Amazing Hemp Body Care at The Body Shop

Amazing Hemp Body Care at The Body Shop

Amazing Hemp Body Care at The Body Shop

This is the time of the year, at least where I am here in California, when temperatures rise and humidity drops significantly…and the struggle with dry skin is on. I also suffer from a little bit of eczema (ok, actually sometimes a lot), and my entire life I’ve relied on prescription creams to combat it. Even with the dry skin alone, I’ve gone through bottles and bottles of lotions (and yes, even coconut oil) that all promised to cure this common malady once and for all, but to no avail, despite their high numbers of positive reviews. It’s been such a huge frustration for most of my life, and sometimes gets even more annoying when it’s time for a product review or outfit post photo shoot for either Denimology or my blog here, and my hands look dry and flaky and long story short, less than photo ready!

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The Hemp Blue Moisturizing Candle

The Hemp Blue Moisturizing Candle

The Hemp Blue Moisturizing Candle

First off, I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving! I took the entire week off, as mentioned in my last post about a week ago, which was much needed. I love creating posts for my readers but everyone has to take a break from time to time! For those who don’t know, I also write editorials and manage brands at Denimology.com along with my 9-5, so as you can imagine I’m often pretty darn ready for a good break! It’s all good though, and today I’m excited to show you a little something special which goes back to back with a post I made a few weeks ago about Hemp Blue, a Kickstarter brand working to change the denim and apparel industry by spreading awareness of the amazing sustainable qualities of hemp through a line of women’s and men’s denim made from this valuable yet insanely underrated resource. You can read all about it on my post here! Along with this proposed denim line comes a line of hemp candles, which are made to not only make your house smell diiiviiiineeee, but also double as a lotion once it’s melted! These candles come with a pledge of $15 or more, but Hemp Blue was generous enough to send one over to me for a review!

When we first opened this cool little package, the scent made my hubby and I drop everything and light it immediately (which, I later thought maybe I shouldn’t have because I never snapped an pre-lit photo of it, but oh well). I am kind of a hippie at heart, so I naturally love the scent of hemp and essential oils, but this isn’t your typical hemp scent and you certainly don’t have to have any sort of hippie running through your veins to enjoy it. It’s made of 100% natural coconut and hemp oil, and you definitely smell the coconut over anything else, but it has a delicious, slightly floral scent to it, which is actually so unique that it’s tough to really describe! It left the house smelling oh so sweet for hours. In fact, we lit it one night, and after extinguishing it before bed, noticed we still smelled it the next morning and upon returning to work later that day, almost as if it had been lit all day! This has become sort of a ritual, every night…

The Hemp Blue Moisturizing Candle

We all know how great coconut is for the skin, and this has such a creamy, non-waxy texture once you scoop some of it out with the included spoon and rub it over any dry areas. It is so luxurious and I felt myself just constantly smelling my hands obsessively afterwards! As delightful as it is over the skin, I’m always afraid to do this too much, as I don’t want to use up this yummy candle too quickly!

The Hemp Blue Moisturizing Candle

Image: Hemp Blue (Instagram)

I’m not the biggest candle fan…not that I dislike them, but I just usually feel sort of indifferent and don’t actively go out and buy them. I did win a box of Paddywax candles through Lucky Breaks last year, a year’s supply to be exact…and I still haven’t really touched more than maybe two of them! I even have a rose-scented one from Bed Bath & Beyond that I once loved, but never really use. My hubby is more on top of it than I am, but this Hemp Blue candle is my absolute favorite. I love the way it makes the house smell, and I have a ton of issues with dry skin and eczema this time of the year so the fact that it doubles as a lotion is a huge plus! I feel it’s really helped. I also have very sensitive skin, so I can’t handle a lot of scented items, but this was very gentle. I’m all about the cause for hemp and sustainability too, so this candle is a win. I’m cheering Hemp Blue on, not just so I can try out and review their denim sometime, but also because of this super innovative way of thinking, in more ways than one.

Support the Hemp Blue Kickstarter campaign here, but hurry, it ends this Saturday! They are SO CLOSE to their goal, too!

You can also read more about the cause and the people behind Hemp Blue at their website here.

Changing The World with Angela Roi Handbags

Changing The World with Angela Roi Handbags

Image: Angela Roi

Changing The World with Angela Roi Handbags

I am just so stoked to see how many fashion brands have emerged over the last few years with a sole mission to give back…I’m not sure if I’m only noticing them because I’m actively keeping my eyes out for such subjects to blog about, but I’ve also had a passion for a long time about the idea and I certainly do not remember seeing so many before! When I first started my blog, I obviously aimed for a base subject of denim, and wasn’t sure really how I’d focus my other interests, and it’s been fun to see everything fall into place with seeing so many ethical brands popping out of the woodwork and fueling my desire to help get the word out. Angela Roi is the most recent one I’ve discovered, which was during the never-ending hunt for the next perfect, no-frills, quality, classic handbag (no matter how many you might or might not already own). Angela Roi was created by two brilliant minds, Angela and Roi. Both met while at a cocktail party in Boston when they were college students, and quickly discovered their common ground with fashion and philanthropic dreams. Angela was born in South Korea and raised in Canada, and left her Political Science college path in 2012 to pursue her passion of creating affordable, quality handbags. She is the main founder of Angela Roi, and came up with the “Donate by Color” concept. Roi, the co-founder, was born and raised in South Korea and studied entrepreneurship at Boston University. He is inspired by his father’s mantra of “The most important thing in life is health.”

Angela Roi bags come in a variety of brilliant colors, each color standing for a certain charity and cause. The brand states, “We believe that businesses can use their resources to positively impact the greater community. So, we’ve decided to donate a portion of each handbag sale to certain non-profit organizations that support prevalent health issues. We’ve specifically linked different causes to our various handbag colors, because we feel that color adds life and beauty to the world around us. For example, colon cancer awareness is traditionally linked with the color blue — when customers purchase a blue handbag, we’ll donate five percent to the Colon Cancer Alliance.” All bags are also vegan, made with super durable fabric and PVC, and topped with 14k gold hardware. Each bag ranges between $60 and $150, and shipping and returns are free! How could you possibly go wrong here?

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Favorite Finds from Etsy

Favorite Finds from Etsy

Favorite Finds from Etsy

As I’m sure many of my readers know by now, I am a huge fan of Etsy. I love the big brands…they are fun and exciting and all, but I really have a high respect for the struggling independent artists and love to give them exposure and support as best as I can! I have purchased many items on Etsy and am always super impressed by the obvious quality and love put into them. I’ve favorited so many items and shops on Etsy and continue to do so every day, even though I know there’s no way I’ll ever be able to get to all of them! So I figured for a fun Friday post I’d make a collection of some of the cool items that have been hanging out in my Etsy favorites for awhile. Many are clothing items (mostly from artists who craft with organic cotton, bamboo or hemp), but there are several gift items in there like jewelry, posters and more. I think I might do this on a regular basis with other items I obsessively bookmark, not only with Etsy but in other online shops as well…now that I’ve discovered this neat little slider plugin! You might recognize some items that I’ve blogged about before (like MeDusaBrand) and they were definitely special enough to me that they needed to be mentioned again. So without much more ado, I hope you enjoy my little culmination of twenty (oh there are many more) of my favorite finds from Etsy!

  • Favorite Finds from Etsy - Half Moon Yoga Pants by ZhenNymph
    Half Moon Yoga Pants by ZhenNymph

Natural Wood Home Decor

Natural Wood Home Decor

Pieces by Hilla Shamia and Siiren

Natural Wood Home Decor

I like any kind of furniture or decor that’s original, classic and innovative. I guess you could say I have a soft spot for modern design. But, as with any toned-down, minimalistic artwork, it’s not easy to stand out! Less is always more in this case and it’s tough to constantly keep up the creative juices with so little to work with. But, this is why it’s impressive, right? Add to that, simplistic designs done with natural elements. I remember as a kid, finding bits of driftwood lining the beach was always a pleasure after spotting several pieces of artwork in local studios done with this abundant medium. Now, I just appreciate infusing nature with my everyday living space. Recently I’ve discovered two artists that really stand out to me in terms of innovation and creativity: Siiren, a “fair trade gift superstore,” and Hilla Shamia, a Tel-Aviv artisan.

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Denim Beyond Jeans

Denim Beyond Jeans

Denim Beyond Jeans

We think denim, we think jeans, right? I love the fact that such a simple term brings up such simple thoughts amongst most people, but when it comes to creativity, the sky’s the limit. Denim is obviously a staple fabric around the world, and has been for years and years behind us, but it hasn’t only been used to cover your butt. I love repurposed items as it is, but denim is just a fun medium to go crazy with and it is always somehow appealing no matter how it is applied. Denim comes in so many shades and washes to provide a myriad of possibilities. I’ve been running across some amazing uses of denim lately that is far beyond your typical (or not so typical) pair of jeans that I figured it warranted a post. I know there’s a lot more out there, but these are the items that stood out to me the most! Now I feel like rummaging through all the scraps of denim left over from hemming jeans at home and getting crafty…

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The Kuu Lamp by Kerstin Sylwan & Jenny Stefansdotter

The Kuu Lamp by Kerstin Sylwan & Jenny Stefansdotter

The Kuu Lamp by Kerstin Sylwan & Jenny Stefansdotter

Sometimes the simplest designs are the hardest to find…and, to design. Even in web development and the graphic design world, which I primarily reside in, minimalism is a heck of a lot tougher than it looks. The designer’s mind is often a very, very colorful one that’s tough to tone down, so it takes a special kind of skill to keep a project simple by focusing only on the precise ideas needed to keep it that way. To me, it seems these simple items are even harder to find sometimes, as the market is flooded with a bazillion examples of artists all trying to outdo each other and sometimes, even trying too hard to be different. The more this goes on, the more I am attracted to the simple things that pop up from time to time. I like solids over patterns, colorblocking over ornate designs, just big and bold and modern. I also love creative repurposing, and anything that keeps unnecessary junk out of our landfills. I have been enjoying newsletters from Hem, which seems to have a way of making home decor easy. I always like interesting lighting, and a recent newsletter led me to artists Kerstin Sylwan & Jenny Stefansdotter and their Kuu Lamps.

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Nudie Jeans turns Recycled Jeans Into Furniture and Rugs

Nudie Jeans turns Recycled Jeans Into Furniture and Rugs

All image credits to Nudie Jeans

Nudie Jeans turns Recycled Jeans Into Furniture and Rugs

I love posting about the big brands, and the small brands, and everything in between…but one thing I always am attracted to is sustainable fashion. As popular as the style industry is, it’s refreshing to see the occasional earth-friendly initiative pop up, and it’s becoming not so “occasional” as time goes on. Nudie jeans, best known as one of the top brands for incredible raw denim, also has their own program to reduce their footprint: the Recycle Denim Maniacs Project, which collects and recycled old worn out Nudie jeans. This time around, they are recycling approximately 2,700 pairs of jeans into their popular Rag Rug from a past recycling project and the In-and-Out Seam Camper Seat, in two colors. Due to the complexity of a pair of jeans, not all are entirely recyclable. According to Nudie, “back pockets, rivets and buttons, waistband, were components that we couldn’t use for these two projects. But they’ll be used somewhere else, for another project.” This time around for their initiative, 90% of the pairs of denim they received were able to be recycled.

Nudie Jeans turns Recycled Jeans Into Furniture and Rugs

WE BELIEVE that the right way to go is to reduce, reuse and recycle. We wanted to visualise our passion for the Nudie Jeans denim and to make a statement for a sustainable future. That’s why we lead a creative project to recycle old denim samples into new creations made by young designers.”

Nudie Jeans turns Recycled Jeans Into Furniture and Rugs - Lill Matt

Each In-and-Out Seam Camper Seat camper seat is made from the inner and outer seams from nine pairs of jeans, one belt and a leather patch. They are inspired by the popularity of camping in Sweden! The Rag Rugs are constructed with all the remaining parts. Each seat is braided by hand, and only 250 are available for purchase. They come in either dark blue or light blue, and measure 45 cm high, 40cm wide, and have a 39.5cm depth. Each of the Rag Rugs are made from shredded leg pieces of all the recycled Nudie jeans, in two sizes. The Lill-Mats are 140 x 70 centimeters, with a limited quantity of 275. The Stor-Mats are 240 x 170 centimeters and there’s only 75 of them made!

Nudie Jeans turns Recycled Jeans Into Furniture and Rugs - Stor-Mats

I love repurposed stuff, and I wish I had a little more time to do this kind of stuff on my own! I have a few denim scraps lying around, but I like to keep them for any possible repair needs. These pieces are so artistic I’d be afraid to use them! I wonder how fast these are going to sell out, seeing as how they are highly limited, but it will be exciting to see what Nudie’s Recycle Denim Maniacs Project comes up with next. For now, I’d love one of those rugs and the light blue camping chair! Out of the hundreds of jeans I’ve been able to own or try out, Nudie is one of the brands I haven’t had a chance to yet. I’ve heard nothing but great things about them though, and this only makes them stand out even more in my eyes!

Nudie Jeans turns Recycled Jeans Into Furniture and Rugs - Camper Seat Light Blue

Camper Seat Light Blue

Read more about this recycled collection by Nudie and shop it here.

Steampunk Jewelry by Tangled Metal

Do I really need to say much here? I can’t even remember how I ran across this awesome Etsy shop, but I am certainly glad I did. How cool is this? If you’ve seen my blog for the last few months you know how much I love the individual artisans, and I love to support them! I think by now we are fairly familiar with the concept of “steampunk,” right? That is, a sub-genre of science fiction that involves 19th century or wild western steam-powered machinery. This historical fascination seems to kind of have a cult following, translating into clothing, conventions, movies…you name it, and I have no idea if it’s just popped up within the last few years or if it’s been an ongoing trend way before I became aware of it! Either way, I personally adore old fashion advertisements of all the crazy whimsical innovations that were cranked out in rapid succession (often without much thought towards them it seems) in order to fix all of the banes of everyday living. I find it both fascinating and comical and as someone in the print/design industry, I can’t help myself.

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The Tumbleweed Gets a Classy Upgrade

Same Tree

The Tumbleweed Gets a Classy Upgrade

“By taking the old and turning it into something innovative and new, it’s like I’m giving life to a piece of history. I never know when I’ll come across my next revival but I know it when I see it.”

My mother told me that when I was little, it would take a whole hour to take one lap around the block, because I had to stop at EVERYTHING I saw on the ground to either examine or collect. Now, I’m not too different (sometimes to the playful ire of my hubby). Take me to the beach and I’ll come home with a handful of pretty rocks. I love appreciating things around me…especially things that would otherwise be seen as junk…I remember in school re-purposing things I found around the schoolyard like pencils, pens, erasers, you name it (Lana, thy name is packrat). I’ve always admired nature, particularly deserts…so “dead,” and untouched, and open. The desert staple, the tumbleweed, is something that represents isolation, abandonment, and maybe even death, but I always kind of thought the image of a tumbleweed bounding across a desert represented life, albeit small, or hope amongst a “barren” landscape.

A Scoutmob newsletter alerted me to this awesome artist that struck me due to the above reasons. Same Tree is made up of Nicole, Robert, and Jayne Boles, who all believe in repurposing — taking otherwise unneeded items and recreating them into something special. Everything is made in the USA to support independent artisans, local manufacturing and small business too! Same Tree offers all sorts of artwork to add to your interior decor project. Check out this repurposed wood made into furniture! They also make all kinds of different lighting, and my focus in particular here is on one of them — these beautiful tumbleweed chandeliers as part of their Native collection. Look how alive they look! I love them…they make me want to have a special room in my house dedicated to the ruggedness of the outdoors.

All chandeliers can be purchased here!

Same Tree - Native Horizontal ChandelierSame Tree - Native Chandelier PetiteSame Tree - Native ChandelierSame Tree - Native Chandelier Classic