Product of the Month - December

Christmas is almost here and so our product of the month for December has to be the beautiful, hand made, organic cotton Christmas Stockings that are fairly traded and made in India. For only £6.99 they are a stunning stocking for Santa to fill on Christmas Eve. They are generous in size and will fit quite a few pressies in for the kids. If you want something even bigger why not try our Christmas Sack which is also organic and fairly traded.

Product of the month - November

Yes, its nearly Christmas and at Green Eyed Frog we have all our Christmas goodies now in stock. There are some beautiful fair trade Christmas garlands and Christmas Tree decorations made from banana palm leaves. These were very popular last year so buy early to avoid disappointment. New in this year we have some little toy Santas in a pouch made in India from Fair Trade organic cotton - so cute and cuddly!

American Express now accepted

After adding a payment by paypal option last month (and it been used by quite a few people) - we've now added the option to pay by American Express. Although we didn't expect it to be used very much we were wrong as it has!

Seals spotted on the Mundesley coast

On Sunday, when we were at the Norfolk Cottage, we decided to go for an early morning walk. The weather was hot and hazy, better than most days in August. The sea was calm and there was a deep layer of golden sand. I saw something black bobbing up and down in the water a few yards from the beach and thought it might be a seal. Told the family and we all looked in the water. Again we saw the seal come up for air, look around as if to say hello and then swim on. We followed it along the beach and just as we were about to turn back it stopped directly opposite us to pose for a photo. It was an amazing sight, we had never seen seals in the wild before and it seemed so tame. Next time we visit we will remember to take the binoculars!

Product of the Month - September

The Product of the month for September is the Red Football wind-up radio. We tested these on the children when we went camping and they were a real favourite. Our daughter thinks the Pink Hearts wind-up radio is so cool and now all her friends want one...

They are ideal Christmas Stocking fillers and will keep the kids amused for hours and they will never keep pestering you for batteries.

What makes these radios even more Eco is the packaging. No plastic in sight - just 100% recycled biodegradable paper and cardboard.

Product of the month - August

The product of the month for August is the Recycled Plastic Wall Clock, one of our new UK designed and crafted clocks made from recycled vending machine plastic cups. The clock makes a great gift for wedding, birthday or Christmas. We have one of the tide clocks hanging up in our Norfolk Holiday Cottage so that we can tell when the tide is out and go down for a walk on the beach and even have a paddle if its not raining...

Product of the month - July

The Product of the Month for July is the Sarah Smith Beach Bag. A new product from Green Eyed Frog, this bag is a real winner and seems to hold almost everything! A pretty blue and white floral print design made from fair trade certified cotton. What I like about this bag is that it looks good on the beach and for shopping, you can fit loads in it and it washes up a treat. We have used it on the beach and managed to fit in two blankets, a towel, change of clothes for the little one, flask, sun cream and umbrella and there was still plenty of room...

Summer Days!

Well we all know that Summer is just round the corner and we are looking forward to those hot Summer evenings sitting outside on the patio enjoying a glass of wine. To savour the moment for even longer why not try one of our new products, the Sun Jar, providing a soft light for those hot balmy evenings. Sunshine is stored up during the day via a solar panel and rechargable battery which then powers the three LED lamps inside the jar. The light is diffused by the frosted jar and gives the appearance of sunlight. Available in blue or orange, the Sun Jars were winners of the Gift of the Year award for 2007.

Product of the Month - June

Products of the month for June are the Fair Trade flower seeds, grown in South Africa and packaged in Suffolk. A lovely collection of seeds which can be planted from June onwards in the garden. Drought tolerant and easy to grow, this gorgeous blue four petalled flower is a fast germinator and looks good in the border, window boxes or containers. You can also buy this as a gift set with the popular Paper Potter and a jute gift bag.

We now accept PayPal

At Green Eyed Frog we know that some people prefer to pay by PayPal so we have just introduced this as a new method of payment. Just select the PayPal option during payment and off you go.

Product of the Month - May

May's product of the month is our new organic cotton fold-up shopping bag, fairly traded and made in India. This great little bag folds up into itself and poppers together. The bag has on one side a printed design of the cotton plant and when folded organic cotton printed on the side. The bag has a gussett along the bottom and sides making it extra strong and spacious. At only £3.65 this bag is an essential item for your home.

Product of the month - April

Green Eyed Frog's Product of the month for April is the Eco Red Top Fly Trap. Although its been a cold April and we even had snow at Easter its about the right time of the year to order the non toxic Fly Traps so that when Summer comes and you are sitting on the patio, you are free of flies and can sit in peace (apart from the children of course but we don't sell traps for them!).

Last year saw a fabulously hot April and we were in shirt sleeves on the beach. When the warmer weather arrives the summer insects start to wake up including flies. Orders for Red Top Fly Traps have already started to increase and are very popular with expats in France especially those who have small-holdings.

This unique product from South Africa is both safe and practical and can be used outside in the garden or on the farm. A non-toxic protein based bait is used to lure female flies via a turret into a 3 litre trap. By controlling the female, the entire fly population in the area can be brought under control. Each pack contains: 1 x fly trap, powdered flybait and full instructions. It will last approximately 6 to 8 weeks. The contents can then be tipped onto the compost and the plastic recycled.This is a wonderful product and really does work and will save you a fortune on fly spray.

The trap sits outside in the garden and catches female flies thus reducing the fly population in and around your house. If you haven't already tried one of these take a look at the Fly Trap on Green Eyed Frog.

End of Year Stock Take

At Green Eyed Frog we are doing our end of Year Stock Take today so please bear with us.

My son has been roped in to help with a bribe of extra pocket money but he doesn't yet know how much - I've told him it depends how hard he works... As he only has an attention span of a fly it won't be much! He is at that age when you only get a few grunts every so often and his favourite phrase is "its so booooring" - he even has the T-shirt. Apparently they all go through this phase which lasts approximately 2 to 3 years and seems to be a boy thing.

The joys of Parenthood...

Dreaming of a White Easter?

I didn't think that we would get so much snow at Easter. We have been spending the Easter Break on the North Norfolk coast at the Cottage, getting things ready for the start of the holiday letting season. Its been snowing non stop for three days now and the children absolutely love it. We now have 3 snowmen in the garden and 3 very excited children. Our youngest has not seen snow like this before and has been rolling around in it.

There was even snow on the beach, although when I tried to take a walk the other day I was nearly blown away and had to make a hasty retreat.

We have yet to see what tomorrow will bring but the children are hoping for another white morning with more snowmen to build.

Product of the Month - March

March's product of the month has to be the Paper Potter Gift Set. Its nearly Easter and everything is growing in the garden. Its the ideal time to start making your own seedling pots out of old newspapers with the wooden Paper Potter. This lovely gift set includes a pack of Fair Trade flower seeds grown in South Africa and presented in a jute drawstring bag.

Organic Toiletries for Mothers Day

Mothers Day is just round the corner and isn't it early this year?

We have a wonderful new collection of organic toiletries that would make an ideal gift for any mum or grandma. Our Kristin Bailey Collection offers an organic range which is kind to your body and the environment, uses the highest quality ingredients and our organic soap is even finished by hand. In addition, many of the ingredients are sourced from community projects in developing countries.


At Green Eyed Frog we offer the choice of:

• Sweet orange and ginger soap which smells divine;
  
• Wild Honey & Lemon Soothing Bath Essence to soften the skin and sweeten your mood;


• Lime & Grapefruit Energising Body Wash with a tangy, refreshing aroma.

Why not give someone you love an organic toiletries treat and team it up with our lovely selection of jute bags.

Bed Linen & Towel Sale

Check out our bed linen and towel SALE. We have limited stock remaining of bedlinen before the new Fair Trade shipment arrives in a few weeks. Our supplier for the lovely organic towels has now stopped trading so we have just a few left in stock at discount prices. New stock from Gossypium will be arriving soon.

Organic Cotton Bath Sheet now only £15.

Product of the Month - February

February's product of the month is the Simply Soaps Organic Toiletries Gift Box - Romance. Valentine's Day is soon approaching and this lovely gift box of organic goodies is just the job.

A real treat in organic decadent luxury for the one you love. One hand made soap bar; relaxing bath oil and hand made bath salts all presented in an attractive recycled cardboard giftbox. Only natural and organic ingredients are used.

These lovely boxes are made in the wilds of rural Norfolk and are priced very modestly at £11.99.

What is the difference between hessian and jute?

A customer contacted me recently and asked for some hessian bags. As a child growing up on a farm, my father used hessian sacks for the wheat and barley and animal feed. So I thought I needed to find out more...

According to Wikipedia the term Hessian or Brurlap in the US, refers to the use of a coarse woven fabric for soldiers uniforms in the German state of Hesse. It is usually made from jute or hemp and allied vegetable fibres and often used to make sacks and bags to ship goods like coffee breans. It is breathable and thus resists condensation and associated spoilage of the contents. It is also durable enough to withstand rough handling in transit.

Wikipedia goes on to say that Jute is a ligno-cellulosic fibre that is partially a textile fibre and partially wood. The fibres are off-white to brown, and 1–4 meters (3–12 feet) long and often called hessian. Jute fabrics are also called hessian cloth and jute sacks are called gunny bags in some European countries.

So after reading all about it - A jute bag is the same as a hessian bag, burlap bag or a gunny bag.

Jute Shoppers - Long Handles

Our latest new bag has just arrived and is now in stock. These jute shopping bags are so popular I decided that I would try the long handled version. Its great for taking to the shops, folds up small and can be worn over your shoulder. They are only £2.99 and are fairly traded from India.

Where are my Playbus cookies Mummy?

Went into the local Coop yesterday and found some organic, fair trade chocolate chips. Great, exactly what I need to bake the cookies for Little Darling's birthday treat on the Playbus. This had already been postponed from last week due to bus problems so I had no excuse.

At 11pm last night went to the fridge, after fighting with the Tax Return, to find that it had no eggs. Oh dear, I couldn't make his choc chip cookies - hopefully he will have forgotten by the morning and mummy can go and buy some.

Little Darling was up early at 7:30, a miracle for him. Where are my Playbus cookies mummy? Mummy felt really guilty and assured him that they would be there for snack time. After dropping him off at Playbus poor mummy rushed to the local farm to get eggs, rushed home, made cookies, put them in the oven and packed up the orders to take to the Post Office - all in record time and arrived at the bus just in time for snack.

Little Darling after wolfing down choc chip cookies and chocolate crispies brought in by another birthday boys frantic mum, was then sick in the soft play centre on the bus. Poor Mrs Playleader then had to clear it up. I decided to make a quick exit with Little Darling in tow!

The Dreaded Tax Return...

If only I had done it earlier and not left it until the last minute. Why do they make Tax Returns so difficult to understand. I have even been on two courses at our local Tax Office and its still clear as mud. Fortunately I just send the accounts off to our accountant and he comes up with some magical figures.
And then its the VAT return to do...

Why is running a business so difficult sometimes?

Product of the Month - January

January's product of the month is the bamboo handled recycling storage bag. In January we pack away the Christmas decorations, childrens toys and have a general tidy up after the Christmas and New Year festivities. These jute storage bags are just the job.

They provide a practical storage solution and are made from jute, lined with polyethylene and have strong bamboo handles. They will hold up to a months worth of newspapers or a floor full of toys! Attractive enough to keep in any room in the house. Versatile, durable, cost effective and completely bio-degradable, there is little to rival jute.

We also use the bags for storing vegetables, the weekly shop (you can fit a couple in a shopping trolley) and for taking the parcels to the post office. I'm sure there are lots of other uses too such as carrying laundry, storing clothes etc.

A break at the North Norfolk Coast

We are now at the cottage in Mundesley, North Norfolk having a welcome relaxing break after the hectic Christmas rush. The weather is lovely and, although cold, we have been for some bracing walks along the sandy beach. The children have been looking for shells and drift wood and we even managed to drag the 10 year old away from SKY TVs 24 hour Simpsons.

Paul and I have also been tidying, cleaning and working in the garden in readiness for the next guests. I started cleaning the oven and at first thought it wasn't too bad but after 3 hours of scrubbing gave up exhausted. Thats the problem when you don't use chemicals, its takes a lot of elbow grease. If any one knows of an oven cleaner that is ECO please let me know!

Rachel