sustainability – kale in the clouds

life

2020 GIFT GUIDE: DO GOOD, BE GOOD, GIVE GOOD

Posted on November 22, 2020November 22, 2020by rosie

thrifted outfit // skirt: thredup, jacket: value village, bralette: gifted

I have been so inspired to do better this year. Instead of shopping on Amazon and big corps, I am committed to shopping small, local, female-owned, and BIPOC-owned this holiday season. I hope you’ll join me! With the way this year has gone, it is crucial that we support them more than ever. I will also be sharing a lot of my favorite sustainable-forward brands because that is very important to me.

black-owned

mcbride sisters // wine

golde // matcha + skincare

beauty bakerie // cruelty free cosemetics

mented // cosmetics

grounded // plants

brave and kind bookshop // books

inbooze // diy cocktail/mocktail kits

rooted in blk co. // planters

calm and cure candles // candle

brown and coconut // plant-based skincare

good girl chocolate // organic chocoalate

corky’s nuts // organic walnuts

blk + bold // coffee

bright lights jewelry* // inspirational bracelets

city sweats* // infrared wellness spa

boon boona coffee* // coffee

the shoppe seahurst* // misc. gift shop – local to seattle

the zen succulent // plants, ceramics, misc. gift shop – local to raleigh durham

sustainable

handpicked lemons curated holiday gift boxes

handpicked lemons* // intentionally curated handcrafted boxes

dear survivor // jewelry

stasher // plastic-free ziplock bags

final // reusable and portable straws and utensils

discount code: SayNoToSingleUse for 10% off

meow meow tweet // zero waste beauty + skincare

zero waste store // home

girlfriend collective // activewear made out of recycled water bottles

thred up // secondhand clothing + accessories

$20 code with the link above

nw bulk market // online farmers market

el cholo’s kid // handbags

ellie’s best // nut milk bags and misc. home

discount code: kaleintheclouds for 10% off

w&p design // food storage

eco collective* // zero waste home

out of the closet* // thrift shop

simple living shop // sustainable shop, local to redding

beauty

cocokind skincare // nontoxic skincare

cocofloss // the best floss ever

discount code: kaleintheclouds for 20% off

araza beauty // nontoxic makeup

primally pure // nontoxic skincare

eco lips // nontoxic lipcare

frank body // body care

home

pacific candle co. // hand poured soy candles

the little reason goods // handcrafted candles and body care

dot bee co. // beeswax candles

shakes and speares* // handcrafted pnw inspired gifts

glasswing* // plants and misc. home goods

sugar pill* // apothecary and misc. home goods

retrofit home* // home goods

fun stuff

crokd // diy ceramic kits

jot // ultracoffee (similar to a coldbrew concentrate)

discount code: kaleintheclouds15 for 15% off

kaman things // stickers and apparel

movement the brand // ethically made clothing and accessories

dancing for donuts // made to order tie dye

the opal creative // polymer clay earrings

miss meli mac macrame earrings, made to order

miss meli mac // macrame accessories

dknits etc // knit, crochet, and embroider goods

roothie // handmade scrunchies

robinson creative house // stationery

shinnsparkle // intentional jewelry

moon juice // adaptogens and wellness elixirs

copina co. // plant-based collagen

naoki matcha // matcha

mother whale* // polymer clay earrings

frankie and jo’s* // ice cream

chateau ste. michelle* // wine

coffeeholic house* // coffee

atulea* // matcha

experiences

rainy day picnics* // outdoor picnic set up

justine hays creative* // photography

candids by cass // photography (socal based)

graze together* // charcuterie boards

thistle // meal delivery service

cards

the lonely robot paper co*

seattle ink and paper*

other ideas:

acts of service: cooking a meal for or together, cleaning the house, washing their car, asking “what can i do to help?” etc.

gift cards to your local coffeeshops and restaurants

digital art – there are lots of artists on instagram who do commission work, IE: megan john and the happy doodles

supporting locals at farmers markets

print out more recent photos and write about your favorite memories together

shopping local bookshops

cookbooks from black chefs

i’ll take out the trash/wash the dishes/clean the bathroom coupons

virtual personal training/group fitness classes, IE: lexi stelzer and moses yim

adopting/fostering a pet from an animal shelter (obviously only if you have the means to)

donating money to an organization they are passionate about

* indicates local to Seattle, Washington

Hope this inspires you to think outside the box with me! If we start early this year, we won’t have to lean on Amazon and big shops for the convenience. Let’s commit to doing better together.

life

MY APARTMENT ESSENTIALS

Posted on May 26, 2020May 26, 2020by rosie

As promised, I am sharing my apartment essentials with links to where to purchase! I apologize in advance if I can’t find the exact product but I will definitely link the closest thing I can find at the same price point.

All of these products brought my little 465 square foot studio apartment to life! I recorded and shared an apartment tour on YouTube, which you can watch here. Hope this helps and gives you some space saving and budgeting ideas for your big or little space! All the love.

life

SUSTAINABLE GIFT GUIDE

Posted on December 1, 2019December 1, 2019by rosie

Gift giving (especially this time of year) is so much fun and the older I get, the more I realize how much of a privilege it is. For me, it has never been about the dollar amount spent or collecting the most amount of wrapped boxes underneath the tree. I remember some of my favorite gifts were stocking stuffers my sister would regift from her room. Yup. We had a childhood tradition where we’d regift random knick knacks around our rooms for each other for stocking stuffers and those were what I cherished even more than the brand new sweater or toy (that was also so sweet to receive). So here are some gift ideas that I came up with that are sustainably friendly and will mean more to the person receiving than you know.

A letter. Tell them your first impression of them. The moment you realized they’d be a forever friend. Your favorite memory of them. Or just how much they mean to you.
Something from your closet. One of my favorite new things I’m doing with one of my best friends is trading clothing items out of our own closets. It’s like Rent the Runway, except more fun, thoughtful, and FREE.
Your favorite book. Let’s be real. You probably won’t read it again. And even if you will, it will still make a nice home in the hands of that person in your life with the same taste in books as you.
Baked goods stored in a Stasher bag. Who would say no to homemade banana bread, chocolate chip cookies, or peppermint bark?! And FYI- Stasher bags are currently on sale for 25%! You can also get them at Anthropologie for 30% off. Sales end when Black Friday sales end.
Acts of service. Offer to wash their car or maybe help clean out their closet to post stuff on Poshmark (what we say we’ll always do, am I right?). An extra set of hands for that ongoing to-do list goes a LONG way.
FOOD. Cook them dinner or maybe offer to grocery shop and/or meal prep for them.
Kale Me Maybe’s Meal Plan. This Meal Plan is perfect for that “too busy to meal prep” or “I have no idea what to make, like, ever” friend. Her recipes are simple, easy, nourishing, and delicious! It’s also on sale for $12 for a limited time.
Craft their favorite photo, quote, or song. Recreate a favorite photo of their dog, cross-stitch of their favorite quote, or sing their favorite song. One of my favorite gifts I have ever received was a video of my best friend singing “Turn to You” by Christina Aguilera, our ultimate best friend/karaoke song. I BAWLED MY EYES OUT. It was beautiful and I will cherish it forever.
Groupon self care. Send them a massage, cup of coffee, or fun date night activity. The possibilities are endless!
Concert tickets. Harry Styles is going on tour next summer, haven’t you heard?
ClassPass. Seriously swear by this app and service. I have discovered some of my favorite workouts using ClassPass! Use this link to save some monies!
Thrive Market. It’s like Costco but for healthier and environmentally friendly stuff, but you don’t have to commit to buying in bulk. AKA the best thing ever, and now you can gift a Thrive Market membership.

Hope this helps if you’re stumped or currently aren’t in a place to be spending a ton of money. The Holidays can put on a lot of pressure and I’m here to take it off, or help anyway! All the love.

life
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- travel

FLYING ON A BUDGET

Posted on May 5, 2019June 4, 2019by rosie

I feel super lucky because I get the honor of taking families to Disneyland and newlyweds to their dream honeymoon in Hawaii, but I can’t help but wonder how much they spent on the entire trip: transportation, snacks at the airport, snacks on the plane, activities, souvenirs, and everything in between. That said, here are some tips on how to fly on a budget (bonus: very eco friendly!).

BRING YOUR OWN FOOD

Seriously! Bring leftovers from dinner, meal prep, whatever you have left in the fridge, snacks, whatever! I know that the main concern is that food isn’t TSA-friendly but that’s just a crazy rumor. Most food is TSA approved. The only foods I would avoid is anything of a creamy consistency, IE: yogurt, nut butter, oatmeal, chia seed pudding. Everything else goes! Bring food you’ll look forward to eating so you’re not tempted to spend $7 on a bag of pretzel chips. I promise your wallet will love you for this one.

PACK REUSABLE WATER BOTTLES, MUGS, JARS, STRAWS, UTENSILS & BAGS

Not only is packing your own cutlery, straws, food containers, and water bottles great for the environment, but you’ll also save some bucks! If you bring your own water bottle, you can have a coffeeshop at the airport fill it up for free! Avoid paying outrageous prices for water at the airport especially since most airports offer water fountains with an option to refill water bottles. Lots of places offer a little discount for bringing your own cups/bags too!

BRING A BOOK & CARD GAMES

I will admit that even I have PAID for WiFi on a long flight before. If you think about it, being disconnected is often times a GOOD THING. Try looking at it as some “me time.” Borrow your ultimate “back burner- don’t have time to read” book (we all have one). Bring some cards! They’re easy to travel with and affordable. My favorite “game” lately has been finding the most random questions and would you rathers and asking my friends. It’s so much fun and you will find that there’s lots to learn even about your best friend.

TAKE ADVANTAGE OF DEALS AS THEY COME

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve passed up a good deal on something I needed because my trip was still a few weeks away. I am a sucker for a good deal, but I try to be mindful about what I need versus what I want. If I’m desperately needing to replace my packing cubes and I just so happen to come across a good quality ones on sale, it would be smart for me to get them. However, if I found some that were decently priced but the quality was questionable, then I would probably wait a little. It’s all about weighing out your options and figuring out what works for you! However, I find that sometimes it’s better not to wait for something better to pop up. (One of my best examples of this, not travel related, was snagging a Vitamix for 40% off on prime day. Best investment ever!!).

FIND SOMEONE WHO JUST WENT ON A SIMILAR TRIP

One of my best tips is to find a friend who just went on a similar trip you’re planning. I’ve had friends ask if they could borrow my electric converters, backpack, and even hiking boots. These things that you may only use once a year can end up costing you a lot of money. The best way to ask (so it’s not so awkward and random) is to make casual conversation about traveling/your upcoming trip or post something about it on your social media account(s). You’ll be surprised who you might hear from who will have great advice for you too!

As always, I can only hope that this is helpful to you guys! Let me know if you have any additional tips I can add! All the love from 33,000 ft.