it's magazine | issue no. 5

it’s I SSUE NO.5 | KAY LA | JANUARY 2020

3

letter from the editor

4-9

it’s kayla

10-29

it’s our home

30-48

it’s what we wear

49-53

it’s what helps us glow

54-60

it’s being in good health

61-69

it’s where we go

70-73

it’s real

74-76

thank you

table of contents

it’s

time for issue 5 already?

Just kidding, I definitely dropped the ball and missed the last deadline. Perks of having your own magazine? You can switch things up!

Magazine will come out around every other month, but it all depends on one I feel ready to put another one out. I feel pretty good about this one and I had a lot more fun with it.

Also a new change, we are now on issuu! I think this will make it easier than downloading the new issue each time. Now you can easily access it from your web browser. However, I will still provide it as a download if interested.

So enjoy issue 5!

a i r r a v a h - Jen C Edi tor-I n -Ch i e f

K

ayla

“Recovery takes time, support from others even though you think you don’t need it, embracing discomfort, finding peace, and learning to appreciate your body and all that it does,”

“During this recovery process, I realized that there is so much more to life than letting these thoughts c o ntro l m e a n d my a c t i o n s a n d I n e e d e d t o s i m p l y L E T G O ,�

“My name is Kayla and I suffered from orthorexia and an exercise addition when I was 17 years old.

I thought my approach and relationship towards food was normal because I had no idea orthorexia was even a real thing! I assumed ‘there’s nothing wrong with eating healthy foods and wanting to be fit, right?’ It’s crazy reflecting back that time in my life and realizing how consumed I became with my eating disorder. It even got to the point to where it stripped my personality away from me. What stemmed from me innocently wanting to live healthier turned to an unhealthy obsession of consuming only the “healthiest” foods and working out relentlessly.

In my senior year of high school, I wanted to start living a healthier lifestyle since I was dealing with several digestive issues. I thought that perhaps eating better and working out a bit would be a solution to help heal my gut. I didn’t remove anything from my diet, I just simply added more fruits and veggies to my plate. I didn’t have a gym membership at the time, so I would just do little 30 minutes workouts at home when I had the time and call it a day. I’ve always been petite, and the intention was never to lose weight, but swapping foods in my diet for healthier options and a few workouts did lead to me losing a tiny bit of weight. It was no concern to me at all and no one noticed because I still looked and felt healthy.

After I graduated from high school, I began to lose more weight. My diet progressively became so much more restrictive and my exercise routine became much more intense. My mentality shifted from wanting to live healthier to going to the extreme in both eating healthy and working out. I started to read nutrition labels on every packaged food item, I learned how to cook for myself so I could control the ingredients in my food, and slowly developed multiple food rules like “No dinner after 7PM”, “No snacking throughout the day”, “No sweets”, “Limit carbs”, and so on so forth.

As I became more restrictive with my food choices, I slowly started eating less and less since I was essentially cutting out food groups, but I never skipped a meal. I hardly had the energy to work out, but I still would since I felt the “need” to. The signs and symptoms of my body not obtaining an adequate amount of nutrients led to me losing my period, losing most of my hair, becoming anemic, and most of my clothing fitting too loose. I was also constantly freezing, pale, constipated had strange muscle cramps, night sweats, and my veins and bones became extremely visible.

I experienced the worst mood swings during this time and rarely joked or smiled like I usually would. My brain was so foggy yet constantly consumed by the thought of food, food that I deprived myself of. I slowly lost interest in the things I loved to do like wearing makeup, dressing up, hanging out with friends, and even TAKING PHOTOS (hello my favorite thing). I didn’t suspect anything because I hadn’t acknowledged how drastic my behavior had changed.

At this point, people around me, my family, some friends, even my DENTIST, questioned me if I was anorexic and I would confidently say no. Though in the back of my mind, I had a feeling something wasn’t right, I knew what I was experiencing was not anorexia.

September of 2017 came and one night my parents took me to a night clinic because my ankles were very swollen. After

some blood work and seeing my weight, the nurse there told me that I was severely malnourished and I needed to gain weight. The nurse referred me to an eating disorder center and I remember feeling so humiliated, judged, and frustrated that he assumed that I had an eating disorder, I literally started tearing up (remember those mood swings, they were always coming through). He wasn’t wrong, I just hadn’t realized that I had a different type of eating disorder called orthorexia.

It took me a few months to process and realize that I was going through an eating disorder and an exercise addiction.

I was a freshman in college at this time, still back at home, but other than attending school, I rarely went out because I became self-conscious of my body and my appearance. I never knew how to respond when people commented on how skinny I looked or how my hair became so thin.

I knew it was going to take time for me to bounce back to my old self, and I just had to remind myself this was all part of my recovery,”

“At this point, so many people around me, my family, some friends, even my DENTIST, questioned me if I was anorexic and I would confidently say no. Though in the ba ck of my mind, I had a feeling something wasn’t right, I knew what I was experiencing was not anorexia,”

Though my nurse recommended me to seek professional help for my orthorexia, it was an eating disorder center out of town and it didn’t feel like the right thing to do. It wasn’t that I was ashamed of my eating disorder or was trying to hide that I had one, but the thought of speaking to someone I didn’t know and discussing my eating disorder that was still very raw and emotional felt intimidating and uncomfortable to me.

I got to the point in my eating disorder that I recognized what I was doing to myself and my body was unhealthy, and I needed to shift my mindset back to a healthier one. I wanted to recover to feel like MYSELF again, to be able to go out to eat and not stress about what to order, to actually live life without the thought of food running through my mind the whole day, to take a rest day from working out and not feel guilty about it. I wanted to be free from this eating disorder and exercise addition that was consuming me and I knew I had to take action and start tackling every “food fear” and “rule” that was stored in my mind until there were no more.

Challenging myself to break the food rules I made in my mind and forcing myself not to workout was the only solution that helped me overcome orthorexia and my exercise addition, one day at a time.

I also realized how selfish of a mindset I had developed from orthorexia. I think of all the times I had food in front of me and didn’t eat it because it wasn’t “healthy”. I remember becoming anxious when there was “too much” food or when others made food for me because I didn’t know what was in it. Recognizing how fortunate I was to have food in front of me and viewing life from a different perspective was one factor that helped me strengthen my relationship towards food again. Thinking that others out there in the world were malnourished because they didn’t have access to food made me feel disgusted of how my disordered mindset made me take advantage of food. It made me realize that having any food in front of me was a privilege.

During this recovery process, I realized that there is so much more to life than letting these thoughts control me and my actions and I needed to simply LET GO. I missed out on so many amazing memories with my family and friends because foods I feared were involved or because it was during “my workout time”. I learned to push those thoughts aside and simply live life, be more flexible and spontaneous, and enjoy the moment without obsessing over every little calorie and ingredient in the food I ate or if I had time to work out that day or not. I gave myself and my body the love, grace, and rest that it deserved after treating it so poorly. My body was still functioning when I wasn’t doing my part and the least I could do it was give it all the time it needed to heal.

Almost two and a half years later after my eating disorder and exercise addition, I have never had a greater appreciation for my body. I am the healthiest weight I’ve ever been in, I got my period back, my hair is as thick as ever, and I honestly couldn’t be happier in life! I’ve gained such an appreciation for life and the little things that I didn’t enjoy a few years ago. I love eating healthy foods and working out, but I don’t obsess over it. I let myself enjoy any foods that sounds appealing to me without any hesitation and if that means tacos at 1AM after a night out and about, I am all for it. I take as many rest days when needed or weeks if that’s what my body wants or needs (or if life gets busy, it happens!) It’s called living life, being gentle with yourself, being present, and making memories that you’d look back on. When I look back during my orthorexia, I can’t recall any memories or social interactions I had with friends. All I remember is stressing over food and working out in my room, and that is not fun!

If you are currently going through an eating disorder, an exercise addiction, or both, you are not alone! There are so many people out there who are willing to listen to you and help you recover.

“I never thought I would be so at peace when thinking about food a n d e x e r c i s e l i k e h o w I a m t o d a y.

I feel like the old me and I am so grateful for it.

Recovery takes time, support from others even though yo u t h i n k yo u d o n’ t n e e d i t , embracing discomfort, finding peace, and learning to appreciate y o u r b o d y a n d a l l t h a t i t d o e s ,�

z e n i t r a M a l -Kay i ka ys b owl

it’s

OUR HOME

CELEBRITIES PROMOTING SUSTAINABILITY CLIMATE CHANGE ACTIVISTS CHANGING THE WORLD A SUSTAINABLE WEDDING THRIFTING MEETS DIY A SUSTAINABLE BATHROOM LOW WASTE LIVING IN A DORM

C ELE B RITIE S P ROMOTI NG S USTAI NABI L I TY

Gwyneth Paltrow • She is the founder of Goop, a natural health company and website.

• She uses her Instagram to help spread awareness of climate change issues.

• She paired up with designer Amour Vert to design a sustainable fashion line.

Emma Watson • She’s known for bringing awareness to sustainable and ethical fashion.

• ThePressTour Instagram showcases her sustainable looks.

• She is a supporter of GoodOnYou, a website that rates brands on sustainability and ethical measures.

Anne Hathaway • During her Colossal film press tour, she wore only sustainable clothing, consisting of either vintage pieces or archival runway outfits.

• At her wedding, she had a vegan menu full of local and sustainable food.

• She currently lives a zero waste lifestyle at home.

• She uses her Instagram to spotlight other climate change activists.

C L IMATE CHANGE ACT IVISTS CHANGI NG T H E WORLD

INDIA LOG AN-R I L E Y • She’s 25 and works to fight for Indigenous rights and to ensure they gain their rights over their land.

• She has spoken and attended the UN Climate talks in 2015 and 2016.

• In 2018, she was a part of the only indigenous youth delegation to attend the UN climate conference.

• She’s a member of Te Ara Whatu, a group of activists in New Zealand • Over 2 million people depend on land help by indigenous people for food, water, and air quality, as ecosystems are often protected by them.

https://eatforum.org/learn-anddiscover/five-youth-leaders-whowill-change-the-world/

RIDHIMA PANDE Y • She’s 11 years old and filed a petition with the Indian Supreme Court stating that the government failed to protect the environment.

• Her interest starting in 2013, when a flood destroyed part of Northern India.

• Her parents support her, especially her father, who is a wildlife conservationist.

• She has drawn the government’s attention and is working on an ongoing lawsuit to hold governments accountable.

https://childrenvsclimatecrisis.org

A LEXANDR I A VI L L ASE ÑOR • • • •

A 14 year old New Yorker who witnessed the California wildfires first hand.

She’s become a leader of many student strikes in the United States.

She launched her own youth-led nonprofit called Earth Uprising.

She has gained fame through social media for her #FridaysforFuture protests.

https://childrenvsclimatecrisis.org

XIUH TEZCATL ROSKE MARTI NE Z • • • • •

He’s 17 and has been fighting since he was 6 years old.

In 2013, he received the United States Community Service Award.

He spoke at the UN in 2015 at the age of 15.

He’s a youth director of Earth Guardians that he also founded.

He was one of the 21 people who sued the government and Trump for failing to act on climate change.

https://www.complex.com/life/young-activists-who-arechanging-the-world/xiuhtezcatl-roske-martinez

a s u stainable w e d di n g I’m getting married next year. It’s such an exciting process, I’m having so much fun planning! But as we know, weddings create a lot of unnecessary waste. So many single use items are used throughout the day, it literally stresses me out when I think about it haha! I’m in the process of planning what you’d call “a zero waste wedding”, but I’m going to call it: “a sustainable wedding”.

- Kristin Greco i

s t yl em annercoll ec t ive

Q&A

H ow d i d you get started on you r sustainability journey?

I was working in a restaurant and had a table of 6 guests. Each of those guests had a glass of water and a cocktail, all with straws. I remember looking down at the table and was like “wow, that’s a lot of plastic”. I worked off and on in the restaurant/retail industry for 10 years and I saw first hand the amount of waste these industries created. It just one day kind of clicked in my head that this is excessive and not ok and I’ve been on my journey ever since!

W h at’s b e e n th e hard est part about the we dding planning proc e ss?

Planning a sustainable wedding can be difficult because a lot of the waste being created is behind the scenes so I’ve had to say “no” to some things that I originally wanted because the proces s of getting those things created a lot of waste. I’ve luckily chosen vendors that totally support me and are on board with making this all happen. So I think if you’re just careful with selecting your vendors and voicing your wishes for a sustainable wedding up front, it makes the entire process SO much easier!

W h at’s yo u r favorite part ab ou t your sustainable we dding?

Ooh that is a tough one. There are so many things I love about our wedding! I think I’m going to have to go with our “take a shot take a seat” display!! Let me better explain hahah. So instead of single use favors that normally just get tossed, we are doing “take a shot take a seat”. I bought all different secondhand goblets/shot glasses in brass, gold and blush colors and they will be on display next to our seating chart. Basically, you pick a glass of your choice (that’s filled with a shot of course hehe), take your shot, and find your seat. Your glass is then your gift! All of these glasses are secondhand and were shipped in cardboard/no plastic, so no waste created!!

A ny ti p s f o r fu tu re brid es or gro om s?

Let it be. Go with the flow. Not everything is going to work out how you exactly envisioned it, but that’s ok, and that’s the beauty of the entire wedding planning process. There are going to be bumps in the road, but you just have to remember that it’ll all work out no matter what. Don’t sweat the small stuff! I’ve kept a positive and relaxed mindset through this entire process and it’s really h elped reduce my stress level.

ve n u e I thi n k th e first big thing to ta lk a b o ut her e is , y o ur v enue. C ho o s e it w is el y. W h e n lo o ki n g , ma k e su re you a re a sking t he p r o p er ques t io ns t o s ee if t hey a l ign w it h y o u r b e li e fs . I n order to rea listica lly ha v e a s us t a ina b l e w ed d ing, it’s im p o r t a nt t o c hoo s e a v e n ue th at ca n provide you w ith w ha t y o u a r e l o o king f o r t o m a k e t ha t ha p p en. A c o uple que stions you cou ld a sk a re : Wh at type of cu ps a re u sed for drin k s ?

Ar e the y pla stic of reu sa ble?

I f the y hav e in hou se ca tering, is the fo o d i n s eason/from a loca l fa rm?

Do t hey c a r r y s t r a w s ? (m a k e s ur e t o m ent io n y o u d o no t w a nt s t r a w s p r o v id e d f o r b ev er a ges ) Do t hey us e r eus a b l e gl a s s w a r e a nd d inner w a r e? W ha t a b o ut ut ens il s ?

Ar e the y using pa per na pkins or clo t h n apki n s ?

Wi th the s e qu estions, you’re a lrea dy get t ing a n id ea if t he v enue y o u’ r e l o o king a t i s g o i n g to b e a good fit a nd a llow yo u t o ha v e t his t y p e o f w ed d ing.

inv i t at i o n s We ddi n g invita tions a re so extrem el y w a s t ef ul . The us a ge o f p a p er is ex c es s iv e , an d yo ur gu ests a re ju st going t o ev ent ua l l y t o s s it a l l in t he ga r b a ge. I ns t ea d o f o pti n g f or a n a ll pa per invita tion, c hec k o ut w ed d ing w eb s it es . They’ r e s up er fu n an d th ey’re ea sily a ccessible for y o ur gues t s a nd y o u! Wed d ing w eb s it es a l l o w yo u to do so mu ch too! You ca n s et up a n RS V P s y s t em (w hic h is my f a v ), a d d i n f o r m a tion a bou t you r venu e (ad d r es s a nd t im e o f c er em o ny /r ec ep t io n), ha v e a li n k to y ou r registry, a nd so mu c h m o r e. I f y o u s et up a n RS V P o nl ine s y s t em o n yo ur w edding w ebsite, it help s y o u s t ay o r ga niz ed . I t a l s o s a v es y o u f r o m t h e c o n fus i on of sending ou t mu ltip l e p iec es o f p a p er f o r o ne inv it a t io n a nd a l l o w s yo u to ha ve better orga niza tion o v er y o ur w ed d ing gues t s . Gues t s c a n s el ec t t he i r m e n u i tem, R SVP, (a nd for ou rs) giv e a s o ng s ugges t io n a l l o nl ine! I t is a l s o h elpful for you beca u se you ca n s end y o ur gues t s t ha t need t o RS V P, a r em ind e r e mai l tha t sends them a link to t heir RS V P p a ge. I t’s s o ea s y, s a v es t he ha s s l e o f h av i ng to fill something ou t/s end it b a c k , a nd m o s t im p o r t a nt l y, s ignif ic a nt l y de cr e as es you r pa per u sa ge.

food

T he fo o d a spect a ll depends on w ha t v enue y o u s el ec t . S o m e v enues ha v e in ho u s e c ater i n g , some do not. For those t ha t ha v e in ho us e c a t er ing, it is im p o r t a nt t he y us e lo c al/in sea son ingredients fo r d is hes . I t is im p o r t a nt b ec a us e if t hey a r e us i n g i n gredients tha t a re not in s ea s o n, t ha t m ea ns t hey ha v e t o b uy a nd s hip f o o ds th at do not na tu ra lly grow a t t ha t t im e o f y ea r nea r y o u. Tha t c r ea t es a l o t o f packaging a nd pla stic pollu tion. Fo r t ho s e w ho ha v e t o f ind a n o ut s id e c a t er e r, the r e ar e a few qu estions you sho ul d b e t hinking a b o ut : What type of food a re you lookin g t o g et? Ar e you looking to do fa mil y s t y l e/ b uff e t o r a sit dow n dinner?

I s yo ur ou tside ca terer u sing loca l f ar me r s a nd in sea son ingredient s f o r the i r di s hes?

Do es t he v end o r y o u a r e s el ec t ing ha v e t he s a m e b el iefs a s y o u w hen it c o m es t o f o o d s c r a p s , in s ea s o n o p t io ns , c o m p o s t ing, et c ?

H o w a r e t hey s er v ing t he f o o d ? I s it r eus a b l e o r c o m p o s t a b l e?

I f the y provide pla tes/u tensils, ar e t hey r e us ab le or composta ble?

An o the r way to k eep the food a s s us t a ina b l e a s p o s s ib l e is k eep ing y o ur o p t io ns as c lo s e to a vega n/vegeta ria n diet a s p o s s ib l e. N o w, o f c o ur s e, t his is n’ t a l w ay s g o i n g to be possible (ex. my fia nc é ea t s m ea t ). Yo u w a nt t o b e a b l e t o ha v e o p t io n s f o r yo ur gu ests a nd provide them w it h f o o d t ha t t hey w a nt t o enjo y, b ut jus t kee pi n g it in mind w hen selecting a l l o f y o ur o p t io ns , t ha t v eget a r ia n/v ega n is g o i n g to decrea se you r ca rbon foo t p r int . B ut , l ik e I ’ v e a l w ay s s a id , w e a r e no t pe r fe ct and a s long a s w e a re try ing, t ha t’s a l l t ha t m a t t er s . S o if y o u ha v e s o m e m e at o ptions, or da iry options, d o no t s t r es s a b o ut it !

fl o ra l s T he fi r s t thing I su ggest w ith th is is , c hec k w it h y o ur f l o r is t . W hen y o u’ r e l o o ki n g f o r a flo rist, ma k e su re you ment io n t o t hem y o ur d es ir e t o ha v e a n ec o -f r iend l y weddi n g . “M y florist is a ll a bou t it f o r o ur s , a nd ha s b een S O hel p f ul t hr o ugh t h e who le pr ocess! She did her resea r c h a nd b a s ic a l l y l a id o ut w ha t need ed t o b e d o n e o n h er e nd in order to k eep it zero w a s t e. Yo u w il l d ef init el y r un int o r es t r ic t io n s wi th flo ra l choices, bu t in my opinio n, it w a s no t hing t ha t I f el t I w a s m is s ing o u t o n .� S o ta lking to you r florist is s up er im p o r t a nt , a nd m a k es t he w ho l e p r o c es s a lo t e as i er! A few things you ca n l o o k int o d o ing r a t her t ha n t o s s ing y o ur f l o r a ls i s do n ating them to a n orga niza tio n, d r y ing t hem , l et t ing gues t s t a k e t he c ent er pi e ce s h ome, or composting them .

favo r s F av o r s are no bu eno. They’re nor m a l l y s ingl e us e, m a d e w it h s o m e t y p e o f p l a st i c, an d har mfu l to ou r environment . N o w, y o u d o n’ t ha v e t o ha v e f a v o r s , b ut it’s o f c o ur s e n ice to give you r gu ests a l it t l e s o m et hing. I f y o u c hec k o ut t he v id eo I h av e po s ted below, I ta lk a bou t the t y p e o f f a v o r s Rus s el l a nd I a r e d o ing f o r o u r weddi n g a nd it is completely zero w a s t e. We m a d e s ur e t o k eep it s ec o nd ha nd b y s ho pping a t thrift stores, flea m a r k et s , a nd b uy ing f r o m p eo p l e t ha t w er e s elli n g r ather tha n buying new. S o t hink o f a f a v o r t ha t y o u c a n p r o v id e t ha t’s s ec o n dha nd, ha ndma de, or reu sa b l e!

menstrual cup

toilet paper made from bamboo or recycled paper

keep a cup under faucets to water plants

reusable pads or period underwear

products in glass jars

toothpaste made from recycled materials

a sustai nable b at h room bars to replace shampoo, conditioner, soap, and body wash

reusable bamboo rounds from Etsy

safety razor

dental silk floss wooden hairbrush or comb

thrift ing me ets diy “It’s not always as easy or quick that Instagram or Pinterest makes it seem!

There’s a lot of improvising, and trips to the craft and hardware stores when things go as planned. It’s always so satisfying to have completed a beautiful piece that is 100% customized to fit your likes,” Two avid thrifters put their DIY skils to the test as they turn gently used items into new creations.

ta

- Kelsey & Chris i

kc thr i fter s

Q&A H ow d i d yo u get started w ith thrifting?

Kelsey: Christa shared her love for thrifting with me and has got me hooked!

Christa: It all started for me with my mom. She had gotten on a kick watching Antique Roadshow, and realized that there were so many treasures to be found at the thrift store. I started going along with her and realized that so many things had so much life, they just needed a little updating.

W h at wa s your first up cycling/DIY c re ation?

Kelsey: My first big project was my daughter’s dresser. The dresser was her Grampy’s growing up.

It was an outdated orange wood with gold handle bars. I refurbished it by painting the body of the dresser white while staining the drawers darker. Once the stain was dry, I took the same white paint and painted on dandelions. If you’d like to see the before and after results, feel free to check out our Instagram account: kcthrifters!

Christa: I started with repainting picture frames I would find at the thrift store. I loved the gold gaudy ones…. repainted white, they add so much sophisticated character to photos

Wh at’s b e e n your favorite so far ? W hat about the most use f ul one so f ar?

Kelsey: Favorite, if I had to choose one, it would probably be my drawer plant stand. It was easy, fun, unexpected, gave me an excuse to buy more plants (I try to think I am a plant lady, but I tend to over water everything), and of course it was free. Useful, probably our dining room table. My husband and I wanted to host Friendsgi ving this year but we didn’t have a decent size table to seat 8-10 people. U ntil we remembered the table that was sitting in our storage room. The table was an outdated orange wood stain. I painted the legs white and lime waxed the top. The before and after results for this table can also be found on our Instagram account: kcthrifters!

Christa: Favorite, so tough… I don’t thi nk I can just pick one! From clothes to home decor, I love that I can recycle and save so much money. Useful, I got all my living room furniture from thrifting… customized to exactly what I want!

before and after CHILDREN’S DESK W/ WHITE SPONGE PRINTS I purchased this desk for my daughter at the Crown Center Antique Festival in Kansas City this past June. It was already in great shape so I was tempted to leave it be. However, people who know me, know that I love to paint with my daughter (14 months old). So with some sponges and a can of Benjamin Moore Satin Mayonnaise paint that we already had on hand, the desk ended up to be a little more kid friendly.

GRAY TUFTED OTTOMAN I love all things tufted, and I had been searching for a good coffee table to take on as my first tufting project. I found this one for $15 at Goodwill in the Kansas City area. I loved the curvy legs it had and knew it would go great with the tufted look. I certainly learned the hard way to do tufting on this project, I actually got thread and buttons and pulled tight to get the look, gosh my hands were so sore from pulling on all that thread! But in the end it turned out beautifully and is one of my favorite pieces.

before and after VINYL RECORDS HOLDER Christa and I found this piece at a Hillcrest Thrift Store in the Kansas City area for $29! You either can’t find a similar piece like this anymore or they are well over $200, at the least! The wood was in decent shape, but I ended up painting it with the same Benjamin Moore Satin Mayonnaise paint that I use on almost all of my projects. I currently do not own a record player or records, but I would love to someday. Wouldn’t you love to start everyday with a little Norah Jones or Frank Sinatra playing in the background while you sip on a cup of joe? If that music is too calm for you, there is the Pretty Woman Soundtrack as well. :) This piece also works great as a bookcase, for now.

SILVER LAMPS I found these pair of lamps at the thrift store and fell in love with their vintage shape. I knew I could make them modern with some chrome paint and white shades. These lamps had been in a heavy smoker’s house and smelled so badly of smoke that I ended up having to strip down the shade to the wire frame and rebuild the frame with white linen fabric. Once the shades were crisp and clean, a quick paint job with chrome spray paint finished this project up nicely. I love anything with a vintage vibe, made modern, so these are one of my favorite pieces I’ve redone so far!

before and after DRAWER ‘PLANT’ STAND I was driving to Target with my daughter and on the way we passed by a house that had a couple pieces of furniture (a TV stand and a wooden coffee table) sitting at the end of the driveway listed for FREE. I told myself if they were still there on our way back, I would take them home with me. Sure enough, both pieces were still there. Right away, I knew I wasn’t going to fit the TV stand in my car. The wooden coffee table came with 2 drawers. I first placed the drawers in my passenger seat and then attempted to carry the table (more like waddled my way) to the car. Long story short, I only ended up with 2 drawers that afternoon. I repurposed them and they are now a plant stand and a coffee table tray for our home. For repurposing, I gave them a fresh coat of paint (Benjamin Moore Satin Mayonnaise; same paint as the Children’s Desk) and bought 2 drawer knobs and table legs from Amazon.

BLACK TUFTED CHAIR The chair was such a fun and unique shape, and I knew it would look so much more interesting and glamourous with the tufting. A tough part of reupholstering is always which fabric to choose. There are sooo many options these days, so it makes it tough to decide. I found this fabric at Joann’s Fabric and loved that it was neutral, but also fun with the little white dots. The secret to easy tufting is using screws and washers, rather than thread and buttons like traditional tufting, power tools make everything easier!

I t’s f u n a n d e x c i t i n g t o w a l k i n t o t h e t h r i f t s t o r e s s o f u l l o f h o p e t o f i n d g re at i t e m s , b u t t h e re a re s o m a ny t i m e s we wa l k i n a n d o u t w i t h n o t h i n g . I t t a ke s s h o p p i n g a ro u n d at m a ny stores to find the hidden treasures. Just keep thrifting, just keep thrifting! What do we do we thrift, thrift, thrift! Stores a r e a l w a y s g e t t i n g n e w t h i n g s i n e v e r y d a y, s o j u s t b e c a u s e t o d ay y o u d i d n’ t f i n d a ny t h i n g , d o e s n’ t m e a n y o u w o n’ t f i n d a t r e a s u r e t h e v e r y n e x t d ay ! E s t a t e s a l e s a n d g a r a g e s a l e s a r e also hidden gems to look for projects.

a t s i r h C & y - Kelse i

kcth r if ter s

l ow waste liv in g in a dor m Starting college and a low waste lifestyle at the same time? No worries, it’s totally doable. Here’s a beginnerfriendly guide on how to live sustainably in a college dorm.

REUSABLES You’ll want to come prepared. Here’s a list I recommend: • • • • • •

Water bottle Mason jars Tumbler Food storage containers Straws Utensils

• • • • •

Cloth napkins Bamboo cotton rounds Bags Produce bags Silicone bags

FOOD COURTS These can be intimidating, but there are things you can do to reduce your waste.

• • •

Check to see if their containers are compostable or biodegradable. Try using your own containers when buying.

Bring your own utensils and napkins to avoid using disposables.

Get the hot and ready meals rather than relying on single-served packaged meals.

• • • •

Try “bulk buying” by loading up a container from the vegetable and fruit bars (if your place offers them) Limit how many samples you get that come in disposable packaging.

Take leftovers and napkins back with you to compost!

Eat plant-based when you can!

COMPOSTING Some schools already do it, but if not, you can easily do it on your own.

• • •

If your school does compost, see if you can dump you bin into their bigger one.

See what services are available to you. Click here to find a list.

Most community gardens and farms are always looking for compost. Call ahead and ask.

• • •

Target sells this stainless steel composting bin for easy and odorless storage.

Freeze your compost if you can’t drop it off on schedule, it’ll still be good to compost later!

Keep a list of what you can compost, and hold yourself accountable!

DORM ESSENTIALS For things like decor, bathroom necessities, and more, here’s a list: • • • •

Shampoo, conditioner, and soap bars Make your own scrunchies Check Target for OEKO-TEX certified towels SOMA water pitcher or charcoal water filter

• • •

Small furniture, decor, blinds, and bedding from IKEA, Craft&Barrel, or West Elm Thrift storage containers Get decor you can and will reuse

JUST BECAUSE YOU’LL BE LIVING IN A SMALL SPACE DOESN’T MEAN YOU HAVE TO DO IT UNSUSTAINABLY! BE CONSCIOUS, THINK OF IT LIKE A TINY HOME :)

it’s

WHAT WE WEAR

MEET ANGELA FASHION ACCOUNTS TO FOLLOW MEET BEX ETHICAL JEWELRY BRANDS

m eet Angela

“ It wa s n’ t u ntil college, when I finally h a d a j o b and a paltry amount of m o n ey t o my n ame, that I started g e tt i n g i nto fashion. There was a s m a l l p a r t of me that always loved c l o t h e s , b u t I never had the means to e x p l o re t h at intere st. I d abbled a bit i n f a s h i o n , b ut once I nstagram really t o o k o f f a s a platform an d I discovered style i n f l u encers, I got inspired to not o n l y d eve l op my own personal sty le, b u t t o s h a re my look s to my Instagram a c c o u nt , a s we ll,� i hero _ of_t i me_1 7

Q&A Te l l u s a b o ut your sty le!

I qui ckly f o u nd tha t I ha d a genu ine p a s s io n f o r s t y l e, a nd I ns t a gr a m b ec a m e a n o u t l e t f or s har i n g tha t pa ssion w ith other p eo p l e, p a r t ic ul a r l y o t her p et it e w o m en, f o r w ho m c lo th es s h o pping ca n be difficu lt. It f eel s nic e b eing a b l e t o p r o v id e s t y l ing t ip s f o r t h e peti te co m m u nity. This yea r I fina lly s t a r t ed my o w n s t y l e b l o g, Fa ng + B o ne. [ My s t y l e i s] def i n i tely more of a minima list- mo d er n-m eet s -d es er t -v ib es s o r t o f s t y l e. Ma d ew ell me e t s OAK + F ORT meets Aritzia meets E ver l a ne, w it h p l ent y o f v int a ge f ind s m ix ed in. I w e a r a lo t o f n e utra ls a nd ea rth tones: bone, o l iv e, m us t a r d , t er r a c o t t a , b l a c k , gr ay. I d o l i k e t h e o cc as i o n al s u btle pa ttern. I a void fla s h-in-t he-p a n t r end s a nd s t ic k t o c l a s s ic s t y l es t h a t wo n’t b e co m e ou tda ted, w hile styling t hem in f r es h a nd m o d er n l o o k s .

W h at tre n ds and b ran d s are you loving right now?

A n i m al pr i n t w a s something tha t didn’ t w o r k f o r m e a t a l l unt il I go t int o t he r ep t ile pr i n ts : s n ake, liza rd, croc. Now I’m a b it o b s es s ed , b ut k eep ing my o b s es s io n t o a mi n i mum with only a ha ndfu l of pie c es , l ik e a f ew p ur s es a nd a c o up l e o f p a ir s o f sh o e s . I do n’t wan t to get too ca rried a w ay w i t h it . Pea r l a nd go l d ea r r ings , b o l d c ha in nec k l a ce s , a n d s tac ki n g gold rings ha ve a ll been t r end s I ’ v e b een l o v ing, es p ec ia l l y b ec a us e, a s I men ti o n ed b efore, these a re cla ssic p iec es t ha t w o n’ t go o ut o f s t y l e nex t s ea s o n o r n e x t y e ar. I ’m also ha ppy tha t styles from t he 9 0 s a r e c o m ing b a c k , l ik e s qua r e-t o ed b o o t s a n d hi g h-wai s ted, stra ight leg jea ns. Arit z ia , OA K + FORT, Ma d ew el l , a nd E v er l a ne a r e t h e clo th i n g b r ands I w ea r the most, w it h a l o t o f t hr if t ed p iec es m ix ed in.

D o yo u p ri oritize ethical and sustainable f ashion?

I do n’t pr i o r itize ethica l or su sta ina bl e f a s hio n, b ut I ’ v e no t ic ed t ha t t hr if t ing ha s s u d d e n l y b eco m e a b i g trend. I’ve been thrifting s inc e I w a s 18 a nd need ed t o m a k e my l im it ed mo n e y g o f ur th er, and cou ld never predict th a t it w o ul d b ec o m e a s p o p ul a r a s it is no w a nd t h a t I ’d s o r t o f i n a dvertently w ind u p “pri o r it iz ing” s us t a ina b l e f a s hio n b y m er el y c o nt in u i n g t o s ho p as I a lw ays ha ve. I ha ve mixe d f eel ings a b o ut t hr if t ing b ec o m ing a t r end . I t’s g o o d t h at th e s ti g ma su rrou nding thrifting is s t a r t ing t o l if t , t ho ugh it d o es n’ t c ha nge t he fa ct t h at peo ple h ave been sha med for dec a d es f o r ha v ing t o b uy t heir c l o t hes f r o m t hr if t s t o re s .

I t us e d to b e something ma ny w ere emb a r r a s s ed b y, b ut no w b ec a us e s t y l e inf l uenc ers a nd Yo uT ub ers ha ve decided it’s trend y, it’s s ud d enl y t he in t hing t o d o . I f ind it a bi t f rus tr ati n g , thou gh I ca n’t compla in t o o m uc h w hen I ’ v e t o ut ed t he b enef it s o f t hr if t i n g t o my o wn audi ence. I’m a lso concerned w it h ho w m uc h t hr if t s t o r e p r ic es ha v e r is en in t h e wake o f thr i f ting’s grow ing popu la rit y, a nd w ha t t ha t m ea ns f o r p eo p l e o f l es s er m ea n s wh o r ely o n thrift stores for clothes. I d o w ha t I c a n t o s up p l y c l o t hes b a c k int o t he t h ri ft e c o s ys te m, r egu la rly dona ting my gen t l y us ed it em s t o my l o c a l s t o r es . On t he f l ip s i d e , t h r i fti n g i s a grea t form of recycling, s a v es y o u a l o t o f m o ney (a nd no o ne s ho ul d be ma d e t o f e el g ui lty a bou t w a nting to be bett er w it h m o ney ), a nd c a n hel p y o u b uil d a r ea l ly un i que war drobe.

Two o f my f avorite th rifted v intage pie c e s – this wo o l b l a z e r a n d lin en b lou se – pair ve ry nic e ly t o g e th e r. T h e patent finish of the purse and boots p l ay o f f o f the soft textu res of othe r f abric s. The b ol d c h a i n n eck laces, th ick hoop e arrings, and ci g a r b a n d ri ng fin ish th in gs off with a bit of a masc u l i n e e d ge.

- Blazer: thrifted

- Purse: OAK + FORT

- Blouse: thrifted

- Jewelry: Mejuri

- Jeans: Madewell - Boots: Zara

T h e re’s so m e t h in g ab ou t th e juxtaposition of the rep ti l e p ri nt of the sk irt and th e color/ patte rn co m b o o f th e s e Van s th at really work toge the r.

An d yo u c a n’ t go w ron g w ith leathe r and silk, a cl a ssi c p a i ri ng.

- Jacket: AllSaints

- Purse: Topshop (thrifted)

- Skirt: a new day (Target)

- Sweater: Sezane

- Sneakers: Vans

W h i te h e l p s brighten a fall and w inte r pale tte .

T h e d e n i m i s a n ice comp liment to the thic kne ss an d so ftn e ss o f th e blazer an d sweate r, while the raw h e m s m a ke th e look a little more c asual.

- Blazer: Gap

- Pumps: Crown Vintage

- Sweater: Levi’s

- Watch: Breda

- Jeans: Madewell

- Jewelry: Madewell

Neu tra l s m a ke sn ake p rint p op . This look is also ab o u t th e b a lance of an oversized shirt-jac ke t w i th sl i m c u t jean s. I f I ’m goin g to go ove rsiz e d u p to p , I ke e p th in gs more tailore d f or the b otto m s, a n d v ice- versa.

- Shirt-jacket: Aritzia (Wilfred Free)

- Mules: Schutz - Purse: OAK + FORT

- Bodysuit: Aritzia (Babaton) - Jeans: Aritzia (Denim Forum)

“ Sty l e i s a n i nt e g ra l p a r t o f w h o I a m , a n d g e tt i n g d r e s s e d e v e r y d ay i s s o m e t h i n g I e n j o y a n d l o o k forward to. I feel like it sort of runs in the family; my g ra n d m o t h e r s , m o t h e r, f at h e r, a n d s o m e a u nt s a n d u n c l e s we re a n d a re sty l i s h p e o p l e w i t h a n innate sense of what looks good. One of the things I e n j o y e d m o s t a b o u t p l ay i n g w i t h B a r b i e s a s a k i d wa s t h e f a s h i o n , a n d I c a r r i e d t h at l ove i nt o my a d u l t h o o d . Sty l e i s a f o r m o f s e l f - e x p re s s i o n t h at h a s h e l p e d m e f e e l m o re c o n f i d e nt . G row i n g u p , my dream was to become a video game concept artist; w h i l e my e d u c a t i o n a n d c a r e e r p a t h t o o k m e aw ay from the world of art, I’m glad that I can explore a r t t h ro u g h f a s h i o n , e x p e r i m e nt i n g w i t h c o l o r, t e x t u r e , a n d p a t t e r n e v e r y d a y,”

a l e g n A -

fashion accounts to follow

i nstagram: @jes swit h les s

i n stagram : @p et it elitt leb e e

i nstagram: @t h emop t op

i nstagram: @candicemt ay

i nstagram: @liv ing.p et it e

meet

Bex

On Earth D ay 2019, I vowed t o only shop se c ondhand f o r t he whole ye ar. I’ve f ound that it ha s stoppe d m e f rom impulse buying a lot, and if I re ally want somet hing I have to se arc h f or it se c ondha nd, whic h make s me re ally m indf ul of my purc hase s. I love sh o pping se c ondhand be c ause I c an a f f o rd c lothing that is SO MUCH nicer than c lothing I c an af f ord new. I’ve ac tually gotte n a little spo iled by it, I think. That be ing said , I st ill think that style s ne e d to c han g e a nd new f ashions ne e d to evolve wit h o ur c ulture . I am a big f an of sust a ina ble and sm all c lothing brands, an d I a m e xc ite d that m any labe ls are being pushe d to be m ore sustaina ble a nd e thic al by c ons umer s .

Q&A Te l l u s a b o ut your I n stagram.

M y i n st a g r a m a ccou n t ha s evolved a lo t o ver these past 9 mo nths. I started o f f with a 1 0x1 0 c ha llen ge, w hi ch w a s my first experience trying to take pictures o f my c l o t h e s ever y day. T hen i t r ea lly to o k o ff when I decided to fo cus o n seco ndha nd a n d su st a i n a ble fa shi on . I w a n t to co mmunicate with my page that yo u do n’t h a v e t o su p p o r t fa st fa shi on to follow trends, that sustainab le fashio n is no t equiv a le nt t o m i n i m a l fa shi on , a n d tha t shop ping seco ndhand and vintage do esn’t mean l o o ki n g l i k e a gr a n dm a i f y ou don’t want to lo o k like a grandma. No w, I am try ing d o o d l i n g o n top of my photos, a n d I like the b right po ps o f co lo r it adds to my fe e d a s a who l e . I t feels li k e a bi t of a n ho mage to my artist side. Still figuring it ou t, b u t p e o p l e seem to li k e i t!

D e sc ri b e you r sty le!

I t hi n k I a m sti ll defi n i n g w ha t my style is. I always WANTED to b e o ne o f th os e n e u t r a l m i n i ma l ea r th ton e people , b ut co lo r keeps b ursting thro ugh when it w a sn’ t even my i n ten ti on . S o I w ould say, I enjo y neutral with po ps o f co lo r, lik e a n a c c en t . Other w i se, I r i ght n ow, I am flo ating in b etween fun, b o ld, retro v ibe s a n d f l o wy, roma n ti c vi n ta ge. S ome o f my b iggest inspiratio ns right no w are @ so p hi a r o sema r y, @mega n ella by, @sarahwaiste, and @clo thesandpiz z a!

W h at d o yo u d o for a liv ing?

I a m a f u l l - ti m e i llu str a ti on stu dent right no w. I’m ab o ut to finish my BFA in M ay, s o a l o t i s a b ou t to cha n ge! I ’ve just started wo rking o n my thesis pro ject. I’ve a ls o w o r k ed a s a pa r t- ti me techn i ci a n at a techno lo gy retail sto re fo r 5 years.

D o yo u h ave fu tu re plan s for your Instagram or within f ashion?

My l i f e i s a b ou t to cha n ge dr a sti cally as I emerge with my degree into the wo rld .

I ’m g o i n g t o ha ve to fi n d a fu ll ti me jo b , mo ve, start paying lo ans b ack, aaaah ! I t o y b a c k a n d for th w i th the i dea of expanding the instagram thing into so meth ing m o r e ser i o u s, bu t for n ow, I a m enjo ying do ing it. It takes up a lo t mo re time th a n y o u w o u l d t hi n k . I t w ou ld be a w es o me to find a way to integrate my illustrati on an d f a sh i o n love i n a mor e cohesi v e way.

If fashion and style are your hobby, thrifting is like advanced level fashion it feels like. It is a lot more work and there are no guides to tell you w hat exactly is cute. It is time consuming, but I personally like the hunt. I think a lot of people are put off by the idea of digging and searching for items.

Another issue is that secondhand items are rarely curated. Fast fashion stores do an amazing job of making everything look appealing and put together. They have collections of items that make it easy to imagine yourself in all of the cool, fashionable clothes. When you go to a thrift store, everything is dirty. There are clothes in there that have holes and are 30+ years old. It’s overwhelming! There are good things in there, but finding them in your size just isn’t worth the drastically low price for some people. I think it’s a mindset change. I always enjoy the almost addicting qualities of the thrifting game. You have to go often, and you never know if there will be something good there waiting for you.

You also have to be okay walking out with nothing. Another thing I realized is really challenging about thrifting is everything in the thrift store is relative. What I mean by that is a top you find might look really cute when it is surrounded by really ugly things, but if it was in a boutique surrounded by cute things, you might not even give it a second glance. So while things are cheap at a thrift store, you really have to have a strong sense of your own style or a very clear idea of what specific items you are looking for to be able to root out what is worth bringing home, or you might completely waste the money you paid and donate it back (Not that I’ve ever done that… Oh, I have.)

I will say, ThredUP is an incredibly helpful resource for shopping secondhand. It’s curated and so much easier to find quality items you are looking for. The prices aren’t always extremely low, but the service is so amazing, that it is worth spending a little more than you would at Saver’s or Goodwill.

Beware, though. It’s easy to get carried away, so I recommend setting a budget.

her thrift in g t ip s 1. Use Instagram as inspiration, not necessarily as a guide of what to buy! I have an Outfit Inspo folder on Instagram where I save my favorite looks. Start to get an idea of your style and pieces you’d like to look for. Make a thrift list, so next time you go thrifting, you have a place to start and you know what you are looking for.

2. Once you find a style you want to build, think of your wardrobe as a whole. I’ve tried a capsule wardrobe a few times but I haven’t been entirely successful yet. However, the idea of ca psule wardrobe can still be helpful. Before you bring those boots home, take stock and make sure they will go with other things you own, otherwise you’ll never wear them.

3. To that point, I catalogued all my clothing items in The Stylebook App. I love it! It’s a lot of work up front, but it is an indexing tool that lets me keep track of all the clothing I own. I also use it as a fashion sketchbook anytime I am inspired or have a cool outfit idea, I throw the pieces together in Stylebook so I have an image of all the items together. Truly life changing.

4. Be patient. If you see something you really like on Instagram or a magazine, you may have to wait until next season for someone to put it up for sale. That waiting period really dete rmines for me if I needed that item or not. I kind of leave it up to fate, after that. If I end up finding it secondhand, then it was meant to be! YAY! If I don’t, then I really didn’t need it, no matter how much I wanted it. This whole process has made me so much more mindful of my purchases and has made it a lot easier for me to really find items I love.

5. I will say, I’ve learned that if I am looking for a specific item in a specific color, I can’t settle for a different color or “close enough”. If I do that, then it’s pointless because I will still in the back of my mind be searching for the item I really wanted. There is no peace of mind. First world problems, I know, but I can’t settle for close enough. I’d just be wasting money.

6. Lastly, have fun! It’s a huge learning process, like anything else. Not everything you buy will work out great, and it might take time for your sense of style to mature and grow. Totally normal. Also, don’t be afraid to purge often. Even if you brought something home from the thrift store only to find you didn’t like it 2 months later, donate it, sell it, or give it to a friend. You might feel like you are wasting money, but it is going to drain more from you by sitting there and taking up valuable space in your closet and muddying up your selection. Don’t feel obligated to keep things for the sake of keeping things. Get it back out there in the fashion pool so it has a chance to make someone else happy who might actually wear it!

I ’ve al ways b een interest ed i n f as hi on , b u t I n ever rea lly e x pl ored my own style f u lly unt i l t hi s year. It’s cra zy h ow d e f i ni ng you r p ersona l style c a n i nf l u en ce you r co n f iden ce i n ot he r areas of your lif e, t o o .

I f i nd i t excitin g. i pet ite l ittl eb ee

e thi cal jewelry br ands From tops to shoes, sustainable and ethical fashion is becoming widely available. We can’t forget accessories so here are some jewelry brands to support.

MEJURI They produce in small quantities to ensure a quality product. Compared to competitors, their prices are on the lower end, making it more affordable. They use materials such as sterling silver, solid gold, pearls, and diamonds.

ABLE They support empowering women, and their pieces are handmade by women in Nashville. They have a She’s Worth More collection focusing on that truth.

EMMA AITCHISON Their pieces replicate a weather force in a unique way, as a way to draw inspiration from the natural world. They source their stones from vintage or antique sellers, to support a circular economy.

MADEWELL They’re one of the leading brands for ethical and sustainable fashion, and they make jewelry, like earrings and necklaces, too.

NISOLO A well-known shoe brand that also makes sustainable jewelry at affordable prices. Most are handmade by artisans in Kenya.

WILD FAWN Handmade jewelry made in London! They use recycled silver, gold, and rose gold, as well as freshwater pearls.

THE GIVING KEY They are known for making jewelery out of keys. Each purchase supports job creation for those coming out of homelessness.

RAVEN + LILY They are a certified B-corporation and Fair Trade member and work with artisan women to create their pieces.

Check out this website to find a list of 25 sustainable jewelry brands.

it’s

WHAT HELPS US GLOW

ECO-FRIENDLY SKINCARE 2020 TREND PREDICTIONS BRANDS TO LOOK OUT FOR

ec o - f riend ly ski nc ar e “We want to make a difference! At the end of the day, the issue of sustainability and even natural beauty is so much bigger than us. It comes down to the health of our population and our planet. Especially when it comes to personal care products, we think it’s so important to be conscious not only about how our bodies react to toxic ingredients in the long term, but the effect it takes on our planet. A lot of the products we use in our bathrooms are either no recyclable or don’t get recycled. By providing better options, we are hopefully producing far less waste and giving consumers healthier choices.”

Q&A

i lum i b as i c s

H ow d i d th e bran d come to life?

We m et whi le w or ki n g for a Hea lth + Wellness driven co mpany. Bo th o b sessed w i t h n a t u r a l,holi sti c ski n ca r e a n d o ther wellness pro ducts, we always dreame d of st a r t i n g o u r ow n bu si n ess offer i n g the skincare pro ducts that we had already be e n t est i n g a n d u si n g ou r selves for y ears. Being already in the wellness industry, we w er e a b l e t o see the i n s a n d ou ts o f co mpanies that were marketing themselve s to b e “ hea l t hy” or “su sta i n a ble” bu t knew that the truth b ehind the scenes was ofte n a l i t t l e d i f f er e n t. We k n ew tha t w e co uld do b etter b ut we weren’t sure where, w h e n, o r e ve n h o w to sta r t. When w e w ere b o th suddenly let go o f o ur jo b s o n the same d ay, w e k n o w i t w a s ti me. T ha t w as the day Lumi Basics was b o rn and we ne v e r looked back.

H ow h a rd i s to b e sustain ab le from a c om pany standpoint?

Fo r u s i t i sn’t ha r d beca u se w e n e ver co nsidered no t running Lumi as a susta ina ble c o m p a ny. H a vi n g a low en vi r on m e ntal fo o tprint in o ur pro fessio nal and persona l l i ve s i s so m e thi n g w e both ca r e de eply ab o ut. Sure, co sts might increase and we m i g ht n eed to do a li ttle mor e r ese arch to find things that fit o ur standards, bu t we a r e a l w ays looki n g for w ay s to be mo re sustainab le so it’s fun fo r us!

A ny f u tu re plan s for L umi B asic s?

We h a ve so ma ny pla n s tha t som etimes we have a hard time staying fo cused! We s ta r t e d t h i s compa ny w i th so mu ch lo ve and passio n that we can see it go ing in s o m a ny d i f f er e n t di r ecti on s. O u r m ain go al is to co ntinue gro wing o ut the pro d u ct l i n e . Yo u c a n ex pect to see fa ce masks, lo tio n b ars, and ho pefully mo re in 202 0 !

c h eck out t heir pr oduc ts All their ingredients are handmade, vegan, sustainable, and non-toxic. They have a small collection, but it’s full of all of my favorites.

STRAWBERRY CLEANSING SERUM | $32 An all-natural way to remove makeup. It features: - Strawberry seed oil - Grapeseed oil - Avocado oil - Lavender essential oil - Tea Tree oil - Geranium essential oil It can work for day and night, and for most skin types!

TURMERIC SAGE FACIAL TONER | $22 It freshens up the skin and keeps it bright. It features: - Turmeric - Sage - Avocado oil - Witch Hazel It can work for day and night, and for most skin types, though specifically for oily skin.

MATCHA SUGAR SCRUB | $22 A natural facial scrub to energize and smooth the skin. It features: - Cane sugar - Coconut oil - Jojoba oil - Matcha tea - Eucalyptus essential oil Use it 2-3 times a week, but it’s gentle enough to use every day.

LOOK ONLINE FOR MORE! They take a minimalistic approach to skincare, to make sure it’s simple, accessible, and sustainable. All formulas use less than 10 ingredients to make, and are free of preservatives, fillers, sulfates, phthalates, and fragrances.

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brand s t o look ou t f or BRIOGEO HAIR CARE They are a high-performance, hair care collection that is naturally based. Briogeo offer texture specific products for different hair types and hair needs. Formulated without sulfates, silcones, parabens, phthalates, DEA, or synthetic colors, they’re even cruelty-free! You can find them online here or at Sephora.

SAIE They are a clean and sustainable makeup brand that doesn’t use parabens, sulfates, synthetic fragrance, talc, or GMO’s. A complete list of what Saie avoids using can be found here.

The best part? All their products will be under $25.

KINFIELD Kinfield are a plant-based outdoor essentials line, that is vegan and cruelty-free. They are sustainable too, shipping in reusable produce bags and donating 2% of profits to eco organizations.

You can shop their moisturizers, repellents, and more here.

GOOD CHEMISTRY They are a natural fragrance line, exclusive to Target. Good Chemistry is cruelty-free, paraben free, vegan, and use essential oils in their products.

Shop their products online here or go to your nearest Target.

AROMATICA They call themselves a pioneer in clean and safe Korea beauty care. Currently, they are working to launch more sustainable products. Aromatic is an EWG Safe Cosmetics Campaign Partner and Eco-cert certified.

Shop their products online here.

it’s

BEING IN GOOD HEALTH

THE LET’S THRIVE PODCAST BACK TO SCHOOL ANXIETY WEBSITES FOR FREELANCE WORK

the podcast

“ P o d c a s t i n g i s my w ay o f s t o r y t e l l i n g . I t a l l o w s m e the space to connect with wonderful guests and then s h a re t h at m e s s a g e w i t h s o m a ny o t h e r s . I l ove t h e c re at i ve a n d u n i q u e s p a c e my p o d c a st g i ve s m e t o s h a re important topics that might otherwise not be discussed.

M o r e s o , I k n o w h o w m u c h o t h e r p o d c a s t s h av e c h a n g e d my l i f e s o I k n ew I n e e d e d my ow n t o s h a re t h e s e i m p o r t a n t l i f e l e s s o n s ! At t h e e n d o f t h e d ay a l l t h a t r e a l l y m a t t e r s t o m e i s t h e i m p a c t I l e av e o n t h i s w o r l d a n d t h e p o d c a s t i s m y w a y o f d o i n g s o ,”

“I started listening to podcasts in early 2018 after a few of my favorite bloggers started one. Not soon after I began listening, I found myself absolutely in love with the medium as each episode was a fun way to feel less alone, learn something new, and feel inspired to take action. Fast forward a few months and I was home from college looking for something to do. I was too weak from my then unknown chronic illness to maintain a steady job so I did the next best thing and started my own thing. First it was an instagram, then a blog, and then one day I had the thought: “wouldn’t it be fun to have a podcast?” I immediately started to day dream about what my title would be, my dream guests, and what topics I’d cover. After a month or two of daydreaming I decided I actually wanted to try and the adventure began.

‘Why? What is your purpose behind it?’ Starting a podcast is a lot of work and I think it’s important to analyze your reasoning, your why, your purpose behind it before moving onto anything else. Is this podcast just for fun? In that case your steps to starting will be much easier! Look at apps such as Anchor to record, edit, and share your podcast for free. If you’re looking to have the podcast be a serious project, part of your brand, or hopefully a source of income … the process can get a tad bit more complicated. When I asked myself that question of ‘what’s my why?’ my response was: to inspire, educate, and empower others. I knew from the start that I wanted mine to be high-quality, serious (yet fun!), and part of my brand so I took the extra steps to make it so. After a lot of research I decided to have the company Simplecast (https://simplecast. com/) host my podcast which means that their platform supports my entire podcast and gives it a place ‘to live’ so to speak. I input all my podcast and podcast episode

info into their software and it distributes the episode to different platforms. I then chose to record with the Zoom app as it allows me to record long distance and save the recording afterwards. For editing I went with Audacity but Garageband is also a good choice! My last purchases were on a good quality mic, Blue Snowball Yeti, and a large set of headphones for recording and editing episodes. Once all of that was finalized and set up, I started to reach out to guests, schedule interview dates, and record!

When it comes to podcasts it’s so important to be uniquely you. Since it’s an uprising medium it can be easy to fall into a niche or label yourself. And while it’s fine to be in a niche, you want to ensure that something about your podcast stands out, makes some noise, and draws attention to help it ‘stick out’. In the beginning my podcast was very stereotypical and wasn’t anything special. Overtime however, I’ve found my ways to stand out. For instance: my tone is a blend of humorous, inquisitive, and serious. My guests and audience can always expect an interview to have a few laughs, lots of questions, and a healthy dose of serious advice and wisdom. My cover art is unique because I created it in Canva using my own color scheme and designs. Even so, I’ve recently invested in professional branding because I think it is so important to have a unique cover art that helps you stand out. It’s just as important to be unique with guests too though. I’ve made the mistake of having a guest on right after they’ve appeared on multiple other podcasts which lowers the downloads.

Find unique guests that help you stand out and show a different side to things! And in that, be thoughtful with your questions! Try to not ask questions that everyone else does and instead get creative with what you ask the guest!“

About the host I work two part time jobs, run my podcast/instagram, and then do seasonal work as well. The podcast/instagram only bring me product compensation thus far but that still makes an impact. The seasonal work I do varies but serves as an extra bonus for when I want to upgrade equipment or plan a trip. My two part time jobs are waitressing and then working at a local Letterpress Company. I’m also in the midst of launching my Health Mentoring Program that will help to educate and guide others through a healthy lifestyle for my local community!

My favorite podcast is always shifting but as of now it’s ‘Armchair Expert’ with Dax Shepard. The comedic base of each episode always gives me a good laugh while the wisdom from each guest always leaves me with something to ponder upon. If I’m not listening to that though my other favorites are Almost 30, Healthier Together, and The Goal Digger podcast.

Hmmm, this is a tricky one! I can never choose favorites of anything! If I had to choose, I’d probably say my top three are Austin Texas, New York City, and Malibu California.

All have a unique vibe to them unlike any other place I’ve gone!

The podcast is growing and with that I’m ready for change! I’m currently working w i t h a n a m a z i n g wo m a n t o c re at e a c u st o m l o o k f o r my b ra n d a n d t h e p o d c a st .

I n l a t e D e c e m b e r I s h o u l d h av e a n e n t i r e l y n e w a n d i m p r o v e d l o o k t o t h e p o d c a s t which I am so excited about. The biggest change and what excites me most is t h a t i n 2 0 2 0 I ’ l l b e t r av e l i n g m u c h m o r e a n d w i t h t h a t … r e c o r d i n g l i v e e p i s o d e s !

There are some very interesting guests that I’m so excited to bring on the show w i t h a l i v e r e c o r d i n g a s I t r av e l t o n e w a n d e x c i t i n g c i t i e s t h i s u p c o m i n g y e a r.

S t ay t u n e d f o r l o t s o f c h a n g e a n d g o o d t h i n g s c o m i n g w i t h t h e p o d c a s t !

back to s chool anxiety What, why and how to leave it behind for good.

30.09.2019.: The first day of classes There I am again, back for another semester in my University. It is my 3rd with my current subject, technically my 7th semester altogether. And guess what? During the first five minutes of my very first lecture this year I start to break out in a cold sweat.

You already felt bad a few hours ago when you were still home. Most likely this is something serious, my anxiety says.

Nothing is wrong. This is a familiar situation, I reply.

My anxiety just shakes its head in disbelief and I start to get more and more nervous. I need to concentrate all my senses to swallow, I clench my hands and I feel sick.

Welcome to the new semester.

Why is it so hard to go back to Uni after the semester break if we all already know the deal, if we know what is going on and how it works? Why do I still get panic attacks after three whole years of studying? I don’t have the answer to those questions but what I know is that, even though my anxiety has a different opinion, this is just another year, another semester, another lecture. So why bother?

I know that this is easier said than done and I definitely don’t have a bulletproof approach to surviving that time. But I do have a few tips and recommendations, collected from my experiences with back-to-school-anxiety that might help you as well.

So here we go:

1. GET ORGANISED TO AVOID PRE-/ AND POST-CLASS STRESS Now this is a more conventional and universal tip but especially for us scaredy cats it can be very useful to get organised.

A few things that can significantly decrease anxiety can be • • •

knowing where the lectures are, where you have to go, how the classrooms look like,

• •

where the bathroom is, where it would be most comfortable to sit.

Having a campus map on hand can be helpful for that as well, especially if you are at a big school or University.

Moreover, knowing your tasks for the coming semester and writing them down can save you time and stress during the semester. When the semester starts, I try to either find out about all the course requirements and assignments before, for example through reading the module description or I make sure that I go to all the introductory lectures in the first week to ask for the requirements. After the first week I take some time of my weekend to organise the assignment regarding • •

course, due date,

• •

work effort, personal importance

and write it all down on a sheet of paper to hang up on my wall. With that, I can always remind myself when the next assignment is due and I take a big weight off my chest (and brain) with writing them all down instead of trying to memorise them.

2. MAKE YOURSELF COMFORTABLE This again seems to be a rather obvious tip but making yourself actively comfortable can change the whole setting of the situation. This can include to bring whatever makes you feel good in a lecture for example • •

warm clothes or a scarf, warm tea in a reusable cup,

• •

snacks for blood sugar and emotional well-being, enough water for a dry throat and to stay hydrated.

If you prefer writing on your laptop then bring it to lectures (having access to wifi is also always good in case you need five minutes of distraction on tumblr), but if you prefer to write on paper you could get yourself a cute journal and nice pens, so you look forward to writing in it, ergo actually attending the lectures. Another thing that helps me and especially helped me when I still went to school was to have one person in the room which I trust and can open up to. During my school time it was my best friend. He would sit next to me and hold my hand when I got anxious or he would accompany me when I had to get fresh air. Now, I know that you might not have that person in your course and that is okay as well, it is not necessary. It is just another add-on you could consider to be comfortable. And you might even consider opening up to the professor of the class if they seem trustworthy. Nevertheless, in the end you are also able to go through this and get better without outside support.

3. DO THE MENTAL WORK -Sit down comfortably and close your eyes. Think back to the last semesters, the more recent one or your first one, even your schooltime, it doesn’t matter. Remember your semesters and the time you already spent studying.

How was that time for you? How did you manage University? How were the assignments and did you succeed on them?

Look back at how far you have come. Whether it is about your successfully passed exams or about the three semesters you already conquered even though being anxious.

This should be in the back of your head for the next semester. You already managed it, you already managed stress, deadlines and worries. You can do this again and you will do this again.

-Remind yourself of why you are there. You could always leave the classroom, you could drop out and leave the country but you are still there aren’t you? After all the stress you already have been through? You want the degree, and, at best, you are also interested in the subjects you are studying. Isn`t it amazing that you are able to pursue your interests?

Remind yourself that you are always in control of the situation. You can leave, you can drop out but we all know you want to do this, you want to conquer your fear and you want to succeed.

S o , l e t s s u cceed . Let’s ma ke t h i s o u r ye ar, le ts grow and l e ar n a n d b e grateful for this o p p o r t u n i ty. I h ope that you h ave a n a m az ing term and I ho p e t h at my tips could help yo u as we ll.

Contributing Writer: Hannah Achtert | i mariuhannah

we bsi tes fo r freelance work Are you looking to make money on the side? Have a talent to sell? Check out these websites to find clients and work, all in the comfort of your bed.

UPWORK You can work one-on-one with clients by submitting proposals to their projects. You do have to purchase connections to submit proposals, but other than that, it is free to use and browse.

Here are some categories one can freelance in: • Accountanting • Graphic Design

• • •

Web Design Writers Virtual Assistants

FIVERR You can sell your services in a variety of categories, and set up your own packages to sell. Clients will come find you to help them with their project.

Here are some categories one can freelance in: • Design • Market Research

• • •

Podcast Editing Email Marketing Interior Design

DESIGNHILL You compete with others to be the client’s winning design, or you can search by client to work one-on-one. This ones harder to find consistent work due to the competitive nature and multiple people submitting to the same client at the same time.

It’s mainly for design: • Branding Identity • Powerpoint Design

• • •

App Design Logo Design Social Media

it’s

WHERE WE GO

DEAR ANXIOUS FLYER THE GREENEST PLACES IN THE WORLD THE SUSTAINABLE LUGGAGE GUIDE

d e a r anxious f lyer, It’s that time of year again. You’ve got your flights booked, your bags packed, and you know you should be excited to head home and to see your family, but sometimes that’s not always the case. If you think you’re weird for being an anxious flyer, you’re not. You are not alone. It’s a fear that is more common than I realized before I became a flight attendant. As someone who thrives off of taking care of others, I genuinely enjoy helping people stay relaxed and have a more enjoyable flying experience. It’s not always easy and every person is different.

z ka l eintheclouds.com

TELL SOMEONE I know it’s scary to be vulnerable, but please try your best to work up the courage to tell your neighbor or at least one flight attendant about your anxiety or fear of flying. I promise we will try our best to help you any way we can. Whenever I’ve had anxious flyers who made it known that they were nervous about taking off, I would make it a point to check in with him/her throughout the flight. I pay special attention to passengers who need it, whether that be providing a glass of water after takeoff or offering casual conversation as a distraction.

TRY MEDITATION Meditation has been known to help relieve stress and anxiety for years. It’s no different on the plane!

I would highly suggest that as soon as you get settled in your seat, immediately putting on your headphones and closing your eyes. Whether you use an app (Headspace is a great one) or simply play nature sounds or music, start meditating. I find that a lot of anxiety around traveling can stem from the madness of the airport, not just flying alone. As soon as you’re able to clear your mind and shake off the stress of TSA and running to your gate, just breathe, relax, and be present. This would also help immensely prior to taking off, which could be a scary feeling for nervous flyers.

COME PREPARED I know those little seats on the plane don’t allow a ton of room for activities, BUT I would highly recommend packing a book you’ve been excited to read, your iPad or laptop for movies, your phone with a playlist of your favorite or new songs, etc. The airline I work for offers free movies and TV shows on all mobile devices, which is pretty amazing! But just in case the flight you’re on doesn’t offer those amenities, just make sure you have something to do! Other cool things I’ve seen people do on the plane: knitting, cross stitching, coloring, card games. Not recommended: yoga in the galley.

BRING COMFORT ITEMS Whether it’s your favorite blanket or a picture of your dog. Bring a piece of home with you that will make you feel cozy and comforted. We sometimes underestimate the power of comfort items! As you might know, essential oils are all the rage right now but for great reason! There are some scents that have been known to help us relax: lavender, rose, chamomile, frankincense, ylang ylang, and bergamot are all great options! I just purchased a peppermint one last week (’cause ’tis the season) and personally, I find that it really relaxes me, if you want to give that a try too!

KEEP A TIMER This might help for some people and might not for others, but keeping a timer is worth a shot! Personally, I like to know how much time is left in the flight. From a flight attendant’s perspective, it’s a gage for when we need to go out with our inflight service. From a passenger’s perspective, it’s comforting to know that landing is just another episode of Spongebob away.

COME PREPARED What are you traveling for? Who are you visiting? What are you looking forward to? Write a letter to who you’re visiting and tell them how excited you are to see them. OR alternatively, make a list of all the things you’re excited to see, do, and eat! Keeping a positive mindset will not only help distract you from your current surroundings, but our minds are so incredibly powerful. Who knows if the excitement for your travels will take over your fear of flying! Fingers crossed!

S o d e a r a n x i o u s f l ye r, I re a l l y h o p e t h i s p o s t h e l p s y o u i n s o m e w a y. A h a n d f u l of people messaged me on Instagram ( f u r t h e r p r o o f y o u’ r e n o t a l o n e ) a s k i n g a b o u t t h i s t o p i c s p e c i f i c a l l y, s o I figured it might help to share this with y o u . H a p p y H o l i d ay s a n d s a f e t r av e l s t o you and yours! Xo

- Rosie

THE GREENEST PLACES

IN THE WORLD

SINGAPORE RECYCLING RATE OF 70% BY 2030

source: https://www.cnbc.com/2013/12/17/sustainablesingapore-a-model-to-be-replicated.html

35% IMPROVEMENT IN ENERGY EFFICIENCY BY 2030

80% OF BUILDINGS TO BE CERTIFIED GREEN BY 2030

COPENHAGEN

88% OF THE FOOD CONSUMPTION IS ORGANIC

MAJORITY OF THE HOTEL ROOMS ARE ECO-CERTIFIED

AIMS TO BE FIRST CARBONNEUTRAL CAPITAL BY 2025 source: https://www.visitcopenhagen.com/copenhagen/ activities/go-green-sustainability-guide

VANCOUVER 28% DECREASE IN SOLID WASTE SENT TO LANDFILL AND INCINERATOR

WANT TO ACHIEVE ZERO WASTE BY 2040

56% DECREASE IN CARBON POLLUTION FROM CITY OPERATIONS source: https://vancouver.ca/files/cov/greenest-cityaction-plan-implementation-update-2018-2019.pdf

SWEDEN RESIDENTS SHARE LAND CULTIVATED INTO GARDENS TO GROW PRODUCE

VÄXJÖ BECAME THE FIRST CITY IN TO SET THE GOAL OF BECOMING FOSSIL-FUEL FREE BY 2030

OVER 70% OF WASTE IS RECYCLED IN AUGUSTENBORG source: https://sweden.se/nature/7-examples-ofsustainability-in-sweden/

th e sustai nab le luggage gui d e Are you a jetsetter, always travelling and exploring? Are you also interested in living a more sustainable lifestyle?

Not sure where to start? Follow this guide!

PATAGONIA: BLACK HOLE DUFFEL The Patagonia Black Hole Duffel is made of recycled fabric, and the material is durable and water resistant!

ORVIS: SAFE PASSAGE 4-WHEEL CARRY ON Orvis is committed to donating 5% of pre-tax profit to nature conservation organizations. This specific carry on is water resistant as well.

AWAY: THE CARRY ON Away designs their luggage to last, with a goal that once you buy Away bags you won’t need to buy any others! This allows you to reduce your waste over time. Additionally, they partner with charities that give back to sustainability groups.

SAMSONITE: ECO-NU LUGGAGE COLLECTION The bags in the Eco-Nu Luggage Collection are made from 100% post-consumer recycled plastic bottles, making them eco-friendly and great quality!

LO + SONS: THE CATALINA DELUXE The Catalina Deluxe bags in this collection are made from organic cotton and recycled materials, specifically recycled plastic bottles.

UNITED BY BLUE: WESTWARD DUFFLEPACK For each item sold, United by Blue will remove one pound of trash from water systems. Their products are ethically made as well.

THRIFTED LUGGAGE Lastly, thrifted luggage! There may be some minor aesthetic problems (small tears or stains, for example) in second hand suitcases, but they can be affordable! Thrifting allows you to get new goods without contributing to the cycle of creating goods.

Contributing Writer: Gabby Guzdek | i honestly_gabby

it’s

REAL

ROUTINE PEACE OF MIND

Routine Thrives inside every organism Keeps them alive Keeps them safe Grants comfort when it cannot be found in others Sheaths the frightening figures that threaten to change beings Stabilizes life to simmer the thoughts of the unknown Thrusts any what ifs out of the hatches of the ever-curious mind But What if Repeated occurrences ceased to exist And beings had no choice but to wonder What the next day, hour, minute, or second held And in their reluctance they would be astounded By the discovery of the life that awaits them outside of routine Outside of comfort Outside of casualness and normality And most importantly, What awaits them inside of the life that has been artfully crafted for them KRL

y o u h av e s p e n t e n o u g h t i m e

at war with yourself.

u o y thank

FOR READING.

contributing writers

thanks to our features

check us out

Hannah Achtert Gabby Guzdek

Bex Bartels Emily Feikls Kristin Greco Lumibasics Angela Marrujo Kayla Martinez

i welcometoits

Kelsey & Christa Rosie Tran

I’d love for your help on future issues! it’s is looking for: • • • •

copy editors (experience needed) contributing writers graphic designers (for social posts) content planners

All on a volunteer basis, but you get the chance to build your portfolio and make me (Jen) a billion times less stressed out <3 Also the ma jority have no prior experience needed! Woohoo!

Email me if interested: jenc.4378@gmail.com

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everything,

in time.