The newsstands will soon feature another piece of my swank writing work.

I received my copy of CRAFT Magazine’s 8th issue in the mail yesterday. On page 43, in the heart of the issue’s special weaving section, you’ll find my piece.

Similar to my profile of San Francisco’s Annie Weinert in CRAFT’s 4th issue, my work for the 8th issue features New York State’s Four Directions Weaving - a humble yet successful small eco-conscious business.

CRAFT Magazine’s 8th issue will be available at your local newsstand within the next week - make sure to stop by and pick up a copy!

My other favorite articles & projects in the issue: Local Girl Comes Home and Makes Good (page 30), When Art and Craft Collide (page 34), Viva la Vest! (page 52), Pop Stars (page 73), Graphic Novelty (page 105), Polaroid Transfer-mations (page 122), Computer Cursive (page 128), the brand new Craft: Collection feature (page 132).

Enjoy creating art?

Looking for a unique opportunity?

Appreciate the beauty of the female form?

Hoping for a chance to photograph me?

The time has come! On Sunday, August 17th, I will be taking part in an Outdoor Fine Art Nude Photography Workshop. As a photographer, you will receive 2 hours of professional instruction and assistance. After training, you will have 3 hours to photograph me (and 3 other nude models) at a chic, earthy location.

As a nude model, I charge $100 an hour for photo shoots, so this is a spectacular deal!

Keep reading for details on how to sign up for the workshop and a sneak peak at my artistic nude portfolio.

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STOP RIGHT THERE!

There are over 200 people reading this blog on a daily basis.

Only 3 of them have responded to the First-Ever Victoria-E.com Reader Survey.

What’s that about!?

It will only take you 5 minutes and will help me immensely.

Maybe you just missed my first post about the survey.

If so, all is forgiven - just make sure to take the First-Ever Victoria-E.com Reader Survey today.

The survey closes at the end of the day.

This is your chance to directly impact the quality and content you find on Victoria-E.com - don’t let is slip away!

Who are all you people?

Why are you here?

What do you want from me!?

It sounds a bit melodramatic, but that’s the concept behind the First-Ever Victoria-E.com Reader Survey.

In less than 3 months, Victoria-E.com will be 2 years old. It’s time to share your thoughts on the good, the bad, and the ugly elements of this blog. Let’s make it better than it has ever been!

Featuring 10 simple questions, the First-Ever Victoria-E.com Reader Survey will take you less than 5 minutes to complete. I like my surveys how I like my news stories - short, simple, and to the point.

This is your chance to directly impact the quality and content you find on Victoria-E.com - don’t let is slip away! The  First-Ever Victoria-E.com Reader Survey will only be active for one week. That’s right! Come Monday, July 21st, the survey will be closed and results will be posted on Victoria-E.com for all to peruse.

Once you’ve taken the survey, stop by this post again and add any extra comments you may have about ANY aspect of the site. A few new features are already in the works, including detailed posts about advertisers and more book reviews.

What else do you want to see? This is your time to shine, my readers!

[Image courtesy of victoriapeckham on Flickr.com]

Our homes (and lives) just wouldn’t be the same without our fine, furry friends. With all the love and attention we shower on our fidos and felines, shouldn’t they get the benefit of a natural, sustainable lifestyle too?

Eco-friendly options for cats and dogs (along with many other animals) have multiplied exponentially in the past decade. Food, toys, shampoo, litter, flea treatment … you name it, there is a “greener” version of it available today.

Why is eco-friendly pet care important? “Traditional” pet supplies often include noxious chemicals, heavy metals, inedible animal parts and extensively sprayed ingredients.

Not only is your pet exposed to these questionable aspects of their everyday goods, but you are too! “It’s really all part of getting back to nature,” says Dr. Jeff Feinman, certified homeopathic veterinarian in Weston, Conn. “It’s better for your pet and the Earth.”

Greening your pet is easy. Just follow these ten tried-and-true steps to give your pet a more natural, sustainable life.

1) Find Out What You’re Feeding Them

After the countless pet food recalls over the past two years, it is no surprise that owners are more curious and cautious about what they feed their pets. If your pet’s food does not feature the green FDA “organic” seal or say “FDA-certified, food-grade meat,” you could be feeding them anything from pesticide-infused corn to dead, dying or diseased animal parts. Certified organic products have no added pesticides or hormones, use minimal processing, and are higher in vital nutrients. FDA-certified food-grade meat is AA- or A-grade meat, which is considered safe for human consumption. Many traditional pet food companies use grade D or lower.

[[ KEEP READING! THE FULL ARTICLE, WITH 9 MORE ECO-PET TIPS, IS AT LIFE.GAIAM.COM]]

[Image courtesy of Yukari on flickr.com]

Is downward dog a daily occurrence?

Can you credit yoga for your sanity?

Has your yoga practice influenced your personal or professional lives?

Then I want to talk to you!

I’m currently working on my 4th assignment for Yoga Journal Magazine.

Having worked with the magazine for over a year, I’m always looking for new content to pitch to them.

The front section of YJ is called Om and opens with a profile of a modern yogi who has been influenced by their practice.

Recently, I pitched the work of certified yoga teacher and sustainable artist Tara Hogan. Her profile will be appearing in the November 2008 issue of the magazine.

I’m looking for folks who practice yoga regularly (at least twice a week) and, due to their continued practice, have been influenced personally or professionally - such as fund raising, becoming a yoga teacher, creativity, open a business … etc.

Know of someone who fits this description (maybe even you)? Leave me a comment or send me an email with an overview of their/your story. I’ll contact you to let you know if their/your experience is what the magazine is looking for.

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We all know that small changes can have big impacts.

Carbon offsets, hybrid cars, rechargeable batteries, organic food, natural cosmetics, recycled paper.

Isn’t something missing from our frequently discussed eco-conscious options?

How about cutting your damn hair!

Think of all the resources that go into maintaining long hair: water, products with questionable ingredients, electricity (for hair appliances and frequent towel laundering), money, and most importantly - time.

You could save on all of these things by simply cutting your hair shorter. Most men are known for having short hair, so it is the women of the world who need to wake up and chop it off. Remember the 1950s? Some of the most popular women of that era had hair above their shoulders. Sophistication, authority, beauty - short hair says it all.

Long hair is often a personified characteristic of youth. A recent study from University of Pecs in Hungary proves that long-time tradition is changing. “Women with longer hair seem healthy, intelligent, and mature, while women with short hair are seen as more youthful, honest, caring, and emotional,”says Liz Somes in Psychology Today’s January/February 2008 issue.

From a logical perspective, it is easy to see why short hair equals youth. Long hair takes years to grow. Short hair is worn by babies worldwide. Ba-da bing, ba-da boom. Just about every woman has had one of those nightmare haircuts that you just can’t fix, but fear to go short. Long hair used to be seen as what makes a woman feminine. Well times have changed!

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Sarah Zins didn’t start out in fashion, but her Barbie doll would beg to differ. Using scraps from her mom’s sewing basket, she pieced whatever she could into some sophisticated modern-art wonders for her first, tiny client. Later, as a broke English lit student, her work was more of a reworked vintage variety, and she branched out to make costumes for friends.

Sarah’s travels brought her to Kyrgyzstan after college, where scarcity of many things (including wardrobe choice) was the rule, as were long, cold winters and lots of time to sew. But it was in San Francisco that she started for real, taking City College classes and considering the design path.

She debuted in the 2006 GenArt Styles International Design Competition as a finalist and since then has been developing clothing that keeps in mind the scarcity of the world’s resources. Made from “only high-quality reused and remnant silk, wool, cotton, and cashmere,” Sarah’s self-titled clothing brand is a vital view into the future of fashion.

I recently had the pleasure of being Sarah’s first interviewer. Read on for our chat about disco, frivolity, big brand clothing and eco-activism.

Victoria Everman: What first drew you to fashion?

Sarah Zins: I think I’ve got this DIY mentality that maybe comes from my hippie parents. We should all know something about how to grow food, cook, build, and craft everyday necessities. I loved imagining and making all kinds of things, and making clothes just grew out of that. So when I didn’t have whatever crazy-ass outfit that I dreamt up to play dress-up in, I dug out my mom’s needles and pinking shears and tried to sew it. My Barbie got some very slick things to wear, too.

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Being a gardener has never been easier and more difficult. While planting and pruning is still as simple as ever, prolific plumes of pests are commonplace. What’s a dirt lover to do!?

The eco-answer has arrived with Good Bug, Bad Bug by Jessica Walliser. Printed on water-proofed, laminated pages and wire-bound, Good Bug, Bad Bug is written in easy to understand language. You can quickly identify invasive and beneficial insects. Walliser provides expert organic advice on how to attract the good guys and manage the bad guys without toxic chemicals.

From container gardens to acre-sized plots, Good Bug, Bad Bug is the perfect reference guide for every grower. Thanks to climate change, pests are invading regions they aren’t native to. That means more destruction and increased confusion. Walliser’s approach is simple and green: get rid of the bad ones and encourage the good ones to stick around. Color pictures, an informative introduction, glossary, and product directory round of the books’ awesome qualities.

Haven’t started planting yet? Don’t fret - it is never too late! Check out my review of Walliser’s other book, Grow Organic, for sustainable growing methods from seed to table.

Still reading environmental news from your local paper? Wake up! There is a new online home for sustainable metropolitan living - Greenopia. Starting with green ratings for Los Angeles biz, Greenopia now covers San Francisco and New York City. The ratings are available in book form and on their newly designed website.

Widely publicized green maven Starre Vartan (founder of Eco-Chick) has been hired Greenopia’s Editorial Director. She hired me, and a few others, to take Greenopia’s website to the next level!

Thanks to our continuing hard work, Greenopia is now the go-to source for local eco-living in Los Angeles, San Francisco and New York City. Along with green ratings, you’ll find:

• National and Local Environmental News and Events
• Community Interactions: submit reviews, blogs, business listings, tips … and win prizes!
• Interviews with National and Local Eco-Celebrities
• How to be Greener Guides
• Green Gripes Blog: real solutions to everyday eco-living problems and challenges
  

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Emily Katz took the 2007 Fashion Week in Portland by storm with the debut of her self-titled fashion line. The flattering designs done up in sustainable fabrics and produced locally were an instant hit.

After studying at the Marilyn Institute College of Arts in Baltimore, Emily returned to Portland in 2003 to start her first clothing line, Bonnie Heart Clyde, with her (now-former) sweetheart. After they went their own separate ways, Emily started her self-titled line last year to much fan fare.

GLO: How does your self-titled Emily Katz line differ from your first fashion label, Bonnie Heart Clyde?

Emily Katz: Bonnie Heart Clyde was a freehand embroidered line of separates for men and women. It was crafty and whimsical. The Emily Katz line is the grown up version. More sophisticated, modern, and clean. Simple and elegant. The line has organically grown with my own growth as a designer and person as a whole.

Have you always wanted to design with sustainable fabrics or were you introduced to them recently?

My dad always told me to wear natural fabrics, and organic and sustainable seemed like the right way to go. I can’t believe I used to wear so many polyester shirts in high school!

As a new, small fashion brand, do you find it even more difficult to afford to produce your line with sustainable fabrics?

Yes absolutely. I have financed the line by myself, and when you look at the difference between conventional baby jersey ($1.50 per yard), and soy/organic cotton ($6-9 per yard)! You can see how it can be stressful. However, I believe in what I am doing, and thankfully lots of other people do too!

Also a musician, food lover and visual artist, how do you other creative endeavors inspire your fashion creations?

Everything inspires everything else. (more…)

What’s better than feasting on fresh fruit and vegetables handpicked right from your very own garden? According to the National Gardening Association (NGA), 80 million U.S. households (that’s three out of four!) participated in at least one type of lawn and garden activity annually for the last five years.

With all that growing going on, you can’t help but wonder just how much of it is sustainable. “Anytime you introduce a foreign substance into an ecosystem, it can throw a wrench in the works. Chemical pesticides and fertilizers are foreign substances that start altering the garden ecosystem the moment they are applied,” says Jessica Walliser, co-author of Grow Organic.

Many have heard of commercial farms using organic growing methods, but these methods can be applied to the lawns and gardens of individual homeowners and apartment dwellers as well.

The easiest way to enjoy your growing experiences and support a sustainable planet at the same time is to grow organically. What exactly is organic gardening? Many debate the difference between using fewer chemicals and no chemicals, but one thing about organic gardening is clear: strong soil. “[Organic gardening] means building up the soil through compost and mulch. The heart of organics is healthy soil,” says Jeff Gillman, Associate Professor at the University of Minnesota and author of The Truth About Organic Gardening. “The key is to build the soil up by adding organic matter [i.e. leaves, newspaper; anything that can be composted or will decay] each year. When the soil is fertile, plants will outgrow just about anything,” says Walliser’s co-author Doug Oster.

[[ KEEP READING! THE FULL ARTICLE, WITH 9 INSIDER TIPS, IS AT LIFE.GAIAM.COM]]

[Image courtesy of *Susie* on flickr.com]

Gardening “green” sounds like an oxymoron - and it is. What is called “organic” gardening today is what everyone was doing before the Industrial Revolution. Now-a-days, only about half of homes have plants in them. Most you can’t even eat.

Time to Grow Organic! A new book by Pittsburg greenies Doug Oster and Jessica Walliser. Not only about gardening, Grow Organic helps with flowers, lawns and more. For “first-timers and old-timers alike,” those without a naturally green thumb are saved. Color pictures, graphs, step-by-step instructions - it’s all here.

Live in the city?  Grow Organic’s info applies to your small space too. Don’t let a lack of “real” land stop you grow the joy of truly fresh food and flowers. Container gardens are even easier to maintain than lawn spaces, so grab a trowel and get growing!

My favorite section of Grow Organic is chapter 6 - all about veggies!  When I have a house, I’ll grow fruit trees too. Until then, its spinach, herbs, and other edibles. My apartment building’s fire escape offers enough extra space to cultivate more than expected.

Space? Time? Skill? You don’t need any of these to grow! It’s a simple, quick and space-conscious hobby. Grab a copy of Grow Organic by Doug Oster and Jessica Walliser. You’ll see what I mean in no time. Well, it may take a few weeks for the seeds to sprout. Then, you’ll see.

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The Pacific Northwest is awash with cutting edge clothing brands, especially sustainable ones. Hailing from Seattle, all of Prairie Underground’s pieces are designed, cut and sewn right in-town. Of course, you can’t call a brand sustainable without them using eco-fabrics. Prairie Underground has that in spades, featuring organic cotton (and now, hemp) throughout the entire line. Long-time friends from Nebraska Davora Lindner and Camilla Eckersley started Prairie Underground back in 2005, just as the sustainable fashion wave was beginning. Since then, the brand has become synonymous with cutting edge eco-style.

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Time for another weekly edition of Carnival of the Green, organized by the nifty folks at TreeHugger. Last week, the COTG was hosted by Blogfish; next week, hosting duties are covered by How Ethical.

LET’S GET TO THE POSTS!

Law Matters tells us about The Implementation of the Forest Rights Act.

Rebecca Dean at Miss Copy features a beautiful image of an ancient tree on the island of Yakushima, Japan.

AdmirableIndia talks about the second day of their trip to Chikmagalur in western India.

Kevin at Xtreme DIY presents 10 Eco-Friendly Trips for Going Green Under $10(ish) - perfect for our supposed recession.

Alisa at EcoTrekker features 53 Easy Tips to Use Less Water, with suggestions for every room of the house.

Phil for Humanity talks about The 4th of July Pollution conundrum.

Cindy at MyRecycledBags shows how to make a Greenie Pot Scrubber out of recycled cotton and plastic netting.

Lane at Vegan Bits discusses Why We’ve Got Salmonella In Our Tomatoes, which has already started a considerable discussion.

Preston at Jetson Green presents the Top 5 Green Building Products As Voted by Builders, chosen recently at the Pacific Coast Builders Conference.

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