Our Threads

Process: New Soul Flower Block Print Tee!

One of our new t-shirt designs for fall is this Soul Flower block print shirt, available in women’s and men’s styles.

 

$15 Women’s Tee………………………………$15 Men’s Tee

 

The design is meant to look like a traditional block print. So how did we do it? By carving into and printing a real linoleum block, of course! 🙂


(You can buy all these supplies at your local art store.)
The design was drawn on to the block, and then carefully carved out using sharp carving tools.

When the block was ready to be printed, water-based ink was rolled out on to a slab (piece of tin foil = easy clean up!)

Roll the ink on to the block in an even layer.

Block has a shiny, sticky layer of ink on the surface.

Got our paper ready (a thin rice paper is best for block prints), and grabbed a wooden spoon.

Lay the paper on the block, and burnish with a wooden spoon so the ink sticks to the paper and leaves a good, dark print.

Then we peeled the paper off, starting by peeking under a corner to make sure we burnished the ink down enough.

Finished print!

The next step was to scan the print into the computer, do a little adjustment so the design was completely black and white (no grays), and blow it up so it is larger than the original small size of the block. Send it over to our screenprinters (another cool printmaking process!), and you get an awesome final product!


Wanna win one?
Leave a comment on this post if you’re interested in scoring one of these tees (either women’s or men’s) free! We’ll randomly pick 3 winners on Friday, August 27.

Thank you all for the awesome comments! We picked 3 winners!

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Customers

Soul Flower Haul Giveaway!

Haul video – noun
A video recording made to show off the goods you have purchased online or in a catalog.

Hey Buds! Our friends over at Catalogs.com recently shared a video of Ginna opening up her first Soul Flower package! Check out what she has to say about a few of our favorite items:

Ginna shops with Catalogs.com: Soul Flower Haul
Thanks for the awesome commentary, Ginna! You definitely cracked us up a few times, and we enjoyed every minute of your video! 🙂

Now it’s your turn!
What would you say in your Soul Flower haul video? Leave us a comment on this post & share with us your thoughts about your favorite item from Soul-Flower.com – something you’ve received and now own, or something you’re wishing for!

On Friday, August 20 at noon central we’ll pick a random entrant to win a $25 gift certificate to spend on anything you want at Soul-Flower.com!

 
Thanks to everyone who entered, and congrats to Bekah, who won! Yay, Bekah!
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Our Threads

Music is Life Hoodie


The Pocono Blues Festival was amazing! Soulful blues music and the sweet scent of barbecued goodies lured in the masses from tailgating in the parking lots. The scenic views of Big Boulder Mountain, Lake Harmony, and the surrounding Pocono Mountains provided the perfect venue for a weekend blues festival. My MUSIC IS LIFE Eco Hoodie kept me warm as the Blues Festival continued into the evening. Day two, I was even more grateful for my new MUSIC IS LIFE Eco Hoodie because the rain came in swift and heavy and I stayed warm and cozy in my super soft Eco Hoodie! What better way to proclaim my love for music than to rock my MUSIC IS LIFE Eco Hoodie!?!

The hoodie is light and soft and perfect for keeping warm during breezy weather. After the Blues Festival, we headed home and over to the 2nd Street Festival in Philly’s Northern Liberties for more music and fun! We’ve finally gotten a few days of cooler temperaturs in Philly, so my MUSIC IS LIFE Eco Hoodie has been a very welcome addition to my wardrobe! I love that I can just grab it and know that it’ll be perfect for mountain, beach, or city weather. This is the softest hoodie I have ever owned and I almost can’t wait for Autumn to arrive so that I can wear it to all of the Fall Music Festivals!

~Sheila

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Our Threads

Treehugger Tee


When it came time for me to choose my next item for the Karma Krewe, I knew
that it had to be something that could let those around me know why I think
Soulflower is the cat’s pajamas. Besides digging all their cool threads, I
really respect their responsibility, affection, and commitment to Mama
Earth. So, I started browsing through their Circle Tees line in hopes of
finding one of their earth-friendly dyed, organic cotton t-shirts to spread
the vibe around. I was drawn to the ‘Treehugger’ tee. I am proud to be a
treehugger, and I hope that every time I wear my shirt, others see it, and
stop to think about what it means. Peggy shared a link on Facebook to an
interview about Circle Tees that she did with HappyHippie.com. She says it
all best!! You can read the interview here.

The Treehugger tee is very light weight in construction. I was afraid that
it might be too think n’ chunky for the extreme Georgia heat I know is
coming this summer, but it is the most air-flow friendly material. It’s the
coolest (literally) tee I have now. The green is a little lighter than the
catalog shows, which is something we ran into with the Mandala Bag. (which
is still going strong, and my fave bag to carry!) It is more of a muted sage
green. I have washed it twice now, and the dyes didn’t fade at all. It still
looks brand new. With regular cotton, you see a bit of a fade, or shrinkage
after the first couple of washes, but with this organic cotton…it has
apparent staying power! I can tell that this tee is one that I will be
reaching for all summer.

Go ahead and order the Treehugger tee, get outside & hug your favorite tree,
and then spread that vibe around! ~peace~

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Customers

Our Awesome Customers!

Hey Buds! In case you all didn’t know, we love our customers – and that means you! Over the years we’ve received a ton of notes, letters, photos, and seen some really sweet drawings and doodles on customers’ return requests. Betcha didn’t know we save it all! (All the cool stuff, anyway…)


Be sure to click on the collage to see it larger, so you can read the funny lines and see the detail in those funky doodles.

Keep sending in your kind words and positive vibes: we love hearing from you! Or send us some feedback online. If you’ve got any photos of you or your family sporting your Soul Flower gear, be sure to send those our way, too.

Peace & much love,
Your Buds at Soul Flower

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Our Threads

Vintage Flowers Tank

Friendly Stranger
This tank is super cute! The floral patchwork design is
absolutely beautiful. The tank is very well made and has
adjustable straps for the perfect fit. I get so many compliments
on this shirt.

One of the things I love about Soul-flower clothing,
is what it says about me. By wearing this beautiful eco-friendly
clothing and promoting it, I have met some of the most amazing
people! Just last night I once again had amazingly good karma at
the Modest Mouse show. We didn’t have tickets to this sold out
show, but wanted to promote for some festivals and Soul-flower.
So we made the trek to Santa Fe. We planned on relaxing in the
lot & listening to the show from the car. Well, security was not
allowing any tailgating, which is unusual for this venue. We
decided to head to the front gate and see what happened. Long
story short, we ended up getting two tickets to this sold out show!
Thank you so much to the poor guy who got kicked out & gave us his
ticket & to the super cool chic who sold us her extra ticket for the
$18 cash we had. You ROCK! We had a great time at the show
and the band played a killer set! What an amazing evening! I owe
it all to some friendly strangers I met promoting the clothing I love.

Trish

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Our Threads

Spiral Wood Earrings

The wheel is turning and you can’t slow down, You can’t let go and you can’t hold on, You can’t go back and you can’t stand still, If the thunder don’t get you then the lightning will.

Won’t you try just a little bit harder,
Couldn’t you try just a little bit more?
Won’t you try just a little bit harder,
Couldn’t you try just a little bit more?

Round, round robin run round, got to get back to where you belong, Little bit harder, just a little bit more, A little bit further than you gone before.

-The Grateful Dead

The Spiral Wood earrings embody the profound interpretation of these lyrics with their whirling nature and enticing look. Life throws at you many changes and challenges. No matter how quickly they come or how difficult they may be, we must get by and keep keeping on. There are instances when there is nowhere to turn or go, and all you can do is travel synonymously with the current of time. We exist in this reality of change and we progress eternally into each successive moment. After wearing these earrings, you won’t want to turn back from their deceiving gauged effect! They can be seen as a symbol of our inevitable change over time and our inability to pause the natural and arbitrary occurrences that characterize life.

~Sarah (from the Karma Krewe)

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Our Threads

Mudmee Tie-Dye Skirt

Hey there Buds! I LOVE my Mudmee Tie-Dye Bell Skirt! It is soft and comfortable and the brilliant colors make it a staple piece that you can dress up for a night out on the town, or dress down for fun Spring outdoor activities. I’m a bohemian girl at heart, but I do have a 9 to 5 which normally locks me into (UGH!) business casual!!! This skirt allows me to express my creative side at work because it looks great with a black blazer for those days when I need to dress it up. After work, I can ditch the blazer and head out with friends to outdoor Spring concerts in the park.

This skirt is perfect for the ever-changing Spring weather because you can easily wear it with clogs or boots, or just throw on a pair of flip flops. We experienced both chilly weather and then sunshine & warmer temperatures here in Philadelphia this past weekend, and knowing that I’d be outdoors for most of the weekend, I knew that my Mudmee Tie-Dye Bell Skirt would be perfect. For me, its all about comfort, but having a statement skirt with so many beautiful colors also makes me look like I know a bit about style! We had a great time at the Philly Italian Market Festival and I was happy to show off my Mudmee Tie-Dye Bell Skirt! As you can tell from my pics, I wear this skirt EVERYWHERE!

~Sheila (from the Karma Krewe)

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Our Threads

Blast From the Past: Janis Style … & Giveaway!

…summertime and the livin’ is easy…

If you saw our last post featuring some groovy styles you can recreate at Soul Flower, then you’ll love this one! Janis embodies the vibe perfectly, and we have a bunch of great threads to help you embrace your inner Janis!

Items pictured:
Electric Avenue Mudmee Pants, Candy’s Necklace, Angelic Natural Gauza Top, Scrapbook Bead Necklace, Vertizontal Stripes Blouse, Wrap Seed Bead Bracelet, Classic Woodstock Junior’s Tee, Tie Dye Cotton Headband, Tie Dye Bandana

Now that you’ve got some ideas, enter our


Soul Flower wants to help you get in touch with your inner Janis (or another unforgettable icon of the past)! Browse Soul-Flower.com and choose an item that speaks to you and evokes the spirit & energy of your favorite icon of the past. Post a comment on this blog post with link to the item and a quick explanation of why you chose it.

We’ll choose one random commenter on Monday, July 19 to WIN the item you chose. Good luck!

Now turn on some jams and get browsing! 🙂

Thanks to all who entered… We picked a winner!

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Style Influencers

Spreading the Vibes

We hope you all are enjoying your summer, and that you are getting to spend some time outdoors in the wonderful weather!

Our bud Trish from the Karma Krewe went to the Telluride Bluegrass Festival in Telluride, CO, and shared some pics with us, rockin’ her Down Low Hemp Hat!


At the festival, Trish also handed out some Soul Flower catalogs and stickers as a way to get the word out about our cool threads for kind heads… which reminds us…

The Fall/Winter 2010 Soul Flower catalog is now in the works! It won’t be delivered to you til October, but get excited! Because we’ve been working hard to bring in a bunch of new items that we’re sure you’ll love.

And speaking of love, we all know reusing is even better than recycling (though recycling is good, too!), so if you’ve exhausted your current Soul Flower catalog with all your lovin’, pass it on to a friend. It’s always awesome to spread some positive vibes!

If you’re looking for more ways to spread the Soul Flower vibe, check out our new Goodies section on the site. We’ve got badges for your blog, sweet desktop wallpapers, and some cool cards you can print out.

One more thing for you to check out…


Remember our past catalogs? We just added a gallery of covers so we can all reminisce… and see how far we’ve come!

PS: If you’d like to be added to our mailing list to receive a paper catalog, you can sign up here! Or you can browse the catalog digitally.

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Our Threads

Blast From the Past!

The Era of Love… good times for music, life and of course, fashion! Check out our collage to see how you can recreate these funky looks in a Soul-Flower way. Now bust out those vinyls and sing along to some oldies!

Items pictured:

1. Janis Joplin – Windy Flowers Racerback Tank, Candy’s Necklace, Scrapbook Bead Necklace, and Wrap Seed Bead Bracelet

2. Grace Slick – Garden Grove Smock Top

3. Cher – Vortex Backless Hoody, Shiva Coral Necklace

4. Janis Joplin – Long Tie-Dye Tube Dress, Mudmee Tie Dye Hoody, and Scrapbook Bead Necklace

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Our Threads

That 70’s Patchwork Dress

..

With the warm weather finally here, I was very excited to start going all sorts of cool places. So I recently paid a visit to Tower Hill Botanic Gardens in Boylston, MA. What did I wear, you ask? Why, my new That 70’s Patchwork Dress, of course! This dress/skirt is absolutely adorable. It is extremely comfortable and keeps you super cool in the hot weather. It looks nice in the picture online, but when you actually see it in person, it is even better! It is so soft and there are so many vibrant colors in it! All of the colors make it very easy to match just about anything to it. Plus, you can wear it two different ways! I must admit, I am quite biased to wearing it as a dress though, which is probably just because I love dresses so much :o)

The material it is made of (100% jersey cotton fabrics) is extremely stretchy, so if you are smaller chested like me and want to wear it as a dress, it may be a bit big. However, I did find that if you are worried about the top falling down, you can tie the strings used for wearing the skirt around your neck. It holds the top up nicely and it still looks really cute. Be ready to attract attention and bring happy, positive vibes wherever you go :o)

~Stacey from the Karma Krewe

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Style Influencers

Runway to Real Way #2


If you missed our first Runway to Real Way post, check it out here.

We work hard to find products that reflect your bohemian, peaceful, eco-friendly lifestyle, but did you know how much our styles mimic current runway fashion? But since we know that high fashion can be high priced, we matched up a few Soul Flower threads that capture the vibe of each runway piece. Check out these items (and more on Soul-Flower.com) to get a high-fashion look at a price that fits your budget (and your lifestyle)!

Items pictured:
Simple Livin’ Dress . Destiny Ruffle Dress

Playing in the Bandana Skirt . Long Tie-Dye Tube Dress

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Behind-the-Scenes

DIY Soul Flower Threads

Check this Out! Our Bud Leiah has been doing some great side projects using old Soul Flower scraps to create great, new styles. She got the Soul Flower Positively Hemp Cargos for her beau & ended up creating a sweet belt from the hemming scraps. Then she took an old, no good tapestry (or so we thought) to create a sweet new wrap skirt. Check out the results below and read all about these & other cool sewing projects in her blog Ruby Bows.
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Customers

Winner! 8035 Festival Pack Giveaway

Thank you all for entering our giveaway for the upcoming 80|35 Festival! The third annual 80|35 fest is set for July 4th weekend in Des Moines IA, and our lucky winner will be receiving a sweet festival pack to make their summer festival experience even better!

Congratulations, Ashton!

We’ll be contacting you so we know where to send your pack of goodies. Have a great summer, everyone!

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Our Threads

8035 Festival Pack Giveaway

Pack it up & head to 80|35 Festival with Soul Flower! The third annual 80|35 fest is set for July 4th weekend in Des Moines IA. Your Soul Flower buds are giving away a festival pack to help make 80|35 (or your festival of choice) your best fest yet. This groovy package includes a backpack for carrying your stuff, a tapestry for resting your dancing bones, lipbalm to keep you non-chapped & kissable all weekend long, a few tunes, and some other cool soul flower surprises.

Want to win? Just comment on this blog with the answer to this question:
What are you most looking forward to about 80|35?
(And if you aren’t planning on 80|35, you can still play by answering this question: what will you most miss about 80|35?)

Be sure to include your name & email in your comment so we can write you if you win! We will choose one random winner at noon on Tuesday, June 22nd. Thanks for supporting this awesome volunteer-organized fest and Soul-Flower.com. Peace!

p.s. keep watching our blog, facebook & twitter for our 80|35 ticket giveaway, coming soon!!
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Behind-the-Scenes

Giveaway drawing: What’s your soul flower?

photo by Photon Phisher

Hey buds! We’ve had contests on our Facebook page before, but this is more like a giveaway drawing… The prize? A $30 gift certificate to Soul-Flower.com!
To enter, leave a comment on this blog post with your answer to the following question:

What is your soul flower? That one flower that speaks to your soul and warms your heart… the one that catches your eye every spring and brings the biggest smile to your face…

Share with us your favorite flower, and why you feel like it is your soul flower.

On Friday, June 18 at noon central time, we’ll pick a random winner. You can use your gift certificate to purchase anything you want from Soul-Flower.com, and we’ll even throw in free shipping on your order.

Be sure to leave your name and email/contact info so we can get in touch with you if you win. Good luck!

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Style Influencers

Runway to Real Way #1


We work hard to find products that reflect your bohemian, peaceful, eco-friendly lifestyle, but did you know how much our styles mimic current runway fashion? Our bud Leiah pulled these pics from Spring 2010 runways……the first in a series of cool Runway to Realway posts.

These styles graced fashion runways all over the world for Spring 2010. We dig the designers’ creativity and personal style that shines in all these pieces, but we also know that high fashion can be high priced! So we matched up a few Soul Flower threads that capture the vibe of each runway piece. Check out these items (and more on Soul-Flower.com) to get a high-fashion look at a price that fits your budget (and your lifestyle)!

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Our Threads

The Perfect Summer Dress

After searching for so long I finally found it at Soul Flower: the perfect summer dress. The first day I got the dress I put it on immediately. It was a beautiful day out so I took my dog to the park and had a picnic by the lake with my brother. The long tie-dye tube dress was so comfortable and free-flowing I could easily move about. This dress makes me feel so good about myself, it’s flattering on any shape and I love looking down and seeing the beautiful colors of the tie dye.

 

After a long day in the park I had plans to go to a show. Heatbox, a beat boxer from Minneapolis (hometown of Soul-Flower.com too), was playing at a local bar so a few friends and I decided to check it out. First off, if you ever get a chance to see him play – take it immediately, he adds a lot of funk to his beat boxing and it just makes you want to groove. The show was awesome and I looked great in this dress while still being extremely comfortable. It definitely did not cramp my dancing style. The dress moves so well too, it swirls around you like a whirlwind and I can’t help but smile every time I see the stunning colors.

 

A final note on this fave – I also tend to have problems with strapless dresses because I’m always hiking them up; but since this dress has a halter tie you don’t have to worry about making sure the dress is up where it’s supposed to be. This dress is just so versatile because it’s casual enough for the day but it definitely makes a statement for night time as well. Enjoy!
-Peace & Love from Karmatic Kristen
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Learn

Best Music Festival Tips – What to Bring?

Our Soul Flower Buds (that is YOU, our awesomely cool customers) sent us the best of festival tips for making the most of this live music season. We took all of the advice & compiled the most mentioned and best ideas into this list – here it is, what to bring to make it your bestie festie yet…

Best Music Festival Tips: What to Bring

Attitude – Because it’s not what you carry on your back that really matters, it’s what you carry in your head. Bring a “free mind…hugs…free spirit, positive energy…open mind, warm heart, loving arms, and ….don’t forget to smile, smile, smile.”

Let the Music Play – Ah, yes, the music, what draws most of us here in the first place…lots of tips from your buds about the music – “get there early & mark your space” and “Get a festival schedule before you go, highlight your fest, and copy it to let you friends know where you will be.” And don’t forget to “breath deep, dance lightly & feel the earth beneath your feet”. A great place to find & preplan your festivals: jambase.com.

The Essentials – Most of our buds feel like Less is More, but there are a few essentials you need to let the good times roll…a tent (or a VW bus, which it seems a few of our buds can’t fest without…), earplugs, breakfast food, camping stove, camping chair, comfy shoes, a blanket/sleeping bag, sunscreen, dry socks, ziplock bags, lip balm, a flashlight or headlamp, a towel, a poncho, wipes (or wet washcloths in ziplocks), a flowing skirt, camera, band aids, refillable water bottle (full of water), a good hat, toilet paper, power bars, tarps, trashbag, cash & your TICKETS!!! Carry a few essentials with you in a small, easy to tote bag.

Beyond the Essentials – This part of the list is tricky, as some of our buds claim these to be essential. It really just depends on you, but here is the list to take your fest up a notch & make it the best eva. Bring hula hoops, glitter, bubbles, body paint, flow toys, Frisbees, glow sticks, a sunshower, cocktails, coffee, a costume (or two), a can koozie, nag champa incense, battery powered fan, a picnic table, fresh flowers or other homegrown goods to share with new friends, a journal, instruments (including drums, guitars, and an accordion), a flag to fly, a slip & slide, duct tape, and tapestries.

Pitch Your Tent – A good tent is very important and do a little test run before you go, especially if it is new! Then find the perfect camping site – look for shade or use a series of tarps to create your own. Camp with a circle of friends and definitely get to know your neighbors. Fly your own freak flag so your friends can find you easier…

Love your Mama –Respect what mother nature gives to you, whether it be the SUN (wear sunscreen, stay hydrated & find shade), the RAIN (tarps, ponchos, dry socks), and/or the little buggers like chiggers or poison ivy (bring the bug spray, lavender oil, & first aid kit). And most definitely bring a trashbag. Most fests have a recycling plan or bags for your campsite – find out about it when you enter.

Make New Friends – and keep the old. Go to your fest with good friends you trust & look out for each other. Stay safe. But also get to know your neighbors, creating your own mini community is the best way to enjoy a festival.

And a few extra tips:

-Freeze a jug of water so you will have cold, cold water for a few days….

-Taking the Kids? Here is a great link to the best tips on taking your kids along.

-Bring enough to share…karma goes a long way in this world. So when you can give a little bit, you will get back so much more.

So there you have it buds! Enjoy your festival season and look for our very own Karma Krewe out & about handing our soul flower goodies at festivals all summer long. Peace & Love, Your Buds.

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