5 Tips for First Year Gardens Last spring my husband and I decided we wanted to setup a raised bed garden. We researched online different types of raised bed gardens and then built one. I was so excited that once my little plants grew I wouldn't have to pay for vegetables for at least four months or so! There's something so natural and basic about growing your own food. For me, it feels right and brings me closer to the earth. We did have successes and failures in our first year of gardening and having lettuce that was super-fresh for.. Read More »

  It’s that time of year: spring is just around the corner and warmer days seem to be energizing and inspiring! Spring cleaning is a bug that’s easy to catch and when you get it, watch out! You will be cleaning, organizing, and sorting to your heart’s galore! Sometimes it’s rather difficult to find the starting place when you have the desire to get things organized and de-cluttered. Take a look at these tips to get started and make a huge difference when you decide it’s time to do spring cleaning the green way! De-clutter your wardrobe. This can sometimes.. Read More »

Lucky you! This Sunday, March 17, get 17% off your entire Maggie Bags purchase! It's a one day sale just for St. Patrick's Day.  Shop now! This offer is only valid on March 17, 2013 and only for new purchases made on that day from 12:01 a.m. EDT to 11:59 p.m. EDT. 17% discount applies to all Maggie Bags products on http://www.maggiebags.store. Read More »

  TGIF! Maggie Bags loves Pinterest and each Friday we bring you the coolest pins we saw for the week.  Raised Bed Gardening - A new look to the traditional raised bed garden using large wash tubs and flower planters. The stone path gives access to all your fruits and veggies. Upcycled Wind Chimes - This pin comes from one of Maggie Bags guest bloggers, Eco Crazy Mom. A great craft for kids that she details here. The Basics of Herbs - A terrific illustration of which herbs to use and how to use them. Click on the image below.. Read More »

As promised in previous posts, I am checking in to report on my progress on three green challenges I set for you and myself. The first was to keep our new years resolutions. The second was to track our spending and savings so that we can afford to buy organic. The third was to spend less on groceries in February by eating from the pantry and freezer. It’s never too late to start if you want to join me. Resolutions The resolutions I set were to get fit, eat better food, and save money. It starts with setting goals and.. Read More »

  Before fast food ruled the world, families used to sit around the dinner table leisurely eating home cooked meals, enjoying laughter, debate, and plenty of uninterrupted conversation. Yet somewhere in the mid 1950's, dinner became less about family time and nutritional value, and more about how little time it took to be ready to eat. In a rush to speed through the kitchen, or bypass it all together, the humble ritual of hanging out in the kitchen on a regular basis with family and friends was pushed aside, never recognized for how critically important it is for strengthening family.. Read More »

  TGIF! Each week we give you the scoop on the coolest stuff we saw on Pinterest! Make Your Own Foam Soap -  For just $4 a year, you can make your own foaming hand soap! If you click through the pin you'll see step-by-step instructions. What a cost-saver! I will definitely be trying this one. Desktop Cat Seat - Leave it to Brookstone to come up with this. If you have a cat then you know he/she wants to get right up in whatever it is you are doing. My cat actually does this so maybe I need to.. Read More »

The Maggie Bags team is continually looking for creative ways to do our part for the environment. We realized we were getting near a big milestone - 10,000 likes on our Facebook page. To celebrate this exciting achievement, we wanted to find a creative way to improve our surroundings without being wasteful. What about planting 10,000 square feet of wildflowers? We know that we have the most enthusiastic fans in the world, so help us meet this goal! Copy and paste the below as your Facebook status to spread the word on Facebook! Help Maggie Bags get to 10,000 likes.. Read More »

  Maggie Bags is partnering with several independent bloggers to give you five chances to win during the 2013 Spring Fashionista Event! You're going to look amazing this spring! Below are all the links and ways to win and these giveaways end on March 13, 2013. Enter now! Win $150 in Maggie Bags from Eco Crazy Mom! Win a Butterfly Bag in light pink and chocolate from Eco Baby Mama Drama! Win a Tote of Many Colors from Savings in Seconds! Win $125 in Maggie Bags from Diva Fabulosa! Win a Cicily Tote from The Ordinary Aunt!   Read More »

  You know those cool outfits you see on Pinterest? Ever wonder where those come from? It's Polyvore. Polyvore is the web's largest fashion community where users are empowered to discover their style and set trends around the world. Here's a quick interview I did with our online marketing coordinator, Laura Owens, on where she gets her inspiration for creating outfits featuring Maggie Bags on Polyvore.                                                Want to create your own awesome outfits? It's easy! You can register on Polyvore for free and create as many outfits as.. Read More »

  Homemade croutons are one of my favorite ways to save money and use food that would otherwise go to waste. They’re quick, easy, and make the house smell wonderful. It’s also the only way I can get my ultra-picky son to eat my homemade bread. I can live with that. Most recipe searches for “homemade croutons” suggest using a full loaf of bread and cutting off the crusts, but that seems wasteful to me. When we finish a loaf of bread—store-bought or from the breadmaker—I store the ends in the freezer. Face it: no one wants to eat those... Read More »

   TGIF! Each week we give you the scoop on the coolest stuff we saw on Pinterest!  Swimming Pigs Kit Kat Cake -  This cake has gone viral in the past week, and for good reason! The original recipe is not in English, but luckily a translation was provided which I've listed below. You will need: A 20cm (7.9") sponge cake 2x 200 g milk chocolate bars 250ml of cream Filling of choice for your pie. Layer of jam/ tinned cherries or such, and a layer of creme patisserie , cream or butter icing 3x five packet Kit Kaat==ts 1.. Read More »

  Happiness can be a funny thing. For many, life goes like this- I'll be happy when I finish college, I'll be happy when I own my own home, I'll be happy when I get married, I'll be happy when I have a baby, I'll be happy when (insert anything here), and you get the point. If it seems like you're constantly running on the happiness hamster wheel, perhaps happiness shouldn't be your primary goal. Instead, try changing your mindset, try choosing joy! Happiness is short-lived. Joy, however, can be ongoing, and can be felt before, during, and after the meeting.. Read More »

Calzones - one of the quickest and easiest dinners I love to fix. These also freeze very well and you can use whatever ingredients you like in them. This means fixing different kinds too if you like different veggies or meat than others in your family.  Ingredients 1 tube Pillsbury thin crust pizza dough (from the refrigerated section) 6 oz. part skim ricotta cheese  1 egg Shredded mozzarella Mushrooms, onions, peppers, olives, etc. (whatever veggies you like) Ground beef, turkey pepperoni, Italian sausage (whatever meat you like) Italian seasoning Pinch of salt 1 tablespoon butter or margarine, melted 1/2 teaspoon.. Read More »

  I’ve always thought of gardening as a seasonal activity. Plant in spring, harvest summer into fall, let the ground rest in winter. But this year my husband Bob has proven that year-round gardening is possible. Are you ready to make this the year you have veggies to harvest every day? I will confess that I’m not the green thumb of our family--Bob is. He orchestrates; I assist. We’re by no means master gardeners, and yet our small garden produces HUGE amounts of food.  If you’re just getting started, check out this post from my friend and fellow blogger Gabrielle... Read More »

  TGIF! For all you Pinterest fanatics out there, here's the coolest stuff we saw on Pinterest this week! DIY Doily Painted Lightbulbs - Cover a light bulb with a doily and spray paint it. The light will shine the pattern onto the walls. Upcycling Soda Cans - A great video tutorial on what you can do with soda cans.  Wow! I bet you can find a ton of uses for those cans now!                        Fix a Too-Small T-Shirt - Brilliant! You can take those too-small t-shirts and add a panel in the side. Also works.. Read More »

   We've Hatched an Easter Special Just for You! Now through March 23, get this beautiful Tote of Many Colors in Easter for $10 when you purchase $90 or more! This offer will be presented automatically once you start the checkout process. Simply select "add to cart" to redeem this offer. Limit five per customer. Shop Now!        Read More »

"My seatbelt saved my life...and now it's part of my Maggie Bag!" Meet Calla. Calla is a Maggie Bags customer who contacted us a few months ago with a story and a request. Calla was in a terrible car accident and her car rolled five times. She is ok, but as you can see from the pictures below it is a miracle she survived. She asked us if we could use the seatbelt that saved her life as part of her very own Maggie Bag.   We had the chance to interview Calla and ask her about the accident.   .. Read More »

  TGIF! Here are the coolest things we saw on Pinterest this week. How to Spray Paint and Glaze Furniture - This is a great tutorial on how to prepare and spray paint furniture. This desk only took two cans of spray paint!   Refrigerate or Room Temp? - This is a quick way to see which vegetables and fruit to keep room temperature and which you should refrigerate. Store your produce correctly so it lasts as long as possible!   Toilet Paper Roll Holder - Filed under "why didn't I think of that?" This toilet paper roll holder made.. Read More »

Dixie is the newest addition to the Maggie Bags family. She is eight weeks old and hasn't been feeling well today, so we wanted to see if being inside a Maggie Bag helped her. It did the trick! Here's Dixie inside a Cicily Tote:   And here she is inside a Tote of Many Colors:   Read More »