spring forward with tend

hello eco orb!

mainland week is about to come to a close and i hope you were inspired by the kama'aina lovelies sharing a hint of the islands in their adopted hometowns. before we wrap it up, let me introduce you to today's gorgeous find!

while visiting san diego last fall, i spied a mention of tend owner britton neubacher in a local glossie and became curious to find out more about her oahu connection. while dishing with britt over email, we discovered that we lived just down the street from each other in hawaii kai, and possibly crossed paths during after school candy trips to the pantry on the corner.

even before we shared that small world moment, the mini landscapes found within tend's earthy terrariums (known as eco orbs) already had me at hello. since i hope to one day cultivate a green thumb, it seems only appropriate that my gateway to garden nirvana be grounded with a blush of succulents and other botanical delights which are both drought-tolerant and resistant to my ineptness.

i just love how the modern terrariums are an effortless way to bring nature's abundance indoors and can be set on a table top or hung as a floating garden. britt also plants spectacular living walls around san diego, and creates eco-friendly wonders for cali weddings inspired by nearby deserts with the help of succulents, proteas, air plants, and locally harvested flowers.

let's step on the lanai for a few of the fetching possibilities . . .

autumn wedding * desert orb

hitched tablescape

desert i do's

while hawaii friends willing to source plants locally are welcome to order just the fixings, the four varieties of pre-composed eco orb kits with greenery can only be yours if you call the mainland home. until tend's online shop launches later this year, place your diy order at pigment's plant lab or make your way to the north park storefront when in san diego.

price tag starts at $25 with four sizes to woo you. and do say hello to britt if you require loveliness for your home or i do's.

p.s. find glimpses of britt's latest botanical riffs on tending to it (cheekily subtitled notes from a garden hoe), and follow her monthly column on design milk for modern plant musings.

{photo credit: 1-4/scott caligure & 5/sarah yates}

rainforest love

love is in the air which can only mean the valentine's day flower hunt is heating up. if you swoon for the artfully arranged blooms featured in the dreamiest weddings, yet ever elusive at the corner florist, do have a peek at rainforest if you call oahu home. floral designer and shop proprietor michael miyashiro creates the most lush bouquets and just happens to be one of the very first eco-sensitive florists in the islands.

now you know why michael was chosen to style all the flowers required on my wedding day. he is truly an artiste and his lei designs, reknowned far beyond the islands for their intricate beauty, are what first led me to his shop. our moms absolutely adored the lei they were given on our wedding day and raved about their exquisite craftsmanship. high praise considering the many lei they have worn over the years! our wedding maile (which we exchanged in place of rings) were each beautifully wrapped in a pu'olo, as instructed by our kahus, and remains the loveliest maile lei we have been lucky enough to wear.

but let's allow the flowers to speak for themselves . . .

a lovely pu'olo

protea pretties

ti leaf wrapped gardenias

ravishing spring blossoms

i also love that michael looks to the stars to create birthday flowers inspired by your zodiac sign, and designs arrangements tailor made for your fella.

the rainforest 'ohana will be busy playing cupid this valentine's weekend so just know that pre-orders and pickups are welcome, and oahu deliveries are available for a fee. lei can also be shipped to the mainland.

• where: kilohana square, 1016 kapahulu avenue
• valentine's hours: fri to sun, 7a to 7p & mon, 6a to 7p
• shop hours: mon to sat, 7a to 5p

have you discovered any more eco-friendly, indie florist shops around the islands? if so, please share!

p.s. if you are searching for more valentine's ideas, wander through the blossoms to find the perfect petals.

{photo credit: rainforest}

introducing agua de flora

while scouting for effortlessly romantic valentine bouquets the other day, a click led me to agua de flora, a botanical perfumerie tucked away in a charming yellow cottage on maui. it turns out my stroll through paia town during our maui getaway last spring happened on the boutique's opening day, but, unlucky me crossed hana highway a few blocks too soon to say hello to the lovely ladies at wings hawaii before closing time.

although a visit to agua de flora will have to wait until maui beckons again, the shop already woos with descriptions of its artisanal handcrafted fragrance notes which can be worn alone or layered to create a signature scent. the petite roll-ons are au natural with each bottle filled with blends of hydro-distilled petals, plants and resins. the concentrated elixirs require a little alchemy but the old world process retains the healing properties of each plant to enhance the wearer's well being.

additional fragrance poems tempt from the garland collection's in-house line of perfumes . . . especially ocean flowers and its intoxicating mix of mimosa, neroli and tahitian lime. even more intriguing is the possibility to book a private consulation with ashana, the shop's proprietor and scent goddess, to create a custom scent portrait just for you. quite a besotting gift for your dear valentine or maui-bound sweetheart. 

let's have a peek at the exquisitely packaged offerings, shall we?

kama'aina suffering from vog wafting over from kilauea will want to explore the vog away collection which is formulated to ease symptoms and aid breathing.

while the online shop is nicely stocked with many fragrant possibilities from the boutique, not all offerings find their way online so do inquire if you are searching for an elusive scent.

the valentine's salon on friday evening will be a lovely introduction for maui friends with the launch of agua de flora's newest elixirs including a chocolate rose scented delight.

the price tag for smaller potions starts at $23 with custom perfumes topping out at $200.

• where: 161b hana hwy, paia
• shop hours: tue to sat, 11:30a to 7p

p.s. the romantic storefront is also home to the loveliest potted flowers.

sweet nothings 2011 - take three

because sometimes the sweetest thing is a locally made, sugary confection . . .

1 - between its gorgeous bars, 'ono flavor profiles, and committment to fair trade & locally produced chocolate, my sweet tooth is already swooning over madre chocolate. no online shop yet but follow madre on twitter for the 411 on valentine flash sales happening around oahu this week! or find at sweet paradise chocolatier's kailua & lahaina outposts. {via honolulu magazine}

2 -  the order deadline for bliss! cake pops is just hours away (6p hst) if you hope to play cupid and share the chocolate or red velvet mini dipped delights with your favorite work mates on valentine's day. {$27/dozen with a two dozen minimum order. $20 delivery fee or free pickup.}

3 - cupcake love maui bakes up petite treats from tiramisu to carrot cake with the most delightfully decorated flourish. {$36/dozen with a one dozen minimum order. $10 delivery fee or find at maui ocean grill in kahului.}

4 - the hamakua fudge company in honoka'a mixes in local fixings like coconut, kona coffee, mango and lilikoi for their sinfully layered gourmet fudge. {$9.95 with a one pound minimum for online orders. complimentary shipping over $50.}

p.s. today is the deadline to order the always 'ono and exquisitely packaged boxed treats from big island candies for valentine's day delivery!

sweet nothings 2011 - take two

cupid inspired a few valentine pretties to add kisses of sparkle to the day . . .

1 - modern philosophy's golden nuggets wrapped around pink leather channel healing energy with bohemian elegance. (custom pieces and gift certificates also available)

2 - the pa'ina earrings made by the big island's kahili creations mingle pink sapphires with golden lotus petals. ($49)

3 - the muted hues of the ruby fade bracelet by catherine weitzman in honolulu ships for 20% off *and* complimentary earrings with secret code lovers11 ($115; expires: wed, feb 9th - offer applies to entire online shop)

find more shimmer designed to romance after the jump!

4 - save 25% off all hinu jewelry including this gorgeous glowing handhammered heart. (secret code: hinugift; expires: mon, feb 14th. inquire about expediated shipping on custom orders for valentine's day)

5 - the gentle curves of wings hawaii's forever ring can be resized with a simple adjustment. ($85)

6 - green amethyst softly sparkles in a sterling silver setting by maui designer kira ferrer. ($87)

p.s. shop your wishlist to save 35% on rockabella jewels with secret code xoxo (expires: mon, feb 14th) and all valentine styles are currently 14% off at noelani designs .