Shoes With a Cause

Did you know your next cute pair of shoes can have a greater purpose than just aesthetics? The following shoe companies have some great selections and even greater causes behind what they do.
1} TOMS gives a pair of new shoes to a child in need for every pair purchased.
2} Civic Duty Shoes designed a special New Orleans themed shoe where each sale goes to benefit the Common Ground Relief effort in New Orleans.
3} CHIPKOS protects 100 square feet of rain forest for each pair of shoes you buy.
4} Sseko Designs is a not-just-for-profit company that helps women in Uganda earn tuition for higher education, while contributing to the overall economic growth of the country.
{© 2011 Blog Boutique | Meagan of Defining Motherhood | Photos © listed sources}

Wedding Band Bliss

For my friends Kelly and Brent who love music and their dogs. 

Chic Upcycled Handmade Leather Handbags

These upcycled handmade handbags by Canadian designer, Andi of Hoakon + Helga, have a lovely nostagic look with classic lines that make them a perfect pair for all kinds of outfits! She uses vintage leather jackets to create these one-of-a-kind bags, each with its own unique color, pockets and shape ~ beautiful and eco-savvy!

{© 2011 Blog Boutique | Jessica of Jessica Tierney Designs | Photos © Andi of Hoakon + Helga - bag 1, bag 2, bag 3}

KaVatee Cool

A few weeks ago I was asked to attend the KaVatee launch party and photograph the festivities and fashion show.  At first, I was a little apprehensive because I had little to no experience with fashion/runway photography but they told me "no worries" just bring your camera, capture the moments (and the accessories) and have fun!  And so I did!

Held at a pin-up girl-themed loft bar in downtown Cincinnati called the Betty Bar, I had so much fun people-watching and mingling that it hardly seemed like work. Plus, I got an up-close view of` the newest accessory on the market, the "Neckalina." Pretty cool.

Knock Knock

It is only when we silent the blaring sounds of our daily existence that we can finally hear the whispers of truth that life reveals to us, as it stands knocking on the doorsteps of our hearts." ~ K.T. Jong

What a fabulous way to welcome opportunity when it comes knocking! These ornate vintage door knockers are ubiquitous in France, Italy and Spain.

{© 2011 Blog Boutique | Holly of Salutations | Photos available under a Creative Commons license by {clockwise from top left} Jose Angel; Ekinez Sortu; Brianna Privett; Carlos Fernandez; David Bally}

See you soon!

Sorry it's been crickets around here guys. I got slammed with a bunch of work that I wanted to wrap up for before our trip but I didn't know it would be so involved! My apologies. I'm sure that I'll come back to the blogging realm next year -- I mean, um, next week -- with a ton of photos and posts to share. ;) And, PS -- what happened to Summer and how is it September 1st already??