Summer Sale

A quick announcement...

As August is almost upon us, it is time to start the Summer Sale at Clever Girl!

Markdowns of 25%~60% have been taken on summer clothing, hats, sweaters and accessories. Hurry in for best selection on sizes and colors.......

Warm and Wonderful

Our newest favorite find.........Natural linen and leather for sun kissed days. Meet Spartina 449, a fresh and new handbag line that will set you apart from the rest. Choose from the playful pinks of the Sea Island collection, go blue with the Ocean Wind grouping, or savor the fresh colors in the Clubhouse collection. Whatever design you select, you're going to LOVE these bags. This is color for grown-ups. This is a bag for many seasons. We have totes, draw-string bags, cosmetics, wristlets, wallets and more. If you're ready for something a little different, and want a bag that will take you easily into fall~search no more!

Three Simple Things

In catching up on magazines that have been piling up, I just read the April 2009 issue of Country Living and found a neat article on simple things we all can do to be more eco-friendly. Most are common sense things that we may overlook. Here are a few:

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  Tighten your gas cap until it clicks three times.

Here's why: Each year in the United States, 147 million gallons of gasoline literally evaporate into the atmosphere because of loose, damaged, or missing caps.

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  Serve a 1.5-liter magnum of wine when dining with a group instead of two 750-milliliter bottles. (Anything to help...right?)

Here's why:A magnum weighs less and requires less fuel to ship than two standard bottles.

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  Stow a reusable bag in your car for errands.

Here's why: If every American stuck with a tote, we'd waste 380 billion fewer plastic bags this year alone.

And let's be sure the bags we use are cute, clever and charming too. No reason we have to look too earthy, right? A few suggestions from the tote department at Clever Girl:

Vintage French school poster art have a second life on our amazingly popular Shopper. French language lesson added for your learning pleasure. Now you can learn while you shop.

Oui, always thinking of you!

Foxes, owls, kitties, brilliant birds and of course there's a squirrel or two. It's the pattern that makes you look twice and then it's truly twice as nice.

Of course we have many, many others as well. You'll have to decide which is "you". Our totes are big and long lasting with durable construction at a great price. Made from used grain sacks and plastic water bottles, they replace disposable supermarket bags and hold A LOT! Oh, and bonus, 1% of sales fund programs of The Nature Conservancy worldwide.

Seasides Squirrels

I flew out to Maine last week to celebrate Jinny's birthday and the 4th of July. The rain here has not let up yet, and we've set a new record low for the so called "high" temperature. Whatever that means. Anyway, as seems to be a new theme for me, the little red squirrels are here...

Everyday like clock work this little guy makes a daring (stupid?) run all the way across the front deck. There are three dogs here, and now they know to look for him, so it really is something to see. All day long we hear him chattering away in the woods, and having heated discussions with our little band of chipmunks that live in the rocks below. I can only wonder what they find to talk about...perhaps they are discussing The Real Housewives of New Jersey like the rest of us.

Now, here's the clever thing: cocktail hour here begins with the passing of The Hardy Boat that cruises past every evening at 5:30. The sound of that boat idling along very quickly leads to the sound of ice tinkling in the glasses. (This is vacation after all) But I digress. No sooner do we settle in to cocktail hour but our little red friend appears again. He perches on the railing and watches all of the cocktail activities for at least an hour! Our guests and neighbors all find this quite charming--the dogs--not so much.

Please forgive the rather poor photo, but is was raining and dark when I took this... but here he is, peeking in on the party. He paces a bit but remains out there more or less all evening and it's dark when he finally makes for home.

So, that's just a little update-here's to a rainy early July, and to our new found forest friend. I for one know a Beagle who's keeping watch to make his acquaintance...

A Fabulous Fourth

HAPPY 4th OF JULY!

Word of the day: Vexillogy. n. Meaning: The study of flags.

According to legend, that early clever girl, Betsy Ross, got out her needle and thread and created the red, white and blue that we all proudly wave today. (With a little design direction from a Mr. George Washington)

The American flag flies on the moon, sits atop Mount Everest, and is hurtling out in space. The flag is how America signs her name. It is certainly no surprise that Betsy Ross has become one of the most cherished figures of American History. When we view the flag, we think of liberty, freedom and pride. As we attend parades and gather with family and friends this holiday weekend, let's remember Betsy Ross, way back in 1776 sewing the flag. Our flag.

A very happy Independence Day to you all!

Learn more about the creation of our flag at the Betsy Ross homepage