BLACK BOX Reveal: Wilderness

It’s time for the Black Box reveal of Wilderness, released in September. Every Black Box is better than the last, and we are excited to share the secret contents of this box with you.

But first - The next Black Box Glimmer is coming November 15th at 8am MST. Get the Reminder Email HERE.

Are you wondering what a “Black Box” is? Click the link HERE to learn more.

Our last Black Box Wilderness was in anticipation of all things fall. We wanted you to step in to a forest with us, be reminded of warm campfires and secrets shared over marshmallows. We wanted you to close your eyes and breathe in the scent of crisp morning fog and enchanting mountains.

INSIDE THE BOX

The featured crochet hook for the Wilderness Black Box was our beloved Bolivian Rosewood in 10mm. Interestingly, this wood is not a “true” Rosewood, but is so similar in its characteristics that it is still referred to as such. My personal favorite thing about this wood is the chocolate-y color that always leads me to dig in the pantry for some sweets. We gave this hook one of favorite custom crowns that is stunning in Rosewood. You can really see how each hook, despite being the same wood, differs in its grain and even color.

The fiber we chose for the Box was left bare, because it was just pretty in plain. We chose a super bulky natural fiber from Kraemer Natural Yarns that is 99% wool and 1% nylon, full of loft and texture. Three skeins of this fiber with our 10mm crochet hook and we had something special in mind.

 

The project for Wilderness was the Wilderness Cowl. This pattern is one of those incredibly easy projects that take no time to whip up, so you can get on to other projects! It utilized the half double crochet in the third loop to give it the knit-like stitching and mega texture with the natural fiber.

Wilderness was all about literally stepping in to the wilderness, so the smells and textures incorporated in this box were imperative.

First we included a handmade journal by Ordinary Artists, a father (Mark) and daughter (Sarah) team that hand fold and stamp each of their journals made in Portland, Oregon. The kraft paper and leaf stamp are the perfect start to an outdoor experience.

Then we featured a maker who’s – let’s be honest – packaging fit perfectly for our Wilderness Box, since her brand is literally called “Wilderness Soap Co.” Laura makes cold process soap that is natural, vegan, and poured in Canada. Guys – the smell is amazing, and charcoal has so many benefits for your skin.

Next we included a fellow Coloradoan company, Black Lantern Co by Kevin and Ginny. They have beautifully trendy designed mugs, apparel, and accessories from right up the street in Estes Park, Colorado. We loved their Arrow Compass Ceramic Mug, and knew it’d fit perfectly for our outdoor themed Box.

We always try to include some sort of storage in our Boxes, so for Wilderness we included our favorite Colorado local seamstress Katy from Modular Modular and a custom made wool plaid zipper pouch with a leather pull. This really makes it feel like camping and the pouch provides an excellent place to store your small notions.

All of our Boxes come with a sweet treat and delicious sip. Wilderness had the Most. Amazing. Coffee we’ve ever had from a brand called Kuju. Kuju coffee was founded by two Eagle Scout brother’s who believe that “Quality is never instant.” They’ve taken instant coffee (perfect for those who brew fresh coffee on the go, such as when you’re camping, traveling, hunting, etc.) and made drip-coffee the best coffee you’ll ever taste. Ethically sourced and 1% of proceeds go to National Wild Parks – this coffee brand is something you’ll want to check out.

And of course, we mentioned that Wilderness was “sharing secrets over marshmallows,” so we drove to the headquarters of a 97-year old original Denver Candy company, Hammond’s Candies, to pick up the perfect sweet treat. The More S'mores Bar is milk chocolate with bits of marshmallow and graham and the perfect touch to our Box. (Side note: Not only did I forget to order a bar for myself to "taste test" (say what!), I also literally drove to the biggest chocolate factory in Colorado and DIDN’T GET ANYTHING for myself. Not even a tour. I must be losing my mind…).

 That wraps up our Wilderness Black Box reveal. Thank you so much to our 15 Black Box members that received this box. Don't forget to snag our next one before they sell out!