National Youth Day 2011

  The Gustavus Lightbourne Sports Complex and the downtown ball park are full of energy at the moment, stop by and catch the fun!  Under the theme "Youth, Your Moment is Now" the National Youth Day celebration commenced at 8am this morning with a walk and will continue on through late this afternoon with a talent competition.  At my Tuesday frame making craft class at the tciyouthcentre all the kids were super excited for today's festivities.  Take a moment today to think about how you might be able to help TCI's Youth find their moment.  Give a smile, lend a hand, offer praise, and share your wisdom!

Wednesday Woodworks - Baths

Image by Emily Followill for Traditional Home via whitehaveninteriors

Today tc millwork delivered fifteen beautiful mahogany doors so we are anxious to share but we must wait until installation is complete.  Instead, take a peek at some beautiful bath woodworks from around the blogosphere.  This superb built-in shows excellent craftsmanship and the windows frame it perfectly.

Image by John Jaco via greige

Love how this bath is soaked in natural light, ideal to showcase the herringbone floors.

Image from houseofturquoise

This feminine bath features an elegant built-in vanity and ornate wardrobe.

Image greigedesign

This vintage inspired bath still feels soft and light despite the extensive chocolate hued paneling.  Love the open timber ceiling and unique sink stand.

Image via mydesignchic

I adore everything about this eclectic and rustic bath (except for that plain ol' toilet spoiling the fun).  Who would have guessed that all these unlikely elements (fireplace mantel, urns, stoic gold framed portrait, oriental light fixture) would have worked side by side?  Not for everyone, but that fully planked wall leading seamlessly into the ceiling is ultra labor intensive.  Bravo!

Image via greigedesign

This wide plank flooring, the massive window, the folding shutters, and the entire framework within the room leading into the bath are all clean and stylish examples of  multiple woodworks coming together to create a sophisticated space.

Image Liz Artindale via desiretoinspire

For the modern minded, sleek and masculine.

Image by Sophie Munro via mydesignchic

This bath just screams island don't you think?  Perfect beach cottage breezy with the blue and white painted ceiling, the painting of a sailor (or my interpretation a such), and creative usage of the wall framework doubling as decorative shelving.

Image via sweetsouthernsymphony

Here in the Caribbean this idea is not just a nice design, it is absolutely practical!  With the right landscaping, an outdoor scrub-n-suds can be private enough to enjoy unabashedly!

Image via houseofturquoise

This post would not be complete without a wood tub.  All we have to say is, WOW!  What we wouldn't give to have a client request on of these . . . .

Five Eco-Friendly Facts about Fleur de Lys

Thinking green is a constant consideration at Fleur de Lys Villa and we hope that our guests follow the same practice.  There are so many gorgeous vacation villas in the Turks and Caicos, choosing one can be time consuming and quite the challenge!  When we holiday, we like to make certain that we are making conscientious decisions when visiting a new place; where will our hard earned dollars get utilised the best?  What local businesses can we support to help make a difference in the community?  What foods are sustainable?  What local charities are in need of assistance?  All of these questions usually involve a great deal of research online to answer, and even then, one hopes that the information is honest.  We hope to make the process simpler and easier to access for our guests and visitors to the island who may be reading this post.  Living here for the last decade, we aim to keep current on these topics and are happy to share the information with like minded individuals who are looking to vacation as eco-friendly as possible.

Image from here



#1 CONSTRUCTION: Fleur de Lys Villa is not a five story hotel with massive energy consumption and excessive waste required to operate daily.  The villa is a four bedroom, not too big - not too small, just right sized home owned, operated, and maintained by . . . US!  Thats correct, we do all the landscaping, the cleaning, the greeting, the carpentry, the cabinetry, the handyman housecalls (unless time constraints or expertise require otherwise).  Both construction and Caribbean architecture enthusiasts, we designed the villa to function ideally in this climate and all the concrete foundations, block walls, insulated roofs, louvered shutters, bi-fold windows, dual doors, patios, pergolas, and balconies attest to that.  The layout and location were specifically designed to best utilise trade winds, keeping inhabitants cool in the summers and comfortable in the winters. 

Image from blisstree

#2 CONSUMPTION: Fleur de Lys is a conservative consumer.  All the water heaters are on timers, the split unit A/C's are designated per room,  majority of lights are on dimmers, and appliances not in use are kept unplugged.  At an average cost of .50 per kw, energy consumption is not only an ECO concern but an ECOnomical one as well!  We encourage our guests to keep the water coolers unplugged as room temperature water is healthier and more hydrating and also to use the more beneficial Caribbean solar line drying versus the power guzzling dryer.   We weekly monitor all usage to make certain the precious island  resources of water and power are not wasted.

Images by Adam Sherwin for resource magazine

#3  REDUCE, REUSE, RECYCLE: We have highlighted above many ways in which we reduce consumption and waste at Fleur de Lys Villa but we also try to reuse our resources.  Our gutter drainage feeds a large cistern for collection of rain water, the grey water is recycled for irrigation, and food waste is composted, the nutrient rich soil later fed back to the hundreds of trees, plants, and flowers on property.  Avid DIY'ers, the villa is full of reused items, from discarded lumber to louver blades (shown pictured) to Bedroom sets and beyond.  We support the Campaign to Ban Single Use Plastic by  providing reusable shopping bags and aluminum drinking bottles at the villa for guests use and as of November we are very thrilled to contract TCI Waste and Disposal for our recycling needs! 

Image from here, wonderful demonstration of how every little decision should be cradled with thought



#4 ACT GLOBAL, BUY LOCAL: This is one of the most important and effective strategies for making the planet a cleaner, greener place.  Every person CAN make a difference; you and me, there is no doubt about that WE can change the world with what we BUY.  There will be no demand for pollutants the day we stop purchasing them!  We want you to consume wisely when you are in the Turks and Caicos.  Here is a list of recommended options but this blog is full of information on local people, charities, events, businesses, and organisations that could use support.  Feel free to do a search for an area or topic that might interest you, this volunteer-in-turks-and-caicos post is a great place to start.

- EXCURSIONS:

Image from website below

big blue unlimited eco adventures - learn about TCI's unique environment while having eco-friendly fun hiking, kayaking, stand up paddle boarding, kiteboarding or bicycling and support local businesses/people while island hopping.  You can be certain the staff will be sure to follow all rules and regulations put in place to protect the National Parks.  Ask questions, they are happy to oblige.

sail beluga- Sail away on board a unique catamaran that utilises solar power and very little fuel.  Twenty-five year veteran and Turks and Caicos Islands enthusiast, Captain Tim, is both a National Park protector and a wealth of history and information.

Image from wherewhenhow

Provo Ponies- Horseback riding on the beach.  Started as a rescue operation for abused and malnourished horses and ponies, over the course of seven years two have grown to a healthy stable of twenty-one!  Plus dogs, cats, chickens, birds, frogs, fish, and you may even find a rescue in care such as a piglet or baby donkey . . . animal lovers will not want to miss this!

-EATING- Look and ask for locally grown produce while grocery shopping; tomatoes, cucumbers, lettuce, basil, cilantro, mint, and other home growns you will find are far more flavorful than those that have traveled thousand of miles and burned hundreds of gallons of fuel to arrive at your plate.  Visit the Farmer's Market at Fresh Bakery, the five-cays fishery for local catches, and the Conch Farm to learn about the island's only export.  Before ordering or purchasing seafood, check SeafoodWatch to find out what is sustainable for the region.  Make requests at restaurants for tap water (a steripen is great for traveling), straw free drinks, and styrafoam and plastic free to-go containers.  We suggest bringing your aluminum water bottle with you and buying an eco-clamshell at home to travel with.  Ask restaurants what local dishes they suggest and inquire if they recycle and if not, why not?  Patronise the Greenbean-Cafe, a flagship eatery that boasts eco-friendly products and recycling bins within the restaurant.  Be sure to try TCI coffee, island scoop, Turks Head Beer, bambarra rum, and visit Flavors-Of-The-Turks-And-Caicos for a wide variety of locally made products sure to set the taste buds soaring.

Image from link above

-SHOPPING- Find all kinds of incredible locally made products while supporting a noteworthy organisation, the tci national trust (see their site for must see cultural and historical sites to explore) at their Souvenir Shop.  Attend the Graceway Gourmet Market the second Saturday of the month from 9am to 1pm for a great selection of local art, crafts, jewelry, accessories, eats, and treats.  When looking to buy any product, check the ingredients whether it is a food, a beauty product, or an article of clothing.  Stay away from ingredients that are toxic to us and to wildlife.  We use as many eco-friendly cleaning, landscaping, and amenities products as possible at the villa.  If you have a great product tip, please tell us about it!

Image from nature.com

#5 BIODIVERSITY:  Fleur de Lys Villa lies just steps away from one of the consecutively voted best beaches in the world, which lies on a sparkling, breathtaking beauty of an ocean that boasts the the third largest reef system in the world.   These are well known draws to the destination that have earned the Turks and Caicos the reputation as the new darling of the Caribbean, but what makes Fleur de Lys Villa stand apart from many villas is a unique attribute regarding her location.  No, it's not the beach!  There will be no beach traffic peering in the windows to admire the furniture nor noisy passing boats to disturb an afternoon snooze.  It's better than the beach in my book.  Fleur de Lys Villa  borders a nationally protected reserve which provides a spectacular looking glass into the biodiversity that thrives in this part of the world.  On any given morning you are likely to see a bahama_woodstar_hummingbird  gathering nectar from the firecracker flowers, a no-bigger-than-a-fingernail frog resting on a courtyard vine leaf, or a vivid green lizard sunning on the deck.  The courtyard and extensive landscaping were designed to create a lovely, relaxing haven for humans and the many wonderful Caribbean creatures we are lucky to share it with.  Villa guests enjoy unprecedented privacy, there are no neighbors or structures on the left and right flanking properties, and just past the pool lies a forest of buttonwood and red mangroves and one of the best bird watching areas in all of Leeward.  Please read the /wondrous-west-indian-wetlands post and this world wildlife profile to find out just how incredible and rare the Turks and Caicos ecoregion is.  Wetlands have many misconceptions, and we want to do our part to educate otherwise.  Did you know that wetland areas, like our reserve pictured below, actually help combat mosquito infestation, provide flood control, acts as filtration systems for pollutants, and are living nurseries to wildlife? This part of the world demands to be preserved and protected and one of our many joys and duties with living here is to do just that.  We are highly active members of the tci-environmental-club and founders of the TCI Rubbish Runners.

Fleur de Lys Villa circled, the long thin body of water south of the villa is a nationally protected reserve

Field Guide Fridays - Catclaw Mimosa

Today's field guide Friday post follows the old saying "can't read a book by it's cover."  As sweet and pretty as these pink puffball flowers look,

this is one species you DO NOT want to touch!

Catclaw is the common name for good reason; Mimosa bahamensis has hook shaped spikes or thorns that grab and don't let go!  I have many times been caught by this tree while hiking in the bush and can attest that it does not discriminate.  It will latch on to heavy duty jeans, cotton shirts, or bare skin.  Please watch for out for this tree when exploring in the Turks and Caicos Islands.  To read more about this genus and species please see zipcodezoo.

ECGYC Summer Success and Start of School

Rigal watching my demonstration, anxious to get his hands on the stapler and screwgun!

Way back last November we started the long process of sprucing up the Games Room at the ECGyouthcentre.  The process began with tie-dye-classes, which were followed by weeks and weeks of reupholstering and sewing classes in which we recovered ALL of the task chairs with our bright and beautiful dyed creations.

Next we decoupaged the two games table (shown center above) tops with pictures from the ECGYC and magazine imagery.  Now the well worn white finish looks like this:

And lastly we created a scratch art display to hang on the walls.

I think everyone was happy with the results and oh-so-ready to put the major undertaking behind us!   Now that the school year has started, Programs Director and all around artsy amazing, Charrish Ferguson, and I have started the fall class schedule.  First up- Rock Painting!

Our supplies and a pair of Charrish's ultra cool rock critters to act as samples

Students Rigal, Laquisha, Sabeen, Lucendi, Houda, Yandely, and Shanica getting started.

Sabeen's butterfly

Laquisha putting the finishing touches on her fish

Our critters crammed in our paper mache bowl for a group photo!  Houda even painted her paper plate!  Great job everyone, this class literally ROCKED!

Wednesday Woodworks - Garage Doors

Images by Steve Passmore, Adam Sherwin, David Gallardo, and moi

TC Millwork is well known for our custom built doors; arched, louvered, raised panel, glass framed, exterior, interior, sliding, French, bi-fold . . . . our portfolio is extensive and could go on and on.  A few months back we had an unusual request that we jumped at the opportunity and the challenge.

This client had the standard white PVC garage doors, but after undergoing this extensive of a renovation, they no longer seemed appropriate for such an otherwise gorgeous front entrance and first impression of the spectacular home.   The PVC panels were removed and then replaced with custom built wood paneling, all the hardware and the operating system was salvaged.  The opposite smaller garage door was also replaced with a pair of custom carriage house style doors.

Wednesday Woodworks - Gansevoort Entertainment Additions

The Gansevoort has been one of the hottest, most popular new resorts to hit theTurks and Caicos. TC Millwork has been fortunate to have been a part of making this resort the chic, stylish destination it is today.  Among our many custom built contributions;

Image from realtravel

Reception desk featuring unique stone face front,

Image from booked.net

earthy spa reception desk and beauty product display,

Bagatelle Bistro Bar, which so many people have complimented that it still looks

 this flawless after countless party nights of tabletop dancing (sans stilettos we hope).

All units feature our custom built closets and a few bedroom layouts, these sliding panels shown above.

Image from realtravel

Now there will be a small modification that will create a nice improvement.  The image above depicts a typical Gansevoort bedroom, notice the large looming empty space above the flat screen television?  All that is about to change.

No more empty space!  The televisions will soon be encased in a shelving unit which will allow space for display on top and a tidy little nook for the dvd unit below.   

Caribbean Wellness Day & TCI Rubbish Runners

Image from Race_For_The_Conch_Eco-SeaSwim

Images above from a turksandcaicosproductions shoot for self

 Today, Saturday Sept.11, marks Caricoms third annual celebration of Caribbean Wellness Day.  This years theme is "Love that Body, Make it Last."  To read up on how this great initiative was started, and the top illnesses affecting the Caribbean region, please see the official press release.  Participate in the Turks and Caicos, see the schedule of events here. 

  The TCI Rubbish Runners are 100% behind Caribbean Wellness Day, and thanks to the recent article in the Free Press (quoted below), hopefully more of the community will join us in keeping lean while keeping TCI green!

"While many of us have finished mopping up floors, moving furniture back to its usual locations, and clearing debris from yards, the evidence of Hurricane Irene’s aftermath is still lingering on our beautiful beaches. One community group is working diligently to get our shores back in shape while keeping in shape is the TCI Rubbish Runners. Begun as a branch of the TCI Environmental Club nearly a year ago, the group aims to spread awareness about littering and other environmental issues impacting the Turks and Caicos Islands while encouraging healthy living. Founder and recreational runner Stacie Steensland believes a great recipe for living a healthy lifestyle involves time spent in nature, daily exercise, and making a positive impact

in our community.“A rubbish runner can accomplish all three in as little as 20 minutes per day,” Steensland says. “The club invites all individuals in the community to partake in weekly exercise, but instead of focusing solely on your own health, spend some energy on the health of the environment you are enjoying.

“Litter plagues our planet, and here in this biodiversity‘hot spot’ with thousands of species to protect and preserve, it is all the more relevant to eradicate it.” Steensland emphasizes that all anyone has to do to become a Rubbish Runner is to pick up trash — on a morning stroll, on a post-work jog, on a play day at the beach, or even while “running”daily errands. That’s it. No meetings, no fundraisers, no collective decision

making. Membership is as easy as enjoying the great outdoors and leaving it a better place than when you found it. Public trash receptacles, virtually nonexistent until recently, now make rubbish running even easier, thanks to TCI Waste Disposal Services’ placement of both garbage and recycling bins at several beach

accesses.  Steensland, who began picking up litter regularly in Providenciales in 2006, says the practice came to her as second nature, having watched her father pick up trash all her life. “When I was young, I found

his habit somewhat embarrassing, especially those times in busy parking lots where many bystanders would raise eyebrows. Now those bystanders look oddly at both my father and I, and I couldn’t be more proud.”

Steensland, a creative designer for TC Millwork who specializes in refinishing and reclaimed wood furnishings and cabinetry, in some instances converts the trash she finds into treasures. Recently, stray planks from a shipwrecked sloop were transformed into a kitchen island, and a downed tree was made into a table base. TCI Rubbish Runners could use your help to make the TCI a cleaner, greener place to live. To find out more, visit the Rubbish Runners facebook page or see http://www.pepperandpikey.blogspot.com/.