there is no way to post this and not sound like a crazy dog lady

alright y'all. if you dislike animals [and all things happy and fun and good] then this post might be a little weird to you.

but. i love my dog. but like, really. a lot.

he loves to cuddle.

he loves to hike.

he tolerates my nonsense.

he loves to swim.

you guys know that we happened upon zissou back at the beginning of march, kind of randomly. we had not been planning on getting a dog really at all, but we fell in love with one of his litter mates that our friends adopted. wiggly tails and puppy cuddles got the best of us, and before we knew it, we had a puppy in our tiny apartment and not a clue what to do next.

growing up, my family almost always had a dog. and we loved our dog[s]. but i feel like dogs nowadays are more "part of the family" than they used to be. i grew up in the woods so our dogs roamed free in their own little neighborhood pack when they weren't chained up [i know i know this is very much frowned upon now!] and they didn't come inside the house but were never late for dinner. and that worked for us and them.

all of that to say, i don't think i ever fully knew the joys of having a dog as part of the family.

the first few weeks of having zissou were really stressful. puppies are a lot of work. but after week two, we were totally in love and sold on him and already talking of more puppies one day. we pretty quickly enrolled him in an awesome and local, group puppy class that we went to every saturday for six weeks. we learned loads about our pup and how to properly communicate with dogs. [we will definitely be back for more classes]. for the first month and a half that we had zissou, we had to be "on" 24/7. constantly redirecting bad behavior and reinforcing positive behavior and teaching him how to walk on a leash and socializing him in tons of different situations. so now, in the fourth month that we have had him, we know him really well. we have a pretty good gauge on what he can handle and what he cannot, where we can trust him 100% and where we 100% canNOT trust him. and he also knows us very well. he knows that we love him and feed him [cause its practically the same thing], that we like to play with him and what we expect of him in most situations we encounter [full disclosure: we came home last night to a chewed up and partially eaten bed in his crate. so yeah. good days and bad. c'mon man!].

the more i have learned about zissou, and the more i have learned about dogs in general [those first few weeks i read every article i could find on dog behavior and stopped every person walking a dog to ask questions], the more i have fallen in love. i have learned a lot about myself and harrison through having zissou. i've made new friends and feel connected to a whole new group of people [dog owners and lovers] that i wouldn't otherwise have noticed. i am understanding the bond between humans and dogs, and i like it. and i don't get mad at people for only posting photos of their dog anymore. cause, hello, have you SEEN my instagram account? dog city around there.

since the weather has warmed up harrison and i are trying to go on more adventures with zissou. i feel like having him has pushed us towards more outdoorsy things. we have always enjoyed a good hike or camp in the woods [i mean we wear chacos. so like. yeah.] but mostly in phases. it hasn't really been a regular occurence in our lives. [although i feel like i should give harrison a shout out for being an eagle scout. so he knows everything. apparently.] anyways, all of a sudden, we want to go hiking every saturday and take zissou to new places and experience new things with him. we are researching dog friendly camp grounds, and vacation rentals and parks and lakes. and its really fun! having a dog to adventure with is such a joy. we were hiking recently and found ourselves laughing and commenting on everything zissou did and then realized we have become COMPLETE dog people. and we're happy about it. what a gift to have something so fun, loving and entertaining with you all the time!

i think there is something real special about human/dog relationships.

and i love my dog. plain and simple. and that's okay.

he loves sticks.

he tries really hard to focus.

he's our favorite pup in the whole wide world.

<3 jojy

product review: soapwalla activated charcoal and petitgrain soap bar

it's been a while since i've done a natural beauty post! and i'm excited to review this little guy for you all.

i ordered the soapwalla activated charcoal and petitgrain facial and body bar towards the end of january. i woke up and my skin was just a mess. and i felt frantic and insecure. i opened my computer and saw something on facebook that nubonau had posted about this soap. all i saw was "good for blemish-prone skin" and i stopped reading, signed onto nubonau, put the soap in my cart. as i was clicking the last button to complete my order, i quickly yelled to harrison, "can i order some soap? its only ten dollars!" and, before he answered, i had already ordered it and felt just a little bit calmer.

my first reactions:

• it smells really good. kind of a light, earthy, floral scent. not overwhelming. 
• it's black. that's kind of weird, but i also kinda dig it. 
• it has a suuuuuper silky lather and feels very nice and luxurious on your skin.

after a month's use:

• my skin generally feels smoother [which is saying a lot since its winter and i usually get seriously dry skin]
• it's great for daily use. doesn't over-dry, which most cleansers for acne usually do.
• my break outs are not gone, but they do seem to be healing more quickly. my skin breaks out a lot more during the winter, so the fact that my skin is healing quicker is a sign that the soap is helping, i think. i'll be interested to see how things go in the warmer weather using this soap. 

will i buy this product again? yes. absolutely.

would i recommend this product? yes. absolutely.

is it worth $10? yes. absolutely.

there ya have it!

<3 jojy


[you can buy this product here and here]

imogene + willie

every once in a while something just hits you hard, and you can't stop thinking about it, and you have to find a way to be involved in it in some way, and you want you to tell everyone about it.

that thing for me right this very moment is imogene + willie.

i know, i'm late to the party on this one. someone probably feels smug and cool cause they already knew about this brand and i didn't. i don't even care, y'all.

maybe it's because i am continually on the search for the perfect pair of jeans [most jean shopping trips end in ugly cry face], or maybe it's because harrison and i dream of starting our own business one day and we've been dreaming particularly hard lately...i don't know, but for whatever reason, imogene + willie has resonated with me to a divine degree.

their products are perfection. the above photos are my favorite pairs of jeans from their website. besides several different styles of jeans, they also have a variety of cool button down shirts, jewelry, bags, shoes and other goodies. i'm currently coveting all of their work shirts and that beautiful pair of jeans in the top left [imogene slim black].

a great pair of jeans is nice and all but what about the brand behind them? imogene +willie is a brand to admire. based in nashville, TN, USA. husband and wife team. made in store. rich family history. i just can't think of a better place to buy my jeans. the duo behind the company, carrie and matt eddmenson, are passionate about what they do and have built their company on things that matter. they even named it after carrie's maternal grandparents! if you have an entrepreneurial spirit, or even if you just love a great story, watch the video and read about their history. it brought me to tears. i love the way that their families and values played a part in the creation of the perfect pair of jeans.

i told harrison today that we need to save our money and plan a road trip to nashville this spring, specifically to go to imogene + willie [the store is an old gas station!!!] and get fitted for jeans.

until then i'll probably just be pants-less. cause none of my current wardrobe measures up.


<3 jojy




[all images courtesy of imogene + willie:  imogene slim black // imogene rinsed // willie rigid // hencye]

a better way to do coffee?

i love coffee [who doesn't?], and lately i've been thinking about the method by which we make it. we use just a regular old auto-drip cuisinart 12 cup coffee maker. i registered for it, and i do love it, but harrison and i have recently been trying to limit our use of plastic. especially when it comes to plastic used for anything food related. you know, the whole BPA thing. and also BPA replacements can be just as toxic. so "BPA-free" plastic doesn't necessarily mean it's less toxic for your body. so, we realized recently that everything on the inside of our coffee maker is plastic. and when you brew coffee, that plastic heats up and is probably releasing toxins of some sort into our hot caffeinated beverage. yuck, right?

so i've started to research other ways to make coffee. i know that there are tons, and i've had coffee in various coffee shops that was made using one of those fancy methods, but i know nothing about doing it at home. i've been looking at chemex as a good option. i don't know much about it, but it looks pretty, and i've heard people say good things.

it will be hard to say goodbye to our current coffee maker. seeing, hearing and smelling a big ol' pot of coffee brewing is such a happy experience for me. growing up, a pot of coffee meant that company was coming over or that it was time to eat pie on thanksgiving. so, while according to coffee connoisseurs, it may not be the best way to make coffee, it's still my favorite. an auto-drip coffee maker delights my senses and brings vibrant, nostalgic visions of friends, fires, desserts, cuddling on the couch, holidays, and saturday brunch.

how do y'all make coffee?

<3 jojy

my favorite etsy shops: soapwalla

i adore this shop. Soapwalla has some serious bath and body products. y'all know that i'm all about the natural and organic stuff and this shop is definitely my go to for soaps, body oils and of course the deodorant. 

the Soapwalla chef, Rachel is one inspiring lady. she started making her products in her own kitchen because she has lupus, a chronic, inflammatory autoimmune disease that was causing her to have painful skin rashes. she needed to use products that were free of all those toxic chemicals and made instead with wholesome and organic ingredients. thus she created Soapwalla:

"Soapwalla products are comprised of the highest quality products available, made with organic, vegan, food-grade ingredients, and never harmful or synthetic additives such as petrochemicals, parabens, pthalates, or sodium lauryl sulfate. Our skin is our largest organ and in order for it to function at its best we must feed it with wholesome ingredients. If I refuse to put something in my body, I shouldn't be putting it on my body, either."

                                                   -Rachel, Soapwalla chef.

my favorite product of hers so far [sadly i haven't tried all of them yet] is the deodorant cream. it is THE BEST deodorant i have EVER USED [organic or not] IN  MY LIFE. i have always had sensitive armpits. deodorant always made my skin get red and rashy and it hurt so bad. i used dove for years cause it was the least irritating stuff i could find but when i changed all my products to be more natural, dove had to go. after some research i finally came across Soapwalla's deodorant and i've been hooked ever since. i never stink. i'm serious. it works so well. and it doesn't irritate and it smells wonderful. 

you know how bath&bodyworks is the typical "i don't know what to get this lady" present? well just stop it. you know that stuff always ends up collecting dust in the guest bathroom [also it's filled with gross chemicals]. go check out Soapwalla and buy them something that they'll actually use! 


<3 jojy



[photos courtesy of soapwalla]

movie i'm dying to see

Anna Karenina. for so many reasons. first being, i love russian literature. i mainly hang out with Dostoevsky but i've always wanted to take Tolstoy out for a spin. this movie gives me the perfect excuse to indulge and spend all of my time enveloped in a complicated romance [in book form, of course]. second reason is that the director, Joe Wright, has previously directed two of my absolute favorite films: Pride and Prejudice and Atonement. both of them starring Keira Knightly. both so strikingly beautiful. third reason is because the score is by Dario Marianelli, the same composer as both of the previously named favorite movies. i love a good movie score and preferably one that doesn't feature that new cool indie song that everyone loves. give me something i've never imagined before, please.

basically this movie is begging to be my new favorite. let's hope it doesn't disappoint [but even if it does you could probably still find me listening to the score and reading the novel].


<3 jojy



[Photo by Laurie Sparham]

my favorite etsy shops: olivia terrell jewelry and metalworking

this one in particular is near and dear because olivia is one of my good friends. we originally met through our boyfriends, who were best friends growing up, and then they both became our husbands. when i first found out that olivia "makes jewelry," i gotta be honest, i wasn't expecting a whole lot. i had never really known anyone to make real jewelry..you know just friendship bracelets or something. but that was just my naivety cause i quickly realized that THIS GIRL CAN MAKE SOME JEWELRY. 

olivia manipulates metal in a perfectly beautiful and fresh way. she does subtle everyday jewelry to statement-like jewelry [which in my opinion could still be for everyday]. i have several pieces from her and i wear them all the time.

there are two photos above [top and bottom left] that are from her portfolio. aren't they lovely? i think they showcase her talent and versatility. pretty much all of the other photos you see are pieces that you can buy from her etsy shop. she can also be found selling her jewels around various holiday craft fairs and things of the like. for anyone in georgia, she'll be in athens for the indie south fair on december 8th, selling her creations

i have never been much of a jewelry person until olivia and i became friends, and now her's is pretty much the only jewelry i wear! while you're poking around her shop, you should also check out her website and her blog.

<3 jojy



[photo in the right middle by clark brewer, styling by caroline brewer styling/ all other photos by olivia terrell]

my favorite etsy shops: KiNGFLY

next up in my etsy shop series is KiNGFLY.

KiNGFLY has bags, totes, clutches, card holders and other accessories. they are made with quality leather and fun fabric interiors and they are all one of a kind! handmade by Rachel Pepper, these bags are so unique and fun! 

Rachel does everything herself. she picks out the materials, designs and sews. no assembly lines, no factories. just one incredibly talented lady!

i have one of the iconic shoulder bags [similar to the big one above] and a natural leather clutch [middle] and i love both of them. the design for the shoulder bag really is perfect and its so different than anything else i've seen in the bag realm. i get a lot of comments on it when i wear it out. i received the natural leather clutch as a bridesmaids gift earlier this year and it was definitely a winner all around. 

these bags are for anyone who appreciates quality, style and originality. i love how Rachel doesn't duplicate a bag. the color of leather, thread and interior fabric is only used together in that combination one time, insuring that your bag is in fact the only one of its kind out there. so cool!! 

if you have a special lady in your life [wife, girlfriend, sister, mother, daughter] who likes purses and individuality, i recommend something from KiNGFLY for any gift-giving occasion.

<3 jojy

p.s. tomorrow is small business saturday!! shop small and show your support for small business owners like Rachel!

[photos and logo are from KiNGFLY]

my favorite etsy shops: bark decor

as christmas is nearing, i figured i could feature some of my favorite etsy shops for inspiration in case anyone gets as fracking stressed about buying gifts as i do.

bark decor is one of my absolute faves. i am generally a huge fan of anything that incorporates geometric shapes, lines and animals with hints of native american flare. Sara from bark decor does all of that and produces some seriously cool designs.

i think one of the coolest aspects of bark decor is that they use eco-friendly and water-based inks and they use the sun in their backyard when screen printing. i like this quote from Sara as she explains their process,

"Choosing to work this way makes our process very dependent on the conditions of our environment and reminds us of how much we truly need our environment to work and function, for our business and for our world."

pretty cool, huh?

her shop has some beautiful pieces. she has a variety of different designs screen printed on t-shirts, tank tops, sweat shirts, leggings, scarves, pillow cases, tea towels... also some pretty jewelry and prints to frame and hang on the wall. i want all of it so if you're buying gifts for me this is a one stop shop. jk. but you know.

for valentine's day this year i bought harrison the wolf totem shirt [pictured above] and the tank top version of that for myself and we wore them to get our marriage tattoos [harrison seriously considered changing our marriage tattoo to include the wolf totem!]. the tattoo artist said, "so, what are these matching wolf shirts all about?" classic. 

anyways, you should go take a gander at bark decor. you won't be disappointed!

<3 jojy

[all photos and quotation are from bark decor]

happy monday!

here's my husband sparkling in a ray of sunshine just like edward cullen. 

you're welcome.

<3 jojy

my favorite street art

isn't it beautiful?! the artist is Molly Rose Freeman and this particular piece is called "The Soul's Bright Anchor" which comes from a poem by Natasha Trethewey [2012 U.S. poet laureate and atlanta resident]. 

i was researching this art a few weeks ago and found her website [she also has an etsy shop!] that lists the other cities where she has done street art. it all looks super cool!! 

i would like to commission her to design a tattoo for me. i've been itching for another one and i think it would be the coolest to have something lovely and geometric tattooed on my body. i'm thinking it would start on the back of my neck and move down across my right shoulder and continue down part of my arm. 

these are the things my dreams are made of, y'all.

<3 jojy

[this art is located on the underpass at whitefoord and dekalb. photos are my own.]

my favorite things: beauty product edition

if you know anything about me, you may know that i'm all about organic/natural beauty products and some of you ladies out there have been curious about the products i use and where i get them. so here you go...but know that this only scratches the surface and there will be more about this in future posts!

the five things you see above are my nearest and dearest beauty products. i suppose i could be classified as a product junkie but since cleaning out my makeup bag and filling it with pure, clean, all natural brands, i have become less of a junkie and more of a lover of quality goods. so now instead of stockpiling tons of gross products, i invest in the good ones made with quality ingredients. here are my must-haves right now:

1. john masters 100% argan oil - this stuff is wonderful. i use it to moisturize in the morning and evening. leaves your skin silky and radiant and has tons of anti-aging benefits! 

2. stark skincare green tea detox clay mask - i have never been a mask user but i love this stuff. i use it 2-3 times a week and it has helped my skin so much! i am blemish prone for sure but this mask has decreased the frequency and intensity of my breakouts, including the hormonal variety. 

3. 100% pure argan oil facial moisturizer SPF 30 - i am an spf freak. and good, clean spf that doesn't turn your skin completely white is hard to come by. i just bought this bottle of moisturizer/spf a couple months ago and its a winner. i typically put it on after i put on a little argan oil, but before i put on makeup. its lightweight, not too greasy and it protects my precious skin from the suns harmful rays! 

4. rms living luminizer - okay i adore this product. its little but its a lot of bang for your buck. i have had one little pot of this since april and its still going strong, probably for several more months. it is a creamy, shimmery luminizer that pretty much creates the perfect, subtle, soft glow on your face. its not overwhelming or glittery. it really just kind of makes your skin look alive. i put it on top of any other makeup i'm wearing. it goes at the top of my cheeks, down my nose, sometimes on my brow bone, and sometimes on my collar bone.

5. ilia beauty lipstick in wild child - i saved the best for last. i love lipstick in general. sometime in 2008 i really started wearing it. and i went all out. i decided if one is going to wear lipstick, it should always be of the red variety. always. even to the grocery store or just around the house but definitely out for dinner or to a party. this lipstick is, in my opinion, THE BEST natural lipstick. its full and creamy and can be intense or not depending on how thick you put it on. and this is the best part: IT LAST AND LASTS better than any "long-wear" lipstick from the drug store that is full of lead and other terrible ingredients. this one is clean and made with organic ingredients. and "wild child" has become my signature shade. 

now, where do i get all of these products? there are several natural beauty product stores on the web nowadays that i frequent. my favorite is nubonau.com for sure. i can't get everything there unfortunately because they don't have every single brand but generally i get most things from there. they have a wide selection, superb customer service [something that is very important to me] and they have this great little points system where every time you make a purchase, you gain points and once you have enough, you can buy products with your points. it's great. 

also. i realize that none of the products are cheap and its much easier to just go to target and buy whatever less expensive makeup that your heart desires..but to me, this stuff is worth every penny because these products are free of those harmful chemicals! i think our health is worth the price tag and thats coming from a girl on a [veryveryvery] tight budget! 

okay i'm done! i hope this was helpful and i look forward to discussing this stuff further.

<3 jojy

p.s. if you have never heard that the chemicals that are in your bath/body/beauty products could be detrimental to your health, check out these resources: nomoredirtylooks.com -a great site for natural makeup reviews and helpful information on avoiding toxic chemicals. they also wrote a book about all of it which is originally how i got started on all this. you can also explore ewg.org [environmental working group] for all kinds of healthy, chemical free living tips. ewg also has a cool feature where you can look up your favorite beauty products and find out how toxic they are! yikes! it's called skin deep. 

(photos of john masters argain oil, 100% pure moisturizer, and living luminizer from nubonau.com. photo of green tea clay mask from starkskincare.com. photo of ilia lipstick from iliabeauty.com)