Since a child's first writing tool is usually a crayon, it should encourage him or her to use a proper tripod writing grip. That's what makes Crayon Rocks so great. They take very little effort in applying great swaths of color to the paper, helping little fingers to grow strong as they spill their creative ideas on to paper. Founded by a veteran special needs teacher, Crayon Rocks are......read more
Angus Hutcheson's exquisite Chrysalis Sky floor lamp is as elegant as sustainable design gets. Conceived as a surreal glowing orb for the living room, the lamp's diffuser is made from randomly configured silk cocoons, each attached to a hand-soldered wire matrix. Produced by Hutcheson's lighting Argo brand, the lamp continues with the brand's design narrative of fusing nature......read more
Sure, you could send that letter on blank paper, unadorned with any neat illustrations. But that would be rather boring, wouldn't it? Spruce up your paper creations with these fun stamps from Yellow Owl Workshop. Handmade in San Franscisco, the set of five natural rubber stamps is mounted on reclaimed maple and nicely presented in a 4 x 8" birch box (also reclaimed, of course). ...read more
Finger painting might be the very definition of innocent creative fun for kids. But there's nothing harmless about toxic chemicals like toluene, ethylene glycol, and polymers, which is what conventional store-bought paints contain. I'm no doctor, but those don't seem like things you want on your child's skin. Fear not, eco-kids has come through with a safe and natural finger paints......read more
Based in Panama, the Azuero Earth Project is a US-registered earth conservation nonprofit dedicated to "preserving the earth’s ecosystems, protecting biodiversity, and promoting healthy communities by helping people to make informed decisions, take sustainable actions, and share knowledge." Lofty goals, indeed. And ones we can get behind. This set of six limited edition artist plates......read more
We're going to go out on a limb here and declare that there is nothing more beautiful than raw, weathered wood. Lucky for us, more and more artists are tapping into the inherent beauty of reclaimed wood for their work. One of them is Jaclyn Miller, a Seattle-based artist and designer whose Etsy shop is full of rustic yet refined pieces made using upcycled and repurposed wood. This striped wall......read more
The art object aficionados at Grey Area work with artists to offer works that exist outside the traditional gallery experience. The New York outfit's latest project is Grey Area Yoga, which launched at Art Basel in Miami Beach with a line of artist edition yoga mats. Whether it's Daniel Arsham's "Square Out of the Moon" print or Andrew Kuo's cat in cobra pose, the art mats have enough variety to......read more
From Canvas's excellent range of elegant, sustainably designed home objects comes this Soapstone Bowl Set crafted by an artisan collective in Haiti. Exquisite and functional, the bowls are part of the Aid to Artisans project, supporting sustainable development around the globe. ...read more
Who doesn't want a little chocolate every day? Our friends The Mast Brothers always deliver with their artisan chocolates and it makes a great gift for someone special. Try their seasonal flavors like Vermont Maple in Milk Chocolate, or their Dark Chocolate selections, which are high in anti-oxidants. ...read more
Looking for well-designed, everyday products that don't increase your footprint? Look no further than Artecnica, our fave LA retailer that carries only the best in sustainable goods. Like this StretchBag, made from recycled billboard plastic. Offered in a variety of bright colors, the clever die-cut design is made without glue or stitches. Perfect for carrying your haul from the......read more