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momwise
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| Posted: Nov 12 2006 at 4:33pm | IP Logged
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One of the advantages of fewer people shopping at Wal-Mart (or at least fewer trips to W-Mart) will hopefully be greater profit and duration for local, community based businesses. In addition, there are craftsmen and artists in the global marketplace who do not mass produce goods and will never have a Wal-Mart to distribute their goods.
This board is a community also. Over at the Trading Post members have posted links to their businesses and goods (I've seen other members mention their products; you should post your "Business Card" so we have a central place to find you fast).
Aside from Third World Artists and growers, local businesses and 4RealLearning members' products, there are plenty of monasteries and religious communities who need orders. I know lots of you have many favorites in all these areas. I'd love to have a central thread to come back to in these coming days of shopping, especially during "Black Friday" and following weekend, when giant mega-profit stores just make more money and more and more of the "little guys" get edged out of the profit pool.
Here are my favorites: Serrv.org (especially the fair trade chocolate), a non-profit that returns the income back to the artist groups for economic growth. I especially love that some of the artists are using trash for art, such as glass, tin, etc.
Incarnation, the CD arranged, composed, recorded and performed by seminarians at the St. John Vianney Seminary in Denver
Clarisas Cookies!!
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Gwen...wife for 30 years, mom of 7, grandma of 3.....
"If you want equal justice for all and true freedom and lasting peace, then America, defend life." JPII
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lapazfarm
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| Posted: Nov 12 2006 at 5:21pm | IP Logged
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We order our printer cartidges from Laser Monks
The only problem is every time I think of the name I get this funny mental picture of ObiWan Kenobi with his light saber. 
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Theresa
us-schooling in beautiful Fairbanks, Alaska.
LaPaz Home Learning
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Mary G
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Gwen,
Thanks so much for your post -- I think I may be doing some online shopping (and I'll tell Rick it's your fault).....
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MaryG
3 boys (22, 12, 8)2 girls (20, 11)
my website that combines my schooling, hand-knits work, writing and everything else in one spot!
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momwise
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| Posted: Nov 13 2006 at 8:43am | IP Logged
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C'mon...I really want to shop at your favorite places!
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Gwen...wife for 30 years, mom of 7, grandma of 3.....
"If you want equal justice for all and true freedom and lasting peace, then America, defend life." JPII
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JennGM
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| Posted: Nov 13 2006 at 8:12pm | IP Logged
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Gwen,
I've been thinking about your post...got a few ideas but no time tonight to post them all.
Just saw this site Antique Holy Cards from Danielle Bean's blog. Looks lovely.
My sister is a Pampered Chef consultant, so I some gifts there.
There are local or catalog stores that are privately owned that I like to give my business. I don't shop at Wal-Mart but I was thinking even before this issue how I should plan on where I spend my money. I'll give some more links later.
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Jennifer G. Miller
Wife to  & ds1  '03 & ds2  '07
Family in Feast and Feria
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Karen E.
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| Posted: Nov 13 2006 at 9:53pm | IP Logged
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[QUOTE=momwise]
Here are my favorites: Serrv.org (especially the fair trade chocolate), a non-profit that returns the income back to the artist groups for economic growth.
A favorite of mine, too, Gwen! I just received a box from them today -- ordered all my parents' gifts from there. I was planning a blog post about them, too, in the next day or two! Wonderful stuff.
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God bless,
Karen E.
mom to three on earth, and several souls in God's care
Visit my blog, with its shockingly clever title, "Karen Edmisten."
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Erica Sanchez
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I love the catalog, Work of Human Hands. Their stuff is beautiful! It is the catalog for Catholic Relief Services Fair Trade. It doesn't look like you can actually view the products online, I'm not sure. I just read the back of the catalog and it says 'partnership of SERRV International'. Oops, this might be the same thing as mentioned above?
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Have a beautiful and fun day!
Erica in San Diego
(dh)Cash, Emily, Grace, Nicholas, Isabella, Annie, Luke, Max, Peter, 2 little souls ++, and sweet Rose who is legally ours!
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ElisabethGrace
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A few days ago, I read about this site: Bead For Life
It sounds like they are doing some good work. The jewelry is just lovely. I plan to place an order with them this week.
Also,
Catholic World Mission sells the Glory Stories CDs and coloring books.
Anyone know some religious sites that sell items to support monks & sisters?
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Molly Smith
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Here's a lovely cd by a young, Catholic pianist friend of ours, JP Kaplan. You can listen to some of it at the website. I've already bought a stack to give as gifts!
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Molly Smith in VA
Mom to seven beautiful children, ages 1-14
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StephanieA
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We do shop at Wal-Mart out of near necessity (for some food items, etc. - small town), but I have really become conscious of buying "junk" from China from any store for the last 8 years or so. We have nearly eliminated all toys like this. The kids get very few items for Christmas, but what they get are keepers. I shop for dolls made in Germany or the United States. Construction kits made in Germany or the United States for the guys, etc. (The older teens just want clothes and cologne now anyway.) This may seem more expensive, but the girls don't get a doll every year. It usually means one doll for one girl and the others share this doll. Magic Cabin will be running a special later on this month (so they told me) and I will be buying the St. Lucia type-doll (Sweden) for the girls and the Indian doll who will pose as Blessed Kateri. Both dolls together will run about $40 minus the upcoming discount. They are called International Dollhouse dolls.
Just a thought for those with little girls in the house.
We use to have a food coop, but it went under several years ago, so Aldi's and Wal-Mart are really our only food options here. But I try in other ways to be morally conscious.
Blessings,
Stephanie
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Mary G
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ElisabethGrace wrote:
A few days ago, I read about this site: Bead For Life
It sounds like they are doing some good work. The jewelry is just lovely. I plan to place an order with them this week.
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This site does look great for the teens in the crowd! Thanks for posting, hadn't heard of them before...
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MaryG
3 boys (22, 12, 8)2 girls (20, 11)
my website that combines my schooling, hand-knits work, writing and everything else in one spot!
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StephanieA
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Also,
Catholic World Mission sells the Glory Stories CDs and coloring books.
These are very well done! We have 5 of the CDs. The money is well spent.
Blessings,
Stephanie
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Waverley
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A wonderful fair trade place to shop is tenthousandvillages.com (Ten Thousand Villages)
Their gifts are absolutely beautiful and their web site is easy to use with categories such as "Gifts under $25" and "Gifts for the Entertainer." They have a store in St. Paul, Minesota that is staffed almost entirely by volunteers. Each night in December a percentage of all purchases also go to a local charity.
I shop in their store all the time (new baby gifts, housewarming gifts, childrens birthday presents) and everything in the store is beautiful.
Waverley
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LisaD
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lapazfarm wrote:
We order our printer cartidges from Laser Monks
The only problem is every time I think of the name I get this funny mental picture of ObiWan Kenobi with his light saber. |
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That's funny!
Thanks for this link. I found out that Comp USA doesn't carry toner cartridges for our ancient laser printer anymore, the same day that I saw this post. Laser Monks carries it at a good price, so I ordered it and it came today. I can't believe how fast delivery was. I will be definitely be using them again!
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~Lisa
Mama to dd(99), ds(01), ds(03) and ds(06)
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momwise
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When you click one of the links for products, it takes you to the Serrv site. I think CRS projects are represented among the Serrv catalog, which is very good, because it means CRS can concentrate on the projects and not marketing and publishing a catalog. So I think Serrv must be an umbrella of support for many different projects and funnels the profits back out into each project.
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| A wonderful fair trade place to shop is tenthousandvillages.com |
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We have one here too!
I just thought of a Catholic mission that has a fantastic catalog (the only problem is I can't afford anyting in it  ): Southwest Indian Foundation. Not as many handcrafted things, but there are some. Beautiful stuff though!
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Gwen...wife for 30 years, mom of 7, grandma of 3.....
"If you want equal justice for all and true freedom and lasting peace, then America, defend life." JPII
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Jeanna
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I like the products at The Printery House. I also love Marie Bellet's music. My in-law's have several CD's too. My FIL has a really pretty guitar solo Christmas CD (These Good Figs) and we play Without a Word for the kids at bed time and nap time.
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In Christ,
Jeanna
Mommy of 7 arrows.....
 dd11; dd9; ds7; dd6; dd6; dd4; ds3
"There is only one tragedy in the end, not to have been a saint."
- Leon Bloy
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LML22
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How can one find out what a company's "agenda" is, i.e. who they give money to? I am talking big stores that we would need to buy groceries or bathroom items from. Say like a dollar store. I am sure Walmart is not the only one who does stuff like this. I know target does. How can we find out?
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Jeanna
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I wonder if there is a shopping list out there that names the companies who do good good things with their money. I do know that Life Decisions International has a boycott list. You have to pay a small yearly fee though because several anti-lifers tried to bankrupt them (and were almost successful) by requesting copies in the masses.
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In Christ,
Jeanna
Mommy of 7 arrows.....
dd11; dd9; ds7; dd6; dd6; dd4; ds3
"There is only one tragedy in the end, not to have been a saint."
- Leon Bloy
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JennGM
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I do calligraphy, and one resource I love to use is Paper and Ink Arts. They aren't limited to calligraphy. They also have book making, watercolor...other arts related to the art of pen and illumination. They are located in Maryland, and I get extremely fast service in the next state over. What's great is that these people know their business, so a chat on the phone can give me advice on the right products for my need.
My latest purchase was instructional booklet for left handers, a calligraphy pen set for my left-handed niece, and the calligraphy markers to teach my nieces and nephews. The prices aren't cheap like the discount art supply, but I get the personal touch. I also have a local hardware, art and music and needlework supply store that are family owned businesses. I prefer to give my money locally if I can.
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Jennifer G. Miller
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Family in Feast and Feria
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Jeanna
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I recently discovered Adoremusbooks. I was talking to my aunt the other day and discoverd it's the family business of one of her homeschooling friends. They have free shipping on orders over $25, good sales, and right now you save $10 if you use Google checkout. 
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In Christ,
Jeanna
Mommy of 7 arrows.....
dd11; dd9; ds7; dd6; dd6; dd4; ds3
"There is only one tragedy in the end, not to have been a saint."
- Leon Bloy
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Topic: Don't wanna shop at Wal-Mart?
