Soccer-style kicks. Little hops on sidewalks. The resounding sound of “Crunch. Crunch. Crunch.” For many of us, this is our experience with the broken fragments of glass that oft line our curbs, our parks and our natural homes. And for most of us, these pieces of green, brown, blue, amber and more, are castaways—swept up by a street cleaner or slowly buried under a pile of leaves.
Connecting the Past to the Future
Yet, it’s the little things that can go far—in sharing beauty, in being of use, in telling a story of something larger than itself. For Laura Bergman, a reclaim artist and Founder of Bottled Up Designs, these abandoned remnants are gems for the rescue. Earrings. Necklaces. Artifacts of beauty. As much of a historian as she is a designer, Bergman crafts her eco friendly jewelry with a deep love and appreciation for the story behind it. “It’s a truly unique way to preserve the past while helping the future,” says Bergman.
For the complete article, please visit my column on EcoPlum…
(Photos courtesy of Sybren A. Stüvel—thank you!)
A fabulous foodie gave to you…
a sleek and chic spice block.
For the localvore, foodavore, chefavore on your list, this spice block from Domestic Aesthetic is a truly special gift. (Take it from me—I’ve gifted it to a few culinary friends, and they’ve all touched this smoothed-over piece of mahogany in wonder.)
The beauty of this piece, beyond pure design, is the journey it’s travelled to your (or your loved one’s) home and table. Handmade in Brooklyn where the company is headquartered as part of the Pratt Design Incubator, it follows the brand’s sustainable philosophy to ‘live well, live right.’ The beginnings of this spice block came from—Can you guess?—windows. “We found a nearby window frame manufacturer who was throwing out dumpsters and dumpsters of mahogany, so we took the wood and up cycled it,” explains Diane Ruengsorn, founder of Domestic Aesthetic. The wood is then hand sanded and protected with food safe beeswax or walnut oil.
A few months ago, I met Diane, and she sat down to tell me about her creations and the story behind them. Take a watch, and bon appetite to you and yours!
Domestic Aesthetic Spice Block, $53 U.S.
(Top photo compliments of Domestic Aesthetic. Video compliments of Organic Girly. Thank you Diane @ Domestic Aesthetic!)
These days, I have new joy. Let’s call it the Art of Eye Candy. Here’s how it goes: I walk into a clothing shop like a kid in a candy story and flee the scene an hour later still gleeful and, here’s the kicker, shopping bag free. If you had asked me 150-days ago, given the right shop, like the slow fashion boutique, Kaight, or like my new love, Treasure & Bond (pictured above and below), I would have guiltily murmured, “Impossible!”
Now don’t get me wrong—I LOVE the rush of finding the perfect pair of upcycled, recycled, someday biodegradable booties or the organic jeans in just the right wash of indigo, and that will never change. But, I also have to say that since I’ve been on a 150-day no shopping spree, I’m gaining healthy perspective and creativity that comes from browsing my closet each morning like a department store and walking into a shop and seeing it like a fine art gallery. The way the light bounces off the shiny metal cuff; the stitch of the alpaca knit hat; the razor straight inseam of the high-waisted pants. These are what I see now. I’ve always felt that true quality fashion is art—masterpieces woven from a designer’s life story that I proudly hang in my closet and wear like totem poles standing for something monumental. Now, I also just breathe it in for the simple love of the art, the craft and its beauty.
Thanks to Treasure & Bond for its refreshing inspiration. Owned by Nordstrom, where this Organic Girly spent her teenage years dressing customers head-to-toe, all of this shop’s profits go to local New York City children’s charities in exchange for the market research insights they are gaining through their new Soho store. Imagine that—a retail store that says “Thank you” first! Stop by and take a look. While not solely dedicated to the sustainable realm, their selection and simple design and displays are captivating—nothing short of eye candy.
(Photos compliments of Organic Girly.)
