With the Small Business BC Awards just around the corner we have found ourselves inspired and networking in new and creative ways to reach out and share other projects and involvement within our community.

Some other things you will find on our Facebook page — writing and poetry, photography, altering tips and tricks, thrifted goods, product info and everyday island style and living with more of our community.

— If you would like to follow and like our page click on the link below 

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100089805865158 —

If you are interested in voting for us for the Small Business BC Awards, reading our essay questions, or wanting to browse other small businesses who have applied there is still time! 

Find our direct link below as well for ease,

Voting ends March 10th and each and every vote counts!! —

https://smallbusinessbc.ca/awards/nominee/2023/spruce-clothing-and-lifestyle/

Thank you so much for your votes and ongoing support! 

Spruce exclusive Crib design just arrived for the summer! Small batch only, with limited one of a kind qualities!

These live edge boards are locally made in Sidney BC with a carved peg pocket for our custom glass pegs by Brentwood Bay artist 49 South. These boards also include our signature mountains and waves engraving, a spruce tree to note the skunk line, as well as a "made in Sidney" engraving for the back!

These boards are truly pieces of art, designed for everyday use.

Being the ultimate adventure game- pack this piece into the camper, take it on your next road trip, slip er into your beach bag, or bring it to your local brewery! These boards also carry a true west coast vibe displayed on your dining table at home and also make a beautiful memory piece for guests :D

Link --> SpruceBabe House Crib Boards

Everyone has their own unique rules they use for crib but the basics are always the same! 

Crib is played with 2-4 people with a standard pack of 52 cards. You are dealt 6 cards each had which two you toss into a “crib” which is alternated between players. You score points by pegging and counting points in your hand and your crib. The goal of the game is to reach 121 points first! Some key terms to make you sound like a pro include “skunk line”, “double skunk”, “29 hand” “jack matches” and “15-2-15-4 and a pair is 6”! For a more intensive crash course on the game check out bicyclecards.com. 

Crib is there for your next adventure.

Why celebrate the Purple Starfish?

Not only are Purple Sea Stars an intertidal zone classic for all those that wander beaches but they are also a keystone species for BC waters. This means that they prey on creatures that normally don’t have any other predators and without them, the balance of a healthy ecosystem dies.

What is happening to the Purple Starfish?

Over the past decades the Sea Stars have become victim to a wasting disease brought on by warmer waters due to climate change.

What can we do to help the Purple Starfish?

It is the little things we do everyday that can help halt climate change and therefor help our little purple friends. You can consider picking up garbage on your beach walks, try zero waste/minimal waste bathroom products, bringing your own bags to grocery store, purchasing second-hand before new, skipping the plastic straw, and riding your bike a little more. Being perfectly imperfect with our eco-conscious ways is still a valiant effort. It's all about setting the intention and creating change in our daily habits, even if small steps at a time. To visualize the build of small efforts over time, consider the quote, "How we spend our days is, of course, how we spend our lives." -Annie Dillard

To help our little purple friends thrive in their beautiful intertidal world, we are committed to donating $1 from each Starfish sticker sold towards the Vic High Marine Biology program as well as The Ocean Legacy Plastic Pollution Emergency Response.

Thank you for your support in keeping our oceans clean :)

Information links here --> https://oceanlegacy.ca www.vichighmarine.ca 

Turning winter into summer with $0

The weather is beginning to get warmer and it’s time to turn some of those pants and t-shirts you already own into shorts and crops.

Putting a pair of scissors to an article of clothing can feel a bit intimidating in the beginning, but these simple cuts can re-inspire and enhance your wardrobe, and with no cost to your wallet or the environment.

Here is a quick check list of tips to help your confidence in cutting or *sprucing up* your clothes ;)

-If it's you're very first time, practice first on an item you aren't too attached too such as a sweater with stain or a bedtime tee.

-Lay articles on a flat surface and smooth out the fabric to ensure both layers do not have any ripples

-You can use any type of scissors, but fabric scissors do work the best. A good pair of scissors has become one of my favourite tools. 

-Have a pair of shorts or a pre-cropped shirt in a length that you know you like handy to act as a guide to how much to chop

-To get a straight line you can use a ruler and a pencil to sketch a line, OR when your half way through your cut, flip the fabric over the remaining fabric to make sure things line up

-Remember less is more as you get used to this! You can always do another trim as needed.

-If you're cutting denim, that nice natural fringe will come after the washing machine!

-Turning pants into shorts come summer is an especially great option for the kiddos closet as often times kids will outgrow the length of their pants before the waist. 

Bonus: Save your off cuts for cleaning rags, craft projects, or bring them into Spruce to be up-cycled :)

Link --> Upcylced Goods

Check out our TikTok to see how we trim our shirts into crops! @SpruceBabe

Have you ever noticed your empty bottles piling up after using all your favourite products?! Us too, so we decided to work out a system with select brands to create a Bottle Return Program through Spruce!!

At Spruce we are passionate about reusing and reducing before we start recycling, and we love working with brands that carry these similar values! 

Any of the empty product bottles/jars/containers from Jody's Naturals, Kodo Collection, Lure Hair Care, Wild Coast Perfumery, Roots to Wings , Forest Etiquette and Wick and Wave can be returned to Spruce for the companies to sterilize, and re-use!! We appreciate your courtesy in returning the jars in clean condition :)

We are also especially excited to have added our recent SpruceBabe candle collaboration to the return list!

To participate in our Bottle Return Program, simply bring your cleaned empty bottles (from the brands listed above) back to Spruce on your next visit, and we will distribute the empties back to the companies on order days!

Note* If you are returning a candle jar, we are stoked if it comes back clean, however, we are also happy to take care of that for you :) Our best tips for cleaning is to pop the jar in the freezer over night, then chip out the remaining wax on the bottom :)

Supporting locally made products that are beautiful, eco friendly, and mindful, creates space to care for yourself and the environment. If your local business is on the shelves of Spruce, and you would like to join this program, reach out! 

Note* There are no rebates for bottle returns, simply a motion to create a community of reusing and reducing before we think about recycling.

We're stoked to see you with your empty bottles to support this environment movement!!

-SpruceBabe, designed with the earth in mind <3

What is Cellulose Acetate?!

The term cellulose acetate can sound like big science, but it’s definitely a material worth getting to know! Cellulose Acetate is a compound made from cellulose (polymer from wood fibre) and acetic acid, making it a fantastic alternative to plastic!

Where do you see it?

It can be used in creating clothing fibres, filters, and body accessories.
At Spruce you will find this material when browsing the most beautiful earrings, hair clips, and hair combs from stellar company Nat & Noor <3

Why choose it!

Cellulose acetate is more durable than plastic and it is biodegradable. It takes only 1-3 years for items made from Cellulose Acetate to break down unlike a plastic bag that can take 10-20 years.

At Spruce, we are dedicated to choosing companies + goods that are eco-conscious and quality made.

Feel great about adding these to your collection.

Getting out of our comfort zone, last month we said YES to being a guest speaker at a wonderfully hosted networking circle- Babes on Beaches.

This gathering featured conversations around maneuvering businesses through a pandemic, personal and business growth strategies, and story sharing.

Huge thank you to Alana of The Local Picnic, and Jess from SALT for this opportunity. 

Whether you're just starting your business, been at it awhile, or are still in the dream faze, we feel conversations around what you're doing with other like-minded spirits is vital.

If you missed the event, but were curious about going, here are some clips from our speech <3 

Aloha,

"I would like to start this conversation off with the word GROWTH. I chose this word because we so often use it, desire it, and chase after it. But the funny thing is, is how often we resist it—    as growth often looks and feels much like DISCOMFORT." 

"The thing about being an entrepreneur (depending on your business) is there is no waiting for someone to tell you what to do— you are often the director, the decision maker— the leader. The person steering the ship, is you— and while that comes with so many benefits from creative freedom, endless revenue streams, making your own hours, working in your idea environment ect, it’s also means it’s you that has to show up to the plate in times of hardship, distress, change, and you guessed it, DISCOMFORT."

"INSERT ADAPTIBILITY—Ok we’re doing this, we’re closed, and everything needs to be contactless. I started asking myself questions like, “What is available for me to do?” “How are others in my industry showing up?” “What resources do I already have?” And “How am I prepared to show up to the new circumstances?”"

"BLESSED to run a business in a community where people not only  CARED about your survival, but were actively asking how they could help and support. WOW. That motivated us, and fuelled us to keep going; keep adapting."

"So we got CREATIVE. With everything closed and no in person interactions, I started sharing more videos on social  because they felt more personal. Not only did we start showcasing more videography of product use, and tips, as well as clothing alterations, we also started sharing videos of us authentically going through the human motions and emotions. We felt strongly about sharing our relatability and vulnerability as a human, rather than just a business, and had the most positive feedback and conversations stem from these posts."

"RESILIANCE This is where we need to ensure we go to the spiritual gym. Ensure you’re maintaining the things that clear your mind, fuel your body, and feed your spirit. For me, things like yoga, family time, quality food, hikes, beaching, photography, naps, and a clean house get me going. And all of these were possible during “lockdown”

Remember as an entrepreneur, your business is you, and you are your business, if you fall apart, often so does it. If you show up more relaxed and in a higher vibration, often so does it."

"PASSION + PERSERVERANCE if I have ANY advise to anyone starting a business, I would say do what you love. It will come naturally, easily, NOT EFFORTLESSLY, but if you're sharing with the world something deeply rooted within you, you will have enough PASSION to PERSEVERE, every time."

"She did it because 

She wholeheartedly believed in it

She did it because she couldn’t stand not doing it—

That’s the best reason to do anything."

~SpruceBabe

Thanks for reading <3

Photo by Michelle Proctor, headshot included with event <3

          This article was written for Seaside Magazines April issue in the fashion section. Thank you so much to the team at Seaside for inviting us to share. This was a feel good project for us as it combined two of our favourite things; writing and up-cycling. It was an absolute pleasure diving into both the why and the art behind thrifting. 

"More and more we are seeing thrifted and up-cycled clothing come into trend. Not only are we being educated with more transparency on the environmental impacts from the traditional fashion industry, but we also believe people are falling in love with the art and creativity of finding and reusing quality clothing.

The manifesting, dreaming, curating, and altering of a piece— the process of it, that is where the deep satisfaction comes from. 

It’s about understanding what may be in style and working with what you find— what already exists. Fundamentally keeping your relationship with your clothing personal because you felt your way there, hand picking the piece out of a sea of many without any influence of specific branded guidance or pressure.

Taking more responsibility for the clothing you wear and how you wear it can in my experience have a very positive effect on your self confidence. Thrifting and altering leaves room for individuality and includes hands on curiosity and positive stimulation. 

I enjoy first having a vision. Almost a goal set— “this is what I’d like to find today” being mostly general, letting the specifics fill in their own blanks. This way you are always open to opportunity. Then the hunt… almost meditative as we cruise through the isle— often with headphones in listening to something that gets us in a flow state of mind… fingertips moving along fast because they know what they’re after. Colour tones and materials stimulate senses and with practice become easier to fine tune and collect. Then comes making it yours. Why was a piece possibly thrifted in the first place? Was there a mark on the bottom? A missing button? A stretched out pocket? Pants too long? Too short? This is where we play. Holding the piece up and in my mind redesigning. Could I replace the missing button even intentionally having it be a different from the rest? Could I crop the top to remove the stained portion? Could I remove the pocket that is the only “flaw”? Could I live with the small paint splatter and call them beauty marks? — Weren’t clothings meant to be lived in anyway?"