Best Last Minute Gift for the Beach Bum

Do you have a beach lover on your holiday list?  Who doesn't love the beach, right?  Well here's the perfect last minute gift--Dune Jewelry's Digital Gift Card.   Dune's jewelry is not only beautiful, it's meaningful, even aspirational.  Can't go to Tahiti this year?  Well, you can wear the sand from Tahitian beaches and transport yourself with a glance.  Even better--you've been to Fiji and brought back some sand.  Now you can have your own little time capsule.

The applications for this jewelry are as endless as your imagination.  I'm totally in love with this concept.  Dune Jewelry has the most gorgeous, unique and fabulous gifts for the traveler, the outdoorsy person, and people who appreciate the one-of-a-kind.   For people living in colder climates, how fun is that to have a piece of the beach for comfort all winter?   If your New Year's resolution is to go to Cote d'Azure, how cool would it be to wear the sand until the trip, like a talisman?

Each piece is custom made with your own sand that you send in, or from Dune's sand bank, with sand from all over the world.  It's solid, well made jewelry that feels wonderful in your hand.  It comes packaged beautifully in a box with a small description. 

While I think the presentation would be much better with the actual jewelry, timed just right--it's not too late to give an awesome and meaningful gift.  Get yours HERE. 

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Easy Gift: Smartwool Diamond Hat & Scarf

Smartwool has so many wonderful holiday gift options for all ages.  Even a pair of their colorful socks would make an excellent gift or stocking stuffer, there are so many great things to choose from, and their products scream quality.  I love their stuff especially for outdoorsy types because wool is the ultimate choice for travel and outdoor activity, keeping you comfortable by regulating body temps.

Check out their Diamond Popcorn Scarf and matching Hat.  I am madly in love with the Polar Purple, which is a soothing periwinkle purple-blue.  I don't see it on their site at the moment, but a quick google search shows you where to find it.  It's two-toned and looks great and comes in other colors, even basic black. 

This would be a fabulous set for the person you're not quite sure what to give.  You can find Smartwool online or locally at shops like REI, and food co-ops (it doesn't get easier than picking up a gift while you're grabbing groceries).

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Travelon Colorful Gifts for Travelers

Need stocking stuffers for your favorite traveler?  Check out these colorful new Zig Zag bag tags from Travelon.  Aren't they fun?  Wouldn't it be cool to get these along with some plane tickets?  A girl can dream.  Something like this can help you find your black bag, even if it's a carry-on, you'll spot it faster in the overhead bin, and make it less likey someone else will grab it by mistake. 

On a more serious note, Travelon's Safe ID Colorblock RFID Wallet will keep your identity and credit card information secure.  Since your passport, id, credit cards, etc, are chipped with RFID (radio frequency identification that are broadcast), the bad guys can use a scanner to get your personal info and get into accounts, steal your identification, etc.  So now we need RFID blocking wallets to keep our info safe.  Ridiculous, right?  But if you don't do this, someone walking past you with a scanner can cause some serious mayhem for you, better to play it safe. 

Travelon's leather Colorblock Wallet is black and unassuming on the outside, and cheery green, yellow and blue on the inside, it's a great looking wallet and would make a substantial gift for the traveler.  Thirteen slots hold your license, and credit cards, and there's a space for your passport.  There's a zippered coin compartment that would be great for separating currencies, and has all the features you want in your everyday wallet, with the added bonus of peace of mind. 

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Monsanto = Snow White's Evil Queen

So now Monsanto is literally playing the role of Snow White's Evil Queen by trying to pass off poisoned apples as a good idea.  If it weren't so terrifying, it would be funny.   Like non-organic apples weren't bad enough already--they're on the dirty dozen and are so polluted I wouldn't eat one--but this takes it to an even more sinister level.  Seriously, if we don't stop this, pretty soon everything will be GMO.  The deadline is December 16, please take a second and let the USDA know that we don't want gmo apples.  You can read more and sign the petition HERE.

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Patagonia Wintertide Boot

Patagonia's new Wintertide Boot is as good looking as it is warm.  Not only that, but the sole means business, these are boots you can walk in comfortably for a long time, perfect for winter travel and adventure.  They are lace-up boots, so you can customize the fit, but they are easy to get on and off.  You can lace them in such a way that you slip your foot in and out without having to fool with the laces.  They come in different colors, but I love the silvery gray furry fleece contrasted with jet black, which look fabulous with skinny jeans.

They're waterproof, and a recycled foot bed wicks away moisture to keep feet dry.  There is plenty of cushion in the recycled EVA Patagonia Air insole, and I think there's something to this, because for the warmth and comfort, there's not a ton of bulk.  Anyone looking for a lower profile winter boot would probably be very pleased with these.  The outer sole is recycled content too, this is Patagonia, they'll be as eco friendly as possible. 

Sizing for me ran short.  I'm a true 8.5, and normally get 9's in athletic footwear.  With these, I actually needed 10's, so you might want to go up a size to start.   These are awesome boots (and would make a killer holiday gift), find them HERE. 

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Uncommon Goods: Compass Necklace

Do you have any outdoorsy people on your holiday gift list?  Travelers?  If you're reading this, I know you do.  Or you're one yourself.  Check out this fabulous Compass Necklace from Uncommon Goods.  What a perfect gift for hikers, travelers, and explorers.  And, really not just for those types, because compasses symbolize finding your way in life and the value of your journey, and it's a sweet sentiment for the people you love.  I can think of a hundred different ways this would be a beautiful gift.  It would make a great talisman for the new year, for instance, for embarking on a new project, adventure or goal. 

The actual piece of jewelry, made by artist LeeAnn Herreid, using eco friendly recycled materials, is very substantial in person.  It's small, about the size of a dime, but has a tiny heft to it--it feels solid in your hand.  The globe is glass, though, so be careful not to slam it down or be overly rough with it. The glass and shiny sterling silver make give it a quality look and feel, and it's about the size of a dime.  The compass is functioning, but not necessarily accurate, so not meant for self reliance out in the woods.  Find this awesome necklace and other great holiday gifts at Uncommon Goods, probably one of the top online shops for the best gifts you'll find, and full of eco friendly options. 

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Amber Lotus: New Eco Calendars for 2014

 

Are you still using paper calendars?  I am.  I need the visual on paper I can touch.  Amber Lotus makes fabulous calendars all on recycled paper with non toxic ink.  They have a ton of wonderful options with a theme of do-gooding, living healthy, and respecting the environment.  I like those sentiments and enjoy seeing this imagery around the house.  It also serves as inspiration.  How about the graphically bold and colorful Green Patriot Wall Calendar which reminds you to vote for no gmos, grow your own food, bike for transportation, etc.  I love this for the workplace, or school where it can educate while adding to the decor. 


Simply Raw is a nice option for the kitchen, with gorgeous photos of healthy foods that look like master works of art. This is art--nature's art.  Recipes by raw food chef Matthew Kenney, like January's Frisee and Fennel Salad (with fresh basil and maple syrup) are an added bonus.  It's fresh and perfect to start the new year off on the right foot. 

Meditation is a daily goal at our house, and these soothing images and inspiring quotes from the Mediation Wall Calendar is a good reminder.  You can use a calendar like this to chart your progress, as well as Amber Lotus engagement calendars.  Those also work great for recording your physical activity, meditation, and eating habits.  I struggle with migraines, and I'm always tracking my food intake for answers, but even if I weren't doing that, I still like the idea of charting my food intake, just to keep on track and make sure I'm eating enough nutrient dense food. 

I like to mark my calendar for various things, like a green highlighter over the date for every day I drink my green juice.  Seeing a whole month of green dots gives me a sense of accomplishment.  You can do this with your meditation practice, your running or swimming, etc.  It's really nice to see it all add up at the end of the year.  These calendars would make a thoughtful holiday gift, find a ton of options HERE.

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