a wee bit of zen

baby tanks + angel dress

lily lotus recently introduced a small keiki line featuring the same hand dyed and embellished style that has made the women's collection a favorite at island yoga studios. the wee tanks have a bit of baby bling and a playful edge not typically found on the playground.

if the tanks are a tad too fashion forward for your little one, these handmade toddler dresses (sewn by a woman's co-op in bolivia) are made even sweeter once they go through the lily lotus treatment.

shanti + enlighten notes

and, if you want to spread a little zen, take a peek at the yoga inspired note cards from local artist miu lang harumi kahalehau of miu artworks which are only available online at the lily lotus website.

p.s. don't forget the secret code to score free shipping!

old school holiday ideas

three graces

as promised, here are few more traditional ways to add some island style to celebrate the holidays. xmas cards from pacific island art cards spread the aloha spirit around the world with an eloquent holiday greeting translated in hawaiian. take a peek at their entire line of holiday cards and remember all orders over $25 receive free shipping.

island heritage has got you covered in the gift wrap department so you can have plenty of choices when you finally lock yourself away from the rest of the world for that marathon wrapping session. i'm loving the faux lauhala wrap. and if you want to give your gifts that extra special touch be sure to stock up on mele kalikimaka printed ribbon.

of course, nothing says hawaii like a lauhala box and the best source online is ailana kai which has a good selection of box sizes plus lauhala totes and wine bags. the woven boxes are also an earth-friendly option for gift giving since they can be regifted next year or reused to stash stuff for a clutter-free home.

wrap it up

 whimsy super lucky + s&g fronds

i'm gearing up for the holidays and have been searching for xmas cards and gift wrap ideas that are stylish &/or irreverent. my favorite gift wrap so far is this adorable super lucky pattern from whimsy press. it's not every day you find a lucky cat protecting your gift and i think it may bode well for the new year.

next up, a more minimal design from snow & graham. the taupe & white fronds design could double as abstract snowflakes and would look particularly elegant under the tree. even better, both designs are suitable all year long so you won't have to store oodles of gift wrap for different occasions.

iomoi palm beach tree + rsp palm tree

i am always on the hunt for pretty stationary and last year scored a good deal on pre-printed xmas cards from iomoi. this year, customization is king and iomoi has a nice selection of tropical designs for those with the budget to splurge on personalized holiday wishes. just remember that turnaround time is currently 7 business days so get your order in soon so you have enough time to get your cards in the post.

last but not least, i am loving the palm tree holiday card from rock scissor paper. they always have the coolest retro style designs and this card will definitely stand out amongst all the others that arrive in the mail.

now that i've exhausted all the modern resources, i'll be hunting for more traditional island style holiday ideas. check back in a few days for the scoop!

notes from paradise

coming home

have you ever flipped through what seems like every single greeting card at hallmark searching in vain for the one that expresses just the right thing for the occasion? more often than not i leave the shop empty handed so these striking screen printed note cards from binth are just the thing to keep in the stationary stash.

the artists behind binth may call chicago home but they have definitely captured the feel of a day spent at the beach. if you can't bear to part with the coming home set, keep a few of the cards for yourself and frame them to add a graphic punch of modern surf style to your home.

{update | jan 2010: alas, the coming home note card set featured above seems to have been retired, however two of the designs are now available as 5x5 prints}

miemiko atelier

thought i would share a site i recently stumbled upon for all the brides-to-be out there. if you have the budget and absolutely adore letterpress printing, you should definitely connect with miemiko atelier.

the designs are fresh and, if you need a bit of hand holding during the creative process, no worries since the designer will work with you from start to finish to tailor custom invites to announce your big day.