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!

stocking spectacular

mele kalikimaka stockings

expecting to be on the nice list this year and waking up to find little bundles of holiday treats waiting for you on christmas morning? the tree may be the biggest thing on your decorating list but don't forget about xmas stockings pretty enough to receive non-coal goodies from a certain someone.

i decided it was time to go hunting for stockings with a little aloha spirit for those of us who appreciate good design. the ground rules? no raffia or surfing santas and i soon discovered this was no easy task. after many, many clicks, i was relieved to find these elegant hand quilted xmas stockings from kenui quilts that mix traditional hawaiian design with the festive colors of the holiday season.

hable construction hawaii holiday

a bit too traditional for you? my favorite is this playful hawaii holiday stocking from nyc's hable construction. yes, it's a tad pricey but the feel good factor is high once you consider the number of holiday uses it will endure and that the felt appliqué design is sewn by a woman's cooperative in hungary. act fast if you love it since this is a web exclusive design and quantities are limited (fyi - the other color in this pattern recently sold out and has a waitlist for 2007!).

textile dinner design

this vibrant silk table runner is a colorful and contemporary way to bring some island style to your home over the holiday season. vicky durand, the surfer turned textile artist, hand prints all the designs for her hawaiian wearable art collection and recently expanded her line to include accessories for the home (check out the washable silk shower curtains if you want to add a little tropical punch to your bath).

you can have your pick of colors and patterns when shopping online or stop by one of the many boutiques & museum shops that stock hawaiian wearable art around the islands.

indigenous soap

what do you think of when you hear the words indigenous soap? at first, i thought it was all about island culture but after chatting with soapmaker eric gamundoy i learned that his company's name was truly inspired by the ingredients found in nature that are the foundation for his indigenous soap line.

eric became fascinated with the alchemy of soapmaking after reading a book, and, with a background in the healing arts, was determined to create soap that nixed synthetic ingredients and instead embraced an all natural philosophy. he and his lady love handcraft all their soap on oahu with an emphasis on good for you ingredients like essential oils, shea butter, limu and clay (to name a few).

the best way to sample indigenous' most popular soaps is to order their handy travel bars, and they also whip up some pure soap for folks with sensitive skin &/or fragrance allergies. order online or click here to find shops in the islands that are keeping it indigenous.

island style holiday

protea mini wreath + teardrop garland

now that the holiday season is officially upon us it's time to transform your home into a winter wonderland. don't let the fact that snow can only be found on the peaks of mauna kea stop your merrymaking plans. go with what you've got and work the tropical angle by ditching the evergreens and picking up a festive protea wreath from danielle's tropical flowers.

proteas may look a bit prehistoric but the nice thing is they can last for quite some time so you get a bit more bang for your buck. danielle creates her lovely garland swags and the adorable mini wreath (shown above) in her upcountry maui workshop, and since maui just happens to be the hot spot for protea farms you know that you will be receiving flowers fresh from the fields.