Archive for the ‘Conscious by Nature’ Category
Our Favorite Outdoor Adventure shots!!
Thanks to all our friends on Facebook who shared their Outdoor Adventure shots! We’ve loved getting a little inside look at the many ways you all seek adventure in this world!
We are still in the midst of choosing a winner… with almost 100 beautiful photos to scan through, Element Advocate Amy Purdy and the Element Eden design team are going to have a heck of a time choosing just one, but for now, here are just a few of our favorites!
Summertime Clothes by Brooke Reidt
Animal Collective – Summertime Clothes (Dam-Funk Remix) (you can dance around to this in your summertime clothes)
Still working on the painting for my friend Durek and too shy to share details yet, soon soon promise!
But here’s something you can lay your eyes on now, either here in this post or in real life, on your body all summer long!
Element Eden’s Summer collection is currently available and there’s four pieces I created in this line. I wanted to share the details on how these things travel from my imagination into your hands.
I also think it’s a little serendipitous that the designers traveled to India last year and said a lot of the inspiration for the summer collection came from the textiles, colors and prints they saw on their trip. Almost simultaneously, I was in Indonesia for a few months where I was inspired by the colors and textiles there. I drew all of these drawings during my stay and even painted one on the side of a friend’s cafe. Now they are available for you to wear on super soft oversized organic tees.
First I take my imagination to paper. I use tracing paper so I can redraw parts a million times over and over until it’s super perfect just like us virgo’s like it. I use colored pencils to keep track of updated sketches.
Finally I re draw everything one more time and then finish them in ink so the lines are clean and clear. Then I scan these drawings and either color them digitally or send them over for Esther (the graphics wizard) at Element Eden to color up and place on Tee’s.
Seriously did I say wizard? Esther Kim is my favorite graphic designer that I’ve ever worked with! This is my favorite part when she sends me back this magical stuff! She works closely with me doing revisions on color and layout to help my imagination + mixed with her awesome visions = come ALIVE. Aren’t these collaborations the best? I think so! XOXOXOXOXOXO I LOVE YOU ESTHER KIM YOU ARE SOoooooo SUPER AMAZING!!!!! XOXOXOXOXO Even just doing this post I get so excited at this point in the process, more than the actual tee’s.
And then elves in a workshop mix up some potions and VOILA! Super soft organic Tee’s for you to live and dance in all summer long!
Click here to go get some now!
Can My Art Help Heal? by Brooke Reidt
WOW it has been nearly a decade as an eden advocate, life really moves at light speed sometimes.
Posting here is a good way to stop and reflect. Being an eden advocate has really allowed me so many opportunities to grow and share my art with people globally I’m so blessed and feel so grateful, it’s difficult to move forward without meditating on that for a minute.
Let’s face it I love painting, drawing and creating and feel so blessed that I am able to wake up and mostly do just that everyday! I want to share the process of creating with you! When asked to guest blog I got really excited and decided I wanted to spread out sharing the process of creating from start to finish (amongst other things.) I intend to start and finish one painting while I guest blog!
The first step in my process of creating is the initial inspiration. I’m inspired by so many things, people, places I visit, stories I hear, music, experiences, pretty much everything that impacts my life. Some inspirations really pervade me day after day until I create something or paint it out. Right now this inspiration is invested in a friend who has dedicated his life to heal, only to really need some healing himself. His story has been haunting me. My friend Durek Verrett who is a Shaman needs another operation stemming from many in the last few years. Durek really needs a kidney transplant to continue his battle to live. There’s a lot of details, some are very positive and others I can’t wrap my head or heart around but the fact is, he’s been fighting just to live for almost as long as I’ve been an advocate!
I’m going to paint this painting for Durek. Next week I’ll open an auction and see if this painting can make any small contribution towards helping heal this beautiful being.
Meanwhile he has an online campaign closing this week. Sooooooo so close to meeting his goal!
Have you ever met someone who you felt was so stunningly beautiful inside and out? Who just being in their presence feels healing and so spiritually refreshing? This is Durek. Being in his presence surrounds you with love and light that words cannot define.
I could go on and on about Durek, his story and what a beautiful spirit he is but here’s a link to a video and extensive details of his condition, please share this!
Please read his full story and help him move down this path of healing.
http://www.indiegogo.com/Operation-Get-Shaman-Durek-A-Kidney
“Remember you are beautiful in creation as creation is beautiful in you and being that you are one and the same may all your beauty be shared” – Shaman Durek
Intern Diaries: Eden DIY Braided Bracelets
Being trendy and eco-friendly is a necessity of being a woman of Eden, one of my favorite ways to make it happen is these amazing Element Eden wrap bracelets! We are working to bring these rad wrap bracelets to stores, but until then I thought I would show you how to make your own!
Supplies:
- An old t-shirt, or two if you want more patterns, preferably colorful ones
- A charm, we love our Eden “Live, Learn, Grow” pieces
- Basic knowledge on how to braid!
Steps
- Rip or cut strips of the t-shirt into 1/4 inch width and about 2ft long (you can change the length for longer or shorter bracelets)
- Take three of the pieces and tie one end together about 1.5inches down
- Secure the knot around something and begin to braid,
- Once you get about halfway down, add a charm (if you chose one) onto one of the strings and continue braiding
- When you have about 1.5 inches left tie another knot at the end of your braid.
- Now wrap it as a necklace, bracelet, or however you dare to rock it!
DIY: Grow an avocado tree!
Save the seed next time you finish off an avocado and plant yourself an avocado tree!
Not only are you one step further towards sustainable living… but it looks quite lovely in your kitchen window as well!
The World is Your Canvas!
I love nothing more than to take on the challenge of using found or recycled objects as a canvas… I find a lot of my inspiration and ideas are ignited from what we have laying around in our back yards, homes, nature, ect. The options are limitless If we allow ourselves to open up our minds and our eyes to the natural beauty around us.
I challenge you to think outside of a plain white canvas, and see the WORLD as your canvas! We all have something to offer to make it a more beautiful place to live!
Green Tip!! Recycled watercolor newspaper…
Watercolor is one of the easiest art mediums to play around with. Color can be smeared across a paper canvas to create a beautiful wash of hues, without need for specific design or patterning!
Came across this simple DIY for a lovely paper garland. Re-use old newspapers and book pages, cutting sheets into various shapes (such as leaves), and adding some light color with watercolor paints! String the dried pieces along with twine and drape on a mantel or wall!
The First 70
Last May California announced plans to close one quarter of their 278 parks, a devastating move that is intended to save the state a mere $22 million per year. The closure list includes thousands of acres of park land, recreation areas, wildlife reserves, and 50% of the State’s historical parks. By July 2012 Californians will be bereft of 70 magnificent natural parks.
The First 70 is a short film about Californians banding together to enact change and develop solutions in the face of a glaring bureaucratic oversight. Money raised via Kickstarter will help Lauren Valentino, Jarratt Moody and Corey Brown finish the documentary about the National Parks to help bring awareness.
Visit heathhenfilms.com to find out more and donate. Every little bit counts and we only have 25 days left to pledge.
Greenhouse Gallery!
I recently had the amazing opportunity to take part in the Greenhouse Gallery/Art fundraiser for Everything the Roof, put on by About Face Collective and Freshcity Farms! It was super rad. I went late in the afternoon and the light streaming into the greenhouse was perfect..they had bands playing in the background and the art looked great! Super good vibe in general.
All proceeds went to Everything the Roof, a community rooftop garden and learning space on top of the new Centre for Social Innovation, in Toronto, Canada. The creative structural elements of the garden were designed and built by local artists using recycled and reclaimed materials!!
In collaboration with the Centre for Social Innovation, Sketch Working Arts for Street Involved and Homeless Youth and Skate4Cancer, The About Face Collective created a unique, inspiring, visually exciting platform to promote urban farming, nutrition, green lifestyles and integrated community engagement!
Future is Nature
Inspiration to start your day!
We do not inherit the earth from our ancestors, we borrow it from our children. ~unknown
Font by Amber B Dianda.