Our goal from the very beginning with this company was to be able to give back to those in need. We are an active sponsor with Compassion where we give to those overseas but we also know God has placed us in our very small community to be able to be a light in darkness. Sadly, there are many areas right in our local town that are poverty stricken. In fact just last week my husband called me late in the afternoon and said, “Leave work and come with us to help pass out food”. It wasn’t planned and I am thankful that my husband is obedient at doing what God tells him to do. It just amazes me how faithful and right on time God is. As we went into these neighborhoods, not once but twice we were told by two different families, “If you guys hadn’t have shown up with food, we don’t know what we would have ate tonight”. GUT WRENCHER…I tear up now even thinking about it. We were fortunate enough to have been donated  two truck loads of  produce and drinks provided by a wonderful Farm-Share program just a few towns over from us. Those farmers are GIVING BACK and in turn we are able to give back! One particular child just had me in the back seat in tears. It’s a child in my first grade with my son and I would have never guessed in a million years that he lived in the conditions that he does. We placed some Silk Protein drink on his front porch steps and he ran as fast as he could to the drink, opened the carton and gulped down almost the whole carton of drink. The smile on his face as he waved and smiled at us was worth more than anything money could buy me. I sat in the back seat as my husband and our friends continued to pass out food, just broken for those in need and feeling quite guilty for the blessings I have been given. So all this to say this:

God has been dealing with me quite some time on purchasing an enclosed trailer, stocking it with slightly defective clothes we have in our warehouse and also with the vital needs items that are much needed in our surrounding areas. We have met with the DCF coordinators and they have provided us with a list of items that are needed immensly in our area. Our goal is to purchase the trailer and fully stock it so we can travel out into these areas at least twice a month, if not more and provide items to poverty stricken families in our immediate and surrounding areas. 

Several weeks ago I was riding down the road and wondering why God had chosen ME to bless a business with over 48,000 fans with on facebook and He spoke to me.  He showed me that our fan base is also blessed. Most of you customers have been blessed to where you are fortunate enough to purchase clothes for your children at boutique prices and like us, you haven’t experienced poverty like some of the families I am mentioning. He has blessed us with ‘YOU” as fans to help us. I believe God has simply chosen us “Swanky Baby Vintage” as treasurers and overseerers of his money and we are responsible for seeing that the orphans are taken care of, the needy are provided for and the widows are cared for. I believe that with all my heart. He has asked me to be obedient in doing what He has shown me at asking for your help. As much as this is against my nature, I am just being obedient and doing what He has shown me to do. I believe God is going to be faithful and He is going to stir your hearts to give and help us with this project. We are titling it project “GIVE BACK” and we are believing God for blessings to provide us with what we need to purchase and stock the trailer. Once the trailer is purchased we will then have the interior finished with closet style systems to hang and sort the clothes, electrical ran for lighting, a small A/C to keep the tempature regulated and then to purchase freezers and refrigerators to keep the food cold from Farm Share so we can travel throughout the various neighborhoods and pass out food each week before it spoils.

I know that some of you may envision this HUGE, wealthy company when you think of Swanky Baby Vintage, but we are honestly just working women making an honest living like many of you. We don’t have millions of dollars stored up somewhere and we certainly aren’t millionaires. We are blessed to have what we have and we are beyond grateful for what He has already blessed us with, but for this project, we need your help!!!

We have set up a product tab on our website labeled Project “Give Back” on our website under collections. You will see the donate now tab where you can make your donation. 100% of the funds given will be used to purchase the trailer, organization sytems, freezers and refrigerators along with the items needed to stock it. We are not currently set up as a tax exempt organization, so we will have to show any donation you give as a sale and we will pay taxes on it as income. 

Please “give” as your heart leads you to give. If you are not financially able, we certainly understand and we love just having you as a fan on our page! But if God has blessed you and you are financially able to make a donation, let God lead your heart on the amount to give! If every fan gave just $1, we could make a TREMENDOUS impact on these families!!!! I am trusting God and believing Him for what He has shown me to do & I expect nothing less than a miracle at the amount of donations given!! We love you guys and you play a huge impact in Project “GIVE BACK”!!!

Click here to go to the donation tab for Project “GIVE BACK”  

XOXO,

Holli Revell

Swanky Baby Vintage

Psalm 139:14 ”You are fearfully and wonderfully made”

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 ” Rejoice evermore. Pray without Ceasing. In everything Give Thanks for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you”.

Song of Solomon 3:4 ”I have found the One whom my soul loves ”

8×10 Isaiah 43 print on heavyweight matte art paper

Family Sign

I had a Favorite Dress – Book 

Green Glitter Shoes

Natural Beeswax Crayons  

Scrapbook Pieces 

Farm Stories 

Aqua Twine 

Mint Retro Bike 

For all of you who are still trying to find retailers for today & are having trouble locating our “Store Locator” via your phone, here is a list of all retailers carrying Spring 2013 Collection “Farmers Market”

PipSqueaks
Kenzingtons Kloset
Fickle Baby
The Sandbox Children’s Boutique
Lew Lew’s
The Frilly Frog
Ready Set Grow
The Funky Zebra Boutique
Era1932
Dreamspun
Flowers by Whitney
Prissypants Boutique
Duckies
Chasing Emmy Children’s Boutique
Ever After Boutique
Shealeigh’s @ Mews
Mags & Lulu
KatieBugs
Main Street Boutique
Piperlillies
Tiara’s & Tadpoles
Grow
James & Alma

ONLINE ONLY
My Little Jules
Lilly James
Smart & Sassy Looks
One Good Thread
Addy’s Closet
Little Posh Princess

We found a great site that gave 10 great reasons to visit your local farmer’s market

Eating local means more for the local economy.  According to a study by the New Economics Foundation in London, a dollar spent locally generates twice as much income for the local economy.  When businesses are not owned locally, money leaves the community at every transaction.  (reference)

Locally grown produce is fresher.  While produce that is purchased in the supermarket or a big-box store has been in transit or cold-stored for days or weeks, produce that you purchase at your local farmer’s market has often been picked within 24 hours of your purchase.  This freshness not only affects the taste of your food, but the nutritional value which declines with time.

Local food just plain tastes better.  Ever tried a tomato that was picked within 24 hours?  ‘Nuff said.

Locally grown fruits and vegetables have longer to ripen.  Because the produce will be handled less, locally grown fruit does not have to be “rugged” or to stand up to the rigors of shipping.  This means that you are going to be getting peaches so ripe that they fall apart as you eat them, figs that would have been smashed to bits if they were sold using traditional methods, and melons that were allowed to ripen until the last possible minute on the vine.

Eating local is better for air quality and pollution than eating organic.  In a March 2005 study by the journal Food Policy, it was found that the miles that organic food often travels to our plate creates environmental damage that outweighs the benefit of buying organic. (reference)

Buying local food keeps us in touch with the seasons.  By eating with the seasons, we are eating foods when they are at their peak taste, are the most abundant, and the least expensive.

Buying locally grown food is fodder for a wonderful story.  Whether it’s the farmer who brings local apples to market or the baker who makes local bread, knowing part of the story about your food is such a powerful part of enjoying a meal.

Eating local protects us from bio-terrorism.  Food with less distance to travel from farm to plate has less susceptibility to harmful contamination. (reference)

Local food translates to more variety.  When a farmer is producing food that will not travel a long distance, will have a shorter shelf life, and does not have a high-yield demand, the farmer is free to try small crops of various fruits and vegetables that would probably never make it to a large supermarket.  Supermarkets are interested in selling “Name brand” fruit: Romaine Lettuce, Red Delicious Apples, Russet Potatoes.  Local producers often play with their crops from year to year, trying out Little Gem Lettuce, Senshu Apples, and Chieftain Potatoes.

Supporting local providers supports responsible land development.  When you buy local, you give those with local open space – farms and pastures – an economic reason to stay open and undeveloped.

NOW you might be saying… but I have no idea if my area even has a farmer’s market…

You can find out on this site : http://search.ams.usda.gov/farmersmarkets/

For Fellow Floridians you can check here : http://www.buylocalflorida.net

Spring 2013

We are SOOO excited for the upcoming release this month of “Farmer’s Market”

At Swanky Baby Vintage, we made a choice for all of our production to be done in the USA.  We knew this would be a large cut in profit, and a small increase in price.  Nothing compares to the value that is now literally sewn into the label that reads ” MADE IN THE USA “. That label tells us, our clients, our country & these little girls, our countries future; that investing local is important.  The USA has very good, always improving, and very strict safety regulations.  Your child’s health is important.  The quality of production for attire in america has always been the highest of standards, americans that work with their hands take a lot of pride in their creations.  Insuring that more americans have an opportunity to work, provide for their families and know they are valuable, we are so blessed to be a part of it.

So last week was almost a blur to me. We were on shoot filming our first ever promotional video and I am soooo nervous about how I must look on video and how “country” we must all sound. But as we were filming we all agreed, we want you to see the “real” us. We want you to see how “normal” we actually are!!  In fact we all are just genuine girls with average lives! Everyone was laughing at me because I actually teared up several times while filming the company overview video. As we all shared memories and our stories, I was reflecting back on how far we have come and everything we have been through to get here!!  On top of shooting a video, we also photographed our Spring 2013 collection! I have been busting at the seams to share a little secret, and to be honest I can’t contain myself any longer. So it’s public, Swanky Lady Vintage will release in Spring 2013. I am beyond excited, because for once I get to actually experience something I designed!! Since I don’t have a little girl I tend to get bummed out not getting to actually put the clothes to use. Good thing one of our owners Crystal has a little girl Aubrie who is pretty much like my own!  Actually I do love her just like my own and at times I tend to spoil her because I don’t have a little girl! And that reminds me, be praying for our family. We are officially trying to get pregnant again:) I am sure when the time is right, God will bless us with another baby. And if not, we have already decided we are definitely open to adoption! My heart aches for all the abused & neglected orphans in this world. I know many of our wonderful customers have adopted kids & I must tell you that you have inspired me beyond measures to adopt a child one day!!! Well I am off to an awesome evening of ministry at our local jail where we spend a few hours ministering to the women at the local jail. That is another whole blog post in itself. Man, I was blessed more than those women at my first visit!!!

XOXO,

Holli