Not the only thing worth saving...

I sooo want this shirt!!  It's from Abort73.com...

Children's Garden

We went to the Sarasota Children's Garden again today!  This is only the second time we've ever been... but the place is amazing!  The lush greenery... the fanciful surroundings ~ So fun, beautiful, & whimsical!!

Free Cup of Java at Starbucks!!

On April 15th, bring a reusable travel mug into your local Starbucks and get a free brewed coffee!! 

The Starbucks free coffee on April 15th, is not for tax day... but meant to honor a different cause. Brought to you by the green project, "A Big Picture" - the idea is to convince customers to bring in a reusable mug, rather than purchase a new cup for their morning coffee. Just by making this little, simple change...  imagine the impact we could make.

To learn more... you can visit the web site for the cause, here.

All Natural Play Clay

Marmee taught preschool for many, many years, and used to make homemade playdough for us, all the time! - I forgot how easy and fun it is! Plus with homemade... you no exactly what's in it No worries about funky ingredients or toxic colorings! So, if some ends up in your curious toddler’s mouth.... it's perfectly fine! (though the taste probably won’t be much to her liking)

The October 2009 issue* of Family Fun Magazine recently contained an excellent recipe for All Natural Play Clay. I especially like this one, because you don't have to have cream of tartar on hand. ... nor do you have to cook anything. And since there is no stove involved... children can be part of making it too!

The other part of the article, that really caught my attention, was the tips on coloring the dough, using common [natural] kitchen ingredients, such as cocoa powder, beet juice, paprika or turmeric! Hmm...I wonder what other colors we could figure out...? Perhaps, blueberry juice for purple... ??

*if you happen to own a copy of this magazine, the article can be found on page 18 of the issue.)

Ingredients
1 C flour
3/8 C salt
1 T vegetable oil
Natural Dye (see below for colors)
Directions
In a bowl, combine flour and salt. Pour in oil & natural dye and stir well. Knead dough for a few minutes. If clay is too soft, add a bit more flour. Store the clay in air tight containers in the refrigerator.
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Natural Dye:
Brown: 3/8 C plus 1 T hot water, 4 T cocoa powder
Fuchsia: 3/8 C hot beet juice
Orange: 3/8 C hot water & 1 T paprika
Yellow: 3/8 C hot water & 1 tsp. turmeric

• Here’s a link to the online recipe. It’s almost the same as the magazine recipe, but the magazine recipe included a tablespoon of vegetable oil too... as well as those natural dyes I mentioned! :-)
  
• In light of the season, this is one I definitely want to try... a recipe for Pumpkin Pie Play Dough... Mmm!!
  
• Arm & Hammer even has a cool pdf where you can get ideas on how to use your play clay. Their version is slightly different but if you want a little longer lasting it would work too. Click HERE for that PDF

Klean Kanteens!

In my attempts to rid our lives of all plastics (esp when it comes to eating/drinking!)... I have been wanting to get at least KB and myself Klean Kanteen [stainless steel] water bottles. Though we drink mostly from glass when we're at home... they would be wonderful to have for when we are out & about. The funny thing is... as sold as I was, on getting them... for some odd reason, I never actually took the steps, and bought them. Well, whatever reason my psyche had for holding me back.... it paid off!

The site, Backcountry Edge is running a sale on their 12oz and 40 oz bottles!! The 12 oz sippies are only $10.95 (instead of 19.95)... and the 40 oz bottles (with loop top) are only $16.95 (instead of 27.95)! Though I originally had my eye on the 27 oz bottle - mainly because of it's size, and probable ease sliding into the diaperbag - for $3 less, I can definitely deal with the bigger bottle!! :-) -- PLUS, because I ordered with my mom & sister, and it was over $50, we got free shipping! yay!! -- I ordered KB's in the color "moss green", and mine in "tree bark". I am so excited! Stay tuned for a review!!

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Edit (10/14): The 40oz are no longer on sale... but the 12oz bottles** are now on sale for $9.95./each!! ~ PLUS if you you enter in the coupon code: CTF4 you get an additional 10% off. While I know that only equates to a 50¢/bottle savings.... every little bit helps! ;)

** comes with Loop Cap, not a sippy - colors: pink, brown, black & green (sadly, orange & blue are sold out).

The coolest part is, I could get two more bottles, w/ sippy adapters (@ $2.25/each), shipped for less than what one would normally cost! :-)

Anamalz!!

I just found the *cutest* line of wooden animal toys....OMW! I am totally in LOVE!! They are handmade wooden toys, made by a company called Anamalz: Environmentally friendly animals... designed in Australia.... made with organic maple wood and textile products. ... painted with water based paints... and absolutely adorable!!

Within their "anamalz range"... there are three different catergories of animals: FarmAnamalz, WildAnamalz, & AustralianAnamalz... which each contain 7-10 adorable animals. And the really cool thing... they are only $6-$7 [an animal] on Amazon!! Not a bad deal for quality wooden toys!! ~ I added a bunch to KB's wishlist! ;-)

What's your motive?

Our personal green changes came from our desire to live simple, frugal lives for reasons besides the environment .. besides money even. One of those was not wanting to raise our children as consumers and to instill in them a love of the important things in life - like people, not things - without depriving them of childhood joys.

-YarnTotingMama

ME... Green/Crunchy??

One of the Forums I frequent, recently asked us to fill out this survey....

1. Do you recycle? Yes! Anything & everything I can!

2. Do you do anything to reduce the amount of waste you and your family produces? How about reducing the amount of resources you use? I hardly run the lights during the day, and try to keep things turned off as much as possible.... Have changed most of our light bulbs to Compact Fluorescent... Hang some stuff on the clothesline as an alternative to running the dryer.... Use reusable grocery bags... Clean using natural ingredients like vinegar, baking soda, etc... EC & cloth diaper (also make/use reusable wipes)... Donate/FreeCycle to pass on items we no longer use or need... Have/use an water ionizer instead of buying bottled water... Reuse glass jars & bottles for drinking & storing water... Buy my clothing second hand... instead of getting my license, I either walk, carpool or just don't go... (I also just got a bike & trailer, so now I can get around that way, too!).... and we hardly use paper towels any more (only for dog/poop messes!)... next to never use paper plates. (we still do use some napkins - but I want to buy some cloth & make some reusable ones - paper is just so convenient!!)....

3. Do you reuse anything to save money or waste? We have reusable grocery bags... we have a reusable coffee filter, instead of using the paper ones... we reuse glass jars & bottles for drinking & storing water.... and I try to use tupperware-type of storage, instead of plastic bags/foil/etc., as much as possible!

4. What is your ecological footprint? Do you think it has changed for the better in the last year? Don't know what it is, but I know it's changed for the better!

5. What kind of impact do you feel the "reduce, reuse, recycle" philosophy has on our lives, if any? On my life, personally, or society in general?? Society in general has become disturbingly blasé about it... but is starting to become a little more aware, as this whole "going green" movement has come about. - Personally, I feel it encourages us to be more prudent & economical with the resources of which we are blessed to have!

...and while reading other peoples responses, and I couldn't believe how many people were so blasé about the subject! Not that I believe in global warming and some of that such nonsense... but because I feel we ought to be more prudent & economical with the resources of which we are blessed to have! God has given us this beautiful earth to live on... and I feel we ought to be better stewards of and take more responsibility for it's care! 

The more I thought about it, the more the others' answers really started to bother me - until I stopped & began to think it through...... If you would have asked me a few years ago what my lifestyle would be like now, I would have never categorized myself as being green or crunchy.... A domestic goddess, yes (lol)... an attachment parent, most likely... but crunchy? uh, yeah, what's that?.. a hippie? heh, right.... However, that attitude is really actually quite funny, considering that (without the label)... I was pretty much raised by a AP & crunchy mom. From early on, we were taught the importance of recycling, not littering, good stewardship, frugality, living debt free, living simply & having a strong family unit. We were homeschooled, and taught to cook and sew simple items from a young age. Much of my wardrobe consisted of handmade or hand-me-downs, as Marmee always stressed the importance of $$ and how to stretch a dollar. She wore & breastfed every one of us, and made sure we all knew the benefits of eating a well-balanced meal. We even had times (depending on finances & stages of life) where we did all, most of, or (at least) some of the following:  ate completely healthful & organic.... shopped  exclusively at health food stores rather than  the reg. grocery stores... juiced... made our own bread.... used herbal/natural remedies (pretty much always did that, regardless of our financial state)... used only reusable item (like grocery bags)... and even managed an organic produce coop (and did so for a long time)! 

But even though I was naturally implementing many of the things I was raised with (cooking vs eating out, recycling, shopping second-hand, cutting coupons, not spending a lot of money on extravagances, etc.)... I never saw myself as anything more than the average young adult... who was newly married, trying to get on our feet. Then (almost two years later) I got pregnant, and began going the birthing center, to see a midwife for my care. It all went uphill from there. I guess the saying "When you have a baby is changes the way you see the world" is more true than I realized. Throughout my pregnancy, I was reminded of all the wonderful benefits of cloth diapering babywearing, & cosleeping... given some awesome tips... and even learned about some cool new things, like Elimination Communication & some not-so-known methods of wearing your baby - like a wrap or a Mai Tei! Then, after the beautiful homebirth of our daughter, I started attending play groups, LaLeche League Meetings, babywearing groups, & EC meetings... where I found myself being enlightened on issues much deeper than milestones, breastfeeding, ring-slings & having a diaper-free babe. I was being encouraged to research what's in things, and the impact they have on our daily lives. From shoes to plastics - cleaning to health... I have had an increasing conviction & interest in living more eco-friendly, and am finding (even a year later), the education is endless if you're willing to listen & learn!

And now, as I proceed down the road of this incredible journey... I am on a quest to discover even more practical changes (read: not extravagant - though I hope to be able to make the switch someday.... right now [unfortunately] we can't afford all new Energy Star appliances or a new, hybrid vehicle) we can make, to adapt our lifestyle to not only being economical, but also more healthful. - Some of the things I would love to begin using/implementing are: Cloth napkins, Frequenting more of the local fruit stands, starting our own vegetable/herb garden & compost pile, Get a machine & start sewing a little (things like cloth napkins!), begin regularly making our bread (& maybe even pastas - that would be cool!), and using even more alternative & healthful ingredients when cooking & baking.

Cleaning à la Green....

Today I decided to try cleaning à la green.... by completely cleaning my bathroom using only: water, baking soda, vinegar, borax & liquid detergent.... and I absolutely love the results!! It only cost me pennies... which is awesome, given the price of conventional cleaners... and I felt good about using it! I finally didn't have to worry about us breathing or KB getting into/walking over whatever chemicals were around / being used!! I can't wait until our lemon tree goes into season and I can add lemon juice to the mix too!!

A snail steal

About a month ago, my dad called me up out of the blue, asking if he could take KB and I out to lunch. We ended up going to Olive Garden (Soup Salad & Bread sticks!), and then to one of my dad's all-time favorite shopping locations... Goodwill. In our attempts to steer away from as most toys that are battery operated, plastic, or "made in China.... I wasn't seeming to be finding much that even remotely seemed interesting. Suddenly, something promising catches my attention! I pull it out, and realize it's this adorable, colorful little [wooden] snail with a tiny nylon pull cord attached to it! As I turn it over in my hands... inspecting all sides... and become quite impressed by the solid structure & fine quality by which it seems to have been crafted. And the price??... only $.99! Wow! Any of you who have looked into or bought wooden toys of any kind, know that they are not cheap!!! I showed it to dad, and he decided to buy it for KB! Yay!

Now here I am... one month and many snail trips around the house later... I am sitting at the computer... notice the same little snail sitting in the middle of my family room floor... and decide to see if I can't figure out where it came from. After much searching (when in doubt Google it!!) I could only find it listed on one website, and discover it (much to my surprised and elation) is a high-quality German-made wooden toy (colored with non-toxic paints!).... which actually retails for $15+ brand new!!

Wow! Thanx dad! Once again... you found one *awesome* steal... you are the Goodwill king!!

My new clothes line!

I have been wanting a clothesline for sometime now.... (I have been hanging KB's diapers on the kitchen chairs or DH's 6-foot ladder to dry)... and this weekend, B bought me the stuff and put one up! Yay!! Due to the rain, today was the first day I could use it.... and I *love* it!!