can you believe it’s almost christmas? where did this year go? i have another download for you today created by our graphic designers…it’s so creative and cheerful…i love it!
click on the image to download from our flickr page!
happy holidays…
he-art & sole
on wednesday i took a little field trip over to city hall to check out the philadelphia mural arts program’s winter art exhibition, which featured the work of their very talented big picture and mural corps students. big picture students designed and painted sneakers and large-scale mixed media “treasure maps” representing their ideas on how to “be the change you wish to see in the world” (based on the gandhi quote). mural corps students explored notions of identity through self portraits. i spoke with some of the students and they were so proud to show of their work, which was available for sale to raise funds for the program…and they have every right to be proud- they are seriously talented!
for more information about philadelphia’s mural arts program, visit their website.
evergreen…
what is your favorite holiday tradition?
i used to love going to the christmas tree farm when i was little…it was one of my favorite things about the holiday season. i have vivid memories of riding around on the tractors and getting yelled at for jumping on and off the wagon while it was moving.
something you can do this weekend wherever you are…tomorrow just happens to be look for an evergreen day! so if you haven’t already done so, head on out to a tree farm where you can pick one out and cut it down yourself…
south street winter solstice
there’s a cool event going on this saturday on south street in philly. the south street winter solstice celebration, hosted by philadelphia’s magic gardens, will start at 11am and last until 9pm with live entertainment, hands-on activities and discounted holiday shopping at participating shops up and down south street. plus the theme is warm, tropical climates, with live latin music and dancing to help take your mind of the frigid temps!
click here for more info on the event and activites throughout the day, which include art workshops and free guided tours of the incredible magic gardens at 12 and 4.
what’s everyone up to this weekend (besides last minute christmas shopping!)? any fun events going on in your area?
all i want for christmas…
pieced cardigan; stonewashed leather boot by humanoid; fp destroyed skinny jeans; aphrodite necklace; siberian husky puppies.
what’s on your wishlist this year??
thursday poll – edition 73
well well well…it’s thursday poll time!
last week i asked about our pretty floral tunics and it was a close vote but the winner was the burbank tunic, with 32% of the vote! this week, with the holidays upon us, i wanna know which of the following items you would splurge on…or would most want someone else to splurge on for you!
a fashionable piece like the graham & spencer faux fur vest:
a pair of must-have shoes like the keira buckle boot:
a leather bag like the obi cross body bag:
a vintage statement necklace like the one-of-a-kind vintage cluster necklace:
or a fabulous jacket like the leather bomber by giorgio brato:
time to vote!
wednes-diy
good morning! i saw these homemade terrarium ornaments on design sponge and thought it was the coolest idea. they add some nature to your christmas tree, even though they’re actually fake (so you don’t have to worry about watering them), and as the blogger who made them suggests, they’d be a great decoration for the home after holiday season as well. read on for some instructions on how to make them!
what you’ll need:
– clear glass ornaments
– dried moss
– twine
– pencil
– q-tips
optional- twigs, fake butterflies, feathers etc…
1. tear off a small piece of moss and moisten slightly (this helps to keep the moss from crumbling a lot of dust inside).
2. with the eraser end of your pencil, gently push moss into the opening. repeat this a few times until you have a forest floor on the bottom of your ornament.
3. add any extras and poke with your pencil to style things as necessary.
4. bend a q-tip and clean any debris stuck to the inside walls of the ornament.
5. attach a piece of twine with a bow and hang!
tunesday: bob dylan
this album came out a couple of months ago but i felt compelled to write about it now, since the timing is appropriate. in a career spanning roughly 50 years (!!!) and 47 albums, bob dylan has finally recorded a christmas album, which comes as a surprise to some of his loyal fans. first of all, he was raised in a jewish family, second of all, people assume something like this, coming from him, is meant to be ironic and not taken seriously. but he is serious, and his straightforward approach to recording the songs (with background singers and traditional arrangements) is a measure of his appreciation for the music. the album might not be for everyone but if you’re a fan of either christmas music or bob dylan, or both, definitely give it a shot. plus, all proceeds from the album sales in the u.s. will be donated, now and in perpetuity, to feeding america, which guarantees that over 1.4 million families will be provided with meals this holiday season. proceeds from sales in the u.k. and worldwide will go to the charities crisis and the world food programme, respectively.
check out this really cute video, by painter/animator jeff scher, for bob dylan’s “little drummer boy”:
for more info, visit bob dylan’s website.
inspiring ways to wrap a gift card
a lot of people think that when it comes to giving gifts, gift cards are the easy way out. but that’s not necessarily true…a lot of times if you don’t know exactly what to get someone, it really is the ideal gift…especially if you personalize the gift card by giving it a creative touch. here are some suggestions for fun ways to wrap a gift card that are so cute, no one can accuse you of copping out…
frame it! frames are great gifts anyway, and you can find a pretty inexpensive one and decorate it or paint it yourself for an added touch. Tape the gift card to a piece of patterned paper like the one above.
these are some fun things you can do with felt that look very simple to make. i especially like the mushroom, which is actually meant to be a business card holder. but on second thought, why not make a holder for your gift card that can be re-used as a business card holder as well?
put the gift card in a cute little coin purse or pouch like one of these…they’ll think that’s the gift, and when they look inside they’ll find an added surprise! see more of our small bags and purses here.
happy holidays!
color me happy
if you’re anything like me, the winter months can be a bit depressing…but did you know that wearing bright colors can actually improve your mood?
studies show that the brightness and purity of certain colors, and personal associations with them, can have specific effects on your mood. shades of red and purple are said to boost energy levels by causing your body to pump out more adrenaline. green and yellow are naturally associated with sunshine and the outdoors, and studies show that they can make you feel happy and upbeat. green also evokes feelings of hope and renewal, like the feeling you get on a sunny spring day. blue, which brings to mind the sky or the ocean, is a soothing, calming color that can make you feel less anxious. and if you really want to bring out your fun-loving spirit, wear attention-grabbing neon colors like hot pink and lime green, known for being flirty and fun.
check out more of our bright items in the color boutique!
bringing toys & joy in portland…
the free people portland store is participating in a toy drive and posted this cute pic on their facebook page :)
natural beauty
i’ve probably mentioned this before but our graphic designers are awesome…i love this artwork!
and since we’re in the holiday spirit, i’ve made it available on our flickr page for you to download! you can use it on your desktop, as a card, or whatever else you may want to do…just click on the image!