Have fun with Foodie Dice by Two Tumbleweeds

Its was September, and the hunt for unique gift items to fill the store was running through my mind as the gift giving season approaches. Yes, I know, I'm talking about Christmas already. AHH! However, in retail that is the way one has to think, always two steps ahead.

While searching through Etsy, (the handmade marketplace), I came across a great product, Foodie Dice created by Two Tumbleweeds. These dice demolish the mundane, routine dinners we have a habit of making and put the creative fun back into cooking.

A company created by two sisters living in Sanoma County, California that were tired of making the same five meals week after week. Working together to consciously craft and create Foodie Dice they decided to have a Kickstarter campaign to get them off the ground with a goal of raising $7,500. The response to this fun idea was astounding, and they raised a whopping $156,00 by the end of their campaign. WOW!

The sisters behind Two Tumbleweeds and Foodie Dice have been keenly aware of making smart choices throughout the creation of their products and the growth of there business. They wanted to present a package that people would be proud to have on a shelf in there kitchen. Starting we strong graphics, they moved towards smart packaging. Partnering with Refresh Glass, they use recycled wine bottles as a storage jar. The dice themselves are made out of birch and laser engraved in the USA.

 So, what are Foodie Dice and how do they work?

Upon opening your Foodie Dice container you will find nine laser engraved dice. Five primary dice and four seasonal veggie dice. The ingredients on the dice are a mix on common and slightly more unusual giving you room to try new things. (However to us Salt Spring Islanders many of the 'unusual' ingredients are just a regular part of our varied food choices! What city folk would call hippie food.) With these nine dice it is possible to create over 186,000 combinations, something I doubt any of us could think up on our own.

The girls at Two Tumbleweeds have done an awesome job thinking of all the dietary choices or restrictions out there. These dice are gluten free friendly and quite easily transformed to be Palio friendly by just leaving out the grain die and rolling the veggie die twice. They are also fairly Vegan friendly as the 'meat' die gives an option for both meat and a similar vegan item on the same side. Ex. Turkey or Seitan, Chicken or Tofu, Beef or Tempeh. All in all these ladies have thought of everything when creating this awesome product.

So how do you play Foodie Dice?

Step One: Choose your die. 

Step Two: Roll, Roll, Roll

Step Three: Assess your combo

Step Four: Prepare

Step Five: Ta-dah! Dinner is served. 

Its as simple and fun as that. I think this would be a great thing to do with friends for a evening in! I just can't wait until they make a Delicious Breakfast set! Because we all know, that is the best meal of the day! Or at least it is in my world. Two Tumbleweeds have also come out with a Mixology Set that we will be carrying soon, stay tuned for a post on that. So, come on in and grab your set today. They come at two price points, in the recycled jar for $40 or in a cotton bag for $24. Also, check out there site here for booster die including seasonal beer! 

Click here to purchase online at the Thrive Lifestyle webshop. 

All photo credits to Two Tumbleweeds and there photographers.

Vancouver Trip [Taxes, Meetings, + Fun]

Running Thrive from a small island means that at times, we must venture to the big city! Zoe and I love these trips. Then tend to last just the right amount of time, inspire us with new ideas, and involve some decadent food! Here is a little highlight from our recent trip to Vancouver, B.C just a three hour ferry ride from the tiny island on which we reside!

The days starts at 6am. Time to rally the troops and head to the ferry. Zoe and I had decided to use this down time wisely.... to do something we hate. ACCOUNTING. Accounting is the evil cousin to owning your own business. Yet, completing the task with an ocean view and rooibos tea seemed to make it more achevable!

Straight of the ferry and headed down town. The main reason for this trip was to meet Cyndi, our manufacturer in downtown Vancouver, B.C. We are happy to have Cyndi help us with many of our sewing and design needs here at Thrive. As we grow we just can't make it all in house. So, Cyndi overseas a team for us in Vancouver. Zoe and I tend to dream up stylish clothing items that start there journey as a sketch on paper, or more commonly masking tape on an existing item we wish to alter to suit our taste and style. Our meeting was at 1:00pm, so off to explore some of the city first. 

First stop, Lunch at The Whip. Zoe and I have stopped in here many times. The food is always good and the art always changing and great to get the creative gears going! Drop by if you are in the Main St. area as it is a great place to eat and meet with friends. 

Next was a visit to Nineteen Ten. Zoe and I met the owners last summer when they stumbled on our shop while on a visit to Salt Spring. Sharing a common appreciation for contemporary design and decor we were excited to get a chance to stop in for a visit. Let me just say, it exceeded our expectations. Nineteen Ten is defiantly a must go shopping experience for anyone who loves contemporary design, fun lighting and supporting local products. 

Our last adventure of the day was spent on West 4th. This area of Vancouver has a great balance of big, small, established and new boutiques. Making it a fun area to look around, find inspiration or chat over a coffee. As you may know, a common enjoyment for us girls at Thrive is good coffee and an excellent treat to accompany it. Which was why the two of us were overjoyed when we walked into the 49th Parallel + Lucky's Donuts. The 49th Parallel is a local roasting company based out of Vancouver. The dudes at 49th decided after many trips to find authentic beans that they would love to explore the world of authentic donuts as well. Thus, the idea of Lucky's grew. After many trips to the States enjoying what other donut shops had to offer they opened there first donut/coffee shop in June of 2012, (same time Thrive was born!) to share there unique flavours with there fans. So, if you have the time, stop by and check them out... The coffee and the donuts are defiantly worth the trip! So, Lucky's I have a feeling you will become a regular on our Vancouver excursions!

Yum Yum Yum!

Well, thats a little day in the life of a Thrive Vancouver excursion for you! Hope you enjoyed what we had to share. And if you every find yourself on Main St. or West 4th, remember to check out these great finds!