How to Make a Recycled Birdfeeder

To end off the week, we thought we would share another great way for kids to be creative this summer. Below is creative and eco-friendly way to make your own birdfeeder!

What you will need:

• A clean empty bottle (2 Liters or more)
• Permanent markers or paint
• One or two skewers or unsharpened pencils
• String or wire
• Scissors or craft knife
• Bird food :)

How to:

1. Cut holes around the bottle - make sure they are large enough for birds to come in and out. You can leave flaps of plastic towards the bottom for the birds to rest on.
2. Decorate your bottle with the markers or paint - make it colorful so it looks great in your backyard :)
3. Stick one or two skewers at the bottom as another place for the birds to rest.
4. Punch a hole in the cap of the bottle and add a loop of wire or string so it can be hung from a tree.
5. Add the bird food and enjoy the chirping birds eating in your own backyard :)

We hope you and your family enjoy this green bird feeder all summer long :)

Quick Kid Friendly Recipe (:

Kids are always asking for fun things to do in the summer. Instead of having to take them somewhere to be entertained, let them have fun right at home!

This is a super easy, no bake, dessert that your kids can do all on their own - all you have to do is get them the bowl from up top :)

What they will need:

• 12 Oreo cookies
• 1/4 cup milk
• 8 tablespoons of crunchy peanut butter
• A spoonful of honey

Have them crush the Oreos in a bowl. Then add the rest of the ingredients and mix until it is all combined. Let them roll the mixture into balls and/or any fun shape they desire. Add sprinkles as a decoration. Refrigerate on a plate for a least 30 minutes.

Enjoy this tasty treat with your family - your kids will be so proud they did it all themselves :)

Bedazzle Your Shoes!!

Can you believe we finally made it to the summer season? If you are lucky enough to live in a warm state like California or Florida, you’re no rookie, but for the rest of us, we have finally approached the sweet summer air.

Now that summer has arrived, your children need to turn the television, video game, and computer off and celebrate the season. Encourage your children to decorate a pair of flip-flops. This exciting, crafty activity will have your children up and running for days.

So… ready to paint those nails and put on some sandals?

What You Need:

1. new or old pair of plain flip-flops
2. hot glue gun (care not to burn yourself!)
3. Various decorations for example, ribbon, fabric, rhinestones, beads, or any recycled item around the house.

What To Do:

1. Lay down an area of newspaper where you will be decorating your flip-flops.
   
2. Make sure your flips-flips are clean and ready to be bejeweled.
3. Now that the flip-flops are clean and ready to go, have you child get a sense of what she/he wants the decorated flip-flops to look like.
4. If the glue gun is hot enough- start gluing! Let your child’s imagination prosper.
5. Once you are done gluing, have your brand new decked out flip flops lay out for an hour.

Its time to slip on your J-41™ outdoor comfort shoe’s and allow the memory foam footbed to engulf your feet! We hope you enjoy you’re J-41™’s and your children’s jazzed up shoes!

How To Make A Recycled Vase

One of my favorite ways to decorate the house is with fresh flowers. There is nothing more beautiful than to watch flowers you've bought grow in your own home. As a way to end our "going green" week, we thought we would share a way to make an eco-friendly and reusable vase.

What you will need:

• A rinsed out milk carton (any size)
• Wrapping paper of your choice
• Scissors
• Double stick tape

How to:

First, cut off the top of the milk carton. An easy way to do this is to completely open the top, then cut down and around. If you want, you can make a cool rim (zig zags, wavy, etc.) Make sure to leave the bottom half at the height you want. Discard the top. Wrap the wrapping paper around the entirety of the vase and stick it on with the double stick tape. Fill it up half way with water, and add your favorite flowers. Voila! There it is - your very own recycled, reusable vase!

Have a great weekend and don't forget to check back next week!

Got an old Vinyl Record kicking around the house that you no longer listen to? Don’t waste it, recycle it into a trendy, super cool bowl. Serving bowls are crucial item is most households. Whether your serving your own children or guests, this vinyl record bowl would be a perfect, eco-friendly, yet chic bowl to eat from. Also, this would make an awesome gift for the music lovers. They are so funky, yet incredibly simple to create.

Here’s how you do it…

You will need:

• A Vinyl Record
• A heat proof metal bowl
• Oven mitts
• Baking Sheet
• Oven

How to:

1. Preheat the oven to around 200-250 degrees (low low temp).
   
2. Place the metal bowl upside down in the oven.
   
3. Gently place the vinyl record on top of the bowl - be sure that the record is centered on the metal bowl. Set the timer for about 5 minutes.
   
4. After 5 minutes, check on the record (it may need another minute or two). When the record starts drooping down, put your oven mitts on and remove the metal bowl and record. Immediately place the diminished record into the metal bowl. With only about a minute to do so, use your hands to shape the softened record to the form of the bowl.
   
5. Have the album air off for a few minutes. Once the record cools, remove it from the metal bowl, and there you have it! Your very own Vinyl Record Bowl. Isn’t it just awesome?

My vinyl record bowl sits right on my coffee table. This always reminds me of our need as a whole not to just very carelessly consume and toss the un-worthy, we can make use of these items in a fun, yet easy way!

5 Must Needed Green Items

This summer we wanted to focus on being green... while saving some green($)! Luckily your cute J-41™ shoes your wearing are made from partially recycled rubber, and the packaging is 100% recycled... so your already on the right track! Its so easy to forget the little ways to stay green on a day to day basis, but think about how it effects your pocket. Something as simple as using a reusable water bottle every day vs buying a bottle of water on your way to work- your saving an average of $10 a week and 5 plastic bottles, just by using a reusable water bottle. You can even get a discount at Starbucks™ if you bring you own reusable mug! Get on board and start saving both mother earth and your green!

1. Buy yourself a pair of J-41™'s. Made of partially recycled rubber, these Eco-friendly shoes will have both your feet and the environment thanking you!
2. Thermos/Mug/Water Bottle: I told you this was going to be easy. Having a trusty water bottle, thermos, or mug that you can carry around and fill up with water or coffee at various establishments will cut down on phenomenal amounts of waste over the years—especially if you drink as much water/coffee as I do.
3. Tote bag: Put an end to the paper or plastic eco conundrum once and for all—get yourself a reusable tote bag and don't let either pile up in landfills.
4. Clothesline: Our culture dictates that convenience and expedience come first?hence the clothes drier being a staple of the American home. But it shouldn't be. Why pay for and suck down electricity (or fork over a bunch of quarters at the Laundromat), when you can dry your clothes for free? Sure, it might take a bit longer, but using a clothesline is cheaper and greener.
5. Smart Strip: These handy surge protectors will stave off the effects of vampire power—how plugged in appliances drain electricity even when turned off. Smart strips vary in affordability, with some models priced as low as $14.95—and the savings in electricity will more than make up for the cost. These are a must for any green home.
6. Water Filter: Combine this with numero uno, and you'll never have to buy bottled water again. This is one of the most important items every environmentally conscious soul should own—it turns your tap into an endless fountain of fresh tasting water, and cuts the waste out of your water.

What are you doing to stay green? Leave us some feedback, we would love some tips from you! Have a great day!

Exercise Tips For The Less Active

Exercise to most of us is more a chore than something to do for fun. Here are some tips that will help motivate you to keep up with your exercise before those extra couple of pounds creep up on you. (They really do help!)

1. Slip on your Jambu™'s! These women's comfort shoes provide your feet with a comfort haven due to their Memory Foam Footbed™. This will give your feet the needed comfort so that you can workout extra long!
   
2. Don't get intimidated by the prospect of a daily exercise regimen. You don't have to run a marathon. You need only get your body moving each day. Once you tone your muscles, you'll naturally find yourself wanting to do more challenging workouts.
   
3. Reframe the way you think about exercise. Begin to think of each workout as a gift you give to yourself instead of just another "should," "ought," or "must."
4. Make sure you enjoy your exercise program. Some people like classes. Some people don't. Choose what's right for you so it becomes something you actually look forward to.
5. Make sure your workout is convenient. Schedule it for a time of day when you typically feel the most energetic. Have your gym bag packed and ready to go by the door or in the car.
6. Make your workout weather-proof. If you run or walk outside, get the right workout gear so weather conditions are never an excuse.
7. Make sure you're doing it right. One reason for wanting to quit exercising is injury or pain. Check with your doctor before you start an exercise program so you know you're safe in the workout you choose. And check in with trainers, too, if you're working on equipment at the gym or trying a new sport.
8. If you're having a low-energy day, tell yourself you have to exercise for only ten minutes. That will get you moving, and once you're in the exercise groove, you'll usually want to finish your workout.
9. Go with friends. Start a group for walking, running, or training. The camaraderie (and peer pressure) can do wonders for your daily motivation.
10. After a really good workout, write a few notes in your journal about how good you feel. Use it as a reference the next time you don't want to begin.
11. Start with small goals. If you want to run for 30 minutes, for example, start by walking fast. When you can do that, make a goal to spend those 30 minutes running for one minute, walking for one minute. When you build on these smaller goals, you'll be running in no time. And you'll give your confidence a boost, too.
12. Recognize that some days it will be easier to exercise, and some days you'll have to struggle through the workout. This has to do with a lot of factors, including mood, hormones, the glass of wine you had last night...Take the pressure off by understanding the fluctations. And exercise anyway.
13. Try behavior modification tapes.
14. Use a visible reward system. The effects of exercise are cumulative and long-term, so sometimes it helps to see your results on a daily basis. After each workout, put a big red star on the calendar as a symbol that you completed the day's workout. Take photos of yourself every month in your workout gear so you have a visual record of your results, too.
15. Get to the bottom of your exercise aversion. For women, if it's the run-of-the-mill gym you can't stand, try a women-oriented fitness center, such as Curves. This is a fast-growing fitness phenomenon, and many women feel like their workout becomes a 30-minute vacation--like a girls' night out at the exercise machines.
    
16. Be gentle with yourself. Take a day off at least once a week. And if you do skip a few workouts, don't beat yourself up, but do get right back in the routine. The fewer consecutive days you skip, the more likely you'll be to make your workout a lasting gift you give to yourself.

We hope that these help you boost your self esteem, help you stay with your workouts, and achieve that body that you've been waiting for!!!

Workout Week Get Your Fitness On!

This week, we decided to share our most effective ab workout to the readers at home. This simple yet extremely effective workout will help all you women out there achieve the stomachs you always dreamed about. Working out isn't always fun (we definitely know that!) but it increases your energy and stamina that you'll need for the rest of the day. (Especially for those rug rats running around.) So, take just 10 minutes out of your day to perform this exercise and in just a few short weeks you'll see breathtaking results!!!

Bicycle Exercise

How to:

Lie flat on the floor with your lower back pressed to the ground. Put your hands beside your head. Bring knees up to about 45- degree angle and slowly go through a bicycle pedal motion. Touch your left elbow to your right knee, then your right elbow to your left knee. Keep even, relaxed breathing throughout.

1. Lie on the floor and lace your fingers behind your head.
2. Bring the knees in towards the chest and lift the shoulder blades off the floor without pulling on the neck.
3. Straighten the left leg out while simultaneously turning the upper body to the right, taking the left elbow towards the right knee.
4. Switch sides, bringing the right elbow towards the left knee.
5. Continue alternating sides in a 'pedaling' motion for 1-3 sets of 12-16 reps.

Not only do these workouts help build strength and provide extra energy, they strengthen your core and protect your spine. This week, we will be providing you with more exercise information, so stay tuned and tone up!!

Meet the J-41™ Designers!

Hanna :)

Monica :)

Now that you've seen a peek of our fabulous fall styles, we thought we would share the brains behind this operation... meet our two wonderful designers! We decided to interview the designers - here is what they had to say. Readers... meet Hanna and Monica the design team behind J-41™.

1: Where did you do to school? what type of degree do you have?

Hanna: I have BFA degree in Painting/Fine Art and also ASS degree in Accessories Design from FIT.

Monica: I have my Bachelor of Fine Arts, Accessories Design (after taking one more class), Associate of Applied Science, Fashion Design, and a Certificate in Millinery Techniques

2: Why did you choose to go into shoe design?

H: In my opinion, shoes are the most interesting and complicated item among all fashion items. You have to have a design mind in between a fashion designer and an industrial designer. In other words, to be an excellent shoe designer, you must be born with fashion blood as well as an engineer's mind. You must be able to cater to what you imagine in your mind for your collection.

M: I want all the women to wear comfortable shoes with style.

3. What is your inspiration for J-41™?

H: I’m looking at everything which could inspire me across Hi-end fashion and Natural beauty. I love to watch old classic movies to get inspiration since I’m very much into vintage fashion these days from 40th to 70th. I also look at what other people are doing to find out what our niche market is.

M: What would our customer want affordable but comfortable.

4.Where are you from? and did that place in anyway inspire what you are doing now?

H: I’m originally from Korea and I have been living in NYC for more than 10 years. I do travel everywhere in the world pretty much to get inspiration from East to West. The cities that I cover on my foot every season for inspiration is the major cities in the world such as NY, LA, SF, London, Paris, Barcelona, Amsterdam, Milan, Hong Kong and Seoul.

M: I am from Korea but I have been living in New York for most of my life and all the women I talk to say “I need comfortable, but stylish shoes”.

5. Tell us something interesting about yourself:

H: To be honest with you, I’m not one of the true J-41™ customers that we’re targeting. There are only a few styles from the line that I want to wear with my outfits. I’m a true metropolitan girl, born and raised in a huge cosmopolitan, which means I don’t quite understand what the real suburban or outdoor life style is... However, the way I approach it in designing my product has been really working well for our customer since I have a different way to interpret trends and functions in shoes and to be able to create our unique flavor into this type of comfort/outdoor product. I think this is the main reason to be successful!

M: I really love to travel all over the world and meet all different types of women. I've realized that all women are alike - they love shoes =)

6. Do you have any big future plans for J-41™ designs?

H: Of course, I want to build this brand as one of the most influential and pioneered brands in this new growing category so that everybody will recognize this as a leader in the footwear industry. I want to see our brand selling everywhere in the world... Even my hometown Seoul, Korea!

M: In the future I hope all the women in the world will love our style and feel comfortable in it.

We hope you enjoyed learning about our great designers as much as we did!

Comment on this blog to let them know what an amazing job they're doing!

More J-41™ Fall 2010 Previews!

This Fall, J-41™ is offering some really cute choices. We decided to show you a few more of our favorites.

To the left we have the 'Istanbul' in black and in brown. This adorable wedge 'bootie' can add to any Fall outfit. Made of leather and suede with the perfect touch of cut out accents and subtle stitching, this design is flawless. With an inner zipper closure, you can easily take them on and off (although you probably won't want to). Its memory foam foot bed allows for long lasting comfort all day long.

To the right you will find the 'Venice' in black and brown. The Venice is a comfortable fashion forward rendition of the clog. This 2.5 inch wedge is made with a partially recycled rubber outsole, a lightweight midsole, and a memory foam foot bed for extreme comfort. Easy to slip on and off, this is a real winner for women on the go. The stylish embezzlements, as well as the criss-cross stitching on the face of shoe make the Venice versatile and great for any wardrobe.

As you can see, these two shoes are must-haves this Fall. Which do you like and why? (you don't have to pick only one ;) Leave a comment and let us know what you think.

Don't forget to look back this Friday to meet the designers behind these beautiful shoes!

Fall 2010 Preview!

Fall is right around the corner so we wanted you to be able to get your wish lists started early, which is why we decided to give you a sneak peek into our Fall 2010 collection. Today we are revealing the "Ocean" on the left in brown and the "Galaxy" on the right in black.

The "Ocean" is a slip on sporty wedge design created for that stylish woman that believes comfort is a must. The J-41™ "Ocean"comes in black or brown with a suede/leather upper. It has detailed embroidery on the strap adding a elegant touch. The strap has velcro for an easy adjusting fit. The footbed cradles the foot to ensure all day comfort. The wedge adds a little bit of height, which us woman crave, without having to wear unstable heel. It's perfect for work or play.

The "Oasis" is an all vegan shoe for you animal lovers out there. It is made with a Jeep® engineered traction outsole™. The "Oasis" has heel and toe bumpers for added protection from the elements. It's intricately detailed with colorful embroidery, small studs, and geometric cut out for those of us who enjoy the little pretty things in life. There is a velcro strap for easy on-off, perfect for those women on the go.

The "Oasis" and the "Ocean" are just two of fabulous styles we have coming... Stay tuned all week for more Fall 2010 previews!

Which shoes are more "you"? What would you wear them with? What type of Fall activities do you see yourself getting into in these?

Everybody's Favorite: July 4th Fireworks

They were first authorized by congress for July 4th, 1777, and ever since then, entire communities have gathered together on 4th of July night to watch beautiful fireworks light up the town. Here are a few fun facts about fireworks that you may not have known

• Legend has it that the Chinese made the first fireworks in the 800s, filling bamboo shoots with gunpowder and exploding them at the New Year with the hope that the sound would scare away evil spirits.
• Early fireworks were exploded for the sound until chemicals were added for color, starting in Italy
• in the 1830's.
• Disney World has more than 1,000 fireworks shows every year.
• The most difficult color to create with fireworks is blue.
• The world's largest single firework was set off at a festival in Japan in 1988. The shell weighed over 1/2 a ton and the burst was over a kilometer across.

Everyone here at J-41™ wishes you and your family a happy 4th of July - we hope you get to see a beautiful fireworks show in your town! (If not, enjoy the one below ;)