: the daily savant :

#SustainableSunday with Live the Give...

noreply@blogger.com (Signe Savant) — Sun, 30 Jul 2017 22:33:00 +0000

Today, it struck me: I only have one more lazy Sunday before the school year starts again and I am NOT ready for it!

But then I was struck by another thought:

Across the world, there are roughly 263 million children who are not in school. Many of these children aren't in school because their families can't afford to let them go, they live in conflict regions and it isn't safe, or because there just aren't schools (largely due to economic regions). A huge portion of these children will never learn to read or write, and as someone who love to read and write (and learned these skills as a 3-year old), my heart breaks.

Enter my #SustainableSunday feature for the week: Live the Give.

I've been featuring their clothing on Instagram for the last several weeks, and I absolutely love it, but I have to give y'all some more info. Live the Give was started by Najat, a former elementary school teacher who developed a real drive to educate the children of the world. That being said, she developed a line absolutely amazing tees, tanks, and sweatshirts for men and women and donates $3 from every top purchased to global education initiatives.

As a special education teacher, I can definitely say that I appreciate this effort. As a lover of sustainable fashion, I doubly appreciate it! All of the tops in the Live the Give line are WRAP certified, meaning that they are produced in facilities that safe, lawful, and humane. Don't even get me started on the style! Najat was kind enough to send me my new favourite black tank (which I've already worn as part of a work outfit and as a part of a work out outfit), the perfect white tee (which I, literally, wore 3 times in one week... seriously... I could use about 3 more of these in my closet), and this insanely comfy off-the shoulder sweatshirt. It's pretty hot in Vegas at the moment, but I pulled it on during a random thunderstorm one morning and am definitely going to be packing it for my fall travels! It is insanely soft and snuggly... perfect for a snoozy Sunday morning in the rain!

What's sustainable about this outfit?

: the sweatshirt donates to global education

: the trousers were up-cycled from old bedsheets by me

: the ring is handmade

^ I can't believe that I can still have a tiny top knot with my new, short hair!

Gray wide-shoulder sweatshirt c/o Live the Give

Trousers handmade by moi

Buddha amulet ring c/o Jessica Ricci Jewelry

#FreebieFriday with Juice Organics...

noreply@blogger.com (Signe Savant) — Fri, 28 Jul 2017 15:40:00 +0000

I am so happy that the long #FreebieFriday hiatus has come to an end and because it has, we're going really big this week! There will be not just 1 but 10 winners!

Y'all may remember that a few weeks ago, I introduced you to Juice Organics. They make natural and super fresh hair care products (that are now available at Target!!!)! As I said before, I truly wish that smell-o-vision were a thing so you could get a whiff of the amazing orange scent of this brightening shampoo and conditioner! You know when you peel open a fresh orange? That's what this stuff smells like... and with good reason... the number 1 ingredient in these products is juice!

This giveaway is super easy to enter! All you have to do is hop over to Instagram and:

: Follow @Juice_Organics on Instagram

: Follow @thedailysavant on Instagram

: You can earn bonus entries for :

- liking the giveaway image

- tagging friends

- re-gramming the giveaway image

That's it! Bonne chance!

: the fine print :

This contest is open to entrants in the US only. It will run until 11:59 PM on Friday 4-August-2017. Winners will be chosen at random and contacted via Instagram direct message for a valid mailing address. Winners will have 24 hours to respond to this direct message or a new winner will be chosen!

Sunflowers forever...

noreply@blogger.com (Signe Savant) — Thu, 27 Jul 2017 03:09:00 +0000

A few weeks ago, I went for coffee with a co-worker that I didn't really know too well. I made a comment at one point that I was a bit of a hippie. He asked me what I meant by that, so I told him that my dream was to make as little wasteful impact on the world as possible. I want to grow my own food, make my own clothes, and live in a house that I'll (hopefully, one day) build out of re-purposed shipping containers.

Why am I telling you this?

Because I am making baby steps towards this goal. The shirt I am wearing today was handmade... by me! It actually used to be a dress. I don't have a picture of it to share, but I made it, wore it once, and then it hung in my closet for 4 years totally untouched, so I figured I'd transform it into something new! Voila! Not only did I hand-make part of my outfit... I also re-purposed it!

Pretty cool, huh?

What's sustainable about this outfit?

: the top is handmade and re-purposed

: the bracelets are handmade and fair trade

: the rings are handmade

: the necklace is handmade

Top handmade by me

Necklace c/o Mildred & Bernice

Horn bangles c/o Soko

Stacking rings c/o Amy Waltz Designs

Late nights on etsy...

noreply@blogger.com (Signe Savant) — Sat, 22 Jul 2017 00:50:00 +0000

One thing I really love about putting outfits together is sharing them with the world. While I've been busy minimizing my possessions, sometimes, a girl needs a bit of inspiration. That being said, when I do decide to add something to my wardrobe, you can bet that it's something that I plan to keep for a long time because it was probably lovingly made.

Enter: these bleach painted leggings from Illufuchs. I found them on a late-night etsy window shop and knew that I needed to have them. I love being covered in henna, and these leggings make me feel either like I've got some pretty amazing leg henna or some sweet tattoos going on! I dressed them up with my go-to flowy tank, my almost-a-decade-old safari jacket and some sweet handmade jewelry!

What's sustainable about this outfit?

: the earrings are handmade

: the necklace is handmade

: the bracelets are handmade

: the rings are handmade

: the leggings are handmade

Bleach painted leggings c/o Illufuchs

Moss agate necklace c/o Birds of a Feather Designs

Stacking rings c/o Amy Waltz Designs

Raw stone rings c/o Lazuli Handcrafted

Bracelets c/o Kisii Handmade

Earrings c/o Swallow's Heart

Living the give in my white tee...

noreply@blogger.com (Signe Savant) — Thu, 20 Jul 2017 22:40:00 +0000

On #SustainableSunday this week, I shared Live the Give with y'all and mentioned a particular white tee. I've already featured it on Instagram several times, but it is making it's very first appearance here on the blog today! I genuinely live in the give with this v-neck tee. I wasn't kidding when I said that I wore it 3 times in one week.

It is one of those wardrobe staple pieces that goes with just about everything and the fact that it is sustainably made AND generates donations to a charitable cause makes it just that much better. These snaps were from the first time I wore this tee. I got to go downtown to have brekkie with a cousin that I haven't seen in at least 20 years. Since I was already near the Strip and didn't have any other plans for the day, I figured I'd take myself on a little photographing adventure in Fremont East.

The Arts District is probably one of the only places in the actual downtown Vegas area that I ever feel like I really fit in at all. I love that there are old buildings, crumbly buildings, buildings that have been re-puroposed and a healthy dose of graffiti all over everything!

All in all, I was happy to take in the local art while feeling epically comfy in my clothes!

What's sustainable about this outfit?

: the tee is WRAP certified

: the necklace is handmade and fair trade

: all of the bracelets are handmade (some are also fair trade)

: the rings are handmade and fair trade

V-neck white tee c/o Live the Give

Tahoe Tribal necklace c/o Mata Traders

Ring c/o GlobeIn

Ethiopian prayer bead bracelets c/o Kisii Handmade

Valley of Fire...

noreply@blogger.com (Signe Savant) — Wed, 19 Jul 2017 23:03:00 +0000

Holy stromboli! These photos are from May (i.e. before the world turned into an oven) and I, somehow, managed not to get them posted! In any case, SB and I made a day trip to Valley of Fire and it was absolutely epic! The rock formations here were absolutely amazing, as you'll see from these photos here.

A few interesting things to note about the park are:

: there is a $10 entrance fee with a $2 discount for Nevada residents. Unlike other parks, SB's military ID didn't get us in for free, but gave us the same $2 discount that Nevada residents receive.

: their website isn't the most informative. There aren't any really good maps or lists of things to do, but I will tell you that it is very easy to navigate around the park.

: from where we entered the park, we did a brief bit of boulder scrambling and were told by another scrambler that there was a herd of long-sheep coming through, but we never crossed paths with them.

: After this, we saw the Arch Rock and then made a stop at Atlatl Rock. This entailed a climb up a set of stairs to see some really awesome petroglyphs.

: Next stop was Mouse's Tank. This was a short hike through a bit of a canyon full of petroglyphs. It gets its name because water tends to pool in this area after extensive rainfall. It's also a fun spot because an alleged South Paiute Indian outlaw, named "Little Mouse" was said to have hidden here after gunning down prospectors in the late 1800s.

: Rainbow Vista and the Fire Wave were probably the coolest bits of this trip. We took extra time to wander around and scramble, but the waves in the rocks just blew my mind!

: This trip ended with one final hike through the slot canyon (my very first slot canyon), which was definitely fun! I tried to put one leg up on either side of the canyon and climb through that way, but wasn't too successful and I definitely felt it the next day!

We skipped out on the beehives, the domes, the petrified logs, and Elephant Rock. We saw Seven Sisters on the way out of the park, but were so exhausted from hiking and scrambling all day that we blew right past them and headed back home for a much-needed shower and a well-deserved beer!

Have you ever been to Valley of Fire? What was your favourite part of the trip?

Local tank c/o Tanked Apparel

Ice dyed yoga pants c/o A Spoonful of Colors

Phases of a new haircut...

noreply@blogger.com (Signe Savant) — Tue, 18 Jul 2017 01:04:00 +0000

Ahhhh, the first few days with a new haircut. Your stylist has managed to make your hair look EXACTLY like the Pinterest inspiration photo you showed her and you totes love it. And then you take a shower. All the product washes out. When it dries, it's flipping out at your shoulders (which you loved on Reese Witherspoon in "Sweet Home Alabama") and you can't stand it, but you're also super conservative with the electricity and refuse to use a hair dryer. About 10 minutes after your shower, once the desert air has made contact and done it's job, you decide that you'd better at least make an attempt at styling with the curling iron.

It doesn't go as well as planned. You consider buying a flat-iron, but then remember that you're trying to be a minimalist and don't need extra stuff laying around the house. That's part of the reason you chopped off 15 inches of your hair in the first place (you weren't using it and someone else could).

You consider making a tiny pony tail, but that goes horribly wrong, also.

In the end, you stick with what you've got and are shocked when you're out running errands and the lady at the library tells you how cute you look. You smile and thank her and decide that even though you're definitely not a hair stylist, it's good that you know how to put outfits together. You're even happier when you realize that your top is from a shop that supports global education, your trousers got ripped and you re-made them with scraps from an old bedsheets, and your jewelry is all handmade. You realize that you've done a decent job making yourself look presentable in a sustainable way and get on with your day...

What's sustainable about this outfit?

: the top comes from a shop that supports global education

: the trousers were re-purposed with an old bedsheets

: the necklace was handmade

: the bracelets were handmade

: the rings were handmade

: the earrings were handmade

Black high neck tank c/o Live the Give

Circle earrings c/o Amy Waltz Designs

Onyx flower necklace c/o Song Yee Designs

Spiral ring c/o Ija Designs

#SustainableSunday with Juice Organics...

noreply@blogger.com (Signe Savant) — Sun, 16 Jul 2017 18:49:00 +0000

It's #SustainableSunday, y'all! I don't know if you noticed, but last week, back at home, I chopped off about 15" of my mermaid hippie hair and this fresh new cut put me on the search for a natural way to keep it as such. Well, friends... the stars must have aligned for me in just the right way, because I had an email in my inbox from Juice Organics at just the right time!

Over the last year, I've gone on an epic search for earth-friendly, natural, chemical-free products to add to my admittedly minimalistic beauty routine. In this search, I've found lots of products that claim to be natural and work well, but my experience hasn't been that great. I've found expensive products that make bit promises, but don't deliver. I've gone down Pinterest wormholes that have turned my kitchen into a laboratory full of other natural products that don't always work the way that other Pinterest users claim they do.

Ladies and gentlemen, I am happy to announce that I've finally come up with a winner! Yes, pals... my new Juice Organics brightening shampoo and conditioner have stolen my heart. The first thing I did upon receiving them was to check the ingredients list. The number 1 ingredient: organic juices! While yes, there are some chemicals in this shampoo, I can actually pronounce them! I compared their ingredient list to a leading big box "organic" beauty product line (that lists "water" as their number 1 ingredient) and found that Juice Organics takes the cake. Their packaging is all recyclable and for real... if I could convey the amazing citrus scent of this shampoo through photographs, I would. It's amazing, refreshing, and it's REAL!

If you're looking for hair care products that are packed with antioxidants (aloe, coconut, jojoba oil, etc.) to fight free radicals and keep your hair looking amazing, then this is the stuff you need! And lucky for you, Target just picked up their line, so they are easy to find at your favorite store!

Sunglasses c/o Fello Eyewear

Re-purposing with a purpose...

noreply@blogger.com (Signe Savant) — Wed, 12 Jul 2017 21:23:00 +0000

Oh lala, getting back into the game with a bit of creative re-purposing of fair trade and handmade goodies. Because I am prepping to move, I've been doing lots of weeding out of the closet (and in general) and I've been trying to keep minimalist principles in mind while doing so.

If you've seen the Gilmore Girls reboot, you may remember Emily talking about a little book called "The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up" which basically says that if something doesn't bring you joy, let it go. I've kind of been operating with that mindset, but I've also added a more functional component to it, so if it isn't useful AND it doesn't bring me joy, it's out.

That being said, my wardrobe has done quite a bit of shrinking and because I don't like being an outfit repeater, I've challenged myself to get creative, which it turns out, is actually pretty fun!

I had a FaceTime interview on this particular morning and wanted to wear something that would help me stand out and stick in my interviewer's mind, so this Ikuru Project dress (see it worn as a dress HERE) was an obvious choice! However, I wanted to put a spin on it, so I tucked it in, turned it into a peplum top, threw a blazer over it and voila! After my interview, I went to lunch with a friend, ditched the blazer and felt ultra chic!

The greatest part of this outfit is, that the dress was handmade in Mozambique for a company that lives to help women get out of poverty!

Baobab dress (worn as a shirt) c/o Ikuru Project

Half circle earrings c/o GlobeIn

Booth sitters necklace c/o Mildred & Bernice

Agate cuff c/o Nature Look

Sustainable life...

noreply@blogger.com (Signe Savant) — Wed, 05 Jul 2017 22:36:00 +0000

This year has been a royal bugger. It has. It definitely could have been worse, but it has most certainly been plagued with roadblocks that I would have loved to avoid. That being said, during my blog breaks, I've found myself meditating on ways that my life could be different. I've ended up going in circles quite a few times, but in the last few days (back at my mum's house) I've turned over a new idea. My life this year has been about surviving. It's been around breaking out and being on my own. It's been about really, truly, trying to be a grownup, but in doing all of those grownup things, I've lost all passion.

And a life without passion, simply isn't ok with me. The photo up there ^ was noticed in a mad rush to catch the train, but it was just magical enough that I had to stop and snap it... and that's kind of when it hit me.

While there may not be magic of the Harry Potter variety in this world, there is a certain type of magic that stems directly from doing things about which one is passionate. While I've loved being able to help kids and spend lots of time hiking and exploring National Parks this year, the little things that used to bring me joy have ceased to do so. I've lost a lot of direction, and in doing so, have gotten way out of touch with what makes me me. : the daily savant : used to be something that brought me a ton of joy. Playing with clothes and having fun with photoshoots was totally sustaining, even during the crazy times.

These days, something that sustains me is figuring out ways to help the world, but that can't be done unless I've also done what I need to do to help myself. I guess this will be a place where all aspects of sustainability will be discussed: from fashion to eco-tips to self-preservation, I really want this blog to encompass all aspects of living a sustainable lifestyle!

Scarf c/o Ichcha

Montana sapphire ring c/o Gardens of the Sun

Stacking rings c/o Amy Waltz Designs

Dia bracelets c/o Emerson & Oliver

#SustainableSunday... sustainable life...

noreply@blogger.com (Signe Savant) — Mon, 03 Jul 2017 01:26:00 +0000

It's no secret that I've been a bit of an absentee blogger this year. What can I say? Life has been intense! The last three weeks have especially been a whirlwind with (finally) wrapping up the school year as a first-year teacher, zooming out to California to be with my dad during a rather intense surgery for several weeks, SB and I being on the rocks, a friend coming to visit and trying to find a new job and new place to live in the next 5 weeks, I needed a trip home. For real, I just need to put adulating on hold for a bit.

Today, on the plane, I found that instead of getting caught up in an in-flight movie or taking a nap, I was glued to the window. Perhaps because on the inside, I am in such turmoil, that I was drawn to the ever-changing landscape down below. My mixed-up inside matched the natural outside.

Sustainability has always been a huge part of my life (having a friend stay with me in my one-bed/one-bath apartment showed me that I am pretty darn conservative with everything) and now that so much of my life is in turmoil, I've found myself clinging to the things that give me purpose. One of those things is my commitment to living as sustainably as possible.

Throughout this year, I've written quite frequently about making some changes here and including eco-friendly lifestyle tips alongside the sustainable outfit posts and I'm hoping, more than ever, that this will provide some serious purpose to my otherwise totally uncertain current state in life.

Stay tuned and enjoy these bird's eye view snaps of Nevada, Arizona, Colorado, Nebraska, Iowa, and Chicago!

Seven Magic Mountains...

noreply@blogger.com (Signe Savant) — Tue, 06 Jun 2017 03:55:00 +0000

Once upon a time, I spent ever other weekend driving from Las Vegas to somewhere in California. On this drive, I sang songs, drank a lot of coffee, and enjoyed the scenery. After making trips along the same route about 7 times, I was shocked to notice several large towers of neon boulders stacked up in the desert just outside of Vegas.

After a frantic Google search to see what in the world these monoliths were doing in such an unlikely location, I was even more shocked to discover that I've literally driven past them no less than 7 times without noticing them. To be fair, though, my return trips to Vegas usually take place when it's dark; however, this art installation is called "Seven Magic Mountains" and there are road attraction signs for them all over the place. I just never knew what they were.

All of this being said, SB and I decided to swing back around and check them out, because hey... piles of neon rocks in the desert are just kind of fun. Of course, we had to attempt to climb them (not recommended), because that's kind of just what we do, but really... I just needed to appreciate the fact that even though these rocks are crazy loud, the surrounding desert is just as rad!

Ever seen this attraction?

#SustainableSunday with Passion Lilie...

noreply@blogger.com (Signe Savant) — Mon, 05 Jun 2017 01:34:00 +0000

It's been a while since I've had a good #SustainableSunday and you know what? Today is the day!

I am honored to introduce ya'll to Passion Lilie, an online boutique based in New Orleans. They design all of their products to be top-of-the line eco-friendly and then have them handmade in India (in a fair trade setting, of course) that uses as many traditional techniques as possible.

They were kind enough to send me these Ikat trousers and I LOVE them. The fabric is lightweight and breathable, which in the 100+ temperatures in Vegas is absolutely perfect! These particular trousers are super cool (pardon my pun) because they have slits up the side. I tied them at the bottom to make them more like super wide-legged joggers, but they can be worn open. If I had been at a pool and not trying to navigate the crush of the Strip, I totally would have left them open and taken advantage of the breeze!

What's sustainable about this outfit?

: the earrings are repurposed, handmade and fair trade

: the trousers are handmade and fair trade

: the ring is handmade

Ikat trousers c/o Passion Lilie

Soresa earrings c/o Paisley & Sparrow

Turquoise berry ring c/o Song Yee Designs

All it can be...

noreply@blogger.com (Signe Savant) — Tue, 30 May 2017 17:29:00 +0000

I'm going to get real here for a hot minute: life has just not been going according to plan. I know that life, by nature, doesn't go to plan, but I am, by nature, a planner, so I still like to try to anticipate what's going to come at me next. I haven't been doing such an awesome job of it and I keep getting pushed down. It's put a big damper on my mood over the last few weeks, but I'm trying to keep my head above water.

I'm trying to look for the good. Today, the good things are: this awesome outfit (a surprise gift from my daddy), sunshine, and coffee.

Sometimes that's all it can be!

Be Still band c/o MudLOVE

Ethiopian prayer bead bracelets c/o Kisii

White bead bracelets c/o Skar Designs Jewelry

Moro Rock...

noreply@blogger.com (Signe Savant) — Wed, 24 May 2017 17:45:00 +0000

Ladies and gentlemen, I had the distinct pleasure of literally having my head in the clouds on top of Moro Rock. After waking up from my very first night ever camping in a tent that was not in a friend's backyard, we packed up, had a quick breakfast and hit the trails for one last walk amongst the giant Sequoia trees.

We ended up hiking a trail that is usually open to vehicles, but was closed due to snow and this lead us to a smaller and much less traveled trail through the forest and straight to Moro Rock. This monolith rose out of the forest and even though we'd already hiked several miles, we had to climb it. It was mostly stairs, but at times, narrowed to graded slopes with little foot holds carved out. There were few rails to hold onto and the few glimpses I got over the edge, made my stomach turn.

We reached the top of the mountain and as we did, we were quickly enveloped by clouds. Now, I've been in the clouds in an airplane before, but I'd never actually ended up inside of a cloud without a great metal bird around me. It was crazy. One second there were sweeping views of the valley and the forest and the next second, we were in a fog! It rolled back out just as quickly as it rolled in and the gorgeous views were restored, but wow. Just wow. What a treat!

Sequoia National Park...

noreply@blogger.com (Signe Savant) — Tue, 23 May 2017 04:21:00 +0000

In case you didn't know, sequoia trees are gigantic! I remember first having learned about sequoias and redwood trees as a child and thinking how cool it would be to one day see some for real, but I never really thought it would happen (you may remember my experiencing this exact same feeling with the Anne Frank house several years ago). When I discovered that Sequoia National Park was kind of, sort of along the way from Mojave National Preserve to my dad's house in Ventura, I just knew we had to stop to check it out!

I am so glad that we did. These trees are monstrous, but in the best possible way. No matter how many times I tried to photograph them, I really just can't do them justice. They are mind-blowing. I would love to go back with a whole bunch of friends to see how many of us it would take to hug and actually encircle an entire tree!

We did very little planning for this leg of our journey, which was crazy because we camped and I, at least, had never camped before. Here's what you need to know:

: If you're going any time from winter-spring, consider buying or renting chains for your tires. We were here at the beginning of April and while the website said that we didn't need chains, it was only after sitting in line to enter the park for 30 minutes, that we were told that chains were mandatory. We had to turn around and stop at 3 different places to rent the right sized chains for my car. It ended up costing a ton of extra time and about $60 and in the end, when we finally made it through the park gate, they didn't even check for them. Nor did we actually end up using them. I guess my point is: if you own them, bring them and if not, cross your fingers and hope for the beset!

: Camping in Sequoia is actually quite comfortable. This part of the journey was SB's responsibility, but he didn't come up with much, so we rolled in with a few sandwiches, some salads, fruit, and non-perishable snacks and a tent. This was all well and good, as the campsites each had: a fire pit, a grill, a picnic table, a bear locker, a parking spot, and a place for your tent. We each had a sleeping bag and since I didn't know if I'd like camping and didn't want to spend a ton of cash on a sleeping mat, I doubled up on two yoga mats and was great. SB had an extra sleeping to lay on, but he said he still felt the rocks on the ground beneath him. There were bathrooms with flush toilets and running water on the site, which made me a happy gal. If I had to do it again, I would have brought firewood, a cooler, and more food, but other than that, it was good.

: Pack layers. On our second day in the park, we woke up freezing (like, we had to get into the car, blast the heat and drive around for a bit to warm up), but by the time we started hiking, the layers were definitely being peeled off. Because the elevation within the park fluctuates so much, the temperatures change quickly!

: Hug the trees. Seriously. I'm not even kidding. I've posted before about the health benefits of hugging trees and these are the biggest trees in the world. If there's anything that the world needs right now, it's more hugs and if you can get some clean oxygen and positive vibes from doing it, what's there to lose?

#SustainableSunday + repurposing old clothing...

noreply@blogger.com (Signe Savant) — Mon, 22 May 2017 00:31:00 +0000

It's #SustainableSunday and this week, I am all about re-purposing! On a recent Instagram scroll, I came face-to-face with the fact that the garment industry isn't always the best for the world. The use of water alone (like 5,000 gallons to produce one shirt and one pair of jeans) is insane. And don't even get me started on the pollution and waste created by the industry.

That being said, I'm on a mission to seriously reduce my rate of clothing consumption. This is easier said than done, because like most people, I enjoy having a bit of change in my wardrobe. When outfits get blah, I get to feeling blah, and I just don't have time for that!

Now, I'm super lucky, because when I fell in love with fashion in high school, my mom gifted me with a sewing machine, a serger and let me sign up for the "clothing" elective. I went on to college to pursue fashion merchandising and design, so I have some background in how to manufacture clothes. Now that I'm cutting down on consumption, but am also trying to purge the things that I own but do not use (thanks, minimalism), I've been taking old garments apart and remaking them. This shirt used to be a skirt and a bedsheets, but now is a pretty adorable (not to too my own horn) top that was perfect to wear to work and then out to fika with SB!

Now I'm on a mission to see how many old things I can make new!

What do you think?

What's sustainable about this outfit?

: the shirt was repurposed

: the earrings are handmade and fair trade

: the tag necklace is handmade and fair trade

: the arrowhead necklace is handmade

Arrowhead necklace c/o Swallow's Heart

Gold pendant c/o GlobeIn

Denim jacket c/o Charlotte Russe

Kelso Sand Dunes...

noreply@blogger.com (Signe Savant) — Thu, 18 May 2017 04:39:00 +0000

I wrote on Monday about the epic-ness that is Mojave National Preserve. That post was all about how awesome the ring trail at Hole-in-the-Wall was, but we ended our day with what we thought would be a nice, easy hike in the sand dunes.

What we didn't realize is that the Kelso sand dunes are up to 650 ft. tall at any given time.

For real, this was the most difficult hike I've ever embarked upon. The wind was blowing like crazy and was whipping the sand around, the dunes were shifting, and because I ended uprearing leggings with my ankles exposed, my boots completely filled with sand every few steps. I lost track of the number of times that I wanted to give up and turn around, but I took lots of breaks to breathe, regulate my heart rate and hydrate and with quite a bit of pride, SB and I made it to the top.

... where we were promptly totally and completely sandblasted in the wind and then it only took about 7 minutes to jog/roll/tumble back down the dunes to the car!

Hole-in-the-Wall...

noreply@blogger.com (Signe Savant) — Tue, 16 May 2017 02:18:00 +0000

Well friends, I've finally done it. I've found the exact space on earth where I fit in! And it's here, on the Hole-in-the-Wall trail at Mojave National Preserve. SB and I were lucky enough to get a week off to do some exploring and so exploring is exactly what we did! Our first stop was Mojave National Preserve, in California, just over the Nevada border. Turns out, we've passed this place on every single one of our trips to my dad's in Ventura, but we never realized it. Since our final destination was Ventura, we decided to check this place out.

I seriously cannot wait to go back to explore this place again. It has a huge and dense Joshua tree forest, petroglyphs, awesome trails, sand dunes, and some lava tubes that we'll have to rent a Jeep to come back and explore over summer break.

One of the coolest things that we did was hike the Hole-in-the-Wall trail. I know I've mentioned recently that one of my favourite things to do in life right now are things that make me feel strong, and for real, this trail made me feel like a warrior. The rocks are all volcanic deposits and the holes in them were caused by the heating and cooling of magmic gases. The mountains seriously look like Swiss cheese and were crazy fun to climb up and crawl around in (after searching them for snakes and spiders, of course), but the best part about this trail were the rings. On several narrow passes, metal rings have been screwed into the sides of the rocks to help hikers climb. I'd never seen anything like this and with just one small boost from SB, even with my bad knee, I was able to make my way up both ring passes like a champion!

The views from the top of the trail were epic and as I said before, I cannot wait to make another trip out here! FYI- You can make it to this train without a high clearance vehicle!

Leggings c/o Dona Jo Fit Wear

Hand-painted...

noreply@blogger.com (Signe Savant) — Thu, 11 May 2017 14:57:00 +0000

Holy cow, am I ever behind! Friends, I think that this must be the life of a teacher. Every time one thing gets crossed off of the work to-do list, 6 more things make their way onto said list and since it's the end of the year, the window for completing these tasks is quickly closing!

That being said, I cannot wait for the summer. I am SO looking forward to spending more time doing things that I love i.e. sharing my greatest handmade and sustainable finds here and as a little preview, I have got to share these leggings with ya'll!

They are hand-painted with bleach and I think that they're the coolest! As someone who loves to be covered in henna, but who can't always find affordable henna, these leggings are an awesome trade off! They came to me all the way from my former homeland (aka Deutschland) and wearing them over spring break in California and at work have both earned them TONS of compliments.

Ira at Illufuchs is an absolute genius! She has worked wonders with a bleach pen and I highly recommend that you check out her shop! She's got a few other designs (a Hamsa hand and a lotus, among them) that will make anyone with a happy hippie heart feel some serious leggings joy!

What's sustainable about this outfit?

: the top was thrifted

: the necklace is handmade (from ethically harvested deer antler)

: the jewelry is handmade

: the leggings are handmade

: the sandals are made from recycled yoga mats

Bleach painted leggings c/o Illufuchs

Antler pendant c/o Mountain Lust Jewelry

Buddha amulet ring c/o Jessica Ricci Jewelry

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Getting stronger...

noreply@blogger.com (Signe Savant) — Tue, 09 May 2017 05:01:00 +0000

One of the things that I've realized in the recent past is that along becoming afraid of many things, I'd started to feel weak. I suppose it's easy to feel that way when you've moved to a new place, don't know anyone, and have a job that really tests your limits.

Since August, I've taken on the desert lifestyle, began living alone for the first time in my life, and very quickly sank into a depression that was likely brought on by my job. That depression took the zest out of my life. The things I usually enjoyed couldn't hold my interest. All I wanted to do was sleep and that was the one thing that I could almost never do. This wasn't helped by the fact that SB was finishing up grad school and spent his weekends doing homework. Any time I felt adventurous, he couldn't accompany me and I didn't want to be all alone in the desert, so I'd just stay at home and wallow.

Once I hurdled my fear of long-distance driving, things got a bit better. I'd regained some freedom and my mind started to feel stronger. When SB finished school, we started to re-gain our joint adventurousness and started visiting all sorts of National Parks (stay tuned for more pics!). Now that my brain is back on track, I've found that making my body strong is one of my favourite things.

Through college, despite knee injuries, I was incredibly active. In Germany, teaching dance kept me constantly moving and I always felt in shape. During my darker days this year, I started to notice that my body had deteriorated along with my mind and now that I'm back, I am ready to rebuild myself!

These desert hikes have done wonders for both body and soul. Even when all I've done is scramble up a little hill, I feel strong. It's my favourite feeling.

What do you do to feel strong?

... and on a side note, these photos are from Artist's Palette in Death Valley National Park. The rocks are super colorful due to chemical reactions after volcanic eruptions. I've heard that the mountains look even cooler at sunset, but I was totally happy with the views and snaps that we got. This place was super fun to hike around in and if the weather isn't over 90, I'd highly recommend that you spend a few hours playing on the colorful mountains here!

The outside world...

noreply@blogger.com (Signe Savant) — Sun, 07 May 2017 02:03:00 +0000

When I was about 4-years old, my father built me a playset in the backyard (complete with a Jolly Roger flat). When the weather was warm, I spent all of my time playing on it... or riding my bike... or trying to climb trees. When we moved, when I was 6, our new house had a wooded area in the backyard that was quickly transformed into my fort and even in less than wonderful weather, I'd flock to it to read, do homework, and use my imagination until the sun came down and I was called inside.

Even in high school, when I was trying to balance dance team practice, tons of homework, and several part-time jobs, I found myself walking everywhere I could and if possible, I at least had the windows open. In college, I went out of my way to spend time outdoors. When I lived in NYC, Central Park was a favourite hang out.

It's hard to imagine my life without nature.

The nature I live in now looks quite a bit different from the mature, leafy trees of the Midwest. I'm missing the snow-covered evergreens of Germany. But even without the giant trees, lakes, streams, and cool breezes, I still find that every day I spend outside is a day upon which I am recharged.

I don't know what I would do if the natural environment was destroyed. Even here, in Death Valley, a place that so few species are able to call home, I felt a calm that I was able to carry with me for several days after leaving. When joy is able to come from a landscape so barren, it's something to take note of.

Have you ever found positive energy in a place that surprised you?

Thriving in the desert...

noreply@blogger.com (Signe Savant) — Tue, 02 May 2017 04:41:00 +0000

Before living in the desert, I tended to look at it as nothing but a totally wide open, arid wasteland. It was a place where things dried up. It was a place where very little could grow. It was an environmental limbo of sorts.

Now that I live in the desert and occasionally wander out into it to explore, I've made an interesting discovery.

There is life in the desert.

Lots of it.

And it is a place where some highly adaptable and hardy things are able to thrive.

This made me realize something: I've spent a lot of the last several years of my life in fear. While yes, I've made several long distance moves (even across an ocean to another country where I only knew one person), I've still found fear in lots of little things: a bump in the night, something I heard on the news, even fear of how people perceive me because I've heard somebody say something about someone else and immediately applied it to myself. And you know what?

Life is too short for nonsense like that.

Over the last month, I've been able to travel and explore more. I've spent lots of long days in the desert and while at one point in my life, I thought that it wouldn't a place that inspired much in me, I've found the opposite to be true. My time in the desert has awoken things in me that I didn't realize were sleeping. The desert is doing to me what it's done to the creatures that thrive within it: it's making me stronger. The more time that I spend exploring the desert, the stronger my body and mind get and this strength has helped to banish the silent demons that I've realized have been whispering into my ears for years. Even in places like Death Valley and the Valley of Fire, I've found life and I've found inspiration to cool myself down and chill out.

What's sustainable about this outfit?

: the top is a hand-me-down that I tie dyed to give it new life

: the bracelets are all handmade

: the earrings are handmade

: the trousers are locally made

Spiral ring c/o Ija Designs

Ethiopian prayer bead bracelets c/o Kisii

White bead bracelets c/o Skar Designs

Joshua Tree National Park...

noreply@blogger.com (Signe Savant) — Fri, 28 Apr 2017 04:14:00 +0000

Well, my friends, this was meant to be a #WanderlustWednesday post, but it is currently 2100 on Thursday in my corner of the world and I'm just now sitting to write, so clearly, you can get a sense of what kind of week I'm having. Also, I'm supposed to be working on an IEP right now, but well... my priorities are what they are! :)

I was super lucky about a month ago to have my mommy traveling near Palm Springs, CA. About a week before she flew out, she called to say that I should really consider driving out to spend the weekend with her. Since I'd finally lost some of my fear of long-distance and highway driving, I thought "Sure! I'll give myself a mental health day and spend some much-needed mommy time," totally overpacked a suitcase, wrote some amazing sub plans and was on my way. It was a super quick trip and I never actually made it in to Palm Springs proper, but I did stay in the Coachella Valley and drove through Indio (where the Coachella music festival is held... and was being held 2 weeks after my visit) and it worked wonders on my mental state, so it was totally worth it!

I woke up early on Friday, drove through the desert and by lunch time, I was stationed by the pool on a lounge chair with my mom at my side. On Saturday, she gave me the option of going hiking or going in to Palm Springs. Clearly, I chose hiking and I'm glad I did, though I must say that I wish we'd done a bit more planning.

My mom is an uber planner, but her main focus on this adventure was to pick out the sites and trails within the park that we wanted to see. We chose: Hidden Valley, Keys View (with scenic views of the San Andreas Fault), the Cholla Garden, Skull Rock, and the Barker Dam Trail. They were all absolutely fantastic, accessible, and I highly recommend that you put them on your to-see list for the park. I especially enjoyed the drive between the Barker Dam Trail and the Cholla Garden. There were cactus in bloom all over the place and it has set off a serious cactus obsession. I now own 2 cacti of my own and am attempting to grow saguaros.

I digress.

In other National Parks that I've visited, there have been hotels, bathrooms, restaurants, and shops placed strategically where the more popular tourist attractions are found and so that's kind of what I expected at Joshua Tree NP. However, this was one of those assumptions that really made me look silly. There are shops before you go through one entrance of the park and again once you've exited the park on the other side. There is literally nothing within the park, but some pit toilets. Between my mom, step-dad and me, we'd packed 4 normal-sized bottles of water, some almonds, a banana, a bag of peanut M&Ms, and a few individual-sized snack packs of crackers and let me tell you: we were crazy hungry and thirsty. Part of this is because we'd only planned on spending 3 hours, tops, in the park, but it was SO darn cool, we just had to see more. But really, we were not prepared. By the time we left the park almost 6 hours after entering it, you'd better believe that we were delirious with joy to drive straight into Indio for a Starbucks!

Here are my top tips for Joshua Tree National Park:

: Pack a cooler full of snacks

: Bring at least a gallon of water per person

: Apply sunscreen... liberally

: Dress in layers

: Wear comfy shoes

: Make sure your camera has a full battery

: Arrive early! The line to get in to the park was crazy long!

: Stop in town at the visitor's center before entering the park. You can pay the park entrance fee there (which will get you through the line at the gate faster), get a map, and chat with the park rangers about the top things to do and see.

: Take a zillion pictures! This park was amazing!

As I said before: Hidden Valley, Keys View, the Cholla Garden, Skull Rock, and the Barker Dam trail were scenic, accessible, and awesome things to see in the park. Here are a few snaps from our day! Enjoy!

Lotus tank c/o Wakened Apparel

Leaf print leggings c/o Pins to Kill

An ode to an old pair of boots...

noreply@blogger.com (Signe Savant) — Tue, 25 Apr 2017 03:13:00 +0000

Once upon a time, more specifically February of 2001, my mommy and I made our first trip to REI. You see, we were getting ready to go to Colorado and I was about to take my very first ski lessons. Obviously, that meant that we needed to be properly attired. Not having had much need for ski clothes in the past, I got a new ski jacket and pants (which I still have and wear to this day), goggles (which I also still have and use), and other cold weather gear. However, the most versatile addition to my wardrobe on this shopping excursion was a pair of hiking boots.

In the 16 subsequent years to making this purchase my hiking boots have accompanied me all over the world. Domestically, they've hiked in Montana, North and South Dakota and Alaska. They've made numerous ski trips in Colorado. They've kept my feet warm and dry in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, and Wisconsin winters. Abroad, they've served me well on weekend walks in Germany. They carried me to Giant's Causeway in Ireland and even kept me dry on my hunt for Nessie at Loch Ness! They've been to Stonehenge, walked over bridges in Hungary and have even partied in Mexico a few times!

Yes, these boots have been all over the place.

And now I'm a bit sad. You see, a few weekends ago SB and I made a trip to one of our favourite local Vegas hiking spots, Mt. Charleston. Down where we live, the temperatures were in the 80s, but up on the mountain, we ended up hiking up a ravine through almost a foot of snow! After our hike, while stretching out before hopping back into the car to head home, I discovered that one of my boots was quite literally falling apart. It had become detached from its sole which prompted near-immediate application of gorilla glue, to no avail. I tried everything I could think of to get my boot stuck back together, but after 16 years of loyal service to me, I am sad to say that they are dead.

The minimalist in me is having a tough time letting them go. Even though I have since replaced them (with some really super amazing boots that I have totally run through the gamut over the last few weeks... stay tuned), I have so many epic memories attached to my sad, dead boots that I'm not quite ready to say goodbye just yet.

Has this ever happened to you? Do you have that one thing in your wardrobe that has been rendered useless, but you just can't let it go?

Local tank c/o Tanked Apparel