Advent Conspiracy: handmade knitwear from the Philippines

"One size fits most." —Fingerwarmers in the honey winnower's cowl

If you follow me on Instagram, you probably already know that Ricefield Collective, which I supported on Kickstarter, held a photo contest for their Kickstarter backers and early customers. Fingerwarmers won the grand prize, and the Ricefield Collective blog Q&A just posted today!

"Look! I'm a hipster/Berklee student!" —Ian in the peacoat dreamer hat

The contest grand prize was seven pieces from the winter collection (which fortunately fit Ian and I much better than Fingerwarmers), and we love every single one. They are all warm, soft, and cozy, which is very important here in New England (currently 15 degrees). They also are beautiful, hand knit, and feature patterns difficult or impossible to replicate on a machine. And every purchase supports women in the Philippines, providing them enough of an income to stay and farm their ancestral lands.

"Knitwear from Ricefield Collective makes a great holiday gift." —Anna in the elf/huckleberry seedling slouchy

Since today is the last day of guaranteed first class shipping before Christmas, Ricefield Collective is offering 20 to 40% off everything until midnight EST tonight (December 17). Don't miss out!

Advent Conspiracy: a Q&A with Christina Rosalie

I waxed poetic about Christina Rosalie's book last month, so you probably aren't surprised to hear I think it would make a brilliant gift.

As I've mentioned, Ian and I celebrate Advent Conspiracy with [REUNION]. It's a reminder to slow down, cut out unnecessary holiday bustle (particularly overwhelming and excessive consumerism), and spend time and money on what really matters.

While Christina didn't write A Field Guide to Now about faith or religion, it shares a certain spirit with the AC movement. Live with intention. Make time to be present in the midst of whatever chaos surrounds you. Don't seek significance where the world claims you'll find it (finding the perfect gifts, attaining a high-profile job). True significance comes through investing in relationships and pursuing your passions. When the world screams "buy more so they love you! do more so the season counts!" Christina offers a welcome respite.

Now on to the good stuff: the Q&A!

photo by Thea Coughlin, courtesy of Christina Rosalie

Where did the idea for the book come from?

It was three years ago when the title for this book showed up at the back of my mind. It was early fall, and the light had just begun to slant in long angles and the first maple leaves were turning vermilion and the idea simply arrived one afternoon, in answer to my own life. It was a time when almost everything in my life was uncertain, and I longed for something tangible—some reference manual for navigating the moments of my life. The book then began as an exploration. I was curious: what might happen if I brought my entire attention to the moment at hand? What might occur if I showed up only here, wholeheartedly, in the process of becoming?

I like to say that it’s part survival guide and part adventure guide—because it’s both an invitation to create whatever your heart yearns for from the ordinary substance of your life—and proof that it is possible. For if we have anything, we have this moment, and if you stop and really pay attention, you’ll discover that wherever you are is exactly where you need to be.

photo by Christina Rosalie

Place is a powerful presence in the book. How did you and your family find yourselves in Vermont?

We came here after Bean was born. If you go back in my archives—way back, you can read about all those adventures of moving from suburban CT, just outside New York City, to rural Vermont and then gutting our house and remaking it into the home it is today. What motivated us to move, really, was the longing to be in a place where our kids could be feral in a good way: wild-hearted with mud on their knees, and safe enough to walk to the neighbors independently. That’s the reality of where we live now—at the end of a dirt road among maples and mud and big, big sky.

What are your favorite things to do as a family?

I love sharing meals with my boys and husband. T is an incredible cook—and does most of the cooking around our house, and it always feels like such a sacred and joyful way to end the day: around the table holding hands and being thankful and then digging into something seriously good. It’s nourishing on many levels.

We’re also big on family walks. We head out on a weekend afternoon down our dirt road. The kids are often on bikes ahead of us, the dog on a long lead. T and I hold hands. We point out clouds to each other that remind us of inanimate objects or monsters or animals, and sometimes we bring coffee in ceramic mugs to sip along the way. Living out in the country the way we do right now, means that a walk down the road is a tangible check-in with the season. Right now the trees are bare, and the road is stippled with potholes and puddles and across the valley the mountain hunches bare and brown like some hibernating prehistoric beast. Going out and taking a walk resets all of us. We come back energized and rosy-cheeked and more ready to take on our day.

photo by Christina Rosalie

Your writing voice is so distinct—detailed and poetic, yet personal. How did you find and hone your style?

Writing a blog for so many years definitely evolved my writing style. There are certain creative constraints that blogging requires: brevity, timeliness, and consistency. Blogging also nurtured my inclination towards multimedia storytelling—and it’s almost reflexive to want to include an image or illustration now when I write.

Speaking of multimedia storytelling, I absolutely love the artwork you created for the book. Do you have a favorite medium and/or subject?

I love mixed media. I love just showing up at a blank page and starting to assemble and imagine and smudge things around a bit. Though I love to do collage, I feel very strongly about creating my own imagery rather than snagging and rearranging vintage images, ephemera, etc. For the book, some pieces were made entirely by hand, in the physical world—while others, like all the stamps on the back of the postcards were made by hand first—in a much larger scale, and then digitally compiled. Working with digital tools is both painstaking and magical. It opens incredible possibilities for dimension and scale. At the same time, it’s utterly laborious to do the exacting work of digitally cutting apart an image and remaking it in some new way, and while I like it for the breadth of capability it’s added to my repertoire, I’m a paint and gel medium girl at heart.

photo by Christina Rosalie

Following along on your blog through the book process, I am amazed by the grace you exude while juggling family, work, school, and creating. How do you decide what is worth sacrificing for, and what you should let go of?

Oh my, grace? Thank you. That’s just lovely of you to say. Some days, many days it doesn't feel as graceful as all that—and A Field Guide To Now is as much an exploration of the messy moments as it is of the gorgeous ones. But that’s not really your question, is it? How do I decide what I should let go of? Children force some of that prioritization: they make you really understand the value of your hours down to the minute, and the minutia of things really stands out as just that: minutia. Laundry, matching socks, the perfectly wrapped gift, evenly blow-dried hair, and the fact that there is almost always a little mud on the calves of my pants from getting in and out of my car—these things don’t matter. Creative time, alone time, dinner together as a family. These things matter very much.

Thanks Christina, for taking time out of your busy schedule to share!

photo courtesy of Christina Rosalie

Christina Rosalie is a writer, mixed-media artist, and creative consultant whose award winning work and been featured in print and online. Most recently she has written for Kinfolk, Milk and Ink, and the Los Angeles Review, and her mixed media artwork has been included in shows at Burlington City Arts gallery and SEBA gallery. Christina has an MFA in Emergent Media from Champlain College, and lives with her husband and sons at the end of a long dirt road in northern Vermont. You can find her online at christinarosalie.com where she writes about the art of living intentionally, and the realness, hilarity, and wonder that results from the convergence of curiosity, creativity, and life with little boys.

Click here for Christina's book, A Field Guide to Now.

Click here to see past Advent Conspiracy posts and gift ideas.

fresh water for a village in Ethiopia

photo from charity:water

If you've been following the blog for 2+ years, you might remember that Ian donated his 24th birthday to charity:water. They combined his campaign with five others, and built a well in Ethiopia in partnership with A Glimmer of Hope. Thanks again to everyone who supported his campaign. Because of you, 280 people have access to clean drinking water. (To learn more about this specific water project, click here.)

It seemed fitting to share this update as we prepare for another season celebrating Advent Conspiracy, a movement "designed to help us all slow down and experience a Christmas worth remembering" by worshiping fully, spending less (money), giving more (of yourself), and loving all. One of AC's big pushes for loving all is taking some of that money you saved by giving more intentional and meaningful gifts, and instead giving it to help end the clean water crisis.

Americans spent approximately 450 billion dollars during the holiday season. Just a fraction of that would provide fresh clean water to everyone currently without it. We can solve a global problem by cutting back less than 5% of our holiday budgets and donating it to the cause.

We hope that you are able to make your holiday season (no matter what you celebrate) one that is full of meaning and joy, and that you also consider helping to make a joyful holiday for others who so desperately need it.

Pssst... if you're still looking for Christmas cards, our friends at The Old Try teamed up with [REUNION] to make some; they're beautiful and $15 of the purchase price goes to dig clean water wells in the developing world.

Advent Conspiracy: xmas cards

Last Christmas, we decided to make Christmas more [relational, intentional, meaningful, joyful] with less [stress, spending, obligation, stuff]. And we invited you to join us by writing about some of our favorite gift ideas that fit with this thing we call Advent Conspiracy.

When I saw our friends Micah and Marianna at Old Try are conspiring this year with their design talents, I knew I had to share.

photo by Old Try

Each year through Advent Conspiracy, [REUNION] supports (along with a few other worthy causes like fighting sex trafficking in Boston) clean water initiatives in developing countries. And this year, Old Try is partnering with [REUNION] by offering beautiful Christmas cards to support this cause. For each and every card purchased, $3 goes towards digging fresh water wells.

photo by Old Try

"The X on the front in place of Christ is there for a reason. This card, this season, will raise money to help eradicate thirst, make people less susceptible to droughts and help prevent disease from the lack of clean water. Christ can do a lot, and we can, too." — Old Try

Buy xmas cards, spread Christmas cheer, and give the gift of clean water. It doesn't get any better than that.

For more Advent Conspiracy ideas, click here.

Advent Conspiracy: give presence

Now that the wrapping and bows are demolished, we can share our Advent Conspiracy without giving away any surprises. We hope it gives you ideas for giving relationally in 2011 — Advent Conspiracy doesn't have to stop after Christmas.

Advent Conspiracy encourages giving presence. Bake cookies together. Go sledding. Give a bag of fair-trade coffee or a (PRODUCT)RED Starbucks card specifically for together time. Trade in expensive and forgettable obligation gifts for the cherished and memorable gift of time.

But for those of us who live halfway across the country from the rest of our family, how do we still give presence?

After some thought, Ian and I came up with a project — we turned our best photos of the year into postcards (moo.com was great for this!). It used our passions and talents (and lots of time and effort) to create something meaningful for our families. And we hope this project allows us to share life and connect across the many miles.

Write a poem, a story, or a thoughtful letter. Go online and make a photobook. Schedule a Skype date. Send a care package of homemade goodies. What are you good at? What do you enjoy? How can you share it?

Click here to see all 24 postcards.

Advent Conspiracy: goats and chickens

Goats thrive in harsh climates. Goats provide milk, which families can also use to make cheese and yogurt. Kids get healthy nutrition and the family can sell the extra at market. Goats poop, which fertilizes crops and gardens. Goats make baby goats. Families can sell baby goats, providing nutrition and income for another family. Money buys food, bedding, and schooling. Educated kids can pursue their dreams and make a difference, improving their community.

Chickens don't require a lot of money, space or food to thrive and grow. Chickens provide eggs — a great source of protein and income. Chicks hatch. Families can sell or share chicks. Other families now have chickens, providing eggs and income.

Communities changed by goats and chickens. or sheep. or HIV/AIDS care. or music lessons. or soccer balls. or fruit trees. or mosquito nets. or sewing machines. The World Vision catalog has options.

My family has donated through World Vision for a long as I can remember, so when it was time for me to start giving back, it was an easy decision (although I know there are many other great organizations). They are responsible — four stars on charitynavigator.com, and they share our commitment to unconditional love and compassion. And as of last year, it's Pomplamoose approved (click here for info on this year's Pomplamoose Christmas album).

I really appreciate how the gift catalog allows you to make this sort of giving very personal. When my grandpa, a farmer, passed away last Christmas, we gave my grandma seeds in his memory. Does your cousin like cuddly animals? Give rabbits. Is your brother finance oriented? Fund a microloan. Is your uncle a doctor? Give medicine. It's the thoughtfulness of a present with the all joy of making an impact.

And if you're looking for a bigger step, consider sponsoring a child as a family for Christmas. It's a beautiful thing to build a relationship with someone across the world. Ian and I are so blessed to see an artist and athlete grow up, knowing we're sharing what we've been given to help him and his family have a better life.

This Christmas, sponsor a child, fund a microloan, give a goat, and change a community.

Advent Conspiracy: fresh water wells

While Advent Conspiracy is about rescuing Christmas from consumerism and restoring it's true meaning, it also is tied strongly to ending the world water crisis. Ten billion dollars would provide fresh clean water to the rest of the world; Americans spent approximately 450 billion dollars on Christmas last year. We can solve a global problem by giving less than 3% of our Christmas budgets to the cause.

Advent Conspiracy asks participating churches/organizations to donate at least 25% of their AC offering/donation (directly, not via Advent Conspiracy) to the water distribution program of their choice. I thought it fitting to highlight the two water organizations we support.

For Advent Conspiracy, Reunion gives away one Sunday's offering to a handful of charities, local and global. This year, the list includes Living Water International (4 stars on charitynavigator.org). We watched that video on Sunday, and their efforts in Haiti (no longer in the headlines, but still in desperate need) really spoke to me.

For Christmas, Living Water offers gift cards. The recipient takes the card (or e-card), visits the Living Water web site, and redeems, in $5 increments, for any of several current water projects. Perfect for a wish list or a gift idea. And, of course, you can simply donate in honor of someone. (Company/employer matching programs exist, and federal employees can donate through their workplace giving campaign.)

If you've been reading the blog very long, you might be familiar with charity:water thanks to Ian's birthday campaign. He gave up gifts in exchange for money to fund a well. His campaign is now closed; in about a year we will learn the location of the project his birthday helped fund. 100% of the campaigns goes to fund clean water. A charity:water campaign is a great way to put water on your Christmas wish list, and it allows both you and givers to track the impact of their combined generosity.

If you're looking for a gift you can hold, check out their gift store - as with campaigns, 100% of the holiday gift price goes toward water projects (% varies on non-holiday gifts, but proceeds still support charity:water and raise awareness). Order by December 10 for delivery by Christmas.

Advent Conspiracy is about spending less to give more - relationally, but also financially to those truly in need. Clean water is essential, yet one in six go without. Let's make this season count, and provide a merry Christmas beyond our borders. The first step is water.

For more Advent Conspiracy ideas, click here.

Advent Conspiracy: TOMS shoes

Ian and I both love our TOMS — classics, cordones, botas — 3 pairs each and counting. They're comfortable, stylish, and wearing them initiates you into a club, where everyone wearing TOMS notices your TOMS. The ensuing compliments are a nice confidence boost.

They also last. I still sport my first pair, purchased over a year and a half ago. They're fabric so they soak quickly when wet, but they dry out and are fine. I accidentally walked through mud in my yellow linen TOMS. Once dried, it vacuumed right out and you can hardly tell. The cordones and botas are great for cooler weather, with a little more weight and/or fluff than the classics. The classics, on the other hand, make the TSA's shoe-removal requirement a breeze (but are no help in the radiation/groping issue).

Best of all, every time you buy a pair, whether it's online or from a department store, they donate a pair of shoes to a child that needs them. These one-for-one shoes are designed for the kids' location, i.e. mountains = warm shoes with traction, and giving partners make multi-year commitments to continue providing shoes as the kids grow.

So why shoes? Kids without shoes are prone to diseases, infections and parasites they can't afford to treat. Kids without shoes can't walk as far to get needed water, medical treatment, and education. Kids without shoes are less likely to be successful in school. With shoes, healthy, educated children can change their communities.

Visit TOMS.com to order. Want to give TOMS but don't know which to pick? Give a gift certificate with the TOMS story dvd. (In the event you get the wrong size, TOMS is great about returns — if in doubt, wear them inside until you're sure.)

Either way, gifter and giftee can feel good knowing sweet new kicks mean somewhere a child has a better life.

For more Advent Conspiracy ideas, click here.

Advent Conspiracy: Punjammies

Pajamas often are a standby Christmas present — footed pajamas in SkyMall and matching sets from infomercials are akin to the dreaded Christmas sweater. And obligatory presents have no place in Advent Conspiracy. After all, how many women's lives have been changed by Christmas pajamas?

Not many, until punjammies. In India, International Princess Project provides after-care facilities for girls who have escaped slavery in the sex trade. These girls receive medical care, emotional support, and education. As part of their rehabilitation, they create punjammies. This vocational training empowers them to support themselves and begin to see their true value. Sales provide fair-trade wages and afford more resources to rescue more girls.

The pajamas are comfortable and beautiful — bright colors and bold patterns have a touch of the exotic. Mine were a perfect fit thanks to the accurate sizing charts (styles vary so check the chart on the individual product page). I was disappointed when I noticed they had started to fray at the seams after one washing. I contacted the IPP office, which promptly exchanged them for a different pair (cotton instead of polyester). My contact was very apologetic and she let me know their new fabrics shouldn't have this problem. My new punjammies look great after lots of weekend and holiday lounging (and made it through the laundry just fine).

Pickings are slim right now, but new styles are on the way for Christmas shopping so keep checking. They sell out very quickly; if you see the perfect gift, don't wait.

For more Advent Conspiracy ideas, click here.

Christmas can [still] change the world.

For the second time, we're going through Advent Conspiracy with Reunion.

I've heard several people say they prefer Thanksgiving to Christmas because there's no stress — just a great meal with friends and family. Which begs the question, why is Christmas stressful? Does it have to be? Isn't the point of giving gifts to share love?

Answer: Advent Conspiracy. This year we're giving more relationally — presents with meaning and purpose, and scaling back to give more. Take away the time and money wasted on obligation gifts, and you have more left for enjoying the season and sharing what matters — joy, love, freedom — with everyone, near and far.

If you'd like to join the conspiracy, over the next several days I'll share some of our favorite gifts that keep giving. And we'd love to hear how you're making Christmas _more_ [relational, intentional, meaningful, joyful] with _less_ [stress, spending, obligation, stuff].

For Advent Conspiracy ideas, click here.