself on the issues and get involved.

Close you eyes and what do you see? How do you want to the world to be different?
Will you take an action toady?

WELCOME TO OUR BLOG

Welcome to the Original Women Blog.

We will be posting once a week on subjects and issues close to our hearts -- of course women, women artisans and artistry. And eco-conscious living, sustainability, beauty, creativity, travel and the world.

Or at least that is what we think we will be writing about. Since we haven't done this before, we will see which subjects and pictures and video clips capture our interest and curiosity.

Two things we are sure of:
1. We want you to join us. Comment. Suggest topics. Tell us what you like and what more you want to see. Share your thoughts and experiences.
and
2. This is sure to be interesting and fun.