River Hill Pottery
- At April 28, 2012
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We are delighted to be carrying River Hill Pottery at Nest. Their ceramic baskets are nothing less than exquisite. Each one is handmade in Massachusetts and is meant to be used in everyday life. In fact, in additon to holding your fruit, napkins or dinner rolls, most of the baskets we are offering can be used for baking!
Favorite Gardening Books
- At April 27, 2012
- By nesthome
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Spring has officially arrived, and it is now definitely gardening season. The very organized (and temperature optimistic) among us already have their tomatoes and peppers planted. Others of us look at the pretty seedlings for sale and dream of skipping work to get those baby veggies in the ground. I know there will be time enough, and when I get home too late to do any gardening, I curl up with a gardening book instead.
My absolute favorite gardening book is The Vegetable Gardener’s Bible, by Edward C. Smith. Ed’s Book (as it’s referred to in my home) achieves a wonderful balance of presenting information that is unintimidating and helpful to a novice gardener, while also being a tremendous resource for more experienced veggie growers. Starting with how to decide on a location for your garden, selecting seeds, and preparing the soil, he progresses to growing specific vegetables and dealing with pests. The book is full of photos – gorgeous images of Ed’s garden and remarkably helpful images of Ed in action. The nicest thing of all may be the book’s tone, as Ed conveys his information like a kind neighbor leaning over the fence.
If you’re tight on space, Sugar Snaps and Strawberries, by Andrea Bellamy might be the gardening book for you. Subtitled “Simple Solutions for Creating Your Own Small-Space Edible Garden,” it’s not only a great guide to the basics of gardening, but also offers wonderfully creative ways to garden in whatever space you have. From containers to trellises to a tiny patch of soil two feet square, Bellamy walks you through the steps from preparing the soil to harvesting your crop. She also has an invaluable chapter on pests and organic insect control.
I’ve spent lots of time mulling over Herbal Tea Gardens, by Marietta Marshall Marcin, and daydreaming about expanding my tiny herb garden to incorporate more of her wisdom. She spends most of the first hundred pages describing various herbs, their care, and how to use them for tea. Then comes the fun part: plans for themed herb gardens like Headache Relief Garden, Sleepy Time Garden and Immunity Booster Garden. It’s an interesting way to become more familiar with herbs and their uses.
It’s hard to believe that an entire (large) book could be written about backyard composting, but here it is: The Complete Compost Gardening Guide, by Barbara Pleasant and Deborah L. Martin. I love composting, with a worm bin inside or outside with a larger bin; I’ll talk composting with anyone who’s interested. Increasingly, composting is being recognized as an integral component of home gardening as it improves the quality of your soil, acts as a mulch to retain moisture, and increases the nutritional value of the vegetables you grow. It can also significantly reduce the amount of yard waste and kitchen scraps that a household needs to send to the landfill. Many people are intimidated by the thought of composting; I appreciate that this book emphasizes how easy it can be to get started. The Complete Compost Gardening Guide outlines numerous ways to compost and makes it fun to figure out the best system for your household.
By the way, if you’re interested in trying outdoor composting, Howard County gives away free compost bins to county residents. To get your free bin, contact the County directly or stop by a H.C. Master Gardener compost demonstration site.
Gardening, like composting, isn’t that difficult. Sure, you can do it super-scientifically and carefully to reap amazing harvests of abundance… but I’m pretty sure that you can also do it haphazardly, with whatever little pockets of time, energy and soil you can find, and still the results will delight you.
Earth Day at Nest
- At April 17, 2012
- By nesthome
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Earth Day is always a special time at Nest, not only because our annual Earth Day raffle lets us play Santa for a day, but also because the occasion allows us to showcase our vendors, their products and their commitment to Earth.
This year, our vendors have been especially generous with their donations. Make a purchase on Sunday, April 22nd and you could win:
A Greeting Card from Positively Green: The paper used to print these cards is made with 100% post-consumer recycled paper. Positively Green also donates 10% of its profits to organizations that protect our environment and fight global warming.
A Fair Trade Himalayan Crystal tea light holder from Solay Wellness: Solay tea light holders cleanse the air naturally (as houseplants do) while charging it with the healthy ions found in a saltwater breeze.
A Corinthian Bells Windchime from Weatherland Chimes: Made in Manassas Park, Virginia from start to finish, each chime is made using raw materials sourced from American mills and material providers.
A Roll-On Bracelet from Aid Through Trade: Each fair-trade roll-on bracelet is made with care by Nepali women artists whose work through ATT ensures fair pay, benefits, dignity and a healthy work place.
A CD or Book from Sounds True: An independent multimedia publishing company, Sounds True embraces the world’s major spiritual traditions, as well as the arts and humanities, embodied by leading authors, teachers, and visionary artists.
A Chef Set, Tool Box or Fire Truck from Green Toys: A line of classic children’s toys constructed in California from recycled plastic and other environmentally friendly materials.
A Candle from Way Out Wax: Way Out Wax was founded in 1992 with a vision to produce hand-crafted works of art utilizing socially and environmentally responsible business practices. Their soy wax candles are 100% natural and biodegradable, and their scents come from 100% pure essential oils.
An Women’s Top from Aventura Clothing: Aventura is passionate about creating fashionable clothing with low environmental impact. Their eco-friendly clothing not only prevents synthetic fertilizers pesticides from polluting the soil, they also look and feel amazing!
A CD from Putumayo: Putumayo World Music was established in 1993 to introduce people to the music of the world’s cultures. The company’s commitment to helping communities in the countries where the music originates has led to the label contributing more than one million dollars to worthwhile non-profit organizations around the world.
An Eye Pillow from Herbal Animals: Herbal Animals makes eco-friendly pillows in whimsical designs. Each animal pillow is made with 100% certified organically grown herbs, seeds, and cotton
What will you win when you make a purchase at Nest on Earth Day?
Mata Traders
- At April 13, 2012
- By nesthome
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We’re so pleased to have discovered Mata Traders in time for this spring’s clothing season. Our first shipment is now at Nest, and we think you’re going to love this line!
Mata Traders is a fair-trade women’s clothing line, with production done by over 600 women in cooperatives and artisan groups in India and Nepal. In addition to the fair-trade basics of a living wage and safe working conditions, Mata Traders also offers the women on-site childcare, medical check-ups and overtime pay. The women determine all aspects of the production process, and the skills and confidence they gain often ripples out as they become more socially and politically involved in their communities.
Mata Traders is everything fair-trade ought to be. The women are self-organized, do meaningful work they enjoy, and often have the option of working at home or in one of the workshops. They gain an expanded social network of co-workers, professional skills, increased empowerment, and the ability to send their children to school. Their fair-trade work enables them to make a change for themselves and their families now and into the future.
And, by the way, the clothes are cute, feminine and comfortable!
We think the dresses are Mad Men-retro meets classic Audrey Hepburn with a dash of eco-chic… in a way that’s really fun. Hand block-printing and hand embroidery add a unique quality to many of the pieces. Perfect for warm weather fun!
Imagine Greenwear
- At April 05, 2012
- By nesthome
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Last fall we discovered Imagine Greenwear and introduced some of their baby clothes at Nest. Now it’s time to introduce their women’s clothing.
The folks at Imagine Greenwear have developed a seaweed-based dying system that is clean and green. Their colors actually fuse with the organic cotton fabric, instead of being applied to the surface, which means that the fabric remains soft and the colors will not fade. Greenwear’s method uses little energy, reduces the amount of waste due to color run-off, and leaves no toxic residues on the garment.
This season’s women’s tops are bold and artsy. Inspired by nature, the designs are uniquely gorgeous. The cuts are feminine and flattering, while also being deliciously comfortable.
In addition to all that goodness, we consider it a super-bonus that Imagine Greenwear is based in Fairfax, VA, and all their manufacturing is done in the U.S.
Old Made New Again
- At March 30, 2012
- By nesthome
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It was definitely love at first sight when we first crossed paths with designer Beth Delehaunty and her clothing line, Elisabethan, in 2006. Beth makes clothes out of old clothes (or “experienced textiles,” as she puts it), and her creations are charming, fanciful, and fun. When I wear one of her skirts or tops I feel playful and light-hearted.
Beth herself is smart, funny, compassionate, kind, and a little mischievous. She and the clothes she creates inspire me to not miss this life as it zips by! If she lived closer I’d meet her for coffee every Tuesday.
Beth also has an extraordinary eye for design and color. She finds color and pattern pairings that no one else can see. This stripe goes with that stripe which also kind of matches that print with the little stars… a hodge-podge that doesn’t seem to match at first glance, but her wiser eye knows they’re perfect for one another.
Many times over the years I commented to Beth that it sometimes seems a little odd for Nest in Maryland to sell items made out of event t-shirts from Colorado (her home base). Without fail, she always replied, “Well, you could collect Mid-Atlantic shirts for me!” This fall we finally had a t-shirt collection for Elisabethan. We shipped off a big box full of T’s, including shirts promoting the Redskins, Howard County Bike to Work Day, Save the Bay, and to our delight, Roots Market and Great Sage. We couldn’t wait to see what Beth and her crew of sewers would do with them!
A couple of days ago our spring order arrived and it felt like Christmas. There they were, the shirts we’d sent off, re-envisioned with fabulous new personalities. Roots became a star, Great Sage a flower, Bike to Work Day the body of a ruffled top. One of a kind creations reflecting our Nest community!
We’re definitely going to hold a spring t-shirt collection for Beth – we’ll keep you posted on the details!
This Funny Spring Thing
- At March 16, 2012
- By nesthome
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What’s an eco-gal to do when mid-March offers up the most delightful May-like weather? I mean really, earlier this week was the most perfect kind of weather – perfect temperature to shed your sleeves, perfect sun kissing you but not burning, perfect hint of breeze… what’s not to like? Even today’s grey morning is creeping into the low 70’s.
But here we are. Several people have said to me, “This is the good side of global warming!” and I don’t know what to do with that statement. While I tend to see the glass-half-full and strive to always find a silver lining, it’s disconcerting to glibly enjoy climate change. Climate change is already causing increasing problems for human communities around the world, to say nothing of its impact on animals and plants. Whether this week’s weather was just a little heat wave or part of a larger climate trend, it’s distinctly uncomfortable to respond to it with pure delight.
I keep wrestling with the sense that this is not right. It’s March! Shouldn’t we be a little bit wishing and wondering if we’ll get one more snowstorm? In our part of the world our instinctual selves have come to expect a certain amount of cold and darkness. Although modern society tries to keep marching on, the winter months offer the opportunity to go inward, stay home, and rest deeply. Nature offers a thousand metaphors for the cycle of rest followed by action: the hibernating bear, the buried daffodil bulb, every plant that sheds its leaves and grows them again. It serves us well to allow winter to slow us down.
But again, here we are, May in March. I could get on a soapbox and condemn this weather as a sign of the end times; I could become fearful and find doom in every ray of sunshine. Or I can accept it as beautiful and a gift, like every day and every breath. I can stretch my winterish inner quiet for a few more weeks and begin to lighten my diet with the cleansing greens of early spring. I can continue with all the things I do to care for Earth, trusting that they make some small difference. And I will soak in every bit of this warm but not hot, check every evening for early asparagus shoots, and wonder gratefully at the adaptability of our Earth.
Happy Feet
- At March 09, 2012
- By nesthome
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OKA b. shoes are just about the cutest shoes we’ve seen. Their colors and decorations are playful and happy. Durable and non-fading, they can go in the washing machine whenever necessary. Perhaps best of all, these shoes are comfy – those little massage nubbies feel great as you walk!
We’re pleased to be working with such a thoughtful company. For OKA b., “Made in the USA”means deliberately choosing to locate their factory Georgia, manufacturing in an environmentally sensitive way to protect the surrounding community, and giving back in both dollars and shoes.
As part of the environmental commitment, OKA b. shoes are recyclable. They can either be sent to any facility that accepts #3 plastics, or they can be sent back to the factory, where they will be ground up and made into new shoes.
Running Like a Girl
- At March 08, 2012
- By nesthome
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Every now and then a book comes along at just the right moment. I was enjoying my perch on the fence, ambivalent about whether or not to sign up for this spring’s Iron Girl half-marathon. Then I happened upon Run Like a Girl: How Strong Women Make Happy Lives, took it home, and within five pages knew that I will run the race.
This book inspires. Author Mina Samuels recounts the stories of dozens of women athletes (almost all of them ordinary gals) and what athletics has done for them. She reclaims the expression “run like a girl” and offers it as a new mantra for our efforts. Running like a girl is “Getting out there. Challenging ourselves. Finding new possibility within. Finding strength in our own accomplishments. … accessing our ageless girl spirit, where the enthusiastic ‘let’s go’ of youth meets the ‘I can’ of experience.” Even the most seemingly minor athletic accomplishments create an inner culture of confidence and courage that ripples out into other aspects of our lives. Samuels describes the ways that athletic endeavors help us get through difficult times, find time to be alone or with girlfriends, nurture or spark relationships with a life partner, and transition back to full health.
One of the things I particularly appreciated about Run Like a Girl is Samuels’ perspective on the imperfection of it all. Most days we wake up with enough energy and enthusiasm to get up and go, but some days it will be sub-zero and dark at morning run time. Some days it will be hazy, hot and humid. Sometimes you will try a new sport and discover that it’s really not for you. Every now and then you might get injured. Many days you will be tired. She encourages us to heap compassion on ourselves in these moments, reminding us that only when we leave space in our regimen to flex and bend and rest will we stay in the fun of our sport.
Run Like a Girl is rich with anecdotes from women who have found solace, inspiration and health through running and other sports. One after another, each has her moment of genuine surprise when she discovers that she can do more than she thought she could. That’s the big take-away message for me: Set a goal that feels like a stretch, and I will run like a girl and achieve it.
Whether a running novice, an experienced athlete or still sitting on the sofa (or fence), this book will nudge you towards the next step in your fitness journey.
Inter-American Trading
- At March 01, 2012
- By nesthome
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This spring we have brought in cotton tops from Inter-American Trading. These lovely shirts are made in Peru using the highest quality pima cotton, and are made one at a time, by a single person on a simple sewing machine.
Inter-American Trading is dedicated to supporting indigenous people through fair-trade enterprise. They often visit the manufacturers in Peru and Bolivia to confirm that employees are paid a living wage and working conditions are safe.
In addition to the good inherent in being a fair-trade enterprise, Inter-American Trading also gives a portion of their profits to a parish that serves a barrio community on the outskirts of Lima, Peru. The Parish of Santa Ana offers a soup kitchen, two medical clinics, a dental clinic, legal aid consulting and a full-time social worker. Inter-American Trading focuses its contributions on helping the parish build a vocational training center for single mothers and expand a school for the area’s children.
It feels so good to know that the purchase of a handmade top in Clarksville supports a better life for artisans, schoolchildren, and women in Peru.
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