Gifts for people who cook (and who doesn't cook?!)

If you cook, you've got dishes to wash. Mrs. Meyer's makes both traditional dish soap, and dishwasher soap. Both are natural, hard working, and they smell great (kinda like me!).

After you wash the dishes, you need to dry them. I have two different sets of Christmas-themed dish towels: four towels folded neatly into a cute fabric bag. Display them or use them--they'll put a festive spin on your kitchen decor. These are a great host/hostess gift for those holiday parties you'll be attending.

I have both holiday and all-season dip chillers now. Just put ice in the bottom part, and your dip stays cool throughout the whole party (or movie, or whatever). Both come in 1 and 2 cup sizes. I just got in a fresh order of dip mix--a great stocking stuffer for anybody--even those who don't cook (you need to stir, and that's about it).

The handmade cutting boards and wine holders are a perfect gift for that special cook in your life. Handcrafted in Berwyn by a Berwyn artist, Nevin Peters. We also have the perfect conditioner for them--Howard Naturals' Butcher Block Conditioner. It's unscented (unlike their other fabulous woodcare products), all natural, and very moisturizing to keep your cutting boards from drying out (as comes with washing). Resting atop these boards is some Chef's hand cream from Sunfeather Natural Soaps.

Clothespin Monsters have invaded Fly Right Gifts!

I have just received a new shipment of goods from Idle Hands Workshop--okay, it's my cousin Alex in DesPlaines, and she came over with the stuff. It's sooo freaking cute! She made me some hand knit hemp washcloths, some funky felted knit wool coasters, some really cute cat toys stuffed with organic catnip, a sample (which I wouldn't let her take back) of a kid's pumpkin knit hat, and the Clothespin Monsters!!! They are really funny hanging bags to keep your clothespins in and you have to reach into the monster's gaping mouth to get your pins out. She's just too darn clever. She'll be making more of the pumpkin hats, as well as other warm headgear (a mohawk hat was mentioned) for the little ones.

I also got in some less exciting stuff, but it's new and cool and I'll write about it: Loofah kitchen scrubbers shaped like vegetables (eggplant, mushroom, tomato, and chili pepper) that you can use to scrub veggies or pots and pans (or your body--but don't cross-contaminate!), natural vegetarian and vegan soup mixes (but it was about 100 degrees in there today, so I put those in the back), and some great dip chillers that keep your dip cold. The loofahs are great because they resist mildew, they're all natural (even the dyes are vegetable-based), and they're gentle enough to use on non-stick cookware. They are totally biodegradable, and they last longer than a scrub sponge that you have to throw in the garbage! And they won't get stinky like a sponge.







I have also recently added locally handmade cutting boards from Berwynite Nevin Peters. Some are bamboo and some are beautifully made with hardwood remnants from his furniture design business. His craftsmanship is superb and he wholeheartedly endorsed my Howard Naturals Butcher Block conditioner to keep them in shape. I also got some funky wine bottle holders made from the same hardwood as the boards.

Local soapmaker extraordinaire, Olive Owl, has supplied me with lots of yummy soaps and lip balms, too. Many customers have recognized it from the Berwyn Open Market and snatched it up. They're really great products and the prices are VERY reasonable ($3 for a lip balm, and $3.50 for a soap)!