Travel :: Jens Risom house on Block Island

Block Island is a magical place, we try to make it every year for a bike ride or hike to the beach where cool clear beaches are some of the best on the East Coast. Hiding on Block Island is the summer home of Jens Risom. He approached Life magazine in 1976 with the challenge that he would build a pre-fab house for $25,000, the resulting home is the perfect tiny house we are all looking for today!

original photo from the Life magazine shoot in 1976

We grew up in Minnesota and of course we had a lake house "up North" were we went for the summers and on weekends. It was an A-frame that my dad built - perhaps he saw this very house and wanted to emulate it. Ours wasn't pre-fab so it took many summers of construction to build, it was just about finished when my father died. It's a dream of mine to have a place like this for our family to come together and live a very simple life.

Dwell magazine recently re-photographed the story of this magical home on Block Island, which still stands in much the same way that it did back in the 70's. Filled with the furniture of Jens Risom and even some of his prototypes.

two photos of the home as it stands today.

It's amazing today how they build homes that will never, ever falter. Employing materials that will never deteriorate, never change - however look at this home how beautiful it is in all it's simplicity. The family takes good care of the home and keeps it in a state that it was meant to be - not making it larger for the expanding families, it's really not necessary. This is a house built for one purpose, to live in and enjoyed - it doesn't need a flat screen TV, a separate bathroom for every person in the house, it's about the beauty that is outside. The Risom house has stood up to some of the most harsh weather, winds and rain possible. It still stands as singular and as magnificent as ever.

from the Dwell magazine shoot by Floto + Warner

Jens Risom what a beautiful Danish man!

and his iconic chair

click here to read the full story on the Dwell Magazine blog

monk oil

I knew when I opened the shop that I wanted to have Monk Oil - I reach for it daily, it's the scent that gets me through the day - and I swear it makes me ready and AWAKE, it's the perfect morning - set me straight - kind of scent, plus it's added good vibrations... life just got better my friend!

In the afternoon I put monk oil #2 on the back of my hands so that it's there for me to smell on demand. And call me crazy but I am dry hair girl and I have taken to putting it in my hair, yes you heard that right! Both Potions have a Rose Quartz crystal in the bottle to harmonize with unconditional love.

Monk oil is a earthy blend of oils that will ground you for the day. When Katie and Monika were on their annual camping trip to the Pacific Northwest they felt so close to the land. So much so that when they got back to their jobs at a honey factory in Brooklyn they realized they wanted that feeling of living on the earth - Terra Firma - to be with them even if they were in a busy metropolitan city. This was the beginning of Monk Oil.

The first blend:

Monk Oil City Skin Potion
Is the original and much loved Monk Oil. Organic Avocado and Apricot Kernel Oils nourish, hydrate and soften all skin types. Essential oils of Cedar and Lavender simultaneously ground, soothe, focus and energize. Organic Rose Otto Essential Oil balances and uplifts, offering a sense of comfort and well-being. Yarrow Environmental Solution Flower Essence by FES protects against toxic environmental influences and other hazards of modern life. This includes the disruptive effects of electromagnetic fields and crowded places. Rose Quartz Crystals harmonize the potion with unconditional love.
Monk Oil City Skin Potion is conjured in New York City on New Moons, Full Moons and other auspicious days.

"As much as we both love living in New York City, we’d both been feeling the strain of urban life and were having reentry problems! We were working full time in Brooklyn and wanted to be present throughout the day not just physically but energetically too. As we all know, nature is life’s best healer and we came away from our camping trip feeling not just intact, but also inspired. We wondered how to create that feeling of calm, inner stability and harmony with the outer world while still in the city. Monk Oil came out of that need. Monk Oil was imagined with a blend of ingredients to support the body, the soul, and the spirit." -Katie and Monika

Blend #2:

Monk Oil City Skin Potion #2
We created Monk Oil’s City Skin Potion #2 to be a scent as reassuring as a dear friend to accompany you throughout your day. A love poem to the California coast, it contains a triple rose formula of Rose Essential Oil, California Wild Rose Flower Essence and Rose Quartz Crystal. It is balanced with pure Sage Essential Oil to uplift and purify. Organic Avocado and Apricot Kernel Oils nourish, hydrate and soften all skin types. Together, these ingredients inspire us to embody the grace and resilience of a Rose. California Wild Rose Flower Essence is made by FES Flower Essence Solution and promotes a Love for the Earth and for human life, enthusiasm for doing and serving. Rose Quartz Crystals harmonize the potion with unconditional love.
Monk Oil’s City Skin Potion #2 is conjured at dawn (for new beginnings!) on New Moons, Full Moons and other auspicious days.

Monk oil makes the best of gifts to your good friend, someone you want to watch over and give them strength. It's like a warm hug....

coming soon... Palo Santo Monk Oil... stay tuned :)
shop Monk Oil at Nonchalantmom here!

it's our 12th anniversary!

This has been one of the most wonderful in our 12 years in business - the new store has breathed so much life into both the online shop and the shop that I can't wait to get in here each day! We opened the shop so that we could renew our community relationship which we are strengthening by offering unique classes, workshops and well I'm sure we will dip our toes into meditation, tarot cards, Swedish candle making and more....

In the coming year you can look forward to (finally) updating the website, making it work better, stronger, faster (just like the bionic woman). This way the online store will better reflect what we are doing in the store and it will be more flexible for me to make changes and add things.

So if you ever see things in my photos of the shop and wonder what it is don't hesitate to drop me an email! Since I have opened the shop I am chatting with all of you more often and I  L O V E  IT!

OH and the BEST part... quite a few of you stopped in this summer to meet in person, some after all of the 12 years! I met a few from California, Portland and the almost locals New Yorkers. We got to talk about how are kids have grown, we got to see each other in real-life, and best of all there was some shopping in person done.

All of this long winded to say thank you and offer:

15% off sitewide*
use code: '12years' at checkout

remember only one code/order, *Black Crane is not part of the sale
but go WILD on everything else

and T H A N K   Y O U!! I know I have the best customers in the business, I rave about you guys to everyone - so let's keep up this great relationship in the family!

ps. we have some CRAZY things in store for you this Holiday that you are going to LOVE including lots of christmas nick-knacks from my childhood home which my mom left this year, let's just say I have some boxes to go through....

your favorite cashmere scarves are back in stock!

Each season we re-stock these, what I like to call, perfect cashmere scarves. They are not huge and unruly, they are delicately light-weight and they softly keep you just warm enough! They are 80% cashmere and 20% fine merino wool (less pilling folks) and all for a deeply pleasant $98.

Our colors this season are white, light grey, dark grey, medium heather brown and black. They have selvage finishings and ends are just rustic and unfinished.

NOW, I was sold out last season and didn't have the scarf for an order, we together decided I would send it out when they came back in stock this season - here comes the hard part - during the move this type of paperwork that usually sits on my desk in a pile was inadvertently lost by my husbands attempt to put my life in order (HA!) so whoever you are... and you know who you are... I owe you a scarf! please email me...

Have a lovely week and enjoy this delightful weather!

All Clearance in one S P O T

It takes us awhile but we have moved all the CLEARANCE items into one spot... so now when you are looking for a good deal, you can just jump to the clearance section and find yourself at DEAL-CENTRAL!

Some of my favorite deals are:

makie trench coat!

This sweater, beautifully hand-knit, for both women or kids!

this totally uniquely-cute clare v. clutch

hell-ooo this is the cutest dress!

and there is SO much more..... do miss these good deals!

shop the clearance here!

in the shop :: repurpose workshop

Hello all you locals (and even if you are NOT local!) come on in and repurpose that old, but favorite, clothing! I don't know about you but I have a favorite pair of jeans that I am just NOT going to let go! I have patched my kids pants for years, even my husband has me patch his jeans (he goes through pant's more quickly than our kids!) We love the way they turn out and I think it's about time we share this repurposing of clothing.

We can adjust dresses, by making them shorter, skinnier or cut off the sleeves. Are you too scared to cut your pants... I'll do it for you! (sometimes it's just easier when someone else cuts into them for you!) or maybe you need to add some length - it doesn't have to look perfect, it just has to feel great!

I have yarn cards from my days of sweater designing so there's yarn to mend your sweaters in just about any color under the sun! you can even darn them so that they show a pop color! let's of new ideas....

IT WILL BE A DAY OF FUN!!

October 8th, from noon - 5pm

nonchalantmom
556 kingstown road
wakefield, RI 02879
in the Quo Vadis Shopping Plaza

Stop in and sign up or email me at: carina@nonchalantmom.com

nico nico :: cosmic journey - Fall/Winter 2016

nico nico nasa leggings, waves t-shirt and fleece reversible jacket

The new Nico Nico collection is one of my all-time favorites! Never has a collection been introduced for kids that get to the playful essence of children. I don't know about your kids but mine are certainly interested in a COSMIC JOURNEY! The shiny pants in silver, copper, black and blue make such a statement - together with Nico Nico's wholesome graphics, gold foil stripes, gold foil circle and don't miss the SHAZAM! Nothing says LIVE A LITTLE like this collection - have some FUN!

shop the collection here

nico nico nasa leggings and agathe dress

nico nico athena speckled cotton dress and nasa leggings

nico nico athena speckled cotton dress and nasa leggings

speckled cotton pants, flash t-shirt and super soft cotton boucle vest

super soft fleece reversible jacket (grey to black cotton)

Shop Nico Nico here

Coffe and coconut oil

I was introduced to the most delicious coffee from my healthy friend Rebecca who lives on Martha's Vinyard and teaches yoga there (link below). It has now become an obsession with me and I can't wait for my morning coffee!

coffee - espresso or whatever you like
1 TBSP - organic coconut oil
throw in your vitamix and froth

(I put almond milk in there too just cause that's the way I roll.. I don't know if Rebecca approves of that but I just didn't tell her about that part!)

When I need some healthy 'friend-wisdom' I talk to Rebecca, everyone needs a friend in their life like Rebecca, my sister and our extended macrobiotic friends are always a great help too. I asked Rebecca to break it down for me, this new coconut oil/coffee contraption that I have fallen in love with and this is her FULL unfolding why this coffee is not only delicious but better too! 

Coconut** meat, butter and oil is a medium-chain triglyceride (MCT oil) which is easily used for sustained energy by the body (unlike longer chain fats that take a lot of digesting, and are harder on the liver to process). 

Choosing to have a healthy, clean (no chemicals) fat in the morning, especially if having a stimulant like coffee or cocoa (preferably organic, fair trade coffee and organic raw cacao--dark chocolate) is way better than no fats or no protein, or worse straight grain-based carbs in the morning, and/or low-fat or skim animal fats that are non-nutritive, and stressful on the body to try to function on.

**always go organic, and fair trade like Dr. Bronners or Nutiva when able

Coconut oil is also great to cleanse your skin in the morning and your internal system... It has naturally occurring Caprylic and lauric acid, which easily becomes monolauric acid a very effective and gentle anti-fungal which both helps rid the skin and body of non beneficial cellular inhabitants, like candida albucans and the clumping, strapping yeast bio-films that can wrap around our organs, or around undigested proteins. 

The coconut's protective oil also cleanses the coffee (beans) of inevitable molds that love to grow on nuts, seed pods and berries... They are delicious and nutritious that's why and how we grow on them too- nuts, seeds, berries are rich in anti-oxidants and protective phyto (plant) nutritives that naturally (through nature's wisdom) ward off potential infections that weaken their every cells' membranes and hence their bodies' chance of survival, driven by the soulful miraculous drive to live, express itself fully and aromatically and reproduce... (Just like us humans). Thing is molds, fungi, viruses, and bacteria also all want to survive and thrive and reproduce... And often their souls get off balance (with too much of a good thing, like sugar or polysaccharide over abundance and like humans they feed on this more is better energy and get ego driven or just gluttonous and take advantage of the off-balanced systems and eventually the etremism overtakes them, and they burst with a destructive force of enoughness...or spoilage... (Just like us humans)... But ya know nature has her way with us life-forms... And she keeps on keeping on, new forms, new energy will always arise and be born again to survive, thrive and reproduce before dying once again.

I'm leaving that last part in there for you to chew on... I thought about taking it out but it was part of Rebecca's full unpacking and I just that well... heck... you might want to hear all that!

Have a great morning and get on with your DAY!

rebecca's blog link is here

it's all in the accessories... or not?

I always have a few pair of Levi's in the shop - just in case someone forgot their pants... haha just kidding. We sell them for $10 and sometimes it's just the right size -or- something a customer can't visualize ("that top would look great with jeans - here try these!") I get them at second hand shops and just keep a pile on hand. You might notice that I don't sell lots of pants in the shop... not an easy thing to do online but ALSO I buy most of my pants in second hand shops, that way I don't feel so bad when I have to cut them off (I'm short so I've cut my pants just about one inch all my life!) and probably because the most delightful thing on my body is.... my ankles!

In our new location we are right next to a second hand shop... so we run hand in hand and have become close friends (it's called ReRun and she has fantastic things!) and let's just say that I am no longer at a loss for pants! This works great for kids too... people may think my shop is expensive but if you buy your basics from second hand shops then you can *splurge* on the goodies like a Makié dress, or a Wovenplay top, you get the picture. SO so SO much better than buying cheap from large retailers that don't have good production practices - if you question them and they don't seem to have a Fair Trade policy, you guessed it, they are probably no good.

Reduce Reuse and don't forget that last one Recycle! Find a good friend and make their day with hand-me-downs!

If you want me to look for YOUR size just email me.

Robin Mollicone Trunk Show!

I am so excited about this trunk show! One of my closest friends and most talented is Robin Mollicone, Robin has evolved her jewelry into unique pieces that use healing stones and energetic potency that comes across in each piece. Apart from their beauty these pieces feel good on your skin, and become more meaningful when you wear them.

Robin uses traditional artistry and modern insight in each piece, which include leather which she hand stitches, beadwork along with healing stones. It all sounds calming doesn't it!

Come in and see her new work, we will have it in the shop until August 18th - and we will find a way to get it online for you as well. Hope to see you soon!

uM, this looks GOOD! - Little Moss in South Dartmouth MA

outside Little Moss in South Dartmouth, MA

yea, I can tell a good chef from her photo :)

Every once in a while I get a heads up on something great going on... I sift through loads of emails to find the good ones, and yep! this is a good one. Little Moss in South Dartmouth, Mass is going to host a couple of amazing chefs from the South! So for a few days you can enjoy the southern trappings of Chef Whitney Otawka, who is part of the culinary team behind the South’s famed Greyfield Inn (yes, I now want to go there, on our next hike down south) – an historic 16-room Inn located on the remote Cumberland Island off the coast of Georgia. 

this is the Greyfield Inn on Cumberland Island, GA

From Tuesday, August 23 through Sunday, August 28, Whitney and her partner Ben Wheatley will host a dinner series and menu takeover at Little Moss – a South Dartmouth restaurant that offers locally sourced food that evokes the rich, maritime history of the village’s whaling port. Whitney and Ben will create a special menu that highlights their experience cooking in the coastal South – but with New England ingredients. I can't wait for this and it's certainly worth the hike from Rhode Island!

I love the idea of checking out a town with an event in mind, and this is such a perfect event. No reservations (so could get crazy) so I say let's GO FOR IT!
 

that's where I'll be sitting August 23rd!

 

New :: Pip-Squeak Chapeau - early Fall 2016

A collection that I always look forward to is Pip-Squeak Chapeau and this late summer/early fall delivery is just a favorite of mine! When I first laid eyes on this lovely indigo blue collection - hearts flashed in my eyes. The new tulum tunic and dress is just the perfect silhouette and looks so nice on a range of shapes, you've got arms to show off... here you GO! I personally don't so I go for the tulum tunic under the small griffin jackets - my personal favorite look!

Pip-Squeak is the only collection that I do pre-sales for so if you are interested in getting pre-sale emails from me (I send you images as above with information and you can pre-shop) just drop me an email!

In the meantime enjoy this favorite collection!

shop here

And coming soon is the new SHIRT collection called PS SHIRT.. all your favorite shirts in one place!
in store NOW and online soon!

dental hygiene

When it comes to dental hygiene we are not the best, but also not the worst. I feel like when we were kids we had all those crazy tricks, remember that stuff that made anywhere you didn't brush in your mouth totally bright pink! I'm sure it was not the best for us but I used to get totally freaked when I saw what I thought was good brushing only to find my mouth totally PINK! and flossing... forget it! I had a friend named Jenny Morgan (spelled incorrectly in case she doesn't want to be related to this article) she had gorgeous white and beautiful teeth! I was so envious, I even remember when she had braces... still gorgeous. Well guess what, she still has gorgeous teeth and guess what else, she FLOSSES!

So as I get on in my years I am picking up flossing at a bit of a stronger pace - so of course like any mom my kids have to do it too! We are now a floss-friendly family. So when Plackers came to me and said "would you write a blog about flossing and we will send you some flossers", I said "HECK-YA!"

Now even before they contacted me what they don't know is that we USED Plackers! I even use the mouth guards they make because I have also picked up the wonderful habit of grinding my teeth at night, oh man since 2008 if I would have been smart I should have taken STOCK in Plackers, because who the heck doesn't grind their teeth! Well if your kids don't really think they need to floss just hand them these cute colorful flossers! Perfectly sized for kids teeth, because sometimes the adult ones are just too big.

Plus.. I don't know about your kids but when something is just for them, it's better! Just like that!

I have also found a tooth brush that I am a bit obsessed about - so this is probably a good time to tell you about them, they are called MouthWatchers. I recently traveled and forgot my toothbrush and couldn't find Mouth Watchers and I used another one and it made me realized how incredible these toothbrushes are! I used to be one of those people that could grind down and toothbrush pretty quickly but this toothbrush helps with that and you can lightly brush and still feel incredibly clean. We all use them now! The BEST! here is their website.

click here for more of my articles on flossing, kids teeth and more funny teeth related posts including baby and bottles and funny related stories

Happy Dental Hygiene to you and your family!

Food 52

Recently, a friend of mine gave me a copy of the Food 52 - Genius Recipes and I am just crazy about it! I immediately started making things from their wonderful recipes. Each recipe is from a list of greats like Julia Child (I just made her zucchini gratin with my overload of zucchini from the farm), Hervé This on chocolate and so many more... Last night I made the Hervé This Chocolate Mousse that is simply made with water (it's a Molecular thing)... it turned out incredibly amazing!

So obviously you can see a trend here... Food 52 goes on my list with recipes from Martha Stewart, Ottolenghi and the Fat Radish cookbook as my favorites! They also list my go-to summer recipe that I use for just about everything during the summer. Their Toasted Orecchiette with Zucchini, Corn, and Crème Fraîche recipe is one what I thought I created, but I guess not, but I make it all summer long with whatever vegetables I have on hand. Lately I have taken out the pasta part and just make a nice grilled fish, tofu or sausages and then serve with vegetables made in this simple way, with a bit of crème fraiche, pepper and lemon to make them more interesting.

Then I found that Food 52 has everything! Their website is a bit like a Crate and Barrel for the kitchen only, with EVERYTHING for the kitchen, cook books, and well just believe me when I say EVERYTHING you could ever want in a beautifully photographed website (and NO I do not work for them! haha). My reason for writing this blog was not to talk about the food, but I have a hard time not going there... but to tell you that whatever I don't have for kids, they have on their website! They have great kitchen-type things for kids and it's a great place to get lovely gifts for that budding Chef in your family! Just cute as can be.... link to kids here.