One of my favorite morning rituals is brewing a fresh pot of coffee while I get ready for the day. Even before taking that first sip, I feel awakened by the aroma that fills our space as the boiling water seeps through the coffee grounds and slowly drips into the glass carafe. Recently, I've started thinking more deeply about what goes into my morning cup of coffee and the impact it has on people and the planet.
The hairpin — it's essential for those hot days where all you want to do is pin your hair back. But there's more to the story of the hairpin, which originated thousands of years ago. I recently had the pleasure of catching up with S A Y A Designs founder, Victoria Jones to learn more about her passion to create unique hairpins inspired by the past with a mission to protect the future of our planet.
Linen — it's a natural, durable textile designed to be lived in. Derived from the flax plant, linen is one of the oldest and most eco-friendly textiles in the clothing industry, making it the perfect sustainable summer staple.
Sotela has been one of my go-to sustainable clothing brands lately, designed with the everyday woman in mind. I recently had the pleasure of interviewing Sotela's founder, Hanna Baror-Padilla, to learn more about the Mara Jumpsuit and the Warm Weather collection.
One of my newfound Sunday rituals is baking homemade bread for the week. There's something really empowering about the process of making food with your own hands, not to mention you know exactly what ingredients are used. I've also learned that making food from scratch is an easy way to reduce packaging waste since most cooking ingredients last a while and often come in glass or paper packaging, rather than plastic.
Slowing down – it's a paradoxical concept in an extrinsically-driven society, where happiness and success are defined by what we have. In order to meet the growing demands of our capitalistic culture, we increasingly work more, spend more, consume more... Unfortunately, this perpetual cycle of more, more, more has reached a tipping point. A tipping point not only for our personal health and well-being, but also for the health and well-being of the environment.
The uniform – it's that one outfit you constantly find yourself reaching for as you get dressed for the day, and a fundamental element of any minimalist's wardrobe. It's effortless, comfortable, and most importantly, you feel good wearing it. Why else would you gravitate toward the same outfit over and over again?
One of my resolutions for 2017 is to spend less and create more, especially when it comes to my wardrobe. When I was a kid, my grandmother taught me the basics of crocheting. Over the years, I've crocheted several scarves, and even a few headbands. But it wasn't until recently that I decided it was time to step up my crochet game.
Happy New Year! Tomorrow is especially meaningful to me because it marks six months since I married my best friend, and it's the first New Year's we're celebrating as husband and wife. As we say farewell to 2016, I'm so excited to finally share our elopement story and a glimpse into our intimate ceremony.
