TUSK!

I have this thing about brands. I'm ok with big box brand names if the quality and value are good. But aside from things like cars (we've got a Toyota), I've found pretty consistently that small gem brands are my favorites-- especially when we're talking about food and clothes.

When it comes to food, I mostly prefer knowing farms over brands-- I'm not super into most foods in boxes or cans. But I know I love Full Belly Farms, Twin Girls Farms (best apples besides my parents' tree), Martinez Farms. Good fresh stuff.

And when it comes to clothes, you know I admire Verrieres and Sako and fabulous local clothiers. It's just nice to find real quality instead of picking over stuff on plastic racks under fluorescent lights. Now just to clarify, I'm no snob about the fabulousness of plastic-rack-free shopping. It's just that for me, it's nice to feel like there's a person behind the the object, a crafter or artisan who loves their work.

Which is why the etsy website is such a Danger Zone for me-- small business people, mostly women from what I can tell, selling their handmade wares. I'm warning you-- it's some of the most wonderful stuff you can find on the internets.

Here's my latest small brand find: Tusk!! My old Target wallet was falling apart after five years of use. I saw this beauty at Atmosphere in Boulder, CO. Atmosphere is a really fun boutique, where you can find exquisite little items like the Tusk wallet-- I got the quilted silver-studded one in brick red (shown in olive). After dreaming about it for months and not finding anything comparable for less, I went for it.

It's wonderful! This is a classic-yet-unique-and-chic-and-sexy find. In other words, the Holy Grail of wallets (and most things!). I recommend Tusk highly!