Yield For Cab...ernet

Handmade in Colombia of recycled glass from old car windows, these eco-friendly stemless beverage glasses are sturdy and make great conversation pieces. The thick glass also has a slight green hue from the tint originally added to lessen the sun's glare. The best part of owning a set of these glasses? They are dishwasher safe. Huge bonus. Who doesn't dread hand washing all those delicate wine glasses after a big cocktail party?!

Due to the hand-crafted process, keep in mind that the texture of each glass will differ. Air bubbles and small "imperfections" add distinct charm to each piece. Sold as a set of 2. Purchase recycled car window glasses at:  http://tinyurl.com/2atam8m

Raise A Glass

And pick up a set of cool coasters for a good cause. These exotic drink coasters in four vivid, silhouette designs are reminiscent of Japanese woodblock art. Non-slip cork backing ensures worry-free sipping and entertaining. Set of 4:  teal, gold, red and purple. Purchase them directly from UNICEF's website at: http://tinyurl.com/22w7je7

Working in over 150 countries, UNICEF is a global humanitarian relief organization providing children with health care, clean water, nutrition, education, emergency relief and more. The U.S. Fund for UNICEF supports UNICEF's humanitarian relief work through fundraising, advocacy and education in the United States. 

A Garden That Gives

A lush floral garden scent accented by blue hydrangea, hyacinth, and forget-me-nots blended with fresh green notes make this NEST Fragrances Classic Candle - Blue Garden the perfect holiday hostess gift that gives back. Featured in Real Simple magazine (July 2010 issue, p34), Town and Country magazine (July 2010 issue, p43), Teen Vogue magazine (June/July 2010 issue, p84), and Lucky magazine (December 2010 issue, p84).100% of net proceeds from sales of the candle go to benefit Autism Speaks - the nation's largest autism science and advocacy organization. To learn more about Autism Speaks, please visit www.autismspeaks.org.

Isn't That Sweet?

With flavors like Thai Coffee, Caramel Sea Salt, Blonde Bombshell and Cranberry Cognac, Mari's New York artisanal brownies are the ideal treat to share (or hoard) this coming holiday season. These little bits of brownie goodness are the perfect size...two bites...and are made with only the finest ingredients like premium dark chocolate, Grade AA butter and Madagascar bourbon vanilla extract. No artificial flavors or preservatives are used. Packaged and shipped in Mari's signature baton box, they make a great gift presentation for the gourmet desert lover on your list.

What's even sweeter than these beautiful lil bits of brownie? The fact that Mari's warmth extends beyond her kitchen since she gives 10% of sales to New York's Lower East Side Girls Club. The Lower East Side Girls Club supports young women between the ages 8 to 23 by delivering strong arts, literacy, science, health and leadership programs. Pick up a box of Mari's brownies at:  http://www.marisny.com/

A Special "Tea" Purchase

Don't miss out on this Limited Edition Chocolate Rose Tea from The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf of California. It's absolutely perfect for sipping on a cool fall night with your best girlfriends and a plateful of butter cookies. This unique blend of Ceylon black tea with delicate milk chocolate, rose petals and heather is both adventurous and comforting. Act fast on this one though because the Blonde's favorite West Coast coffee and tea purveyor is only offering this blend for a short time in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month. What's better yet is that CB&TL will donate a portion of the proceeds from each sale to the National Breast Cancer Foundation. Order online from Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf:  http://tinyurl.com/24pbpkq

The Tee For The Key

Designed by Donna Karan, this long-sleeved limited edition "Key To The Cure" cotton jersey tee is perfect for cool fall days and warm hearts. So get this...not just a portion, but 100% of the $35 purchase price of this t-shirt will benefit Saks Fifth Avenue Key To The Cure campaign to fight women's cancers. So many good reasons why Saks should be a favorite shopping destination...Choo and Louboutin aside that is. Pick one up here before the word gets out on October 1st:  http://tinyurl.com/3xbcoln

Need an extra excuse to help boost the economy? Then mark your calendars for the dates of  Thursday, October 21st through Sunday, October 24th and show your support by shopping the weekend. Saks Fifth Avenue will donate 2% of sales during these dates to local and national women's cancer charities. Visit saks.com/KTTC to order the "Key To The Cure" shirt online and for additional details regarding the "Key To The Cure" campaign.

Chocolate Gone Green

In honor of a new favorite female holiday, International Chocolate Day, it seems only right to share the scoop on a top notch chocolatier that originates from my hometown of Chicago. Katrina Markoff not only uses the most unique and exotic ingredients in her Haut Chocolat creations, but she also has a die hard dedication to green manufacturing processes. The chocolate at Vosges boutiques is produced using 100% renewable energy, packaged with sustainable materials, and the production processes have been certified in accordance with organic manufacturing guidelines.

Inspired by Katrina's global experiences, Vosges chocolates have exotic influences of an "East meets West" theme. Her infusions of rare spices and flowers combined with premium chocolate give a delicate balance of flavor, and a true haut-chocolat experience.

For a great mini sampling of  9 of Katrina's exotic chocolate combos, try the Exotic Chocolate Library of Mini Bars or visit http://tinyurl.com/36dko5

Tags For TAPS

Three unique charms dangle from these silver "dog tag" necklaces created with crystal beads, a painted metal charm and inspiring words. Choose from Love, Dream, Believe, Peace, or Friends. A portion of sales will be donated to families of those who have lost loved ones in service through www.TAPS.org. Necklaces can be purchased through the Natural Life online shop at:  https://www.naturallife.net/

Light It Up

Altru means "unselfishly giving of one's self to others" and this candle embodies just that concept. A portion of the proceeds go to support In a Perfect World—a non-profit organization that aims to inspire and empower children to become compassionate, socially conscious, and responsible leaders.

Highlighted by an exotic fusion of Burmese sandalwood and honey, the Altru soy blend candle comes in a recyclable hammered copper holder with a delicate golden lining. Contains 100% lead-free wicks which are made from all natural cotton. Approximate burn time: 70 hours. Made in USA. Each of Altru's aromatic fragrances and packaging reflect diverse cultures and global inspirations, and have been named after a core value or attribute that one might find in a "perfect word."

Purchase Here:  Altru Unity Burmese Woods & Honey Candle

Uncorking For A Cure

Red wine = antioxidants...one good reason to uncork a bottle. Buy one of these wine openers, and you'll have two good reasons. 10% of the net proceeds from each sale will go to Susan G. Komen for the Cure®, an organization dedicated to a world without breast cancer.

L'Atelier du Vin has been making nonpareil wine accessories since 1926, and the sculptural flowing quality of this pink corkscrew is more than a match for any occasion. Great design meets efficient function in the "swing system" handle by fitting the gesture of your hand and pulling corks with ease. Made in France of molded matte plastic.

Think pink and order one here:  pink ribbon twist wine opener

You Just Gotta GOGO

Because Josie Maran's GOGO Instant Natural Volume Argan Mascara is true beauty for a good cause. Maran has teamed up with City of Hope, a leading cancer research, treatment and education institution, to launch the Get One Give One Campaign. For each GOGO mascara purchased, Josie Maran cosmetics will donate a mascara to a City of Hope cancer patient/survivor. Through August 2012, $1 from the sale of each GOGO mascara will be donated to City of Hope's efforts. With your GOGO Mascara purchase, you're helping women look better, feel better, and build self-esteem. That's what I call beautiful!

To top it off, Maran's mascara is part of her organic beauty line and is formulated without parabens, sulfates, synthetic fragrances, synthetic dyes, petrochemicals or phthalates. Why would you coat those luscious lashes with anything else? Pick it up here:  http://tinyurl.com/2584ju6

Purely Heaven Scent

Next time you're having "one of those days," create your own personal heaven by opening up a bottle of 'inner grace.' Inspired by the life of the late Dana Reeve and formulated with a scent to help bring about peace and tranquility, this luxurious 3-in-1 shampoo, shower gel and bubble bath will free your mind and lift your spirit while leaving your hair and skin smelling positively angelic.

100% of Philosophy's gross profit from the sale of 'inner grace' will go directly to the Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation, which is dedicated to curing spinal cord injury by funding innovative research and improving the quality of life for those living with paralysis. Purchase at:  http://tinyurl.com/24k8vs5

What's Your Story?

Tell it through socially conscious fashion by Out of Print.

While working closely with artists, authors and publishers to license the content that ends up in the Out of Print collection, each tee is made to feel soft and worn like a well read book.

Out of Print acknowledges that there are many parts of the world that don't have access to books at all, so for each $28 shirt that sells, Out of Print donates one book to a community in need through Books for Africa.

The role of the book cover just isn't the same in this digital age, so it's more important than ever to portray our own individual experiences with great literary art before it's forever changed.

So wear your story proud. Check out the Out of Print shirt designs and order one at: http://tinyurl.com/yfkf76l

A Clean Conscience

You can have a clean conscience about yourself and the environment with the Lavanila vanilla-scented and gorgeously packaged beauty collection from Laura DiGirolamo and Danielle Raynor. The brand has always been earth-friendly... now even more so. On top of using only natural ingredients in its body washes and lip balms, the company is now working with The Nature Conservancy to plant a seedling for every Lavanila product sold online. "Planting a tree is about the most immediate thing you can do for the planet," says Raynor. Check out Lavanila "The Healthy Body Wash" in vanilla grapefruit, $20, order from lavanila.com

Livin' Lush

LUSH loves supporting environmental, humanitarian and animal rights charities. That's why they created the Charity Pot, a fresh hand and body moisturizer with the fragrance of a spring garden. Every penny of the retail price (excluding taxes) goes directly to the charities that LUSH supports. Check out the map below for a complete list of the charities supported through the Charity Pot project:  http://tinyurl.com/2wm9mhc
Pick up a Pot. You'll feel good on the inside AND on the outside... plus you won't stink. Click below to get the goods:
http://tinyurl.com/dm5527

When Life Hands You Lemons

Make lemonade for Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation!

When Alex, who was diagnosed with childhood cancer just before her first birthday, was four, she told her parents she wanted to set up a front-yard lemonade stand. Her plan: to give the money to doctors to help them find a cure. Her first “Alex’s Lemonade Stand” raised an astonishing $2,000 in one day. While bravely fighting her own cancer, Alex continued to set up lemonade stands every year. As news spread of the remarkable girl so dedicated to helping other sick children, people everywhere were inspired to start their own lemonade stands—donating the proceeds to her cause.

In 2004 when Alex passed away at the age of eight—her stand and inspiration had raised over $1 million towards finding a cure for the disease that took her life. Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation was started by her parents in 2005 to continue the work that Alex began. Their mission is simple: to raise money for and awareness of childhood cancer causes—especially research into new treatments and cures—and to encourage and educate others, especially children, to get involved and make a difference for children with cancer. (image and copy from http://www.alexslemonade.org.)

Find out how to organize your own Alex's Lemonade Stand fundraiser here:  http://tinyurl.com/2elyr3g

Or shop for some super cool Alex's Lemonade Stand gear at... http://tinyurl.com/yee9ezq

How to Survive a "She-mergency"

Surviving a beauty, fashion or personal care emergency is much easier these days thanks to the clever team at Ms. & Mrs. But to women with breast cancer, survival means much more. So the company created a Limited Edition Shemergency Survival Kit® and adorned their signature logo tag (which doubles as a nail clipper) with a pink ribbon to support the fight against breast cancer. Ten percent of the proceeds from the sale of this kit will be donated to breast cancer research. Like the original bestselling Shemergency Survival Kit, this compact case comes packed with 27 portable solutions for beauty, fashion, and personal care emergencies for $25. Purchase here:  http://tinyurl.com/329r4j4

Simply Charming

This gorgeous heart lariat necklace was specifically designed to assist in raising funds for the National Teen Dating Abuse Helpline. One long strand, with an open heart pass-through at one end and long bar with heart cut-out design. Sterling silver with a high polished finish and measures 20" in length. $19.95 with net proceeds of $4 per necklace directly benefits the National Teen Dating Abuse Helpline (24-hour toll-free national number that assists victims of abusive relationships). Visit www.loveisrespect.org for more information.

Click this link to order: http://tinyurl.com/2bnxw3y

How To Nourish Your Heart

For each unique Nourish Your Heart necklace that is ordered, artist Rebecca Madincea donates a bag of VitaMeal through the Nourish the Children program. This necklace is a true wearable piece of art made from red glass and framed in a beautiful silver solder. Rebecca heard about the Nourish the Children program and designed the necklace specifically for this initiative. Each bag of VitaMeal that is donated with your purchase will feed a child in need 30 meals and has the nutritional content to bring a child from malnourished back to nourished in 30 days. With the Nourished Heart program you get: The necklace + a donated bag of VitaMeal for $42. Click on the following link to purchase:  http://nourishedheart.com/nourished-heart/

It's Easy Being Green!

This super-chic little book offers 50 simple steps for creating an eco-friendly home and sustainable lifestyle at any budget. 4-color printing throughout and tied with a ribbon for easy handling. And of course it's printed on recycled paper with soy-based ink! 

For each book sold, Bloomingdale's will donate $10 to the National Resources Defense Council. Support the NRDC and their work to protect wildlife and ensure a healthy environment for all life on earth.

Click link below to order:

http://tinyurl.com/24g8vcb

Flower Power

For each "Orphan Collection" t-shirt ordered, CommonThreadz is able to feed an orphan or vulnerable child for 1 month. Customer's names are also painted on a "thank you" school wall in Africa every quarter.

CommonThreadz is a nonprofit helping orphans & vulnerable children in developing nations to reach full potential through the empowerment of the children, their caretakers & the local grass roots community organizations that support them.

To read more about CommonThreadz, visit the site and pick up the Baez Moroccan Top or select from dozens of other designs. To order click the link below:  

http://tinyurl.com/255qmum

Be a Big Softy

And help stop human trafficking... which is the 3rd largest and fasted growing criminal industry in the world. 100% of the profits from the sale of this Soft Hands Kind Heart Hand Cream will be donated to The Body Shop's global NGO partner ECPAT* International and national members of the ECPAT network, whose work helps to protect children and young people from sex trafficking 

(*ECPAT stands for End Child Prostitution, Child Pornography and Child Trafficking.)

Made with Community Trade organic olive oil and Angelica extract (known for its soothing and protecting benefits) to condition and soften the hands. $10 for 2.5 ounces, sparkling green fragrance with fresh citrus notes. Great size for travel.

Click link below to order:

The Body Shop Soft Hands Kind Heart Hand Cream

Where is the Love?

It's right here... just when I thought there could be no way possible to develop a stronger affinity for my favorite Southwest Florida chocolatier... he outdoes himself.

Norman Love, founder of Norman Love Confections, and Samira K. Beckwith, President and CEO of Hope HealthCare Services, announced a new partnership that designates five percent of Hope-related sales at Norman Love Confections to the health care organization for one year.

Hope HealthCare Services, a registered d/b/a of Hope Hospice and Community Services, is a not-for-profit community-based agency that is recognized as a leader in providing high-quality, innovative care. Hope is accredited by the Community Health Accreditation Program (CHAP), the national leader in improving the quality of care in the home-care industry, and is a recipient of the nationally acclaimed Circle of Life Award for excellence and innovation in patient care.

So whether you've been living under a rock for the past few years and haven't experienced "the Love" or whether you are a longtime fan, make your online chocolate purchases by clicking on the following link: 
http://tinyurl.com/2ar8l66

Fit To Be Tied

Lace up and save lives. Nike and (RED)™ are working together to leverage the power of sport to fight HIV/AIDS through a focus on two initiatives: education and medication. As a partner of (PRODUCT)RED™, NIKE will contribute 100% of its profits from the sales of (NIKE)RED Laces to the Global Fund (www.theglobalfund.org) and to support soccer-based programs to help fight AIDS in Africa. Visit NIKESOCCER.COM/RED for more information.You can purchase the laces here for $4:
http://store.nike.com/index.jsp?country=US&lang_locale=en_US#l=shop,pdp,ctr-inline/cid-1/pid-307448

Also available at Nike retail locations nationwide.

My Latest Crush

Is on the highly esteemed winemaking team that runs "The Fledgling Initiative"... and what in the world, you say, is "The Fledgling Initiative?"

Well, I am quite sure that my oenophile pals would agree that it is one of the coolest benefit projects ever. The Fledgling Initiative crafts fantastic wines for the benefit of Room to Read, a non-profit organization that extends literacy and educational opportunities to children world-wide. Check this out... every case sold will provide approximately 60 local language books and promote education in the world's poorest regions.

Click below to purchase a bottle or a case and perhaps make an extra donation to "Room to Read" while you are there:
http://twitter.securewinemerchant.com/index.cfm?method=pages.showpage&pageid=26b5452a-e0cc-fbc2-1592-152030f6d68b

Cheers!!

She's No Drag

Anything boys can do, girls can do better! And when you buy one of these Shakespeare rods, there's added incentive to show 'em up because a portion of the proceeds will benefit the early detection of breast cancer. The Ugly Stick Ladies Spincast Combo is designed specifically to suit a woman's fishing needs. Well, it's about time! 

Just don't let this "Legally Blonde" rod fool you into thinking it can't do battle with that snook... the 5'6'' two-piece rod is constructed using Shakespeare's unique Howald Process™ which combines graphite and fiberglass, so it's strong AND sensitive. Strong and sensitive? Sounds more appealing than most of the dates I've had recently ;) PLUS, the handle is smaller to provide a better fit for a delicate hand. The rod is also well-matched with Shakespeare's Synergy® Steel 6 Spincast reel. Reel features a stainless steel front cone and smooth adjustable drag. Pre-spooled with 6-lb test line (I suggest picking up an extra spool of 10 lb test). Tight lines ladies! Get 'er done!

Pick her up at your closest Bass Pro Shop or order by clicking on the below link:

http://www.basspro.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/Product_10151_-1_10001_98332_100003000_100000000_100003000_100-3-0

It's in the Bag

How can you not love this cool little pink tote!? It makes for a great travel companion or beach bag. And the best part is that you can personalize it by adding a few of your favorite vacation photos. You know the ones... you and your BFF toasting margaritas at that adorable oceanside restaurant or the pic of your Dad with his favorite fishing rod and trophy snapper.

No chance of your Coppertone falling out into the sand because it zips at the top. There's even an inside zipper compartment and two pouches for cell phone, sunglasses and other necessities. A percentage of proceeds goes to Pediatric Cardiology Research. At $11, this bag is a total steal. Get one now before they sell out:
http://www.femailcreations.com/products/product.aspx?sku=163301&dept=129

How to Wear a Joyful Heart!

Given that it's a crisp 60 degrees in South Florida today, I've realized that I'm in DIRE need of a few more long sleeved shirts... so I followed the example of a few charitable celebs and picked up this awesomely adorable limited edition Joyful Heart tee. Or maybe I was just looking for an excuse to shop ;)

Yep, I find it very "babble worthy" that my favorite tee designer has teamed up with actress Mariska Hargitay and Joyful Heart to support women and children survivors of domestic violence and abuse. For each tee purchased, Michael Stars will give a tee to a survivor and will donate $5 to the Joyful Heart Foundation.

Shirts come in white or black, short or long sleeved and can be purchased here:
http://www.michaelstars.com/shop-for-a-cause.html?utm_source=20100209email&utm_medium=email&CAWELAID=342165163