Today my friends I want to share with you. I'm going to let you in on a little secret and yes, probably ruin a surprise for a few of you...but it's for the greater good so here goes: There is an amazing store called Ten Thousand Villages. It is a chain store, but most unusual. It is a fair trade store which means that the money you spend goes directly back to the artisans, countries, and villages from which the product came. They work with over 100 artisan groups in 30 different 3rd world countries around the world. These are people that are making a living the best they can...they have developed a skill or trade, sell their items, and then use the money to feed their family, buy clothes, and send their kids to school. They are paid 50% upfront to purchase their supplies and materials....then when the item is completed they are paid the remaining 50%. This means they're income is not dependent on waiting for you to buy it.

The items are authentic, amazing, hand-crafted, and insanely low priced (5-20$ for most). Jewelry, pottery, handbags, tapestries, candle holders, vases, picture frames, sculptures, ect. They have stores in most major cities including, but not limited to Nashville, Birmingham, Greenville, Charlotte, and Atlanta (no guilt intended and note-a few go by different names-use store locater on website). Everyone that works in the stores are volunteers to keep costs low. They have an online site at http://www.tenthousandvillages.com/ where you can buy gifts if there is not a store near you, but I have been assured that there is a much larger stock and selection in the actual stores. Also, you can read more about the company, fair trade, the artisans, and the coutries they are coming from. They are getting new stuff all the time, and currently they have tons of handmade ornaments! Also, some of the stores have certain days of the month where a percentage of their sales goes directly to a charity in the community of the store's location.

Gift ideas: this year instead of spending a fortune on random gifts cause you have to......get amazingly cool gifts for your friends and family, knowing there is a great story behind it, that you know exactly where it was made, it is unique, and that every penny of your money is going to a great cause!!! Today I spent a little over 1 hr in the store, bought for EVERYONE on my list and spent exactly at my budget. and now my friends....it is before Dec. 1 and my Christmas shopping is done! kick back!