{ the jaunty magpie }

The Magpie wanted to bring some aloha spirit to the blog, sharing some Jaunty finds while wandering the farmer's market in Hilo, Hawaii. Everyone tends to think of Kona when they hear about the Big Island, but Hilo is a little vintage gem. Most tourists visit it on the way to Volcanoes National Park, to see the power of Pele getting down with her bad self at Kilauea, but if you happen to be in Hilo's neighborhood, stick around for a bit and wander the place, as I think you'll find its timeworn buildings and small-town sleepiness rather charming.

On this recent trip, I got a chance to check out the fragrant and delightful wares of local soapmaker, Filthy Farmgirl. With vintage-whimsical labels and cheeky products names like Filthy Mustache Soap, Filthy Cock Soap (there's a rooster on the label!) and the Filthy Cowboy Delicate Dude, how can you not fall in love with them? The soaps are handmade, using natural and vegan-friendly ingredients. They grow many of their botannicals used in their soap "flavors" and do their part to support the local organic small farms. Plus you can buy the products online and they're also on Twitter - @FilthyFarmgirl

I picked up a few of their smaller bars of soap as they were a cute omiyage (souvenir) size, plus they're not a liquid, gel, etc. that TSA could confiscate for my carry-on bag. The flavors of Filthy Farmgirl truly smell like the islands of Hawaii, they support the local economy, and they are a truly unique gift to bring back and share some aloha spirit. Like the Farmgirl says, Live Nakedly!

Jaunty Fine Print: Photos by Denise Sakaki; products by Filthy Farmgirl