June's Conscious Box

I just received June's Conscious Box in the mail. 

If you are not familiar with conscious box it is a monthly subscription sample box. Each month the send out a selection of ecofriendly, organic, and healthy products. I personally really enjoy getting this particular box. The reason being that  I am introduced to products that I would not normally purchase when out shopping because of the often higher price of organic product and me not being sure that I would like the product. This way I get to try out samples (usually generously sized) and decide if i really like them before committing to purchasing the full size product.

 

What the box looked liked when I opened it up. That is a pretty postcard lying on the very top.

This months theme seems to center around vitamin supplements and energy bars.  Products included:

 LaraBar, 

Kelp Krunch  Bar

eBoost Energy Shot

Vega One Nutrition Shake

Sattva Cashew Butter

Mighty Leaf Tea  (2 flavors Earl Gray & Jasmine)

Natural Newborn Bug Stopper Soap

KO Lotion

Nuti-Masu Life Ocean Salt (mix into a sport drink)

Natural Vitality 28 Energy Supplement

Overall I am excited to try these samples out. I did take that Kelp Krunch sesame bar in my lunch today & it was surprisingly yummy. As I was eating it I turned it over to read the ingredients which were: Sesame seeds, brown rice syrup, maple syrup, kelp.... That is all! Additionally they donate a portion of their profits to Allied Whale. I think I may have to purchase some more of these. The bar was gluten free which will be great to offer to my friends who  have gluten issues.

June Umba Box..

I am super excited I got home from helping a dear friend prepare for her upcoming nuptials to find June's Umba box on my doorstep!

For those who don't know Umba Box is a monthly subscription box. Each month they send subscribers out a "curated collection of  1 to3 of handmade products."  I am a huge fan of buying handmade whenever possible. There are so many positives in my mind about buying handmade.. from not supporting big box store to supporting artists who put their hearts and souls into their products.  Also, quite often handmade items incorporate recycled, or higher quality materials, and have lower carbon footprints than similar items found on a stores shelf.

So this is what the box looked liked when I opened it up.  Right away I was excited because I loove candy. (a little too much!) & every one knows good things come in tiny boxes....

So here is what I received 2 yummy looking lollipops from the Candied Flower on Etsy.. I am so happy to see that Umba box is  supporting fellow Etsy artisans!  I also got this delicate goldfill necklace from Lucid New York.  I am less excited about the necklace because I could very easily make one like it being a jewelry artist.. however the value of the 14K goldfill necklace alone more than covers the $25 monthly cost of the Umba box.

Crochet Bracelet in May 2012 Bay Fashion Magazine!

I am super excited because one of my crochet bracelets was worn by a model in this months May 2012 Bay Fashion Magazine!

My bracelet worn by a model on page 78 of May 2012 Bay Fashion Magazine!

 

Here are some close ups of my bracelet. These bracelets are handmade by crocheting wire! At Rock Affair Jewelry I try to use the most ethical supplies that I can... recycled wire and fair trade beads! 

If you want a crochet bracelet like this I would be so happy to make one for you just request a custom item & tell me the colors you would like =)

Recently I branched out a bit and just made this custom order bright 2 finger ring! I think it turned out very well for a prototype & I know what to adjustments to make on the next 2 finger ring to make it even better..

 

Father's Day Gift ideas from Etsy

With Father's Day just around the corner it is time to start thinking about what we want to get the special Dad's, Grandfather's, & other important men in our life. Here are 5 gift ideas that will honor the men and still be a little more earth friendly because they are all  handmade from some fabulous Etsy crafters...

1. A handmade card... What dad wouldn't love to receive such a unique card. Add in a letter telling him how special he is to you to really give him a gift he will treasure. Make this gift even more special by embracing your crafty side and making a card yourself!

Fathers Day Painted Egg Card by LittleOkins

2. Something to drink from....... from a handmade pottery coffee mug to a personalized beer stein  any dad would love drinking from such a special cup. Pair the cup with his favorite grind or brew for a gift he will love.

 

Rustic Dad Mug  by MaidofClay

Etched Pint Glass by ScissorMill

3. Personalized iPhone Case.... Your dad will love to answer his phone when he gets chance to see his loved ones everytime his phone rings. Make this gift extra special by adding an iTunes store gift certificate so he can add his favorite tunes to his phone.

Personalized iPhone Case by ToGildTheLily

4. Gourmet Grilling Herbs & Branding Iron..... Is your dad a BBQ guru? If so he will love to receive some herbs and spices to make his reciepes come to life. Add in a branding iron with his initials to eve eryone will know which steaks (or veggies)  he cooked. To make this gift extra special add in a certificate to whole foods where he can get some fantastic free range meat or organic veggies to throw on the grill.

Naturally Grown BBQ herbs by spiceoflifeak

Branding Iron Letter N by ReedsBlacksmithShop

5. Natural Soaps & Lotions.... If your dad is the type that would appreciate his own products just for him in the bath then here is a set created just for men that he would love.  From soap to aftershave he will have everything he needs to look his best.

Fathers Day Jet Setter Kit by SamsNatural

Fathers Day Blue Collar Kit by SamsNatural 

Colored Jeans....

Colored  Jeans are a trend that is everywhere right now! You can't miss them......... So why not try out this trend and be a little more eco-conscious at the same time....

These brightly colored skinnies from are from Reuse Jeans & are made with 78 % recycled cotton which allows for staying on trend while being sustainable!


*UPDATE** 
So I purchased the green pair of these Jeans & I love them! The denim is super soft and comfy... an instant favorite pair of jeans with no breaking in =)  Also got these bright blue shorts which I am loving. The length of them is just right and again the denim is very soft.  

The Perfect Soap Dish...................

A while back I switch from using liquid hand soap & body wash over to bar soaps due to the eco advantage of bar soap.  There were many reasons for the switch bar soap has less packaging, less chemicals, less waste, less cost, is often made locally etc. etc. You can read more about that here or here. Also a nice bar of soap is just looks prettier too, especially when it has designs stamped into it!

But...... I had always bought soap dishes in the past as part of a bathroom set (like the sets they sell at Target or Bed Bath and Beyond.) These sets were chosen for their colors and patterns and at no time did I ever consider the functionality of the soap dish when purchasing. So I needed up with this..... cute but not so functional or sustainable =( .... (The soap pictured below I got in my last conscious box has a loofah in it amazing!!)

For a while I was OK.... but I was getting really tired of the soap never drying out, getting gooey and leaving a thick residue behind in the soap dish.  I tried putting those oblong glass marbles you put into a flower vase into the dish for to allow the soap to drain and dry however they just stuck to the soap. Eventually, I got so fed up with all of this that I bought a cute metal branch dish at  Cost Plus World Market. However the dish let the soap drain right onto my counter-top (causing more cleaning) and corroded horridly in less than 3 months. I would show you a pic but I tossed this dish ASAP after getting a new one...OK so metal was out and my soap dish needed to have a base.....

They my wonderful Fiance found me the perfect dish. The dish he got me was stone ( no metal to corrode), had deep ridges in it (allowing the soap to dry and drain) and a removable base (preventing dirty counter tops and ease of cleaning!) The perfect soap dish .........

Below are some cute & functional soap dishes I found for sale on the internet...if you can find a place that sells some fair trade it would be even better!

An incredibly simple yet effective video on how to use a paper towel properly! 

Imagine the amount of trees that could be saved and waste reduced if everyone was able to cut down their paper towel usage to just one towel each time they visited the restroom. 

Highly recommend you try this!