*Updated with Winners* Congrats to necklace winner: Linda R-reader (blog@gfawana.com) and bracelet winner: Tiffany C
Last week, I had a party.
It was a gathering of friends and family. We sat around and talked about these women:
They live in Uganda, many are widows, refugees. They are all heroes. They are a defeating poverty, one bead at a time. Four college girls traveled to their war-torn country, saw a need, and started a company, 31 Bits, to sell their beautiful creations.
I love stories like these. I love world-changers.
Today, I’m giving away this gorgeous 3-strand necklace ($36):
And this pretty bright green multi-strand bracelet ($16):
Visit 31 Bits
and tell me what you love to wear.
If you decide to book your own party (it’s easy: the jewelry is mailed to you), you will get FIVE extra entries. Just let me know in the comments and I can tell you how to do it.
This giveaway ends on Thursday.
Wow! They are all wonderful! I’m loving the Bel Air as something to wear with any outfit!
beautiful! i like the stacee necklace and the emma necklace in purple. but they are all lovely.
Wow! That is cool! I really liked the Emma necklace, the one in blue.
Like the Bel Air
Love the earth tones of the Santarini, the earth tones remind me of Africa. What I love the most, though, is the way that these girls joined with these women to make a difference in the lives of those women’s families… and that it’s grown from 6 to 35 women!
i love these & have a few, but would LOVE another =) so happy to help these ladies out too! my fav’s are Northshore, Emma, & Bel Air! all so cute & fun. thanks!
I truly love all of them . . . which is why I always have a hard time when I am shopping. I have such a hard time deciding! If I had to choose, I think I would say the Ryan. It looks fun. Of course there are more practical ones that would go with more outfits (which would be great), but I think I would go for the bright orange one today
Thanks for the chance to win. The necklaces you are giving away are beautiful!
Wow! Those are gorgeous!! I looked at the site briefly but bookmarked it to return later to look some more. I love, love, love the colors!! Thanks for the review!
My phone won’t let me access the online store and I don’t have internet at home right now. Boo!
I am a huge fan of Reefs though, and I am sure there would be something I would love.
Really nice stuff . . . i like the Bel Air necklace {I’m a brown-lovin’ girl!}.
Thanks for the introduction to their work.
Blessings,
Shana
The Aruba bracelet with the Barbados necklace. What a great ministry. I have some friends moving to Uganda soon, so I’ve heard about all that the North has gone thru, just tragic (with the Lord’s Resistance Army, etc). Praise God for what these women are doing!
I love the necklace! God is showing these woman how to care for their families. Praise him!
The Aruba bracelet is beautiful! I would love anything from there. They are awesome!
kimprine1 @ yahoo.com
I love the Barbados and the Kate !!! Thank you for introducing me to their work…I know where I am going to do some x-mas shopping this year !!!
I’m most fond of the Stacee. What a great site!
Thanks for sharing.
My favorite is North Shore.
I love Emma…blue is my favorite color!
i love their jewelry….and that it has a story.
my favorites were Outerbanks and Bel Air.
kristen….i would love to have a party like this!
please email the details.
i was in africa the same week you were.
i went to sierra leone.
it was my first visit too.
looking forward to hearing from you.
I love the malibu and emma! What beautiful necklaces & bracelets!!
Hi Kristen,
But God burdened my heart for Africa 9 yrs ago when I was 17. I’m praying about going next summer…we’ll see! I couldn’t resist commenting on this post. How beautiful it is to see pieces that these hardworking women are making – I’m amazed! Through your blog, I feel that I’ve come to love the people of Africa even more – thank you for sharing your story so openly and opening my eyes even more. I didn’t mean to make this post so long but felt that I should “introduce” myself. 
All of the pieces are beautiful – I fell in love with the Barbados piece you first posted – great colors and the details are great! I also liked the Outerbanks piece. I’d be interested in knowing how you can host a party…whenever you have a moment to share. Thanks!
I’ve never commented on your blog before, but I’ve been following your blog ever since you were in Africa. My roommate told me about another blog and you were linked through Compassion. Long story!
Katie
I would be humbled to wear any one of these beautiful creations! What talent, what hope. I am not a jewelry wearer, but would show these off – and share where they came from, who made them. I think my next little gift to myself (and others – love how that works!!) will be to buy one!
Thanks for the opportunity!
ek
Lovin that Aruba bracelet!
Also, if you can email me the party details too that would be wonderful. Might be something that I can incorporate into our our women’s retreat.
They are really pretty. I love the bright green bracelet you have pictured! The Camryn is nice too and would go with everything! What a great cause!
Ohhh I love these! Outerbanks is beautiful but so are MANY of them! Wonderful cause!
I think I love them all.
But I especially love the ones in earth tones b/c I seem to wear a lot of those. I love the stories behind these women…awesome, awesome ministry!!
I like the “Ryan” and the bracelet you showed on your post. But what I like more is what these girls are doing! God bless them!!
Those big, chunky ones (Zanzibar and Ryan) are so cool! But not sure if I’d be brave enough to pull it off, would have to start with a green bracelet
I really love the North Shore necklace. I love the colors.
I like the Malibu necklace!
Love the Kate, but the pipeline is cool for my guy too. What an awesome ministry, God is good!
I really love the Malibu necklace. What a great company to highlight here on your blog. Kudos and many blessings to you and your family!
I really love the Stacee necklace.
They are all so pretty…but I really like North Shore! My 5 year old daughter likes the purple Emma, because that’s her favorite color and her name!!
I Like Malibu!
I love the Bel Air necklace. These women are so inspiring. Thank you so much.
Such an awesome idea! I love the Barbados.
I love the Stacee…although I admit it was hard to pick just 1 to post here!
I love the Aruba bracelet and the North Shore necklace. Gorgeous!
I love that Bel Air necklace. It would go with anything?!
I love the Kate Orange necklace! What an awesome company, Kristen, I’ve heard of so many wonderful companies through you!
I love the Emma purple necklace. You could easily dress it up and down. I would be interested in party details as well. Just came back from Honduras and saw something similar there with a group of women working to get out of the trash dump.
What a wonderful program! Very similar to the Amazima program I think.
I love the Emma in blue but also the Bel Air. It’d be a tough choice!
Wow! They are all so pretty. Emma, Barbados and Aruba are up there though.
I love the North Shore necklace! What a great organization!
I LOVE that green bracelet and I am drawn to the Outerbanks necklace. Actually, everything is beautiful! I feel Christmas shopping coming on.
I love the Bel Air necklace. I think I could wear it with just about anything. Beautiful things.
I love the green bracelet you have pictured. I own 2 “paper pearl” necklaces- one from Uganda and one our friends are selling to help fund their adoption. They are beautiful pieces and I proudly wear them.
I love the green bracelet and the blue neckalce on the website main page. they are all very beautiful!
I like the necklace on your giveaway the best, and the Aruba bracelet.
I like the Ryan necklace the best! It’s not a color I would typically pick, but I love how it pops.
I LOVE 31 bits. just found out about it a few months ago. my favorite is the mallory white bracelet – so funky and would go with any color outfit. thanks for spreading the word about this awesome micro-enterprise empowering women in uganda! this jewelry is beautiful and represents the beautiful women who make it!
I am crazy about that Aruba bracelet! What a great site.
What a great cause. I love the Emma Blue!!
I Love it all! I went to their website – they have such a wonderful passion to live and work with these people! very awesome!
Everything is beautiful! I really like the multi colored beads on the aruba bracelet. I saw a pair of reef sandals with these beads on them and they were gorgeous!
I love them all! I already have one in green – so I would love one in a different color!
I had no idea you could host a party! I just might do that! 
The Barbados – I just love the colors!
The bright green bracelet is also lovely.
Thanksk for sharing!
I fell in love with several! My first choice would definitely be the Emma neckalce in purple. My second choice would have to be the Alyse bracelet in red. I couldn’t decide, they’re so beautiful!
I’m not a huge jewelry person, but I really like the North Shore necklace.
i have some paper bead jewelry already and i love wearing it!
my favorite necklaces are ryan and barbados.
These are beautiful! I bookmarked the site to order a few for Christmas gifts! I loves all the bracelets!
i did something like this last year through the organization Bead for Life! It was an absolutely amazing experience, I just loved it so much that we’re doing it every year now. *LOVE*
I love Emma (Purple) and Outerbanks. In fact, they are all gorgeous!
I like the Malibu necklace also – no wonder it’s a staff favorite.
I love the colors of the Barbados! So pretty!
Those are beautiful! I have a dear friend who does something very similar to this with the women in Haiti!
I love the Malibu necklace – they are all beautiful
they all look so cool!!! however, i liked the ryan and bondi best.
thanks,
amber
I love companies like this that have a greater good purpose. I would love any of the necklaces but I especially love the Outerbanks one. Thanks for sharing this company with all of us.
Carly
I don’t wear much jewelry, but I love the Aruba bracelet.
It seems like it would match so much!
Wow – they are all so pretty! Of the necklaces – besides the one above – I like Santorini, Stacee, North Shore (!), and Malibu. I don’t often wear bracelets – I’m just wearing jewelry again now that my kids are older – but I like Aruba and all of the bright colors of Alyse. Thanks for sharing the story of 31 bits!
I love the bracelet Alyse and Bondi necklace – funny now I want to go and look again – Everyone loves the Emma. Great site.
What a wonderful company. It’s hard to choose just one, they are all beautiful-but I’d have to say the Santarini is one that I would wear the most.
i love the outer banks design!
such a great site!
the Aruba bracelet is amazing!!!
I like a lot of them but will choose Emma as my favorite.
Thanks for sharing their story. I love the North Shore necklace and Aruba bracelet. Beautiful.
I love the Aruba bracelet. Thank you for your site – so inspiring!!
Green and brown are my favorite colors… I love the Outerbanks necklace, and the Jessica bracelet!
Ministries like this are wonderful- not only are these women making a living for themselves, but the wearer of the jewelry has the ability to share their story when people ask about the beautiful pieces they are wearing!
I love the aruba bracelet – cool stuff!
I love Bondi and Stacee necklaces. I also love the Aruba bracelet.
So hard to choose! I think any of them would work with my heart and wardrobe!
I just love stuff like this!! A friend of mine recently sold necklaces through this organization: http://147millionorphans.com/uganda-necklaces
What an amazing blessing to participate in God’s global work!
I love the Stacee and Jessica…matching bracelet and necklace. I have ordered two necklaces for gifts that are similar from my friend that is a missionary in Africa. Love them!
I love the Aruba bracelet. This is such a worthy cause and beautiful craftsmanship and artistry.
Love the aruba bracelet! I don’t usually do parties but this is sooooo awesome. I’m going to check with my husband and then I’ll post back.
The Santorini is the one I would choose. So beautiful – the women & the jewelry!
What an amazing ministry! The small beads are my favorites – in the colors of fall in New England.
Blessings on the journey~
I’m liking the Stacee! How gorgeous!
I love the barbados one, but honestly, all of them are gorgeous! great giveaway! thanks for the chance to win, lora
eagerhands@gmail.com
They’re all gorgeous! Outer Banks is speaking to me.
It’s almost too hard to decide…..they’re all beautiful!! I really like the Channel Islands bracelet!
I love these necklaces. I already have 3. I love the smaller beads.
I think Stacee would have to be my favorite – nice and simple. I love the North Shore, too. Will you email me info on how to host a party?
I am a fall girl and the fall colors of the 3 strand necklace would be in an every other day rotation in my wardrobe!
I love bracelets and necklaces! My favorite necklace is the Barbados.
monk5 at charter dot net
oooh…north shore is pretty!
I so, so like the green bracelet on your site, but I didn’t see it on 31 bits’ site. I also like the flip flops and the turquoise on their home page, but I don’t see them under ‘shop’. Seem to have knack for liking things I can’t find on their site
Love your site, though!!
I sure did say ‘site’ a lot in that comment!
I love the Bel Air, but I love the cause even more!
Wow! Those are all beautiful necklaces. I think my fave is the Malibu! Thanks for sharing this site with us. =)
Love the North Shore necklace and the Aruba bracelet! I would love to have a party……what are the details???? Thanks~ Niki Blake blake959805@me.com
They are all beautiful. I think I’ll pick North Shore, but hard decision!
I love the bel-air, do they use the same process you did when making the necklaces?
Wow; what an incredible company. I like the outerbanks; I wear a lot of black & white as well as earth tones.
jennifer @ beautifulcalling.ca
I really like the Malibu necklace, but they all are so beautiful!
Those are so cool! Love the fall colors!
I’m not picky! I’m a blingy kinda gal!
I love the Santorini, but even more, I love the women and the ministry! Thank you for sharing!
I love, love, love supporting companies like this too! I bought similar necklaces from another company recently…the name is escaping me. I love everything I saw on the site, but I’m more of a bracelet than necklace girl most of the time, so I think the Alyse and the Aruba are my faves. I love the sandals too! I might be interested in booking a party. Tell me more.
I LOVE the Bondi! What amazing women with amazing talent!
They are all so wonderful, but I think my favorite is the Santorini.
What a great company. I love the Malibu!
So hard to choose, because they are all so beautiful! I really like the Bel Aire and the Barbados best!! : ) Thanks for the chance to win.
I would love to know how to host a party….what a great cause!!!! I love the Zanzibar necklace!!
All of the neclaces are Beautiful!!
This reminds me of a party that I went to last year for Woman at Risk..women who were rescued from sex slavery and make jewelery to survive. here is the link
http://www.warinternational.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=140&Itemid=1031
I love the bright colors of the Aruba bracelet. Lovely pieces!
I love the multi-colored ones!
THIS IS SUPER EXCITING! My husband has gone to Uganda three times and my daughter once. I truly love these people; therefore, I try to wear a beaded necklace each day – hoping someone will make a comment and I can share the story and love for these people. This gives me one more avenue to direct people.
I need to add bracelets to my wardrobe, so I would like any of the Alyse style bracelets.
My favorite necklace is the one you’re giving away! The colors look good on me an would go with anything. I also like the aruba bracelet. I love the bright pop of color this bracelet gives!
Thanks for posting about this — I love Bead for Life (a similar group with the same kind of mission), but I’m so happy to know there is a Christian organization like it. I love that vibrant green color of the Aruba bracelet!
love that green multi strand bracelet!!
love the north shore multi colored
love all of it, esp the Barbados!
I also love the Emma purple necklace. To be honest, I love them all though. I think this is such a wonderful organization. I’ve already bought from them for, both for myself and for friends. Beautiful!
Thanks for sharing this- looks like a great organization. I love the beautiful bright green bracelet!
I love 31 Bits. My favorite thing is how each piece comes with the artist’s story! I have a multi-colored bracelet already and would love more soon! I love “happy shopping!”
I didn’t know I could book a party! How do I do that? And have you thought about expanding your production base? I met some marvelous widows in Rwanda last May who produce this beautiful jewelry. These women are also supporting their families – since the 1994 genocide devastated their country. I could see major growth for your company!
Ellen Niemann
I love the Barbados necklace. What a great cause.
I adore 31bits….it is such an amazing thing and makes me emotional just thinking about it. The Emma and Outerbank are my favorites.
I would love more info about hosting a party!!
i am loving the outerbanks necklace–beautiful!
I love 31 Bits! The necklace is perfect for that fall day and the bracelet would add a pop of color to any outfit!!! I would wear the necklace and bracelet in my classroom, as I teach high school math. It would be a great opprotunity to tell my students about what 31 Bits does for the women of Uganda! Thank you!
I’m all about wearing COLOR! This jewelry brings so much life…in more ways than one. Thank you.
I Love 31 Bits! The necklace would be perfect for a fall day and the bracelet would add a pop of color to any outfit! I would wear the bits in my classroom, as I am a high school math teacher. By wearing the bits I will be able to share the story of 31 Bits to my students! Thank you!
when i first discovered 31 Bits a month ago, i immediately bought two single strand bracelets… loved them so much, i quickly ordered two more!
they are so bright and cheery, and the $ is going to such a great cause!
Oh seriously!? I think I have just found my answer to all adult and preteen female Christmas presents this year! These are really beautiful and hip! I love them!
I’ve only been to your blog a few times, but wow! I keep going back to the 31 Bits website. They have some beautiful jewelry and the ministry aspect of it makes it all the more appealing. I think the bracelets are my favorites…especially Jessica and Aruba. Will definitely go back to their website and order something in the future.
I have the Zanzibar in pink and LOVE it! Every comment I get when I wear it sparks a great conversation
I love the Zanzibar in Pink! Ir would be a great way to add some pizazz to an outfit!
I love the Santorini necklace and the Alyse bracelets! I would also love to have a party! My husband is a youth pastor and we are always looking for ways that students can participate in missions – even from their own living rooms. I’d love to know the details!