Summers are perfect for reading. I love to edit my summer reading lists and share them with my friends. There is something so fundamental about sharing stories with friends. I love reading books and talking about the plots, characters and emotions. So I decided to share my summer reading list with you in hopes that you can share with your friends and family.

My picks for Summer 2018:

You think it, I’ll say it by Curtis Sittenfeld

A collection of stories with fun and witty women doing things we can only dream about. 

The High Season by Judy Blundell 

Every summer has to include a book that takes place at the beach. This is the one.

Love and Ruin by Paula McClain 

Based on real events in the 1930s this novel has love, war and everything in between.

A Place for Us by Fatima Farheen Mirza 

This book has been getting a lot of press because it’s editor is a little lady known as Sarah Jessica Parker but this novel centered around an Indian family reunited at a wedding is sorry-telling at its greatest. 

Now if you read one of these books let me know in the comments below and share it with your friends so you can talk about your favorite parts with your favorite people. 

Till next week,

Memorial day was this past weekend and you know what that means…summer is here!

May is like the Friday of months...stay with me here. You know summer is close and you can’t help but get excited. This is the month that I start planning all my fun vacations and trips.

Some of you might even feel like it’s too late, but I promise you it’s not. Some of the best trips I’ve taken came together in May. It’s almost like a fun game, if you’re up to the challenge. The trick at this point to is nail down a few key points.

You need to know what type of trip you want to take but be open to the way the trips happens. An example of this is if you’re wanting a beach vacation. Pinpoint what general area, like let’s say the Caribbean, but let exact locations be open to chance. This way when you are searching you can find amazing deals and locations that you might not of thought of before. 

We get too attached to the exact type of vacations we think we have to take, and I get it. We only get so much vacation a year so we want it to be good but this type of planning has really always lead me to some of the best trips.

Most travel websites are built for this type of planning. The best deals happen when you aren’t tied to the exact dates and location. Again, I know this might not be for everyone, but if this idea gave you a little pep in your step go for it.

Here’s too lots of fun this summer, planned or not.

Till next week,

Cinco de Mayo is right around the corner and if you know anything about me and my story you know I love Mexican culture. My husband and I spent an amazing summer in a small Mexican village and it’s there that I created the first Stephanie Kantis jewelry collection.

I loved so much about that time, but the culture and the people where a huge part of what inspired me to be my most authentic self and create the artwork that has become this amazingly successful business, I never could’ve imagined. 

So, it’s safe to say that Cinco de Mayo has become one of my favorite times of year to celebrate. I love to host a cocktail party with this theme, and have found over the years it’s pretty easy if you stick to the basics. And that includes a good margarita recipe and homemade guacamole. You can’t go wrong. I say simple and fresh are always the way to go over store bought options. 

 

For the decor I’ve included some of my favorite ideas here, in a little design mood board. This theme is what I love about Mexico and it’s all about culture and color.

Let me know if you if you have any ideas and tips of your own.

Till next week,

Ta-da! Big exciting news to share with you all this week. If you’re already on our mailing list then you might know all about this announcement but if not, we would love to introduce you to Kantiscares.org!

It’s a special project that has been a passion of mine. The past year I’ve really gotten more involved in this cause because it’s truly important to me. I have talked about it quite a bit on the blog, and most of you know how passionate I am about the environment.

The website was created to inspire people to lead a plastic-free lifestyle, using earth-safe products that are purposefully disposed of to support the health of our world. Our vision is lofty…a plastic-free and Waste-Smart world.

I would love it if you visited the website and checked out all the resources we have there as well as followed us over on Instagram and/or Facebook. I know this isn’t gonna be an easy job but this vision holds a big place in my heart.

You will be hearing more from me on this topic and updates about the website including new projects. So stay tuned and thank you for being apart of this journey. 

Till Next Week,

This past Tuesday, March 20th was the official Spring Equinox, aka the first day of Spring for the northern hemisphere. This date signifies longer days and fresh starts for a lot of people, and who doesn’t love those two things.

The date is chosen every year depending on the length of day and night time. When they are both equal, as close to 12 hours each, then that date is marked. For the southern hemisphere Spring starts in September. 

  

There has been a lot of talk around self-care routines. In the past they have gotten a bad rap because taking care of ourselves seems to be last on the priority list. Which seems a little backward doesn’t it?

Why is putting ourselves first a crime? I want to be apart of the conversation that puts our health and well being first. As the saying goes, you can’t give from a dry well. 

This week I decided to take you through some of my favorite self-care practices. They aren’t radical but I think just talking about how we take care of ourselves opens up a new way of thinking. It takes the shame out of it. Here are a few of my favorites:

Morning Mindfulness

I take anywhere from 5-20 minutes every morning to be present. The days get away from us so quickly that if I don’t make this a priority first thing in the am I will never get to it. Sometimes this looks like yoga, other times it could be a quick meditation, but it can also be just sitting outside in the beautiful sunshine, listening to the birds and drinking some coffee. 

Afternoon Break

If I don’t schedule an afternoon break than my entire day feels like one huge work meeting. I make a point to spend an hour truly enjoying something other than work. This might mean a beautifully prepared meal, or flipping through some magazines or Pinterest for inspiration. Whatever it is the only rule is that I truly love it and want to do it. This is one of my favorite times of the day.

Nighttime Relaxing

I love baths. In my opinion it’s the best way to end the day and transition from work mode to home mode. I love my work and It’s hard to stop thinking about it but my bath time ritual dissolves the stress and helps me prepare for a night of rest and rejuvenation. 

Till week,

This week with Valentine’s Day coming right around the corner I thought I would share a little about some of my favorite pieces that have stood by me through thick and thin. The true loves of my jewelry collection. 

Lots of jewelry trends come and go but I count these pieces as those that stand the test of time and always make their way into my daily style season after season, year after year.

I chose pieces from every category because I know how some people can’t live without a beautiful earring or a statement necklace. We all have a certain comfort level when it comes to our style. This of course is true of the clothes we wear but over the years I see it with the jewelry we invest in as well.

   

I’m back with another installment of let’s save the planet. I came across some very interesting yet a little more scientific facts on how plastics are effecting our planet and I want to share. The more we know the more motivated we are to make a change.

“One of the most ubiquitous and long-lasting recent changes to the surface of our planet is the accumulation and fragmentation of plastics,” explained David Barnes, a lead author and researcher for the British Antarctic Survey.

There is evidence mounting that the chemical building blocks that make plastics so virtual are the same comments that might harm people and the environment. Such as:

-Chemicals added to plastics are absorbed by human bodies. Some of these have been found to alter hormones and have potential health effects.

-Plastic debris is laced with chemicals and get ingested by marine animals, which cannier or poison them.

-Floating plastic waste, can survive for thousands of years in water, can act as mini transportation devices for invasive species.

-Plastic buried deep in the landfills can leach chemicals in the groundwater.

Pretty heavy right? Think about what you can do today or this week to be less depended on plastics. Using a glass bottle at work, stop asking for plastic silverware when you don’t need them, using a glass or steel straw, bringing your own bags to the store, etc.

Till Next week,

 Last week I told you to dream big, and this week am I’m going to share a little behind the scenes of how I do just that. I know I love to hear about what other people are using to make their lives easier and more fulfilling.There are so many apps, tips and tricks nowadays I thought I would share some of my own in case you were needing a little inspiration to try a new way.

When it comes to the tools I use every day to help me stay motivated and continue to keep creating, I rely heavy on a morning routine. It changes a little week-to-week or month-to-month, but it’s basically the same idea.

HYDRATE

I keep a big glass of water next to my bed (in a glass jar because no plastic bottles in my house!) and drink the whole thing upon waking. Think about it you just slept for 6-8 hours (hopefully) without any water. Your body is thirsty even if you don’t think so. Sometimes I put some lemon too because it’s great for the digestion.

APPRECIATION

Everyone talks a lot about gratitude and I know it sounds obvious but it truly makes difference in my day. You don’t have to write it down, I find just thinking about all the things I have and appreciate in the world sets my day off to a sensational start.

MOVE

I don’t get to exercise everyday but I do move my body in some way even if it’s just for 5 minutes. Stretching, yoga, taking a walk all feel really good for me and being outside is another plus.

FUEL

I don’t believe in diets but I do believe in eating food that makes me feel good. This usually looks like a smoothie. It’s easy on my system early in the morning and gives me the energy to tackle the day. I love adding lots of green veggies, banana and protein powder. 

I hope this helps you if you’re looking for new ways to start your day. It doesn’t take a lot of time or energy, just some intention.