Stephanie and Lindsay Appotive, also known as The Jewellery Sisters, are honoured to announce their
collaboration with Boutique Cornerstone to support Cornerstone Housing for Women.
As owners of Howard Fine Jewellers and True Bijoux, we are excited to join hands with Boutique Cornerstone
to raise funds for such a worthy cause through the A Pearl of Hope Bracelet Fundraiser. It is with sincere gratitude and
a deep sense of humility that we embark on this meaningful endeavour to make a positive impact in the lives of women in
This spring, our stores Howard and True Bijoux, in collaboration with Boutique Cornerstone, are launching a limited edition collection of single pearl bracelets. The bracelet called A Pearl of Hope, will see 100% of the proceeds donated to Cornerstone. Our collective mission is to sell 1000 bracelets, each one symbolising a stark reality: 1000 women left destitute, homeless and vulnerable on the streets of Ottawa every year.
The bracelet is unisex in design, fits all wrist sizes, and the different elements
of the design each have a special meaning. The purple represents hope and is
the signature colour of Cornerstone. The pearl represents power and
femininity. In nature, the pearl takes years to form and is the result of a
response from the oyster to protect itself from an unexpected element by
coating it with layers of the materials found in its shell. Over many years the
result is a beautiful pearl. We connected with the idea that with time and the
right resources a treasure can be born. This idea made the pearl the natural
choice for us in this design; it is a reminder that with time and resources
supporting women and their needs can result in renewed hope and
opportunity. The pearl is hugged by two sterling silver beads. They were chosen
to stand beside the pearl as silver is believed to be a mirror to the soul, helping
to see ourselves as others see us. A lot of heart and thought was given to the A
Pearl of Hope bracelet in hopes that it will help to further connect the wearer
with the community it is helping to support.
We hope you will join us in helping to support Cornerstone with a purchase of
the A Pearl of Hope bracelet at its launch on May 5th and 6th, 2023 at
Thyme&Again on Wellington, the site for Boutique Cornerstone's third pop-up
of gently used fashion forward clothing and accessories where 100% of
proceeds go to Cornerstone Housing for Women. We hope that you wear it
proudly and like us, believe that together we can help to make a difference.
For the A Pearl of Hope bracelet our team comprised of master goldsmiths and gemologists had the good fortune of working with the special team from Boutique Cornerstone, Andrea Laurin, Katie Faught and Anna Rumin (pictured right) who wanted to design a recognizable and distinct bracelet available for purchase at an accessible price range for as many community members as possible.
To Learn More About Boutique Cornerstone:
"I met Stephanie at a local fundraiser and told her about Boutique Cornerstone that exists because of the generosity of women in the community who donate their fashion-forward and designer gently used clothing and accessories. Thyme&Again donates their space for our pop-up, volunteers do everything from our facebook and instagram page to setting up and selling clothes, and Encore Fashion in the Glebe collects and sells what hasn't sold and donates profits to Cornerstone - this is an amazing circle of women supporting women. I woke up the next morning, literally eight hours later, opened my email and read a letter from Stephanie and Lindsay proposing "A Pearl of Hope" - the circle just keeps getting bigger!" Anna then emailed Andrea and Katie (pictured above) and plans began
Cornerstone Stories For Hope
Everyone has a unique story to tell. Read more about women’s journey at Cornerstone and see how choosing hope can change lives. Read more on the impact Cornerstone Housing for Women has on the lives of the women we serve, our volunteers and donors and how they impact the work of Cornerstone.