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Giveaway: Bamboo Toothbrushes by Gaia Guy

July 26, 2016July 26, 2016Leave a comment

This month is Plastic Free July and to help celebrate I have a giveaway for 4 bamboo toothbrushes from Gaia Guy. Find out how to enter at the end of this post.

For those of you who aren’t familiar, Plastic Free July “aims to raise awareness of the problems of single-use disposable plastic and challenges people to do something about it.” People are encouraged to refuse all single-use plastic for the period of a day, week, month or longer. Either that or refuse the top 4 single use plastic items: plastic bags, water bottles, takeaway coffee cups and straws. Sadly, it is estimated that by 2050, “there will be more plastic than fish in the world’s oceans. Most [of this plastic] comes from land and was was once in our hands.” Together we can refuse single-use plastics and keep oceans and waterways clean.

Toothbrushes aren’t single use items, but they are daily use items that are easily replaced with a non-plastic equivalent. Bamboo toothbrushes, with charcoal bristles, are recyclable and biodegradable. That means that even if you don’t have local recycling facilities your toothbrush will biodegrade and nourish the earth over time. Plastic toothbrushes will only breakdown into micro-plastics, at best, and will degrade the health of the planet over time. Not to mention toothbrushes prove deadly to sea animals who often mistakenly eat plastics and die as a consequence. Bamboo toothbrushes are affordable ($4-5) and last just as long as the plastic equivalent.

The bamboo brushes by Gaia Guy:

are made from 100% natural bamboo – truly sustainable
are vegan friendly, BPA-free, lead-free, phthalates-free, guilt-free
have bristles that are biodegradable nylon-4 infused with bamboo charcoal
are light, yet solid and are a naturally antimicrobial toothbrush
have packaging that is eco-friendly with recycled cardboard and no glue that is recyclable, compostable and biodegradable
last as long as conventional plastic toothbrushes
are a great eco-friendly gift

Imagine the amount of plastic you will keep out of the environment by choosing to use a biodegradable toothbrush. One simple choice can create a powerful positive change for the environment. What’s more: small simple changes encourage us to make more small simple changes over time that really add up and have a ripple effect with our friends and family.

So, the next time you need a new toothbrush go find a bamboo one at a local shop or order one online. Gaia Guy sells them here.

By the way, if you aren’t making your own toothpaste I would recommend that you check out Truthpaste – they make a superb paste that is free of plastic microbeads (yes, conventional toothpaste has plastic in it that you swallow and spit down the drain. Horrendous!)

I would also encourage you to visit Gaia Guy’s website to read about his passion for regenerative enterprises. (He didn’t ask me to share any of this or the facts on his toothbrushes, I just loved what I found on his site and wanted to share with my readers). As he explains “regenerative enterprises are about partnerships with living systems,” that is, business in harmony with the planet and its ecosystems. As he explains this is not an oxymoron. I truly think regenerative enterprise should be the model for business going forward. Thank you for your energy and inspiration on this Ian (Gaia Guy)! Everything Gaia Guy stocks is biodegradable, reusable and bio-based.

To enter the giveaway for 4 bamboo toothbrushes, visit my Instagram account and look for the photo above, and make sure to:

Follow @hig aiaguy on Instagram
Follow me @hippieindisguise
Like and comment on the giveaway photo
Bonus entries:
- Tag friends in the comments on the Instagram giveaway photo, separate each friend into a different comment so that it is easier for me to make the ballots ???? No limit to the number of friends tagged. Each friend counts for an additional entry.
Get 5 extra entries: post a photo of yourself, your children, family or friends doing something good for the earth, like planting a tree or doing something in a more sustainable way. Use the hashtag #hippieslovegaiaguy so we can find your entry
Get 2 extra entries for putting @hippieindisguise and @higaiaguy in your Instagram post
Bonus entry if you follow Gaia Guy on Facebook

Contest closes Sunday July 31, 2016 at midnight and is open worldwide. Good luck friends!

***

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Hippie in Disguise Sen Chassin for Vans Union Jack Boots in Nico Nico Clothing

Fleet of Foot: Enabled by Vans

July 15, 20162 Comments

A few weeks ago we were fortunate to get a pair of Vans shoes from Union Jack Boots to try out. As my frequent readers know, I don’t generally acquire anything new that we don’t need, but Sen was in need of new shoes. Let me explain a little more…

As the end of the school year neared, Sen and Ro were both quite excited for summer break. I didn’t ask why, I mean, the answer was obvious, right? No school, sleeping in, playing all day, staying up late.

On the last day of school, my parents, who normally pick up the children from school, were out of town adopting the most adorable little puppy (I could digress quite a lot here describing the cuteness…), so I had a great excuse to get off work early to pick up the children and see their elated faces as they exited school for the last time for a whole two months. Ro came out first, dropped her bags, gave me a hug and then skipped off to socialize with her friends and make very important ice cream-related plans. Then Sen came out, ran to me, but gave no hug — which is very uncharacteristic of this affectionate boy. He dropped his bag on the ground, sat down on the concrete yard and as fast as a superhero removed his sandals. He then pulled his indoor shoes out of his bag and put them on his feet. “Mama!!! I can wear my indoor shoes outdoors! It’s summer!”

It hit me, as he sprinted away and across the playground, showing me and all his friends how fast he was in those shoes, that his excitement over summer was at least 75% related to wearing these shoes outdoors. He felt fast, able, unstoppable in them.

When we got home many hours and ice cream cones later, Sen removed his shoes at the front door and laid down on the couch to decompress. A few minutes later we all noticed a special odour invading the house. (I know these are the exact details you were hoping for). His shoes smelled awful. It seems that the last month of school, in my brilliance of sending him to school sockless in his Salt Water Sandals for outdoor play, that his indoor shoes had over-marinated, shall we say, and developed a powerful odour. His shoes were also two entire school years old, so they had seen better days. We (ok, me) decided it was time to let them go.

So, the offer from Union Jack Boots to try out a pair of Vans ended up being perfect timing. We have a few small production, ethically made shoes in our home from Soft Star and Mikoleon, but have yet to find a typical athletic shoe from a small scale company that could really stand up to tough wear. We’ve been a fan of Vans for a long-time, the aesthetic is great, but more importantly these shoes are made for skateboarding and BMX-ing and so they are made to last. No one destroys shoes like skateboarders. In addition, Vans has quite a few canvas and non-leather options in their collection, so we were happy to find a mostly canvas pair in Sen’s size.

To summarize thus far:

Vegan friendly – checkmark
Durable – checkmark
Stylish – double checkmark

The only challenge left was to ensure that Sen would feel as inspired by these shoes as the ones we were going to have to unceremoniously say goodbye to.

When the Vans arrived Sen loved them at first sight, as he’d seen “cool dude guys” at the skatepark wearing them. He put them on immediately for a test run around the main floor. Fast? Checkmark! He then proceeded to put them through a battery of tests including, running up and down stairs, jumping off the porch, pedalling his bike and riding his skateboard. I’m happy to report they passed all the tests with flying colours. Sen was stoked! I was relieved!

I kept his beloved indoor shoes for a few days in case the honeymoon phase with his Vans faded. But it’s now been two weeks and he hasn’t asked for them even once. And I doubt I’ll ever hear mention of them again.

{ Sen’s Peace shirt and shorts are organic and made by Nico Nico Clothing in the USA}

Let’s be friends! Please come find me in other places:

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Instagram: @hippieindisguise
Pinterest: Hippie in Disguise
Twitter: @hippieindisguis
VSCO: HIPPIEINDISGUISE “Wanderlust and Minimalist Fun”
Facebook: Hippie in Disguise
*New* Private Facebook Discussion Group: Slow, Eco, Minimal Living just ask to join, we love to welcome new people

Giveaway: Wilde Asher Malas for Women and Children

July 8, 2016July 8, 2016Leave a comment

Today I have a beautiful giveaway with Wilde Asher over on my Instagram account! My friend Sophie is one of the owners of Wilde Asher, a small online shop stocking lovely handmade and ethically sourced goods, including sacred jewellery and home decor. The lovely women behind Wilde Asher would like to giveaway two malas: one women’s Chakra Mala and one children’s mala. By the way, you can read about Sophie’s beautiful creative, earth-centred life in Australia in my interview with her here.

To enter the giveaway, visit my Instagram account (rules are explained there too) and look for the photo above, and make sure to:

Follow @wildeasher
Follow me @hippieindisguise
Like and comment on the giveaway photo
For extra entries: Tag friends in the comments, separate each friend into a different comment so that it is easier for me to make the ballots 🙂 No limit to the number of friends tagged. Each friend counts for an additional entry.

Contest closes Friday July 15, 2016 at midnight and is open worldwide. Good luck friends!

But wait, there’s more! Wilde Asher would like to offer my readers and followers a $30 AUD discount on their Chakra Malas. Quite generous! Find their collection of malas online here.

You can use the discount code: HIPPIEINDISGUISE for $30 off your mala.

Soho NYC flower child nico nico clothing

Giveaway: $75 for Darling Clementine Shop

February 19, 2016July 7, 20164 Comments

Today I have a great giveaway with Darling Clementine Shop over on my Instagram account! Lindsay, owner of Darling Clementine, runs a small online shop curating quality, often organic, small scale children’s and women’s wear brands. She stocks some of my favourites I’ve mentioned before like Ace & Jig, Nico Nico, and Thief & Bandit. Lindsay would like to giveaway a $75 shop credit to one of my Instagram followers!

To enter, visit my Instagram account (rules are explained there too) and look for the photo above, and make sure to:

Follow @shopdarlingclementine
Follow me @hippieindisguise
Like and comment on the giveaway photo
For extra entries: Tag friends in the comments, separate each friend into a different comment so that it is easier for me to make the ballots 🙂 No limit to number of friends tagged.

Contest closes Sunday February 21, 2016 at midnight and is open worldwide. Good luck friends!

Shop Love: Rowdy Roddy Vintage

December 14, 2015Leave a comment

Back in October I shared an interview with Taralyn, the owner of Little Heirloom, an online shop based in Canada, as the first in a little series of my favourite shops around the world stocking sustainable goods. So, today, I have the second: an interview with the lovely Jolyne Colburn owner and curator of the fun online (and brick and mortar too!) shop Rowdy Roddy Vintage. RRV, as she likes to call it, specializes in vintage and organic clothing for children. Jolyne’s hobby of vintage hunting led her to open Rowdy Roddy Vintage. She loves searching for unique prints and hand knits, and thought it would be fun to do so for others.

Tell me a little bit about yourself. What is your background? What are you passionate about?

I was born in San Francisco, California and went to the College of Arts there for Graphic Design. I have always loved to paint, draw and read magazines, so I thought design was perfect for me. I have had the opportunity to work with some great companies and high fashion magazines in the past that taught me the ropes. And because of my love of art, I have always loved to travel and see new things. I try to travel as much as I can with my son Roddy too, as other cultures supply so much knowledge in addition to our own. One summer we stay in Europe, the other, America, and the next in the jungles of Costa Rica…

Now, living in Scotland, so many people ask me “Why are you here and not in California?!” Well, long story short I married a Scotsman and here I am. Yes, there are not as many sunny days here, but I do love it. It is filled with castles, beautiful scenery, and sheep (I love sheep)… The people are so lovely and I have so much amazing history at my fingertips. Don’t get me wrong, I do miss California! But there is a sense of peace here that I don’t get anywhere else. Maybe it’s because I don’t know as many people here, but the shop has created a wealth of friends, similar to family, for me.

The things that I am passionate about besides my business and family would have to be my love for cooking, traveling and my need for the softest fabrics known to man. I love a good dreamy linen or organic knit…

How many children do you have and how would you describe them?

I have one child, Roddy (4yrs), and one on the way in the spring. Roddy’s full name is Rodrigo, named after my uncle. My family is Costa Rican, so my husband and I wanted a name that would embrace both is Latino and Scottish cultures. With this spicy blood combo, boy is he a wee firecracker! But the best kind really, he is my best pal, so funny, so loving and clever. Every day he is surprises me. What is your favourite thing to do as a family?

My husband is a drummer and is away A LOT. So I would say when we can all be in the same place at the same time is my favourite thing. Whether that’s if we meet him on the road or he comes home and we ignore that he is jetlagged, just being together is the best thing in the world. What did you want to be when you were a child?

As far back as I can remember I always liked to be involved in art in some way. Whether it was drawing, painting or sculpting I wanted to be doing it.

Did your career aspirations change once you had a child?

A little, but just a little. I told my dad that I wanted to go to Art School for painting and he said “no way.” As much as that infuriated the teenager in me, I am glad that he forced me to choose another field at school. I knew I loved design as well and it was a good fit, and while I was there I could squeeze in some painting classes too. Win Win. The tools that I learned as a graphic designer were indispensable and great for the coming years. I still use them daily with RRV (Rowdy Roddy Vintage), whether its for a new shirt, our website or an email mailer. So, I’m not sure If I have said this, but thanks Dad!

What is Rowdy Roddy Vintage and why did you decide to start your own business?

My love for vintage is what inspired me to open RRV. I found it very difficult to find good vintage for babies and kids in the UK. So with my over active addiction to collect vintage, I had found a purpose! Being from the bay area and a wee bit of a hippie at heart, it fuelled my love for vintage as well. Wearing vintage keeps clothes out of landfills and helps the planet. We also support our community with our Buy Sell Trade scheme, where we pay you to recycle!
We are always trying to find new ways to keep our kiddos lookin’ good and help the earth at the same time!

What inspired your shop’s name?

We started the business when my son Roddy was just 7 months old, and we thought it was a perfect fit for his personality… Wee Rowdy Roddy…

How do you choose the brands and clothing you carry?

I started my business with just vintage items that I would bring from California. Not long after opening and from the growth of my shop to a bigger location and our popularity in Glasgow, we introduced Lapin & me, a vintage inspired company that we thought was a perfect fit. After that we went from strength to strength and added Beau Loves, Mini Rodini, Bobo Choses, Finger in the Nose, Noe & Zoe, to name a few. We choose these independent brands because they fit well with our ethos. Whether they are organic, recycle or made locally and in small batches, we take all these little things in to consideration.

What are your dreams for your shop and for motherhood?

As everyone who owns a business, I just want it to be successful. So much hard work goes into owning a business that you just hope for the best. I do have to say that I am very happy with what we have accomplished in the past years and I am lucky to have the great support of my staff, family, and lovely customers. I feel like I’m a winner already.

Now for motherhood, that is another story! It is a learning process that never ends. It is amazing to watch your child grow and try and teach them to be the best wee human they can be. Most of the time it is not easy, but it is always rewarding. I know the most interesting is yet to come with another on the way. When you are all caught up on work what do you love to do?

I don’t think I have ever been all caught up! I am always trying to think of new ways to promote the business, so it is a never ending thing on my mind. Wake up in the middle of the night and can’t go back to sleep stuff. But when I really try and have a day off, I love to try new recipes and maybe attempt to knit, although I never have enough time to finish the project! Hopefully one day I can again, because I do love it so…

Thank you Jolyne! Friends and readers you can find Rowdy Roddy Vintage’s online store here, and you can also follow Jolyne on Instagram @rowdyroddyvintage.

You can also find an interview I did for Rowdy Roddy almost a year ago here.

You might also like my post:

Shop Love: Little Heirloom

Thoughtful Gifts for Children

The Mathematics of Love

Punjammies: Made from Hope, Worn for Comfort

October 22, 20153 Comments

Pyjamas are something I’ve not made a particularly special item in my wardrobe as an adult. Growing up, my parents gave me and my two siblings a new pair of pyjamas for Christmas each year. It was a lovely tradition. But once I stopped growing around age 12, the new pyjamas did not replace the old, over my last few years living at home, I accumulated an entire drawer of pyjamas. I often joked that I would never need to buy pyjamas again, I was set for life. Not surprisingly, I’m sure, I keep the children’s pyjamas down to a minimum with two pairs each, mostly for simplicity sake.

However, when Cher, the owner of Underables (a Canadian organics retailer) wrote to me about an amazing line called Punjammies, I knew this was the right time to bring new pyjamas into our lives.

Punjammies are made in India by women who have been rescued from or escaped sexual slavery. Through the non-profit charity, Sudara, the women are given the opportunity to sew garments as a way to help them start over and build a new life for themselves and their children, within a supportive community of women and children. Not only are they paid above fair trade wages, they are also offered housing and medical care, and education for their children. Buying Punjammies directly supports these women and their efforts to restore their freedom and dignity. This is why they say the garments are “made from hope, worn for comfort”.

We took our new pyjamas on a recent camping trip to Gloucester, Massachusetts, and on our last day I let Ro wear hers to the beach. Like most pyjamas they are very comfortable, the fabric is soft and the fit is just right. Ordinarily, I don’t let my children out of the house (or the tent!) in pyjamas (I’m laid back about most things, but pyjamas in public is not one of them), but on this occasion I said yes, because the pyjamas are so beautiful and don’t look so much like pyjamas that they call attention to themselves. And besides, sometimes we just need to say ‘yes’.

Punjammies are available in children’s and women’s sizing, and I have to say I love mine. They are really comfortable and if someone pops in at my house and I’m still wearing mine I don’t feel underdressed. If you are interested in buying some and seeing the other fabrics they are available in, visit Underables. They ship worldwide and I have been nothing but pleased with the service and products from this store. (They also carry other great brands like Sapling Child, Goat Milk NYC, Mini Rodini, MOI Kids and Alpine Baby).

Visit Underables online shop here or find them on Instagram here.