Spring Inspired

The last few days have been AMAZING outside! I'm talking sunshine, birds chirpin', windows down kinda wonderful. Since I'm inside at a desk, and chances are you are too, I patched together some Soul Flower inspired Spring for us to enjoy while indoors! <3

SPRING!

I'm done with socks! I can finally be barefoot

Blast my radio with the windows down

Play them soulful summer songs

Go to the park

Go for a walk

Bike ride

Be outside 

Bring Spring to my step!

...and, yeah, totally have the office window open :)

Happy Day!

Jacqueline Lee

Soul Flower

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An Elephant Never Forgets

It is said that elephants never forget. Is this true? A better question may be: How would we know?? Did some perky pachyderm spill the beans one day? I don't know, but that saying has stuck with me my whole life.

Adrienne (our newest Karma Krewe member!) =)

My love for elephants began early in life, my mom and I used to visit Packy (a longtime resident) at the Portland Zoo when I was young. I remember eating a slice of a giant sized cake on Packy's birthday in the early 80's.

Another great time was when my dad took me on a camping tour of Oregon when I was about 7. On that trip I had the opportunity, at a wildlife park, to take a ride on an elephant. Being that up-close with such a magnificent creature really touched me. Feeling its rough, dry skin and gazing into those big, soulful eyes...well, I fell in love right then. I have had an ever-growing collection of elephant things since then. Everyone knows I love them and I get many as gifts.

That trip and those times with my parents are some of the greatest memories of my life. To me that’s what "elephants never forget" means - it reminds me to never forget the special times in life. I hold on tight to remembrances of my past. I can taste my Grandma Rosie's famous strawberry jam and can still feel the wind from riding with my Grandpa Jack in his '64 Mustang convertible to the old country store for ice cream. Many long summer afternoons were spent with my cousins running around the hills of Astoria, building forts in the woods of my grandparents’ property, and hitting the arcade & beach in Seaside.

One summer I drove cross-country with my grandparents and met many of my distant relatives in the tiniest town of Birchtree, Missouri. I got to see the cabin my Grandfather was born in and the schoolhouse he attended. I remember how hot it was that summer and the endless hours of AM country radio as my Grandma sang along.  Another great trip was when my family moved from Oregon to Michigan the summer I was twelve; many fun memories were made on that long drive, the best being when we took old-timey photos in Wyoming.

For me these memories are magical, a glimpse into the happiest and most carefree days of my life.  They keep me focused on my family and remind me that the most important things surround me every day…my home, husband, children, family and community.  Now that I’m a parent I am very aware that every day we are creating these same sacred memories for my children. Extraordinary moments in an ordinary day can be the most special times of all. I remind myself often that "elephants never forget" and neither will I. I keep my life and heart open to accept the gifts offered to us every day.

Wearing my wonderful clothes from Soul Flower keeps me in a positive, grounded state of mind and reminds me to live comfortably, naturally and with a conscience. These are the days that will stick with me forever. I choose to live with moxie and style and make the most of every day!

As the seasons are changing and the sun is warming the Earth, I encourage everyone to pause for a moment each day and appreciate the memories you are making. Share a moment with someone special - dance in the rain, splash in a puddle, take joy in the small moments in life and by all means, live like an elephant and Never Forget!

Adrienne reviewed the
Painted Elephant Women's Ebb & Flow Top
All Karma Krewe posts | All of Adrienne's posts

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How to Win a Soul Flower Summer Dress

Patience is a virtue. If we've heard it once, we've heard it twice. But I believe the people who have patience down pat are the ones who know how to entertain themselves while waiting in the long line. The Soul Flower Spring/Summer 2012 catalog will be released in April, but when you're craving pages upon pages of cool threads now, April is a looong line to wait in.

But fret not, buds! Set your Sudoku puzzles aside & get your creative groove on - cuz this line just got game!

Name this dress to WIN it!

Embroidered Mountains & Sun

Details: Simply comment on this blog post with the name you would give this sweet summer dress. Please don't comment anonymously; we'll need to contact you if you win! One lucky winner will be selected on Monday, March 5, 2012. If your dress name is selected, we'll be sending you this very dress for FREE! :)

Dress not yet released online. 

Let your Soul Flower!
Jacqueline Lee & your buds at Soul Flower


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Forever Young: Play Hard -Wash - Repeat

I have been trying, really trying to take some good pics of this shirt. My buds at Soul Flower sent it to me to review, and I had a tidy little write up on my computer, but no photos. The problem? The shirt was constantly in the dirty laundry bin because it’s constantly getting worn! I kept saying to myself, today will be the day. This will be the day I put on the shirt, go out in the winter sun, and take some cool shots. But being a mom of two little ones the reality is more like this… put on the shirt, baby smears food on it, I manage to drool on it while brushing my teeth, my older son leaves a goopy glitter glue filled art project somewhere and I manage to brush against it, and so on. So by the time I have a rare free minute to whip out the camera I am a mess. And so is the shirt. And it goes back in the laundry bin, and it comes out looking awesome again, and we start over.

~BE FOREVER YOUNG~

What’s not to love… it’s 50% organic cotton and 50% recycled PET. It’s soft and wears well. Of course the “Forever Young” theme with the kid on the swing is classic and joyful. But my favorite thing? It’s purple! I love purple and this is the perfect purple. It makes me smile and always brightens up my frumpy mommy look. And it hides kid goop. So excuse my photos, I just took a close up as the shirt was drying on the line and a quick camera photo. This shirt is way too busy for the paparazzi.

Ha! Back to the Laundry Bin! 

Stay Forever Young!
Cindy

Cindy reviewed the
Forever Young Recycled T-Shirt
All Karma Krewe posts | All of Cindy's posts

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Waves of Freedom Pants Review: Freedom Never Felt So Good!

I love to be able to move around: dance, do yoga, play, sit on the floor at a dinner party… and I don't want my clothes to hinder me.  At the same time, I don't want clothes that are so loose as to get in the way or are boxy; besides, my husband will complain if my clothes are too baggy.  These pants are the perfect combination of loose, fun, and free, while accentuating the female figure. They hug the butt and hips just a bit without being too tight, and then the legs of the pants flow and dance around with freedom and sass.  Wearing these pants feels like wearing a flowy skirt that twirls and a pair of pants at the same time!

The tiers of heavy-duty 100% cotton fabric wave over each other to create a cool effect that's fun to look at and to experience.  Instead of the pants feeling big and clumsy, the pants are put together just right so that the fabric never gets in the way.  The cotton is also somewhat stretchy, so that the pants will stretch a bit if they are a little snug in the butt and hips.  However, it's not super stretchy, so choose your size accordingly.  I am 5'3"-5'4", have 35.5" hips, 32" low waist, and a 29" inseam, and the smalls fit just right with no extra room.  I am thrilled about the length since I have trouble finding pants that aren't too long for me.  I have been tying them around the tops of my hipbones; and I probably could wear a medium too, and then I'd tie them up higher.

Since the cotton is heavy duty, the pants are nice and warm, but not too much so.  I wore them outside on a cold winter day and inside at a dinner party and was comfortable both times.  I've also added long johns underneath.  Since cotton is breathable, they'd also be great on a cool summer day or evening as well.

You can't go wrong with the earthy color choices that the pants come in.  I got the brown and they go with almost anything.  You can match them with other earth colors or wear something bright for contrast, and it still looks good.  These pants do steal the show though, so be sure and let them have center stage!

Another wonderful thing about these pants is that you can go anywhere in them.  They look great dressed up for a show or a party.  They're super fun and comfortable to dance in!  They have this cute little hip hugger tie that ties around the hips and make me feel like a belly dancer, which encourages me to shake those hips!  They're also great if you have an office job where you need to look kinda dressy, but you want to maintain your funkiness and feel comfortable.  They'd also be great for going to class since they're so comfortable; and then they transition well to the pub after.  They're also super fun and easy to do yoga in and they'd be great for belly dancing and hooping as well.  

One of the many reasons that I love Soulflower is that it is a company run with consciousness—of the environment, of human relations, and of art.  The Waves of Freedom pants are fair trade from Nepal, and they are a true work of art that will accentuate the artistry of every wearer.  

To celebrate the art that is you, I've put together a playful standing pose sequence—play with me at http://www.yogaventures.blogspot.com

Peace!

Andria reviewed the
Waves of Freedom Pants
All Karma Krewe posts | All of Andria's posts

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I Hug My Computer Because Of You

This Valentine’s Day I would just like to tell all of you how amazing you've been. Good vibes abound here at Soul Flower, thanks to you! We can’t help but Love you buds! Your enthusiasm and support never fails to amaze us. Every time we go onto Facebook, (i.e. the internet) we’re always welcomed with wonderful energy and great stories.

There have been several instances where I almost hugged my computer, because the messages you send put a huge smile on my face. You go beyond the support of buying our product by sharing your insights, humor, and soul through your comments & letters, and it never goes unnoticed.

Ha- that's ME! (...If I were bald & not lovingly addicted to the internet)

My job title here at Soul Flower is Copywriter/Daydreamer, and part of my role is to keep tabs on our Social Media.  I want you to know: I read every little line of it; I even read the best ones out loud. I gush and geek out over the pictures and witty, inspiring words of wisdom. In fact, that’s how this blog came about. The other week I burst into the office across the hall, ecstatic about the response you buds were giving on a post. I gushed, “Do you see this!? I want to hug my computer; they just rock!” To which our photographer, Jenn said, “You should tell them that!” It only makes sense.

So, here I am. Writing you a love letter of sorts. :)

I heart my job to pieces, and a lot of that is due to YOU! Some of you post frequently, and I’m starting to feel like we’ve hung out, or hiked a favorite trail together – it feels like I’ve actually met you! You’ve made social media the friendly place it was intended to be, and you spread the good vibe that Soul Flower stands for. If your messages one day stopped (fingers crossed they don’t!) and my inbox became a ghost town, I’d miss you all tremendously! So please don’t let that happen. Instead, be Soul Flower’s Valentine?

Our soul flowers for you! <3

Rock on! We love you!
Jacqueline Lee & your buds at Soul Flower

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Nothing But Nature Belt, Nothing But The Best

The Nothing But Nature Belt is nothing but the best! The bright colors are so delightful, it's by far the prettiest belt I've ever had! The hand sewn flowers look like they've just been picked from a garden, (a garden in Peru to be exact), then delicately braided together for me to wrap around my waist. How many belts do you have like that? A belt you actually notice and better yet, love looking at?

This got me thinkerin' about belts. For the most part belts seem to sadly get overlooked in the world of clothing. I mean, I can't honestly say I've had a lot of belt excitement in my past. But why? For starters they are sometimes hidden and this reason alone could cause them to lag in funky/coolness. And yes, they serve a purpose (we need them to function correctly) and function means durability and durability doesn't always mean good times. But who says function & purpose can't be fun, colorful and mean good times? NOT SOUL-FLOWER!

Let's look at some belt bennies (benefits): 

1. Belts just make pants look better... and butts, too! But, it's not about the butt...it's about the belt, The Nothing But Nature Belt! 

2. Belts ARE like a piece of jewelry for your jeans...a headband for your waist, a necklace for the navel! The Nothing But Nature Belt stands out in a sea of waist jewelry.

3. Belts are really starting to come into their own these days (partly due to the 1980's return). So, show'em how it's done Nothin' But Nature style! 

So, who says we can't have a party ON our pants? ((I said on, just to clarify)). :)  I say be colorful! Be fun! Be vivacious belts and let's see where that takes us, shall we? Yes, we shall! I'm on board with this party and another reason I picked this belt was because it's a great piece of art...walking art. I appreciate the colorful embroidered work, the craftsmanship and the quality of the Peruvian wool. So far, I'm impressed with it's durability (belts do get a bit of a workout) and the hardware is very sturdy, too! The uniquely shaped buckle is made of heavy duty metal (no flimsy flam here) and has a rustic brass look with a funky carved pattern. Oh! And it has that little extra free floating loop that holds any extra fabric (the extra belt fabric after you've buckled) against your pants. Not all belts have that feature, so yay!

The Nothing But Nature Belt proves that belts can be colorful, functional, durable and still party like it's 1999! You go NBNB! Me likey, me likey... and me likey!

Just let the soul flow, bubs!

~Woo

Wendi reviewed the
Nothing But Nature Belt
All Karma Krewe posts | All of Wendi's posts