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.

Just in time for Mother's Day: A Trunk Show!

Please join me at Alexa Webb Artisan Jewelry, on May 7, from 6 to 8 pm for a Three Stone Steps trunk show, where we'll be unveiling brand new items from the Philippines, Vietnam, and Cambodia.

Pictured left is a great new travel set, a cosmetic case and jewelry pouch, made of jacquard silk from Vietnam. The set costs $25, or $15 each piece.




And, to the right, we have a cute, perfect for that summer event clutch fairly made in the Philippines of seagrass. If seagrass isn't eco-chic enough for you, the lining is made from recycled flour sacks. And, you can carry this this incredibly sweet bag for a sweet price. It's a mere $23!


Oh, and there's so much more! New hand loomed silk scarves from Cambodia. New colors of the very popular silk screen on cotton messenger bag, more colors and styles of the lovely Angkor bag, complete with matching silk wallets, and purses made from recycled junk food wrappers.

We'll be serving some light refreshments, and hope that you'll join us.

Alexa Webb Artisan Jewelry is in Federal Hill, at 1028 S. Charles Street.

Shooting in Outerspace. Booblehead Not Included.

I'm on the seemingly never ending journey of shooting my new products (many of which aren't even here now, but I have samples. And, they should be here soon. Fingers crossed.)

Anyway, most of the photos are just suspended in outer space. You know, white background. A focus on the product. And, the photos end up looking like this:


Actually, these are lovely (and, in stock, although not on the Three Stone Steps site yet). I mean, who wouldn't love a cute jacquard silk cosmetic bag and jewelry pouch set, fairly traded from Vietnam?

But, you know, shooting photos like this doesn't exactly scratch one's creative itch. (Ok. I did use my little light box outside, instead of inside with a lot of lamps. Chalk that up to my concern with my carbon footprint, my desire not to give our dastardly gas & electric company, BGE, one more cent, and wanting to be outside on a gorgeous day. And, that did provide some challenges, although not exactly of the creative kind.)

So, I moved on to shooting my very eco-chic bamboo earrings, which should be here Friday. At this point, I'm pretty much just testing. And, in a moment of incredible inspiration some weeks ago, I decided to name these the Let's Go O's earrings. (And, yes, they will be available in O's orange.) And, what could be better than O's earrings, than pairing them up with Cal Ripken?


I don't really know if a photo like this will make it to the website, but, we'll see. Bobblehead not included.

Blue Skies Smiling at Me

For the first time, in what seems like forever, the sun is shining and the sky is blue here in Baltimore, Maryland, USA, home of the worldwide headquarters of Three Stone Steps.

And, with this weather, my thoughts turn to this weekend, specifically for Saturday, when the weather is supposed to be even more glorious, and Three Stone Steps will be in Druid Hill Park to take part in, for the second time, Baltimore's EcoFest.

Last year, EcoFest was terrific fun and incredibly inspiring (almost, but not quite as inspiring as everyone's new favorite singer, Susan Boyle--ha!-trying to figure out a way to get Susan Boyle in this post, and I did!) If you're interested in what I thought about this wonderful event last year, I did blog about it in 2008, and it can be found right here.

And, if you're hoping for a sneak peak on what Three Stone Steps will have on tap, well, our famous repurposed mosquito netting items will have some special (read low) pricing, and, with hope--praise deity of your choice and fingers crossed--some brand spankin' new items from the Philippines. But, don't hold your breath.

If you make it there, please stop by and say hi.

Three Stone Steps in the Baltimore Examiner & The Scarf

Ok, while anorexic fashion models aren't quite Three Stone Steps' thing (ok, Venus, our tall, thin mannequin model is an exception), I was delighted with this little write up in the Baltimore Examiner's online edition last week.

And, delighted, too, that scarves were the featured fashion accessory. Really, I have seen fashionistas here and there, even in the heat and humidity of the Baltimore summer, wearing scarves. And, I must admit, that Three Stone Steps just received some great new hand loomed 100 percent Cambodian silk scarves. As with everything else, I'm still busy getting them up on the site, but honestly, these scarves are so beautiful and luminous and just so tactile that it helps to see them in person.

I'll have the colors on photos updated on the site by next week, but if you're in need of a scarf right this minute, please contact us.


http://www.examiner.com/x-403-Baltimore-Fashion-Examiner~y2008m7d2-It-Takes-Just-3-Stone-Steps-to-Look-Effortlessly-Chic



It Takes Just 3 Stone Steps to Look Effortlessly Chic!

POSTED July 2, 10:31 AM

One trend I really, really love right now is accessorizing an outfit with a colorful, thick scarf. It’s perfect for all ages (my grandmother got me hooked on to the trend almost ten years ago) and all climates. You can wear this trend in July, but make sure its after 7 p.m., because you’ll roast to death during the daytime.

One Baltimore-based company that sells this trendy look, along with other accessories, is Three Stone Steps. They have a selection for men and women, and best of all, their products represent globalization and going green at its finest. The name "three stone steps" comes from Chinese lore, where three stone steps at the foot of wooden staircase promises solid footing for a good journey.

If you’re not a fan of scarves, their bags are the latest eco-craze here in Charm City. Functional, durable, funky, and sustainable, they’re made from repurposed mosquito netting, and lined with repurposed waterproof industrial tarp. One style is made from post-consumer waste black plastic garbage bags, which have been collected by mothers in Cambodia and then washed and dried in the sun.

Ellen Reich, owner of Three Stone Steps and former labor union activist, states: "It's important to me that the appeal of these bags is on their design, and not, initially, on how and by whom they are produced. The only way that we'll move, as a society, into being more conscientious about what we are consuming is to sell things that people actually adore and want to use." Ellen started the business in late 2006 as a way to share the great products she found while traveling with a larger audience.

Contact Info:

ellen@threestonesteps.com
www.threestonesteps.com
443.927.9239 phone/fax

Earth Week in Baltimore

What a great scene right in front of my little Three Stone Steps space at the Eco Festival that kicked off baltimoregreenweek. All morning long, there were groups of kids drawing with chalk on the asphalt. While many kids came through during the day, this little group above came first.

Really, whenever I do one of those early spring festivals at the home of Three Stone Steps' worldwide headquarters in Baltimore, Maryland, USA, I'm always delighted.





In this case, I was incredibly amazed at all the positive things that people are taking on to make the city, state, country, and planet a better place to live now and into the future. Also, getting out with my eco-chic bags, silk scarves, and business card cases and getting feed back is always great. And, let's be honest, a sale or two never actually hurt either.

I also had fantastic neighbors. Reps from a new magazine, City Living Source, on one side, and the delightful Sharan, who's taken it upon herself to put together Baltimore's first Fashion Week on my other side. In fact, I was so impressed with both that I'll probably do some sort of ad thing in the magazine around the winter holidays, and am seriously thinking of taking my eco-chic bags to the runway for Fashion Week. Ok, it's not Milan, or London, or New York, but it's sure to be fun and new (for me).

I'll keep you all posted on my first foray into the world of the catwalk.

But, before I get there, I'll again be at a Springtime in Baltimore event at the Cylburn Arboretum on May 10. As always, I'll keep you posted!