An early Happy New Year

Some updates from Three Stone Steps for the end of the year and the decade:

Starting early next year, the 10th to be exact, I'll be on the road to meet with our existing fair trade producers in Cambodia, Vietnam, and the Philippines. I'll also be on the lookout for great new unique, functional, and eco-friendly accessories. Please stay tuned. I think there will be great new items in store.

During that time, we will not be processing orders, so if you have your heart set on something, best to order it as soon as possible. We'll be back to processing orders by the third week in February.

If I'm not updating this blog, please follow me on Twitter, @threestonesteps, or on www.threestonesteps.com's Facebook fan page.

We're thinking of beginning a dedicated travel blog--ok. I realize that I have trouble keeping this one updated, so I can't imagine how I'll deal with two of 'em!-- but will definitely let you know if that happens.

So, in the meantime, Happy New Year! I'll be back here soon.

From the you can take the girl out the the English Department department

http://www.internal.org/view_poem.phtml?poemID=120

Posted via email from ellen's posterous

About a week to go for online shopping

Here we are again. It's time for holiday shopping. Of course, here at Three Stone Steps, we hope you shop online with us, but if you don't, of course we hope you shop locally at places that carry sustainable and fair trade merchandise.

I wrote a little post about where to shop in your pajamas over on another site, where I'm the Baltimore Green Culture "Examiner.

As for Three Stone Steps, you still have about a week to shop and, if you're in the U.S., get your items shipped in from USPS Priority Mail.

Let me know if you want something giftwrapped and what you'd like written on a gift card.

Another holiday shopping post, or what to do this weekend

If you're trying to beat Black Friday and supporting interesting independent businesses, like, ummm, Three Stone Steps, you may want to check out Holly Fest at Friends School , at 5114 N. Charles Street, in Baltimore on Saturday, the 21st. It runs from 10am to 4pm, costs $5 to get in, and is jammed packed with vendors selling everything from jewelry to pottery to sweaters to artwork. If you're looking for Three Stone Steps' great fair trade, eco-chic items, you can find us in the new gym, about four spaces in from the door.

On Sunday, Three Stone Steps will be, once again, at the Baltimore Bazaar, right across the street from the big farmers market. (Honestly, if you've never been to the farmers market, you really should go since it's great and lively and almost a big party. However, the Sunday before Thanksgiving--read this Sunday--is their biggest shopping day of the year.)

Hope to see you out at one of these events. Of course, you can always find Three Stone Steps online, and there are a few great items at the World of Good site, where, at long last, you can buy recycled newspaper and magazine Christmas ornaments.

More soon.

It's November! Now I can actually post about the Holidays

After a bit of a wait, I was able to get these very super fabulous recycled Christmas trees made from recycled 55-gallon oil drums in Haiti. They are pretty amazing. I bought one last year for personal use (and, I never have a tree, but just couldn't resist this one):

Pretty cool, huh? And, not only is it recycled and helps provide a sustainable income to an artisan in the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere, the tree folds up flat and can be used year after year after year.

These'll be online soon, and I'll certainly update you when you are able to buy one for yourself or as a gift.

And, there are several little holes on the tree, just perfect for hanging our ornaments. May I suggest adorning your recycled Christmas tree with recycled ornaments made from used newspaper and magazines? Not only are they recycled, their fair trade too, and made by a women's collective in a depressed urban area in Manila.

The ornament below is made of recycled newspaper "beads" and interspersed with actual small beads:


And, this ornament (below) is made from recycled magazines, turned into "twine":

And, this beautiful one is made from recycled office paper:
And, this last one is made of newspapers turned into a "twine."


Again, I'll definitely update you when they're online, which should be later today. So far, they're going fast!

Update! The ornaments are now online at World of Good! Check 'em out.

The Shopocalypse, or What Would Jesus Buy?

Please note: I posted this at the Baltimore Green Examiner right here, but am also including this for readers of this blog. If you're in the area, hope to see you there!

With Black Friday and Cyber Monday just around the corner, Baltimore's Action! Film Series will be screening What Would Jesus Buy? on Tuesday, November 3rd at The Windup Space in Baltimore's Station North Arts District, at 12 W. North Avenue. Doors open at 6:30, the film screens at 7:00pm, and a Q&A and shopping session will follow at approximately 8:30. This is one to tell your friends about!

What Would Jesus Buy?, produced by Morgan Spurlock (Super Size Me), is a hilarious and energizing docu-comedy about over-consumption and the pending "Shopocalypse: the end of mankind from consumerism, over-consumption and the fires of eternal debt!" The film follows Reverend Billy and the Church of the Stop Shopping Gospel Choir as they go on a cross-country mission to save Christmas from the Shopocalypse. Check out the trailer.

Following the film, representatives from Green America, Ten Thousand Villages, Three Stone Steps and other green and fair trade businesses and organizations will be on hand to discuss responsible consumption and offer you excellent gift options for the season.

So, join us for an evening of film, discussion, drinking, laughter, and shopping!

The Shopocalypse is upon us … Who will be $aved?

For more information, contact Action! Film Series co-producer Kathy Harget (410-440-9896) or send an email to: ActionFilmSeries@gmail.com.

What does "green" mean & climate change fashion

Three Stone Steps has a little writing gig. I'm now the Baltimore Green Culture "Examiner."

I'm delighted to be able to report on local "green culture" although I'm not sure exactly what that means. In fact, "green" is used so often, I'm not sure what the entire word means anymore. But, what's good about an amorphous word and term is that I get to define it.

Today's post is about these clever high heeled flippers (pictured above), which would be just perfect if any of those dystopian visions of climate change come to pass. And, frankly, these shoes would pair perfectly with the mosquito netting and waterproof Luna Bag for that special night out.