7 Tips for Building a Beautiful Home Office

Now that we’re mostly staying home, many of us are faced with how to both work and live (play?) in limited spaces. If you don’t already have a home office, now is the time to repurpose or create a space where you can work comfortably. Today we’ve pulled together some of our best suggestions on how to create an efficient, beautiful home office that you won’t mind spending your working hours in!

1. Find a space you can make your own. Whether it’s your own dedicated room, or a corner of another space, set up a dedicated work space. You’ll need a table and a chair, some electricity and at the very least, a few storage options. If you’re really pressed for space, it could even be a closet! We love the tutorial from Houseful of Handmade (left) and this home office in a closet from Tidy Little Tribe (right).

2. Add inspiration. Words have power and meaning, and keeping inspirational words in front of you can help you start each day in the right mindset. If you’re looking for inspiration we found ours here. Or print up your favourite sayings, add a frame, and keep them where you can see them!

3. Liven it up. Adding plants to your workspace have proven benefits! A UK study found bringing plants into the workplace increased productivity by 15%. Meanwhile, a US study found 10% of employee sick days could be explained by a lack of nature and natural light in the office. Why not go green? If you’re not always green-thumbed, we liked this brief article on what plants were best for workplaces.

4. Make it fun. Decorate your desk with a few of your favorite things to give your office a piece of personal intimacy and sentiment. Photos of your family, favourite toys or craft supplies, handmade pencil cups… add a few personal touches to remind you why you’re working hard! (Combine items 3 and 4 using the Oui Yogurt Jar Cover designed by Mattie J, available on Ravelry!)

5. Get organized. Purchase organizers, drawers, and storage bins – whatever you need from places like Ikea and Target to organize all your tools and keep them within handy reach. These can easily be ordered online and can help you keep your workspace neat and tidy.

6. Invest in a good chair. If you’re going to be sitting for hours in your space, make sure you’ve got a comfortable, ergonomic chair. Going out furniture shopping may be daunting right now, but office stores are still open if you want to “test drive” your new chair. Or check out this report from Wirecutter which compiles reviews of the best-rated office chairs and order your pick online.

7. Make it cozy. Add a plush rug, a blanket on the back of your chair, twinkle lights or candles, anything to make the space feel cozy and comfortable, something we’re all looking for right now.

We hope we’ve given you inspiration to create or update your home work space! For more great ideas, we’ve started a Pinterest board for creating beautiful workspaces.

Like this post? Pin it!

Eucalan’s Top Stay at Home Activities

The last month has been a whirlwind and as we’re settling into our new “normal” we find ourselves with lots of time at home. Whether you’re in the house alone, or sheltering with a partner and children, we’ve pulled together a few of our top ideas for what to do when you’re staying at home!

Movement

Keep everyone moving around to burn off energy! Crank up the tunes and have a dance party. Head into the backyard for relay races or play a game of tag. Take a walk in your neighborhood and enjoy the sights and sounds of spring. Or dust off your yoga mat and practice on your own, or with one of the many classes available on YouTube! (If your yoga mat is a bit dusty, here are our tips for making it clean and fresh again!)

Art Projects

Everyone loves to be creative! Spread out some newspaper and pull out the paints so everyone can work on their masterpieces. Make use of those single socks (you know, the ones left after the laundry dryer eats the mates) and make sock puppets, then hold your own puppet show. Want to draw? Practice on your own or check out Lunch Doodles with Mo Willems for a little guided practice for you and the kids! Or head out to your driveway with some sidewalk chalk for a little drawing and physical activity.

Quiet Activities

Everyone needs a bit of quiet time these days. Institute an hour or two each afternoon reserved for quiet time and indulge in some solo activities. Escape into another world and read a book. Work on a puzzle for some quiet contemplative time! Let the kids color with crayons or order yourself an adult coloring book and some colored pencils or markers. Or slip into a bubble bath for a little pampering!

Cooking

Nourish yourselves and your family and enjoy doing it together! Purchase ingredients for dinner and work together in the kitchen to make a fabulous meal. Or try baking some sweet treats that everyone will enjoy! You can teach counting and measuring and practical skills all at once.

Toys

You probably have a house full of toys! Play board games together as a family or divide into teams to battle it out. Keep your child’s mind occupied with fun activity books, or do sudoku or crosswords to keep your own mind sharp. Pull out play doh, kinetic sand or other fun household items that can be used to create small science experiments (think volcanoes of baking soda and vinegar).

Get Creative

Right now is the time to use your imagination! Gather up blankets and pillows and build a fort in the living room. Add s’mores and you’ve got the perfect indoor campout! Head out to the backyard for a picnic to enjoy the spring weather. While you’re there, plant some seeds, flowers or vegetables, and work on tending them for some beautiful sights or yummy eats! Or take up a new hobby – check out Staci Perry at Very Pink to learn the basics of knit and crochet.

We hope we’ve given you a few ideas on activities to try while you’re staying at home. Even though they’re out of season, we’ve also got some past blog articles with more ideas. Check out 7 Snow Day Activities, Kids Summer Crafts and Our Top 5 Spring Activties or our Pinterest boards for more inspiration!

Like this post? Pin it!

Stay home and knit or crochet!

Spring has sprung, and in normal seasons we round up our favourite new patterns for you to knit and crochet. Since we’re all staying home to help flatten the curve, we figured this was the perfect time to pull together those lovely new patterns to inspire you. We hope you’ll find something here to spark your knitting or crocheting mojo and get you working from your stash or supporting your local yarn stores!

Tops and Tees

Spring is here and summer is coming – time to make some new new tops and tees for the season! The Rosewater Tee by Black Cat Knitting Company is a modern take on a classic retro style top with a comfortable fit and dramatically tapered ribbed waistline; knit it up in your favourite fingering weight yarn. The Highbury Halter by Jiminez Joseph is designed to be loose and flowing around the hips, with a nice curve at the hem and looks perfect for those warm summer evenings. We’ve fallen in love with Olivine by Estefania Espindola in the latest issue of Knitscene, as it seems like a great piece for layering, and is knit in an easy-to-memorize lace mesh pattern. Green Machine by Amy Gundersen, a FREE pattern in the most recent issue of Knitty magazine, takes only one or two skeins of laceweight yarn. The Nicole Tank by Kate Oates is full of simple, easy to memorize A-line lace paired with a fitted bodice, a combination made for mild climates and warmer months everywhere, perfect all by itself or for layering. And for the crocheters, check out the stunning Dusk Camisole by Jane Howorth from the newest issue of We Crochet Magazine.

Shawls

Spring and summer are all about light and airy knits, and there’s nothing better for that than a shawl project! Cattedrale by Valentina Cosciani is a stunning asymmetrical shawl featuring an intuitive geometric all-over lace pattern, set off by a garter stitch border featured in the new issue of Making Stories Magazine. Far Away Dreams by Joji Locatelli is a simple rectangular wrap worked in garter stitch, surrounded by a delicate lace border. If you’re craving allover lace, check out Ceto by Barbara Benson, a completely new shawl shape with shaping that creates a triangle on one side (the beach) and pi shawl shaping to mimic the crashing waves building to a crescent on the other. Or if it’s more colour you’re after, check out Painting Bricks by Stephen West, a splashy semi-circular shawl worked in alternating sections of garter stitch and stockinette stitch stripes and slipped stitches. Or try Number 10 by Lori Versaci, an easy-to-knit garter stitch shawl, soothing to work and with extra interest as you watch the color play emerge. Wouldn’t either of these be great to use up leftovers from your stash? For our crocheters, check out Together Apart by Rachy Newin which was inspired by wide open spaces and the way we stay connected even when there’s physical distance.

Socks

Socks are the perfect portable project as you move from room to room or indoors and out. There are some spectacular new sock patterns for spring! Fern by Jill Zielinski is a twisted stitch sock pattern (no cables required!) echoing the green lines of ferns. Sweet & Tartan Socks by Tracie Millar are easier than they look – they’re crafted using mosaic knitting, meaning you’re only knitting one color at a time! If it’s texture you’re after, Carrots & Radishes Socks by Dawn Henderson have a playful basketweave punctuated by impish crossed cables, a nod to Mrs. Rabbit and Peter from A Tale of Peter Rabbit by Beatrix Potter. Paint Pan Socks by Wendy Staples are a tribute to her love of watercolors and can be worked in scraps from your stash. Ambient Socks by Helen Stewart are part of her third installment of the Handmade Sock Society; check out this one and her previous collections for beautifully elegant socks. And for our crocheters, check out Honeycomb Socks by A la Sascha for some stretchy and squishy slipper socks!

We hope you’ve found something here that inspires you to pull out your needles and hooks. We’ve also got Pinterest boards featuring our favourite knits and crochet if you need more ideas!

We’d love to see what you’re making while you’re at home. Tag us using the hashtag #eucalan on Instagram or share in our Facebook Group!

Like this post? Pin it!

A free pattern from Eucalan: Sweet Dreams Hat

Before the coronavirus changed the world so drastically, we had decided that we wanted to devote this spring to a charity project. While the world looks different now than it did a week or a month ago, we still strongly believe that the way through this is together, as a world community.

With that in mind, we’d like to announce our spring charity campaign, supporting the wonderful work that Subculture Yarn and True North Aid Canada do in the Hearts & Hands Knit & Crochet Project.

True North Aid is committed to serving the northern communities in Canada with practical humanitarian support. Their projects include efforts devoted to education, health, self determination, food, water, housing and more.

Subculture Yarn spearheaded the Hearts & Hands Knit & Crochet Project to combine a love of fibre craft and humanitarian concerns in supporting new indigenous mothers and families. In February of 2019, Subculture Yarns began collecting handmade items (knit, crocheted and sewn) like baby hats, baby booties, baby blankets, baby sweaters, burp cloths and receiving blankets. Each month they send a box of items (“hundreds at a time”) up to Sioux Lookout to support the new mothers there.

We’d like to help! To support this charity effort we have a free pattern for you! Sweet Dreams, a knit hat pattern for newborns, was created by Laura Cameron and is FREE to you when you sign up for our newsletter. This simple, textured hat is a quick knit, unisex, and perfect to keep new little ones warm and cozy. We hope that you’ll knit one to donate to True North Aid or a worthy cause in your own community.

If you need tips on how to wash and block your handcrafted items prior to donating, we have a great YouTube video to guide you!

 

Right now, we’re all experiencing some version of sheltering in place, so what better time to craft items for charity that can be sent as soon as we can move about more freely? As soon as we are able to re-open our shipping department, Eucalan will be supporting the effort by donating a big box of our Delicate Wash single use pods to be included with donated items to the Sioux Lookout community.

Please join with us in this community effort and share your projects with us using the hashtag #eucalan on Instagram or in our Facebook group!

Our Favourite Trendsetters

Eucalan Delicate Wash has so many different uses; our biodegradable natural formula has lanolin in it which is wonderful for washing knit and crochet projects, but also cloth diapers and anything that touches your baby. It’s gentle enough to wash your finest silk lingerie, and also your heirloom quilts and even wedding dresses. So how do we stay on top of what’s hot in all these industries? We follow a ton of great creators! Today we’d love to share some of our favourite makers with you!

Knitting, Crochet & More

If you’re a knitter or crocheter these days, you’re likely to find yourself browsing Ravelry for the latest trends. With its database full of patterns, the Hot Right Now lists, and forums full of discussions, we love browsing Ravelry to see what’s trending!

Kristin Omdahl designs gorgeous knit and crochet patterns as well as dyeing swoon-worthy yarns. If that weren’t enough, we teamed up with her to develop Wrapture – we love jasmine!

For excellent tutorials and fun projects, look no further than Staci Perry of Very Pink Knits! Staci’s website and YouTube library is an excellent reference tool for all things knitting and crochet.

We love following all the knitting magazines, but Pom Pom Quarterly is one of our favourites. Specifically focusing on innovative designs, diversity and inclusivity, Pom Pom is full of the latest trends in knitting and crochet.

James Crispin Janz, otherwise known as BurlyKnits, is who we turned to for the latest in luxury knitwear and accessories. We love his impeccable style and sense of whimsy.

We hesitate to start naming more of our favourite makers because we know we’ll leave someone out. But a handful of our fellow Canadian creators like Laura Chau, Julie Crawford, Tracie Millars and Jodi Brown of the Grocery Girls Podcast, Sweet Georgia, and Zen Yarn Garden are always inspiring. Other designers we love following include Joji Locatelli, Andrea Mowry, Tin Can Knits, Hunter Hammersen, Phanessa Fong, Heidi Gustad and so many, many more!

Lingerie Love

The Lingerie Journal is always the first place we go for the latest news in lingerie From the hottest looks, to behind the scenes interviews, The Lingerie Journal is great reading! You can also have articles delivered right to your inbox.

We’d be remiss if we didn’t include our friend Cora Harrington of The Lingerie Addict. From her best-selling volume of lingerie history, In Intimate Detail, to her discussions of topics like sustainability and inclusion, we love reading what Cora is up to!

Wen of Comics Girls Need Bras is another top lingerie blogger that we love to follow. Wen models the latest looks and visits lingerie hot spots on her travels, giving us lots of retail spots to add to our shopping lists!

Of course, if you want to see what’s hot in the industry you can’t miss CURVE Expo, which runs industry trade shows around the world. Though we aren’t often able to attend the shows in person, we do love seeing what CURVE features, as well as reading recaps from all the wonderful sites and writers we mentioned above!

We hope we’ve given you some new trendsetters to follow. Who do you follow? We’d love to know!

Like this post? Pin it!

On the Go with Eucalan

Are you always on the go? Do you love to travel? Do you have an important day coming up – perhaps the big one? There’s nothing worse than being ready to shine your brightest, and then facing an unexpected spill or tear. But have no fear, Eucalan is here to help!

At Eucalan we’re committed to caring for your garments, whether they’re handmade items or treasured purchases. We know you want to keep them in great condition and smelling amazing for years to come – and there’s no better way than with our Delicate Wash, available in 5 great scents and a variety of sizes.

One of our customers used our Delicate Wash to clean grass and dirt stains from her wedding dress after the big day!

 

But did you know about our Getaway Gangs? Eucalan’s Getaway Gang is an essential for garment care. A cute clear re-usable zip bag is packed with items to keep your garments in great shape while away from home. Just toss it into your purse for everyday messes, add it to luggage while you’re packing for your dream trip away, or keep it on hand for the big day!

Each Getaway Gang includes Eucalan’s essentials for emergency stains: our stain treating towlettes. These saturated towelettes, individually packaged for your “On The Go” emergencies can be used by simply blotting or rubbing the wipe on the affected spot as soon as possible for stain treating and garment freshening.

Loose threads or lost buttons? We’ve included a handy sewing kit with thread and needle, safety pins, and buttons. Add any other notions you can’t live without and you’ve got simple mending under control, no matter where the day takes you.

Got a larger mess on your hands? The Getaway Gang includes single use pods of our five great scents (2 each for 10 pods in all). Simply fill a sink or basin with room temperature water, add the contents of a single use pod, add your garment and swish gently to combine. Let soak for 10-15 minutes, and remove your now clean garment. Roll in a clean towel to remove excess moisture and hang or lay flat to dry, away from direct light. You’ll be good as new by morning!

We’ve rounded out the Getaway Gang with a nail file for emergencies, making this little pack a must-have for all your on the go needs!

Finally, we’ve brainstormed a few more items you might want to slip into the zip bag: your favourite analgesic or painkillers, a few bandages for scrapes and cuts, emergency feminine products, bobby pins, extra safety pins, and lip balm.

What is in your emergency kit?

We hope we’ve given you some ideas on how to keep that beautiful event you’re planning clean and smelling amazing!

Like this post? Pin it!

 

 

 

Valentine’s Day Knit & Crochet Pattern Inspiration

Valentine’s Day is just around the corner and love is in the air. Today we’ve rounded up our favourite knit and crochet patterns full of love. Many of these are small projects you could easily craft in time for this year, if you start now!

Knitting

Nothing says love more than Louis the Lovebot by Rebecca Danger – your kids or sweetheart are sure to love him! If you’d like to craft something small, try Palpitation by Hunter Hammersen; we bet you can’t just knit one. If it’s keeping your loved one(s) warm you’re after, try My Rainbow Heart by Stephanie Lotven or the Valentine’s Day Hat by Elzbieta Torenc! Remind your sweetheart of your love every morning with the Valentine Mug Cozy XO by Megan Locatis or leave them a little love note with the Valentine Love Note Hats by Cassandra May. Keep their feet warm and cozy with the Let me Be Your Valentine by Schibot Garne. If you’ve got more time on your hands and want to create something full of love to last longer than February, then try Love Note by Tin Can Knits or the impressive Heart Blanket by Bonnie Franz!

Crochet

If you’re a crocheter, we’ve got you covered! Whip up a few delightful bunnies with Valentin by Anisbee Anisbee. Or wrap sweets for your sweetheart in an adorable Valentine’s Day Gift Bag by Little Doolally. If you want your loved one to have sweet dreams check out the Conversation Heart Pillow by Sisterly Studios or the Valentine’s Pom Pom Heart Pillow by MJ’s Off the Hook Designs. Bring a smile to their face with the Valentine’s Day Mug Cozy by Rebecca Langford or keep them feeling warm and loved with the Easy Heart Hat by Edie Eckman!

No matter how you choose to celebrate this Valentine’s Day we hope it’s full of love and craft!

Like this post? Pin it!

7 Snow Day Activities

January and February tend to be cold and long as we fight through the worst of winter. Snow days mean everyone’s at home and potentially housebound, so we’ve come up with a slew of activities to keep everyone occupied!

1. Make Snow Ice Cream

You can turn some of that snow into snow ice cream! Check out this simple recipe with just 3 ingredients (condensed milk, vanilla and snow) and whip up a sweet treat for everyone!

2. Get inspired by a book.

If you have time to prepare before the snowstorm hits, head to the library or the book store to stock up on some new reads! Build a fire in the fireplace, grab a cozy blanket and settle in to spend the day absorbed in a great book.

3. Head outdoors!

If everyone is going stir crazy indoors, head outside to enjoy the snow! Bundle up and go for a long snowy walk, have a snowball fight, make snow angels, build a snowman, or go sledding! You can always head indoors when you get chilly and enjoy some of the other activities we suggest!

4. Make your own snowflakes.

When flakes are falling outdoors you can make your own snowflakes indoors. Level up your crafting by using coffee filters, scissors and markers. Add a bit of water to create watercolor effects and hang your masterpieces where they’ll get the most light!

5. Bake a cake in a mug

Make single serving mug cakes in the microwave. And if everyone has a different favourite flavour, so much the better. Try this Snickerdoodle cake recipe, or stick to classic chocolate or vanilla, get fancy with bananas and brown sugar, think of warmer days with coconut, …the options are endless!

6. Host a Living Room Campout

Think of this as a big slumber party in the living room! Pitch a tent, or build blanket forts by draping blankets over furniture. Add sleeping bags and lots of pillows for soft, comfy places to hang out. Bring flashlights, books and board games. Light a fire in the fireplace and roast marshmallows or make indoor s’mores. Here are 5 tips to indoor camping success!

7. Spa Day

If you’re on your own, or have littles who love pampering, set up for a spa day! Give each other manis and pedis, light a candle, relax in a warm bath (add a bath bomb for fun) and just pamper yourself. If you’re looking for more ideas here, check out thisgreat article from our archives, Spoil Yourself January: Top Tips for Self Care.

We hope we’ve given you some ideas on how to prevent full-scale mutiny on snow days. If you’re looking for more great ideas check out our Pinterest board full of inspiration for more Snow Day Activities!

Like this post? Pin it!

Seasonal Stains & Spot Cleaning

The holidays are here and with them, the rush of holiday cleaning and festive parties! Whether you’re whipping the house into shape before entertaining, or restoring order after a whirlwind of guests and feasts, we’re reprising and updating our post on seasonal stains and spot cleaning.

Read on, and you’ll be prepared for anything the season brings!

Red Wine

The holidays are the perfect time to enjoy wine and spirits, but those spills, particularly the red wine ones, can be daunting. Our best advice is as follows:

Sprinkle salt liberally over the red wine mark , as much as needed to absorb the wine. When as much is absorbed as possible, vacuum up the salt and pour club soda over it to help dilute the remaining wine. Then apply full strength Eucalan to any remaining marks, and let sit for 15 minutes. Wash item as normal.

Candle Wax

Candlelight is the perfect way to set the mood for the magic of the season. But cleaning the leftover wax off of your heirloom tablecloth is a tricky one. Let the wax dry completely before trying to clean it. Apply an ice pack to make sure that the wax is completely solid before beginning to remove it. Remove as much wax as possible by scraping it with a butter knife. Get two paper bags, and place one underneath the fabric and another on top of it- you will be using a clothes iron to remove the rest of the wax. Gently iron the area with the wax on it repeatedly, moving the paper bags around so that any wax that transfers from the fabric to the paper bags isn’t being reapplied to the fabric again.

Chocolate

It isn’t the holiday season without delicious sweet treats, but getting chocolate stains on your party clothes dampens the festive mood. Follow these steps to rescue your favourite duds: If possible, flush the fabric from the wrong side with warm water to help prevent the chocolate from being driven further into the fibres. When as much chocolate has been rinsed off as possible, saturate the remaining mark with full strength Eucalan, and let sit for 30 minutes. Gently scrub at the stain after 30 minutes, and repeat if necessary. Launder as usual once the mark is removed.

In addition to our advice above, check out our Ultimate Stain Guide this holiday season! Just sign up for our newsletter and we’ll send you this handy PDF with advice for treating stains year-round for free. Hang it up on your laundry room or keep it as a reference for when those stains strike!

Happy holidays!

Like this post? Pin it!

Selecting Gifts for a Lingerie Lover

Christmas is almost here and tis the season for gift giving. Are you still looking for the perfect gift for the lingerie addict in your life? It can be really hard to shop for the perfect piece of lingerie for someone other than yourself. At the CURVE shows this year, the idea of lingerie-adjacent items was one of the hot new trends. So, to help you choose the right gift this season, we’ve pulled together some of our favourite gift ideas for anyone who loves lingerie!

The Power of Scent

Lingerie is sensual, sexy and luxurious. But you can add to the lingerie experience with exotic, sexy scents. Looking to set the mood? Try scented candles. Go sweet and spicy with cinnamon or ginger, delicate with floral, warm with vanilla or masculine with musk. Check out these sexy scented candles recommended by Maxim magazine for more ideas!

If you’re looking to help your lingerie lover unwind, why not try pillow sprays? From sprays that relax you and ease your tension, to sprays that help you sleep better, aromatherapy is where it’s at. Health magazine recommends the best pillow sprays to help you fall asleep faster and sleep better!

Finally, we’d be remiss if we didn’t recommend our own Wrapture Balm as a stocking stuffer. Based on the seductive scent of Jasmine, our Wrapture Balm is an eco-friendly balm made from essential oils and is perfect for rough skin, cuticles, dry hair and of course as a perfume. It’s a portable, compact handbag essential that won’t leak, making it great for travel. Wrapture’s emollient rich formula feels silky and absorbs quickly leaving behind the beautifully intoxicating scent of jasmine which is a natural aphrodisiac!

Silky & Sexy

It can be hard to determine the right style and fit of lingerie for someone other than yourself. Or maybe you’re looking for a gift for someone whom you know loves lingerie, but you’re not quite on intimate terms. Consider splurging on sumptuous items that complement their lingerie collection but they wouldn’t necessarily spoil themselves with. Try gorgeous silky pajamas or a satiny sleek bathrobe. The Lingerie Journal has highlighted British designed and New York made SoffiaB luxury robes and dressing gowns and with so many options to choose from, you’re sure to find something for everyone! We also loved this post from our friend Cora Harrington at The Lingerie Addict from earlier this year: 8 Robes to Wear While Watching Netflix.

Image Credit: SoffiaB Pink Parfait Luxury Robe

Practical in Purpose

While lingerie can be sexy, it can also be practical in purpose. Shop for underwear and bras from Knixteen to start your teenager on the path to a love of undergarments. The Miracle undies and sleep shorts are perfect for teens while they’re on their period; they protect from leaks, odor and moisture and help keep them feeling fresh.

Image Credit: KNIXTEEN “Oh No!” Proof Bikini

For the Collector

If you’re looking for a gift for the consummate lingerie collector, we can’t think of a better gift than Cora Harrington’s comprehensive book In Intimate Detail. This gorgeous compendium of lingerie is the perfect book to page through and savour and was a critical success last winter!

We hope we’ve given you a few ideas for those last minute shopping trips for your lingerie addict. We wish you a lovely holiday season!

Like this post? Pin it!