From the look of the stats, my Pretty Pictures posts have gotten pretty popular (bad pun)! I’m delighted to see y’all are enjoying my banquet of inspirational imagery – tune in every Thursday for more. If you have any suggestions for things you’d like to see on Victoria-E.com, send them my way! I’m in the middle of a major content rehaul for the blog, so lots of great things are on their way …

1) Pretty Pictures from Beatrice Peltre

2) Clean Beauty and Conscience with Yes to Carrots + EXCLUSIVE GIVEAWAY!

“Back in the “good ole days”, skin care was simple - olive oil, lemon, salt … basic ingredients that can be found in any kitchen. As we spent more time in offices, making our own beauty products is the last thing on most minds.

When it comes to finding sustainable, all-natural cosmetics, you usually have to go to stores like Whole Foods. Thankfully, other major stores (like Target and Walgreens) are starting to take notice and now carry brands that even an evergreen would smile at.

One brand, Yes to Carrots, is quickly becoming a favorite among media and consumers alike. When I was presented with the chance to review a slew of Yes to Carrots’ products, I jumped at the chance.”

3) Pretty Pictures from Don Freeman

4) Pretty Pictures from Anna Kern

5) Crafting a Happy Home: Better Homes & Gardens April 2009

That was around the same time that my fiance and I were really gearing up for our move from San Francisco to Connecticut (which happened in January 2009).

Now that things have settled, I’m delighted to bring back the very popular monthly Top 5 post.

1) Failure: Learn It, Live It, Love It: What are you avoiding? Writing a book? Knitting your first sweater? Cooking a casserole? Applying for a new job? Moving to your favorite city? Everyone has something that they want to do but just can’t find the ability to. Whether the excuse is time, money, or technique, it all comes down to one basic concept – fear of failure.

2) Pretty Pictures from Beatrice Peltre: A long-time friend of mine on flickr, Beatrice Peltre also runs the infamous La Tartine Gourmande food blog. Her food styling work consistently stops me in my tracks – she does a spectacular job of enhancing the natural colors and curves of the foods she features. Having grown up in rural France, Beatrice now lives in Boston with her husband and new daughter – I’m hoping to meet her once before my fiance’s Marine goals begin moving us around the country in 2 years.

3) Clean Beauty and Conscience with Yes to Carrots + EXCLUSIVE GIVEAWAY!: Back in the “good ole days”, skin care was simple - olive oil, lemon, salt … basic ingredients that can be found in any kitchen. As we spent more time in offices, making our own beauty products is the last thing on most minds. When it comes to finding sustainable, all-natural cosmetics, you usually have to go to stores like Whole Foods. Thankfully, other major stores (like TargetWalgreens) are starting to take notice and now carry brands that even an evergreen would smile at.

4) Pretty Pictures from Thayer Allyson Gowdy: Inspired by my recent review of A Year of Mornings, I’m delighted to announce a new ongoing post series here on Victoria-E.com. Titled Pretty Pictures, I’ll be posting a collection of images from one photographer every Thursday. Whether you need a break in your (almost over) week or are looking for regular inspiration, Pretty Pictures is what you are looking for.

5) Makeup Meets Skincare with Jane Iredale’s Mineral Cosmetics + EXCLUSIVE GIVEAWAY!: Natural beauty comes in all shapes, shades, and sizes – shouldn’t your makeup? Having been, literally, covered head-to-toe in makeup over the years, I’ve long since learned that not all brands are created equal. Upon finding out that so many cosmetics contain highly untested chemicals, I vowed to only use sustainable options during photo shoots and special occasions that call for makeup (I don’t wear it on a day-to-day basis). There are numerous options on the market, but most well-known is likely to be Jane Iredale, a no-animal-testing, mineral-based extensive cosmetics line.

What did you enjoy most on Victoria-E.com this past month?

[Image courtesy of tinou bao on flickr.com]

1) Clean Beauty and Conscience with Yes to Carrots + EXCLUSIVE GIVEAWAY!: “Back in the “good ole days”, skin care was simple - olive oil, lemon, salt … basic ingredients that can be found in any kitchen. As we spent more time in offices, making our own beauty products is the last thing on most minds …”

2) Eco-Fashion Euphoria: Emily Katz: “Truly exceptional design is hard to find – unless you know where to look. Emily Katz of Portland, Oregon is a true diamond in the rough; just waiting to be discovered the world over. After running the indie clothing brand Bonnie Heart Clyde with her former …”

3) Blog Action Day: Poverty: “Poverty is a very touchy subject – so much so that I don’t even know where to start talking about it. But when Blog Action Day said we are writing about poverty this year (last year was environmentalism), I openly took on the challenge. I’ve personally come into contact …”

4) Third Apperance in Yoga Journal Hits Newsstands with Artist + Friend Tara Hogan: “First, I wrote about knitting. Second, I wrote a craft pattern. Now, for my third piece in Yoga Journal Magazine, I’m elated to have written the opening OM Profile! Even more exciting, I had the chance to …”

5) Top 5: Posts for September 2008: “Hooray – two months in a row! Though this post is a few weeks late, I’m getting back into the habit of sharing Victoria-E.com’s top 5 posts each month. September was a fun-filled month with a focus on chic, comfortable fashion and eco-related health developments. October is …”

What did you enjoy most on Victoria-E.com this past month?

October is set to be a month of reviews and commentary about eco and emotional issues – it also marks Victoria-E.com’s 2-year anniversary, so expect a fun retrospective and a peak at new features!

1) Behind the Seams with Adam Sidell and Nico Morrison of Peligrosa: “Made to stand the test of time, the sustainable stylish offerings of Peligrosa are a force to be reckoned with. Started by husband-and-wife team Adam Sidell and Nico Morrison, Peligrosa makes tops, bottoms, t-shirts, dresses and more for …”

2) Green Style How-To: Keep Toasty with Two DIY Accessories: “It’s October, and the cool temperatures here in San Francisco have begun to set in. Trying to live as green a life as possible, I have been resisting the urge to turn on a heater; simply opening the blinds and having the sun shine in has a similar effect …”

3) Ecoist Adds New, Chic Wrapper Bag Collection + Exclusive Discount on Victoria-E.com!: “From the folks who made candy wrappers a symbol of eco-chic, Ecoist is on the verge of re-establishing itself as the source for sustainable and stylish handbags. Ecoist’s Fall/Winter 2008 collection marks a new direction …”

4) VE on Gaiam Life: Green Your Wardrobe – 5 Fall Eco-Fashion Trends: “Look good and live green? What used to be an oxymoron is now as easy as finding organic cereal. Sustainable fashion has grown in leaps and bounds over the past decade. Scratchy hemp and “natural”-colored everything are no more – welcome soft fabrics …”

5) The Final Word on Water Bottle Safety (Not From the FDA): “The long-running debate over water bottles is something that I have intentionally avoided here on Victoria-E.com. I can stay silent no longer. With the FDA announcement that Bisphenol A (BPA) is safe, I’m disgustingly stunned at …”

What did you enjoy most on Victoria-E.com this past month?

[Image courtesy of Peligrosa]

1) VE on GaiamLife: Top 5 Ways to Lose More Weight with Your Existing Workout: “You’ve established a healthy workout schedule, working up a sweat three to five times a week—but why aren’t you losing weight? Depending on how much weight you have been trying to lose, you may have hit your fitness plateau. The solution …”

2) Behind the Seams with Kate D’Arcy of Toggery Organic Designs: “We all have to do our part, why not look fabulous while you do it!? – Kate D’Arcy, Toggery Organic Designs Kate D’Arcy is both the designer and model of the eco-chic clothing line Toggery. This sustainable and versatile line uses organic cotton and …”

3) Gorgeous and Green! Exclusive Preview of Ortolan’s New Home Collections: “While shopping for my new apartment in Philadelphia (yup, I’m heading back to the East Coast!), I met the lovely sisters who started Ortolan. Based in New York City, Ortolan was started earlier this year by Bethany and Jenny Mallett after …”

4) Behind the Seams with Adam Sidell and Nico Morrison of Peligrosa: “Made to stand the test of time, the sustainable stylish offerings of Peligrosa are a force to be reckoned with. Started by husband-and-wife team Adam Sidell and Nico Morrison, Peligrosa makes tops, bottoms, t-shirts, dresses and more for both men and women …”

5) Be Green, Save Green :: Eco-Fashion Embraces A New, Affordable Shopping Destination: “Watch out Greenloop. Keep cool Equita. There’s a new green online shopping destination, ready to take the web by storm. Enter: Fashion and Earth! Based on Canada’s Prince Edward Island, Fashion and Earth is the brainchild of Adrian Desbarats …”

What did you enjoy most on Victoria-E.com this past month?

[Image courtesy of mikebaird on flickr.com]

1) VE on GaiamLife: Top 5 Ways to Lose More Weight with Your Existing Workout: “You’ve established a healthy workout schedule, working up a sweat three to five times a week—but why aren’t you losing weight? Depending on how much weight you have been trying to lose, you may have hit your fitness plateau. The solution isn’t necessarily longer …”

2) VE on GaiamLife: 5 Best Ways to “Green Out” Your Town: “Weekly recycling, home composting, grocery shopping at the farmer’s market – you’ve made some good changes to live greener. So what’s next? It’s time to take your eco-friendly inspirations out into your local community to inspire and support others in lightening their footprint …”

3) Unconditional Love and Surrender from Nicole Bridger: “Nicole has come a long way from making clothes for her Barbie dolls at age eight. Five years after graduating from Ryerson University, Vancouver native Nicole Bridger is setting a new standard for style mavens. Victoria Everman chatted with Nicole just before the Green Living Show …”

4) How Green Is Bamboo Fabric?: “Found in your favorite Chinese dishes and on the floors of many modern homes, bamboo has made its way into another key aspect of our lives – clothing. Green fabrics from organic cotton and wool to those even made from corn and seaweed, bamboo is one of the most versatile and features a wide variety of …”

5) Become A Sustainable Fashion Influencer with Nvohk: “Ever wanted to own your own green business? How about a clothing brand? With California-based nvohk [invoke], you can help to change the fashion world, one design at a time. Promoted as an “eco-clothing company managed by the people who wear it,” nvohk: … was inspired by …”

What did you enjoy this month?

What would you like to see less/more of?

[Image courtesy of mikebaird on flickr.com]

I’m not too surprised that the two articles that I wrote for GreenLivingOnline.com’s Valentine’s Day coverage made it into the top 5 for February.

The FutureNatural giveaway currently going on (just one week left to enter) was not much of a surprise to find in the top 5 – the same with my exclusive coverage of Fig Kids Spring 2008 organic cotton collection (who doesn’t love an exclusive?).

What did catch my eye was the return of my interview with New York creative yogi Tara Hogan – where did that come from!? If you haven’t read it yet, make sure to click over there; it is a darn good one, if I do say so myself.

1) Poisonous Plastics in Your Sexy Playthings: “Whether adventurous or mildly amorous, millions of couples use “novelty” items (a.k.a. sex toys). Often purchased on a whim, these bedside buddies can exponentially enhance your sensual encounters but they may also bring their own fair share of damage …”

2) Natural Beauty Has a New Online Home + EXCLUSIVE GIVEAWAY!: “Move over Sephora, there is new online home for organic and natural beauty projects – its name is FutureNatural. Launched only two months ago, FutureNatural carries some big names in eco-beauty, such as Zoya, Stem Organics, Nvey Eco make-up, Juniper Ridge, …”

3) Green Loving with Eco-Friendly Lingerie: “With Valentine’s Day right around the corner and you’re lucky enough to have a “special someone”, you might be spending more of your time between the sheets than usual. To help you prepare for this monumental occasion, we bring you an extensive collection of sustainable …”

4) Tara Hogan Turns Ink & Wit From Indie to Eco-Modern: “Big businesses aren’t the only ones who are seeing than many benefits of going green these days. Smaller companies and the ever-present indie start-ups are getting in on the act too. Being an advocate for the “little guy”, I’m honored to feature a woman with …”

5) EXCLUSIVE!: Fig Kids Spring 2008 Collection Preview: “Spring has nearly sprung and that means it is time for mac and cheese, short sleeve tees and “mommy, can we please?” Keeping your little ones clothed and looking cool at the same time can seem like an endless challenge, especially when the styles they are craving for could …”

1) Sun Run Biz Model Makes Solar More Affordable: “Still dreaming of a solar powered house but think you can’t afford it? Even with State and Federal assistance, installing a full solar system on your house can run you upwards of $10,000, depending on your location. A new collection of companies …”

2) Behind the Seams with Karen Stewart of Stewart+Brown: “Karen Stewart is half of the husband-and-wife team that started the California-based Stewart+Brown in 2002. After the birth of their daughter Hazel, Karen and Howard combined their professional experiences from companies like Patagonia, Urban Outfitters and Microsoft to create …”

3) Weekly Green Leisure: All Green Round-Up Jan 5th-11th: “Have you heard about the latest green living magazine to hit the newsstands? Launched in late 2007, All Green Magazine ‘believes that the environmental challenges we face are not without solutions. It is our mission to make consumers, organizations, businesses and …”

4) Sustainable & Stylish Storage for Your Sketches & Scribbles: “I’m likely to be the 100th person to blog about this, but it’s worth the attention. First spotted on TreeHugger.com (written by the ever-eco Worsted Witch, a.k.a Jasmin), Canada’s Mirage Paper Company is launched a 100% post-consumer recycled range. Named …”

5) Weekly Green Crafts: CAGW Round-Up for Jan 19th-25th: “With so many rainy days here in San Francisco lately, I’m starting to feel like I’m already living in Portland (yeah, if only!). Since I already had a funky cough, I didn’t think going out to walk in the rain would be the best idea. So, once I’m done with my daily writing work, I’m stuck with …”

What did you enjoy this month?

What would you like to see less/more of?

WELCOME TO 2008!
Tomorrow, I will have a great post all about what is to come from me and my creative endeavors in this new year. Until then, enjoy the last Top 5 post of 2007 [even though I am posting it in 2008 - just ignore that part].

1) Snapping Takes A Modern, Kitchen-y Twist: “My favorite childhood toy, hands down, was Legos. Truth be told, if you put me in front of a box of Legos right now, I’d have a field day. The ability to mix and match any and all pieces to create something of beauty or function …”

2) Portland Series :: Betsy Walton’s Layered Dream Worlds: “‘I draw, paint, sew, and make prints in my studio in Portland, Oregon … and I love to get email.’ Betsy Walton is a woman after my own (and everyone else’s) heart! The quoted sentence is …”

3) A Sweet Excuse For Sweets: Eat A Cookie, Save the Oceans: “Does anyone really need another excuse to slather on the icing or “double-dunk” our desserts? How about helping to save our planet’s oceans? Oceana; a California, Oregon and Alaska-based …”

4) Rosa Parks’ Quiet Strength is Memorialized in Blooms: “It’s quite easy to get so caught up in all the holiday hub-bub that we forget about just how good our lives actually are. Being born and raised in the States has given me an unimaginable number of freedoms and …”

5) Are You Crafting A Green World?: “Online for just a month now, have you had a chance to check out Crafting a Green World? A part of the Green Options Media network, I’m the blog’s editor and head writer. Recently, two more writers have signed on, both of which are …”

What did you enjoy this month?

What would you like to see less/more of?

Finally sick of the issues (and on the verge of needing to renew my hosting package in February), I’ve switched to Bluehost and in less than two hours, I have gotten all of my files transfered over, my URL redirected, and my e-mail mailbox set-up (it has been down the past four days as well; I can only imagine how much I’ve missed permanently).

Unfortunately, within this down time, I’ve also had over 30 people unsubscribe from my website feed – I hope you all will come back now that I’m up and running again! On the plus side, I’ve had time to knit and read, along with coming up with a nice backlog of swank post ideas, so stay tuned for lots of great info.

1 for two months in a row!) Green Style Spotlight: UJeans: “The world’s most imperative fashion invention of all time (or at least one of the top five) has to be denim jeans. Somehow, since its nearly 200 years of being invented, manufacturers have made it unthinkably difficult to …”

2) Unearth Conscious Living’s New Home: MindBodyGreen.com: “Recycling, organic cotton clothing, paraben-free cosmetics, public transportation – you’ve probably got the basics of green living integrated into your daily life already. Having done so many …”

3) Solar Homes Help Revive Slow Housing Market: “Just three weeks ago, we told you about the sluggish general housing market and how it hasn’t been affecting the green building industry one bit. Thanks to a new article from the Los Angeles Times, more info …”

4) Refab UK’s Vintage Fabric Home Accessories: “After the blue jean insulation is fitted, the low-VOC paints have dried, and the solar panels are functioning, it’s time to focus on the inside of your new home. With air quality indoors being rated as 4 to 5 times worse …”

5) Chicago Hosts USGBC GreenBuild Expo Nov 7-9: “Started in 2002 by the infamous United States Green Building Council (USGBC), the GreenBuild Expo has quickly become the largest conference and exhibition focused solely on green building (both practices and products). Nearly 20,000 people are …”

What did you enjoy this month?

What would you like to see less/more of?

1) Green Style Spotlight: UJeans: “The world’s most imperative fashion invention of all time (or at least one of the top five) has to be denim jeans. Somehow, since its nearly 200 years of being invented, manufacturers have made it unthinkably difficult to …”

2) Wildlife Society Reviews Wind Energy Impacts: “Since 1937, The Wildlife Society in Maryland has been working hard to “enhance the ability of wildlife professionals to conserve diversity, sustain productivity, and ensure responsible use of …”

3) Fluffy Flowers’ Loveable, Recycled Creatures: “I’ve got quite the backlog of creations that I want to post about, so let’s get started! A week or so ago, I found these adorably unique creations from a great crafter in Georgia. Felicia of Fluffy Flowers makes her one-of-a-kind softies out of recycled materials. “I’ve made them from gloves, mittens, scarves, socks, and even …”

4) Green Style How-To: Knitty’s Fall 2007 Frankenknits: “Remember how bummed you were when your favorite sweater got a hole in it? Even with similar structural blemishes, I find it hard to part with my favorite garments — ones that have been worn during so many memorable moments. With a few snips, unraveled rows, and sections of knitting, you can easily …”

5) Portland Series :: Eco-Chic – Inside Portland Fashion Week 07: “It’s that time! Announcing the special collaboration between myself and online green fashion source Greenloop for the upcoming Portland Fashion Week (which I first mentioned last week in my exclusive interview with PFW’s Executive Director). Take a gander at our press release and find out all the juicy details …”

What did you enjoy this month?

What would you like to see less/more of?

1) National Love For My Knitting Prose: “While perusing the October issue of Yoga Journal Magazine (they have a great new site layout, you should give it a browse), I decided to read through the Letters section to see what readers have been saying about the publication. Much to my surprise …”

2) Keep Your Keyboard Company: “Working in a tiny cubicle, home office, or in my case as of late, your living room couch, loneliness and boredom are constant factors. Thankfully, I’m not the only one who realized that – specifically, I’m talking about freelance visual artist Von Glitschka. His latest, newly launched …”

3) Tara Hogan Turns Ink & Wit From Indie to Eco-Modern: “Big businesses aren’t the only ones who are seeing than many benefits of going green these days. Smaller companies and the ever-present indie start-ups are getting in on the act too. Being an advocate for the “little guy”, I’m honored to feature a woman with vision and beauty who sees sustainability as …”

4) Snapping Takes A Modern, Kitchen-y Twist: “My favorite childhood toy, hands down, was Legos. Truth be told, if you put me in front of a box of Legos right now, I’d have a field day. The ability to mix and match any and all pieces to create something of beauty or function is a key part of modern design …”

5) Twenty Gauge Vintage American Steel Furniture: “Some may see steel as a cold, emotionless metal, but from an environmental sense, it has a lot of style and can be easily reused. Southern California’s Twenty Gauge furniture is vintage steel from a fargone American era which has been …”

What did you enjoy this past month?

What would you like to see more of?

In just the past two months, my website has been growing in leaps and bounds, including content, coverage, and support. In August, I had nearly 7,000 unique visitors; September as brought in around 5,600 already – will I break my August record? Who knows!?

The following websites have sent the most readers my way this month (so far). With one week left, I can only imagine what exciting developments will come to pass.

1) Apartment Therapy – San Francisco (featuring my interview with Bay Area author Meg Ilasco in one of their infamous Slinks posts)

2) Kirin Notebook (featuring a mention of my interview with company founder and blog writer Lara Cameron)

3) Supayana Clothing (now living in Montreal, I’ve been friends with DIY fashion queen Yana since my days in New York)

4) Hugg.com (featuring my post about INV/ALT designs’ snapping dishware, which ended up being mentioned on Treehugger.com as well)

5) Craft Magazine Blog (can’t say enough good things about CRAFT – I’ve interviewed a Bay Area costume designer for their Volume 4 issue and they have mentioned three of my blog posts already, the most recent being my interview with Ink & Wit craft maven Tara Hogan)

1) A New Take On Cracked Dishes: “You just never know what you will find when browsing the web. Often times, you’ll find the most unique creations that you wouldn’t normally be attracted to …”

2) Punky Piercer Runs A Green Letterpress Biz: “Tattoos, non-toxic inks, and tugboats – a uniquely crafty combination for a successful business. In my search to find San Francisco-based small businesses that use traditional letterpress machines, I stumbled upon …”

3) It’s A Family Affair with the San Francisco Craft Mafia: “Guns, drugs, and sewing machines? While you won’t see the San Francisco Craft Mafia shooting others or shooting up, they do wield some mighty powerful crafting talent …”

4) Recycling Gets Creative, Interactive, and Crafty: “Finding a workshop related to fiber crafts (knitting, sewing, crochet … etc.) is as easy as pie, no matter the area you live in, but what about recycling those computer chips and metal hangers? Spotted recently on …”

5) Stark Style on Etsy: “No one can deny that I have a passion for color, but my latest collection of Etsy favorites have been nothing but monochromatic deliciousness – an unmistakably inspirational mix of black, white, and gray. The dichotomy of …”

What did you enjoy this month?

What would you like to see more of?