Natural Favorites

May 10, 2012

Vintage Nautical Wedding: Pinterest Interest

It’s wedding season, kids, and I’m loving this Vintage Nautical Wedding Pinterest board by Ruth Bleakley of Concertina Press. Now, I’m already married, but I AM going to my cousin’s wedding this summer! I hear there’s a good little rock-collecting beach nearby the wedding on the Finger Lakes in upstate New York, so I’m making [...]

Posted in: Authentic Living, Handmade Movement, Natural Favorites, Nature Photography

April 28, 2012

Rustic Homes: Pinterest Board of the Week

I’m so glad my mom introduced me to Pinterest! The people who pin authentically create the most beautiful and inspiring collections on their Pinterest boards :D Here’s my latest Pinterest find, a board compiled by Janice Flynn that’s wholly dedicated to rustic homes! I seriously want to live inside this Pinterest board! (Too bad my [...]

Posted in: Authentic Living, Natural Favorites, Urban Homesteading

April 26, 2012

Inspiration Knocks: Nature Collectors

I get a lot of thank-you’s from fans of my work for inspiring them to get out their rock collections and make their own stone jewelry out of them. Next week I’ll talk more about why I’m not afraid of people “copying” my ideas and instead go out of my way to help out these [...]

Posted in: Authentic Living, Handmade Movement, Natural Favorites, Nature Photography

April 18, 2012

The One Key to Making a Successful Trade on Etsy

Trading is a really great way for us handmade artisans to be able to afford to own more of the wonderful art that our colleagues make! (Even if our businesses are doing pretty well, it’s hard to afford to buy EVERYTHING handmade!) Of course, there are a few guidelines that can help your Etsy trade [...]

Posted in: Authentic Living, Handmade Movement, Natural Favorites, Small Business Tips

April 11, 2012

Take Better Nature Photographs by Cultivating the Right State of Mind

Finding interesting, photo worthy nature moments is more about the state of mind you bring to nature than about what’s out there waiting for you! I’ve found that the optimal state of mind for nature photography is the same one I cultivate when looking for rocks for my natural jewelry or when looking for clothes [...]

Posted in: Authentic Living, Natural Favorites, Nature Photography

April 6, 2012

I’m Sorry, Did You Say Stone Xylophone??

I am so absolutely blown away by the existence of this that I just had to share it with you!! According to “Moi” on Pinterest, “This is a 14 foot-long, 1.5 ton stone xylophone made in 1827 by Keswick stonemason Joseph Richardson out of rare ‘hornfels’ rock found between the mountains Skiddaw and Blencathra in [...]

Posted in: Authentic Living, Natural Favorites

March 28, 2012

Book Review: The Forest Unseen – A Year’s Watch in Nature

I love science books that read like fiction books! This one, The Forest Unseen, was written by a biologist, David George Haskell, on his experiences watching a “mandala” circle of old growth, Tennessee forest for a whole year. Each chapter centers around something that he sees happening in the mandala on a certain day and [...]

Posted in: Authentic Living, Book Reviews, Health and Wellness, Natural Favorites, Philosophical Ponderings

March 4, 2012

7 Hard-to-Kill Houseplants

I have a habit of wanting to nurture more houseplants than I really have time for, so while I don’t endorse the abuse of indoor plants, I have truly come to appreciate the species that are hardiest and can withstand a little (accidental) neglect. And what better time than now, in the middle of this [...]

Posted in: Authentic Living, Health and Wellness, Natural Favorites, Urban Homesteading

February 2, 2012

Natural Favorites: Growing on Your Desk

There is a special magic that winter carries with it, but on the whole I find myself yearning for sunlight, growth and water at this time of year. If you find yourself scanning the skies for returning geese and grumbling under your breath every time you have to trudge out and excavate your car from [...]

Posted in: Authentic Living, Natural Favorites

November 25, 2011

Etsy Sales for Outdoor Enthusiasts

It’s the perfect time of year to pick up some gifts for the outdoor enthusiasts on your holiday gift list because a lot of the cool handmade artisans on Etsy are having sales this weekend! (Including me!) Here are the coolest sales I found for anyone on your gift list who’s into camping or hiking [...]

Posted in: Authentic Living, Handmade Movement, Natural Favorites, Natural Jewelry