This Earth Day, we're proud to partner with the FEED Foundation in their mission to end hunger - one child at a time.

Now through Monday, April 30th
enter promocode FEED
for complimentary shipping at shopterrain.com
and 10% of your order will benefit FEED's initiatives
here and around the globe.

ABOUT FEED

Co-founded by Lauren Bush and Ellen Gustafson, the FEED Foundation is dedicated to ending hunger - one child at a time. The foundation’s mission is to effectively fight hunger and malnutrition both stateside and abroad. As of 2012, the FEED Foundation and its partner projects have donated over $6 million and provided 60 million free, nutritious school meals to children around the globe. Its latest initiative, FEED USA, funds hunger and nutrition programs in classrooms and communities across America.


 

You may have noticed that with the new season's arrival we've freshened our palette with images of spring throughout our online community. Most notably perhaps on Facebook, where the new timeline layout has allowed us the space to share some of our favorite images of terrain in bloom. Recently, while browsing through photos for our own cover image, it occurred to us that some of you might like a bright image for your own profiles.

With that in mind, we'd like to introduce our collection of Facebook cover photos for download and sharing. Feel free to use them on your own timelines, post them on your desktop, or share them with a friend. Consider them our gift to you, as a sign of a bright spring ahead.
 

To add an image to your Facebook timeline, simply right click on your favorite photo above and save it to your desktop. From there, "edit profile" on your Facebook profile to upload your selected image as your new cover photo. To get started on timeline, click here.

*Keep an eye out, we'll be sharing more cover images as the seasons change in the year ahead.

As we look forward to spring's approach, this simple, three-step ritual from Farmaesthetics delivers nourishing benefits to the skin as the cool, dry weather begins to retreat.

1. Add a dropper of Farmaesthetics Complexion Conserve to a teaspoon of Farmaesthetics Nourishing Herbal Cream. Mix together and apply this enhanced preparation, slathering it onto clean, damp skin on the face, neck, and décolleté as a mask.

2. Then apply Hand to Heel Softening Salve to hands and feet, nail beds, cuticles, elbows, and any other areas where skin is thin, dry, ragged or cracked. Allow the Hand to Heel Softening Salve to rest on skin while you mask. The salve will absorb into the tissue, and you will most likely not need to wipe away excess product or add additional moisture.

3. Once Hand to Heel is applied, cocoon the face with a warm, dry cotton cloth and relax for a few minutes, allowing the skin time to absorb the herbs, moisture, and nutrients needed to restore skin elasticity. When it's time to remove cloth from face, simply wipe away any remaining product. You will probably not need an additional moisture application, but if you do, just dab a bit of Nourishing Herbal Cream to areas in need of a little extra care.
 

Rounding out our winter renewal series with tips for keeping hair healthy and shiny through the dead of winter, Mordechai Alvow, founder of Yarok, shares his home remedies for combatting flyaways and dryness.

"If your hair is lacking moisture, there are several items you'll probably find in your own kitchen that can replenish dry hair. It's no secret that your hair needs certain oils and olive and avocado oils are great for overall hair health and shine. Yarok Feed Your Roots Mousse contains both oils along with many other all-natural ingredients that give your hair the lift it needs to look voluminous.

Flyaways are another common winter hair nuisance. If you want to beat that static cling, one quick trick is to rub a fabric softening dryer sheet on your hair to remove the frizz. You can also use a product like the Yarok Feed Your Shine Hair Serum to add shine and tames those flyaways."

Each of us at terrain has our own favorite scent from MCMC Fragrances, so we had to ask founder Anne McClain more about her work. With each bottle hand-packaged in her studio in Brooklyn, NY, it's hard to deny the soul and passion behind this independent perfumery. In this interview, Anne tells us about her time studying aromatherapy in Southern France and her intricate process for creating new scents.  

terrain: Tell us about your time studying in Grasse, France.

Anne: I applied to the Grasse Institute of Perfumery in November of 2008 and was accepted as one of twelve students to attend the one-year intensive training program. After I was accepted, I had just six weeks to move - which meant leaving my job as a project manager, leaving my beloved apartment, and leaving a new boyfriend! But becoming a perfumer was a real dream of mine, and I knew there was no better place for me to study than the traditional center for perfume in southern France.

terrain: What was the highlight of your experience in Grasse? What did you find most inspiring?

Anne: In some ways, I think the highlight of my time there was all of the solo time. I was really able to concentrate on this new art that I was learning. In New York, life is very hectic and in Grasse, my life was very meditative. I attended school 8 hours a day, and spent the evenings and weekends brainstorming about what has since become MCMC Fragrances. I got a lot done and that was a certainly a highlight! As for most inspiring, I was blown away by the realization that my nose could be "trained." We spent the first three months intensively memorizing individual ingredients and during the course of that time, my nose actually became stronger, and I was able to recognize nuances within scents that I couldn't detect before.

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The third in our winter renewal series, Rose-Marie Swift of RMS Beauty shares her unexpected-yet-effective uses for RMS products during the harsh winter months.

"In the winter, the sensitive skin around our eyes seems to be a little more vulnerable to the dry air in our heated homes. A great way to restore the lost moisture content is to apply a little touch of RMS Beauty Lip & Skin Balm to the skin around your eyes. This will work magically to moisturize and nourish the eye area as well as chapped lips, dry elbows, or mild skin irritations.

RMS Beauty Raw Coconut Cream, in addition to being a make-up remover and body moisturizer, can also be used to combat dry scalp. Apply a small amount to your roots to restore the area's natural oils.

Finally, the "Un"Cover-Up has a plentitude of nourishing oils to protect the skin's moisture balance; giving ones skin a natural, winter dewy finish." 

1. Needlepoint Valentine 2. MCMC Love Perfume 3. John & Kira's Bee My Lovebug Truffles 4. Shakespeare's Love Sonnets 

The second in our winter renewal series, our friend and founder of Farmaesthetics, Brenda Brock, recently joined us to share her advice for altering a winter skincare routine to nourish the skin throughout the harsh season. 

Farmaesthetics Winter Renewal from Terrain on Vimeo.

1. Letter In A Bottle 2. Embroidered Garden Recipe Cards 3. Felted Hearts Gift Tags 4. Chalkboard Heart Labels 5. With Love Keepsake Tags

We're starting the first in a series of posts dedicated to winter renewal by considering what we take into our bodies. Taking a cue from our newest cookbook, Clean Start, we're looking more deeply at what we eat, with a focus on how it affects our overall well-being and the well-being of the environment. This excerpt from Clean Start author Terry Walters has been particularly inspiring for us in the new year.

"When it comes to eating clean and living well, the most powerful tools we have are intention and the ability to make the choices that serve our best interests. Together, these tools can help us navigate our way through grocery stores, restaurants, and a variety of temptations. But when I'm cooking in my kitchen, my goal is much more basic -- to bring together tastes, textures, colors and nutrients to create meals that all will enjoy. I think of my cast-iron skillet as my palette, clean food as my paint, and my finished dishes as the resulting creation that brings together and nourishes my family and friends."

Walters points out that clean eating is less about rigid rules than it is about making one healthy choice at a time. A few of her simple guidelines follow, and many more can be found in her book.

"Eat The Colors Of The Rainbow.
The more colorful your diet, the more nutrient-rich. Go easy on empty white filler foods and heavy on healing greens.

Eat Dark Leafy Greens Every Day.
For me, green is the most important color and the one most lacking in our diets. Greens are cleansing, healing, uplifting and rich in calcium and minerals. Try using a variety of greens to amp up the nutritional value of your salads, soups, sauces, stir-fries and even smoothies. Just get them in!

Eat All Five Tastes.
Sweet, sour, salty, bitter, and pungent are all found naturally and nutritionally in clean food, as opposed to manufactured "natural flavors" and the imbalance of sweet and salty tastes found in processed foods."

Clean Start, by Terry Walters. Sterling Epicure. 

Stay tuned in the coming weeks for more in our Winter Renewal Series, including expert wellness tips for skincare, hair care, and freshening your makeup in the colder months.
 

1. Gingham Cutlery Plate 2. Banquet Bench 3. Bensimon Sneaker 4. Midnight Garden Scarf 5. Harvest Apron

Binchotan charcoal is believed to have a multitude of beneficial effects. Whether used dry or wet to absorb chemicals in tap water, enhance blood circulation in a hot bath, stimulate healthy soil in the garden, or balance negative ions in your home, Binchotan charcoals are a natural way to boost overall wellness.

Wet usage: Prior to first use, rinse Binchotan with water, scrub lightly, and boil for ten minutes. Since the charcoal has been prewashed, do not ignite it. Once cleaned, the charcoal is ready to use in a pitcher of water, your bath, or for cooking rice. After the first use, repeat this cleansing process each week or, alternatively, leave the charcoal in direct sun for several hours. With wet usage, Binchotan will last roughly three months.

Dry usage: Every two weeks, brush Binchotan lightly and leave it in direct sunlight for several hours. It can be used all over your home, and with dry usage will last for over three years.

Best Uses for Binchotan

1. To purify drinking water, add 1/4 pound of Binchotan to a pitcher of tap water. The charcoal will help release ions to increase the water's pH, release natural minerals, and absorb chemicals.

2. Add Binchotan to a pot of cooking rice to emit infrared rays that will help retain the taste of the rice, absorb any chlorine in the water, and release natural minerals.

3. For a purifying bath, add approximately one pound of Binchotan to hot bathwater. Infrared rays emitted by the charcoal will help enhance blood circulation and keep the body warm and relaxed long after the bath.

4. Keep dry Binchotan by electrical appliances like the television, microwave, computer, or mobile phone, to help block harmful electromagnetic waves.

5. Kept dry in various spots around your home, Binchotan charcoal will help balance the charged ions in your environment to freshen and purify the air around you.

6. To keep closets, drawers, and refrigerators fresh from odor, dampness, and mold, a stick of dry Binchotan can be kept inside to absorb bacteria and unpleasant scents.

7. Once your Binchotan has reached the end of its indoor use, improve soil health by recycling it in the garden. Mix broken pieces of charcoal into new soil, or apply it over a garden bed to improve the movement of air and water through the soil. This transformation will help increase microbial activity, alkalize the soil, and reinforce trace elements; creating an optimal environment for healthy plants.

 

Linnea's Lights share with us their inspirations behind the wildly popular Fir Candle and what they're looking forward to in the New Year.

terrain: The Forest Fir candle is a definite winter favorite – what was your process for perfecting this scent?
Linnea's: We drew inspiration from our experiences of getting fresh trees for our homes - the crisp feeling in the air, the scent of the sap on your hands and the vibrance of the tree itself. All those items inspired the forest fir scent; it's meant to invoke the feeling of having a fresh cut tree along with the zest of winter in your home.

terrain: How does the Linnea’s Lights family celebrate the holidays?
Linnea's: We love to enjoy the holiday season with laughter and joy of being together. We put up a holiday tree and a menorah in the studio to celebrate all our religions. We trade names and play "Secret Santa" and listen to holiday music on Pandora while we make and prepare candles.

terrain: What do you love most about the holidays?
Linnea's: The first snow fall, preparing the Christmas tree as a family while sipping hot chocolate with candy canes, and Christmas Eve - it's so magical, elegant and loving when we are all together.

terrain: What are you looking forward to in the New Year?
Linnea's: We are looking forward to growing with our loyal partners and finding new ways to bring Linnea's Lights into people's homes. We are also really excited about doing more for those in need and creating a platform in which to "share the lights" and make a difference where it matters most. 

1. The Secret Garden 2. 2012 Watercolor Calendar 3. Bristle Brush Clydesdale Ornament 4. Calligraphy Kit 5. Garden Cookies Kit