island crush: scented alohatherapy

a kiss of the islands without the side effects of synthetic scents? yes please! kai and kalani, the keiki creators behind maoli perfumes, just introduced a quartet of solid fragrance balms formulated with essential oils and tropical absolutes infused in a good for you & the planet shea butter base.

the handcrafted scent memories are made in small batches (with help from mom & dad, natch) and already have me dreaming of lei stands, pikake blossoms, ka'u oranges and roasted cocoa beans.

sigh . . .

$28 online. (+ free worldwide shipping!)

wimini hawaii: tee-lightful!

the other day i was delighted to discover that one of the cutest indie tee makers had reemerged with a fresh collection of cheery island inspired designs. the playful line by wimini hawaii, the label formerly known as lunchbox clothing, is filled with organic tops for the entire 'ohana and is guaranteed to share a twinkle of happiness wherever you go.

from its early beginnings, designer yutaka chino has harnessed the power of hawaii's tropical sunshine to burn each and every screenprint responsible for making the tees in the collection. the line originally started out when the 'aina haina fishing guide began offering souvenir t-shirts so faraway friends could take home a sweet reminder of their island holiday.

since we last checked in, the collection has welcomed tiny tees for keiki. if only we could issue the adorable monk seal tee to visitors at every shore break where the endangered cuties like to nap.

peek more designs that charmed my heart after the jump!

do the happy graphics make you smile too? even more delightful, all the tees are made in the usa of organic cotton and handprinted with water-based inks. hooray for me!

alas, most of the designs are offered in mini sizes only so grownups must be content with a smaller selection for now.

p.s. an online shop is in the works so do say hello to your neighborhood stockist to stock up on your favorite design.

aloha friday scoop

some of my happiest memories while growing up on oahu took place at the old timey movie houses when lines wrapped around the building on opening weekend and ushers did not mind if you stayed in your seat for the next screening. the balconies at the waikiki twins may be forever closed, but news of a grassroots group hoping to restore kaimuki's queen theatre is the most delightful discovery of the week. {mahalo reel hawaii!}

fighting eel hosts its annual sample sale so grab your wishlist and queue up early for first dibs.

• when: sat, jul 8th - 11a to 3p
• where: the manifest, 32 north hotel street, chinatown
• fyi: cash only & all sales final

say hello to heather brown when the north shore artist shares her latest creations with town and country collectors.

• when: sat, jul 9th - 3p to 7p
• where: wyland galleries, 66-250 kam hwy,haleiwa

• when: sun, jul 10th - 6p to 9p
• wyland galleries beach walk, 270 lewers street, waikiki

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new peeks: rockabella jewels

these darling bff bracelets by rockabella jewels were intended to be shared as a cute summer crush, and then i realized that kristel has introduced quite a few new styles since our last show & tell. while the knotted friendship bands make me reminisce of small kid time when you would wait until the salty ocean waves and hot hawaiian sunshine released your wrist from its pledge, the grownup versions are designed to charm with seashells and semi-precious stones befriending the most delightful patterns.

inspiration always seems to strike kristel in unexpected ways and rockabella has made many fans with its pretty hints of the pacific. this time around gold dipped cowrie shells pair with hand dyed hair elastics for the aptly named mai ties while hammered golden loops have been carefully fabricated in her maui studio as a contemporary remake of the lei.

more peeks of rockabella's summer sparkle after the jump!

rockabella lei

mai ties

layered puka * hawaiian island nameplate

isn't the layered puka with a gold dipped shell hugging its tiny counterpart the sweetest idea for a new mama welcoming her first little one?

prices start at a very reasonable $8.50 for a mai tie with most of rockabella's signature designs under $100.

select styles may be found at your neighborhood stockist while the online shop offers complimentary shipping to hawai'i mailboxes!

isle style: sea glass sparkle

beachcombing for sea glass is one of my favorite things yet jewelry that allows their tumbled in the waves beauty to glow like gemstones remains as elusive as the orange glass coveted by collectors.

and then, the prettiest sea glass rings handset in sterling silver were discovered in maui designer kira ferrer's etsy shop!

$75 to $95 online.