let's go under the sea

wee gallery undersea

blik (of the fabulous polynesia glass stiks) is at again with their new wee gallery line. i know it's meant for the kiddie set but the undersea design is seriously cute. the hand-drawn graphics feature turtles, seaweed, bubbles & more which you can arrange any way you please to float up, down and around your walls.

perfect for the nursery or transform your bath into a slightly irreverant ode to sea life à la the oceanarium. the stickers are repositionable and removeable so when your tot grows tired of sleeping with the fishes you can pull them off and move on to the next big thing.

keiki fishtales

swimming menpachi halter + manini romper

you never know where a few clicks will take you in the vast world of the internet. one link leads to another and eventually you happen upon a lovely site like fishtales. you might not think that the combination of the 19th century art form of gyotaku and keiki clothing would work but it does and it is absolutely adorable.

the kaneohe company silkscreens by hand original gyotaku images on everything from onesies to dresses for little ones of all sizes. this is definitely going on my list of potential baby booty if the coconut wire ever brings tidings of a new addition to the family of my newlywed cousin who grew up fishing in the deep seas of the pacific.

{mahalo cliostreet!}

ohana style at manuheali'i

yes virginia, there is a difference between tacky outdated alohawear and cool vintage island threads. the fresh botanical prints from manuheali'i will no doubt fall into the latter category one day and their website is the perfect one stop shop to pick up gifts for the entire family. and since they ship via priority mail your order just may squeak by the postmaster's holiday deadline.

take a peek at manuheali'i's hibiscus collection which has everything from the cute ailana dress & boys' aloha shirts (shown above) to stylish shirts for grownups and lovely fabric lined lauhala handbags for the ladies.

no. 10 - honolulu theatre for youth

going to a performance of the honolulu theatre for youth was one of the highlights of growing up in hawaii. it's magical to see stories brought to life on the stage and the hty, the only professional non-profit theatre company in the islands, has exposed millions of kids to the dramatic arts since they were established 51 years ago.

even though their home stage is on oahu, every year the company takes their act on tour around the neighbor islands so kids all over hawaii have a chance to see productions like christmas talk story or tales of old hawaii in person. the hty also holds drama workshops for aspiring thespians as well as for the teachers who inspire them in the classroom.

click here to learn how you can make a difference!

12 days of christmas

today i'm kicking off a new feature putting a kokua spin on the 12 days of christmas theme. if we can afford to shop 'til we drop then there most certainly must be a little monetary love somewhere (in the bank/coin jar/pay pal account) waiting for its chance to support all the good work of the non-profits that keep the aloha spirit alive in the 21st century.

first up is one of my favorites, hoa'aina o makaha which transformed abandoned land on the westside of oahu 20 years ago into an educational farm where island keiki are taught how to garden and be good stewards of the land.

the kids aren't just growing lettuce, mind you. nope, they are also learning about the uses of traditional hawaiian plants, make honey at the on-site apiary, operate their very own store (from stocking shelves to bookkeeping), and even learn how to monitor water quality. the demonstration farm also produces goodies from the land that is sold to the public to help support hoa'aina's many programs.

click here to learn how you can make a difference!