Delicate Fortress Creations

Chicken Fundraising

2012-02-12T15:25:00.005-05:00

Our Change It Today program with Because Every Mother Matters (BEMM) is starting strong for February and we're so grateful for your support. With this program, you know that $1 from every item purchased on our store for the month of February is going directly to BEMM to help with their soon-to-launch human trafficking initiative in Ethiopia. In March, 14 women from BEMM are going to Ethiopia to begin that program and work with the women in their existing mother sponsorship program.

In the meantime, BEMM has asked us to partner with them in a project they are completing to address a major problem in Ethiopia.

Here's the problem....

"Millions of children across Somalia and the Horn of Africa are suffering a deadly combination of high food prices, armed conflict and crop failure.

The result: children too weak to fight diseases, unprotected from threats they could normally bear. *1"

Lack of food results in lack of livelihood; results in early death.

One solution? Chickens.

The provision of just one chicken to a family will provide much needed protein to their nutritionally lacking diets through regularly harvested eggs. Once each family has received the amount of eggs necessary for diet improvement, they will be able to hatch the remaining eggs to increase their own crop or sell the resulting chicks in the market place.

While BEMM is visiting the village the chickens will be provided to, a nurse and chicken farmer will be with them to provide education on protein enriched diets and proper chicken care. BEMM is planning follow up trips in the summer and fall and will be able to provide additional training and checking-in if necessary.

Ready for details on how you can get involved?

From Monday, February 13 - Monday, February 20 we are going to be selling chickens! Not real ones, mind you, but virtual ones. :) You will have the opportunity to purchase (sponsor) a chicken for $11. At the end of this campaign we will provide the raised monies to BEMM. They will buy the sponsored chickens when they go to Ethiopia in March, providing economic livelihood to chicken farmers there. Cultural appropriateness at its finest.

Now, there's something extra special about this project. You will actually get to see the chickens being carried over the mountain by 14 women AND you'll be able to see them delivered to the villagers. While the BEMM travelers are in Ethiopia they will take video of the chicken deliveries and then we'll bring them right to you! That's my favorite part.

I don't know how you feel about overseas trips for things like this, but I wish I was going to be there. For the time being, I'm thrilled to know that I'll be able to see the results of my sponsorship.

What do you think? Want to buy a chicken? Head over to our store and sponsor yours. Just search for "chicken". :)

Change It Today - In Ethiopia

2012-02-01T21:51:00.004-05:00

Thank you, thank you, thank you for your support for our Change It Today program in January. With your partnership, item sales and donations, were were able to raise $130 for Gracehaven House. That is fantastic!

We are so thankful to have worked with you to help Gracehaven and we're so excited to announce our February Change It Today partnership with Because Every Mother Matters.

You've heard me talk about Because Every Mother Matters before. They opened my eyes to how great the orphan crisis is and how it directly impacts human trafficking.

This past fall Because Every Mother Matters partnered with Delivering Hope to combat sex trafficking in Ethiopia in direct correlation with their mother sponsorship program. I can't wait to share with you throughout the month how great this partnership is and why I believe in it so much.

For now, I want to share with you something out of my conversation today with Steffany from Because Every Mother Matters.

"We want to have beds for these girls. We want to teach them dignity, sustainability, self help skills.... Some of these girls have been orphaned or sold by their families and have never even seen a bed. We want to give them a shot at life. And we're going to start with one girl at a time. And if we only help one, it will be well worth it."

I'm with you, Steffany.

During the month of February, $1 for every item sold will go to Because Every Mother Matters in their efforts to fight child prostitution in Ethiopia. Let's combat sex trafficking and Change It Today.

Your Travel Essentials List

2012-01-31T07:56:00.004-05:00

Whether it be to Aruba or Ethiopia, it seems like everyone I know is traveling this spring and, I'm a little jealous! ;) But, despite that jealousy, as I've added 100 new products to our store in the last week, I couldn't help but think of all those people and how so many DFC things would benefit them in their travels! So, I want to make a little travel necessity list, if you will, that will help you, my friend, travel a little more easily.

First up is our Passport Bag from Tchaka Bags - eliminating the frantic rush to find your passport and tickets when you get to the airport. This fun bag offers the right amount of storage for all your essentials and is designed to be carried cross-over style for maximum convenience.

And if you need the extra security of knowing where your passport is, we have these awesome Passport Covers by Eco Friendly Papers in 3 very fun colors.

Taking a little one with you? Here's a fun, organized way to keep their little minds busy! A coloring book and crayons, placed in our gorgeous new crayon rolls. Aren't these batik fabrics gorgeous?

If your trip is especially long, you may need some time to unwind when you finally get to your hotel room. Why not try our deliciously scented Travel Kit? This little dandy can be stowed right in your carry-on so you can still relax whether or not the rest of your luggage made it with you!

Find refreshment and pull yourself back together by finding all of your neatly packaged essentials in this sweet cosmetic bag. We actually have a LOT of cosmetic bags and pouches to choose from now!

Bedtime? Well, it goes without saying that you're going to need your punjammies. These are new!

Going some place sandy? How about taking our sari pocket bags with you? Light weight and easily stowed, you'll be thanking your lucky stars for the convenience of these bags.

Taking a life changing or memory promising trip? These journals are going to be essential in capturing your their thoughts, hopes, joys and struggles of your trip.

Isn't that a great compilation?

So, if you're heading on a trip, or like me, know someone who is, stop on by and pick up some of our essentials. Its a great way to make the trip (and traveling) a little more relaxing while advocating for some pretty beautiful women in the process.

**AND just a reminder! Today is the last day for our Change It Today campaign in support of Gracehaven House. For every ITEM purchased, we're donating $1 to them in their efforts to build a shelter for girls rescued from human trafficking here in the States. We've raised $65 so far, which is fantastic coming off the Christmas season, but we would love to make it to $100! Head on over to learn more, donate and make your purchases. Happy traveling!

Lot Lizards

2012-01-17T02:23:00.000-05:00

"Oh yeah. I've seen 'em. Lot Lizards. Hubbard, Ohio is really well known for them. You'd get close to a truck stop and you'd hear 'Commercial Company, Channel 2.' That was code for "You want sex at the next truck stop? It's available."

Truck stop prostitutes, also known as lot lizards, are a frequent sight while a trucker crosses our beautiful America. I listened as this trucker rattled off many of the truck stops in Pennsylvania and Ohio he had frequented and seen women soliciting sex. DuBois, Allentown, Youngstown..... These are NOT big cities. They are truck stops in communities of 41,000 to 82,000. Need a reference point? Chicago has a population of 270,000.

Hubbard, Ohio? Population 8,000. Hubbard is barely on the map, yet it is a hot spot for commercial sex in the trucking industry.

"You'll be at a truck stop and see a car full of girls show up - 6 or more in a car with a CB antennae on top. They get out and move from truck to truck. Lots of times they'll stand at the back of your truck, radio you and ask if you want sex. If you do you're supposed to flash your tail lights at them, turn off your dome light and let them in."

Disgusted by the behavior, when approached, my trucker friend would roll his window down an inch and tell them to get out of there or he'd call the cops. I tell him he's seeing trafficking in action.

"What's trafficking?"

He couldn't believe it when I told him that minor girls, threatened with their very lives, could have been the ones approaching him for sex. To him, it seemed to start to sink in as he described what he had seen. One woman going into a truck stop many times during the course of the night, apparently showering "between trucks". A girl cleaning herself in a mud puddle "between trucks". He couldn't tell me if he'd ever seen a minor.

"It's hard to tell how old they are. They only do this when its dark."

He had no idea that 1,000 Ohio born youth and another 740 foreign born youth are forced into the sex trade in Ohio every year. Those are 2009 statistics.* So, if you're just counting the last two years, that's 3,400 youth spread out across Ohio who have been trafficked. And truck stops seem to be popular place to find "work".

"I had no idea. What can I do to get this to stop?"

These girls need help. They need someone who is willing to rescue them, pay attention to them, fight with them and help them to recuperate from the horrors of trafficking. Someplace where they can be treated with dignity and respect and not viewed as a "lot lizard".

How many shelters exist in Ohio to help these girls?

0.

Let's get one in there. Gracehaven House, based out of Columbus, Ohio is working hard to protect these girls. Go here to donate to their efforts in establishing the Ohio's first human trafficking shelter.

**Image taken from newson6.com.

What You've Helped Us Do

2012-01-08T20:58:00.001-05:00

On our 2nd birthday we wanted to take pause and thank you for the things that have been accomplished in the last year. The progress we've been able to make together toward fighting human trafficking has been amazing and I want you to know that.

Its nice to see that change in a concrete way, so to that end, here are the top 10 things that were accomplished because of your support in our second year of business.

We sponsored and sent 500 maternal birth kits to Haiti through the non-profit organization Konbit Sante, leading to the provision of simple life-saving birthing environments for 500 moms and their newborns.
Because of your purchases we were able to begin working with 8 new artisan groups fighting human trafficking, extreme poverty, maternal mortality and the orphan crisis, and extending our reach to over 30 artisan groups worldwide.
We were able to continue to support women like Nimi who touched your hearts and ours more than we could have imagined and revealed the true reason behind why we are doing this.
We raised over $3500 for non-profits and adoptive families through our fundraisers, helping to provide an ambulance for the people in Mareya, Ethiopia and bring 4 children home to their forever families.
We were able to speak to several church groups, moms groups and individuals about human trafficking, thereby raising awareness and educating a new group of people who are now determined to make a difference.
We began learning about the orphan crisis and maternal mortality through our connection with Because Every Mother Matters, broadening our scope of understanding of human trafficking and changing our outlook.
We funded a literacy program in Haiti that will have long term implications in changing the face of slavery in that country.
We provided a second year of sponsorship for Benitha, resulting in advocacy and education for a girl who is experiencing slavery first hand.
Our Cyber Monday post, in which we revealed why saving money doesn't necessarily lead to better living was viewed by over 200 people, which is a BIG deal for us and helped people understand why fair trade is so important!
We raised over $700 to benefit Love146 by pogo sticking, helping girls find refuge from human trafficking.

Thank you so very much. It is truly amazing to see what can happen when a community comes together. We never dreamed that something that began so simply could do so much and we're so thankful for your partnership in seeing this through. I can't wait to see what happens in year #3!

So, which was your favorite of all of these? We'd love to hear which of these most impacted you.

3,500 Shelters

2012-01-06T18:42:00.004-05:00

In the United States there are 3,500 shelters. Shelters for rescue, respite and rehabilitation. Shelters where the hope is that stability and security will further rescue in the form of a family.

3500 shelters.

Let me clarify.

3,500 animal shelters. Shelters for dogs and cats who have been in abusive or neglectful situations.

You know how many shelters there are for minors who have been intimidated, coerced and forced into commercial sexual exploitation?

5.

5 shelters to care for minors who were sex trafficking victims. 50 beds to care for these girls.

Its hard to fathom that more advocacy exists for our animals than it does for our exploited children.

Help us change this today. Need a gift? Buy one from us and $1 of each gift/item purchased will go to Gracehaven in the efforts to build a 10 bed shelter in Ohio. Don't need a gift? (We realize it was just Christmas. :)) No problem. You can donate to Gracehaven through our store here.

Let's Change It Today.

Change It Today

2012-01-03T03:02:00.000-05:00

January is a very exciting time of year for DFC. We celebrate our anniversary and get to reflect on all the ideas that you poured in to us during our very busy Christmas season and see what we can do to implement them. We're so thankful for your thoughts and hope you keep sharing them with us!

So, on with the excitement! We have 2 things to announce today!

1. We have raised $400 to fund a literacy program in Haiti! Our Made with Purpose line was created with the specific intent of sponsoring a child slave in Haiti, Benitha. We met our goal of raising $360 for her very early in 2011 and wanted to pursue another option with that line. After your votes, we began raising the funds to help sponsor a literacy program through The Restavek Freedom Foundation. Through that 6 week program, adults in charge of the care of many restavek children will be able to learn to read. The pilot of that particular program occurred this past summer. Check out this excerpt from the Restavek Freedom Foundation blog on graduation day of that pilot program.

"Recently, on a rainy day in the hills of Fontamara, forty-five women walked to take their first academic diploma. They had learned their letters, numbers and for the first time in their lives, they could write their own names.

About a decade ago, the Haitian government created the Alphabetization program – a video-based curriculum aimed at helping improve adult literacy. Sadly, today Haiti still has about a 47 percent illiteracy rate.¹

This summer, the Restavek Freedom Foundation (Fondayson Libète pou Restavek) leveraged the Alphabetization program in order to reach out to the host parents of kids in our Child Advocacy program. Providing literacy classes allows us to build stronger relationships with host parents and the community and gives us a good opportunity to engage in discussions about healthy ways to value children.

These women went to school for the first time and they worked hard to attain these diplomas. They walked up mountains, literally, to get to class and sometimes sat scrunched together under tarps so they could learn their lessons despite the downpours of the rainy season."

Isn't that powerful? And now, because of your purchases, YOU are going to provide that experience to more women!

One of the primary goals of DFC is to assist the non-profits doing the on the ground work with survivors of human trafficking and the elements included in it. And I think we've found a new way to go about that through our little shop with purpose. Which brings us to the......

2. Change It Today Drive - This is a brand new program we are initiating. With it, we will be able to assist many nonprofits in their efforts to make tremendous differences to so many people around the world at risk or already involved in human trafficking. Here's how it works.... Each month a different non-profit will be chosen and during the course of that month, for every ITEM purchased (over $5), will we donate $1 to that particular group. Each month we will choose a new beneficiary and we are going to need your help in making those choices.

To kick this brand new program off, we have chosen to work with Gracehaven House, a non-profit group fighting child sex trafficking in Ohio. They work on prevention and awareness and are in process of building a 10 bed shelter in order to rehabilitate children in the United States who have been trafficked. Did you know there are only 120 beds for this specific purpose in the US?

According to the US Department of Education, "thousands of men, women, and children are trafficked to the United States for the purposes of sexual and labor exploitation. An unknown number of U.S. citizens and legal residents are trafficked within the country primarily for sexual servitude and, to a lesser extent, forced labor. "1

Thousands of children - and only 120 beds available for their rehabilitation.

We want to step up and help more become available.

So for the month of January, we'll be donating $1 for every item purchased to Gracehaven. If you'd like to make a donation to Gracehaven in addition to your purchases, you can do that on our shop here. Every single dollar makes a difference! Because we are not a non profit, the donation you would give through us would not be tax deductible and would simply be given to Gracehaven. If, however, you would like to make a tax deductible donation to Gracehaven you may do to so here.

As January moves on you can check out our progress on the side bar of our blog. We can't wait to work with you to make tremendous differences in the lives of children in the US as January and 2012 begin.

So, stay tuned and thank you again for the tremendous difference you are making simply by shopping!

One Thousand Gifts Instead of Resolutions

2011-12-30T20:58:00.003-05:00

New Year's Eve is just a few short hours away.

This time of year frequently prompts a reflection of our lives up to this point and makes us consider what we would like, or would hope to be different in the year ahead.

I'm not usually the kind of person who sets resolutions, but this year is different.

I don't know if its getting older, or what it is, but there are all these things that are settling into my life that I would like to not be there.

I would like to not have to jump while putting my jeans on - because I refuse to buy the next size up.
I would like to have energy for the entire day and not just half of it.
I would like to live outside my comfort zone. Well, I think I should. I don't actually WANT to.

The resolutions can become a little daunting as the year progresses, especially when June rolls around and I haven't done accomplished any of them. :) Can you relate?

If so, here's a little encouragement.

I have a dear friend who has reminded me many times to be thankful for everything, even that which is hard. When I'm frustrated that I can't fit into my jeans, I'm thankful for the fact that I have them - and that I can jump. When I'm frustrated with the endless mess that is my house I'm so very thankful that I have children who are helping me make that mess.

I mentioned on our Facebook page the other day that I just finished reading Ann Voskamp's book, One Thousand Gifts. She has the same philosophy. The more thankful we are, the more we acknowledge our blessings and what has been given to us, even in the painful times, the more joy, true joy, our lives will carry.

She challenges the reader to keep their own journal - their journal of gifts - and she asks that we find 1,000 things to list as our gifts, things for which we are thankful. 1,000 because it takes a significant amount of time to compile those gifts, thus instilling the habit of thankfulness.

I started my journal the other day in our Desert Rose Center Tie Journal. I'm finding it to be an incredible meaningful way to keep track of my gifts. (If you own one of our journals, what do you think of this idea? If you don't own one, it's not too late. You can find them here.) :)

So here's to being thankful and experiencing the joy of the new year. I hope you all have a wonderful and safe New Years and I can't wait to see you more in 2012.

Merry Christmas!

2011-12-19T23:34:00.003-05:00

We wish you a Merry Christmas.
We wish you a Merry Christmas.
We wish you a Merry Christmas.
And a Happy New Year!!!!!

Thank you so much for all of your support this Christmas season. We hope your DFC gifts are very well received. Thank you for advocating for women, men and children all over the world through your gift giving. It is making a beautiful difference.

We pray for joy and peace to be yours this Christmas as you celebrate with your friends and loved ones. Merry Christmas!!

The Frank Buoniconti Family

2011-12-13T12:47:00.007-05:00

Just 2 weeks ago, after a whirlwind adoption, Kryste and Frank Buoniconti finalized their domestic adoption of Hunter adding 1 more to their family of 4. Hunter has come with his own special set of needs, exhibiting severe developmental delays due to neglect and medical issues due to being HIV positive.

I have no idea what life like that looks like. I have no idea how to make sacrifices like that.

Kryste and Frank were going to adopt internationally. Their hearts were for Ethiopia. But they came to know of Hunter, and instead of having a year to raise the last $11,000 needed to adopt, they went with their hearts and adopted Hunter right away. They have until June to raise the last $11,000.

Adoptions cost between $30,000 - $40,000. For one child. Most people don't have that kind of money lying around and as you can imagine it takes a significant time to raise it.

It might be possible.

But here's the part that makes it hard to breathe.

Frank, the man of the family, was killed last night in a military training helicopter accident.

It is December 13.

Kryste has 4 children, one of which has significant needs and is very new to their family.

And she owes $11,000 by June.

Please, do what you can to help them.

Project Hopeful, a non profit group in Illinois has a mission of advocating for orphans with HIV and encouraging their adoptive families. They have put out an urgent call to raise $11,000 for this family and have a pay pal link for you to do just that.

I remember sitting in church one Sunday and listening to the pastor talk about how he and his wife gave to charities instead of giving each other Christmas presents. I thought about how weird and not fun that would be. Until my husband wrapped me up a stuffed goat the next Christmas because that is what he had done for me. That has been my favorite gift. It is unbelievable how it feels.

Perhaps people are waiting (still) for Christmas ideas for you. Perhaps this could be it.

Donate to Project Hopeful to help their adoption expenses. I don't care if it's $2. It WILL add up and it will make a difference.

Please join us in helping this family.

Do so here.

******UPDATE - Project Hopeful just announced that the $11,000 has been raised! Handling of continued donations are yet to be determined, but it will likely be in the form of a grant for HIV adoption. Please continue to show an outpouring of love and support for this family.

Another Beautiful Alternative

2011-12-13T08:09:00.004-05:00

This weekend on our facebook page, I shared with you an alternative gift giving option through the Adventure Project. And today I'm excited to share with you another.

Scarlet Threads is near and dear to our hearts. We started working together, both with freshly created stores the beginning of 2010. Scarlet Threads truly has a compassionate heart and today I get to tell you why.

I give you Carrie from Scarlet Threads......

It's a busy holiday season.

Shopping to do. Gifts to wrap. Parties to attend. Meals to prepare. It's easy to get lost in the hustle and bustle. It's easy to forget the most important things. It's easy to lose joy in the midst of the stress and chaos.

But isn't that what this season is all about? Joy? Thankfulness? Stepping back and realizing just how richly we've been blessed?

This Christmas, Delicate Fortress Creations is partnering with Scarlet Threads, the suppliers of our beautiful aprons and handmade purses, to raise $10,000 for New Day Foster Home. Scarlet Threads, a fair-trade sewing cooperative, was born in the same village where New Day Foster Home operates. NDFH is a non-profit charitable organization partnering with China's government orphanages to provide life-saving surgeries and a loving home to orphans with critical medical needs. In addition to medical care, NDFH fosters the children until they are adopted. Two NDFH adoptive families have each pledged $2,500 to a matching grant fund. If we raise the other $5,000, NDFH will receive $10,000 to use for Wendy's and Asa's surgeries.

To learn more about this initiative and to make a contribution, please visit Scarlet Threads' blog. To sweeten the deal, we're offering a $10 coupon for use in DFC as well as a $10 coupon for use in the Scarlet Threads shop! If you wish to receive the coupon codes, please e-mail carrie@scarletthreads.org with your name, email address, and the amount you contributed.

We all know it's true... giving is more blessed than receiving. And what better gift than the gift of life for a little one? It's the most joyful gift of all.

(PS - New Day Foster Home is a 501c3. All contributions are tax deductable.)

Thank you for contributing, passing along or helping in any creative way you can come up with! We are so grateful!

Save Money, Live Better? And Our CYBER MONDAY Sale!!

2011-11-26T15:50:00.006-05:00

A couple of weeks ago I attended an event as a vendor. I was right across from Wal-Mart. At first I was thinking, "Hey, this could be a good place! We're exactly the opposite of Wal-Mart, something different, etc."

But its hard to compete with a "competitor" when you're not giving away bag loads, and I do mean bag loads, of free stuff.

People would come over to my booth and show me their totes full of free contact cases, saline and other products and they literally said to me, "What am I going to do with all this stuff? Who needs all this junk?"

It made me feel sick. Because I have a pretty good idea of who made that stuff and didn't get paid for it.

We try to do the exact oppose of guilt induced marketing here. We tell you the stories of our artisans and survivors of human trafficking who have made the products we carry in order to inspire and motivate change in this world. Using guilt tactics and pity gestures would only be degrading and condescending to their work and stories. We want you to buy DFC because it is purposeful and beautiful.

Sometimes we also have to face reality about what is actually happening out there and this is one of those times.

Wal-Mart's motto is "Save Money, Live Better". When we pay less at Wal-Mart, we are indeed saving money (unless we use that savings to buy more), but who is living better? The suggestion eludes to the thought that by having more money, by having more stuff, life is better.

I fully acknowledge that things aren't economically thriving according to the statistics in our nation today. Times are tight. Things are tough. Expenses add up. Someone told me once that instead of buying a house you should just dig a hole and start throwing your money in it. I couldn't agree more.

But overall, when Wal-Mart saves us money, who is living better? Us?

I can tell you who isn't.

The person who made the product we just walked away with for a steal. They call it a steal because someone isn't getting paid.

When we purchase something made in China for $3, where is the money going? On the whole, an item is sold at retail at double what it was purchased for at the wholesale rate. That means your $3 item cost Wal-Mart $1.50. That $1.50 amount includes the cost of material, shipping, import rates and labor. The first thing to be cut when it comes to cost is labor wages. Always.

Wal-Mart is known for its practice of using child slavery in creating its clothing, which is absolutely reflected in the prices it charges for that clothing.

Now, this conversation bites to have because getting a good deal is a lot of fun! I love feeling like I can enjoy the things I purchase and get a good deal at the same time. When I shop I go to the clearance rack every time. It's just fun.

But, this year you can get a good deal and support valid causes while you're Christmas shopping.

So, here's my challenge to you.

Do something different this year when you're buying your Christmas presents for others. Look at companies to see which ones don't use child slavery for labor and consider supporting them. Check out this guide to see if your favorite stores are fighting the child labor industry.

Pick one person, one gift and make sure it hasn't been created with bonded labor this year. Just one.

Buying with purpose - on purpose - will leave you, the gift giver changed. It will do something to you when you receive it in the mail and then give that gift. And when the receiver opens it, with their gift enclosure stating that what they are holding has changed a life, it will do something to them as well.

Why am I okay with shamelessly promoting you to buy DFC? Because I'm not being paid to do it. Our goal with this business is that it will sustain itself. It would be wonderful to be paid for the work involved here someday but today is not that day. Today is the day for growth and to wrap our arms around artisan groups here and abroad giving you enough selection to find something for that one person on your list.

Fair trade, DFC, not cutting it for those on your Christmas list? Then buy American, because that's always fair trade. America has standards for dignified working conditions and fair wages - maybe not the highest wages, but definitely more than $1 a day.

That's my Christmas challenge for you.

And now, here's some joy to help out your wallet. :)

We are so thankful for all of you who have wrapped your arms around us and supported and encouraged us in so many different ways in the past year. As a token of our thanks we are having a site wide sale tomorrow, Cyber Monday, for you! Everything - and I do mean everything - will be 30% off!!! So, tomorrow from 12am to 12pm EST use coupon code "FUNSHOP" and save 30% on your entire order!!! Wow!

A big thank you for your purchases in advance. They are so appreciated!!

So, head on over to DFC and take your Christmas Challenge!!

Hope In Haiti

2011-11-22T04:50:00.003-05:00

As you may have noticed, I have a heart for Haiti. And my passion for that country has expounded all the more in the course of the last week.

A friend of mine from college, Nicole, recently traveled to Haiti. Her trip to Haiti was phenomenal. After she returned home I had the honor of hearing about a few of her experiences there. Seeing her pictures and hearing her stories have just made Haiti feel all the more personal to me.

While she was in Haiti, Nicole discovered and then shared her love of Tchaka Bags and I'm thrilled to say we are now carrying them in store!!!

I'm so excited to present to you Nicole's experience and our new items at the same time in her words.

Here's Nicole....

I recently had the amazing opportunity to spend 10 days in Haiti with a group called the Haiti Plunge. They are an organization based in North Adams, MA, that has been working in a cooperative of mountain villages in Haiti since the mid 1980's. One of the things our team did while there was a driving tour of Port-au-Prince. It was unreal. The only way I can think to describe Port-au-Prince is this.

Imagine an apocalyptic movie set that a Hollywood producer has used several times for different movies, and then when they were done filming, people moved in. That's Port-au-Prince. Garbage everywhere. Crumbled buildings. Piles of rubble.

Tent upon tent upon tent with people living in parks, along the road, everywhere.

Dogs and pigs foraging along the streets. Vendors set up along the sides of the road selling a variety of items. The air smelled like diesel fumes, sulfur, meat, manure, urine, sometimes separate and sometimes all mixed together. It was scary and horribly sad. What shocked me was that the people with our team that had been to Haiti shortly after the January 2010 earthquake were commenting on how much better the city looked. I could not imagine that it had looked worse than this. Unreal.

While in Port-au-Prince, we took some time to visit Despagne, a man who used to work as a driver for the Haiti Plunge. He literally knows every road in Haiti. It was great to meet him and his family. Especially his wife Polene.

Polene runs a small business sewing purses and various bags to sell. We got to see her shop - a room with a cement floor, 4-5 antique looking sewing machines, and boxes of supplies and projects. This is where she and her employees work. She then took us to a room in their house where she had all of her items on display. Her bags are amazing!

They are all so different - different from anything I had ever seen and each one different from the next. Very funky, colorful, bright. I had a really difficult time deciding on what to buy! I love what she does for a variety of reasons. First of all, I sew. Looking at her bags and how well made they are, I am amazed at the time and effort that must go into each one. Secondly, she is taking what would be garbage and turning it into something of value. I love that and I pray that will happen throughout Haiti as a nation. And lastly, I love supporting women that are making an impact in their family and their community, and I was able to see how she is doing both of these things.

I was so excited to find out that Polene's products will now be offered at Delicate Fortress Creations and I hope that you love them as much as I do.

I fell in love with Haiti while I was there. I can't wait to go back again, and am already planning my next trip. I am excited to have the opportunity to continue to support the positive work going on in Haiti through the Haiti Plunge. And I think it's wonderful that others can get involved in rebuilding Haiti by supporting Polene as she creates a better future for her family and her community.

Isn't that awesome!? Check our our brand new Tchaka Bags in store here and see why they are just so awesome! And give a shout out to Nicole for sharing her experience with us!

Punjammie Giveaway!

2011-11-21T08:47:00.002-05:00

Hello Hello!! Happy Monday to all of you!

Exciting news - one of many announcements this week....

We're doing a punjammie giveaway today with Amy Sullivan. So, in case you'd like to win a pair :), you might want to head over there!

Tomorrow we have a product release with a very personal story and we're going to begin announcing our weekend sales!! Woohoo!

Our Christmas Open House!

2011-11-20T16:40:00.000-05:00

Dignity, Hope and Gratitude - An Adoption Fundraiser Testimonal

2011-11-10T20:57:00.005-05:00

We are finishing up a wild round of fundraisers today. It has been amazing working one on one with the coordinators of these fundraisers and those who are supporting them through their words, conversations and purchases. This year we were able to help purchase an ambulance for a community who desperately needs it in Ethiopia, help two families raise money for their adoption traveling expenses and help 3 MOPS groups pursue their mission. It has been wonderful.

I wanted to share with you a testimonial from a recent adoption fundraiser to give you a taste of why we're doing these and why we feel so passionate about them.

In Heather's words.....

Dignity, Hope & Gratitude...

I just wanted to tell all of friends & family who supported us during our fundraiser what you did. What you did was amazing! I know that I have said that many times over the course of the last week, but I am lacking words to really explain what your purchases did. So, I will do my best. Here goes....

To start, here are the numbers:

* We had 40 people order from 7 different states.

* Your orders supported 22 different artisan and non-profit groups in over 15 countries. Many of the groups are working in several different countries at once.

* You raised $741.75 to help offset our adoption travel expenses!

Here is how those numbers break down into real life usefulness:

* Your purchases helped fight human trafficking, forced prostitution, extreme poverty, modern day slavery, the orphan crisis, maternal mortality, child exploitation and illiteracy. EVERY issue Delicate Fortress aims to tackle was supported.

* You helped people provide for their families with DIGNITY.

* You gave the gift of HOPE!

* You shopped with purpose and bought items that were made with someone's hands, many that were one of a kind and not made in a sweat shop. I know that it is very difficult to do with many of our day to day purposes. Delicate Fortress gave us all an easy and affordable way to do it!

* You helped us raise enough money to pay for about half of a round trip flight to Ethiopia!

* YOU DID THIS ALL IN JUST ONE WEEK!!

I must tell you that we are really humbled by the way that our "village" came together to support us. Thank you for being a part of TeamOsh. Thank you for putting your dollars toward causes that are dear to our heart.

We began the adoption process in July of 2010. As of today, we have officially been waiting for a referral for a little over 10 months. The wait has taught us a lot and given us the opportunity to really learn about the orphan crisis, the struggle for the people of Ethiopia and the enormous lack of basic needs that exists there. We thought we knew a lot before we started the process. We know more now!

As we wait and learn from afar part of our hearts longs to move forward with this journey. But, we understand that there is a timing beyond what we know that is not for us to dictate. Changes to the governmental process in Ethiopia, the famine and other issues are impacting the current climate of adoption in Ethiopia. In short, it is complicated! We are in constant contact with our agency and have learned that we are in the top 20 families with our agency waiting for a placement. That does not mean anything as far as how much longer we will wait or what our process will look like from here on out. But, it is information that we are glad to have.

In the meantime, we are sustained by faith, hope, love and the support and prayers from our village. Thanks for being a part of the journey! Thank you for joining us in our fundraiser.

With Gratitude,

Heather & Dan

Christmas Cards and Fighting the Orphan Crisis

2011-11-08T03:54:00.001-05:00

So, more exciting news! We are working with a new artisan group - Good Paper!

Good Paper carries 3 different product lines that we are now honored to have available in our store - Cards from Africa, Sanctuary Spring and Good Paper Stationary.

First, before I tell you why I think they're so awesome, I want you to see how beautiful these cards and journals are!!

First up, a favorite after the birth of a loved one's child. The Hello Little One card!

Then we have the Elegant Thanks card, perfect for expressing your gratefulness to a friend.

Followed by the River's Edge Center Tie Journal. Hand painted and gorgeous! It is one of three different styles of center tie journals we are carrying.

And, as is now seasonally appropriate :), gorgeous Christmas cards. Perfect for writing that note of gratefulness and cheer for someone you appreciate.

Now let me tell you why they are so awesome.....

They have been created by heads of orphan families and survivors of human trafficking.

Cards of Africa are created by heads of orphan families who have younger siblings to take care of and send to school. By creating these gorgeous cards, they are receiving a fair wage under dignified working conditions and are able to support their family and send their brothers and sisters to school.

Sanctuary Spring has been provided as an alternative to women who have been tricked into forced prostitution in the Philippines. By working at Good Paper and creating these beautiful cards, the women are able to push out of exploitation and into hope.

I love these cards, but the purpose behind them is what makes them so beautiful to me.

And my favorite part is this......

The back of each card describes it's story and is signed by the one who made it. Isn't that beautiful?

I'm in love.

Are you?

Want to learn more about Good Paper? Check out this video.

All You Have to Do is Keep Your Eyes Open

2011-11-01T04:15:00.000-04:00

You know, one of the best ways to fight human trafficking is by keeping your eyes open.

Especially if you're traveling.

You might want to get a bucket because if you're anything like me, you're going to want to throw up when you read this.

In Georgia alone. GEORGIA! 12,400 men pay for sex in a month. 7,200 of those men pay for sex with an adolescent female. With the number of girls out there who are "available", that breaks down to every prostituted adolescent girl being exploited on average 3 times a day. In Georgia.

That means buying sex is prevalent. Hugely so. And it means it is visible to somebody. And who better to pick out what is out of the ordinary than someone who is not part of the ordinary.

Travelers are in a unique position to do something about this. They can see things out of the norm - a girl who is unable to speak the local language, advertisements for sex without condoms, a YOUNG girl, a guarded girl, a girl with bruises and injuries. Travelers with no attachment to areas can SEE these things and DO something about it.

Here's how. Business Travelers Against Human Trafficking, a group focusing on how to teach you what to look for and giving you ways to report, in detail, what you are seeing. They will do the investigation. You report. They take over the dirty work.

Traveling for the holidays, vacation, business? You might want to check out this site. I know we all think we're not going to see this stuff, but you just never know and if you do see it and report it, you have the potential of saving lives.

You're Going to Be SOOOO Excited!!!

2011-10-25T04:37:00.000-04:00

Last winter I shared with you the sad news that one of our favorite suppliers, The Enterprising Kitchen, had to close its doors due to financial issues. I was so very disappointed when I learned about them closing because I knew the tremendous amount of good they were doing for women in the Chicago area. I was so proud to be supporting an American organization that was making such a difference. And I LOVED their products.

Working with smaller non-profits and groups is a tremendous privilege because I get to interact with the people leading the charge in these different groups. At The Enterprising Kitchen I was able to work with Fey and get to know her a little and order through her when I made purchases. She was delightful to get to know.

When she told me that The Enterprising Kitchen was closing she said she was interested in starting her own bath and body company which would be very similar to The Enterprising Kitchen. She had the desire to do so because she had personally been impacted by the work of TEK. She had been a survivor of domestic violence and was taught, at TEK, the principles of business, bath and body product making and management skills. She was given a livelihood. TEK was personal to her.

So I waited.

And wouldn't you know it, this summer I received my first pricing list from Pure Eden, a company based out of Chicago, IL and begun by Fey and a friend of hers, also impacted by TEK. Ground up.

How exciting is that??

Count us in!!

So, we now are incredibly proud to announce that we are working, once again, with Fey and are now carrying Pure Eden products - the same phenomenal products from TEK with a little different look. And, we have brand new products from Pure Eden like our Pomegranate Vanilla, Cranberry and White Chocolate soy candles. Don't they sound divine??

I'm thrilled and I definitely hope you are too.

We still have a few things from The Enterprising Kitchen in stock, but once those run out we will be sending items from Pure Eden instead. A smooth transition.

I'm pretty excited because now I don't have to hoard all the glycerin soaps and candles anymore. I can just order them when I run out!

What In the World is a Deck?

2011-10-11T08:20:00.003-04:00

So, check this out! I found this site through Eye See Media, a social justice magazine we are going to be featured in this upcoming holiday season.

360 Project.

They are reaching youth all over the world through skateboarding!

Now, despite my pogo sticking ventures, I am not a skateboarder, and I don't plan to be either. Wheels and I just don't get along. :) But, if any of my kiddos ever get into skateboarding, I'm going to be all over this.

They have a one for one program similar to Toms shoes. When someone purchases a skateboard, or deck as they call it, they donate one to their multiple projects all over the globe. Artisans and designers submit patterns for the skateboards and only 20 are created in each pattern leading to uniqueness and in demand opportunities. You can buy one for $80 and know that another one identical to it will be going to an underprivileged youth in another country.

Why is skateboarding important? Because it brings youth off the streets, giving them access to people who genuinely care about them and their well being, providing them with genuine relationships and friendships and giving them access to education.

Awesome! What do you think?

Need a skateboard? Go here! This one is hands down my favorite!

Preaching to the Choir

2011-10-05T17:09:00.002-04:00

So, we've had some controversy on our facebook page over our new ad and t-shirt. Have you seen it? If not, head on over and let us know your thoughts. It has been an interesting conversation to say the least.

At any rate, one commenter told me I was "preaching to the choir" on my website. I thought about that person's words and what they had to say and why. And I completely agree. I am preaching to the choir. I think it is safe to say that everyone that follows along on facebook/twitter/blog understands what DFC is about and why human trafficking needs to be fought.

So, is reaching out to them..... you..... necessary once you're part of the "movement"?

I was thinking about that this morning and you know what I thought?

If you get the choir fired up, they can do huge things.

Ever seen Sister Act?

What do you think? Should we continue to talk about human trafficking and all its elements here or not?

Carving Pumpkins with Purpose?

2011-09-27T02:35:00.001-04:00

So, check this out!

I was pleasantly surprised this weekend when I received my Better Homes and Gardens magazine and found this promotion they're doing.

Carving For a Cause!

BHG is offering the above pumpkin designs for free and each one you download will result in BHG donating $2 in the charity it represents (up to $5000 per charity!). Each design has been custom created to represent these fabulous organizations: The Humane Society, Big Brothers Big Sisters, Susan G. Komen for the Cure, Rebuilding Together and March of Dimes. How awesome is that?!

So, click on this link to visit, download your favorite, and carve your pumpkins with purpose this year!

A Couple of Changes In the Works

2011-09-24T22:15:00.006-04:00

Hello!

So, good news or bad news first?

I always want to hear the bad news first because I'm so distracted by knowing I'm going to hear bad news that I can't listen to the good news. Okay, here's the bad news.......

We've had 2 different suppliers of ours in the last week come to us asking for help because they need it. Running a business, non-profit, or organization of any size is incredibly hard work and so discouraging at times. We want to help them.
During our fundraiser with BEMM we sent 30% of all sales to BEMM. $775 as a matter of fact! Awesome! We charged $150 for shipping for all of those orders. And it cost us $300. Oops. So over 80% of our earnings from the fundraiser went out our door and then we didn't charge enough for shipping. Well, that's not sustainable!
And our rewards program is still in action so free stuff is going out the door too.

Anyone see anything wrong with this picture?

Yep.

Good news.......

With just that one fundraiser over 20 different organizations and non-profits were helped.
People LOVE our products!!! We have received SO many notes of encouragement from those who purchased through that fundraiser, not to mention the rest of the year!
We love advocating for the men, women and children who are fighting their way out of exploitation and pain into hope.
We love that this fall we are going to help bring 2 children home to their families through adoption fundraisers.

So, to make sure that can all still continue to happen for a very long time we're going to need to instill a couple of changes.

Our shipping costs will average $5.50 instead of $4 to send an order to a customer. Shipping will be free for those spending over $150!! :)
Our rewards program is going to not be applicable during fundraisers. One point will earned for every $10 purchased in store at all other times.
We are going to upcycle a few products that you don't even know we have. :) So for example, we have several punjammies gift bags that have not been utilized because people didn't want to sort through them to pull out their punjammies to see the size or design. In the past we used some of them to put together the maternal birth kits, but since our girly girl headbands have been so popular we will be using some unused lonely punjammie gift bags for those. And then your purchases will have twice the purpose! Not only will they support women who have escaped forced prostitution in India, but they'll also help fund an education, supervision, hot meals, books and uniform for Benitha, the child slave in Haiti who you have helped us sponsor. Now, that, my friends, is awesome!

So, that's the big news. The good, the bad, the ugly, the awesome..... All in a little, hopefully transparent, package.

I'm so grateful for all the support and encouragement you give us. That emotional help is incredibly appreciated and truly keeps us going. And, as ALWAYS, thank you for shopping with purpose and advocating for those who need it desperately!

A 14 Year Old, Doodling, and Human Trafficking

2011-09-22T08:00:00.002-04:00

You HAVE to meet Asya.

She's 14 and has a knack for expressive doodling.

She found out about human trafficking and how the average age of a trafficked girl is 13.

And she couldn't sit still with that information. So decided to FIGHT!

Asya put together her talent and her passion to create not 1, but 2 groups to combat human trafficking and sexual exploitation. Stinky Feet Gurlz communicates sass, trendiness and fun all in one in great t-shirts of Asya's doodled designs. With fun expressions subtitling her creative designs Asya is reaching out to a world of teens, pre-teens and adults who don't know anything about human trafficking. She utilizes portions of the proceeds of these t-shirts and accessories to help fund her non-profit organization, She is Worth It, which is committed to bring awareness of human trafficking to all of us in the US and provide money to put away criminals by making sure untested, backlogged rape kits, providing a wealth of information on rapists, will be tested and effective in putting criminals away.

I love Asya's heart and the passion she has for human trafficking and fighting it tooth and nail. Listen to this quote taken from her blog,

"She Is Worth It! is ready to go from town to town across America to educate parents, children, school officials, governors, etc., until every person is fat with information. Information creates awareness. Awareness creates righteous anger. And righteous anger spurs ACTION!

We're linking arms because they are worth it!"

Isn't that amazing? We are with you Asya!

Her compassion and sense for justice is contagious, don't you think??

So, go tell her how awesome you think she is, buy a shirt, do something because she is fighting with purpose!

Here are the links to her sites -

She Is Worth It (Website/Blog)
She Is Worth It (Facebook)
Stinky Feet Gurlz (Website)
Stinky Feet Gurlz (Facebook)

What a Fundraiser REALLY Does

2011-09-15T11:45:00.003-04:00

Whew! What a wild ride that was!

We just finished a fundraiser with Because Every Mother Matters. They have a huge task to accomplish - purchasing an ambulance for a community in Ethiopia with an astonishing maternal death rate - all in the name of combating the global orphan crisis.

We were honored to participate in this week long fundraiser and are thrilled to announce that with this fundraiser they raised $775 to help purchase a 1999 Land Rover, which will be that very ambulance.

I am so happy for them and that they are so close to meeting their goal. What an accomplishment!

But I want to tell you what else they, and their supporters, did through this fundraiser.

They supported 21 different non-profits and small businesses in 17 different countries, encouraging, enhancing dignified work conditions and providing fair wages to countless men and women. With every purchase, ever reorder (of which I made 7 this week!), more hope is instilled and more encouragement is given to each artisan.

They also raised $31.25 to help fund literacy programming in Haiti through The Restavek Freedom Foundation with purchases from our Made with Purpose line. And now we're clean out of headbands again! :) (That, my friends, is a good problem!)

These are amazing accomplishments.

So, a very special thank you to Because Every Mother Matters for working alongside us and giving us this opportunity. And thank you, thank you to all who purchased items during their fundraiser. Your support has truly MADE A DIFFERENCE!

Adoption Fundraising

2011-09-13T12:45:00.001-04:00

Adoption is a noble endeavor.

I'm learning more and more the reality of that statement. As I learn about thechallenges and sometimes heart breaks of going through the adoption process Igain more and more respect for those who decide to undertake the process. The time is lengthy, the cost is phenomenaland the emotional undertaking is sometimes overwhelming.

And I'm just learning. I truly have no idea of what all it really entails.

But I think it's awesome. And one of the reasons I think that is because of how it impacts humantrafficking and child exploitation. Whenan orphan has no one to care for them,where can they go? When there is no one to explain the dangersof the world and protect them from those dangers, who wouldn't they trust thatoffered them a hand? And who easier toexploit?

There are over 143 million orphans in this world. And there are families who want to help lowerthat number.

And that is why one of our goals is going to be tosupport those families. One of the wayswe're going to do that is through fundraising. Future adoptive families can schedule fundraisers with us, free ofcharge, and 30% of all sales occurring during those week long fundraisers willgo to the families for their adoptions. Isn't that wonderful news?

What a wonderful privilege it will be for us to work withthese families and help them bring their children home.

Do you know of a family who is working through theadoptive process? Do you think theycould use financial assistance doing so? Please let us know and pass the word on to them. Our fundraisers for thefall are filling up quickly, but we will be offering them year long. Can't wait to hear from you! Lets bring some children home!

Because EVERY Mother Matters

2011-09-05T11:06:00.005-04:00

Imagine this.....

You are in labor. Instead of the conventional "driving to the hospital in plenty of time", you are required to walk to the village that your very rural, very small community is an outlier of. Your village is one of 23 comprising the outlying communities. If you have complications you are then literally hog tied to a stick and carried down a mountain to the nearest hospital where hopefully you can be taken care of. That, my friends, would be enough birth control for me - just hearing that story. Done. No babies.

But babies happen and due to the reality of these circumstances only 6 out of 10 mothers actually survive childbirth.

Welcome to life in Mareya, Ethiopia.

I would not have been a survivor. I don't know if you have been in labor or not. In case you haven't, here are a couple quick highlights from my experience.

It REALLY hurts. And its hard to walk while you are in labor.
Walking speeds the process along.
The more times you give birth, the quicker labor can potentially go and the higher the chance that you could "bleed out", meaning that a clot develops and instead of the bleeding stopping after delivery, you just continue to bleed.

I would have had about 15 minutes to live after the birth of my third child without medical care.

Now imagine this....

There are 143 million orphans around the world today. 143 million. Imagine how many less orphans there could be if less mothers died in child birth.

Imagine what knowledgeable and safe midwifery could do if practiced in the outlying communities. Imagine what a 4x4 vehicle could do if available. I'll tell you one thing. It would mean a lot less hog tying.

Count me in.

And count in BEMM, short for Because Every Mother Matters.

I happened to meet the founder of this organization at a conference I recently went to. She described this process to me when we were discussing DFC and the fact that one of our main desires is to fight child exploitation. Orphans are part of what leads to child exploitation. When a child has no one to provide for them, no means of living and no education, they are at very high risk of being picked up and used by a trafficker.

What if we could cut down on the maternal death rate? We would be shrinking the orphan population and the risk of these children being trafficked.

That is the goal of Because Every Mother Matters. They aim to achieve this goal by providing maternal birth kits to these communities, training 2-3 midwives in each community to practice safe birthing methods and funding the purchase of a 4x4 vehicle for the village to use as an ambulance for moms in distress. Imagine what they will be able to do with this help. Imagine the number of moms that will be able to see their children grow and thrive, the number of children who will be cared for by their own mothers and the number of children who will have a much smaller risk of being exploited.

Makes sense to me.

Steffany, the woman I met at the conference, is heading over to Africa in October with maternal birth kits, educators and hopefully money for a 4x4. She needs to raise $20,000 within the next month. Total raised so far - $4040.

Do you feel passionate about this cause and want to do something? Here's how you can:

Donate directly to BEMM. You can do that here.
Follow BEMM on Facebook and participate in the fundraiser we are hosting for them. 30% of all purchases utilizing their coupon code will go directly to BEMM.
Purchase items for the maternal birth kits via BEMM's Amazon wish list.
Buy a tacky headband, created by African refugees here in the states. $4/headband will go to pay them a fair wage for their creation, $4 will to toward funding the ambulance and $1 will take care of transaction fees incurred by DFC for making them available to you. And last but not least the incredibly cool headband will go to you!

I know DFC is small, but together it is possible to make a big impact. So, let's get started. And all the best to BEMM.

Now, let's save some lives!

New Punjammies Are Here!

2011-08-30T21:58:00.004-04:00

Mmmmmm. I love it when new punjammies are in stock. It's just such a nice feeling. :)

We just received 3 new styles of punjammies and I am thrilled to be able to introduce them to you. Please meet Seema, Nanu and Jothi, gorgeous new pajama pants that are just waiting to be purchased and worn by you! These incredible cute punjammies are super comfortable and delightful to wear because you know that wearing them has given someone in a whole other world hope. I hope you go on over to our store and check them out. And if you fall in love with them like I did make sure you scoop them up because our punjammies just don't stay in stock very long!

Bringing Out The Best

2011-08-26T20:15:00.004-04:00

Abused children who end up in the court system in the United States have a tough row to hoe. They do not understand unconditional love, safety and the worth they truly have. They understand danger, violence and pain...... daily.

I never was a dog person. Until we got our dog. We adopted him two years ago at the age of 8. And we've never looked back. This dog has been an unexpected protector of our home, guardian of our children and joy to play with. We also got our cat about a year ago and I can't say the same things about her. :)

There's something about animals that brings out a different side of you. They are so vulnerable and accepting that it just takes your defenses away when they need to be taken away the most.

I learned just recently of pet therapy and how pets can aid in the healing of children who have been exploited, abused and hurt. It helps them be vulnerable and trust, even in small ways. Pets can provide them with a sense of ownership and responsibility that can really go a long way toward healing the hurt they've experienced.

At New Life Village, orphans will be able to experience caring for animals on a working farm. Because each child will have a role to play in taking care of all the animals, resulting in clear, positive goals and outcomes, they will be able to participate in an endeavor guaranteed of success that isn't nearly as emotionally charged as their prior relationships with adults. What a brilliant idea!

Hearts in Harmony in East Texas and Gabriel's Angels in Arizona provide pet therapy, free of charge to children in the court system with the goal of breaking the cycle of violence and encouraging openness and vulnerability of the children to help in their healing process.

I think this is completely incredible. It's an "outside the box" way of helping children who have been exploited. And we all know there are just so many of them.

What do you think? Are you passionate about your pets? Passionate about helping hurting children? I wonder what you could do with your passion......

(*Image taken from gabrielsangels.com)

Ansley Tote Giveaway!

2011-08-16T23:04:00.004-04:00

Miss Ansley is back!!

One of our best sellers, our Ansley tote, appeared in our store as a result of a very inspiring young woman who participated in our Buy a Bag Give a Bag Campaign with A21 last fall. We couldn't keep up with the popularity of this bag, but in honor of our one year anniversary of our Ede Projects, we're bringing her back!

This awesome tote is unique and gorgeous! It is not only a roomy tote, but can easily be switched to a backpack in 10 seconds or less for a more casual look. Trendy, roomy, functional and versatile - plus, really stinking cute! What more can you ask for?

Well, I'll tell you. You can win it for free! Participate in our giveaway in any of these easy and fun ways and the Ansley Tote can be yours!

Follow our blog - 3 entries
Follow us on Facebook - 4 entries
Link to our store on Facebook - 5 entries
Follow us on Twitter - 2 entries
Tweet this giveaway - 2 entries
Take our button for your website/blog - 7 entries
Receive 1 entry for every dollar you spend on our store between now and the end of the giveaway
Review a product on our store - 2 entries for each review!
Comment here or on facebook about what you love most about our store - 3 entries
Schedule a fundraiser - 25 points!

Wow! that, my friends is a lot of ways to win! So, get entering and share this with your friends! Who knows, if you don't win maybe they will and will give it to you as a present.

Good luck!

{Giveaway begins Wednesday, August 17 and ends Sunday, August 21. Winner will be announced Monday, August 22.}

A Shift In Missions

2011-08-15T02:25:00.000-04:00

There seems to be a shift underway and I'm not sure what exactly is going to come of it.

It's been on my mind and heart for several months lately, but seems to be compounded even in this past week.

The shift seems to be trending from handouts to hand ups and truly exploring the purpose of and reason for missions.

A Love146 intern put it in the most emotional, and therefore most mind remembering way for me this week in an article. She said, "Often, it seems as though short trips are more beneficial to the travelers than to the people at the “mission site.” I must admit, I have loved my own two short trips to Cambodia. I remember those two summers as times of spiritual growth and of getting a tiny taste of what it’s like to be totally outside my comfort zone. When I think about the way all of the wonderful, adorable children were crying as I left, however, I question the benefits of my trip. I had a great time but what did I put those kids through? Okay, maybe I gave them a week of fun games and singing but I also gave them one more reason to cry, one more reason to say goodbye, and maybe – although I sure hope not – one more reason to think that no one loves them enough to actually stick around."

Then there was a NY Times article discussing Uganda's maternal health care. Did you know that for every dollar we give, Uganda's domestic spending for health care has gone down 57 cents? Does that seem right?

That's what I mean.

It seems as though although we've intended to help, what we've actually done is hurt. By stepping in and handing things out we've actually taken away the motivation for others to do things for themselves; given them a reason for dependence instead of independence.

Here's one of the problems I see with the approach of handing things out to others that are common in our culture but not in their own - they can't sustain the new expectations or items themselves. There are so many around the world who need help. I'm sure the ways to hellp are endless. But if we're providing handouts to people and not providing them with a sustainable way to keep the change going on their own, it seems we are setting everyone involved up for frustration and discouragement.

If, on the other hand, we provide something that is not only tangible, but sustainable, they can make their own difference in their own environment and those who want to help can keep moving and to help provide sustainability to others who so desperately need it.

Delicate Fortress Creations is existing to help provide sustainability for those who are enriching their livelihood through dedicated and quality work. We believe in hand-ups, hands down.

What do you think? I'd love to hear your thoughts on these things.

NEW! Deal of the Day!

2011-08-09T06:43:00.001-04:00

Oh, we have one exciting feature to share with you today that is brand new to our store!

Deal of the Day!!

Every single day you're going to find a new deal - and it's not just any deal - a SMOKING deal! On the sidebar of the cart you'll see our favorite products with slashed prices for a limited time only with a timer to tell you how long you have to take advantage of the deal!

Very fun. Very smart.

So, check out our deals of the day, share them with your friends with our simple email/tweet/facebook feature and take advantage of them!

*Image courtesy of http://www.happyhomemakerreviews.com

Shop With Meaning July Summer Sale!

2011-07-29T10:17:00.004-04:00

Welcome to our July Summer Sale!

We recently learned of a great organization called Shop With Meaning. Each day this phenomenal group reveals another product that you can buy with the purpose of helping others while also getting a very cool product!

For the next two days they are highlighting businesses who are doubling their giving efforts with each purchase you make and we are delighted to be one of those companies who is participating!

What does that mean to you, faithful DFC supporter? It means that for the next 2 days you can use coupon code @ShopWithMeaning when you checkout in our store and automatically save 10%. But that's not all! With every purchase using that code we'll also give 20% of sales to fund literacy with The Restavek Freedom Foundation. We're up to $85 to fund literacy programming but we have $315 still to meet our goal before November. So lets see what we can do together!

Interested in learning about the other companies who are participating? Check them out here.

A Love That Doesn't Run

2011-07-24T20:42:00.006-04:00

I don't very often write personal posts because this of course, is a business blog.

But one of the things I'm supposed to do with this business, I believe, is make human trafficking personal for you. Make the survivors and victims and even potential victims personal to you so you will feel connected to them and strive to make a difference for them.

I never wrote a concluding post with the pogo sticking for Love146 - in part because this summer has been crazy and in part because I was completely disappointed in how it turned out as an Ede Project.

The key word there is "was".

Now I'm looking it at differently.

The things that were achieved, $732 more for Love146 and any and all awareness that was raised for this incredible organization are potential mustard seeds for incredible growth in the future. Who knows who was reading all the posts on pogo sticking and how it might have impacted them? And who knows how many people driven to learn what would make someone crazy enough to pogo stick 26 miles learned instead about the world of child exploitation and sex slavery? Those "accomplishments" if you will, are completely immeasurable.

And here's something else you just can't measure:

I started pogo sticking to help Love146, but my efforts became more than that.

For me, the last year of my life has been incredibly painful. Much of the year I felt like a fish out of water, like I didn't know what I was doing or how I was even doing it. Things and people I trusted in vanished and I had to start to learn how to operate on a Love that wouldn't falter - ever.

Have you ever experienced a kind of hurt that simply sucked the life right out of you; that made you feel desperate - that took all of the faith and hope you had simply to breath through it?

Its probably a safe bet to think that these children experience that feeling nearly every day.

The common human experience of suffering helps us, even fractionally, to consider the feelings these girls and boys might be feeling even after their rescue - after the original hurt is over and they are left to pick up the pieces. Because after their rescue, life is anything other than roses and happily ever after.

Their life is HARD.

The trauma they have experienced as a result of the hope they have found in things that turned out to be hopeless, the passions that were revoked, dreams that were punished, and ways they were forced to give their own selves all remain.

Those things don't just go away.

They fester. And they aim to ruin.

And I ended up praying, as I listed to my ipod and hopped away.

I prayed that they WOULDN'T.

That her dreams would resurface, that she would find true healing. That she would experience life and Love that doesn't disappoint, that doesn't run, that doesn't use.

And I used these words from This Love Doesn't Run to pray for these little children.

If you think of them; when you think of them, these might be helpful words for your prayers too. Because that's one of the only ways WE, outsiders, foreigners, can truly help.

This Love Doesn't Run (Kerrie Roberts)

Here I am, where I said
I never wanted to be again
I gave too much to what I shouldn't have
You took from me what little I had left
You hurt my so fast
Is there a place where I can rest
Where I can finally stay and be safe

Where I know that I belong
In hands that heal me
And I know I'm finally home
In arms that won't let go
It’s the love that I need
It's the love that only You can bring.
And I'll never be alone
Cause this love doesn't run
No this love doesn't run

What I lost and what is gone
Where I've been
It doesn't matter now
Cause I let go of holding on
To anything that's not Your love
Cause You're the only one I can live for
And I know that I'll never have to be afraid
Of losing what I gave
Cause You keep me safe

Where I know that I belong
In hands that heal me
And I know I'm finally home
In arms that won't let go
It’s the love that I need
It's the love that only You can bring.
And I'll never be alone
Cause this love doesn't run
No this love doesn't run

I never knew the meaning of forever
I never heard the voice inside the storm
You hold my heart
You hold the world together
And only You can hold me now

Where I know that I belong
In hands that heal me
And I know I'm finally home
In arms that won't let go
It’s the love that I need
It's the love that only You can bring.
And I'll never be alone
Cause this love doesn't run
No this love doesn't run

$50 Giveaway Reminder

2011-07-13T11:21:00.004-04:00

Wow! Our sari pocket bags are selling quickly for our DFC Summer Sari Challenge! And time is closing in on its completion.

Don't miss out! We just introduced lots of new bags to the store and they're waiting for you to scoop them up and then participate in our challenge.

All you have to do to participate is purchase one of our great bags, take a picture of yourself doing something very awesome while using/holding the bag and submit it to us! The most creative picture with someone with their purchased sari bag will win a $50 gift card to our store. Pretty exciting!

But.... time is running out! All pictures must be submitted by July 31.

Buy your bag here and submit your pic to info@delicatefortress.com before July 31 to win.

Good luck everyone!

Fresh Breath.... with Purpose?

2011-07-11T06:49:00.003-04:00

I got about 3 hours of sleep last night and I could definitely use what Project 7 has to offer to keep me going today - coffee, mints, gum and water.

I could stay awake with purpose!

Here's how:

Project 7, like DFC, is a shop with purpose store, offering you "products for good"! Instead of focusing on the tragedies of this world and getting bogged down in the hopelessness of it all, Project 7 chooses to focus on hope. And they do this by financially assisting non-profits with sales of every day products in 7 specific areas.

Here's a run down.

Feed the Hungry - Purchase a "feed the hungry" product and you'll provide 7 meals in American communities.
Heal the Sick - Each product here will buy medicine for a person suffering with malaria.
Save the Earth - Product sales enable the planting of fruit trees.
House the Homeless - You can provide shelter, food AND education for 1 day for an orphan when you buy a heal the homeless product. Wow!
Quench the Thirsty - Each product here provides clean water to someone for a YEAR!
Teach them Well - Buy a teach them well item and give an education to a child in Africa for a year. Can you imagine?
Hope for Peace - And give a day of counseling to a child of war with these items.

It makes my heart hurt to think about these needs exist, but it is simply amazing to me that you can DO so much good by buying gum! And sugarless, I might add!

Even better is the fact that Project 7 doesn't just talk and disburse funds. They DO! Through 7 Day, a separate part of their store, Project 7 offers you community and change all at the same time by resourcing volunteer "chapters" all over the states to help you make a difference in your own community in creative and fun ways. How awesome is that?

I'm in love! Are you?

Pieces of Privilege

2011-07-08T13:02:00.002-04:00

I have the great honor of being over at The High Calling today with an article on my pogo sticking journey and what I'm continuing to learn even though the Tread on Trafficking Campaign is over. Head on over and check it out!

PS - Mustard is involved.....

A New Direction

2011-07-05T23:40:00.006-04:00

Have you noticed the new mantra at the top of our blog now? It reads "pursue your passions with purpose". That was one of my biggest goals as I participated in Love146's Tread on Trafficking Camaign - to link someone with a love for exercise to the purpose of fighting child exploitation. That's the point of all of our Ede Projects - to help you find ways to pursue your passions while benefiting the purposes of the non-profits we think are making huge differences in the world of human trafficking.

I love understanding purposes of things and I especially enjoy having a purpose behind what I'm doing.

So, in cooperation with our Ede Projects and pursuing living with purpose, we're going in a new direction with the blog.

One of the intents of this blog is to tell you about very cool things that are happening with the business - new products, sales, promotions and introducing you to our artisans.

But we also want to share in community with you and want to continue to raise awareness for unique and fun ways to support our favorite non-profits.

So, we're splitting things up. We'll aim to post on the blog 2 times a week. One time will be with the intent of connecting your passions with missions we think are awesome. The other post for the week will relate specifically to the store as we've done in the past - continuing to inform you and give you special treats for following us and paying attention to what is going on around here (giveaways anyone?).

So, stay tuned! We're going to be talking to you about having fresh breath with purpose first thing next week! Now that is something to look forward to!

Can't wait to hear your thoughts about the new direction and we'll be in touch soon!

Life Lessons From A Pogo Stick

2011-06-28T23:16:00.000-04:00

Now that this campaign is nearly over, I have a desire to tell you what I've learned from this 8 week endeavor.

I thought I would be able to participate in Tread on Trafficking without actually getting involved. I thought it would be something I'd just have to struggle through because it would simply be hopping on a pogo stick.

I was completely wrong.

Because every time - every time - I got on that pogo stick I thought about a little girl who was being exploited. Every time.

I thought about her. What it might be like to be sold. What it might be like to be up all night experiencing nothing short of torture. What it might be like to be sick and have to be up all night. Or have cramps and be up all night. For 8 weeks I went though the normal emotions of life and I thought about her having those same emotions but with no where to give them an outlet.

And selfishly, I thought about me. 2 months ago my mother-in-law gave a pogo stick to my son. She and my son joked that I should try it and I thought, "No way!" And then I thought, "There is no way I could do that."

Turns out I was wrong. I CAN do it. I CAN do things. Perhaps my potential goes further than I believed.

And, I don't say that out of narcissim. I say it from a heart that very much believed I had no potential other than what others believed I had. I did not think I could accomplish anything other than what I was told I could.

But now I believe differently.

And my prayer became that she will believe that too. That she will believe she is more than her pimp and buyers say she is. That she would believe there is hope of a brighter day, a brighter future. And that when the time comes for her to make the decision to do that hard work of stepping into belief of herself and her future as compared to what would be safe and familiar, that she will BELIEVE she CAN DO IT.

I am so thankful for this experience. I'm so very thankful for your support. And I'm incredibly grateful for the brave men and women who are out there to help her. Thank you Love146 for this incredible opportunity. It is certainly true that when you give something what you receive is much greater than you could have imagined.

Special Promotion - Girly Girl Reversible Headbands - Buy 1 Get 1 FREE!

2011-06-27T09:53:00.005-04:00

Oh my goodness, has it really been 2 weeks since I wrote last?

I'm sorry. I've been so busy with this pogo sticking that I'm really off track with everything else.

Well, this week that is going to change. Because we have a new product in store!!

Girly Girl Reversible Headbands

They are a brand new Made with Purpose item we now have available to you, meaning when you purchase one a portion of the proceeds go to supporting Benitha, a child in Haiti. Except we've sponsored her for the year already so now we're raising money for the same organization that supports her, The Restavek Freedom Foundation, to fund a literacy program for the adults who harbor these children, in the attempt to teach parental skills and human rights issues so that the culture around these children can be changed.

So, in the efforts to continue to raise money, we are launching a new product just for you, which I know you are going to LOVE! We got tremendous feedback on Facebook in favor of these, so I'm very excited to present them to you!

These delightful headbands are designed to comfortably fit her, without slipping, and they're reversible with a different pattern on each side. Extremely versatile, fun, comfortable and extremely maintenance free. Dirty? Just throw it in the washer with the rest of her clothes! No more breaking headbands, headaches and run of the mill accessories. We have several different patterns to choose from, allowing her (or you) a very unique and trendy look. They each come in three sizes, baby, toddler and child, and adult, so you will find the size you're looking for with no problem at all!

AND, we're offering a special promotion right now: You can now get the Girly Girl Stars and Stripes Headband buy 1 get 1 free!! Just in time for the 4th of July! Excited? Just hop over to the store and pick yours up today. This great promotion ends on Wednesday, so make sure you take advantage quickly. Simply use the coupon code 4JULY to take advantage.

So, if you're still reading and not shopping :), what do YOU think of these headbands?

My Vow To You

2011-06-14T23:37:00.004-04:00

We are now at 10.5 miles on a pogo stick. I believe there must be a bunch of you out there praying for me. :) Because I feel so much better than I did last week. Actually, the next day I felt better, which makes it doubtful that this is indeed a stress fracture.

I'm still experiencing some pain, but not like last week.

But here's the deal. I have to keep things ramped up from now until June 30. And I'm a little nervous as to how that is going to go simply because there is still pain there and 3000 hops a day is not something my body is used to doing.

So, this is my promise:

I will do 26 miles on a pogo stick (68,640 hops). It may get done June 30, 2011, July 25, 2011 or April 6, 2012. But it will get done.

I'm praying I'll be done on time. But I'm keeping my commitment no matter what.

Thanks for your support and encouragement! If nothing else you made me laugh with your suggestions of solo pogoing (I love that!) and recumbent pogo sticking. Maybe we could combine them - reclined solo pogo-ing while eating brownies (my addition)! I love it!

Stress Fracture In, Pogo Sticking Out?

2011-06-10T09:06:00.003-04:00

So I've upped my game, since I got ridiculously far behind on my pogo sticking efforts in May. I realized I needed to do about 3,000 pogo hops for most of June. So, I did 5 miles on my pogo stick in 5 days. Super proud of myself!

But.......a couple of days ago my right foot started hurting. And if you know me at all you'll know I HATE talking about feet. I don't know why, but I do know it's genetic! :) So, this is going to be painful to write in terms of my own comfort, but I want to share with you what is happening because I said I would.

Anyway, it was hurting significantly on Monday. So, I took Tuesday off. Wednesday I went back to my 3,000 hops and reached over 8 miles! And then yesterday I couldn't put any weight on my right foot. Oh no.

Sounds like a stress fracture. Causes of a stress fracture -

"Stress fractures are caused by the repetitive application of force, often by overuse — such as repeatedly jumping up and down or running long distances." mayoclinic.com

Can anyone say pogo sticking?

My husband has a medical background so I've been pounding him with questions. What if I pogo without putting much weight on my foot? What if its wrapped up? What if I do it anyway like I have been? What if it breaks and I DON'T get a cast???

Because of course, as Mr. Responsible (who I greatly respect and am thankful for), he told me to stop pogo sticking now and if I don't I'll break my foot and then I'll have to be in a cast for the rest of the summer. And wearing a cast in 90 degree weather is worse than pogo sticking in 90 degree weather.

I'm thinking maybe it's bruised and NOT a stress fracture. I did the hop test and it didn't hurt until after I stopped jumping. I bet it's not a stress fracture.

Just to make extra sure I could still pogo stick, even if it was a stress fracture, I found someone very similar to me who had a stress fracture last summer and she gave me hints on how to protect myself while still achieving my goal.

I'm going to go with her suggestions. :)

And hate every second of telling my husband if I do indeed break my foot.

It's just a foot.

Here's to 8.8 miles down and 17.2 to go.

8 Miles Down, 18 To Go!

2011-06-08T23:08:00.002-04:00

18 seems like a long ways away!

22 days left in the Tread on Trafficking Campaign.

Let's get 'er done!

I just want to share a couple things with you that I've thought about as I hop my way to, well, no where.... I just started being able to move forward, which believe me, is a HUGE accomplishment! Maybe next week I can go in public. :)

As I hop I think of how tired I am and how I hurt and how I can't wait until June 30.

And then I think of that little girl somewhere who is being sold, tonight. With no choice, no hope of a June 30th and no way to heal or recuperate.

Bruises, falls, blisters, don't even compare, even in the slightest, to what she is going through. And now that I know about her, I feel driven to do something to help her. And that's why I support and will fight for Love146, even on my pogo stick.

WE'RE A FINALIST!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

2011-06-03T12:12:00.005-04:00

I am SO excited!!!!

Guess what I found on the Love146 Facebook page???

"At last: Tread on Trafficking AWESOME Awards finalists have been selected. Voting opens now!"

With this picture!!

Are you excited???

I've been selected as one of the 3 semifinalists for the most AWESOME award for the Love 146 Tread on Trafficking Campaign. Love 146 is holding a massive fundraiser for 8 weeks, encouraging people to exercise and get sponsors as a way to tread on the injustice of trafficking. One of the awards they give is for finding the most awesome way to raise money for the tread on trafficking campaign. And they think pogo sticking is AWESOME!! As well as biking 1200 miles and paddle boarding for 24 hours straight! Yikes! Those are completely awesome goals too!

Want to vote?

Go here!

Come on Pogo Stick! Only 22.7 miles to go!

Photo Journaling and DFC Saris? What in the World?

2011-05-25T22:39:00.006-04:00

Not too long ago, actually only one week ago, I found this AWESOME very PURPOSEFUL idea from the Crafty Chicks. Have you heard of them? If you like anything even remotely crafty or DIY at all you have to check them out. I guarantee you'll be inspired!

Anyway, their idea last week was a photo journal/chart created for the purpose of helping you have an extremely fun summer.

I don't know if you have the drive to create like I do, but I loved the idea of this. If you spend any time in blogland you'll find all these fantastic photographers. I just sit and stare enviously at their photos sometimes. I wish I had the time to just learn how to take really great pictures.

Well, now I can at least practice more, right?

Oh my goodness, what does this have to do with Delicate Fortress?

I'm so glad you asked.

As I was doing one of my first summer activities with my girls this afternoon (going to the zoo) I was using my sari pocket bag. And I thought..... I wonder if I did a photo sari challenge if people would participate? I was thinking we'd combine 2 very fantastic ideas - having a summer of fun on purpose and buying an incredibly, easily moveable bag with the purpose of fighting poverty. Sounds good to me!

Let me tell you what all I stuffed in my all too incredible bag - a sweatshirt, 3 sets of full sized lunchables, a Coke, my wallet, keys, a pen, and very clunky camera. That's a lot isn't it? And it was a trooper! I grow more in love with that bag every time I use it.

So, here's the deal...
1. Buy a sari bag here! (It's $14 and helps people!)
2. Go places during the summer...... with your sari bag and your camera.
3. Take your picture with your sari bag and send it to us.
4. On August 1 the person with the most unique place/photo/purpose with their sari bag will win a $50 gift card to DFC!!!!!

Yikes. That sounds like fun!

Pick up your bag to join in!!

Are you in?

Here's a bunch of suggestions for summer fun (just in case you need them)......

Go to the zoo. :)
Go to a baseball game.
Watch clouds with your loved ones.
Go kayaking/canoeing.
Go to a museum.
Go on a picnic.
Roast smores. Do NOT use your sari bag for kindling! That would NOT be a good purpose for it! :)
Visit the library.
Go to a drive in theater.
Pick blueberries/raspberries/peaches/apples or whatever else floats your boat.
Go to the beach.
Take a care package to someone who needs a pick me up.
Blow bubbles.
Go see the fireworks.
Go to a fair.....
Insert your idea here!

Have fun!

Need a Great Teacher Gift ? The Perfect Solutions Are In.....

2011-05-23T21:10:00.007-04:00

Can you believe the end of the school year is coming up? Have your children had a good year?

For those of you who haven't, I'm terribly sorry and hope your next year goes so much better than this year did. (My family had one of those years last year and it was not fun!)

And for those of you who have had terrific years, we have some great ideas on how you can honor your loved and appreciated teachers.

1. First up and my personal favorite, we have the beautiful wooden bracelets in spring, deep red and water! Perfect for any personality and wrist size, these bracelets have a special purpose that will be truly appreciated by your favorite teacher. Through the sales of these bracelets, the talented artisans at Diane's Paperworks not only receive a fair wage but the opportunity to participate in programs that will teach them to read! What teacher wouldn't appreciate that! For a mere $11 you can purchase these beautiful bracelets here.

2. Our brand new recycled sari pocket bags are perfect for so many different things. Converting from a smooshy, easily "stuffed in" pouch to a full size, beautiful tote, this bag, created from sari garments, is perfect for a trip to the beach, market or store! There are so many chic designs to choose from that it is going to be hard to choose just one! A great cost effective option for $14, you're sure to give her her favorite year-end gift ever. Check these out here!

3. The deliciously fragrant body polish from Thistle Farms is the perfect solution for summer skin. Providing a soothing exfoliating experience followed by moisturizing heaven, these body polishes are great gifts for those teachers who truly need a pampering experience. And, what teacher doesn't need pampering and relief from being on her feet for the past 9 months? Choose from tea tree mint for a soothing, tingly experience, citrus vanilla for the feeling of enlivenment or lavender for fragrant relaxation. Shop for these great spa experiences here.

4. And if none of those ideas float your boat, try these on for size!!

Candles benefiting women in poverty.
Scarves benefiting girls escaping forced prostitution.
Lip balms, lotions and soaps benefiting women working their way out of addictive behaviors and forced prostitution here in the US.
Beaded bookmarks assisting with literacy programming in Haiti.
Accessory and cosmetic cases benefiting men and women living in poverty in India.
And the list goes on!! Check out all of our awesome items here!

Pogo Sticking Update

2011-05-16T21:19:00.003-04:00

So, I'm learning a few things.

If you pogo stick with flip flops, you will get bruises on your feet.
If you pogo stick in front of your dog, he will look at you like you're an idiot.
If you pogo stick with a 60 year old pogo stick, you will break it.
If you buy a new pogo stick, it will be harder to use than the aforementioned pogo stick.
If you are 33, haven't exercised in 2 years and are using a brand new pogo stick, you will pull multiple muscles. Just saying.
If you watch your husband try to out pogo stick you when he's never tried it before, you will laugh hard enough to need a diaper.
If you pogo stick AND raise money, you can fight child exploitation.

I've had some setbacks over the course of the last week and haven't even made it to 2 miles yet, but I'm keeping on and am doing my best to meet my goal.

There's still time for you to get involved! Check out our link at the top that states "Current Ede Project" and sponsor or join in this fantastic cause!

Moose Pajamas Anyone? Oh Yes, and a Promotion!

2011-05-10T08:04:00.003-04:00

Here are some interesting facts for you on this Tuesday....

Did you know in the last month 320 people googled the phrase "moose pajamas"? Moose pajamas!!

550,000 looked up the word "Jesus".

45,500,000 people looked up the word "porn".

Any of those turn your stomach?

Certainly turned mine.

It absolutely goes to show why Delicate Fortress and our mission NEEDS to exist. Pornography and the demand for cheap sex is what drives the brothel industry, the sex industry. I say industry because that's exactly what it is. Women and mostly children, are being used as objects to fulfill desires of people everywhere who are using them as merely objects in their own pleasure. It makes me sick.

Pornography is treated as a very normal part of our culture. Do the people participating in this culture truly know what they are looking at though? How old is the girl they are staring at? Is this something she truly WANTS to do? What little girl says she wants to be in the porn industry as what she wants to do when she grows up? What parent wants that for their children?

One of the survivor stories I've heard regarding trafficking was a girl sold into the desires of about 20 men per night. Sometimes men will get "attached" to a particular girl. Pimps try to make certain that doesn't happen because her risk of escape is much higher if she has someone helping her from the "outside". After several "encounters" with her, this particular man finally saw the sadness in her eyes. And he talked to her - the first time any of her "customers" had ever talked to her. And he found out she was not in this willingly as he thought. She was forced into it.

How many people, when they're looking at porn, truly SEE what they're looking at? I bet not many.

When we go to events, the mission and message of Delicate Fortress is ALWAYS positively received, especially by women, mostly because that's our target audience. (If we offered tractors, trucks and deer heads I bet men would be excited too!) They want to help. They want to see. And they want to make a difference.

You know how many people searched "shop with purpose" in the last month? Zero. Yep. None.

We have to tell them.

We have to get the word out to women and men what we're about.

We have to work toward stopping the demand by educating men and women what is really happening when they "invest" in porn and cheap sex. We have to tell them the survivor's stories so the stories can be fewer and fewer because the demand has diminished. We have to empower the non-profits who are doing the on the ground work with these survivors - who are punishing brothel owners and pimps and saving the girls and boys who are being trafficked.

EVERY single time you come to our website and link to a non-profit to understand and get on board with their cause, EVERY time you share who we are and what we're doing, EVERY time you buy something from DFC, you are HELPING women. You are helping end the problem! EVERY time!

We have to spread the word that it is possible to shop with purpose! Shop to help people! Shop to make a huge difference in so many lives. It is tangible. It is concrete. It is real.

So, here's a promotion, just in case you need extra inspiration.

For everyone who shares what we're doing in any capacity: email, facebook, twitter, scheduling a home show or fundraiser, scheduling a speaking event, etc. we'll give you a 10% off coupon in our store for your entire order. Simply comment here or on our facebook page or shoot us an email at info@delicatefortress.com and we'll get your coupon to you right away.

So, let's get going on this! Let people know they can shop with purpose!

Oh, and if you're interested in starting your own business, it appears that there is definitely a market for moose pajamas! :)

Meet #146

2011-05-05T21:47:00.002-04:00

She was about 12 years old, they guessed.

They met her, only through glass, in the most unlikely of places. The most undesirable of places.

She had a sign pinned to her red dress. A sign that said only "146". She was with other girls , some older, some younger. A guess...11-13 years old. They were blankly watching the television of cartoons in front of them. All with a number attached to their dresses.

She was the only one with fight left in her eyes. With a determination. With spunk. And a will to survive. The others had gazes that were more zombie like. The fight, determination and will had left. There was no room for it anymore. A complete faze out was the only way to survive for them. But not her. She looked straight through the glass. Straight at them.

They were investigating. Because they were undercover they were unable to reveal how grotesque and horrible this process was to them. Unable to reveal the plan they had of fighting child exploitation with all that was in them. Absolutely unable to proclaim the injustice of it all, or their mission would be ruined.

They were to pick a girl by her identification to have for the next hour. No name. Only a number. Like she was an item on a menu. They, of course, did not. They collected the evidence they needed and left.

When they returned for the raid, #146 was gone.

But she was not forgotten.

This is the story of Love146. This is why we tread on trafficking. Because this must stop.

It must stop.

Join us.

Day 2 - 1327 Hops

2011-05-02T21:15:00.002-04:00

So, I'm going to be keeping track of my pogo sticking and efforts to Tread on Trafficking with Love146 here on this blog. Please keep updated on my progress and please, please, please comment!! I'm going to need all the encouragement I can get!!

So, with that disclaimer, let's begin!

Today is Day 2 of the 8 week challenge to Tread on Trafficking and I've decided I'm going to pogo stick for them in the efforts to raise money and awareness for child exploitation with Delicate Fortress.

Yesterday was uneventful. I had a speaking engagement at a church and it was raining so I didn't do any pogo sticking. I also need to mention I live on a dirt road and 2 weeks of solid rain aren't exactly conducive to pogo sticking. So, I had my husband measure and find out how far I'm going with each hop to determine how many hops make up a 1/2 mile (1/2 mile a day is my goal). It turns out I can hop 2 feet at a time, so I need 1320 hops to make up a half mile. That's a lot of hopping!

The first time I attempted to pogo stick I only could do 4 at a time at the most. Tonight I did over 100!! Yay!! And I got to 1327 hops! 1/2 mile down. 25 1/2 to go!

But, Houston, we have a problem.....because I'm using a pogo stick that is 30 years old. To say it squeaks is an understatement! By the time I got to 1000 hops tonight the poor thing sounded like it was going to fall apart! So, I'm going to write to Flybar and see if they'll help me get a new pogo stick to help fight child exploitation. Do you think they will? I'll keep you posted.

So, Love 146 here I come on my pogo stick!

Want to sponsor me? Click here! Want to join my team? Join the DFC Warriors here! Sponsor yourself for $5 for the 8 week time period if you need to. Every little bit helps!

And as a side note, tomorrow is our last day to offer free shipping for Mother's Day which is this Sunday! Scoop up some awesome gifts now! (Enter coupon code MOMSDAY at checkout.)

We're Back!

2011-04-28T10:20:00.005-04:00

Our new shopping cart is now in action!! And we have some beautiful surprises for you!

First up, we have new punjammie styles in!! Here's a sampling....

We know our punjammies are one of your favorites and now we have even more awesome styles to choose from! Do you remember hearing the story of Nimi? It was an incredibly powerful story of a young girl who was rescued from forced prostitution, went to the International Princess Project and learned how to make punjammies. If you missed that very powerful post you can find it here.

The Nimi Punjammies, inspired by Nimi herself, are one of our newest styles! We are also featuring another awesome orange style, Sugunu, and a gorgeous Devi in purple! And speaking of purple, our Bollywood Berry Punjammies, our most popular pair yet, are back in stock.... but they've been selling fast at our events so I don't expect them to stick around very long!

You can start shopping for our newest punjammies here!

And surprise number 2. Drum roll please.... We now have a rewards program allowing you to rack up points, and therefore gift certificates any time you buy anything at all or anytime you refer a friend who buys something!! Isn't it wonderful?? Here's how it works...

For every $3 you spend on our site, you earn 1 reward point. Each point equals $1. After you accumulate 25 points you get a $25 gift certificate emailed to you to use on anything on our site!! AND, if you refer a friend who purchases something you automatically receive 10 points!! That's a pretty sweet deal if you ask me!

So, you're being rewarded for doing awesome things for talented artisans all over the world!

I'm pretty excited! Are you?

And, in case you're still reading and not shopping, go here to start the fun!!

Where In the World Have We Been?!?

2011-04-20T23:20:00.004-04:00

Have you noticed we haven't been around much in the last week?

I sure have? And, I'm not a fan!

But, we're improving!

If you've ever tried to start your own e-commerce business you'll understand that picking and finding a great, reliable and user friendly shopping cart is not the easiest thing to do!

We've had that trouble as of late and are in the process of making a change.

I'm hoping beyond hope that our new shopping cart will be functional on Monday. (Our current one does still work by the way! :) ). We just want something........ a little more friendly, shall we say?

So, don't give up on us! We'll be back to posting more next week and we have some exciting new programs to share with you as a result of our switch!!

We truly hope you have a wonderful, peaceful and life giving Easter week and we'll see you back here next week!

1 shopping carts, a photo by Auswandern Malaysia on Flickr.

DFC and Pogo Sticking???

2011-04-11T21:48:00.005-04:00

Is this me?

Um. No.

So far I can hop on my pogo stick 12 times without falling off. And that is a MAJOR accomplishment!

Why am I telling you this?

It is very important and I guarantee you can get excited about this.

PROJECT EDE #3!!!

Yep, we're officially announcing our next project to support and uplift non-profits that are doing incredible work in the lives of survivors of human trafficking and extreme poverty.

And man, do I need this project. Because you see, I was trying to put a pair of pants on that I haven't worn in a few months and they didn't exactly go on easily. Jumping was definitely involved. I could use some exercise.

And this is just the program to give me the incentive to make it happen.

From May 1-June 30th, Love 146, a phenomenal organization fighting child exploitation, is holding their Tread on Trafficking contest. For the contest, you come up with your own exercise program and you work on it, finding sponsors to sponsor you with a 1 time gift, or per mile/hour of exercise.

Here's where the pogo stick came in - they are awarding prizes!! Prizes go to the person who has the most sponsors, the person who raises the most money and the person who has the most awesome fitness goal. 26 miles on a pogo stick anyone?

Wanna join me? (You don't have to pogo stick.) Here's what this guy is doing....

So, here's how to get involved.

You can sign up and work individually here.

But how much fun is that? Why not join my team - the DFC Warriors??? Sounds awesome right? Join DFC here!

Don't want to exercise but do want to see how far I can go on a pogo stick? Sponsor me here! (Search for Karyn Puller.)

Project goal for DFC - to raise $5000 with 50 participants on our team. I know that's lofty, but so is 400 maternal birth kits!

Who's with me???

(Photo courtesy of http://www.reboundair.com/rebounder-pogostick.htm.)

GIVEAWAY!!

2011-04-05T08:37:00.003-04:00

Hello dear friends!!

Just a quick announcement today - we're doing a GIVEAWAY!!

Kristen Welch from We are THAT Family is hosting our giveaway today! She's giving away 2 $25 gift certificates for DFC and as you already know 95% of what we have is $25 or less!! So head over, check it out and enter to win!!

And, please pass this on to others. The more "traffic" we have heading over there the greater the demand will be for others to get on board with our store and causes!!

Visit Kristen here to enter to win!!

Wildlife and DFC???

2011-04-04T08:15:00.005-04:00

I was so surprised last Christmas when guys started coming out of the woodwork to shop on our site for their wives, moms and daughters. I have no idea where they came from. And I was thrilled they were there!

But I felt kind of bad. Because if you haven't noticed, DFC is just a little bit.....girly. Have you ever noticed when you're out shopping, ladies, the look of sheer pain men have when they're in the women's clothing section of any department store? If you happen to see 2 of them in the same place their knowing exchanges of "what did you do to earn this?" abound. And then the looks of envy when one gets to escape, hardly unscathed by all the feminity.

Well, in honor of you guys, we have updated. Now you can enjoy shopping with us whether or not you feel comfortable with feminine style. We have a "safe place for guys" which ladies might actually prefer too! Darker colors, simpler choices and interesting ways to pick out what you want to buy. Shop by personality style, item type or purpose. How painless is that?

And the rest of the site has been updated with simpler navigation, easy ways to find answers to your questions about DFC and awesome new product pics. An inspiring way to jump into spring. And guys, Mother's Day is just around the corner so come on over!

So, have you seen our fresh look? What do you think?

Made with Purpose.......and literacy!

2011-03-28T13:08:00.004-04:00

Mission: Carrefour Feuille Literacy

Thank you for all who participated in our vote to determine where our Made with Purpose proceeds would go. I'm so excited to tell you about our newest project.

As a reminder, Made with Purpose is our line of products that have been made by women here in the US that want to make a difference in the world of child exploitation. We have raised over $700 in the last year through this line of products and small donations from our customers. Our first effort was to sponsor a child slave (restavek) in Haiti and we have now raised enough money to sponsor her for both 2011 and 2012!! So we needed a new project to complete and literacy is it!

The Restavek Freedom Foundation works with host families in Haiti - families that have restavek children in their homes. The work of The Restavek Freedom Foundation centers around creating relationships with these families and building rapport in order to have conversations with them on parenting in a life giving way to not only their own children, but the restavek children as well. The Restavek Freedom Foundation doesn't "believe in demonizing host parents. They are exhibiting behaviors that they learned from their parents and a culture that accepted this behavior." In the effort to meet the goal of relationship and dialogue The Restavek Freedom Foundation has developed a literacy program to teach the host parents to read and "provide a forum for us to talk and read about human rights issues and the treatment of children." (www.restavekfreedom.org) These literacy programs will occur in Carrefour Feuille.

Carrefour Feuille "is a largely residential and very poor commune in the Port-au-Prince metropolitan area. The district has an estimated population of 408,000 as of 2003. It is mostly a bedroom community for those who work in central Port-au-Prince. The neighborhood is very poor and ill-serviced." (wikipedia)

The literacy program, beginning in July 2011 will be a 10 week program. The Restavek Freedom Foundation needs $400 per program to provide a tutor, gas for generators and teaching and learning materials. And that's what we're going to help with. All designated proceeds from our Made with Purpose line will go directly to funding 1 (but hopefully more!) literacy programs.

So, let's get started!

Also, I would love to get crafting and sewing blogs to participate in our Made with Purpose line by hosting creative contests to add new entries into our product line. We are very selective in what we carry because each item represents our artisans and causes and quality is of high importance in what we present to our customers. Creative contests will allow our causes to be promoted and would provide an opportunity for higher recognition for someone with great talent who hasn't been "noticed" yet. If you are a blogger or know of one who might be interested in helping us with contests in this regard, let us know! Please send an email to karyn@delicatefortress.com.

Again, thank you for your votes and the difference you continue to make. It is always appreciated. And as always, keep tabs on how we're doing with our fund by visiting our home page, beginning later on in the week.

Happy Monday!

DFC Fundraisers - Fundraise With Purpose

2011-03-25T13:00:00.006-04:00

We just scheduled our first fundraiser and I'm so excited about it!

Did you know we do fundraisers?

Let me tell you about them.....

Why You Should Have One

Are you tired of buying 2 feet of wrapping paper for $20 or a piece of chocolate for $5? Do you want to feel good about what you buy to support your favorite group - or your group?

Yes? Okay.

You need a fundraiser. And you think helping people is awesome. We are here to make both of those things a reality.

The Nitty Gritty

Our on-line fundraisers last for a week - usually Wednesday to a Wednesday - to take full advantage of the weekend but not get lost during it. We will provide you with a coupon code which you and your supporters will enter upon checkout. With every purchase during that week's time your group will receive 25% of all the sales. And you're welcome to pass it on to anyone in the US! Wow!!

The Advantages of On-Line Fundraisers

You can have people from all over the country participate in your fundraiser. Just provide them with the coupon code and you're set!
You don't have the hassle of sending out catalogs and distributing orders. We ship it all out for you. (Plus its fun for people to get things and gifts in the mail!)
You can target your fundraiser for times that are convenient for you or around hot shopping times like Valentine's Day, Mother's Day, and Christmas.
We will help you promoting your event so the work is minimal on your end!

What We Do To Promote Your Fundraiser

We will provide you with a event "newsletter" for you to email your supporters, put on facebook, blog and tweet about.
We will create a facebook event page for you to spread through facebook.
We'll send you postcards with your coupon code for you to pass along in person to market your fundraiser as well.

Sounds fantastic, right? Want to schedule one too? Send us an email at info@delicatefortress.com and set your fundraiser up! Can't wait to hear from you!

*Image courtesy of http://y98radio.com.

Giving You More Options

2011-03-20T22:17:00.003-04:00

I've been thinking about our Made with Purpose poll. And I want to offer you a couple of different options.

So far we have had 4 votes - 2 for the sewing project and 2 for the literacy project. None for the computer lab or extra staff member at the transitional home The Restavek Freedom Foundation has recently begun. What am I talking about? Find out in this post.

4 votes is nice but not exactly earth shattering. :)

Well tonight I heard Theresa Flores from Gracehaven speak. And it was heart shattering. And it made me think of our poll.

Let me start fresh.....

Made with Purpose is our line of products hand made by women here in the US who want to help fight human trafficking. At least 10% of the proceeds of these items - most of them closer to 50% and even 100% have gone into a fund for projects to help fight child exploitation. Up until this time we have only done 1 project which was to sponsor a child slave, Benitha, in Haiti through the Restavek Freedom Foundaion. In less than one year we have raised $660 to sponsor her for 2 complete years. Until November when we need to start raising money to sponsor her for 2012 we need another place to send those funds. We need another Made with Purpose project.

We have four options. 2 of them are brand new. Here are the four options.

When speaking with The Restavek Freedom Foundation they told me about a transitional home they have begun to help severely abused restavek children. 7 girls live in this home and they want to start offering them vocational and extra curricular opportunities.

Sewing is one of those activities. With sewing skills the girls will be able to have vocational opportunities beyond what they can dream of now. Greater opportunity will lead them out of exploitation. They need to hire an instructor and purchase materials to begin this program. Option number 1.

The Restavek Freedom Foundation is also offering a 10 week literacy course for women who are basically the "slave holders" of these children. Their belief is that if these women, who are the heads of the families, are educated in human rights and basic parenting skills they will no longer be able to continue in the same way of life, the livelihood of the children in their homes will greatly improve and their culture will begin to change. It costs $400 to provide one 10 week literacy course. Option number 2.

Today I heard Theresa Flores from Gracehaven speak about her story as a human trafficking victim and the efforts she is spearheading to make this stop in America.

One of these efforts is called SOAP (Save Our Adolescents from Prostitution). The goal of the SOAP program is to provide bars of soap with printed labels featuring a few pointed questions and the hotline number for human trafficking reporting to motels, particularly in crime laden areas where human trafficking and prostitution are prevalent. This is a new initiative and it needs funding and awareness to get off the ground. A case of soap, including 1,000 bars is $100. Option number 3.

And lastly, very soon into my journey of learning of human trafficking I learned of an incredible organization called Love146. Love146 is geared exclusively to providing preventative, aftercare and research opportunities to fight child exploitation. This is a phenomenal organization that is doing so much good around the world and I feel passionately about helping them, just as I do the other two organizations. They don't have a particular project they need help with but like every other program, they do need funding. So, option number 4 would be to provide a monetary donation to Love146 in November.

I want to hear from you! Please vote! The other 4 votes will continue to be counted and will be added to whatever we receive this week. Please let your voice be heard here because it matters. It is amazing what has happened with Made with Purpose and I believe the impact through this line could be profound.

Please partner with us in making this decision. The poll closes Friday, so vote, pass it along and let's see what happens!

What's Up With Made with Purpose??

2011-03-17T19:22:00.006-04:00

Benitha has been sponsored!!

I am thrilled to tell you this. Through your purchases of our Made with Purpose products we have been able to raise $315 to sponsor her. And then we received a generous contribution from Mid-Atlantic Surgical Systems and that covered the rest and then some!! I am more than pleasantly surprised that we were able to accomplish this so early in the year!

So, now where do the Made with Purpose dollars go, you ask? Great question.

I was able to speak with Joan from The Restavek Freedom Foundation. I called to see if their organization had any "project" ideas for us to contribute to with the rest of the money raised until November through our Made with Purpose line. And boy, did she have ideas.

And here's one of the great parts. You get to vote on which project we choose!

Background......

As a result of very harsh treatment and report by their child advocates, 7 restavek children have been taken out of slavery and placed in a transitional home for their care. The transitional home houses 7 children and 2 staff members to care for them. In addition to the schooling these children receive they also have the opportunity for extra-curricular activities in the home. Future opportunities include music, art, dress making, baking and computer classes. The therapeutic measure these opportunities will present is incomprehensible in light of the tragedy they have encountered. The ability for freedom of expression through these means would be an incredible outlet for their feelings and emotions that are not so easily expressed through words.

In addition to the therapeutic help, these classes will also help provide vocational skills for the girls to use once they leave the home. With the ability to read and the knowledge of a vocational skill the cycle of restavek is most likely to be stopped in the lives these girls.

When I asked Joan what they most needed she posed the following suggestions, which you can vote on!

Computer lab start up - purchase of computers, software, the cost of a tutor
Sewing program - the ability to hire an instructor, purchase of materials
Additional staff person to run the home - only 2 women are on staff at this time and as you can imagine the physical and emotional toll on those two women must be enormous
Literacy funding - The Restavek Freedom Foundation is hosting 10 week literacy programs to teach the women in the culture how to read. The ability to read and comprehend is amazingly powerful and if women can learn to read and learn about basic human rights and basic parenting skills the impact on reducing the restavek life would be drastic. Each 10 week program costs $400 for the payment to the teachers, gas for generators and upkeep of VCRs and TVs for educational materials. (Apparently the dirt gets in these items and easily damages them.) Can you imagine?

I only have specific numbers for the literacy program simply because these programs are in development. As soon as I have additional specifics I will certainly let you know. But for now, these are the options and I'd love to know what you think!

We'll keep the vote open for one week so vote away! The poll will happen on our side bar on our blog home page, so check it out and let's hear what you think!

Tahitian Pearl Earrings

2011-03-16T19:02:00.003-04:00

We're adding new products this week!

I'm so excited because we have 3 orders coming in this week - from The Ana Art Group (think cuff bracelets), Acacia Creations (magazine jewelry) and Trade Justice Mission (jewelry). I can't wait for you to check our our new items! Here's a glance at one piece of jewelry - our Tahitian Pearl Earrings - elegant, classical and beautiful. And always with purpose. Check them out here. And to see all of our new additions visit the store here.

Happy shopping!

Inspiration

2011-03-08T08:37:00.006-05:00

I have to introduce you to an amazing Delicate Fortress.

A friend of mine sent me a Facebook "note" that described Leah and I have to share it with you.

Please meet Leah.

"If you know Leah you love Leah. You just can't help it.
Never in my life have I been so inspired by someone as I am right now by my dear friend Leah.
Leah has multiple physical disabilities - severe scoliosis to the point where her back is bent at a right angle, pain and other issues with knees and feet, and partial deafness. But don't let that fool you - nothing, and I mean nothing holds Leah back. She lives on her own, drives a car, and has a job at a book store.

Let me tell you about her latest adventure. Leah is an amazing seamstress. Check out her blog:
http://snugglycreatures.blogspot.com/
She has a dream of making "snuggly creatures" for children in every country in the world.

For the past couple years Leah has had a lot of pain in her knees. In the last few months she has been somewhat pain free. She is ecstatic ... she finally feels well enough to undertake her life long dream.

She's going to AFRICA.

She's done the research and she found an organization that is sending her out to Zimbabwe, Africa to live in a hut and sew uniforms for the children in an orphanage. She leaves April 3 for three weeks in Zimbabwe."

From there the note went on to tell of how Leah needed a camera to take with her and how people could help if they wanted to. I don't think that note was up very long because by the time I read it the camera was already in Leah's hands..... People are inspired by Leah's strength and fragility and how miraculously they work together through a determined spirit. That's the definition of a Delicate Fortress.

Isn't she inspiring?

She's Fun; She's Feminine; She's Emma!

2011-03-04T11:35:00.004-05:00

You have to meet Emma!

Actually you need to meet 2 Emmas. :)

Emma #1 is 9 years old. She's a sweet little girl with incredible parents. Sam, her dad, is a blogger with High Calling and A New Breed of Advertisers. And Julie, her fun and ever creative mom has been a stay at home mom to Emma and her sister.

When I started planning for the maternal birth kit initiative Sam got on board in a big way, blogging and promoting it in several different ways. And Emma got involved too. She created the sweetest stuffed teddy bear for the project.

I have to tell you something. That bear and girl were a tremendous source of encouragement to me during the project.

You see, we had sold 38 kits by the Monday before the initiative ended on Wednesday. I had someone helping me create 12 of the needed blankets and stuffed animals so I really wasn't worried about making the rest.

But then everyone stepped up at the same time and we sold 50 kits in 2 days!!

Karyn, meet overwhelmed.

To say I was overwhelmed is an understatement. I was to the point of tears because I thought there was no way I was ever going to meet that deadline. To the point of tears many times for several days while I was sewing.

But then I would see Emma's bear. If she can do it; if she can meet the deadline, then I can do it too.

I left that bear out. I can't tell you how many times I looked at that bear and thought of Emma and sucked it up and just kept sewing.

And you know what? We made it!

Thank you Emma for your encouragement and inspiration and for the awesome stuffed animal you made for the babies in Haiti!

Do you remember our popular Ansley tote? I made that bag/tote after the A21 Campaign and named it after Ansley, a wonderful teenager who was a great source of inspiration for that particular campaign.

And I thought, I should do the same for this! So, Emma #2 was born!

Emma #2 is fabulous don't you think?!? She's fun, she's feminine and she's delightful. And she's in honor of Emma #1.

You can buy Emma #2 on our store as of today! Scoop her up in all her fun designs! Oh yes, and she helps children at risk - always with purpose!

And give a shout out to Emma #1 and her parents for their awesome generosity!

Guess What I Am.....

2011-03-03T10:31:00.002-05:00

Hmmmm......

What is this?

You tell me! :)

For 10% off your next order guess what this is.

For 5% off your next order guess what cause it fights.

And for 15% off your order guess the artisan!!

You only have until Friday! So start guessing!

The Power of The Teenager

2011-03-01T09:34:00.003-05:00

Last Wednesday I was thrilled to participate in the maternal birth kit assembly that a local church's youth group, G3, initiated! They learned of our project and wanted to help.

So, like our online initiative, they made kits available for purchase and then they assembled them.

It was amazing. And here's why.

1. I watched a 15 year old speak to her peers about how teenagers are able to move the world, change the world and impact others to stop the hurt and make a difference for those who are hurting.

2. I watched a group of about 150 teenagers work together to assemble 300 kits!

3. I further understood why it is that my husband and I don't always see eye to eye. Let me explain. :)

This particular youth group has enough students that during their teaching times they break off into small groups. The middle schoolers are broken up by gender I think. Before the assembly began one of the group leaders said to me, "Can my boys opt out of this?" I of course said no! And one of the leaders of the entire youth group said, "Yes, they absolutely can opt out of this!! I know his boys!"

My first mistake.

Well, his boys, and he, didn't opt out.

The middle schoolers went first. A group of about 15 6th-8th grade boys gathered around a 7 foot table filled with string, soap and baby blankets with darting eyes and faces that looked like they just WANTED to get into trouble! The energy radiated off of them somehow! (I actually felt calm around these kids, which isn't a feeling I experience often!)

They were fidgety, wanting to get rid of their energy somehow. That came out through punches, wrestling matches and just overall ripping on each other. They all stood there and continued to let their energy out until the leader looked at me and said, "Tell us what to do!"

Mistake number 2.

So I started instructing them quickly because I knew I didn't have much time. Telling them what all went in and how to pass the bag around. The continued to look at me. And fidget.

Mistake number 3.

Then it dawned on me what I should do. I started pointing at them and barked orders. "You pick up the soap and put it in the ziplock bag! You put the string in! You put an alcohol wipe in!" "You fold the plastic sheeting!"

Mistake number 4.

Fold plastic sheeting? That boy looked at me like I had horns growing out of my face.

Okay. I showed him how to fold the plastic sheet and stuff it in the ziplock bag.

Their eyes started to focus. They had a mission to complete and it was game on. It was a race.

Mistake number 5. I should have said it wasn't a race.

I left.

I left and let the men leaders of that group do what they do best. Work with middle school boys.

I walked to the table beside them - a table of middle school girls. Calm. Cool. Collected. No punching, no yelling, no wrestling. Just simple organization.

What a difference. It just explains a lot.

And then I went back to the guys table. They were done! They had stuffed all those bags and assembled all those kits in about 3 minutes flat. Their competition, energy and fidgetiness is what made them be successful.

I have always felt a nervousness about having a son become a teenager. Now I'm excited to see this phenomenon of a middle school male in action.

I have a greater respect for teenagers after that night. These kids were hard workers. They made 300 kits happen in about 20 minutes. They worked together with a common vision and they made it happen. They made a tangible difference, even though they'll probably never see it. Incredible.

Thank you G3 for your incredible efforts! 300 kits are en route to Haiti!

Happy Birthday Benitha!

2011-02-28T09:17:00.003-05:00

Last week when we were assembling the maternal birth kits for our Konbit Sante initiative, my son and I had an interesting conversation.

It's amazing how the innocence of children kind of disappears when they go to school, even on matters I never expected.

As we were assembling the kits he said, "Mommy, do the kid slaves in Haiti get whipped?"

Surprised that he knew the word whipped I answered him, "Yes, bud".

"Do they get whipped when they do something wrong?"

"Yes."

"Do they get whipped when they are disrespectful?"

"Yes honey."

"Do they get whipped every day?"

"Probably."

There was a long pause of just silence.

And then he said this:

"Are these babies going to get whipped?"

"I hope they don't honey."

My heart sank. Again.

That was one of the things I thought about as I was working on our maternal birth kit initiative - the reality of what these babies will have to face - realities of poverty and slavery more than likely part of their future in Haiti. That's not okay with me and I can guarantee that's not okay with you.

And that is why we tied it in to our Made with Purpose project. Because of your support we were able to sponsor Benitha in November. $300, all proceeds from our Made with Purpose line, have provided her with schooling, books, a uniform, a daily hot meal and a child advocate to ensure her well being. We've continued to raise money for her so we will be able to sponsor her again in November with an increased rate of $360.

One of the options we provided you with in the Maternal Birth Kit initiative was to provide shipping costs for the kits. Any remaining monies after the items were shipped would then be applied to the fund we have to sponsor Benitha.

I am proud to say that because of your initiative and generosity we were able to raise close to $200! And it cost $123 to ship the kits to Maine. That means that we had $77 to apply to sponsoring Benitha. Between the sales of our Made with Purpose line (our blankets have been selling like hotcakes this week!) and your donations, we are now up to $306.55!!!! We only have $54 before we'll meet our goal for November! That is amazing!

After we meet our goal we'll be looking for another tangible project to complete to fight child exploitation until November when we start raising money to sponsor Benitha again. We'll take any ideas you have so please share them with us!

And most importantly today, happy 15th birthday Benitha! We are proud to sponsor you and be part of your life in even a small way. Our prayers are with you sweetheart!

Since you've invested in this with us, I wanted to share with you the latest update from The Restavek Freedom Foundation. If you think of Benitha, please say a prayer for her.

January 27, 2011

Update on Benitha:

Benitha’s living situation has not improved since the house she was living in was severely damaged in the earthquake. She still puts in long hours working for the host family and the many others who have joined them living in a field under a tarp. Although they do not treat her badly, she is often sad and misses her family very much. She was very happy to get a visit from her brother recently; she had not heard from anyone in her family for a long time. Her Child Advocate, Francoise, reports that Benitha has frequent stomach aches and is unable to eat well. Francoise is going to take her to the clinic to get her medical attention.

Again, thank you for everything. I pray you'll be blessed for your endless generosity!

What Hope Looks Like

2011-02-24T22:38:00.003-05:00

Whew!

You know, reality set in on me last night as I was helping cut plastic sheeting.

Can you imagine giving birth to a baby on plastic sheeting? What a terrifying thought in my world of comfort and security of doctors, clean hospital beds and 5 hospitals to choose from in a 30 minute radius. Can you imagine?

I don't think the average American person gives birth on a 3x3 piece of plastic sheeting with 3 12 inch pieces of string to tie off the umbilical cord and whatever else needs tied off.

I also don't think the average American is planning on going to a third world country to see what that reality looks like up close - or experience themselves.

But we want to give hope.

We want to give tangible, practical, real hope to people who are suffering. People who are poor. People who are hurting.

And you have done that - times 87.

87 midwives will feel better equipped when they assist a new mom with the delivery of her baby.

87 moms will feel hopeful that they have cleanliness in their ballpark when they are delivering their babies.

87 babies will be bathed with actual soap and then swaddled in a lovingly crafted baby blanket - a blanket sewn just for them.

That's 261 people you are giving hope to. In every day life, in every day ways. Amazing.

Oh wait a second, I forgot to tell you something. :)

What I meant to say was that's 102 midwives, 102 moms and 102 babies - 306 people you are giving hope to.

I went to Target to get soap for this project. The Ivory was the least expensive. When I was looking at the shelves I only saw 60 bars of soap. I was purchasing the soap for the church initiative we were helping with (more on that later) and I needed 400 bars of soap.

I asked the Target team member :) if he had more soap in the back. He walked over to the shelf and said, "Well, how much do you need - there's a bunch back here." (Can you tell he thinks I'm crazy?) I said, very matter of factly for the full effect, "I need 400 bars of soap."

He looked at me and said, "Holy crap."

Then he walked back to his cart, pulled out his price gun thing and checked. No more Ivory in the back.

That's okay. I'll load up on Dial.

After I loaded 400 bars of soap in my cart I walked up to the front and asked for a manager.

He came out and started laughing when he saw my cart.

I told him what we were doing. He told me, "I can offer you 15% off." So, I got 15% off. Woohoo!

Because of that deal and a couple others, I was able to make your dollar stretch just a little bit further. And now we're sending 102 kits instead of 87.

How's that for a nice surprise??

I'm pretty excited. And thankful. Thank you. So much. I have been honored to participate in this project with you.

The Gift of the Blogosphere

2011-02-20T11:35:00.002-05:00

First up this week I want to introduce you to the incredible bloggers that truly ramped up our efforts for the Maternal Birth Kit initiative and made a huge difference in the number of birth kits we will be sending later this week. If you get a chance, please visit this folks and give them a shout out for what they did to make this initiative so successful.

Tea and Crumpets -- I didn't "meet" Lexi until just a couple of weeks ago. She has been awesome. She blogged, tweeted and shared personally and through her blog, which is dedicated to crafting, cooking and life in general. Lexi has felt so passionately about this project and is already suggesting ideas for new ones. I'm sure she's going to come up with something amazing, so stay tuned! Thank you Lexi for everything!

Amy Sullivan -- I started to get to know Amy when I started the business. Our blogs started at just about the same time and we started supporting one another almost immediately. She has an incredible heart for giving and that's what her blog is all about - living generously and graciously. She reveals simple inexpensive ways to give as well as her struggles in giving. Her blog provides a community of people who struggle to but desperately try to give completely of themselves. Aren't we all like that? A great blog to check out when you'll looking for unique ways to live with purpose and share in the difficulties of doing so. Amy featured our project in relation to the fact that she had her baby ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD! She understands in a very real way why you need to have plastic sheeting when you have a baby! :) Amy, thank you for your creativity.

The High Calling -- Sam Van Eman has been a dear friend of my husband and myself for a long time. He has his own blog here and also edits for The High Calling, a community of bloggers that focus on work, life and God. There are always great conversations happening there about genuine realities. There is nothing fake about High Calling's community. Sam featured our initiative through Amy's story on The High Calling. He also facebooked and shared with many people what we were doing. Thank you to Sam!

Shop to Stop Slavery -- Robin started Shop to Stop slavery last year, also about the time DFC began. Her blog is ALL about how to shop with purpose and where to do that. She features online retailers, including DFC!, through an on-line catalog that will point you in all kinds of "ethical" shopping directions. She blogged, facebooked and tweeted all about our project as well. If you love what we're doing at DFC but can't find the perfect gift I encourage you to check her site out. I bet you'll find what you're looking for through her!

Simple Green Living -- And last, but absolutely not least, there is Cathy. She just started blogging at Simple Green Living, a blog focused on environmental and social justice friendliness. Like so many others, she blogged, tweeted and shared our project and has found some awesome ways to contribute! She not only made blankets and totes but generously donated a ton of plastic sheeting for the kits! She also offered a great incentive for her readers and followers as a way to participate in the project. For every comment she received regarding her Maternal Birth Kit post she donated shipping for one of the kits! How creative and thoughtful is that? The irony of connecting with her - for the first time ever - is the fact that she literally lives 30 minutes away from me! I get the privilege of not only meeting her this week but working with her to assemble the kits! I'm pretty excited about that. Thank you so much to Cathy!

Thank you, thank you to all these people, most of whom were strangers to me only a short year ago. This is the gift of the blogosphere.

Are you a blogging individual who shared our initiative? Let us know with a link to your post so we can thank you too!

Blown Away.....

2011-02-16T23:40:00.003-05:00

I am simply blown away.

Your generosity and thoughtfulness to this maternal birth kit project has been amazing.

On Monday, with 38 kits, I was disappointed that we hadn't gotten further along with our goal. But something happened on Tuesday. Between Tuesday night and Wednesday night you sponsored nearly 50 more kits! That is simply amazing.

Thank you.

Because of you, 87 kits are going to be on their way to Konbit Sante one week from today.

87!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

And, as a result of a community initiative through McLane Church an additional 300 kits will be added to that number. That is nearly 400 kits.

What a beautiful, life changing, soul blessing thing you have just done. I am so grateful to you for partnering with us to make this possible. I'm so proud that we have achieved this together and I truly hope you are too.

I have stories, pictures and people to tell you about as a result of this project. I can't wait to start doing that, but for now, thank you.

Thank you.

One Week Left......

2011-02-09T18:35:00.004-05:00

Can you imagine a truckload of maternal birth kits going to Haiti? How amazing would that be?!? Between your partnership with DFC and others partnering with Craft Hope we're sure to be able to fill up a truck don't you think?

So far our contribution is 36 kits. That is truly significant. Here's why.....

That's 36 more mothers and babies who will have a healthier start to life compared to so many other women and babies before them.
It's 36 children who will actually have a toy to play with - perhaps the first thing they will grasp when they are 3 months old - perhaps the only toy they will have.
That's 36 more babies that will be lovingly wrapped in handmade blankets that you have either created or sponsored.
It's 36 more midwives that will go into a delivery situation more thoroughly equipped to perform a duty they find passion and purpose in.

$8.50 can really make a difference can't it?

We only have 1 week left before our initiative ends. So, keep blogging, facebooking, tweeting and sharing our project. Together let's see how close we can get to 100!!

Buy your kits on our store here.

Thank you to these bloggers and businesses who have helped us promote this project in the past week!

High Calling Blogs
Handmade Expressions
Simple Green Living

The Anti-Valentine's Day Action Plan

2011-02-08T12:34:00.008-05:00

So, do you like Valentine's Day? You know, I have never been a fan. I think from the time a girl turns about 10 years old the pressure starts. Remember the Valentine's boxes you had to create and take to school? The little Valentine's Day cards you had to fill out for every person in your class - hoping for a secret sign from even 1 person that you were extra special to them?

Maybe you can't relate to any of this, but if you're anything like the Berenstain Bear book I just read to my daughter, Sister Bear knows what I'm talking about.

So, from the time I was 10 on I haven't been a fan. I put enough pressure on myself already without the pressure of having just the right person love me in just the right way. I think Valentine's is stressful for my husband too because even though he is incredibly thoughtful and generous, he never knows what to do that will be the "just right" Valentine's Action Plan.

If you're in my boat I have an action plan for you.

Forget about it. Forget about having just the right experience from just the right person on Valentine's Day. I'm going to give you a game plan for how to enjoy the evening with the pressure completely off.

1. Go to work. Yes. If you don't go to work you can't get paid and then you can't afford any of the ideas that will follow that cost money. :)

2. Stop at your favorite restaurant and order your favorite dinner. Take it home.

3. Put your dinner in the refrigerator and take yourself to your bathroom.

4. Run a nice hot bath. Maybe light candles, maybe not. Hey, you could add bath tea or salts to your bath to make it extra moisturizing and aromatic!

5. Just soak. No magazines, no distractions, just you soaking in your bath.

6. Get out of the tub. Give yourself a moisturizing treatment. Maybe some body polish to get the harshness of your day completely off - followed by body balm to completely soothe your skin!

7. Get dressed in your oh so comfy punjammies. Who doesn't love their punjammies - and for good reason!?!

8. Wrap up in a cozy perfectly weighted sari throw. (Did you know they were on sale??)

9. Meander back to your kitchen. Warm up your dinner. Go back to your bathroom because we forgot to blow out the candles and who needs a house fire on Valentine's Day? Find your dinner again, turn on a comedy or your favorite movie, cuddle up on your couch and enjoy the rest of your stress-filled evening.

Doesn't that sound wonderful?

I know, this is also a sales pitch, but I dare you to argue that that doesn't sound like the best Valentine's Day night ever! (And the way I figure it, you have through Friday to make all this possible!)

Have a different plan? Let's hear it!

I Need to Tell You About Nimmi

2011-02-06T11:39:00.007-05:00

Photo courtesy of Bombay Teen Challenge.

A few weeks ago I was talking with Ann from the International Princess Project and she told me about Nimmi.

And now I need to tell you about Nimmi.

Nimmi was 13 years old when she became a sex slave. Part of the sex trade, she was entrapped until she was 21. That's when Bombay Teen Challenge rescued her. Shortly thereafter Nimmi became a proud member of The International Princess Project. Her time in the sex industry however was not without consequence. When she started at IPP she had advanced HIV.

Through IPP Nimmi was able to learn that her soul, her very self, had dignity. She was surrounded by support, by the love of those caring for her and the love of those who KNEW what she was going through because they went through it themselves. Nimmi had a clean place to live, received medical care and started learning how to sew. Over the course of the past year we have sold a lot of punjammies. Perhaps you own a pair. Perhaps she sewed them. And if you purchase or have purchased punjammies, know that you are part of the difference that enveloped Nimmi.

Nimmi passed away the first week of January at the age of 25.

While this is incredibly sad and while those close to Nimmi are absolutely grieving, they can know that she died surrounded by love and peace, something that would NOT have happened if she was still in the grip of prostitution.

And here's a side note that isn't quite as "side" as you might think.

While DFC is not a "Christian" organization per say, meaning that we purchase from religious affiliated and non-religious affiliated programs both, I happen to believe in the love and grace of Jesus Christ. IPP does too and teaches the women who go there who Jesus is. The staff live in a way to reflect His goodness and love.

While at IPP, Nimmi accepted Him as her Savior and now IPP and I celebrate that Nimmi is surely in the arms of His grace and care, in peace and fully healed from all the pain and suffering she experienced on this earth.

I am so proud that we are able to carry punjammies from IPP. I love what they are doing and the difference they are making in such an incredible and life changing way. And Nimmi's story is beautiful, in part because IPP was able to be there for her.

I am also proud to say that we just ordered a new batch of punjammies this past week and they'll be here this week. So, stay tuned for new punjammies and the difference you make simply by buying them. This is shopping with purpose.

We Are 1/3 of the Way There!

2011-02-03T22:03:00.008-05:00

Wow!

Your response to our Craft Hope Initiative has surpassed my highest expectations.

In one week we have sold 34 kits to enhance the safe delivery of newborns in Haiti. We've had several different non-profits, fair trade businesses and bloggers get involved and promote what is happening here and that is huge!! Thank you.

I hope you keep supporting this project in all the great and fantastic ways you have been over the course of the past week . Our goal is to reach 100 kits in 2 more weeks. I know it can happen!

If you'd like to learn more about how you can get involved in supporting this sweet project please visit this post.

And thank you to these great businesses, non-profits and bloggers who have helped make this progress happen:

New Breed of Advertisers
Tea and Crumpets
Amy Sullivan
Scarlet Threads
Seven Hopes United
Fair Trade Mission
Fair Trade Winds
NY Fair Trade Coalition
McLane Church

Here's to sending 100 maternal birth kits to Konbit Sante!

It's A........

2011-02-03T21:30:00.003-05:00

Passport cover!!

Aren't this so trendy and cute? I just love these! The green one in particular. Which is your favorite?

These awesome $8 (yes, only $8!!) passport covers are a bright way to look at traveling overseas (or Canada :)). In the hassle of all that moving around and getting things together these will be your bright spot!

Made by Eco Friendly Papers, these covers are made of cruelty-free leather if you've ever heard of such a thing! It just means they were made from leather coming from animals that died naturally.

The covers are soft and intricately designed. One with a green background with embossed magenta butterflies and embossed white plants, one with an orange background with red, black and white embossed vines, and one with a blue background with white and turquoise embossed circles.

The ends of the holder have a transparent plastic layer under which you can secure your passport giving you a stylish and unique way to protect your passport!

And the best part - the purchase of these passport covers will fight extreme poverty in India!

Interested??? Buy them here!

And let us know what your favorite one is!

Guess What I Am Now!

2011-02-02T09:19:00.004-05:00

Okay, so I was thinking maybe I made it impossible to guess what yesterday's picture way. So, here's another picture!

Try to guess:

What this is. (10% off your order coupon.)
What cause it works toward. (10% off your order coupon.)
And for an extra bonus, who makes it! (15% off your order coupon.)!! Check our our artisans here because it is one of these artisan groups!

Make a guess for each of these or even for just one. The first one to get them right wins the coupon!

Comment here or on our facebook page to win!

Guess What I Am!

2011-02-01T13:09:00.005-05:00

So, we did this several months ago and it was so much fun I thought we would do it again today.

It's February, it's dreary and everyone is sick so we could all use something fun to think about right?

So here it is....

What do YOU think this is a picture of? This is a new product we'll be offering beginning Thursday!

Here's is what you can guess:

1. What the item is.
2. Who makes it. Visit our artisan page here for ideas. And the artisan is listed there. :)
3. What cause its purchase will benefit. All of our causes are listed here.

And here's what you have to gain....

The first person to guess these correctly (even just one of them) wins a 10% off coupon for their entire store order!

So there are 3 10% off coupons up for grabs for the rest of today and tomorrow! Start the guessing by commenting here or on our facebook page! Good luck!

Craft Hope Initiative LAUNCH!!

2011-01-25T18:31:00.007-05:00

Here we go!!

Today is the big day of the Craft Hope Initiative Launch!!

Here is your mission should you choose to accept it: Help us send 1,100 kits in conjunction with Craft Hope for their maternal birth project - helping moms and their newborns in Haiti!

We have 2 initiatives that are happening:

1. An on-line initiative. We hope to assemble 100 kits through your purchases of them on our store, which you will learn more about below.

2. A community initiative. This is an opportunity for businesses and seamstresses to donate items. We hope to assemble 1,000 kits in this way!! DFC isn't big enough to fund all that up front which is why the on-line goal is smaller. :)

There are 3 main ways to get involved:

1. Buy a complete kit. We're making them for you and giving you the opportunity to purchase them on our store here. They are $8.50 per kit and here is the cost breakdown:

1 alcohol wipe - $0.15
1 oz. bar soap - $0.66
1 36" x 36" handmade receiving blanket and handmade tote - $5
1 Purell packet - $0.06
1 pair of Netrile latex gloves - $0.09
1 36" x 48" plastic sheeting - $0.80
1 gallon ziplock bag - $0.15
3 pieces of 12" string - $0.10
1 handmade stuffed animal - $1.50

2. Buy shipping for one kit. We are estimating it will cost $2.50 per kit to mail it to Konbit Sante, the organization Craft Hope is partnering with to provide the kits. Any monies not used for shipping will directly be applied to sponsoring Benitha, a restavek child in Haiti. You can purchase shipping here.

3. DONATE supplies! This is for our community initiative. We are looking to local businesses to contribute supplies but will need lots of help with donations of handmade items. We hope to assemble 1,000 kits through our community! That's a lot of blankets, totes and stuffed animals!! looking for handmade totes, blankets and stuffed animals! I want to re-iterate that this is separate from our on-line kit sales. (We will not be profiting from your donations as that would be in complete conflict with our values and mission.) These are the handmade items we are collecting:

Totes big enough to hold a gallon ziplock bag with the kit supplies inside.
Receiving blankets made from 100% cotton measuring 36" x 36".
Small stuffed animals to include as a sweet gift to the newborn.
You are more than welcome to donate any of other items in the kits as well.
Please send non-monetary donations (only items to include in the kits) to:

Delicate Fortress Creations
P.O. Box 114
McKean, PA 16426

This initiative will end February 16th, exactly 3 weeks from today. That will give us plenty of time to assemble the kits and get them shipped out to meet the March 1 deadline.

Please let us know if you have any questions and we'll answer them. Also, please refer to our web-site here for frequently asked questions.

And lastly, if you are a blogger, business or non-profit and you wish to participate by promoting this event or donating items, we will be happy to feature you through facebook, twitter and a special thank you page on our website. So, submit your links here or send us an email at info@delicatefortress.com.

We'll keep a tally of our progress on our website. And, thank you, thank you, in advance!

Let's get started!

Start shopping by clicking here!

Craft Hope Initiative.......We're Getting Organized!

2011-01-23T10:33:00.008-05:00

Wow! I am so excited about the excellent feedback we received in our effort to cooperate with Craft Hope to provide maternal birth kits to women in Haiti! Thank you!

We had such an overwhelming response not only from individuals but from other fair trade businesses and organizations. There are so many great ideas flowing out there and they are just about organized! We will be announcing our final plan tomorrow!

In the meantime we want to know who all wants to get involved in any capacity (donations, purchasing kits, purchasing portions of kits). If you're a blogger, business, organization, part of a group or a big hearted individual let us know that you're planning on getting involved by commenting here.

If you promote the idea in any way after it is announced we want to know that too! Shoot us an email with the link to your promotion and we'll promote you on our blog, facebook page, twitter and website!

Thank you in advance! I believe this will be a success!

Maternal Health Project with Craft Hope

2011-01-20T12:55:00.003-05:00

I know I've posted about Craft Hope before and I just can't help but to do that again today.

Their first project of the year is helping with maternal health in Haiti. According to their post, 1 in 8 Haitian children dies before they reach the age of 5 and their maternal mortality rate is 1,400 in 100,00. Both of these statistics are a true reflection of the fact that only 1 in 100,000 Haitians has access to a physician. That is astounding.

I had complications with the birth of my 3rd child. Without medical care I would have died shortly after her birth. I'm so grateful for the care I received that day and wish more women in Haiti had that kind of care and chance as well.

Well, over at Craft Hope they are helping give women and their beautiful babies a better shot at survival - with simple birth kits. Here's what all they include:

1 small bar of soap
1 piece of clean 4mil. plastic sheeting (3 feet wide by 4 feet long)
1 piece of clean string, 24 inches long
1 packet alcohol wipe
1 set of sterile latex gloves
1 packet (or travel container) Purelle
1 handmade tote bag

Optional:
receiving blanket–36 inches square
small “stuffy” toy

I've participated in one of the Craft Hope projects before. It was so easy to not do more because of time. It's so hard to fit in one more activity - one more project - even if it is simple. I think that's the American way. We all want to help. We want to do something, but we don't know how to fit it in.

I want to help though. I want Delicate Fortress to help this cause. And I need your suggestions.

So far I've only come up with one idea - for DFC to put these kits together and make them available to you for purchase. Upon purchase we would ship them out too! And we could ask Craft Hope to let us know when they came in with a note for accountability purposes. (Who wants to throw money at something without the assurance that it is actually doing what they want it to?) I don't know what the cost would be of putting one kit together, but I'm going to find out. I'm imagining this would be a $7 project all together.

I haven't talked to Craft Hope yet. I know 2 stay at home moms work together to make those projects, site and social media possible so I'd like to go to them with suggestions - with a thoughtful and compassionate plan.

What do you think? How do you think we can partner with Craft Hope?

Give us your suggestions! We'll compile a list and the owner of the accepted idea will receive a 15% off coupon for your entire Delicate Fortress order!

So, let's get those suggestions going! I can't wait to hear what you come up with!

The Enterprising Kitchen (TEK) Closes

2011-01-17T19:23:00.005-05:00

Oh, I am just so sad to tell you about this.

Over the Christmas season I received an order from The Enterprising Kitchen (TEK). I needed to check on a price on something and I went to TEK's website but I couldn't access their shop. I looked up in the corner of the webpage and saw a clickable button that said "TEK Closes It's Doors". I just felt sick.

I was so surprised as to how much their closing impacted me. I still feel sick about it and wish it just wasn't true. There are 2 reasons it's bothering me so much.

1. Our customers LOVE their bath and body products. They love them. People walk in the store and they stop and just smell the air. And then they say, "I love coming in here. It just smells so good." Countless times every week. It smells so good because of the products from TEK.

Seascape has been our most popular scent. The delightful glycerin soaps fly off the shelves. The body oil is fragrant and deliciously moisturizing.

Customers love seeing the woman's name on each of the products who created it. Some of them have actually taken the labels off and put them in their Bibles, just so they could pray for that particular individual. It was just so easy to get attached to TEK because they made it so personal.

2. I am also sad because TEK was an organization creating beautiful products by beautiful women who needed the faith and confidence to know that someone would invest in them. Someone believed in them to change their lives, become productive and contributing citizens of their communities and to their families. These women were able to finish their education from high school and get a hand up instead of a hand out. That's what I love about the artisans and non-profits we work with. That is why I have a passion for these things. Because it HELPS!

TEK is just one of many non-profits that is folding. I know there are many wonderful organizations that close because of lack of funding. My heart aches when I see one so worthy closing their doors.

We're going to make it our mission to support the non-profits who are doing the hard work of helping people in poverty, slavery, trafficking and exploitation so they don't have to experience a closing of their doors. I know we're small, but you just never know how much "small" can do.

So, keep up your support of the great artisans we feature here and if you're a fan of TEK make sure you scoop up their products while they're still available.

I've included the statement TEK has on their website if you would like to read about them further.

CHICAGO, December 10, 2010 - The Enterprising Kitchen, a nonprofit social enterprise dedicated to empowering low-income women in Chicago, today announced it is ceasing operations this Friday, December 10. The organization is closing its doors due to a combination of factors related to the economic downturn and a lack of funding. While recent increases in product sales and individual giving were promising, this activity was not enough to offset decreased support from larger funders that came to light in mid-November. Rather than immediately ceasing operations, efforts were made to find another nonprofit partner to merge with, but these efforts proved unsuccessful. Since 1996, The Enterprising Kitchen has helped more than 400 women by providing life skills training and support with the goal of fostering economic independence. The organization's popular Bubble Bash fundraiser collected an average of $100,000 annually in support of the cause.

We want to thank all of our supporters, participants, employees, board members and volunteers - everyone associated with TEK over the years," said Anne Chipman, Board Chair for The Enterprising Kitchen. "Your hard work and dedication addressing this need has touched the lives of so many women in Chicago and leaves a lasting impact on everyone connected to our cause."

Efforts are underway to place all current program participants with other nonprofit partners. Online sales of The Enterprising Kitchen's product line currently are suspended and the organization is notifying its network of more than 200 retailers that the product line including all-natural soaps, spa products and gift baskets will no longer be in production.

The Enterprising Kitchen

The Enterprising Kitchen empowers motivated, low-income women by hiring them and helping them build a foundation for permanent employment. During a six-month program, participants produce and market all-natural soaps, spa products and gift baskets online, in retail stores, and to corporate clients, the revenue from which goes back to support the program. The women learn real job skills in a real business setting. Personalized training, support services and life skills prepare graduates to become fully self-sufficient. In the end, TEK strives to place these participants in permanent positions at companies in the Chicago area.

Celebrating Our Milestones

2011-01-12T10:21:00.002-05:00

It's so hard to believe it's been a year and I'm so thankful that this year is up. Running this business has been like starting a new job. I always felt like the first year of a new job was the hardest - figuring things out, learning the ropes, finding the right rhythms and learning the cycles of the job. This has been no different.

When I look over the last year I am amazed at what all has happened here and I want to celebrate those milestones with you this month - celebrate with you all the things you have made possible through your support of DFC.

Have you seen the artisans page of our website lately? We were able to upload a map that shows you all the artisans we are currently working with and their locations around the world. It truly is amazing how many people you are supporting when you make a purchase. I am so proud to say that we are working with over 25 different artisans, non-profits and small businesses around the world, which is growing almost every week it seems. When you look at the page, under the map you will see each of the artisan groups listed in different colors revealing what area they are being helped with (human trafficking, poverty, child expolitation, etc.) and then you can click on each group to shop for the items they created. Pretty soon we're going to explode off the page and I'm not sure what we'll do then, but that will be a good problem!

I was disappointed to see that we weren't working with anyone in South America, but even that is changing! I am really hoping it will be possible to bring you gorgeous Peruvian cards soon. You won't believe how beautiful these are! All hand made by some very special artisans. What I am most excited about with this couple is that we will have the most personal connection with them - a direct touch into their lives. That's what I've been hoping for over this first year and I am thrilled that it is going to happen so soon. My prayer is that we will give this couple encouragement and joy in a way they might not have ever imagined.

So, check out our artisans page and let us know what you think! As always, if you personally know of anyone that could benefit from DFC please share that with us. We would love to join with you to make a difference in their lives!

Let Me Introduce You To.....

2011-01-06T14:37:00.003-05:00

Benitha!!!

Benitha is our sponsored child in Haiti through The Restavek Freedom Foundation, made possible through your purchases from our Made with Purpose campaign. I am so excited to introduce you to her.

Benitha is 14, soon to be 15 years old since her birthday is February 28th. She is originally from Grand Goave, Haiti and has 2 biological brothers and 2 biological sisters. Here is more detailed information about her, quoted from the letter I received from The Restavek Freedom Foundation.

Prior to the January 12th earthquake, Benitha was staying with a family in their home working long hours while trying to juggle school attendance and homework and occasionally she made a visit to her mother. She was and still is responsible for chores such as cooking, fetching water throughout the day, turning on the electricity, doing the laundry, and cleaning the house- except for now she does all these things a little differently and more for up to 20 people and now they all live in a field under a tarp. Benitha still works very hard and manages to find time to attend classes and turn in her assignments to her teacher.

She enjoys reading and writing and would like to attend the University one day. She dreams of becoming a Teacher. In her spare time, she likes to find a way to dance and improve her singing. Receiving an education, singing, and dancing all bring much joy to her life, says her Child Advocate, Francoise.

Thank you for believing with us that love and education can uproot this cultural practice and create new futures. Thank you for your support towards Child Advocacy and to Benitha.

Are you as excited as I am?! I hope so!

We were able to raise $300 to sponsor her for one year. The sponsorship just increased to better meet the costs for The Restavek Freedom Foundation. Therefore it will cost $360 to sponsor her next year. Since it took 7 months to raise the initial sponsorship for $300 we are planning on working to raise the money to sponsor her next year again. If we meet that goal before the sponsorship renewal time comes, we will find another way to help children who are being exploited. I'm very optimistic that will happen since we're already at $200 to sponsor her next November!

So, again THANK YOU. You have made a difference for this little girl and we are so appreciative!

Keep an eye on our progress on our home page, let us know what you think and keep supporting Made with Purpose!!

Looking Out My Window

2011-01-04T14:04:00.003-05:00

As I was preparing lunch today, I stopped and looked out my kitchen window for just a moment. A year ago I was reading "Not For Sale" and I remember looking at the same scene I saw today. And feeling the comfort of freedom and the warmth of my home.

And then I thought of what they must be going through.

Children trapped in prostitution and slavery. They may not have a window to look out. They don't have the comforts of freedom and warmth. Their security is all false.

I have a CD I love to listen to at Christmas by Third Day called Merry Christmas. I have always sung along to the chorus of this song but never paid attention to what the words are.

The song is actually talking about adoption, something I'd like to focus on with DFC this year. I couldn't help but apply the words of this song to what we're doing here. Apply it to the children that are alone and wishing for a way out or the children who have been damaged enough that they no longer wish for a way out. I pray that a way out will be found for them.

Even though we can't adopt a child together, in a very significant way you have made a huge difference for a child in the last two months. I waited to tell you until now so I could truly share with you what is happening in a time when it might be more possible to focus on this significant accomplishment.

In November we were able to officially sponsor our first restavek child through The Restavek Freedom Foundation. Her name is Benitha. She is 14. On Thursday I'm going to introduce her to you further and show you her picture. I can't wait!

Through your gracious donations and purchases of Made with Purpose items you not only raised $300 to sponsor her, but we are up to $200 toward sponsoring her again next year! I have been beyond blessed through this endeavor and I pray that not only Benitha but you will be blessed by this too. You are truly making a difference. Thank you so much.

If you have the time, take a listen to this song by Third Day and be encouraged that one more child has a hot meal, is receiving an education and is experiencing more blessings than she probably imagined. Not only that, but she truly has a reason to hope for the future.

Whew!

2011-01-02T23:00:00.003-05:00

As much as I love and anticipate the holidays I am always ready to get back to the normalcy of life, if there is such a thing! I think a lot of people can relate to that. In church this morning everyone was wishing each other Happy New Years and inquiring how the holidays went. When I would respond with my - "Very well! But I'm glad they're over!" - people would laugh. It wasn't a laugh of mocking, but one of understanding. They were glad too.

I didn't think I was ready to get back to work quite yet though. Can you relate? But, as I reworked the home page tonight, I started to get excited because as strenuous as this can sometimes be, it is even more exciting because something is happening here. A lot of somethings are happening. And I've been waiting until after the holidays to tell you.

If you need something to encourage and inspire you, you've come to the right place because that is what January is going to be all about here. So, follow along. It starts this week!

And Now For a Fantastic Deal - Are You Ready for Punjammies???

2010-12-16T21:02:00.003-05:00

Punjammies are a hot seller this Christmas season because they are not only beautiful and oh so comfortable, but they help such a wonderful cause! Beautifully designed with hope, the purchase of a pair of punjammies will further promote the dignity and livelihood of women in India escaping forced prostitution. Today through Sunday enjoy our sale on punjammies in Tapena Butterfly and Kaveri River, in both full and capri lengths! Check them out here!

Our Most Amazing Deal Yet!!

2010-12-11T20:12:00.003-05:00

This is our best deal yet!! All of our children's aprons are on sale today and tomorrow! 4 deals in 2 days - and all for the little girl in your life! So check them out today and tomorrow before your these "deals of Christmas" pass you by. Take a look at our beautiful aprons here.

Why Again?

2010-12-08T22:40:00.003-05:00

As we approach our 1 year anniversary I wanted to just give you a tangible reminder of why Delicate Fortress exists. We recently opened our first storefront in a local church in what will become their bookstore. To launch the store, a video was created that I'm am both excited and humbled to share with you today. Thank you for all you've done to help us get to this point. We are so grateful.

Tree Friendly Journals?

2010-12-08T10:40:00.003-05:00

Yes, you heard me right! These journals are actually made from cotton!! Cotton textiles are turned into a pulp which is creates paper and that's what these and all of our journals are made from!! Unbelievable and so unique! They are new to our store and they are one of our 25 deals of Christmas!! Check them out and purchase them here.

Another Ecoplastic Beauty

2010-12-07T17:08:00.002-05:00

Today we're featuring the Aboli Purse from Conserve India. This gorgeous purse is one of our best sellers and at 20% off you definitely can't beat this deal!! Scoop them up today before they are gone!

Beauty in a Circle

2010-12-06T09:50:00.006-05:00

What a beautiful deal we're offering you today!

This gorgeous bracelet from Trade Justice Mission offers a beautiful purpose and sweet grace for your wrist. Featuring a unique doubling design it features camelian, tiger's eye, amber, Swarovski crystals, recycled glass, fresh water pearls and sterling beads ending on a sterling silver clasp.

The best feature of this beauty is that it has been made by young women preparing to leave Asia's Hope Orphanages in Cambodia. Your purchase of this bracelet will help these young women avoid trafficking and other exploitation.

Take advantage of this 1 day only deal by visiting our store here.

Soaking It Up

2010-12-05T22:14:00.003-05:00

Featuring the scrumptious bath teas from The Enterprising Kitchen for the deal of the day! A perfect stocking stuffer or small gift for a co-worker or friend. Soak in the joy of purposeful shopping!

Making A Splash.....

2010-12-04T19:49:00.003-05:00

Featuring one of our brand new items today - The Color Splash Passport Bag! You'll take shine and color wherever you go with this bag! Conveniently features a crossover strap so you can literally forget about it during the travels of your day. But no one else will!

As a special treat you can save on your purchase of this beautiful item for today only! So, take a look here and grab one today!

Body Polish and Body Balm to the Rescue

2010-12-03T17:09:00.003-05:00

Up for today are 2 great products. Yesterday we didn't list anything so we could give you 2 great deals today - and they compliment each other making your savings so much sweeter! The body balm and body polish are so great for so many reasons!

Smoothing and moisturizing for your skin, especially during these harsh winter months.
Great for manicures and pedicures to give the pampering experience we all need during the holiday season!
A great way to help women in Nashville, TN at Thistle Farms who are fighting their way out of forced prostitution, addictions and behaviors leading to past imprisonment.

A great way to make a great difference!

Here's how they work - The body polish is your first line of defense against rough skin. Containing exfoliating properties, it will smooth away dead and dry skin. Rinse after application and then apply the super moisturizing body balm. A great way to give your hands and feet a rest from the elements! And we have 3 delicious scents to choose from so you can choose your favorite - citrus vanilla, tea tree mint and lavender.

On sale today only so make sure you scoop them up! And remember, free shipping with coupon code "Christmas", so even if you're not buying them as a present for someone else you can buy them as a present for yourself! Shop for them here!

Lip Smoothie Baby!

2010-12-01T15:37:00.004-05:00

On sale today only is the fabulous Lip Smoothie from Thistle Farms.

A perfect stocking stuffer and brilliant for this time of year, the exfoliating properties of the lip smoothie will quickly soothe and heal chapped lips.

Check them out today. On sale for $3!!

How Cool Is This??

2010-11-30T10:21:00.005-05:00

Moving on with our 25 Deals of Christmas! Today's item is the super cool Ginni Ecoplastic Purse! While doing some browsing this morning I found this video to help explain the project behind our ecoplastic items - Conserve India. Check it out!

So, for today only, take advantage of our special offer for the Ginni Purse. Regularly $40, we're offering it to you for $30!! So, take advantage of this great offer and surprise someone with a genius, meaningful and purposeful gift this Christmas!

Day #2 - The Antique Twine Cuff!

2010-11-29T10:32:00.003-05:00

Day 2 of our 25 Deals of Christmas!! Featuring another new product, this time from the Ana Art Group. This gorgeous antique twine cuff is both trendy and unique! Our tallest cuff, it features fine embossing detail in the shape of beautiful vines. The center of the cuff reveals a golden color while the outside reveals copper accents. Perfect for a wide range of outfits.

This unique accessory has been created by the Ana Art Group, a dedicated group of artisans in Jama Masjid, Old Delhi, India who were mistreated by their former employees. They now receive a fair wage and decent working conditions to make their beautiful works of art. Check out this great bracelet here! And stay tuned for tomorrows "Deal of the Day"!

25 Deals of Christmas!!

2010-11-28T18:53:00.004-05:00

Christmas is coming! And we are getting ready with fabulous deals and new products! Our "New Arrivals" page is busting at the seams!

For the next 25 days, which will take us until December 22, our last mailing day before Christmas, you will be guaranteed a great deal every day! So, we're going to be blogging a lot and charming our Facebook Fans! I can't wait to get started, so without further hesitation let's begin!

First up is our brand new snowflake soap from The Enterprising Kitchen! This gorgeous soap will decorate your bathroom beautifully for the holidays or make your showering experience even more pampering after a long day or an inspiring way to start a new one! This beautiful soap is now only $3 and with our coupon code "Christmas" you can receive it with free shipping! It doesn't get any better than that!

Or use it for a gift! Need inspiration? Here are some clever ideas/people to gift this soap to:

Give this to your child's teacher.
Gift it to your prompt and pleasant delivery person - mail, UPS, Fed Ex, etc.
Add it to her stocking as a fragrant and pampering addition.
Use it as a secret Santa or secret sister gift.

Who else would you give this gift to? Let us know in the comment section!