We've Moved!

Visit us at our new site that now includes our two doors down directory! 
www.twodoorsdowndirectory.com

Thank you for continuing to support local living!

Liz & Kari

The two doors down directory is LIVE!

Finally, after many painstaking hours, the two doors down directory website is up and running! The website combines the directory & blog to provide our readers with the "how to" and the "where to" on living local. With this exciting change, we are requesting you visit the new site, spend time exploring and subscribe! Please click here to discover the new blog & subscribe to daily reads on living local simply. We appreciate your continued support!


-Liz & Kari

The Clay Cottage

The recently opened Clay Cottage gallery and pottery school is a wonderful annex of Charleston's Creative Spark - a non profit center for the arts offering everything, from art classes to music and theatre, for kids and grown-ups of all ages. The Clay Cottage offers individual and adult pottery classes, group classes and couples' night. Grab a bottle of wine and gather your friends, or your honey, for an evening of creativity and ignite your creative spark! Here are some pictures from a recent pottery class led by potter Michaela Kuhn at the Clay Cottage.

The Best Tip for De-Cluttering your Closet

Did you know you wear 20% of your clothing 80% of the time? According to my favorite organizing guru, Peter Walsh, this is a fact. So how do you know what to keep and what to purge? Here is a great tip from Peter Walsh on pairing down your wardrobe to what you really wear. Turn all of your hangers in the opposite direction (round side of the hook towards the wall) and after you wear an item put it back the right way (round side of hook out). At the end of six months all of the items still facing the opposite way need to go! Simple and very honest! You can do the same with shoes; turn them all toe out on the rack and, as you wear them, return them heel out. This is a great way to see what you really wear and what needs to head to Goodwill or the local consignment store. A great time to do this is at the change of season because you can then see at the end of each season what you truly wear and what just sits there year after year collecting dust... 

-Kari & Liz

D.I.Y Composter

A while back my son, Baylor, decided to make a composter for a class project. The project's goal was for each student do something that would have a positive impact on the earth. After doing some research online he gathered the materials and put it together. The process is shown below....

First, he drilled holes into a large garbage can for ventilation (organic matter needs oxygen in order to break down)

Next, he decided to paint the composter to give it a personal touch

He placed straw in the bottom of the can to promote drainage

In went the organic matter we had collected from the kitchen

It is amazing how little trash we have now once we have recycled and composted! The composter has been a real success. It requires a bit more muscle than one that rotates with a hand crank since it needs to be turned regularly, but manual labor never hurt anyone. We have been able to use the "black gold" in our yard and nothing feels better then seeing nature come full circle. Do you compost? Please share your tips with us!

-Kari

Happy Labor Day!

Labor Day is a day for picnics and being with family and friends! Hopefully, you are lucky enough to have the day off from all of your labors! Jazz up your picnic this year with a side of blue cheese cole slaw. This side dish will taste great whether you are doing bbq, burgers or dogs! Now, if you are like my Mom, and do not like blue cheese, you can substitute with some feta (but oh what you're missing!). This recipe is from my good friend Suzanne Cook.

Blue Cheese Cole Slaw

One 5 oz container of blue cheese (use to taste)

One bag cole slaw

3/4 cup to 1 cup mayo

1/4 cup dijon mustard

2 tbl sugar (white or raw)

2  tbl cider vinegar

Enjoy!

Liz

Easy Panzanella Salad

Even with neglect somehow my garden still produced tomatoes this past summer. Plump romas and super sweet yellow heirlooms were ready to be picked daily. I also still have basil growing like a weed. My intention is to make some yummy pesto to freeze but in the meantime I have been cooking italian regularly. I decided to experiment with a panzanella salad considering the stale loaf of bread on the counter and the harvest from the garden. Here is what I came up with, easy and great with a simple spaghetti pomodoro.

Easy Panzanella Salad

A bunch of tomatoes sliced in half

Fresh Basil

Mozzarella pearls

Crusty bread torn into small pieces

Olive oil drizzled on top

Balsamic Vinegar to taste

Sea Salt and Ground Pepper

Toss all ingredients together and serve!

close up of the salad

the perfect meal to enjoy on the porch!

-Kari