The last few days have been AMAZING outside! I’m talking sunshine, birds chirpin’, windows down kinda wonderful. Since I’m inside at a desk, and chances are you are too, I patched together some Soul Flower inspired Spring for us to enjoy while indoors! <3
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| SPRING! |
I’m done with socks! I can finally be barefoot
This Valentine’s Day I would just like to tell all of you how amazing you’ve been. Good vibes abound here at Soul Flower, thanks to you! We can’t help but Love you buds! Your enthusiasm and support never fails to amaze us. Every time we go onto Facebook, (i.e. the internet) we’re always welcomed with wonderful energy and great stories.
There have been several instances where I almost hugged my computer, because the messages you send put a huge smile on my face. You go beyond the support of buying our product by sharing your insights, humor, and soul through your comments & letters, and it never goes unnoticed.
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| Ha- that’s ME! (…If I were bald & not lovingly addicted to the internet) |
My job title here at Soul Flower is Copywriter/Daydreamer, and part of my role is to keep tabs on our Social Media. I want you to know: I read every little line of it; I even read the best ones out loud. I gush and geek out over the pictures and witty, inspiring words of wisdom. In fact, that’s how this blog came about. The other week I burst into the office across the hall, ecstatic about the response you buds were giving on a post. I gushed, “Do you see this!? I want to hug my computer; they just rock!” To which our photographer, Jenn said, “You should tell them that!” It only makes sense.
I heart my job to pieces, and a lot of that is due to YOU! Some of you post frequently, and I’m starting to feel like we’ve hung out, or hiked a favorite trail together – it feels like I’ve actually met you! You’ve made social media the friendly place it was intended to be, and you spread the good vibe that Soul Flower stands for. If your messages one day stopped (fingers crossed they don’t!) and my inbox became a ghost town, I’d miss you all tremendously! So please don’t let that happen. Instead, be Soul Flower’s Valentine?
Valentine’s Day is ONE week away! So if you want to show your buds some love, now’s the time to start some thoughtful planning. Whether you plan on baking a strawberry bunt cake, serenading them outside their apartment window, or sending a simple love trinket, we’ve created a few lovely ideas to help inspire you. 🙂
Spread the Love by jackyleev featuring:
The Spread the Love collage items are perfect for the sentimental heart – that friend of yours who gets all worked up over romantic movies, keeps every little keepsake and doodles hearts anytime she has a pen in hand. The Love Thyself Pendant, Heart Peace Earrings, and Love (Spread the Word) T-Shirt are particular favorites this Valentines.
Strawberry “Doughnut: Cake” (YUM!) what friend or lover wouldn’t want a gigantic doughnut? IT HAS SPRINKLES!! and just looking at the picture makes you want to hug and kiss people; can you imagine the real deal? Man. Watch out.
On Valentine’s Day, instead of buying flowers that will sadly die in a week, you could instead buy lasting floral pretties, like these! Then write something corny (yet grand) about how this flower is lasting, like your love. There aren’t too many girls out there who don’t appreciate a soulful flower. The Flower Hats and Marigold Cuff Bracelet also make great best friend forever gifts.
Or a great idea (for him or her) would be to make a “52 Reasons Why I Love You” book. It’s real easy to make if you have an old deck of cards lying around, and 52 things you like about the one you love. You could even do your own spin on it and create a love list of 52 – whatever! Making 52 redeemable coupons would be pretty cute… as long as your willing to do 52 things. 😉
And ladies, don’t forget to show the guys some love! Men enjoy a bit of attention, too. Your best bet is picking something comfortable, funky or fun.. Also, homemade dessert, cocktail concoctions or dinner are always super successful game plans as well!
Now get out there and SPREAD the LOVE!
Jacqueline Lee
Pin It
Hey Buds!
This love song playlist has been deleted but you can check out our latest lists on Spotify ~ spread the love!
Hey Buds!
Guess what? We’ve finally joined the Pinterest craze! If you have a Pinterest account (or will be making one today) be sure to come follow us. We’ll be pinning our latest fashions, craft interests, quotes and overall inspiration.
On Pinterest you can “pin” photos in order to save ideas and links that you love. It’s much like creating your own personal online magazine. To keep your pins organized you are able to create as many boards as you like, such as “Style Inspiration” or “Words of Wisdom.” They will look like this:
And the real fun part is that you can follow your friends, (like us!) to see what they’re diggin’ these days.
For example, here are some of our latest pins:
Want more? We’ll be sharing all of our Soul Flower favorites, such as Karma Krewe reviews, Fresh Picks and videos, along with random beauty and inspiration from a variety of outside sources, (like the painted rocks and wall graffiti pictured above). Anytime you like what you see, all you need to do is click “Repin,” and BOOM! it’s on your board. With the pin button, you can also go on all of your favorite websites and start a pinning craze all your own.
And that’s one thing about Pinterest:
IT IS ADDICTING! But I’ve placed it in the category of “good addictions,” you know, like coffee. Some addictive insanity is needed to stay sane…at least, that’s the saying I made up to make this ALL okay for ALL of us. 😉 So, if you pin once and find you’ve pinned a thousand times by tomorrow, you can’t say I didn’t warn you!
If you do plan on “Following” us, Thanks in advance! We appreciate all your kindhearted support. You buds rock! Pin It
It’s already here. Tomorrow’s Thanksgiving. And we just want you to know that we’re incredibly thankful for you buds! We appreciate you not only as customers, but as friends. We all have so much to be thankful for here at Soul Flower, which is why we wanted to put pen to paper and take a moment to acknowledge the things that fill our hearts with gratitude.
Congratulations are in order as our Sculptor of Shadow & Light, Jennifer, married her best friend Bill, this past weekend! Jenn, you made one insanely beautiful bride with a gorgeous (eco-friendly) wedding to match! We’re so happy for you!!
Congratulations to you both! We wish you all the peace, love and happiness your hearts can handle!
Love,
Your Soul Flower Buds!
Photography by Stephan Hoglund Photography
Hey Buds, here’s a thought:
Be yourself.
Easy enough to read and remind ourselves, but how many of us actually live it?
New school year, new apartment, new classes, all opportunities to reinvent myself; who will I be this year? Do I even want to create a new persona? Everyone at some point in their lives has used different circumstances to create a new version of themselves, yet, do any of us truly have a grasp on who we are?
Let’s take my love affair with fashion, for example. Since middle school I’ve been flipping through pages of Vogue getting ideas for the next day’s outfit. I wore some crazy-wild-things trying to translate what I saw on the runway to my school’s hallway. Sure, I got some stares and snickers but most of the time I got compliments, some for the outfit and some for the guts to where it when anyone who wasn’t wearing jeans and a tee was fair game to poke fun at. I even saw some girls wearing the same outfit I had worn the day before. I used each day as an opportunity to experiment and reinvent the way people saw me through bold attire. Through the years, I’ve kept the boldness and tried to translate it into every aspect of my life.
In high school, it was very…hmm, how should I say this…interesting going to a private school in South Orange County, California. I pride myself on being Latina and of Native American descent, and I never expected to be in an environment where diversity was at an all-time low. My freshman year some seniors decided it would be funny to yell across the PE field that all I would ever amount to was a maid, given my background, and that their rooms had better be clean before they got home. I didn’t care that these “young men” (who had a lot of growing up to do) were at the top of the social ladder, I gave them a piece of my mind and confronted the Dean of Students. “Is this really the perspective you’re allowing your students to graduate with?” Apologies and conferences ensued, but all I wanted to do is show my peers that I wasn’t ashamed or embarrassed of who I am or where I came from.
It wasn’t until college that I learned that I didn’t have to create a new persona every day, like in middle school, and that being myself – an insane mix of qualities – could be attractive. I owned up to my craziness, or as I like to call it eccentricity, and the more I acknowledged my little quirks the more confident I became.
Now, I take pride in my Latina curves and my insatiable appetite for clothes. I know that I learn through creative processes and doodling next to my notes, making songs, and listening to classical music help me do better on my tests. I know that I love learning and I’ll never satisfy my need to ask Why. I know that I love Elvis and John Lennon, even though those two did not see eye to eye. I know my values include peace, respect, and an overall love for our small fragile planet and those living on it. I believe that individually we can make a huge impact and together we can change the world.
And I know that having the strength to “be yourself” gives you strength to stand up for what you believe.
This shirt is a little reminder that there are a lot of phonies out there and if everyone’s acting fake the real one’s are the individuals. So put on those colorful tights, wear your “Save Japan Dolphins” tee, write that controversial article, and sign that petition. Yeah, people will smirk and snicker but more importantly people will see you as an example, strong and confident, and no one can take that away from you.
Mahalo,
“Only as high as I reach can I grow, only as far as I seek can I go, only as deep as I look can I see, only as much as I dream can I be.” ~Karen Ravn
If you’re a vivid dreamer, you probably have a fascination with the visions that visit you each night. Dreams can linger with us throughout the day and captivate us for hours, days, even years. Sometimes they’re so convincing we need to ask ourselves, did that happen? Did I do that, say that, live that? If you’ve ever possessed a dreamcatcher, you might even believe it’s possible to control the dreams that come to you.
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| Tie-Dye Sun Tapestry |
Earth holds our dreams within her all-embracing hoop
Air carries our dreams to us (the feathers on a dreamcatcher are also symbolic of air).
Water is believed to wash and separate our wanted dreams from the unwanted.
Fire burns away nightmares with its powerful blaze.
Commonly made of willow and sinew strands, the dreamcatcher is woven in a web-like manner that is much like the method used for snowshoe webbing. Sometimes a dreamcatcher can have one or more beads: One bead is symbolic of the spider who wove your protective web, while several beads can represent the many sweet dreams that have been brought to you.
Soul Flower’s all about good vibes; we appreciate everything the dreamcatcher stands for. We have a few cool dreamcatchers to choose from. jewelry wise, we have the Sweet Dream Earrings and the gorgeous Dreamcatcher Necklace, and to match, there’s our Dreamcatcher Organic Tank or Longsleeve Tee. We figure it couldn’t hurt to wear a dreamcatcher all the time, perhaps it will guard against negative daytime thoughts – work as a reminder to catch yourself and think positive!
I take my role as Hippie Mama Clothing Tester quite seriously. When I got the Nouveau Soulflower Eco Tee I put it through the paces. I didn’t just wear it, I have been living in it. Here’s what happened. I put it on and fell in love. It was one of those shirts that made me say “ahhhhhhh” when I put it on. It’s so soft and fit just right on my mama of two kids frame.
So I have been wearing it. And wearing it. And wearing it. And truth be told I don’t always wash it between wearing again and again. It’s my go-to tee these days and it’s takes a licking and keeps on looking fabulous. I have had baby spit on it, dead crab bits brought to me by my 7-year old son, I have spilled my kombucha all over it, I have been doused in sea spray, and I have sweat my fair share in this crazy summer heat. But this shirt still looks like new!
Then for grins I went and read about how it was made. The shirt is 50% organic cotton and 50% recycled p.e.t. Seriously, how cool is that? I am wearing old plastic bottles that might have otherwise ended up in the landfill. No wonder it’s looking so good! And now I feel good too knowing it’s made of all kinds of good things, especially since I have a little one right next to me and the tee all the time.
Living in the small confines of a sailboat we cannot keep a lot of anything, especially clothes. But this little baby will make the cut and go around the world with us!
Hey Buds! Making the best of this wonderful sunshine?
So I got a little piece of the islands with me for the past couple weeks. My friend from school decided to fly out all the way from Dallas, Texas to hang out with me in Southern California.
I have to admit, it’s a little exciting to be a tourist in your hometown. If you haven’t tried it, you really should! We tried heading out to the beach but it was so cold and the clouds were so thick we ended up turning around and heading straight for the pool. Not before getting an acai bowl, though! ;]
We went to Disneyland for a few days and normally I’ll go a little later, hop on a few rides, catch a bite to eat, and head out.
Not this time.
We woke up early and were one of the first people in the park! We spent all day there, only taking a small break for lunch and a quick nap at the hotel room then back to the Disney magic ‘til well after midnight. Needless to say I brought all my Soul-flower goodies with me so I was comfy and cool but still looking like the artist I like to call myself.
Those of you in California know all about our beautiful missions. Most have somewhat dark histories and as a Native American I pride myself on learning the stories of my tribes as well as those around them. Any trip to Southern California is just not complete without a trip to the San Juan Capistrano Mission. All you flower and garden enthusiasts out there will have a ball!
To match this dazzling backdrop I decided to wear something captivating as well, my new Cutting Floor Hippie Dress. Just added a cute little sun hat and I was ready.
I think it goes without saying that I love airy and flow-y clothes because they’re lightweight and easy to move around in. I always want to be comfy! (I’ve been putting my pj’s on at three in the afternoon since I was in second grade.)
As you know from my last posts, my legs are short. So when I put on the dress I was surprised to see that it hit about two inches above my ankle. Normally, I like when the length of my clothes are longer than the length of my legs but after I started moving around in the dress I realized it was a lot easier to move at this length. The colors are very bold and they don’t fade a bit in the wash (trust me I wear this dress once a week!). There are two loops at the back of the dress so you can tie it like a tank top, zig-zag, or even a halter. I suggest tying the straps in a bow before it goes in the wash, they’re a bit thin and very delicate. Each one is unique and I love that mine has a red and yellow border at the top even though the dress is very blue. The versatility is awesome; I can tie my hair back and wear it on a casual and laid back day or wear my hair down throw on some dressy shoes and go somewhere fancy!
Well, buds, have fun wherever the universe is taking you! Next time I post I’ll be back in Hawaii!
‘Til then,
Lauren ☮
In Minneapolis we’ve got some record breaking heat going on this week! And, to top it all off, this very moment we have some mad storm clouds filling the sky; pitch black out there, with a drum-like rain coming down. So, until we can make it to a sunny beach with cool waters, we’ll be chillin’ to this playlist of summer sunshine right here!
We love the songs you chose for the summertime playlist – thanks buds!
PEACE, LOVE & HAPPINESS
Your Buds at Soul Flower =)
My love for these little onesies runs deep. Of course the messages on them are right up my peacenik alley. As a dyed-in-the-wool pacifist who wants her kiddos to spread love not war, I am proud to have my baby wear her “Pick Flowers, Not Fights” message. And that’s saying a lot for me because in general I am not a fan of clothing with words, but this is an exception indeed. And the “Let It Grow” onesie is just too sweet. If there is one thing babies do like crazy (aside from poop) it’s GROW!
Sometime baby onesies are paper thin or rough and poorly sewn. I guess people figure because your kiddo will grow out of it so quickly, why bother? Not these though! The fabric is thick and soft and it’s very well made overall. It’s the sort of onesie that will take a lot of abuse as my baby scooches around the floor and will still have plenty of life left to pass the love on to the next little bud.
~Cindy
Cindy’s little one is wearing the
Pick Flowers Organic Onezie, and the
Let it Grow Organic Onezie
Happy Arbor Day buds 🙂
Along with Earth Day, this is our favorite “nature holiday” of the year. You already know we’re a tree-hugging bunch at Soulflower, and we have a sneaky suspicion that most of you are too. Living in the upper Midwest, it’s a blessing to see the trees go through their seasonal changes. It’s an amazing thing to see mother earth go from winter brown to spring green in a matter of a few days. As this is being written, I’ve counted 10 new varieties of birds outside my window that have returned in the last few days from their winter homes. It’s a busy time of year for nature, and whether you are in the city or the country it’s a great time to get out and take notice of the bustling life that is blooming all around us.
Trees play a leading role in supporting the fragile eco-system we all live in. There is a photo from Japan that shows one lone pine tree standing where there were once thousands – a sad sight for sure; however, the Japanese people have adopted that lonely tree as a sign of hope for the future. Blog Image 
At Soulflower, we’re concerned about the future too, and we continue to grow our relationship with the Arbor Day Foundation to plant three trees for every one that is used in our catalog production. It’s a small gesture for sure, but if everyone planted just one tree this year there would be over 300 million new trees in just America alone! Grab those shovels and let’s put that tree-hugging, dirt worshipping power to work.
~Your Bud Mike
We asked our buds on facebook for some roadtrip tunes, and we got some awesome suggestions! So this summer when you’re on the road (headed cross-country, cross-state or even cross-town), hit play on some jams and enjoy the ride 🙂
On the Road… playlist by soulflowerbuds on Grooveshark
Happy February!
Thanks to your suggestions, we’ve put together this fab playlist of love songs to remind you of all the things that make your heart skip a beat ♥
Hey buds! Thank you for being such great buds. 2010 was such a fun and exciting year for Soul Flower, and it’s all because of you. Like we often say, we are who we are because of YOU, & even though Soul Flower is online- and catalog-based, it’s still all about interacting with people.
It has always been our goal to seek out and welcome your feedback. It challenges us and helps us grow. So we thought it appropriate to create a spot right here for you to share your thoughts with us. No need to sign in or anything, just leave us a comment about…
How can we better help you shop and engage with Soul Flower?
How can the website or products be improved?
What types of subjects would you enjoy reading here on our blog?
What else should we do with our online media efforts (YouTube, blogging, Facebook, etc)?
What have your previous experiences with Soul Flower been like? And what would you change?
So please, leave your thoughts below: rant, rave, review, send ideas, gripe, groove, share the love … whatever it is you have to say to make us better, we want to hear it! Cheers to love, laughter & good times in 2011.
To help celebrate the season & keep our holiday spirits bright, us buds here at soul flower put our heads & music taste together to create this eclectically beautiful playlist of christmas tunes….
Holiday Music 2010 Playlist at MixPod.com
Soul Flower on mixpod
We’re making a playlist of our favorite songs from the summer and we need your help! New or old, any song can all be included. If you had to pick ONE song – your favorite – from this summer, what would it be? We’ll share the collective list next week!
Hey there Soul-Flower pal’s. It’s loudog reporting to you today on the great Two Tone Highland Sandals, made by Nomadic State of Mind. If you have been to any large music fest in the greater US of A you have probably encountered one or more of the nomadic state crew – they happily promote peace, love and good times. And they feel that if you insist on wearing shoes, you must try nomadic sandals.
So if you think they look cool, but wonder how they feel on your feet, they feel great! These shoes are very light weight. It’s literally like your walking on air or nothing at all. They are the best at festivals, the mall, walking the animals, around the house, right out of the shower or at the beach and in the water! Plus they float. How cool is that?
These shoes are made of the best poly pro rope material and made thoughtfully . Which makes them so soft and easy to care for. No matter how dirty you get playing in them, you can hand wash or machine wash them. I would suggest just setting them in the sun to dry. They are held together with glue, so no dryer. They run true to actual size, so if your a half size, you can round up to the next size. Anyplace I were mine I always get compliments. Remember as well, Nomadic means Wanderer so wander away. Thanks again Soul-Flower for bringing us another great product!
Your Bud Loudog
Hey Hey Buds, We have received so many great entries for the blog contest, we just want to share a few of our favorites here. Thanks so much for the great stories & the fabulous pictures (especially those kiddles). We are here because of you & just love the vibe of all these photos. Our winner will be announced tomorrow. In the meantime, enjoy the pictures:
Meet Lucy, the grandaughter of our bud Gloria. She is wearing her gauza dress, looking out “at all the wonderful sites that await her to discover”.
This is Nolan, right after his mama voted for the 2009 election. He is sporting his not too young for peace shirt. (along with his I voted sticker).
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From Glen –
“Here is a pic of me in your pants … hmm that didn’t come out right !!
Peace and Love
Glen”
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Adorable Siena twirling in our twirler skirt. This was one of our favorite skirts we carried….and so cute on her.
