envirosax

My purse is chocka with things I feel compelled to carry around everyday, which probably isn't great for my back. But I couldn't live without one of the contents - light-as-air Envirosax, which fold down super tiny, and pop up into these handy totes at the vege shop, or the butcher, or even the beach. No more plastic bags for me!





"Founded by Belinda and Mark David-Tooze in 2004, Envirosax® originates from Currumbin Valley in South East Queensland, Australia. The Envirosax team uses renewable and recyclable products where possible, and is committed to operating on ecologically sustainable principles.

Situated on 10 acres of pristine Australian rainforest, Belinda, Mark and their three young children live an ecologically sustainable lifestyle with solar hot water and photovoltaic cells for electricity. A sewage system recycles waste water, watering the extensive permaculture gardens and filtered rainwater tanks provide the organic vegetable gardens, fruit trees and the premises with water.

They live totally off the grid and are living the sustainable lifestyle that we hope will spread to more and more homes in the future." - Envirosax website

They've just come out with the Botanica Series, shown here, but they have so many other designs that there's one for every personality. At only $8.50 it's easy to afford several, so you can stuff one in every stocking this season.

the scent of... tomato?

I was wandering aimlessly in Greenwich Village in NYC, and stumbled into the best little stationery shop - Greenwich Letterpress. Scads of cool cards, fun gifts, custom invitations... you name it, they have it. I was particularly drawn to the scent coming from a Kobo candle scented with tomato vine, clover and ivy. A lot of candles smell fake and icky to me, but this was refreshingly different, and Kobo are made with soy wax and lead-free wicks. If you're in Austin you can pick one up at Wildflower Organics. I wonder what the Manchurian Dragon Fruit scent smells like?

happy father's day, dad

Now, my dad is not the kind of guy who would really appreciate a bunch of dahlias. But if he were, this is the bunch from California Organic Flowers that I would send him. He's more of a tractor-lovin', gun-totin', tomato-growin' kind of guy. So maybe I should be sending him heirloom tomato seeds?

Growing up, he was always trying to get me to go outside, and explore the world. Some of my best memories are the vacations our family took to the Pacific Northwest - camping in the forest, next to crystal-clear water, eating fresh-caught salmon, hiking to higher altitudes than humans really should. Thanks for raising a daughter that respects the planet - here's to you, Dad!