be packs

be packs-1-Design Crush

 

Check out be packs, started by outdoorsman Rory Rogan who set out to make the perfect pack to carry his gear. be packs works with the African Education Program, giving $10 from every sale toward youth education in Zambia where secondary school must be paid for by the student. Every twenty bags sold provides a child with a year of education, one meal a day for the entire year, and their school uniform. Stitched inside every be pack you’ll find a Hope Patch, which has handwritten messages by children in Zambia. Now that’s a lot to fit in a backpack. (PS: The bags are all made in the USA and are UV, water, and mildew resistant.)

 

be packs-2-Design Crush

 

be packs-3-Design Crush

0

Elephant Landing

Elephant-Landing-1-Design-Crush

 

I love getting the down and dirty back story on products and companies that I want in my home. I love it even more when I find out that the story is a good one, one that I want to be a part of. Such is the case with Elephant Landing, a beautiful line of textiles founded by Caroline and Jayden (who you may know as Woodnote Photography) and created by women in India. You can watch the beautiful background story, then peek at the entire line of textiles. Both are bright and full of promise.

 

Elephant-Landing-2-Design-Crush

 

Elephant-Landing-3-Design-Crush

1

Fotostrap

FOTOSTRAP-1-Design Crush

 

For the past few months I’ve been reviving my love of analogue film, so when Mako Haus contacted me about reviewing their line of FOTOSTRAP camera straps it was perfect timing. FOTOSTRAPS are available in three lines – canvas, leather, and seersucker – and a whole rainbow of colors.

 

FOTOSTRAP-2-Design Crush

 

I went with the most neutral canvas option (because of course I did) called Stone and the first thing I noticed was the quality made in the USA construction. This thing is sturdy and I love how well it balances the weight of my camera on my shoulder. In the past I’ve had others than felt like they were digging into my skin, but the FOTOSTRAP actually makes my classic Rebel 2000 feel light.

 

FOTOSTRAP-3-Design Crush

 

One of the best parts is that with every FOTOSTRAP purchase 10% is donated to Fotolanthropy, a non-profit that gives portraits and short films to inspiring people who have faced adversity. When great products team up with great causes everybody wins!

 

FOTOSTRAP-4-Design Crush

Disclosure: I received a FOTOSTRAP to review for this post. As always all words and opinions are my own. Thank you for supporting the brands that keep Design Crush going!

0

Happy Weekend

1-Design Crush

2-Design Crush

3-Design Crush

4-Design Crush

5-Design Crush

6-Design Crush

7-Design Crush

8-Design Crush

9-Design Crush

10-Design Crush

01/ Even Ken and Barbie have a less than perfect life together, In the Dollhouse.
02/ A serpentine pedestrian bridge to be built in Changsha, China
03/ Tissue Animals brings tissue paper creatures to life with stop motion animation.
04/ 3,000 slats of wood form a maze/fence in Copenhagen for Trylletromler.
05/ The Kelpies tower over the Forth & Clyde canal in Falkirk, Scotland.
06/ Would you take a spin on the Swing at the End of the World?
07/ An entire alphabet on the wings of butterflies!
08/ Into the Mirror is a fashion shoot with an extra artsy twist.
09/ There are several way to help the typhoon victims in the Philippines, pick one and do it.
10/ Drinking your tea is lame, try inhaling it at The Breathable Tea Room.

This week on Design Crush:
Have you entered our awesome giveaway with Imm Living?! DO IT.
Twelve of the best DIYs from November. For you to create during all that time you don’t have.
Loving Grandiflora, a new shop on the home scene!
Tips&Tricks for entertaining this holiday season and throughout the year.
The ultimate warm weather wear roundup – including coats, hats, scarves, and mittens!
Five of my favorite art prints as of late.
The search for the perfect Christmas cookies. I’ve narrowed it down to 8!
We’ve started our coverage of holiday cards with part 1.
And we’ve continued 2014 calendars with part 4!

0

Bloggers Love Cats + Bloggers Love Dogs: A Calendar Fundraising Project

Bloggers Love-1-Design Crush

 

I couldn’t be more excited to finally reveal a little something I’ve been working on for the past month – Bloggers Love Cats and Bloggers Love Dogs: A Calendar Fundraising Project!

This was one of those ideas that came to me in the minutes before falling asleep one night, that I somehow magically managed to remember the next morning without having written down. That idea was to reach out to the incredible network of bloggers I’m a part of to create two calendars that would feature our much loved pets, with all proceeds going directly to The Humane Society of the United States. I decided to make both calendars downloads instead of printed in order to give every last dollar to the animals. You can choose from Bloggers Love Cats or Bloggers Love Dogs for $7 each or pick up both for $12!

 

Bloggers Love-2-Design Crush

Bloggers Love Cats features 13-months of felines from Sugar and Cloth, Joy the Baker, Design Crush, And Kathleen (also our cover model), Cupcakes and Cashmere, Paper & Stitch, Justina Blakeney, Fieldguided, Oh So Beautiful Paper, For Me, For You, TeenAngster, Lisa Congdon, and Jojotastic.

 

Bloggers Love-4-Design Crush

Bloggers Love-3-Design Crush

Bloggers Love-5-Design Crush

 

Bloggers Love-6-Design Crush

If canines are more your thing check out 13-months of Bloggers Love Dogs! Included are the pooches of Smith & Ratliff, sfgirlbybay (our cover girl!), Design Milk, House of Brinson, Cookie and Kate, Style & Pepper, The Broke-Ass Bride, Design Crush, Honey Kennedy, Dog Milk, Lisa Congdon, bigBANG studio, and Jojotastic.

 

Bloggers Love-7-Design Crush

Bloggers Love-8-Design Crush

Bloggers Love-9-Design Crush

3

Given Goods Co.

Given-Goods-Co-1-Design-Crush

 

Yes, I like shopping. When do I like shopping most? When it’s socially conscious and gives back, of course. Given Goods Co. has created a model where with every purchase shoppers become participants in the story of each product. It’s an environment where customers can learn about the origins and impact of each item (which happen to be sustainable) and keep track of their global impact. Discover, learn, give back. It’s that simple. Shop their full storefront of housewares, accessories, and more – new items are being added every day!

 

Given-Goods-Co-2-Design-Crush

0

52 Weeks of Dogs

ShihTzuProductPhoto

 

Stacie Bloomfield (of Gingiber fame) has been busy, illustrating one dog breed a week for all of 2013 for her 52 Weeks of Dogs project. Yes the dogs are adorable and yes Stacie is an extremely talented lady. But what I’m most excited about is that prints are available for sale in her shop, and a portion of every sale is being donated to The Humane Society!

 

JackRussellProductPhotoHRv2

52 Weeks of Dogs-3-Design Crush

1

Krochet Kids

Krochet-Kids-Design-Crush

Clockwise: The Abbott // The Auburn // Baseball Tee // The Stephen // The Davis Jr. // The Pike // The Simon // Pocket Zip Hoodie

Krochet Kids has an unlikely back story that involves three dudes – Kohl, Travis, and Stewart – who picked up the not-so-cool hobby of crocheting while in high school. After graduating, attending different colleges, and summers spent volunteering in developing nations, the guys realized they could bring a way out of poverty to these peoples via yarn and crochet needle. Five years later 150 people in Uganda and Peru are working, receiving and education, and being mentored by creating gifts that give back! A great story with a great story and a great shop full of goods to prove it.

3

Doing Good With Anthropologie

Anthro Event-1-Design Crush

 

Anthro Event-2-Design Crush

 

A huge thank you to everyone who came out last Wednesday and Thursday for my string art workshops at Anthropologie! We had a great time crafting, snacking, and raising money for Adopt a Classroom. More specifically Plaza Towers and Briarwood Elementary Schools that were demolished by May 20th’s Moore tornado. Check out everyone’s creations and stay tuned because I’ll be sharing the DIY for the project next Monday!

 

Anthro Event-3-Design Crush

 

Anthro Event-4-Design Crush

 

Anthro Event-5-Design Crush

 

Anthro Event-6-Design Crush

 

Anthro Event-7-Design Crush

 

Anthro Event-8-Design Crush

 

Anthro Event-9-Design Crush

3

Design Crush + Anthropologie + Oklahoma

Antrhopologie-String-Art-Workshops-Design-Crush

 

Today I’m thrilled to announce a collaboration between Design Crush and Anthropologie to help raise money for the rebuilding of Plaza Towers and Briarwood Elementary Schools! The tornadoes that swept through my town of Oklahoma City last month have left not only a hole in our community, but in my heart. I’m lucky that my own part of town was left unscathed, but not everyone was that lucky. And it seems like the children got hit extra hard this time around with not one, but two elementary schools bring leveled by the May 20th twister.

And that’s where you, my fellow Oklahoma City dwellers, come in.

On the evenings of June 26th and 27th I’ll be leading a String Art Workshop at the Classen Curve Anthropologie location. From 6 to 8pm come hang out! For a suggested donation of $15 that will go towards Build a Classroom’s Donate For OK campaign, you’ll enjoy delicious refreshments, do a little mingling, then sit down and create some string art that I promise you’re going to love.

I’m looking forward to these workshops more than words can say and I hope to see you there! Spaces are limited, so please RSVP to oklahomacityps@anthropologie.com as soon as you decide to join us for this community event.

5