Soul-Flower Blog

Nothing But Nature Belt, Nothing But The Best

2012-02-09T13:11:00.002-06:00

The Nothing But Nature Belt is nothing but the best! The bright colors are so delightful, it's by far the prettiest belt I've ever had! The hand sewn flowers look like they've just been picked from a garden, (a garden in Peru to be exact), then delicately braided together for me to wrap around my waist. How many belts do you have like that? A belt you actually notice and better yet, love looking at?

This got me thinkerin' about belts. For the most part belts seem to sadly get overlooked in the world of clothing. I mean, I can't honestly say I've had a lot of belt excitement in my past. But why? For starters they are sometimes hidden and this reason alone could cause them to lag in funky/coolness. And yes, they serve a purpose (we need them to function correctly) and function means durability and durability doesn't always mean good times. But who says function & purpose can't be fun, colorful and mean good times? NOT SOUL-FLOWER!

Let's look at some belt bennies (benefits):

1. Belts just make pants look better... and butts, too! But, it's not about the butt...it's about the belt, The Nothing But Nature Belt!

2. Belts ARE like a piece of jewelry for your jeans...a headband for your waist, a necklace for the navel! The Nothing But Nature Belt stands out in a sea of waist jewelry.

3. Belts are really starting to come into their own these days (partly due to the 1980's return). So, show'em how it's done Nothin' But Nature style!

So, who says we can't have a party ON our pants? ((I said on, just to clarify)). :) I say be colorful! Be fun! Be vivacious belts and let's see where that takes us, shall we? Yes, we shall! I'm on board with this party and another reason I picked this belt was because it's a great piece of art...walking art. I appreciate the colorful embroidered work, the craftsmanship and the quality of the Peruvian wool. So far, I'm impressed with it's durability (belts do get a bit of a workout) and the hardware is very sturdy, too! The uniquely shaped buckle is made of heavy duty metal (no flimsy flam here) and has a rustic brass look with a funky carved pattern. Oh! And it has that little extra free floating loop that holds any extra fabric (the extra belt fabric after you've buckled) against your pants. Not all belts have that feature, so yay!

The Nothing But Nature Belt proves that belts can be colorful, functional, durable and still party like it's 1999! You go NBNB! Me likey, me likey... and me likey!

Just let the soul flow, bubs!

~Woo

Wendi reviewed the
Nothing But Nature Belt
All Karma Krewe posts | All of Wendi's posts

All You Need is Love...Inspiration!

2012-02-07T11:39:00.004-06:00

Valentine's Day is ONE week away! So if you want to show your buds some love, now's the time to start some thoughtful planning. Whether you plan on baking a strawberry bunt cake, serenading them outside their apartment window, or sending a simple love trinket, we've created a few lovely ideas to help inspire you. :)

Spread the Love by jackyleev featuring:

The Spread the Love collage items are perfect for the sentimental heart - that friend of yours who gets all worked up over romantic movies, keeps every little keepsake and doodles hearts anytime she has a pen in hand. The Love Thyself Pendant, Heart Peace Earrings, and Love (Spread the Word) T-Shirt are particular favorites this Valentines.

Strawberry "Doughnut: Cake" (YUM!) what friend or lover wouldn't want a gigantic doughnut? IT HAS SPRINKLES!! and just looking at the picture makes you want to hug and kiss people; can you imagine the real deal? Man. Watch out.

Buy Her Flowers by jackyleev featuring:

On Valentine's Day, instead of buying flowers that will sadly die in a week, you could instead buy lasting floral pretties, like these! Then write something corny (yet grand) about how this flower is lasting, like your love. There aren't too many girls out there who don't appreciate a soulful flower. The Flower Hats and Marigold Cuff Bracelet also make great best friend forever gifts.

Or a great idea (for him or her) would be to make a "52 Reasons Why I Love You" book. It's real easy to make if you have an old deck of cards lying around, and 52 things you like about the one you love. You could even do your own spin on it and create a love list of 52 - whatever! Making 52 redeemable coupons would be pretty cute... as long as your willing to do 52 things. ;)

Show Him Love by jackyleev Featuring:

And ladies, don't forget to show the guys some love! Men enjoy a bit of attention, too. Your best bet is picking something comfortable, funky or fun.. Also, homemade dessert, cocktail concoctions or dinner are always super successful game plans as well!

Now get out there and SPREAD the LOVE!
Jacqueline Lee

Pin It

Free Soul Flower Playlist: Love Songs for the Soul

2012-02-03T11:24:00.001-06:00

Hey Buds!

Here's the latest playlist - Love Songs for the Soul- you picked the songs, we built the list. Click play and get ready to give your heart that ever lovin' Valentine vibe! ;)

Love Songs for the Soul by Soul Flower on Grooveshark

Spread the love!
Jacqueline Lee
Soul Flower

Pin It

Lotus Long Sleeve Burnout Review: Anything But Burned Out!

2012-01-31T13:29:00.001-06:00

The Burnout Tee makes me feel anything but burned out! When I put on this silky soft tee, my mind and body feel totally revived and alive.

This is yet another item from the Soul Flower line that I have trouble changing out of. When I wake up in the morning, I love pulling this soft shirt against my skin with a layer over the top. Then, for my afternoon yoga practice, I keep the shirt on because it's yoga ready! Then as the evening chill set in, I can add a vest and a warm hat, grab a porter, and I am in bliss.

The fit of this T is what I am always looking for in a long sleeve yoga top. I actually am always looking for a long sleeve T that fits to my body while I practice, yet is not binding or constrictive. This T is like a second pair of skin that moves with me—the only time I notice it is in a moment of pure bliss as I notice the softness. The T also keeps me warmer than I thought it would, being a burnout fabric. I am very pleased with how it keeps me warm at the beginning of my practice, yet isn't too hot as my body heats up. I also love how the lotus chakra pattern reminds me of the alignment of my charkas throughout my practice. It's a good indicator of how my body is aligned and reminds me to feel the openness and flow throughout the charkas.

This shirt is also good for other activities, such as hiking, walking around in town, or just hanging out and looking good in the office and at home. As I've gotten older, I don't go out nearly as much. I spend most of my time in my office and hanging out at home with my husband. Soul Flower's clothes are comfortable enough that I want to wear them day-to-day, but instead of making me fell frumpy, the simplest clothes can make me feel gorgeous. I imagine it would be good for students because of this reason too. When you have so much to do, you don't want to have to think about your clothes—you want to just put on something comfortable that you can wear all day; and with Soul Flower, you can be assured that you'll look good wearing it.

These pictures were taken near Summersville, West Virginia on a reclaimed mountaintop removal site. For more info about mountaintop removal and the work being done, visit ilovemountains.org

Peace!
Andria

Andria reviewed the
Lotus Long Sleeve Burnout
All Karma Krewe posts | All of Andria's posts

We've Got it Pinned!

2012-01-26T10:52:00.001-06:00

Hey Buds!

Guess what? We've finally joined the Pinterest craze! If you have a Pinterest account (or will be making one today) be sure to come follow us. We'll be pinning our latest fashions, craft interests, quotes and overall inspiration.

Here's the start of our pins :

On Pinterest you can "pin" photos in order to save ideas and links that you love. It's much like creating your own personal online magazine. To keep your pins organized you are able to create as many boards as you like, such as "Style Inspiration" or "Words of Wisdom." They will look like this:

And the real fun part is that you can follow your friends, (like us!) to see what they're diggin' these days.

For example, here are some of our latest pins:

Want more? We'll be sharing all of our Soul Flower favorites, such as Karma Krewe reviews, Fresh Picks and videos, along with random beauty and inspiration from a variety of outside sources, (like the painted rocks and wall graffiti pictured above). Anytime you like what you see, all you need to do is click "Repin," and BOOM! it's on your board. With the pin button, you can also go on all of your favorite websites and start a pinning craze all your own.

And that's one thing about Pinterest:

IT IS ADDICTING! But I've placed it in the category of "good addictions," you know, like coffee. Some addictive insanity is needed to stay sane...at least, that's the saying I made up to make this ALL okay for ALL of us. ;) So, if you pin once and find you've pinned a thousand times by tomorrow, you can't say I didn't warn you!

If you do plan on "Following" us, Thanks in advance! We appreciate all your kindhearted support. You buds rock!

Happy Pinning!
Jacqueline Lee
Soul Flower

Pin It

Mandala Burnout Tunic = Wholeness of the Universe

2012-01-24T13:14:00.001-06:00

Hey there Buds!

Crazy past couple of months with school starting, getting back to Hawaii, trying to find a place to live, moving in, starting a new job, realizing my roommates and I aren’t a good fit, trying to get out of the lease, finding a new place and settling in again DURING MIDTERMS!!! Whew…glad that’s over with…

There’s always a silver lining to every cloud, though. I have met some truly awesome people this semester and thank the universe every day for making our paths cross. It’s crazy how during the hardest of times you see people’s true colors, which could be bad, but also can be incredibly bright. One of the people who I consider an angel, along with her boyfriend, have helped me more times than I can count and asked nothing in return. They are simply happy to have my company, or at least they say they are ;). Another friend reminds what it means to be strong and stand on your own even though the road is rocky at times, she teaches me with her actions every day. Of course, there is the crazy radical (puts me to shame!) who is there to challenge authority and challenge me to get to that next level of understanding. Of course, my family has been there every step of the way! My dad flew out here a few days after I called home to help me get out of that awful living situation, I don’t know what I would do without him or my mom who helped from the sidelines and held the fort down while he was gone.

I guess what I’m trying to say is that you can’t dwell on the negatives in life. Of course bad things happen and goodness knows I’ve punched a wall or two in frustration, however, I’m a firm believer that things happen for a reason. That’s why I like my Mandala Burnout Tee, the design reminds me that the universe is cyclical and our lives are just part of its cycle.

This tunic is a great length, I love shirts that can act as a cover up at the beach (like I said in my Headdress article). It works great for a yoga session, or just lounging around in your yoga pants. I can wear it to a nice dinner with the right skirt or I could wear it to class with some jeans. It’s not a snug fit but it isn’t lose either, it fits like a shirt you’ve washed a bit but is still relatively new, which makes it snug in all the right place and loose in the places you need some extra wiggle room. The fabric is thin and lightweight and very soft, however it could be a bit see through. It’s fine if you don’t wear a neon pink or green bra with it ;p

Mahalo buds!

And let someone know that you’re grateful for having them in your life, yeah?

Lauren reviewed the
Mandala Burnout Tunic
All Karma Krewe posts | All of Lauren's posts

Happy Birthday, Janis Joplin!

2012-01-19T10:56:00.004-06:00

Today, January 19, is Janis Joplin's 69th Birthday!! We will never forget her unique, strong spirit, her soulful sound, or her inspiring style.

And if you're in the Minneapolis area, come out to The Cabooze for a tribute to the life and music of Janis Joplin, Saturday January 21 to party it up!!

Rock on out! Happy Birthday, Janis!

Beautiful & Versatile World Tree Tapestry

2012-01-17T13:08:00.002-06:00

Soul Flower has the perfect tapestry to fit beautifully in with any home decor or festival... The World Tree Tapestry! My first thoughts were "omg it's huge!!" I love that it's big, it can cover plenty of empty wall space or be folded to cover a bed or couch. It measures 80 x 100 inches and is available in Sky blue or natural, I had to have the sky blue!

It's gorgeous!!! The amount of detail put into this tapestry is amazing! You can find everything from deer to wild monkeys and flowers, and of course an enormous tree! If you are like me you can never have enough trees around you so this is a wonderful addition!!! This can be used for so many different things. Just to name a few: A bed cover, couch cover, hang on the wall, hang in the middle of dorm room for a divider, hang up while camping at a festival to mark your campsite, sit on at a festival/fireworks, and so much more!

We used this outside during a party! It was such a unique and cool decoration that I will keep it up year round! I love how light this tapestry is, it made it super easy to hang up! We hung it off the side of the deck to the underneath sitting area and it was too cool! I absolutely love this tapestry and I know it will be in our family for a long time!

Peace,
Candice

Candice reviewed the
World Tree Tapestry
All Karma Krewe posts | All of Candice's posts

Adrienne's Week of Soul Flower Fashion

2012-01-12T12:51:00.004-06:00

Shortly after the new year, our bud, Adrienne, began posting pictures on our Facebook wall of her "Week of Soul Flower." She spent 7 days wearing Soul Flower gear, old and new, and had us all completely entertained. And, since we had never known Adrienne personally until this week, we just had to ask:

What inspired your week of Soul Flower??
I am a busy stay-at-home wife and mom to 2 boys, so its easy to forget to take time out for myself, especially during the Holidays when my attentions are on the home, family, food, gifts and spending lots of fun time together. This week of playfulness was a small thing I could do just for me. It gave me a fun reason to plan great outfits and look at my clothes in all new combinations. I paired summer things with winter stuff in ways I would have never thought of otherwise. Plus I always love a reason to take my picture (dorky I know) and show off the beautiful area where I live. I had a great time planning cute shots and the fun I had with my son taking my pictures.

Your 5 year-old took some of your pictures for you, and did an impressive job! What was their favorite outfit of mom's?

Ha! My son, Mason, loves to take pictures, of anything! He loved being the photographer and says that taking the pics was his favorite part. I got him to say that he likes my "fancy clothes" and he said my earrings are his favorite. Mason would be happy if we all wore BMX or skateboarder gear all the time, but Im working on him.

Out of all the online stores out there, why us?? Cuz we're awfully flattered!
Because youre the best of course!! I dont remember how I first found Soul Flower online but I know I loved it right away. Ive been shopping from them for about 3 years now. There was an issue once, long long ago, with a pair of knitted gloves I had ordered and they had to be sent back for an exchange. My package showed up to Soul Flower torn and empty :( I actually received a phone call from them saying what had happened and how the envelope arrived with no item in it to return, and that they were still going to send me out a new pair (because SF is awesome)! I remember that this all went down during the Holiday season and I was so impressed with the awesome customer service, and the friendly phone call from an actual person, here in the actual USA, and they sounded like such cool people...I was hooked!

Soul Flower has consistently offered amazingly cute things at reasonable prices, and have always had renewable, organic, recycled, Earth friendly stuff.The catalogs are always beautiful and super artful, and I love getting them and passing them on. Another thing I absolutely love is when I get a package from Soul Flower, most of the time there is a short handwritten note or hello on my reciept....that makes my day to know that someone actually cares enough to say hi & spread some joy while they were packing up my stuff. Did I mention the awesome customer service??

What inspires your overall style?
I would definitely say comfort first of all! If something looks amazing but isnt comfy, it wont last 5 minutes. I live in a mild, coastal climate so the ability to layer is another big thing for me. Im a pretty basic girl, I dont like super feminine things or super tough things either. Im my most happy in an old pair of Levis and a few great shirts, with an amazing pair of boots of course. That is one of my big weaknesses, I have tons of pairs.
Im not a big fan of synthetic fibers, so I really appreciate that Soulflower offers so many choices in natural & organic.

What's your favorite quote?
My first one would be 'Forever and a Day', that is something that I share with my husband and it is special to both of us.
Another that really is true for me is 'Let go, laughing', its from my favorite song by Sugarland called It Happens. Its all about how life happens, good and bad, and how you cant do anything to change it so all you can do is let go, laughing. I love it!

I had a great week with this and I cant wait to do a spring/summer edition! Thanks Soul Flower :)

Peace~Adrienne

Interviewed by Jacqueline Lee

Mehndi & Heather Soft Memories

2012-01-05T13:44:00.001-06:00

Mehndi, Mehndi so good to me…Mehndi, Mehndi it was all I hoped it would be!! Yep, find myself singing a little Mammas and Pappas whenever I wear my mehndi. Along with being particularly songstress on the occasion it's got me thinking about my childhood, my father (who consequently sang this tune quite often himself) and my old favorite tee.

When I was a kid my father traveled quite often for his job. Although I was always sad to see him go, I knew he’d be home soon with stories to tell of his adventure. Along with these stories and photos my father would bring us home a postcard like t-shirt that we would (proudly) wear to represent his travels and feel that we too were part of the story. Upon his return from one such trip he brought home a heather blue West Virginia ringer t-shirt. This became THE TEE for an entire summer. I remember it had a super soft lived in feel from all the washing and wearing. I went everywhere in that thing until I wore it out completely and then when it was no longer wearable, parting with it was like losing an old friend. Its funny to talk about clothes that way but have you had that experience? This treasured piece of my past eventually got forgotten until I happened across the mehndi sweatshirt and it's brought back that past, like finding a little piece of…home.

The blue in this hoody is a really pretty color and the heathering is full of awesomeness (just like my old tshirt)! I’ve always felt heathering gives a softer look to any clothing and this feels like I’ve had it for years (thanks to the recycled materials). Soul-Flower clothing always seems that way, like something I’ll wear until it disintegrates into the air. Something I’ll always remember enjoying. This mehndi is that for me and I love wearing it when I want to be warm and comfortable...like when I'm painting. Believe it or not I haven't got paint on it ...yet!

This hoody is made for Soul-Flower right here in the USA using low impact dyes (which puts less dye into the water when washed & uses less water to rinse) and an eco blend of 55% organic cotton and 45% recycled polyester. The uniqueness of this sweatshirt shows in the beautiful mehndi flower designs growing all about. “Mehndi” (the application of henna to the surface of the skin) dates back to twelfth century. The temporary decoration which uses dried ground henna leaves usually lasts one to three weeks, luckily for us these mehndi flowers are for keeps!

AND maybe you’re thinkin’ these bloomin’ flowers look familiar. If so, you’d be right! Their roots have spread all over Soul-Flower land, growing and blooming throughout the catalog, blog and website. But just how did these designs come to be? That would be the mastery of SF Pixologist, Leiah! She’s one crafty gal, read more about her here to see the face and talent behind the designs. http://soulflowerbuds.blogspot.com/2011/09/interview-with-pixologist-how-soul.html

Well, I’m zipped up and ready to paint the long winter away with scenes of travel and places I hope to one day be... before my mehndi blooms go to seed!

Stay warm buds, Woo

Wendi reviewed the
Mehndi Flowers Zip-Up Eco Hoody
All Karma Krewe posts | All of Wendi's posts

Rock Your New Year with an Eco-Friendly Resolution!

2011-12-29T12:49:00.001-06:00

Are you still struggling to find the perfect resolution? If so, here's a list of Eco-Friendly New Year Resolutions to help you out. Some are more challenging than others, but it's best to pick something that is realistic for your lifestyle and personality; changing too much too fast usually doesn't last longer than, oh...say, January? And, most importantly, don't hate on yourself and surrender if you falter here and there; it happens! Just restart your resolution the next day, and all will be well with the world. True story. :)

So, here's some potential Earth kind changes you could make in the New Year (w00t w00t!):

-Start a compost

-Buy more organic veggies and fruits; eat in-season foods

-Buy local

-Start a garden

-Go vegetarian, vegan or simply cut back on your meat consumption by doing something like Meatless Mondays

-Always bring your own reusable bags while shopping. Create a plan so you don’t leave them behind when you need them.

-Make your own super safe household cleaners

-Learn to sew

-Use cloth instead of paper towels and napkins.

-Wash your clothes with cold water

-Line dry laundry

-Carpool

-Consolidate errands so you only need to venture out once

-Walk or ride a bike whenever possible

-Purchase a rain barrel for your yard to conserve water

-Landscape your yard so it’s critter friendly

-Rescue an animal from a shelter or the streets

-Volunteer for a good cause

-Make a craft once a month with items you would usually throw away

-Buy organic clothing such as soy, hemp or organic cotton

-Thrift secondhand goods

-Donate items you no longer use

-Upcycle shabby items in your home into something "new"

-Use a reusable coffee cup

-No bottled water! Keep a reusable water bottle with you instead.

-Read more. Educate yourself further on environmental issues and ways you can help.

-Use recycled paper & print on both sides

-Turn off energy sucking devices when they’re not in use

-Become familiar with your local farmers and their farming techniques

-Support your local farmers market

-Cook at home instead of eating out

-Learn to make household staples like butter

-Throw away less food by eating leftovers; use “scraps” to make meals such as soup

-Make small (or large) donations to an eco-friendly cause throughout the year

-Support small businesses instead of big box stores

-Use (or make) earth friendly beauty products and cleansers

-Simply use less

Happy New Year, Everyone! Good luck in all your endeavors!
Jacqueline Lee
Soul Flower ☮

What's your New Year resolution? :)

Purple Aplenty: Astral Skies Patchwork Dress

2011-12-28T13:01:00.002-06:00

First, I'm a purple lover! If it contains even the slightest hint of it, tastes grapey, smells like lilacs, is a tune by the great purple Prince or resembles a big kid lovin’ dinosaur, it’s safe to say imma be like’n it! That was my first pull toward the Astral Skies Patchwork Dress. Purple variations o-plenty going on here! Vivid violet, mild maroon and night sky blue to (nick) name a few and all with a slightly muted pre-wash fade. Gorgeous colors and a nice weight for the cooler months!

The second gotta-have-me was the patchwork! Sewn together with neat-o exposed stitching gives this dress really great texture! I’ve been an admirer of patchwork since the days of my grandmothers hand sewn blankets. Using left over fabric from various projects she would carefully pick just the right collection of pieces to create each blanket. I acquired many of them through the years but every Christmas I looked forward to the next just to see the designs and color pallet she had chosen.

Third, the Astral Skies unique look! I like seeing the variations in each patch and beyond that, knowing every Astral Skies dress out there is doin’ its own thing! The little bleached spots sprinkled throughout this dress remind me of snowflakes and stars. As if I’m looking up while they fall towards me from a pretty purpley patchwork sky.And just as no two snowflakes or stars or grandmothers blankets were ever the same, the Astral Skies dress can claim that too! It's in these variations, the way each piece is chosen, cut and placed that brings theone of a kindcreation together. How very far out of each Astral Skies Dress to have its own vibe. We all have ours, seems fitting that our clothes should too.

Peace to you all! May your new year be filled with love and kindness.

~Woo

P.S. I’m looking forward to wearing this soft-n-comfy dress for the holidays! Maybe my nephew can count the snowflakes and stars? At three, I bet he’d be up for that!

Wendi reviewed the
Astral Skies Patchwork Dress
All Karma Krewe posts | All of Wendi's posts

Yoga for Holiday Stress

2011-12-22T13:43:00.002-06:00

Here at Soul Flower we are busy packing hundreds of orders every day. That much repetitive activity causes havoc on the back and legs. Here’s a quick and easy yoga sequence to take the edge off the holiday stressors of wrapping gifts, frosting cookies and standing in high heels at holiday parties.

Forward Fold / Ragdoll Pose
Bend your knees as needed – releasing your lower back. Keep your feet hips distance apart. Grasp your opposite elbows and hang from the waist loosely.

Feel the natural traction in your vertebrae as you sway a little back and forth. This is an easy calming stretch to pull out whenever you’re beginning to feel back fatigue or aches.

Downward Facing Dog

Feet hips width distance apart, press your hands into the ground and your chest toward the wall behind you. Sink your heels down to the ground and lift your sits bones to the ceiling. Bend your knees as needed. Settle into this great back and leg stretch. Breathe deeply and slowly, exhaling all the stress of super busy holiday schedules and shopping lists and the fact that you really need to do laundry, still.

After four or 5 breaths step your feet to your hands and Roll Up slowly – inhaling deeply

Mountain Pose
Deep inhale – all the way to the basement of your lungs. Exhale all the way up to the attic of your lungs. Make it squeak. Getting stale air out of your lungs is detoxifying and invigorating.

Root down into the floor with your heels and extend energetically through the top of your head. Reach with your fingers, rotating your pinkies towards each other.

Eagle Arms
identify your right arm, wrap your right arm around your left arm at elbows and wrists. Bringing your palms together. Lift your elbows to the height of your shoulders and reach your palms away from your face.

If you can’t quite make this variation work, simply grab opposite shoulders and give yourself a hug. This is a great upper back and shoulder stretch, equalizing any bad posture or wonky gift wrapping positions.

Breathe deeply and unwrap arms to stretch the opposite side.

For those really intense holiday activities that require a moment to breathe finish with

Extended Child’s Pose
With your back toes touching, settle your chest towards the ground between your knees and walk your hands out in front of you. Rest your forehead on the floor and close your eyes.

Breathe here for a couple of minutes, thinking only of how your body feels and your slow breath.

We're getting down to the wire here at Soul Flower, so once we get your orders out we'll be stretching and deep belly breathing all the way to grandma's house.

Happy Holidays!

Your bud, bri

Note: Consult your doctor or physical therapist before starting, especially if you’re experiencing severe back or leg pain now or during the practice, or if you have known disc problems, like hernias or degeneration.

Takin It Easy In the Take It Easy Fleece Pullover

2011-12-20T12:47:00.001-06:00

I recently was bombarded by life issues, and I found that my energy was depleted. I really didn't have time to do much besides deal, and my body felt run down and tired. In times like these, I like to turn to cuddly clothes, resting at home, and restorative yoga.

Ahhhhhh - Release!

Good thing I had Soulflower's Take It Easy Fleece Pullover to put on to keep me cozy as I tried my best to take it easy as life threw it's swings. When you put on this sweatshirt, get ready for some serious downtime! Put on some soothing music, grab a glass of wine or a hot cocoa, and take some time for you. You'll confront life's difficulties much better if you are well rested and calm.

Be sure and smile during your yoga practice--don't take yourself too seriously!

As you'd expect, this Soulflower label sweatshirt is super soft. The cotton and rayon are soft on your skin, and the polyester locks in that warmth from your body. I love how the wide neck reveals the collarbone making the sweatshirt feel sexy. I love this about all of Soulflower's designs—I can feel comfortable and sexy—why settle for frumpy? I love all of these features, but perhaps my favorite is the warm fuzzy little hand pouch on the front of the sweatshirt. I have cold hands, and this makes it so convenient to warm them up! Plus you can put stuff in there, like say, tissue for when you get the inevitable winter colds and flu; or maybe some lip balm to soothe dry lips from winter's fury. Even more, as the long, dark, days of winter envelope you, the warm, sunny design on the sweatshirt will remind you to enjoy taking it easy.

For yoga, this sweatshirt is the bomb. You can wear it over a short sleeve or yoga tank until your body heats up and then put it back on to cozy up for savasana. You don't have to worry about it flopping around on you either—it has a band around the bottom and around the wrists to help it stay put. As you slide in and out of poses, the soft elastic fabric is non-binding.

Peace

Because this time of year tends to be stressful and busy, and it's also a time when we often get sick, I put together a Take It Easy Restorative Yoga Session for you! Check it out at yogaventures.blogspot.com

The bolster used in the photos is from Inner Space Yoga: innerspaceyoga.net Support small business!

Peace!

Andria reviewed the
Take it Easy Fleece Pullover
All Karma Krewe posts | All of Andria's posts

Easy DIY Holiday Decor

2011-12-15T13:03:00.002-06:00

When decorating for the holidays, it takes just a few simple touches to pull everything together. A touch of lights and some homemade décor can really pull a room together. These projects (all of which we used in our Lookbook setting) are great not only for the winter solstice, but for birthdays, weddings, and celebrations in general!

Dixie Cup Garland
Trimming windows with garland can add a lot to a room. The one garland we just couldn't ignore are these Dixie Cup Lights. Although the link I am giving you here wraps the cups in an extra sheet of decorative paper, we just used plain old dixie cups, and they turned out just as great.

Candles inside of mason jars and recycled tin cans are also a beautiful eco-friendly way to illuminate a room. You can decorate the tin cans with any puncture design you like.

Accordion Zig-Zag Streamers
To add party appeal to a plain wall space, just hang some of these simple Zig-Zag Streamers and you’ll be all set. All it takes to make these ziggity-zags is some paper in the color of your choice, a scissors, and accordion skills. ;)

Pom Pom Garland or Ornaments
Pom Poms are the go to décor these days, and we can see why, they’re super simple! Pom Poms work great for decorating walls, mantles, trees, or gifts. For these poms, we used recycled tissue paper and followed this simple photo tutorial.

Paper Ornaments
When it comes to paper ornaments there really is no right or wrong. You can pretty much do whatever your heart desires with the craft materials you have on hand. We used old cereal boxes and cut them out into stars; then we decorated them with craft paper, cool scraps, and old buttons. This project is especially fun to do with family. Our Karma-Captain Peggy & Mini-Karma-Captain Siera had a blast making stars! Spending time with family is what the holidays are all about, after all. :)

Aren't these holiday crafts easy, and so very awesome? If you have any further questions on how to make these babies, don't hesitate to ask! Have a wonderful holiday season!

Peace & Happiness,
Jacqueline Lee
Soul Flower

What's your favorite holiday craft?

Warm Threads Video: Scarf Tutorial

2011-12-14T11:55:00.002-06:00

We have several stylish scarves here at Soul Flower, and they can be super fun and versatile once you know more than one way to wear them. So, we compiled a video of some of our favorite ways to keep those scarves looking sassy no matter what you're wearing! :)

Sassy Soul Flower Scarves by jackyleev Scarves Featured in Video:

Keep warm, buds!
Jacqueline Lee
Soul Flower

13 Ounces or Less: Shipping Cheap & Sending Cheer

2011-12-13T11:24:00.002-06:00

Did you know you can get cheaper shipping at Soul-Flower.com if your total order weighs 13 ounces or less? True, true! Rule of thumb is, if it’s 13 ounces or less, it’s a First Class go! Here are some cool 13 ounces or less Soul Flower items of awesomeness that you can send while saving!

Basically, you just want to think small and light - Pretty simple. Once you get the hang of thinking in terms of 13 ounces or less, the creative mailing possibilities are endless. If you're shopping on a tight budget, shopping according to product weight will definitely prove helpful. If you shop Soul Flower according to cost, most every item in the $10-$20 gift range falls into the 13 ounces or less category, as well!

Even thinking outside of the Soul Flower box, there are many creative gift ideas out there that you can ship on the cheap. Did you know that there is an entire blog dedicated to this very topic? Giverslog is the perfect blog to follow for mailing inspiration. With an entire category dedicated to exciting DIY 13 ounce gift ideas, you'll find yourself running to your mailbox waaay more often! So, if the author of Giverslog, Amberlee, can come up with a blog FULL of 13 ounces or less ideas (all of which are super fun!), we’re positive you can come up with a few splendid ideas as well! If you'd like more lightweight mailing ideas this "Roundup" post covers a selection of her 13 ounces or less favorites - click here! If you do poke around her blog, you’ll find all sorts of sweet ideas! Like mailing a flip flop! Tell me it isn’t rad to receive one flip flop one week and another the next week– you can’t! ;) It’s just a fantastic gift idea, especially for all you lucky ones enjoying the warm sun this winter.

What 13 ounce gifts will you be mailing this holiday season? :)

Peace & Happiness,
Jacqueline Lee
Soul Flower

Creative & Eco-Friendly Ways to Wrap

2011-12-06T13:08:00.005-06:00

Sometimes wrapping gifts the old fashioned way can become a bit boring, and if you’re buying rolls and rolls of brand new wrapping paper, it isn't exactly great for the environment, either. One quick fix is to grab old magazines, newspapers and all those gift bags you received last year. For our Holiday Lookbook, we mainly used recycled magazines and cut up paper bags, and it really added some festive color under the tree. It's also a wonderful way to make your gifts feel more personal.

Outside of using recycled paper to wrap gifts, why not get creative and wrap a gift inside of a gift? It's certainly an easy way to get your bud super excited (you know, that: WhoooooA!- I -want- the- outside -of- that- package- soooo- bad- what- could- possibly -be- IN -IT!?! kind of excited)!

A few simple ways to accomplish this over-the-top enthusiasm:

Use a belt instead of ribbon

Wrap the present in a scarf

Use a Grateful Dead Bandanna for smaller presents, we tied this one shut with hemp twine and added a Soul Flower button for an extra special touch.

Mudmee Tie-Dye Skirts work great for wrapping larger gifts, and the elastic band ends up looking like a funky ribbon on top. If you have a super huge present, try using a tapestry (who wouldn't flip over a tapestry wrapped present?)

Soul Flower Coolies are just the right size for small jewelry boxes

Long socks, gloves, or arm warmers make for super cute bows.

And, Mukluks make for awesome stockings; a lotta goodies can fit in there!

If you let your imagination run crazy, eco-friendly gift wrapping has so many possibilities (just put the scissors down first)! ;)

If you'd like to look into more neat wrapping techniques, these Furoshiki methods work really well for wrapping presents with cloth.

Peace & Love,
Jacqueline Lee
Soul Flower

Playlist: Holiday Fan Favorites

2011-12-02T14:13:00.001-06:00

Hey Buds! We took some of your holiday song picks and compiled a free playlist just for you! Enjoy!! :)

Holiday Fan Favorites by Soul Flower on Grooveshark

Peace!
<3 Soul Flower

The Joy of Soy Coy Skirt-Pants

2011-12-01T13:10:00.001-06:00

The best part of owning these Soy Coy pants is feeling like a kid again! Yes, it's true! Something about wearing a pair of pants under a skirt brought my mind right back to grade school just like the description says. I had to laugh remembering many days gearing up for recess by throwing on a pair of sweats under my skirt. Such an empowering feeling! I'm indestructible! I can do anything and wear a skirt, too! -- I could climb any mountain ( or jungle gym), swing from the highest branch (or monkey bar) and play kickball with the best of them all while maintaining a "you go girl" attitude!! All these years later and I still want to do that as much as possible. :)

What I love most is that the skirt is a completely separate piece from the pants. Of course, together they are an amazingly dynamic duo but one never knows when an urge to go skirt-less (and sport the nifty nomad pants alone) could in fact happen. I think they are just way cute and ridiculously rad! The fit is extremely body friendly, creating very nice lines and a comfy but flattering fit. The feel is pretty unreal, they are luxuriously soft, move well with the body and nicely constructed.

Checking their genetic makeup, the tag says more then 50% soy material. I didn't know much about soy in clothing but found that these fibers are stronger then cotton (or wool) and have pretty awesome absorbency and better ventilation then cotton. It's also light, resists perspiration & wrinkles and dries quickly. Soy has the most lavish appearance among plant fibers (kinda the cashmere of the plant world). The fibers are even said to have antibacterial qualities and to be sunlight/UV resistant. Soy's may even possess a super power - it's natural amino acids - which are said to have a positive vibe effect on the wearers skin. Cool, we like vibes, right buds?

So now that we know soy makes these little coys extra strong, cool, dry and health helping, I want to talk about details. Yeah, definitely not coy in that area with all the beautifully detailed stitching throughout. A slight flare in comfortable pants is always welcome! The ruched pockets on the sides of the pant and skirt add great style. The color is neat-o too! The slate grey sometimes looks more brown and seems to change with whatever I'm wearing - love that! All in all, a whole lotta pzazz!

So, I say go jump on that swing in your soy coys and remember the joy you had as a child, everyday of your life! Everyday a new story begins... look at it with wonder and curiosity.

Big hugs ~ Woo

Wendi reviewed the
Soy Coy Skirted-Pants
All Karma Krewe posts | All of Wendi's posts

Holiday DIY: Recycled Magazine Wreath

2011-11-25T13:05:00.003-06:00

One of our favorite Do It Yourself crafts this season is the Magazine Wreath. Not only is it easy, but it looks really freakin’ cool! Trust me; none of us are Martha Stewart here, so if we can manage to make this wreath, anyone can. ;)

If you’re ready to tackle this project all you need is:

- Styrofoam wreath in the size of your choice

- Hot glue gun

- Old catalog or horrible book

- Small piece of ribbon, depending how you would like to hang it

Best part is, you’ll have most of these items on hand already!

The tutorial I used (which is really great) can be found here:

Book Wreath Tutorial: Librarians, Please Avert Your Eyes

This particular blog even has a little video to help show you different ways to roll your paper. Not that it’s rocket science. The most important part of rolling your paper is to keep the top of the roll loose. Then you basically glue like crazy until that wreath is full and festive!

I chose to use an old catalog because I wanted a little touch of cheery color mixed in there. I also can’t rip apart books, even horribly written romance novels, the bookworm in me doesn't have the heart. ;)

But no matter what your paper choice, once you finish this magazine wreath, everyone will want to know how you made it. It certainly is a looker for being recycled!

If you're really feeling crafty, check back for our upcoming DIY posts on creative wrapping ideas, wall decor, and ornaments that are super fun to make with the family!

What Fills Our Hearts with Gratitude

2011-11-23T12:25:00.002-06:00

It’s already here. Tomorrow’s Thanksgiving. And we just want you to know that we’re incredibly thankful for you buds! We appreciate you not only as customers, but as friends. We all have so much to be thankful for here at Soul Flower, which is why we wanted to put pen to paper and take a moment to acknowledge the things that fill our hearts with gratitude.

"Thankful Show"

Create a free slideshow with Picnik!

What are you thankful for?

Restoring a True Travel Happy Bus

2011-11-17T11:35:00.001-06:00

Owning a Volkwagen bus, the iconic 'hippie bus', is a blast, buds! I own four, a '79 Bay & a '67 Kombi will be the ones I keep, but I also have another Bay & another Kombi as parts buses. Basically, I operate on a happy hippie bus vibe. It's a good place to be.

One thing I can tell you about having a Vw bus... everybody has a story to share of a bus they owned, or someone they know owned, and those stories are usually a hoot to hear. Mainly because Vw buses are finicky little creatures with distinct personalities and particulars. It's always an adventure in a Vw bus! Another thing is that Vw owners are one eclectic group of peeps. I've been introduced to some really flipped-out characters along the way. There's a strong possibility I'm a flipped-out character myself ;)

If owning a bus is a labor of love, restoring one is a test of endurance. I've been working on my '79 Bay for almost two years. I wanted to be part of the entire restoration. My hands have sanded every square inch of my bus. I was part of the engine removal from my parts Bay. See, that sounds easy enough, but what it really means is that I was crawling all around underneath it and even jumping up and down on a crowbar at one point! I've been greasy and I've been tired, but I am still in love with that bus.

That's why the Travel Happy Bus tee is perfect for me! When it popped up on the New! tab, I just laughed out loud. Soul Flower, you just get me....you really do. The tee is made from organic cotton, which makes me happy. It is a soft tee and feels great when you're wearing it. The color is natural, not a bright white. And, just like the real thing, the Happy (hippie) Bus tee is a conversation starter. People smile when they see you wearing it and they want to know where you got it!

If you've caught the bus vibe and just have to have one of your own, my advice to you is to check out Craigslist and the mecca of all things Vw...thesamba.com. Come on and take a free ride, buds! Peace!!

Cam reviewed the
Travel Happy Bus Women's T-Shirt
All Karma Krewe posts | All of Cam's posts

How to Create a Wishlist on Soul-Flower.com

2011-11-14T11:42:00.004-06:00

Ahh holiday gift shopping - you either love it or hate it, right? Help take the stress and guessing game out & get what you really want this year: create your very own wishlist at Soul Flower! No more size guessing, or even worse - style guessing. Show them what you want instead. You can add any item from Soul Flower to your wishlist, then share it with anyone.

If you've never used Wishlists on Soul-Flower.com before, here's a quick tutorial:

Go to Soul-Flower.com and click on Wishlist:

Click "I Want to Create a Wishlist!"

If you don't have a login already, you'll have to create one by clicking on the new customer link. After you create an account, you can login!

You'll land at your wishlist. No items? No worries! Get shopping by clicking on any of the category links on the left.

Shop around til you find something you just can't live without!

Choose your size in that item, and click "Wishlist" to add!

After you create your entire wishlist, share it with a friend so they know exactly what your little heart desires :)

What will you be wishing for?
Get started now!

Happy shopping and happy holidays!

What T-shirts are Telling Tweens

2011-11-03T11:55:00.003-05:00

These are the words that come to mind when I think of a young girl:

These days, I step into a mall and wonder where all the young girls have gone. A tween should not be a rude, sassy, sexualized t-shirt paired with a mini skirt, and hot pink lipstick; and I don't think this is a case of being old fashioned. It seems like this shouldn't even be up for debate, whether tarting up a child with negativity is right or wrong. Kids are starting to look like little Bratz dolls, and it’s weirding me out. But, that’s just me. I was born in 1984. Growing up, all of my favorite outfits were the playful ones: princess-like night gowns, skirt-pants, black mary janes, bibs, tie-dye, and let’s not forget, anything that sparkled. I wore makeup when I played dress-up. As a tween I was wearing baggy Disney t-shirts, and I concerned myself with trying to hide the fact that I still liked to play with Barbie dolls; I had no anxieties whatsoever about my level of sex appeal. No tween girl should.

Take for example Urban Outfitters “Eat Less” T-shirt. Thankfully, due to blogger outrage, this shirt was pulled, but the fact that it was being marketed and sold to anyone is troubling. What kind of educational message is a shirt like this giving a young girl; a girl just beginning to acknowledge her reflection in the mirror? Sadly, there are many shirts out there with messages similar to this that aren't being pulled; there are more trendy, mean t-shirts out there than I’d care to count.

So, when did we start forgetting how to let kids be kids? Innocent, playful, goofy, optimistic, kids…

:-( The irony of it all.

What we wear says so much to others. On a no shower and sweats day I would prefer not to believe this, ;) but it’s true. Our clothes are like a public letter, so we might as well invest our time (and money) in some positivity.

Totally Tween Girl by jackyleev Featuring:

That being said, kids have such worthwhile, colorful, cheery messages to send! Why on earth would we want to sabotage that? One thing that makes me super proud to work for Soul Flower is that our clothes have such upbeat, encouraging messages. The Soul Flower Originals teach us to embrace ourselves, the Earth, confidence and happiness. There’s no negativity here! Just simple messages of "Be Yourself," "Take it Easy," and "Love your Momma."

Kids absorb things like sponges, so why feed them such rude unhealthiness? It's completely unnecessary! I think it's time to take back innocence and playfulness, and encourage little girls to be just that - little girls. No padded bras. No provocative clothes. No more mean messages! It's time for the good vibe. After all, these little girls will grow to be women someday; let's teach them to be strong; let's teach them to be happy. Just please, for the love of playgrounds, don't rush them!

What positive message/quote would you put on a t-shirt for all to see?

Love & Happiness,
Jacqueline Lee