pretty little things

 

today is the last day to grab some jools and receive 2-day shipping (fyi - orders placed tomorrow can still go express to arrive by xmas). i love the splash of springtime color in sybil's swinging peridot earrings and if you are all pau with your holiday preparations and are looking ahead to new year's take a look at the detail work on this delicate filigree cuff.

for those who covet new jools but are being good and sticking to their budget this holiday season, take a peek at the fully stocked sale section where the savings will offset the extra cost of speedy shipping.

no. 6 - tree hawaii

the inner treehugger in me believes that you can never have too many trees so i was happy to learn about tree hawaii which is working on reforestation projects on the big island. one of their biggest endeavors is to restore the kaloko-honokohau national historical park (which sits on now barren land that was once home to a thriving native hawaiian village) with rare & endangered trees.

tree hawaii also runs camp papaloa where kids & teens can escape from their family every spring & summer to learn about the natural history of the islands while roughing it in the great outdoors.

click here to buy a tree!

{update | jan 2010: fyi, the tree hawaii website has been taken down}

technicolor blooms

uliuli pono loa

well, at this point all that's left is express which is the best bet for dilly-dallyers who are soon to be diagnosed with a holiday panic attack. you may think flowers are a last resort but the reality is most folks never buy themselves fresh flowers and would appreciate a pop of tropical color to warm up their home during winter (40 degrees tonight in so/cal. brrr!).

flowers are always sent by either 2-day or overnight shipping to ensure the freshest blooms arrive at their destination which means you have one final day left to place an order which is sure to impress someone this weekend.

take a peak at the bouquets from hilo's ali'i tropical which feature everything from anthuriums & red ginger to orchids & proteas. if you really want to wow them, you can even throw in macadamia nut biscotti & kona coffee to make you the best gift giver ever. and wannabe floral designers can also stock up on individual blooms to create their very own centerpiece for those upcoming holiday shindigs.

9-8-7 . . . the kokua countdown continues

well, you may have noticed that i fell behind on the kokua countdown over the weekend. i will refrain from blaming holiday shopping in the real world or snuggling in to watch the charger game last night and just get on with the good stuff.

no. 9 - alu like
provides a multitude of services for native hawaiians from keiki to kupuna. i especially like that they understand the importance of being financially literate and offer classes to native hawaiians to help them take control of their financial future. alu like also runs ulukau and the hawaii digital library which gives everyone online access to hawaiian & english materials written in the 19th & 20th centuries.

no. 8 - lanakila
focuses their efforts on providing assistance to those in the community with cognitive, physical, social or age-related challenges. in addition to adult day services, lanakila also has a program to train folks with a disability who want to join the workforce, a center for the blind, and operates meals on wheels for those who are homebound.

no. 7 - christmas wish program
which is run entirely by volunteers on a mission to bring xmas & a little stability to big island keiki and their families whose only home may be a shelter or one of the many tent cities that have popped up around the islands in the last few years. they have a pay pal donation option and have also posted a gift card wish list of island stores where the organization can stock up for their gift giving events.

ohana style at manuheali'i

yes virginia, there is a difference between tacky outdated alohawear and cool vintage island threads. the fresh botanical prints from manuheali'i will no doubt fall into the latter category one day and their website is the perfect one stop shop to pick up gifts for the entire family. and since they ship via priority mail your order just may squeak by the postmaster's holiday deadline.

take a peek at manuheali'i's hibiscus collection which has everything from the cute ailana dress & boys' aloha shirts (shown above) to stylish shirts for grownups and lovely fabric lined lauhala handbags for the ladies.