Friday, April 24, 2009

Naturally Modern

When I spotted this outdoor space it was love at first site. I'm smitten with the blend of modern and natural elements, and it seems like an ideal place to either enjoy one's solitude or the company of others.



Wednesday, April 22, 2009

It's Not Easy Being Green

...Or so it used to be in the wedding world. These days, however, there are increasingly diverse ways to incorporate eco-friendly elements into your wedding day.

As today is Earth Day, as well as Wedding Wednesday here at Under A Paper Moon, I wanted to focus on one of the companies that is making it easier to bring "green" into the bridal world of white.


Certainly no stranger in the wedding industry, Olivia Luca is a Portland, Oregon-based company specializing in customizable bridal attire and putting an emphasis on environmental and social responsibility. All designs are sewn in Portland to people paid living wages.


Some of Olivia Luca's environmentally sustainable practices include donating fabric scraps to groups who can use them, helping support alternative/renewable energy through their utility service providers, recycling and using recycled paper products as much as possible (something you know I love!)


Through Olivia Luca's design studio, a client can design her own dress by selecting from available bodice and skirt styles, as well as choosing fabric type and color in addition to other details.


Among their many fabric offerings are several eco-friendly fabrics, including organic cotton sateen, hemp/silk charmeuse, hempcel, organic linen, soy knit, bamboo/organic cotton knit, organic printed cotton, as well as fair trade handwoven silk shantung and fair trade handwoven silk organza.


In addition to dressing brides, Olivia Luca offers garments and accessories to clothe an entire wedding party from dresses for bridesmaids, mothers,and flower girls to ties and vests for ring bearers and groomsmen.


Whether outfitting your wedding party in eco-friendly clothing, using recycled paper products, hosting your wedding during daylight hours to cut down on the use of electricity, holding your ceremony and reception at the same location to reduce driving, or serving food made with locally-grown ingredients, there are many ways you can help to make your event a little more eco-friendly.

Your wedding day is one filled with commitment, as you look forward to a long life shared with your spouse, and it's a perfect time to commit to helping care for the Earth too.

Tuesday, April 21, 2009

Fort Bliss

If our homes are refuges against the greater world, places where we can relax and escape, I can't think of anything that would make for a more peaceful retreat than a tented lounge area in a backyard...

Twig Hutchinson

Unless, perhaps, it were a permanent fort inside the house.


Like a treehouse, a fort appeals to the child inside me, but it also seems a fitting place to get lost in a book, as it speaks to adventure and imagination and can transport you to a different place or time, just as a great story often does.

It is easy to picture evenings and weekends passing slowly tucked beneath the folds of canvas and accompanied by a good read, great company, and a favorite drink.