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May 11, 2018

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How to make $10 supermarket flowers look like a million bucks

Take that store-bought bunch of flowers and make it look you picked them out of a meadow this morning.

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December 05, 2016

32 comments

GIFT GUIDE / G I V E A W A Y



Homies. This gift guide is better than ever. Like, way better because this time you have a chance to win all of the stuff in it! Worth over $700 so this is for sure a contest you want to enter.

We are so psyched to partner with of these amazing makers. We have a range of super small companies to larger companies (With employees! Multiple employees even! Amazing!!) and they are all people that I personally admire for their wonderful quality, rad products, and beautiful brand vision.

So head over to Instagram and get on it!

In the meantime, check out the goods on the list this year (all are linked so click away!)

1. Tosan "This Year of Us" Notebook set $25 for 3, Our answer to the baby book.

 

2. neve / hawk Adult Trucker hat $28, out of stock but tons of other amazing stuff for the whole family! All made ethically in California. For the giveaway, they are offering a $50 shop credit!

3. Beeteeth "Burn Brite" Pennant $20, Super rad dad Dan Christofferson graphic magic

4. July Nine Camo Sushi Sack $17.50, This perfect blend of leather and nylon was quickly given the nickname “the sushi sack” due to its coiled shape when rolled up.

5. Tosan POP + TOT Fleece set normally $95 but on sale for $75, twin with your kid in the coolest way

6. East Fork Pottery Mug $36, 12 ounces of beautifully glazed goodness

7. Eroix "Hokule'a" Tee $48, They have symbolically placed Hōkūleʻa, and its accompanying constellation, on the pocket of their already amazing 80//20 tee

8. Kalon Studios Small Stump Stool $85, Sitting stool and accent piece cut from a solid block of green wood, all sustainably made in the USA.

9. Kiriko Tsurukame Navy Bandana $28, Kiriko's "Tsurukame" pattern is made to look like American-style bandanas, but up close it shows many tiny Japanese symbols. The cranes (tsuru) and tortoises (kame) are popular symbols for good fortune and long life. For the giveaway, they are offering a $100 shop credit!

10. Aloha Sunday Stripes Dopp Kit $32, Made from Japanese fabric and crafted in the USA, this bag is the perfect size for all your goodies.

11. Tosan Leather Key Fob $40, Leather and brass that will wear beautifully. Made in Utah by our friends at Winding Wheel

12. Etta + Billie Cedarwood Soap $12, farm-to-bottle bodycare that smells like walking through a quiet, wintery forest. For the giveaway, they are offering this as well as Evergreen Tangerine soap!

13. Ijji Pants $140, Unisex drawstring pants with an elastic waist. Constructed from a tight-weave Japanese canvas that will last a long time and get better with age.

Happy holidays, happy shopping, and good luck!

 

July 08, 2016

27 comments

FATHERHOOD FRIDAY / Josue Julio


 

Josue Julio is an LA based model. His daughter, Elin, is 6. 

I am 29 years old and was born in Panama. I moved to Southern California when I was 6 and I've called LA home ever since. Growing up I was a sponsored skater that had dreams of becoming a pro but I fell ill and had a near death experience. After recovering, I had Elin (the babe) but then I quickly realized that her mom wanted me out of the picture. So I battled for time in court and won. 

Being a single dad is tough. During the early years I was fortunate enough to have an awesome family and community, which supported me. But one day, while 1studying at a coffee shop I met the girl of my dreams, Bailey, who is now my fiancée!

Every father has his story.  This is a small glimpse into Josue's.

1.  Sometimes, the connection to fatherhood is not immediate. Was it for you?  And if not, was there a moment that you really felt, "Woah. I'm a dad."

I still remember that "Woah. I'm a dad" moment like it was yesterday! It was a week after the babe was born and I got to hold her for the first time. She fixated her eyes on me and just stared at me for what felt like 10 minutes. That moment will be forever pressed in my hearth.

2.  What has been easier than you thought it would be?  How about harder?

Diapers and terrible two's were way easier than I thought. 


3.  What kids book would you read a million times out loud in a row?  What book are you actually have to read a million times out loud in a row? How about songs?

Goodnight Moon and The Giving Tree were heavy favorites growing up. Now she usually picks some random book followed by a bible story. 

4.  What traditions are you excited to carry on with your daughter?

One thing that we love to do as a family travel. And a popular destination for us is Joshua Tree / Palm Springs. Side note, we LOVE taco Tuesday picnics.

5.  Being a dad makes me feel _____________________. 


grateful, because I get to pursue and love my little babe!

Thank you so much for letting us feature you, Josue!  Check out his super inspiring Instagram account.

July 01, 2016

14 comments

FATHERHOOD FRIDAY / Thomas West

Thomas is a soldier currently stationed at Ft. Mead.

I am 34 years old, born in Florida, yet living in Maryland and Vermont. Married to Jonathan for almost 4 years, but together for more than 10. I'm a soldier in the US Army currently stationed at Ft. Meade, just North of Washington, DC. My life was forever changed on September 18, 2015 with a phone call asking if I wanted to be a father to my just recently adopted daughter.

Every father has his story.  This is a small glimpse into Thomas's.

1.  Sometimes, the connection to fatherhood is not immediate. Was it for you?  And if not, was there a moment that you really felt, "Woah. I'm a dad."

The journey to fatherhood was almost 3 years long with a number of ups and downs along the way that left me questioning whether or not it was the right thing to do, but when the phone rang late on a Friday night asking if I wanted to be a father - the love I have for my little girl was instant. Two hours later she was in my arms and from that moment on I knew I could never let go.

2.  What has been easier than you thought it would be?  How about harder?

Everything has been hard, but the lack of sleep has been the worst. Serving in the US Army takes me away from my family more than I'd like, particularly early in the morning. My husband puts in most of the late night hours with her, so that has been a tremendous help. 

3.  What kids book would you read a million times out loud in a row?  What book are you actually have to read a million times out loud in a row?

We love to read Dada by Jimmy Fallon and Brown Bear, Brown Bear. I love to read One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish, but the she really isn't into it all!



4.  What traditions are you excited to carry on with your kids?
I'm excited to start new traditions!

5.  Being a dad makes me feel _____________________.  

a sense of purpose and responsibility.



Thanks for letting us into your adventure through fatherhood, Thomas! Check out his Instagram to follow along with his journey.  

July 01, 2016

3 comments

FATHERHOOD FRIDAY / Thomas West

Thomas is a soldier currently stationed at Ft. Mead.

I am 34 years old, born in Florida, yet living in Maryland and Vermont. Married to Jonathan for almost 4 years, but together for more than 10. I'm a soldier in the US Army currently stationed at Ft. Meade, just North of Washington, DC. My life was forever changed on September 18, 2015 with a phone call asking if I wanted to be a father to my just recently adopted daughter.

Every father has his story.  This is a small glimpse into Thomas's.

1.  Sometimes, the connection to fatherhood is not immediate. Was it for you?  And if not, was there a moment that you really felt, "Woah. I'm a dad."

The journey to fatherhood was almost 3 years long with a number of ups and downs along the way that left me questioning whether or not it was the right thing to do, but when the phone rang late on a Friday night asking if I wanted to be a father - the love I have for my little girl was instant. Two hours later she was in my arms and from that moment on I knew I could never let go.

2.  What has been easier than you thought it would be?  How about harder?

Everything has been hard, but the lack of sleep has been the worst. Serving in the US Army takes me away from my family more than I'd like, particularly early in the morning. My husband puts in most of the late night hours with her, so that has been a tremendous help. 

3.  What kids book would you read a million times out loud in a row?  What book are you actually have to read a million times out loud in a row?

We love to read Dada by Jimmy Fallon and Brown Bear, Brown Bear. I love to read One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish, but the she really isn't into it all!



4.  What traditions are you excited to carry on with your kids?
I'm excited to start new traditions!

5.  Being a dad makes me feel _____________________.  

a sense of purpose and responsibility.



Thanks for letting us into your adventure through fatherhood, Thomas! Check out his Instagram to follow along with his journey.  

May 13, 2016

2 comments

FATHERHOOD FRIDAY / Rodrigo Vargas

Rodrigo is a soccer player and coach who lives in Australia.

I am 37 years old, born and bred in Australia from Chilean heritage. Happily married 6 years to my beautiful wife Yvette. Previous professional soccer player in Australia who still plays and works at a high school running a soccer program. The most important thing to me is family and I love being a dad to Luella and one on the way.

Every father has his story.  This is a small glimpse into Rodrigo's.

1.  Sometimes, the connection to fatherhood is not immediate. Was it for you?  And if not, was there a moment that you really felt, "Woah. I'm a dad."

I loved her before she was born. Her birth was amazing and I felt an instant connection when I saw her for the first time. She was so beautiful and I was completely in love with her. 

2.  What has been easier than you thought it would be?  How about harder?

Absolutely nothing has been easy apart from loving her. Sleep deprivation for the first 2 years was harder than I could ever of imagined. At the time I was playing professional soccer and travelling a lot. Having such a physically demanding job and not sleeping well at night was extremely tough. 

3.  What kids book would you read a million times out loud in a row?  What book are you actually have to read a million times out loud in a row?
We read a book called " Martha, No" for about a 6 month period, every single night to a point where she could recite the whole book. Now we basically read whatever she demands! hahaha



4.  What traditions are you excited to carry on with your kids?
I would love to continue my family tradition of celebrating Christmas on Christmas Eve. Being Chilean we celebrate on Christmas eve and stay up late until SANTA arrives at 12. I would also love her to speak Spanish.


5.  Being a dad makes me feel _____________________.  

special. It is the greatest privilege and responsibility I could ever have asked for. I had always dreamed of being a dad and now that I am, I can say with certainty that nothing I have ever done in my life compares. 

Thanks for letting us into your adventure through fatherhood, Rodrigo! Check out his Instagram to follow along with his journey.

April 30, 2016

3 comments

FATHERHOOD FRIDAY / Nate Gunn

Nate Gunn is a producer/director from Salt Lake City.

Dad to Remy and Husband to Tayler. Born and raised in Southern California. Grew up spending most of my time surfing, camping, filming, picture taking, enjoying the outdoors.

Currently my family and I live in a little home near the foot of the mountains near Salt Lake City, Utah. I have a production company working as a commercial producer/director. My wife and I have a couple fun ventures and own a baby wearing Co called WildBird.

Every father has his story.  This is a small glimpse into Nate's.

1.  Sometimes, the connection to fatherhood is not immediate. Was it for you?  And if not, was there a moment that you really felt, "Woah. I'm a dad."

I think what I was feeling is really an unspoken topic. I'd say a lot of new Dads feel the same. When Tayler was pregnant I didn't feel a super strong connection to Remy. I was beyond excited, nervous and I had this idea in my head of what life was going to be like, but I for sure didn't feel that same amount of love that Tayler was feeling. Women are so much more connected with their unborn babies in a physical way.

I think there was a few moments right after Remy was born but I had that real "Woah. I'm a dad" moment like 2 days after Remy had arrived. We had just got home from the hospital that day and Tay was tired and so I had Remy on my chest and he was sleeping. Out of nowhere I just felt this overwhelming sense of love and I seriously broke down. We started laughing because it was so random but in that moment, being home, it just all became so real and I had never really been happier.


2.  What has been easier than you thought it would be?  How about harder?

I had set myself up to think that new baby life was going to be extremely hard so that helped soften the blow haha. The everyday cruising around with a kiddo has been easier then I thought it would have been. Right around the time Remy was born, we were really unhappy with our work lives and so we decided to drop both our jobs just a couple months after he was born. We had some hefty career aspirations and so the hardest part was just balancing work, Remy and our marriage. It was a bit scary, but it's made us stronger because of it and we couldn't be happier with what our future holds.

3.  What kids book would you read a million times out loud in a row?  What book are you actually have to read a million times out loud in a row? How about songs?

A couple buddies of mine have a publishing company called Dreamling, and they produced a book with Chris Burkard that I LOVE. It's called "The Boy Who Spoke to the Earth". I'd read that every night if Remy let me. Unfortunately he's obsessed with the classics. He'll read "Goodnight Moon" on repeat till the lights go out



4.  What traditions are you excited to carry on with your son?

I'm excited to surf with my boys. We were 4 brothers growing up and cruising down to Mexico or wherever and surfing with my Dad are for sure some of my favorite memories.

I hope to influence a tradition of hard work and living a life doing things they're truly passionate about.


5.  Being a dad makes me feel _____________________.  

purpose and meaning.

Huge thank you to Nate for being so open. Please check out his inspiring work on Vimeo and and his amazing Instagram account. His partner Tayler is also super talented and inspiring as well!

April 22, 2016

2 comments

FATHERHOOD FRIDAY / Brandon Elder


Brandon Elder is blogger from Chicago. 

If you told me 5-10 years ago that I would be married and be a father, I would have thought you were crazy. Not because I disliked the idea, I just never really thought about it. I spent the last 15 years traveling the world, living overseas, and working for social justice movements so I guess that I didn’t ever feel settled enough to think about having a family of my own.  I ended up moving to Chicago where I met Michelle (the other & better half of MA + PA) and everything changed. I wanted to put down roots and start a family. We got married and then exactly one year later, on our anniversary, we had our darling daughter, Emerson.  Next up, a big move to Durham, NC, so wish us luck!

Every father has his story.  This is a small glimpse into Brandon's.

1.  Sometimes, the connection to fatherhood is not immediate. Was it for you?  And if not, was there a moment that you really felt, "Woah. I'm a dad."

My connection to fatherhood was definitely immediate and I would certainly argue that I felt a strong bond with my daughter even before she was born. The whole process was transformative for me and somewhat surprising considering that I never really considered having children of my own for the majority of my life.  I would describe the moment Emerson was born as euphoric and the deep love and special bond between us as instantaneous;  A feeling that can only be experienced through this type of “miracle” for lack of better words.  It has changed my life immensely, and despite some of the hardships that come along with becoming a new parent, I love being a father and feel so lucky to have Emerson as my daughter.  I am very comfortable being a dad but there are still moments every day that I feel overwhelmed with knowing that I am, in fact, a father.

2.  What has been easier than you thought it would be?  How about harder?

With Emerson, there are at least a couple things that have never really been a struggle for us and we’re thankful for that.  When it comes to feeding time, Emerson has rarely turned her nose up to anything.  She loves to eat and has had no problems stuffing herself since we started giving her real food.  Emmi has also always been a big fan of bath time, and it’s never been a difficult to get her cleaned up.  Our nightly ritual of bath time before bed has given Michelle and I some of our favorite moments together and we’re glad that Emmi really enjoys being in the water.

Being a new parent isn’t ever easy with the many adjustments you make to your once childless lifestyle.  Probably one the most difficult things, which wasn’t particularly unexpected, has been adjusting to the lack of sleep, at least during those weeks and months where Emerson had trouble with it.  Luckily we seem to be past that now, and she normally sleeps through the night with no issues.  Still, the struggle to stay focused, to feel balanced and to keep stress levels down while trying to juggle work life with everyday responsibilities, all while trying to give Emerson the attention she needs, has not always been easy.



3.  What kids book would you read a million times out loud in a row?  What book are you actually have to read a million times out loud in a row? How about songs?

A few favorite books of mine that come to mind are The Story of Ferdinand by Munro Leaf, any of the Moomin stories (Moomin being a popular Finnish/Swedish character written by Tove Jansson), and Where the Wild Things Are which is an obvious classic. Emerson loves her books and while I’m not sure that she has any one particular favorite (we read books with her A LOT), she seems to enjoy Baby Likes To Boogie more than some of the others.  Also the Spot A Lot books and Time For Bed by Jane Dyer is a nighttime favorite of hers.


4.  What traditions are you excited to carry on with your daughter?

I remember going on family vacations every summer and I still have some vivid memories from many of those trips.  Luckily we’ve already been able to travel some with our daughter and hopefully going on vacations together as a family is something that we will continue to be able to do often.  I can’t wait to take my daughter on her first camping trip, or to hike with her through the mountains, or to watch play in the ocean.   I also really hope that Emmi enjoys cooking as much as her parents do.  Cooking and sharing meals together is a top priority for us.

5.  Being a dad makes me feel _____________________.  

A deep kind of love that I never knew existed.

 

Thanks for letting us profile you, Brandon!  Please check out his blog, MA + PA.  He and his wife, Michelle, are posting from both mom and dad's perspective. Really good stuff!

March 18, 2016

1 comment

FATHERHOOD FRIDAY / Zach McDuffie



Zach McDuffie is an world-traveling photograher and entrepreneur. 

I moved to Costa Rica straight out of college with $3000 and a dream, which grew to become the School of the World, a surf/yoga/Spanish/ photography school for travelers + boutique hotel. I went on to become a travel expert in learning vacations and a photographer/ videographer, traveling and learning new things all over the world. I met my wife while working on a pilot for a travel show and we've been inseparable from that first moment. The birth of our daughter inspired my latest project, Sherpapa, which will be a brand that celebrates fatherhood and family adventures. 

Every father has his story.  This is a small glimpse into Zach's.

1.  Sometimes, the connection to fatherhood is not immediate. Was it for you?  And if not, was there a moment that you really felt, "Woah. I'm a dad."

My wife gave birth to our daughter naturally at a birthing center, and I was actually in the water behind her when Taya was born. I was bear hugging them both, so I literally had my whole world in my arms when I cut her umbilical cord. The connection was immediate and intense, and turned me into a lifetime softy for my girls for sure! That being said, I have moments all the time when I look at my daughter and say "whoah, I'm a dad! I can't believe we made that beautiful little person!" 

2.  What has been easier than you thought it would be?  How about harder?

I don't know if the words "parent" and "easy" could ever be used in the same sentence! Haha ... The easy part is the love and laughter, and luckily we get daily doses.... The hard parts are functioning on half the sleep and maintaining the belief that you can be as productive as before with just a fraction of the time. 


3.  What kids book would you read a million times out loud in a row?  What book are you actually have to read a million times out loud in a row?

My daughter loves books. She's in the phase now where she has to turn the pages herself, so a few of the more durable Dr Suess books are the main ones in the rotation (like Mr. Brown Can Moo and the Dr. Suess ABC) She also loves A Camping Spree with Mr Magee. 

4.  What traditions are you excited to carry on with your daughter?

My daughter has already been camping 3 times, not bad for a one year old. Traveling, exploring, and spontaneous beach days are important traditions in our family! I think it helps recharge the batteries and stay strong as a family to share in adventures. 


5.  Being a dad makes me feel _____________________.  

complete! I thought life was good before my daughter was born, but I had no idea how much better it would get with her in it. 

Thank you for the feature you, Zach.  Check out his work on ZplusN, visit him at the School of the World and be sure to follow Sherpapa.

March 11, 2016

1 comment

FATHERHOOD FRIDAY / Jeremy Roberts


Jeremy Roberts is an entrepreneur and designer in Portland. 

I'm from Brazoria, Texas - a small town an hour south of Houston. I grew up playing sports, and I'm very close with my family. At the same time, I knew I wanted to leave - so I joined the Coast Guard when I was 17 and was stationed first in Bayonne, then Petaluma. At this point I started paying closer attention to tailored clothing and design. After spending time in San Francisco throwing parties, I moved to NYC and enrolled in FIT (the Fashion Institute of Technology) then Parsons. I studied strategic design and management, and also started apprenticing in tailor shops. A little while later I met Mihal, my wife now, who also circled in the fashion industry - as a writer. We lived together in NYC for a few years and knew, pretty soon into it, that we wanted to have a baby. We even decided on the name: Elle if it was a girl, El if it was a boy. We eventually moved to Oregon where she's from, got married, and soon after had a baby boy - El Shane Roberts. 2 months after he was born I quit my 9-5 to start Roberts an American-made luxury suiting brand. I'm the CEO and design director, Mihal is the co-founder and CCO. Up until now I've been a stay at home dad during the day - and Mihal works at Intel - and we both do work for Roberts in the evening (I go well into the night). El is awesome. He flaps his arms when he runs, he blows kisses, and starts baby school in April. 

Every father has his story.  This is a small glimpse into Jeremy's.

1.  Sometimes, the connection to fatherhood is not immediate. Was it for you?  And if not, was there a moment that you really felt, "Woah. I'm a dad."

The connection did feel immediate, but there have definitely been moments on top of that of "Woah, I'm a dad." Like when Mihal went back to work after a 7-month maternity leave and it was just El and me all day every day. Or like last night when Mihal wrote El's name on his water bottle and smoothie squeezer for daycare.  

2.  What has been easier than you thought it would be?  How about harder?

Relating to him has definitely been easier than I thought it would be. Especially as he gets older. He never felt foreign or unknown. We're buddies - and we always have been, even when he was a ball of pudge. I didn't expect the hard part to be around educating him. Am I doing enough? Am I doing it right? I'm always aware of trying to make something a teaching moment, even if it means reading the same book 25 times in a row. 



3.  What kids book would you read a million times out loud in a row?  What book are you actually have to read a million times out loud in a row?

I would read Taye Diggs’ ‘Mixed Me’ a million times. The book I’ve actually read a million times is ‘The Tushy Book’ by Fran Manushkin.

4.  What traditions are you excited to carry on with your son?

Traveling.
5.  Being a dad makes me feel _____________________.  

like life has purpose. 

Thank you for letting us feature you, Jeremy!  Please check out his new venture Roberts. Unsolicited Tosan tip: Every man should have a well-fitting suit.  Trust us.

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