1. Marie Antoinette Removable Head Salt & Pepper Shaker | 2. French Macaron Travel Pillow | 3. Large Crown Jewels Jewelry Hanger by Imm Living | 4. Queen of Damn Near Everything Dish Towel | 5. Small Crown Jewels Jewelry Hanger by Imm Living | 6. Cake Slice Phone Holder | 7. Nina’s of Paris Marie Antoinette Tea | 8. Socialites Female Victorian Bust Canister

Today’s post is twofold… one part social activism and one part history lesson disguised as a giveaway!

September is officially #HungerActionMonth, and I recently visited the local headquarters of Cheeky Home for the launch of the #Spoontember campaign. Basically Cheeky will donate a meal to someone in need for every selfie that you upload to social media this month. Here’s how to participate:

1. Take a selfie balancing a spoon on your nose for Spoontember
2. Upload your #Spoonselfie to Instagram by September 30, 2015
3. Use the #Spoontember hashtag on your post, and tag @Cheeky_Home and @FeedingAmerica
4. Be sure to temporarily set your account privacy to “Public” so that Cheeky can see your post and donate a meal on your behalf. Here’s an example post.

49 million Americans struggle with hunger. These Americans live in every single county and congressional district in the U.S. Hunger is a real issue in America – and a major one at that. Yet, it doesn’t have to be. If we work together as a nation, we can solve hunger. – Feeding America

Shockingly, both extreme poverty and inequality persist as major issues in the United States today. According to the 2014 census, nearly 15% of our population is still living in poverty and many would go hungry without supplemental support from government programs and the dedication of charitable organizations like Feeding America.

Qu’ils mangent de la brioche!

“Let them eat cake!”

Let’s face it, I love cake! And macarons, champagne, and the French Regency style.

More importantly, if 18th century France taught us anything it’s that when the delta between the richest and poorest members of a society grows too great it leads to civil unrest and eventually even the most prominent heads will roll.

Technically the Queen of France never uttered the phrase “Let them eat cake!” but September is nonetheless an historic month and it has everything to do with people going hungry.

We often glamorize Marie Antoinette because of her bon vivant lifestyle and hard-partying fashionista legacy, but to the average Frenchman she was like an 18th century Kardashian without the sex tape.

While France spiraled into an epic financial crisis, she grew infamous for her lavish spending and opposition to proposals for social and financial reform. For this the French unlovingly dubbed her Madame Déficit. Her subjects grew poorer and hungrier, and then they became hangry and there was no turning back.

On September 21, 1792, her husband the King Louis XVI was deposed and the monarchy subsequently abolished. On October 14, 1793, Marie Antoinette was convicted of treason to the state by the Revolutionary Tribunal and shortly thereafter she was executed by guillotine on Place de la Révolution. The rest, as you know, is history.

Despite her bittersweet legacy, I can’t help but be charmed by her mouse-skin eyebrows, outrageous frocks, opulent jewels and the reports of towering powdered wigs decorated with miniature ships and cages full of live birds.

That is why for today’s themed giveaway I’m partnering with Imm Living and one lucky winner will receive (2) Crown Jewels Jewelry Holders. You place them whimsically on a shelf or hang them on the wall, and they provide a stylish way to display your favorite necklaces as well as a little dish for rings and small trinkets inside the crown itself.

Just enter by Tuesday, September 29th using the Rafflecopter widget below!

ENTER RAFFLECOPTER HERE

NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. Sweepstakes begins on Tuesday 9/22/15 at 7am and ends on Tuesday 9/29/15 at midnight PST. Must be a legal US resident and 18+ years old to win. Each prize is awarded “as is” with no warranty or guarantee, either express or implied. Sweepstakes winners will be determined at random, and odds of winning will depend on total number of sweepstakes entries. Prize(s) will be mailed within 2 weeks of sweepstakes’ end. Void where prohibited.