November 27, 2013

Thanksgiving Gratitude + Sale

grat·i·tude [grat-i-tood, -tyood] 
noun
The quality of being thankful; readiness to show appreciation for and to return kindness

It's that time of year, while I try to remain grateful for each and day of every year, now is as good a time as any to share a little gratitude list with you all (in no particular order).

I'm grateful for...
1. A loving Higher Power who does for me what I can not do for myself and the beautiful work of art that is His world.

2. I got to quit my day job this past June, because SoulMakes took flight!
This is something I haven't really talked much about on our blog yet, but when SoulMakes was first started I had, not one, but TWO other jobs (that's three jobs total). I worked a 9-5 as an office manager for a heating and air conditioning company, I worked part time at Free People and I was putting in at least 40 hours a week to SoulMakes. The quick growth that we saw with SoulMakes allowed me to quit my day job and work from home full time, fulfilling orders, creating new designs, I've taken over the majority of our photography, and of course, there's the 'boring' stuff too.. research, marketing, data input, etc..I'm beyond blessed to have been given this opportunity!

3. This past summer I got to visit the Southwest states for the first time, on the most amazing road trip of a lifetime with my favorite person ever and the other half of SoulMakes, Trevor!


4. My best friend asked me to marry him!
Yep, this guy, drove me all the way across the country, hiked with me down into the Grand Canyon and proposed! How romantic is that?! Our wedding is just 6 short months away!

5. My family
This is my big brother, he's kind of a big deal. The older we get, the more fond I grow of him. Of course, I also have wonderful parents who I love dearly!

6. My friends
I don't have a picture of all of my friends, but here's a picture some pretty flowers. My friends are really the same thing as family. I am so grateful to have some very close friends in my life, people who help guide me spiritually and are there for me no matter what. No matter what.

7. My Health

8. SoulMakes
I guess I kind of already said this, but I am truly grateful for all that this year has given us. SoulMakes is like our little baby that we've fanned and nursed and now it's seemingly all grown up. This year we have grown so much, nationally and internationally. SoulMakes is now carried in many boutiques across the Midwest and western, United States, as well as some really lovely shops in Australia! We were featured in Glamour UK, we just launched a new home decor line, and the StillBrave bracelet collection to benefit children with cancer and their families. We're dreaming big and we've got so many exciting new things yet to come!

The definition of gratitude above is my favorite definition for this word! Gratitude is not just a feeling, it's an action, it's an attitude. It means choosing to find the positive in every situation. Having a grateful heart gives me a certain amount of surrender, it allows me to accept things as they are and realize that I am always in the right place at the right time. Most of all, gratitude affords me the opportunity to help others, which only helps to further my spiritual growth. 

 We'd like to say thanks to all of you for all the love and support you show us on a daily basis! We could not be more grateful to have such wonderful friends and fans!


Happy early Thanksgiving
oh and..

Chanukah Sameach! Let the festival of lights begin!
Love,
MacK Mars


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November 25, 2013

I Believe in Everything

 Lyrics by JJ Grey & Mofro - I Believe in Everything
Photo + Drawing by MacK Mars

I'm feeling so inspired by all the wonderful new projects we have going on here at SoulMakes and I'm so grateful for all the incredible love and support you all have shown us each time we release a new line or concept! I'm feeling like anything is possible.  I'm so blessed to be in a place where my dreams, which are beyond imaginable to me, are taking shape right in front of us. It's been a long road to this kind of beautiful freedom and I suspect it gets even better the bigger my faith grows.
I believe in everything.

Love,
MacK Mars 

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November 21, 2013

SoulMakes + StillBrave



You may have already seen this amazing collaboration we are doing with our good friends at StillBrave Childhood Cancer Foundation, but I wanted to take a moment and tell you all a little more about StillBrave and how this amazing project came about...

In January 2009,'Tattoo Tom' (President and Executive Director of StillBrave) lost his daughter, Shayla, to childhood cancer. After Shayla lost her battle with Hodgkin's disease, Tattoo Tom founded the non-profit organization, StillBrave.



"When the doctors gave me the news that my daughter had stage 4 Hodgkin’s disease I had to dig really deep within my soul. I had to become braver than I ever thought possible... I had to have a really tough conversation with a very scared 16 year old girl. I wound up purchasing two sterling silver “feather” bracelets from an American Indian art store near the hospital, a small feminine bracelet for Shayla and a larger one for myself...
I gave her the bracelet I had bought for her and I put mine on at the same time, again I talked about the wind and about feathers and how fate had blown the two of us together.

I promised her 3 things:
1.That I would wear my bracelet until the day she was cancer free.
2.That for every single night she had to stay in the hospital I would stay with her.
3.That as long as she stayed brave, so would I.

“Am I still brave Dad?” she whispered softly in my ear.

I placed my hands on her face and looked deep into her eyes; my baby was tired and she had fought so bravely for so long...but she was so very tired... she was still brave alright but as I looked into her eyes I began to realize something: this whole time she hadn’t been staying brave for herself, she had been staying brave for ME!! 

A few days later my daughter Shayla lost her battle with childhood cancer. She fought hard and she fought bravely."
-Tattoo Tom


Tattoo Tom has been a good friend of mine for several years now. I watched Tom go through the loss of his daughter, Shayla. I watched him mourn and share his grief with friends, I watched him grow through this experience and I watched as he became a warrior, fighting childhood cancer in any way he could. I was amazed and so proud when Tom started StillBrave. StillBrave’s mission is to provide non-medical, supportive care to children with cancer, and their families in the Washington, DC Metro area. StillBrave is committed to supporting the families of children battling cancer in any way they can. They are helping with the simple day to day needs that are often overlooked during hard times. They provide gas cards, grocery cards and similar items, as well as working to educate, counsel and bring joy to those afflicted and their families. I am beyond honored to be working with such a wonderful foundation. 

A while back, when SoulMakes was just getting started, Tom asked me about a custom bracelet for himself. He wanted something very unique and suited to him. For whatever reason, we didn't reconvene on this until recently. We ran into each other and he noticed a braided leather bracelet, full of charms on my wrist. He asked if I could make him one just like that, but with only two feathers. What a brilliant idea, inspired just at the right moment.

Tom and I share a very kindred appreciation for feathers and all the beautiful meanings they hold. For thousands of years, feathers have been awarded by many as a sign of respect for great accomplishments. Often those of bravery, like conquering an enemy at war. They are a symbol of strength and wisdom. Coincidentally, or perhaps not, the StillBrave logo is two feathers, and the SoulMakes logo is two feathers. I made the custom bracelet for Tom and something magical happened. We hadn't planned on it being anything other than a one time design, but we got such a reaction from our friends and supporters when we shared pictures of it in our respective circles. So the StillBrave bracelet was born. SoulMakes is donating 50% of all purchases from the StillBrave collection. I couldn’t think a more perfect design to represent the StillBrave cause and I could not be more excited to lend a helping hand. 

We saw an overwhelming response within minutes of announcing our new partnership a few days ago.  We had orders from all around the East Coast, as well as international! It was really quite heart warming and awe inspiring. 
Stop by the shop and check out the StillBrave collection!
Find out more about how you can involved: here
Love,
MacK Mars

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November 18, 2013

Home for the Holidays














































Photographer: MacK Mars

We are so incredibly excited to present you with our holiday gift book. We have some really wonderful new items featured in this amazing little book! SoulMakes has finally launched it's much anticipated home decor line, which features one of a kind dream catchers, including a few very special holiday editions, large crystal wall hangings and bohemian trinkets. 

We are also beyond thrilled to introduce to you the new StillBrave™ Bracelet, made exclusively by SoulMakes. StillBrave Childhood Cancer Foundation is a non profit organization, who's mission is to provide non-medical, supportive care to children with cancer, and their families in the Washington, DC area. StillBrave is committed to supporting the families of children battling cancer in any way they can. They are helping with the simple day to day needs that are often overlooked during hard times. They provide gas cards, grocery cards and similar items, as well as working to educate, counsel and bring joy to those afflicted and their families. 
The new StillBrave™ Bracelet was designed by SoulMakes with the help of founder 'Tattoo Tom' and we will donate 50% of each bracelet sold to StillBrave. We could not be more excited to work with this amazing foundation. You can find out more info on StillBrave and how to get involved here.

If you're looking for holiday gift inspiration, be sure to check out our latest book. Weather your shopping for yourself or looking for a present for someone else, there are so many magical treats to chose from in the SoulMakes shop this season! I had so much fun setting up and shooting this winter wonderland of bohemian accessories. On a side note, I am in fact Jewish, so I was very happy to be able to throw in a few Chanukkah inspired photos, using my very own Menorah.

Have a beautiful day!
Love,
MacK Mars


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