The Great Bowl O’ Fire

This thing is the wildest, most wonderful wedding gift, anniversary or hard-to-shop-for-person gift idea, ever. John Unger hooks up some seriously hot options for outdoor ambiance.

Is there a special couple in mind– an outdoorsy couple perhaps –getting hitched? Do you know anyone that would LOVE this gift from the group? Collaborate and make it happen via inlu.com and purchase at John T. Unger (http://www.johntunger.com/).

This is one of our all time, so far, ever seen…TOP PICKS! No joke- Monica & Jamaica are ALL ABOUT this gift idea. It’s fabulous, funky and recycled. A triple treasure.

If my job as an artist is to fill the world with “more things,” I feel it is equally important that I reclaim materials from the waste stream to make space for my work. — John T. Unger

Skip the “stuff” and get right down…dog…to it. Ok, sorry. COREPOWER Yoga is an excellent gift for that special someone who’d appreciate balance and stillness, strength and calm vs. a pile of clutter. Give his & hers yoga passes as a wedding gift, a coach gift or even pitch in to celebrate a new mommy. Don’t live in one of the listed areas? They have YOGA on DEMAND, which is the perfect option for travelers, SAHMs and other people who could use a little yoga in their lives.

Thinking locally? Buy a punch pass to a local yoga studio. Burlington, VT boasts Bikram Yoga, Evolution Yoga and Yoga VT to name a few.

Top it off with some new threads or nontoxic mats:

Lululemon

BePresent

Gaiam

Sound good? Head to inlu.com, create a group gift collection and make it happen (the easy way). TA-DA!

Freshies All Natural Mixers...YUMMY.

To beat the Mid-Winter Blahs…

We say, have a party! And we mean it. Spice up your cold weekends with a soiree to benefit your favorite cause! Here’s the how-to:

Pick a cause or local nonprofit (or peek at our Charity Seeker for inspiring ideas). Invite friends and family via inlu.com. Guests contribute when they RSVP and you’ll know by party’s end how much cash is collected for the charity. TA-DA!

To keep the simplest party plugging along, try these tricks:

• Pre-mix batch of cocktails, whip up an old fashioned punch or ask people to BYOB. We RECOMMEND Freshies Mixer, made in Denver.
• Make a themed music mix for the party. For example, if you’re supporting the ocean (ie, Heal the Ocean), make a playlist with water, oceans, mermaids…whatever…in every song. Mix it up. Hit iTunes for more ideas.
• Ask guests to bring a dish or appetizer…keep it mellow. If you have a theme, ask people to contribute one flavor to the authentic menu.
• Keep the theme going and ask people to dress appropriately. What goes better with the ocean than a lovely Hawaiian Print Shirt (check the thrift shop!)? Get 20 people in a room wearing hula-inspired gear and perhaps you’ll forget it’s winter and think you’re at a Jimmy Buffet show.
• Make bright decor from old sheets or purchase oddities at the thrift store…or hit Etsy for cool party ideas. These ALOHA banners by ManilaExtract are fun and you can feel good- they are handmade with love.


Aloha Banner by ManilaExtract

• Another idea? Rent a box of Pink Flamingos! What would make freshly fallen snow look more festive? NOTHING! Seriously, check it out…You rent these birds and return them. That way, you don’t have 30 plastic birds to re-home. Go to thepinkflamingo and check it out.


You can rent these...and return 'em!

At Inlu, we’re committed to helping people celebrate easily, efficiently and with less mess overall. Please consider recycled paper plates, REAL glassware (you can get FUNKY cups CHEAP at again, the thrift store) and giving as a group to reduce the giftwrap and runaround. Have a GREAT party and if you do one, let us know how it went!



PS! We have one more reason to celebrate! We recently switched our MERCHANT SERVICES. We appreciate your patience and INLU-LUV while our site was down for a scheduled overhaul. THANK YOU.

inlu style…

College Humor’s 5 WORST GIFTS You Got blog entry pointed out some universal truths about crappy gifts: they suck.

At inlu HQ, our hands went up in the ayer and we were yellin, “holla” across the meeting (kitchen) table. Why? Because this CH blog entry proves why we exist. We’re all about GREAT gifts (read our mantra)- we help people round up funds for anything through a streamlined collection and allocation process. Our goal here today? To prove even the crappiest gifts can be redeemed with our savvy, inlu service.

Here’s our shot at reversing the GIFT FAIL.

College Humor Worst Gift #5: Handmade…Anything.

Inlu says…

Oooh, let’s admit it. Handmade items created by people who have no business operating a glue gun are pretty much hopeless. In fact, long after the gesture fades, the judgement lingers. You’d have been better off not giving a gift at all than leaving a shoddy reminder that you’ve got no clue how to get artsy. That’s where inlu and a certain site, Etsy, can come in and save the day. Thanks to a BUY LOCAL search tool, COLOR and THEME search, and a frickin’ endless choice of funky items that are in fact, handmade, you can order something off-beat in the eleventh hour and have it shipped from a nearby destination. Seriously.

BONUS: You support a local artist, save $ on shipping, and skip the runaround for you and all your friends – I mean, this WACKY PeeWee Herman I Love MY Bicycle DiY Necklace is Handmade, Hooked-Up.

College Humor Worst Gift #4: Candles.

Inlu Says…

We agree that candles can leave you feeling fizzled and flat. Honestly, though, they may be a gift you hate to get but they’re also…an item you hate to buy (seriously, $20 for this?). If you’re destined to a candle-related gift, there’s still hope.  Remember,  celebs like candles and there’s always a plethora of trendy scents you’ve never imagined. Oprah, she digs Barbara Barry Home Fragrance Candles. Vera Wang has her own designer candle for the bride/groom. Check out Sandra Bullock’s Bessence Line. Better yet? Score these VIVATERRA candle holders (shown left). All of these are a solid choice from the classroom for the teacher, coach or mother’s day. Pair them with a charity collection, and you’re on fire.

BONUS: Each lead-free, soy-based Bessence wax candle “is hand-poured and packaged in recycled materials.” VIVATERRA is dedicated to artisan-made, ecologically sustainable gifts and products. Good stuff. Good stuff. (Even if they are candle-related).

College Humor Worst Gift #3: Cassette of a Band You Liked in High School.

Inlu says…

The mere fact that the college humor writers used the word cassette makes us feel better over here in inlu-land. PHEW! Anyway, ok, so perhaps Grandma comes up short on her effort and Britney Spears is no longer in your style. Perhaps, she never was your style but OMG.. MUSE is on tour! Use inlu to ask all 2, 4, 6- sets of grandparents (hey, it’s messy these days) to pitch in for LIVE tickets. Just think, they get out of asking the ladies at bingo “what the kids are into these days” and your gift will still-be-ringing long after the new year has come and gone.

BONUS: No need to send a card, grandma. When you paid online, you left a note. Remember?

College Humor Worst Gift #2: Type of underwear you wore in JR High.

Inlu says…

The posse at inlu had a crack up over this. First off, we couldn’t even remember what undies we rocked in Jr. High so we started to chuckle…then a few minutes later, we remembered and we started to cry. Then, we imagined ourselves in those underwear now and started laughing again. It was pure off-task entertainment.

Then (and only then) did an underwear-driven-inlu seem like a GREAT idea. We’d never even thought of this (or heard of it in Kev’s case): La Perla. Now we’re talking. Ok, JR High skivvys = OUT. However, L.A. fashionista-fave, LA PERLA bustier = IN. “Normal” people rarely get to spend that much on a BRAZIER! However, a good old group of gals throwing down for a bridal shower? You betcha. It’s like the Rolex (great inlu idea too!) of underwire and if we can help any suburbanite-to-be feel sexy one last time in a sinfully expensive strapless, well then, (as Chelsea Handler would say) you go…girl.

BONUS: Um…well, there are probably many. So many we don’t even need to mention.

DRUMROLL….

College Humor’s #1 Worst Gift:

1. DONATION IN YOUR NAME

+

Inlu Says…

Ok, so technically, based on the mere fact that we play off “in lieu of gifts” we should disagree with College Humor’s worst gift. BUT…surprise, Inlu is right there there with you! Why? Because plenty of  people, for good reason, DON’T WANT a COW in a far off land. It’s just not a wishlist topper.

How to avoid this downer? Ask for what you REALLY want (could be a Heifer, a Woody Jackson painting or both!). Then, go about life with less clutter or the “meh” feeling of getting something you just didn’t want (including a donation in your name). But, for the record, many inlu-users are happily forgoing gifts and giving to causes…but we recognize- if it ain’t your style, it ain’t your style (same goes for cow decor). Get creative. Be real.

PSST…if heifers and commissioned artwork are out of your pals’ price range- a flock of chickens can run about $20 (giftwrap is how much these days?). Pair that with a gift certificate at a local bistro and it’s go time.

BONUS: An appreciated gift you’ll enjoy for a longtime. An easy shopping scenario for your friends. PLUS, in lieu of wrapping paper, pooling donations to a cause can make EVERYONE feel good. Inlu is in-win-win down the line.

Ready to check it out? GO to INLU!

Since we launched, we’ve had people ask us, “so, are people using inlu? And what kinds of things are people raising funds for?”

Well, we put together a little slide show to showcase how real people are actually using inlu.com. Check it out:

WHAT A YEAR! We’d like to take a moment to shout out to people, companies and organizations who have helped us, welcomed us, or inspired us along the way…so happiest 2010 from inlu. This is not a countdown – all are in random order and to anyone we’ve missed, Happy New Year to you too!

1. SWEET FLOWER DESIGNS, VT
2. TRUEBODY PRODUCTS
3. KATE SAUNDERS, SUCCESS ALIGNED
4. ANJOU & the LITTLE PEAR
5. FLEMING JENKINS VINEYARD AND WINERY
6. ECO MOM ALLIANCE
7. HEALTHY LIVING MARKET
8. JILL SPELL, LA VILLA CATERING
9. SASCHA MAYER & JDK
10. SEVENTH GENERATION
11. CHOP SHOP
12. GLACIER PARK INN BED & BREAKFAST
13. @leglesslush & @davemalby
14. MANISH ARORA,  INGENYOUS WEB 2.0
15. KACEY BOONE, SUBSIX STUDIOS
16. EARTHLOGIC
17. J. LANGDALE
18. UNION ST. MEDIA
19. DAVID BRADBURY, VCET BLOG, BFP
20. MIDDLEBURY DIGITAL BRIDGES
21. FIND & GO SEEK
22. PARENTING on TRACK
23. KIMBERLEE FOURNEY
24. THERESA DAVIS STUDIO
25. JOANNA PUZA
26. EPIKONE
27. 3.0 TECH JAM
28. HAWK OSTBY
29. PEGGY FLEMING
30. MARY GARDNER
31. JUDY SHAPIRO, LOS GATOS
32. MIKEY WELSH
33. LUND CENTER
34. CHITTENDEN COUNTY EMERGENCY FOOD SHELF
35. CHITTENDEN HUMANE SOCIETY
36. I DO WEDDINGS NH
37. BRE COLE
38. DEEPDISH CREATIVE
39. MITCH LEIBERMAN
40. OFFICE SQUARED
41. BTV TWITTER GROUP (FRIENDS & NETWORKS ALIKE!)
42. SHAWN HAZEN, HAZEN CREATIVE
43. REBECCA BEAUDIN, SHINDIGIN ‘IT
44. SUE ADAMSON, LOCAL ARTIST
45. THE SPOT,  VT
46. CHAMPLAIN COLLEGE INTERNS
47. OUR CULTURAL CARE AU PAIRS & ARAS SALON HAIRDRESSERS, LOL
48. BIKRAM YOGA BURLINGTON / UNOS PIZZA, SOUTH BURLINGTON (MOM’S NIGHT)
49. SKINNY PANCAKE
50. MARY ANN FICOCIELLO
51. MERRITT & MERRITT & MOULTON
52. KATALIN EHLING
53. TRACI PAIGE JOHNSON
54. LYNNE & MITCH TOOMEY
55. LISA Q., CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
56. ANYONE WHO’S EVER SAT THROUGH OUR NDA SIGNING, INLU CHAT SESSIONS!

The morning’s SNOWSTORM  didn’t stop a few local moms who gathered to BRAINSTORM. The topic?Holidays, stress and ways to simplify for the planet’s sake.(It could not have been a more appropriate day, considering inlu was mentioned in the ecomom alliance holiday guide. Click HERE to download some great ideas.)

What we discovered very quickly is that planet-saving ideas are woven with stories and context, memories and challenges—from hints to hassles to innovative thinking. Here’s our list.

PLEASE CONTINUE to ADD YOUR OWN IDEAS! on FACEBOOK, TWITTER or HERE!

(Oh, and a SUPER-special thank you to HEALTY LIVING MARKET!)

STRESS

• Bake fewer cookies. Don’t make a ton of cookies “just because that’s how mom did it.” You’ll feel less maxxed out.
• Don’t runaround for a million gifts– look right in the stationary closet. Make coupons or special notes and offer to do projects for parents and relatives. (If you’re tech, offer to set up a blog or make a website for that person you’ve been meaning to help out!).
• Make it fun- gather a group to make a new, simple tradition.  This creates community. For example, an ornament making party—pooling crafty resources makes it fun and less expensive.
• Pick a “wasteful” tradition that just seems to cause more stress than fun and let it go. This includes homemade recipes that you feel you “must” make.
• Allocate duties at parties. Ask each person to bring  an organic or healthy treat. This lightens the load yet keeps people together.
• Go to YOGA.

MESS

• Ask the kids to fill a box with GOOD CONDITION toys to give away to make room for new goodies.
• Skip wrapping big gifts. Leave clues to where it is hidden OR tie a string to follow back to the gift. This saves paper but keeps it really exciting!
• Pick gifts that LAST. Go for the nicer quality—it will last longer and stay out of the landfill. For example, buy a quality luggage piece or a handwoven rug.
• Use cloth from an old sheet as “wrap” – tie with ribbons. Get creative. Find scraps. You never, know, family members may continue re-using the printed cloth year after year.
• AVOID throw-away cups. How? Hit the local recycle shop and pick up a dozen or two GLASS DRINKWARE. You’ll find odd sizes and shapes— I hit RECYCLE NORTH for cocktail, juice cups and flutes…for CHEAP! (really cheap!)

EXCESS

• Save those holiday bags and ribbons and favorite papers. Use them next year! You can also make gift cards from old cards, artwork and other “household” paper items and wrapping paper from newsprint, mail and magazine pages. (I wrap the boys stocking stuffers in CAR & DRIVER pages).
• Switch to LED lights this season. Less energy….bright idea.

(HIT THE JUNK DRAWER, HARD.)

• Swap with other moms. Literally, organize an am coffee session while the kids are at school/napping and say, bring a box of old, gently used items- from wallets to plastic robots to beads to marbles—other mom’s trash is another kid’s stocking stuffer! Be mindful of age/choking hazards. (This can apply with clothing too!).
• Use junkdrawer items to create holiday decorations: ornaments, wreaths and community projects.
• Draw names and commit to buying for fewer people.
• USE INLU.COM to round up funds from all around the country/globe and BUY LOCALLY!

SNOWSTORM!

If YOU are interested in a Brainstorm Session or would like to join the EcoMom Alliance, all you have to do is this or VISIT ECOMOM.COM and sign up (PSSST….BTV / Vermont needs a chapter leader!):

It’s time to get shopping! HMMM…where to start? If you know someone who would like a unique, socially savvy or eco-conscious item this holiday, we’ve got a few sites RIGHT HERE. (Psst…feel free to round up funds with inlu. We’re here to help YOU get what you want and give the planet a break!)

1. SOCIALLY CONSCIOUS: WORLD OF GOOD by eBay

Continue reading »

We’re saying it– it’s ok to

CHILL OUT this holiday season.

Are you maxxed out with TOO MUCH stuff? Do you feel like shipping and gift wrap is a TOTAL waste of money? Do you feel guilty after the packaging piles up? Have you EVER thought, there has to be a better way?

TRY INLU! IN LIEU OF…

shipping, shopping, buying random stuff, plastic landfill, stress & burnout….

SIMPLY PITCH IN FOR A WISHLIST.

LEAVE A SPECIAL NOTE.

ORGANIZER SHOPS LOCALLY OR ONLINE and done.

Everyone’s happy. CLICK BELOW:

I’ll be the first to admit. I LOVE trinkets and do-da’s. I like knick-nacks and whatnots. But the problem is…they become now-whats? and where-puttems? When the happy feeling from little “treasures” starts to fade, we’re left with swag. Shake. Stuff. So, this blog entry is dedicated to all the people like me who are trying to curb waste and excess without giving up the fun of a good, old fashioned party-favors. In light of the upcoming holidays, this works for YANKEE SWAP, STOCKING STUFFERS and OFFICE gifts.

1. Hit the thrift store. Remember, you can also find supplies like WINE GLASSES, MARTINI GLASSES & CHAMPAGNE FLUTES!

2. Find handmade treasures. There’s always Etsy OR hit your local crafter’s circuit.

3. Buy ONE organic or local specialty. Make it seasonal.

4. Make a tasty treat.- It can’t go into the landfill if it’s in your tummy, right?

5. Use re-usable favor bags.

6. Give a UNIQUE favor made LOCALLY.

7. Donate to charity, let people know there’s NO favor because you’re all doing someone ELSE a favor! TRY INLU!

8. Give eco-friendly version of an EVERYDAY item people will actually USE! Try these!

9.  Music…make a soundtrack for friends to take with them…get creative. Stick to a theme…make it mood music for whatever you’re planning.That soundtrack will last…

10. Personalize each RECYCLED favor- HIT ECO-FRIENDLY FAVORS.com. Cool ideas everywhere.

While you’re at it, check out PLUM PARTY ECO-FRIENDLY supplies and SEVENTH GENERATION for the basics. Good luck and happy eco-partying!