Too Late for Summer Reading?

When I was on the North Shore last winter I met Surf Dog. While my little girl was still just a bun in the oven, I learned how important it is to encourage reading in children, even infants. Surf Dog travels around his home Island of Oahu or has off-island excursions. He meets new people, learns new things about our world and writes about them on his blog. You can't beat exciting new experiences as the ultimate encouragement to read.

Check out Surf Dog. He's in San Francisco now. And when you head back to school in just a few weeks you can tell the tale of Surf Dog.

Get Yo' Craft On!

Don't miss the Oceanside Craft Mafia's CraftTopia this Saturday, May 16th from 3-7 pm. It is a great way to support handmade and your local economy. Shop for yourself or pick up some gifts for those birthdays that just keep coming! Either way, you'll walk away with one-of-a-kind doo-dads you won't find anywhere else. See you at Jitter's on Saturday! 510 North Coast Hwy, Oceanside, CA 92054

Chew on This: Gum Tree is Opening!

How frustrating the constant and never ending search for green merchandise in our local stores. Many shops are carrying at least a couple eco-friendly products, but who has time to strip search the product labels of every item we pick up? As much as I love supporting my local economy, I find myself shopping online for most of my eco-conscious gifts and needs. It is much easier to find what I need with the help of those online directories.

So when I heard a shop dedicated to supporting local merchants and green products was opening just a mere few miles from my home, the giddiness overtook me. I was soon telling my friends, neighbors, doctors and yoga instructors. Everyone had to know about this! Yes, Gum Tree was the sweet refreshment I had been waiting for in my local shopping experience.

On Pier Avenue in Hermosa Beach, in a beautiful craftsman style beach house, Gum Tree is half eco gift shop and half organic cafe. The shop proves to all those weary of the "brown bag" eco product, that environmentally friendly can be as easy on the eyes as it is on the earth. Chic, sophisticated and with all the freshness of the near by sea air, you'll be able to shop for home, baby, and of course yourself. And once you've exhausted yourself, and possibly your pocket book (if you failed to resist the urge to buy everything!) then you can cruise just steps to the adjoining cafe and grab a bite.

Gum Tree opens tomorrow! Stop by for the grand opening. Support Green & support local business!

Gum Tree
238 Pier Avenue
Hermosa Beach, CA
310-376-8744
www.gumtreela.com

Will you be caught dead?

You may already be planning to hit up Oceanside's fifth annual street fair in celebration of Dia de los Muertos. While you are down there, take some shelter from the sun and head down Artist's Alley, between Pierview and Mission Ave, where the Oceanside Craft Mafia will be hosting it's first annual craft fair and trunk show in conjunction with the holiday. Plan on being wow'd by members' handmade products. Find original items including jewelry, pottery, hand made cards, baby goods, and much, much more. And, though it may seem early, time does fly and this is a great way to kick off your holiday shopping and support your local economy.

The Oceanside Craft Mafia's Trunk Show is Saturday, November 1st from 7 to 9:30 pm. The Trunk Show booth space is by reservation only and will feature drinks, appetizers, and of course fabulous hand made goods. For information contact info@oceansidecraftmafia.com. Not down for the late night shopping? Find the same great vendors on Sunday, Nov 2nd from 10 am to 2 pm. Follow the chalk art and live music or just map it. Artist's Alley is located at 212 N. Coast Hwy, Unit D, enter through the alley, in Oceanside, CA.

The Oceanside Craft Mafia is a culmination of jewelers, paper crafters, potters and stitchers.  The group embraces the morals and creative achievements of the members of the Austin Craft Mafia (www.craftmafia.com), who began the now national crafters organization.
 
In addition to offering moral support to one another, the OCM works together to creatively market their individual companies and products.  By pooling resources they are able to help one another become more successful in an inundated indie craft market.  It's as much about being a family as it is building business. They rely on one another to inspire, assist and care for one another, and always adhering to strict personal and business ethics.  
 
The real glue that brings this group together is the hope to personalize the consumer market.  We literally have the world’s market to shop from thanks to the World Wide Web.  But so many of our options are impersonal and mass produced.  The OCM supports hand-made and artisan products and believes strongly that they are better made and life enriching.

For more information about the Oceanside Craft Mafia and it's members please visit: www.oceansidecraftmafia.com