ethical shopping

3 rules for curating conscious home decor

September 11, 2015 by Angela

When I first moved I had one word on my mind: want. I wanted more home decor, a chair for my reading nook, a shelf to display my books—I had practical wants and not so practical wants. Being super picky, I didn’t end up purchasing a lot of those initial things, and over time I realized I wanted to be more intentional about how my home is set up. Being intentional is always a compromise because it means I can’t have everything at once—it’s a slow, steady process of curation. Through this process, I also learned that a lot of my wants fade over time. They’re really just that impulse brought on by an image on Pinterest or an online sale.

Conscious closet: end of summer neutrals

September 4, 2015 by Angela

Labor Day is on Monday and as much as I love that it’s a symbol of a brand new season, my favorite season (I don’t pick favorites often, but when I do, it’s about the weather), I just can’t start posting about fall fashion yet. It’s been a HOT summer in Los Angeles. We finally had a bit of cooler weather this week and all I wanted to do was be outside and enjoy it. Funny how when I lived in Washington it was sunny weather that got me outdoors and now it’s the opposite. Such is life.

Favorite handmade gift ideas on Brika

July 13, 2015 by Angela

Though I’ve bought everything from handmade beauty products to wall art to supplies on Etsy, I haven’t ventured too far into other handmade marketplaces online. Brika always pops up in my searches though. There are many of the same sellers there as on Etsy, though Brika is quite a lot more exclusive, with an application process and a special spot just for highlighting makers. Each designer gets essentially an about page about their shop, rather than a profile. I haven’t bought anything from this site yet, even though it’s been around for long enough that I probably should’ve by now. Lately, I’ve found more and more shops to bookmark for my style or space or to give as gifts.

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9

Each of these 9 shops have a little somethin’ of note. I’ve noticed a lot of candles and soaps on Brika and I never get enough of relaxing / refreshing scents and a little pampering so you can see I keep returning to these types of makers. Doesn’t Woodlot take the best photos? I also recently purchased one of those dishes from Redraven Studios at a boutique here in Los Angeles, to use for little misc things in my studio. I am so in love with the Redraven tabletop that I couldn’t help but get a little slice of the collection. Are you a shopper or maker on Brika?

Bohemian bedroom decor ideas

July 7, 2015 by Angela

I think I mentioned before that there was quite a lull in my search for the perfect decor + furniture for our “new” apartment that we moved into in April. Finally, I am back on the hunt. I’ve just always had unfinished spaces–mostly because I move so much it hardly seemed worth it–and I want to finally create a dwelling I love to sit, sleep, read, work, and create in. We don’t entertain out of town guests too much and that’s been one of the reasons I want to work on our space too… I don’t like the idea of the friends/family I already don’t see often enough not being able to check out my home! They certainly don’t mind but I do. Anyway, with a little break from the living room, I’m finally putting a little energy toward the bedroom.

amethyst tea light holder | stone washed linens | hand loomed wool rug | toasted coconut hand poured candle | modern kilim pillow

I want it to be very relaxed, warm, and cozy, but also tranquil and fresh. Sure, there will be laundry thrown about on rushed mornings and clutter on the dresser, but I don’t want to take away from it being the ultimate place to rest and rewind. Of course I had to go ahead and paint an accent wall purple. I love it but hadn’t considered that I can’t really pair it with purple decor. For this roundup let’s say I don’t have to avoid purple completely–in reality I’ll likely go with gray or aqua duvet, pinks, and perhaps a few cozy neutrals. Click the links above for my bohemian bedroom picks! Candles, geodes, and stone washed linen – I’m determined to have a bit of each.

Sustainable fashion feature on AWEAR

June 29, 2015 by Angela

Morning! Last week I was featured on AWEAR, a project created to encourage us to think about the stories behind our clothes: who made them, where, and how, and with what. The founder, Kestrel, completed a year-long challenge in 2009 where she committed to only purchasing conscious clothing. AWEAR was created with that idea on a larger scale: people are invited to join in, share their stores, how they’re making conscious choices, and get inspired by others. Style is a creative endeavor. Even more so when you need to be innovative about where you shop. I was happy to be a part of it!

I bought this floral dress from Wasteland in Studio City, CA. I’ve been dreaming up a tropical vacation ever since (sans layered tank). I’ve never been to Hawaii but if I ever go, I will be on the beach in this dress.

But to keep it casual I’ve been thinking of ways to layer for different looks. Check out the full feature with my thoughts on recycled fashion and sustainable shopping here… and be sure to follow the AWEAR Instagram for everyone else in the community and their stories.

Dress: Wasteland / Tank: Thrifted / Necklace: Sumi’s (gift) / Bag: Crossroads Trading Co. / Shoes: Boutique in Huntington Beach, CA

Found on Instagram: Hey Girl Market

June 18, 2015 by Angela

Instagram is incredible because it’s kind of like Pinterest except with (generally… you must follow the right circle!) original work. Lots of pretty, styled photos to inspire your life. But lately the primary reason I’ve been spending too many minutes perusing Insta so much is not just to check in on my photos and feed, but to find cool people making or doing or wearing cool things. Hey Girl Market is doing all three from Costa Rica.

These are my current favorites from heygirlmarket.com. Isn’t everything so cheerful? As much as I love color, I find myself wearing a lot of neutrals, and just one of these statement pieces would spice up a bland look, I think. According to their website, all of Hey Girl Market’s accessories helps provide jobs for local female designers, helping them work safely in a positive environment. Each product is handmade using an array of bright colors, fringe, and striking metallics. The HGM blog has more info spotlighting the connections they have made.

You can follow @heygirlmarket on Instagram. Have you discovered any new makers lately?