How many water bottles are too many?

NYC based graphic design firm MSLK is making a statement about the abuse and over use of the plastic water bottle. Their eco-conscious exhibit "Watershed" is an "in your face" way of letting us know how many bottles of water we guzzle everyday. Americans consume 1,500 per minute which is how many bottles they used to create the eye opening display. You can view "Watershed" at the Figment Art Festival on Goveners Island, NYC from June 12 - 14. Unfortunately I can only visit through photos, but if your living or visiting the NYC area it may be worth a look. If you don't already use reusable water bottles this may be a good time to start... particularly if you plan on attending the exhibit and bringing water, I'm just saying.

What is this thing called Guerilla Gardening?

Guerilla Gardening is a non-violent political gardening action. New Yorkers are among the city dwellers becoming Green Guerilla's. Secretly beautifying neglected parks, abandoned lots and city streets by smuggling in plants and seed balls. I think this is an intriguing idea but I confess that I find urban undercover gardening a bit amusing. I have visions of gardeners wearing ski masks running by empty lots and throwing tiny seed balls over chain link fences. Seed balls (if you're wondering) are a composite of seed, mulch and red terra cotta clay. If you would like to join the troops and enlist click here and learn how to make seed balls. So stock your arsenal and plan your next covert operation , guerilla gardening is here to stay.

Don't miss the Bungalow Scout Sale!

Its time for the Pre-summer sale..... All Bungalow Scout totes, coolers and troughs are 10% off On-line at The Green Shutter! They're flying off the shelves.... don't miss out! Oops, I almost forgot.... Dirt Candles are 20% off too!

Taking care of your Green Thumb

Tis the season for gardening and my hands suffer because of it. They have been crying for relief from the dry, sandpaper like skin I have burdened them with. While putting on my soothing hand salve I realize I need to share this product with other hands in need.

I own several pair of gardening gloves but they become damp, heavy and cumbersome. The gloves end up thrown on the lawn while I dig into the good earth. My hands pay the price for my lack of protection and repay me with broken nails and cracked skin. I have a semi-nightly routine of a DYI manicure, cleaning and polishing my nails and pampering my skin with products from Green Thumb. The salve is a remarkable product that I carry in my bag and use several times during the day. I also use the cleanser. It is extremely mild and derived from organic extracts while the salve is an intensive repair treatment. The salve contains coconut, shea butter, sweet almond oil and sunflower oil. Just a little bit of the salve goes a long, long way. Both the salve and cleanser come in two pleasant scents; herbal and citrus. Green Thumb is perfect for the gardener or anyone with overworked hands.

Chet gets a shout out

Here he is enjoying his new digs in our veggie garden.

Sharing the beach with Sea Turtles.

A few summer’s ago my husband was kayaking off the shore of Rodanthe. While I watched him enjoy his peace at sea, the kids and I soaked up some rays from the beach. There was an sudden disturbance in his solitude as we watched him make an “about face” and a quick trip to shore. To my amusement he told me he had been startled by a large sea turtle (a confession I continue to tease him about today). By the time he realized the gazing eye was from a sea turtle the adrenaline rush had already kicked in and he was on his way back the beach. Kayak $400.00, new bathing suit $75.00, the expression on Peter’s face….. priceless!

This was our first encounter with the Sea Turtle. I later learned of the plight of these creatures through a friend that volunteers for N.E.S.T (Network for Endangered Sea Turtles).

Off the coast of North Carolina we are fortunate to have several species of these beautiful sea creatures. Unfortunately they are all either threatened or endangered. Nesting female sea turtles come to lay their eggs every year on our beaches. If undisturbed the eggs will hatch in 2 months. Sadly the hatchlings stand a slim chance of survival. Their nesting coincides with the summer vacation season here on the Outer Banks and as you can imagine the beaches are filled with swimmers, children, un-leashed dogs and ORV’s.

N.E.S.T is an organization dedicated to protecting the nest and eggs of the sea turtle. Once a nest is identified N.E.S.T volunteers guard it 24/7. This is a remarkable organization with dedicated volunteers. To learn more about identifying nests and helping the sea turtles click here.

A side note: A land loving turtle has found a new home in our vegetable garden. James has named him Chet.

Garden's, Books and Memories...

I had a delightful Mom's Day. Hubby and son James took me to the Garden Center, patiently assisted in the choosing of plants and then sowed my beautiful vegetable garden. They planted it on the sunny side of the house were I can watch the bounty grow from our screen porch. I have tomatoes of varying colors, summer squash, eggplant, peppers and at Leigh's request grape tomatoes. I cherish memories of her as a toddler snacking on tomatoes off the vine displaying a big grin while the juice dripped off her chin. Oh but that was oh so long ago and now she is the world traveler living across a very big sea. I miss her terribly, but joyfully she will be home this summer. Before I digress further into sappy reflection I will get back on course...

Aside from enjoying my Mother's Day breakfast (those of you that did read the earlier post, eggs benedict was indeed on the menu) Ryan gave me a new book, "Animal, Mineral, Miracle" A Year of Food Life by Barbara Kingsolver. I picked it up last night and its a fabulously plucky read.

A new re-tweet for our feathered friends...

....and the bird lover with an eco-friendly conscience. Barnstorm LLC makes products that are delightful to display in my home and in my store. These charming pieces are made from reclaimed wood and recycled tin. Each bird barn is a distinctive and functionally fun work of art. These are so cute you may think they're for decorating only, not true....these are built with our feathered friends in mind. Once they build their nest in one, they will be the envy of all their bird friends.

The bird barns are easy to clean, easy to hang and easy on the eyes. I love that all of Barnstorms designs are original. Each comes with authentic dents, dings, nail holes and scratches. The natural imperfections are the charm of the 50 year old wood they’re created from.

Equally as unique and distinctive are Barnstorms picture frames which are pieced from reclaimed wood maintaining the integrity of the original materials.

I have a variety of Barnstorm birdhouses and picture frames for sale in my shop. Although I have yet to list them on-line just give me a call, I’ll ship anything that’s not nailed to the floor!

Nothing says "tasty' like home grown tomatoes!

Ask not what your mom can do for you, but what you can do for your mom. It’s that time of year when children of all ages get to express their love for Mom. My house is no exception. May is a busy month for us. Mother’s day always falls within one or two days of my wedding anniversary (May 9^th) and my oldest son’s birthday (May 8^th) which is then followed by my daughter’s birthday (May 19^th). All of which will be dogged by the high expectations of Father’s Day, however squelched by my youngest sons H.S. graduation that same weekend. The aforementioned turn of events equates to "never enough money to buy mom some serious * bling". Lucky for them, I’m low maintenance and I appreciate the simple things like a nice * breakfast with my family. Getting my kids to * clean their rooms or * wash my car would be the * Diamond Tiara that I so well deserve.

So my request for Mother’s Day 2009 is simple; strive to be the best you can be, spend wisely, be safe, don’t do anything stupid and make me a vegetable garden.

* TGS is not responsible for any subliminal messaging that may take place in this post.

Here’s the story of a dog named Floyd aka Puff Doggy…

Who likes to chase bumble bees around his yard, until one day one of the bumble bee’s rebelled and bit him on the nose. His muzzle and brows were so swollen he could hardly see. After suffering a few indignities at the vet he took his sad swollen face and lay on the couch all day. He has a new found respect for the bumble bee and it is with fear that he enters his yard. It takes a push and a shove to get him out the door, then he does what he must and retreats back inside. It’s like a “Run By Pee-ing”.

His puffy face was comically funny and after a $70 vet bill I feel I have the right to poke a little fun at Floyd.

Twist, twist, do the twist....

No not the dance, the cleaning products. Haven’t heard of them, well I hadn’t either until a recent trip to my favorite local market. I spied the Twist Dish Dumpling on the shelf and I was smitten with its adorable-ness. I thought what is this cute little thing? And how will it fit into my world.

As the labeling indicates Twist makes a complete collection of naturally spongy, scrubby cleaning marvels. They clean dishes, respect the planet, and look good doing it. Some people like to cook, most people like to eat but few people like to clean. As for my little Dish Dumpling it packs a powerful scrubbing punch and makes the chore of cleaning a little bit easier. Twist offers several types of bio-degradable cleaning products, some of which will soon be available at The Green Shutter. Until that time William-Sonoma, Whole Foods and if you happen to be in Duck, NC, Tommy’s Market all carry Twist products. So if you’re like me you’ll throw away all of your ugly green scrubbies and put a Twist into your daily cleaning. Click here for a fun little video from Twist.

Bungalow Scout Comes through again.

I have an adorable counter in my shop. It’s made from an old French door that I found in a thrift store. It’s so cute I must write a post about it, but not right now. I have an old dinosaur computer that is a blemish upon my lovely shop counter. It’s a hodgepodge of parts composed from my kid’s old computers. The kids get the new computers and I get the rejected parts. There is a need for change in the hierarchy.

Ryan recently discarded his old laptop for an upgrade and keeping with tradition, my benevolent son passed the old one on to me. Once I gave it a good cleaning and invested in a new keyboard it looks and works like new. I love it, although the little mouse in the middle reminds me of a pencil eraser and is a little difficult to get used to.

Now that I’m a lap top owner I need to better protect it while I travel to and from work. I carry a parade of totes that I love but don’t offer any protective padding for the lap top. Trying to keep with my adorable tote theme I didn’t have go far to find what I needed. Bungalow Scout makes me rejoice once again. As if their totes and coolers weren’t charming enough they came up with another product, coordinating lap top sleeves.

The Lil Slim lap top sleeve fits into any one of my totes. It's padded and water resistant, protecting it from my clumsy coffee spills. It also has a few hooks and handles for easy grabbing, which eliminates my usual early morning fumbling.

I can't wait to see what Bungalow Scout will come up with next.

I Love Spring...

The flowers are blooming, the birds are singing and Pretty Green's new patterns have finally arrived. It gives me great joy to see that the new fabric designs are even prettier than I expected. Truc had sent me earlier photos of the totes, which were lovely, but did not do them justice for how nice they truly are. Some things just have to be viewed in person.

Thanks to my “handyman hubby” I have a very cute display rack designated just for these bags. And more happy news...the display has become a customer magnet. Now my real dilemma is whether or not I should keep one for myself, but do I really need to have another bag? I think so! :) I already carry the Pangea pattern back and forth to work everyday. It holds my notebook, various files, the previous day’s mail and bills I'll ignore for a week or two. Tote bags are like shoes, you can never have too many. So now that I’ve graciously decided that I deserve another bag which one do I choose?

Your junk might be someone elses treasure....

There are times when I’m a little slow keeping up with the rest of the world. I’ve heard about recycling cell phones but to be honest I didn’t give it a second thought. I currently have several old cell phones resting in my kitchen junk drawer. They’re in good company with all sorts of odds and ends like loose elastic bands, odd pens, random yard sale stickers and give-away cork screws from a food show. All of which are entangled with old curling ribbon awaiting their final resting place, the trash.

This morning I opened up a piece of mail from a company I regularly do business with. Enclosed with the correspondence was a postage paid envelope for “Cell Phones for Soldiers”. Curious, I took the time to Google the organization.

Cell Phones for Soldiers was the brain child of 13-year-old Brittany Bergquist and her then 12-year-old brother Robbie. The goal of their charity is to help soldiers serving overseas call home. The charity began when the children heard a news report about a local soldier who was charged a large amount of money on his phone bill for calling home. The kids raised money to help the soldier by emptying their piggy bank, getting snack money from their friends at school. They raised $21.00 and went to a local bank to open an account. The bank was so impressed by their efforts they kicked in $500.00.

A few years older the siblings are now raising funds to provide as many soldiers as possible with prepaid calling cards. Cell Phones for Soldiers are collecting both donations and old cell phones to recycle. The ultimate goal of Cell Phones for Soldiers is to provide banks of satellite and video phones. Cell Phones for Soldiers have distributed thousands of calling cards to soldiers in Iraq, Kuwait, Afghanistan and and elsewhere.

Its time to dig through your favorite junk spot and pull out your discarded cell phones. This afternoon I slipped mine into the handy envelope provided and sent them on there way.

* photo of 1st Sgt. Devon A. Holson and company with their pre-paid calling cards

Hand Care for the Cook....

Tantalize your senses with some kitchen aromatherapy. Cucina (kitchen in Italian) is a line of hand care products created by Fruits and Passions. As you may remember from my previous posts I’m married to a Chef. Over the years he has worked in a multitude of restaurants and with that is a multitude of odors. Fish, onion, liver, if you cook with it, his hands have reeked of it. We’ve tried several remedies, one of which is lemon juice. It may work, but if you have tiny little cuts from say, shelling fish…. OUCH!

This is where Cucina Chef Soap comes in, it’s an exfoliating soap containing fine flecks of lemon peel that help dissolve traces of grease. This isn't just for the professional chef, its wonderful in any kitchen. It leaves a fresh scent on your hands that does not interfere with the flavor of dishes. It really does works and as a nice accompaniment there's a Repairing Hand Butter with olive oil and olive butter. It will nourish, protect and moisturize dry damaged hands on contact. I have extremely dry hands and it's intensive, protective cream has worked miracles for me. I keep one on my kitchen window sill and another at work.

Made with pure olive oil to deep clean and protect the skin from dehydration, the Cucina collection also contains olive tree extract, known to help relieve minor burns and cuts as well as rosemary and sage for the anti-bacterial and toning powers. Their packaging is distinctive, Mediterranean in style I don’t have to hide the products in a drawer or under a counter. They look great and smell wonderful.

Wine Bottles - a bright idea!

My husband and son just opened a new pizza restaurant which I had the pleasure of decorating. To no avail I have been searching for suitable pendant lighting. Health codes are stringent when it comes to what you can or cannot hang over food. Whenever I think I've found the perfect light, it turns out not to be so perfect after all. On the bright side I did come across this clever idea for my home. I love this, its warm, inviting and recycled. I have some vintage seltzer bottles that could make very cool pendant lights. Unfortunately they're buried in some boxes that I have yet to unpack from our move. We moved 4 years ago, its time to unpack. If you like the idea, crack open some wine and go here for complete instructions on how to make these eco-friendly pendant lights.

Digging up some Dirt.....

Dirt candles to be exact. Having written a previous post advocating the quality of these organic soy candles I have more dirt to dish. I recently discovered that Dirt also sells their candles in a 2 oz. tealight size. Dirt boasts 6 hours of burn time for these little candles, which is indeed true. Of course they are assuming you won't knock over the tealight spilling the wax all over your kitchen counter. Not that I would know anything about that.

Like many of us I purchase bags of tealights only to find they burn for about 25 to 30 minutes. This is why they come in inexpensive sacks of plenty. I purchased the Dirt tealights as samples to test new scents. Don't be fooled by its size. Aside from their pleasant aromatherapy qualities I was impressed by the longevity of this 2 oz candle. I can't think of another place where I can purchase a 6 hr. soy candle for only $2.00. I had a few un-used tealights left over and used them as giveaways for my customers. One woman pointed out that these would make great favors for a bridal shower. After having used the tealight a group of vacationers returned wanting to buy additional candles. Unfortunately, I was all out... but not for long, my replacement order is on its way!

H20 on the Go!

Recently attending the Food Expo here in OBX, I was approached by several sales rep’s trying to peddle they’re bottled waters. While some were very good, there was one that stood out among the rest. The company is Mountain Valley Spring Water and I was delighted to find not only a clean refreshing taste but a company that has eco-friendly values. So of course when I got home I did some research to find if there was truth behind the sales pitch? And there was.

MVSW produces both spring water and sparkling water. I’m a huge fan of both but I try to stay away from the plastic bottles. I confess even though I put forth a good effort there are always those times, mostly when I’m traveling, that the only source of water comes out of a plastic bottle. I’ve come to despise plastic bottles, not only because of what they do to our environment but also because of the toxins that leach into the drinking water itself. MVSW is the first manufacturer to use recycled PET resin bottles for their 12 oz. products. After a long search on the internet I failed to find another spring water company that does. The pretty 16 oz. glass bottles used for the spring and sparkling waters are not only recyclable they’re made from recycled content.

I have an affinity toward Italian sodas which are contrived from sparkling water. Normally I would use San Pellegrino with lots of ice and raspberry soda syrup. I buy Torani syrup which has proven to be very good and also because it’s the only one available here on the beach. It is truly a refreshing beverage especially in the dead heat of summer. I took the risk and switched out the Pellegrino for the MVSW, success was achieved!

If you’re curious take a look at their website, it’s full of information. Here’s a little tidbit; every drop of Mountain Valley Spring Water comes from a single spring surrounded by a protected forest in the foothills of the Ouachita Mountains near Hot Springs, Arkansas. In fact, Mountain Valley Spring Company owns and protects over 630 acres of forest that surround the spring. The company has been around for 130 years, with all the companies that come and go Mountain Valley must be doing something right.

Life is a beach!

Just for fun here's a little quiz from SPROOST. I found this on another blog Keep Calm and Kerry On. Not only do I enjoy the blog, but she has a great name as well. So, I took the test and it was ridiculously accurate. My style it says 67% nantucket, 17% classic and 16% cottage chic. The description for Nantucket begins "Oh how you love the beach!" How did they know?
I took the quiz 3x's and every time I ended up with this room. This could seriously be my living room.

Singing the Blues

Its been unusually cold in our area, below freezing in fact. We’ve experienced some frozen pipes and I’m watching the palm trees wither away. Our spoiled hound dogs are used to a good life of sunshine and warm earth under their feet. Their reluctance to go outside has been a cause of great frustration. When they do go out they linger by the back door and whine. After they've tricked me into letting them in, they leave me gifts. Between the two they produce enough fertilizer to keep us green for a very long time. Argh!

The good news, the temperature will be back in the 60's by Saturday and the shops in Duck are opening for the season, wahoo!

Where ever you’re reading this from, I hope you’re warm and that your pets are cooperating.

The Art of the Bath

Who doesn’t love a good soak? At the end of a stressful day I adore a hot bath, the hotter the better. So steamy my husband has accused me of causing paint to peel off the bathroom walls. All I need is a glass of wine, candles and bath salts and life is good again. It’s my own little spa time; the misty vapors clear my mind and restore my well being. I think for many of us a bath is soothing, it can wash away our worries, aches, pains and complaints.

This little book by Susannah Marriott has become a charming little antidote to the stress knots that form in the back of my neck. It has fabulous recipes and tips for a captivating bath. The recipes contain organic ingredients, many of which you may already have in your pantry or garden. Lavender is suggested for some relaxing aromatherapy. If that’s not the remedy you seek there are all sorts of recipes that calm, detoxify, revitalize or stir up a bit of luxury and romance. Everything you need to know to create the perfect bath is here from candles, loofah, brushes, oils and music.

The effects of an aromatic bath seep in to the respiratory, skin and nervous system to reduce problems. When our muscles are relaxed our immune systems are given a boost from improved circulation. There are lots of little tidbits in there about the benefits of the bath, history, lore and traditions. Keep this little treasure handy near the bath for a “spur of the moment” soak.

"The way to health is to have an aromatic bath and scented massaged every day." Hippocrates

OBX Taste of the Beach

Off topic from the usual "green finds" I'm throwing in another shameless plug. This time to promote the Taste of the Beach here on the Outer Banks of North Carolina. If you have never been to one of these events you’re missing out on something big. You don’t have to be a “foodie” to enjoy the festivities. I guarantee you will find a venue to dazzle your taste buds and brighten up an otherwise a gray weekend at the beach. Albeit a gray beach day is better than no beach day at all.

Peter and I attend the event every year. With so many venues its impossible to participate in them all, although we give it our best shot. Our personal favorite is the Tapas Crawl in Duck (yes, that really is the name of the town). It’s a social event that takes place in four of Ducks finest restaurants. They indulge us with a scrumptious tapas dish, cocktails and good company. Last year we closed the last stop after having a tasty martini at each restaurant and a designated driver on call.

The weekend events culminate at the Taste of the Beach Expo which takes place at the Hilton in Kitty Hawk. All of the best restaurants come together to compete and give us a taste of their finest dishes. Come hungry. The wineries and breweries are also there to compete and quench our thirst with tastings. Not to worry they'll let you sneak back for more than one. It's a lot of fun and a great way to end the weekend.

Its all for a good cause. It's a charity event hosted by the Outer Banks Restaurant Association with proceeds going to the The Culinary Education Fund.

Pretty Green

The latest trend in re-usable totes has led to the creation of some very pretty bags. Some of the most eye catching bags I’ve seen are from Pretty Green. The bags are the result of designer Truc Tang’s eco-friendly vision. She has taken practical and functional to a whole new level. Made from fashion savvy organic fabrics these well constructed bags have my attention in both solids and prints. Brightly colored and fanciful, I had a difficult time choosing just one.

The bags are not only useful for my daily chores but sturdy enough for groceries and slightly larger loads. Its amazing how much I can fit into one of these bags. They conveniently fold up small and flat to fit into tight places. Great for traveling, they slip right into my luggage without taking up any additional space. On a recent vacation to warmer climates my bag was the most useful item I brought with me. We rented a scooter and drove it every where, I know, I know, a tee shirt with the word TOURIST would have been less obvious. None the less I enjoyed my little scooter as much as my Pretty Green Bag. While driving the bag fit perfectly inside the seat of the scooter then it easily slipped over my shoulder while walking through the local shops. I was able to fit all of my acquisitions inside as well as my wallet, sunglasses, water, and keys. All of my essentials were with me at all times. The colorful bag was a great up grade from my usual plain canvas tote.

Although I would have a hard time giving up the Pangea patterned bag that I’ve come to love, shopping for one of the new spring patterns is not out of the question. These bags are made of 100% certified organic cotton canvas and each bag is lined with the “pretty green” signature lining. These eco-conscious bags are not just reasonably priced, a portion of the proceeds go to international clean water projects. This means we get to carry a pretty bag and help the save the environment at the same time, what could be better than that!

Elizabeth Lord Naturals.... soaps that make a difference

After hearing several friends rave about Elizabeth Lord products I thought it was time to give them a try. My first impression of Robin, the creator of these fine products was “she glows”. Seriously, her skin is radiant. In her own words, “Elizabeth Lord has a passion for purity and wholesomeness in the things we live with, the food we eat, and the things we put on our skin. Our personal care products are Pure, Simple & Fresh!”

I have always made the effort to take care of my skin and I have my grandmother to thank for it. She was a stickler for good skin care and she used all natural ingredients. As a young girl she would tell me to take care of my face "clean and moisturize". Then she would add “don’t forget your neck”. Anyone over the age of 30 knows she was right. There isn’t a day that I don’t wash my face and moisturize without remembering my grandmother’s words. There is something to be said for good, wholesome skin care.

At Elizabeth Lord each batch is made from scratch using only the finest natural, organic and vegan ingredients like extra-virgin olive oil, shea butter and jojoba. The fresh scent is intoxicating, derived from only pure aromatherapy essential oils.

I took Robin’s recommendation and first tried the Shea Butter Soap. Have you every heard your skin squeak? I used it from head to toe, even washing my hair with it. I’ve never felt so squeaky clean. It moisturizes even the most sensitive skin. With the subtle scent of lavender you’ll leave the shower feeling like you just walked out of a spa. The Vetiver and Bay is a masculine soap for bathing and shaving. My husband and sons appreciate that it smells clean, not flowery. Give it to a man who appreciates the finer things or to a woman who appreciates a fine smelling man. Use the Oatmeal and Honey for a facial soap. It’s wonderful for sensitive skin and I’m told from a few reliable sources that it works well on acne. The soaps are elegantly packaged. They look as if they came from Provence, each hand wrapped in blue toile paper. Leave one on your night stand for a bit of bedtime aromatherapy!

The Dead Sea Salt Soak is a spa favorite. It’s rich in magnesium and other essential minerals needed for skin health. Each cobalt blue jar is packaged with a natural shell for scooping. The facial scrub is my personal favorite. Just add honey and it turns into a mask.

Elizabeth Lord products are currently sold in distinctive boutiques, shops and spas. No matter where you find them, you’ll be glad you did. Take some time out of your busy life for some well deserved luxury and pampering.

Bragging Rights....

This post has nothing to do with the environment, saving the world or decorating our lives. It’s more like a shameless plug regarding my sister Michelle’s blog. I have spent the last 30 years of my life surrounded by foodies. My husband is a chef, my oldest son is studying to become a chef and now Michelle, a lover of fine food has become a food blogger. She and I subscribe to different writing styles, I’m cautiously moderate while she has an unrestrained point of view. Although I appear more conventional, don't let it fool you. I embrace her rakish humor and high regard for a good four letter word.

This is where the bragging rights begin. The Well Fed Network nominated her for their “Best Food Blogger – Humor” award. Which she did win, beating celebrated chef and blogger David Lebowitz by a landslide...and she won some cool stuff, for which I am a tad jealous. To put the icing on her cake, she has a second nomination. This time for the highly acclaimed Web Blog Awards a.k.a. the Bloggies. For those of you that are unfamiliar with the bloggie…. it’s the academy award among bloggers. So here’s the rub; she needs votes to win. It’s my hope that your curiosity will take you to her blog site; Thursday Night Smackdown. Enter cautiously; her writing is not for the bashful or demure. When you like what you read and you’re chuckles subside please go to the Bloggies and cast your vote. Oops, I almost forgot, Thursday Night Smackdown is in the "Best Kept Secret" catagory. Thanks for indulging me.

Bungalow Scout Re-usable Totes

Like most woman I love bags, almost as much as I love shoes. My first introduction to Bungalow Scout was in a quaint shop in Nags Head over a year ago. What I saw wasn’t a bag at all but one of their faux rugs. This very cool little rug charmed me so much I needed to learn more about the company that created it. Bungalow Scout has been a great discovery as they make an abundance of fabulous products.

As it turns out Bungalow Scout is a fairly new company. They’re a fashion forward lifestyle designer whose products combine iconic patterns and crisp colors with a splash of whimsy.

How strange is it to become infatuated with a tote bag? When I first spied the Mini Deano Tote it was love at first sight. The Mini Deano is a lightweight tote, the perfect size for carrying files and books back and forth to work. It’s a bag that makes my day a little easier. I can throw a bottle of water inside and not worry about the bag getting ruined should it leak. I use this low maintenance bag day after day as it easily wipes clean looking as new as they day I bought it.

I was clueless to the popularity of these bags until I started stocking them in my shop.
Woman of all ages have flocked in for these totes. Usually in groups, I’m not kidding. There is power in numbers, especially in girlfriends. I once had 4 pre-teen girls walk past my display window, notice the totes and run into the store screaming in shrill voices. You would have thought they had seen the Jonas Brothers, but no, they went straight for the Zip and Tuck Totes (did I mention all the products have catchy names?). After seemingly endless giggles, they each picked a favorite and went home with a new tote. But not before standing proudly in front of the mirror modeling for one another. I smile when I think of them.

I credit my sister for bringing the Pocket Rocket Tote to my attention. She is a faithful farmer’s market shopper and always carries her tote. The pocket rocket holds all of the main essentials. It’s my new “everything bag”. At the beach it will fit water, flip-flops, towel and a good book. Picnicking with that special someone? The six side pockets are large enough for wine bottles and a few baguettes, then drop your blanket inside. I have one customer that uses hers as a diaper bag. The versatility of these totes is only limited by your imagination.

So many products worth mentioning, so little room on this page. You’re just going to have to check them out for yourself. Have fun shopping