Eli Phant is a really special place, and not just because Xander, our Smile Specialist and Product Pro, works there part time. It’s a beautiful shop owned by Sally Struever and Peter Eiermann in the East End community of Portland Maine. Sally and Peter are a couple who, for two years now, have been combing the US and the globe for beautiful, handmade goods and sharing them with the Greater Portland community. (They have an on-line shop, too! Visit them here: www.eli-phant.com.)

Eli Phant puts the fun back in functional, with a range of silk-screened textiles, jewelry, furniture, hand bags (one can NEVER have enough bags), ceramics, and clothing. Their walls are hung with all kinds of colorful silk-screen prints by talented artists, and they even have a gold-painted ceiling!

We can really get behind Eli Phant’s ethos. Their stuff is awesome, and they feature so many talented crafters and artists! Check them out on-line or at 253 Congress Street in Portland for some great gift ideas, a special treat for yourself, or even just a little inspiration.

When I came across the blog thxthxthx recently, I knew it would make every day a little better! Growing up, the author (Leah) was always told the importance of thank you notes. So now she writes them every day, to anything she feels deserves a little gratitude.

I hope you like this blog as much as we do!

So, last week I wrote a brief post about Atayne, one of Turtle Love Co.’s Entreverge colleagues - folks, who, like Turtle Love Co., were chosen as “rock star entrepreneurs” in the Portland, Maine area.

Topline Marketing is another of the Entreverge winners. Topline Marketing exclusively markets natural food and life products, and is committed to expanding the natural products industry in the Northeast. The Topline team represents a select group of natural products manufacturers and producers, and assists retailers in their merchandising and displays.

Karen Farrell is the president and CEO. She’s an amazing businesswoman who is also an awesome midwife - she went to Haiti to help pregnant women birth their babies in the aftermath of the Haiti earthquake earlier this year. Karen is an inspiring speaker on the topic of natural foods and natural products. Talk about charismatic: at a business meeting where Karen spoke recently, she inspired one of the attendees to quit his desk job to make a more significant impact on the world!

She gives out some AWESOME goody bags, with treats from clients like Badger Balm, Gaia Herbs, Bach Flower Remedies, and Dr. Bronner’s Magic Soap.

My favorite part of Topline‘s beliefs is the notion that “body care products should be clean enough to eat even if they don’t taste good.” Amen!

We’re excited to introduce you to Chaya Caron! She’s another artisan who hails from Maine, a mere hop and a skip over picturesque Casco Bay, with its islands, ferries, cormorants, and lobster boats. She designs and crafts her jewelry in her South Portland studio, where she is kept on task by her two cats, Everest and Tigger.

Chaya’s love of the outdoors is perhaps reflected in her beautiful Flower Earrings and Dainty Square Flower Necklace. Her handcrafted jewelry depicts lush cherry blossoms rendered in sterling silver, and the simplicity and grace of her designs recall haiku poetry. In keeping with Chaya’s appreciation for nature, she crafts her jewelry using recycled precious metals and fair trade gemstones.

One of Chaya’s pet peeves is the notion that people in Maine survive a year-round winter, replete with glaciers and sub-zero temperatures. In fact, Chaya loves living and working in Maine, where she can wake up to the sunrise over one of our state’s numerous and gorgeous lakes, with the morning mist hugging the trees. We also love living and working in Maine! We’re currently enjoying beautiful weather full of flowers and spring peepers!

Last June, Turtle Love Co. was the winner of one of five Entreverge awards presented by the Portland Chamber of Commerce. The award went to five young companies recognized for their innovation and contribution to the Maine business community. Nominations are now open for the 2010 awards, so I thought it’d be a good time to take a minute to recognize our 2009 Entreverge colleagues before the new crop of awesome people and companies comes on the scene.

Atayne, founded by Jeremy Litchfield and based in Brunswick, Maine, manufactures and sells high-performance athletic gear made from recycled plastics. Atayne strives to use materials and dyes that are non-toxic, unlike many of the mass producers of athletic gear. One of the most interesting things that I learned hearing Jeremy speak was about the amount of fabric that’s wasted when cloth is cut for apparel. By carefully designing cutting and apparel patterns, Atayne has been able to reduce the amount of excess fabric generated when the pieces are cut. Even better, Atayne’s working on making stuff out of the scraps, too. It’s good business, and it’s good for the environment.

Another of our beloved local haunts is Big Sky Bread Company. Located in an old firehouse down the street from our offices, Big Sky makes the tastiest bread around. The Honey Whole Wheat is awesomely hearty and flavorful, and the Challah is said to be perfect for French Toast (though we’ve never actually had enough left to make french toast with it!) Also, the people who work there are awesome and beautiful and friendly. Here’s a picture of some Honey Whole Wheat cooling - yum!

Our Bicycle Built for Two necklace was featured in a spread on Earth-friendly Fashion in Pregnancy & Newborn Magazine!