When all else fails, buy jewelry. A generalization, yes, but I’m confident of its accuracy. We women love jewelry. You can’t go wrong showing up at her birthday party with a pretty pair of earrings or a sweet and simple bracelet - or both.

I’m not referring here to bling. Magnificent jewelry pieces are both expensive and personal - giving the right one to the right person is a challenging proposition. I mean simple, sweet, everyday jewelry - the kind you buy for the birthday of a girlfriend or your child’s teacher after another successful school year.   

Every woman has her own style, of course, and Bellissima Jewelry Design offers something for every look in the book. Sarah Bridger is the designer behind Bellissima, and her background in geography and her love of the outdoors (she lives in Colorado) inspires her earthy but sophisticated designs. She uses natural materials like shell, wood, bone and vintage stones.

I’m especially drawn to these Flora earrings, made from vintage Art Nouveau aqua stones with glass pearl teardrops. They hang approximately 1.75 inches and cost only $26 - and they’re on my list to buy for my sister-in-law, whose gorgeous blue eyes will look great with the aqua stones.

But there’s more to this gift than meets the eye! Bellissima Jewelry Design is affiliated with Nest, the online store we at EcoSalon have become quite fond of. Buy a pair of these earrings and a portion of the proceeds will go towards the support of women artists and artisans in developing countries, by helping them start eco-friendly entrepreneurial businesses.

Image/Purchase: Nest