Glass Dharma Drinking Straws

I am officially a member of the "I Love My Straw" group!! As I mentioned in a previous post, I joined an initiative to get restaurants to stop giving out plastic straws automatically, at My Plastic Free Life. Well, as an incentive, David Leonhardt of Glass Dharma Company gave free glass straws to those who wrote letters to restaurants, asking them to change their policies on plastic straws. We were given one free straw for each letter, up to 5 letters. I only ended up getting 2 out in time but it is still really exciting to get even just one.

The straws came in the mail on Thursday and today we finally got around to trying them out. It was macho Man and I that tried them and I like them far more than a plastic straw. I like the way they look, how thick the glass is, the rounded ends and of course that they are reusable and will last a lifetime. Macho Man was a bit of a skeptic when I first told him of these glass straws, but he too is in the "club".

I love these straws!! They are so interesting and by using them, we are saving the use of thousands of non-recyclable plastic straws. I believe I will have to buy more of these and maybe some as gifts...Wink wink. Everyone needs at least one of these straws, so be sure to check the site...and buy one or more :D

I CAN Make a Difference :)

It is always nice to see/hear the result of the changes you are trying to make in this world!

A few weeks ago, I joined an initiative to get restaurants to stop bringing plastic straws to our table, automatically. Actually, not having the non-recyclable straws at all would be the best thing, but baby steps :) I joined this initiative through My Plastic Free Life. What we did was wrote letters to local businesses that give you a straw in your drink, without asking whether you want one or not, asking them to either ask you if you want one or switch to using reusable straws.

I wrote to 2 of my favourite places to eat and I was wonderfully delighted to hear from my brother (his sister in law works there), that one of the places has put a new policy in to place. The servers will no longer bring you a plastic straw automatically, but instead ask you if you would like one. I am really happy about this! Though it may seem silly or so small to some people, it is a big thing for me. First, it shows that one person alone can make a difference and second, I believe that people will opt out of taking the plastic straws when asked. I believe that we don't really think about that straw when we get it and the fact that most people never use a straw at home. Some people don't think to say that they don't need a straw, but if asked, I have a feeling a lot more people will refuse them. I think it makes you think about the fact that it really isn't something needed and you won't miss it if it isn't something you have outside of a restaurant. I know that I never used to think of the straw that came in my drink. I never use straws at home but as soon as that straw showed up in my drink, I used it without a second thought. I have definitely seen the error of my ways :) I really hope that this change will spark more change...Change for the greater good of the planet!!

Green Read

I am always on the prowl for some good ole green reading, and today I found a few interesting sites. There was a post by Adventures of a Thrifty Mama in a Trailer Park on FB about a contest she is in, on a site called Circle of Moms and the link was loaded with eco-friendly Mom blogs. This is a contest to find the Top 25 Eco-friendly Moms and can generate a lot of new readers to the winner and to all the other blogs really.

I have taken a peek at a few of the blogs and have like what I see. A lot of interesting things to read. I am now off to take a deeper look and get my read on...LOL!

Be sure to check things out and possibly vote. Hope you find some good reading like I did :)

Oh, and if anyone has a good eco-friendly/green/crunchy/homemade/gardening/natural...(you get it, LOL) blog, I would love it if you would share a link, so I may take a read!

What Will They Be?

I have been collecting materials and used clothing, in preparation to make a summer wardrobe for Miss Z and this is what I have purchased thus far:

Some shirts and a jean jacket that will remain a jacket but with a few touch ups. It needs to be taken in and I want to add some crazy color and patches.These skirts were a great buy at only a dollar a piece. The two sheets are super sweet and it is funny how I found a matching set.. The yellow sheet was purchased at a local secondhand shop but the pink sheet was found quite a ways from home. My family went on a mini-vacation and when we arrived to this tiny town, I saw something that caught my eye...A SECONDHAND SHOP!! Of course I can spot the only tiny secondhand shop in this town...LOL!! I had to stop in and take a look. I looked over just about everything and when I decided I was finished, I headed to the cash when I walked by this pink sheet that looked super familiar. I picked it up and hmmmed and haaaaaed over it when I realized, it was the same as the yellow sheet I had purchased at home! I had to get it, it was just meant to be :P I mean, Macho Man couldn't possibly argue this purchase. I have a pretty good idea of what will come of these sweet old sheets!

It is just a matter of time before these items become lovely (I hope) pieces of clothing. I plan to use the tutorials I posted in a previous post as well as winging it with a few things. I am thinking of making a few of my own patterns. We shall see how this all plays out.

Recycle Crafting

I was trying to think of different crafty things that I could do with Miss Z in the theme of Spring/Easter and came up with a really good idea! I noticed that we have quite a few cardboard toilet paper rolls in the recycling box and I am always looking for inexpensive craft supplies, so what better place to find them? I am planning to let Miss Z paint them, add faces and bunny ears to the rolls...Easter bunny toilet paper rolls...Woo hoo!!! Nothing like some good ole crafty recycling :) I hope she likes the idea and it all goes well. I will be sure to post pictures of what she creates.

Anywho, this made me think of what other recycling ideas there may be for these cardboard rolls. I found a few links that I thought would be fun to share, and maybe some of you may be interested to try ;)


Toilet Paper Roll Wreath

TV Pixilator Light Show This is funny, but looks like fun to try out.

A mixture of Ideas!

Overwhelmed!!!!!

It seems I feel this way, any time I need to pick up groceries. I know you do what you can, but there is so much to consider when buying your food...Organic, non-organic, market, grocery store, dirty dozen, processed, non-processed...Is this a healthy choice? Can I get him to put the chips back?

AAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH!! There is just too much in my brain, for a simple grocery trip :(

This also applies to making better choices for Miss Z. I want to be sure that she not only eats better foods, I want to ensure her brain is healthy and that I am teaching her well, that she has healthy and safe toys to play with. So.Much.Pressure.Head.Exploding.

I think these things are also brought on by my lack of support and understanding. Though Macho man is great and I love him, I often feel completely alone in my plight to live a healthy, crunchy, hippie lifestyle. I am sure there are many that have to also take their partner kicking and screaming, I would just love to hear what you do in these situations! In my area, I have been in contact with virtually no one that shares my views and hopes for a healthy family life. I get looked at very strangely, when I tell the lady at the cash that I am refusing to take home plastic bags, I was once poked fun at for doing my best to be eco-friendlier, I was even giggled and ewwwwed at when I told a person that I cloth diapered Miss Z. I just don't get it!

I know that I have a tendency to take on too much at once and worry, it is just hard when I want to do so much to make this world and life better but feeling like what I do is never enough. I guess I just need to look at things in a different light and as soon as I figure that way out, I will be okay! I think I just need to find a few people that are on the same mission as myself. I know you are out there...Now is the time to share people :)

Okay, that was some strange kind of rant :P

A Party Fit for the Planet

My little girl turned three recently and of course we planned a homemade party for her. I knew I wanted her party to be as eco-friendly as possible and it turns out, that is really quite easy. We not only went eco, but we also went with healthier choices! There were no disposable decorations, no plastic or paper dishes to be thrown away and no useless plastic toys, in plastic bags and only the equivalent of one half of a small shopping bag of waste!! I am so proud of myself, for sticking to it and getting everything done on time and making so much myself.
Fabric Banner. Made from pieces in my scrap bin.
When reading a few other blogs and sites, it was made to sound as if it was going to be super expensive, but I found the opposite! I used materials I had on hand, to make the decorations and my mother and I went looking at the local secondhand shops, for dishes and cutlery (7.00). I also used some pink fabric I had, as table cloths. I didn't do anything to the material, besides ironing it and once the party was over, I washed the fabric and put it right back in to the mix for later crafting!
Japanese paper balloons that I learned to make, the night before the party and felt hearts and stars.
For food, I made turkey wraps(using real turkey I baked the day before) and veggie wraps, lots of fruit and veggies, cheese and crackers. I also made hummus and a Greek dip from the cookbook, Deceptively Delicious. I bought lentil chips and rice chips for dipping, instead of potato chips. There was no pop, but instead, we had apple juice with just apples and a fruit juice made just of fruit, no added sugars. Oh, and the cake was supposed to be vegan, but things just would not go my way :( I made Coconut Cake from the Eat, Drink, Be Vegan cookbook, but only half of what I made, actually became a part of the finished product. I made the cake three times, and the first time was amazing but the second and third...Not so good! I forgot the sugar and it didn't cook right. I was so disappointed that when I was STILL baking, the day of the party, I had to cave and use a crappy boxed cake mix *hangs head in shame*. It was then iced with whipped cream (whipped myself) and garnished with strawberries. Everyone had a good time and appreciated the healthier food choices!
Tasty cake! Nothing fancy, but super yummy!

We're Going Through Changes

I decided that when the New Year came, I wasn't going to make any sort of resolution, instead, a promise. A promise to myself, my family and the planet! I thought it would be good to share the changes I plan to make, with you all. This can be more of a motivation and an accountability source for me, to help me remember my promises and the reasons I made them!

Here are my plans:

Pledging to not buy new - though we have decided that we can buy 1 or 2 new items for Miss Z, at Christmas and her birthday (they are a month apart), but I think this will come to an end as well.

Eat more meatless meals - This one is proving to be a bit of a challenge for Macho Man! He is a meat and potato man.

Avoid plastic like the plague - I am pretty good at this one and have been for quite some time. My sister has referred to me as the "Plastic Nazi"! Though there is always room for improvement and that would be packaged foods. Time to make those reusable produce bags I have been putting off! Now, if only they would let us use reusable bags at bulk food stores...Grrrr!

Healthier food choices - No more processed food. Sounds easy right? Well, not for some of us...LOL!! Once again, Macho Man has had a hard time adapting to this one, as he was raised on mainly processed foods. He lived on things like boxed macaroni and cheese, canned cartoon pastas, the list goes on. You'd think he would be happy to be eating such flavorful foods, with great nutrients. He does seem to enjoy most of the homemade, natural, healthy foods that I make, but I have heard more than one complaint about there not being any "quick, boxed meals" for him to cook up.

Become more self sufficient - Living sustainable seems, to me, to be a matter of gaining the tools to fend for yourself. I am not sure all I need to live a more sustainable life, but that is what research is for. Read, read, read!! I just wish I owned my own land so that I could have chickens and other farm animals.

Buy local - This one may be a bit pricey, but we love going to the local food markets and finding the local places that we didn't know even existed. There are locally grown foods right in our own backyard, to be purchased. It is amazing what you can find locally, when you venture away from the big grocery stores.

Make this home homemade - I have decided that we will no longer purchase bread, baked goods and whatever else I can make at home, from the grocery store. There really is no need, when it is so easy to make these things in our own home. I LOVE homemade bread and I know what is in it! This also applies to gifts, toys, clothing, whatever is possible for us to make on ourselves.

Grow our own food - I really loved growing my own food 2 summers ago, but since moving, we lost out on the garden last summer. Now that it has been discussed with the landlord, we have agreed on a space that I can use to plant a garden...WOOO HOO!!! I am so excited to have a garden again and can not wait to get started. I was also thinking of growing a few things indoor, as well. I'd really like to get a little indoor herb garden going and maybe try growing potatoes indoor, as well. We'll see how that goes.

Recycle, reduce, reuse - Though this is something we already do, I just think there is more we can do to follow this one. I would like to not just throw things in the recycling bin, in hopes that it will actually be recycled properly, and make another use out of those items. There are a lot of things that can be made with recyclable, like crafts with Miss Z from toilet paper rolls, tools for gardening from cans, party decorations from cardboard boxes. That list is endless and I need to try out some of the many recycled crafty things I have bookmarked. I am also going to be sure to make purchases with less packaging. There is no need for a tiny toy to have so much packaging. My sister came up with a great description that applies nicely to the packaging for toys, "Plastic, wrapped in plastic, wrapped in a tree". That comment was made in reference to something else, but it it works here!

Be more active - Ugh, I am SOOOOO lazy!!! I can admit it. I am ashamed, but I can tell you that I am super lazy. I really need to get to the gym as well as finding more active things for us to all do together. Miss Z is much more active than her father and I are (she goes to classes at the gym)and that is not right. How can you set a good example for your little ones, or expect them to live a lifestyle you don't even live? It is time to lead by example! I am overweight and I know that this weight is very unhealthy and I need to fix this, so I can live a long life with my family. I want my daughter to love herself as she is, and have a great body image, but also don't want her to think that being overweight is a good thing or healthy. I saw this as the norm and was taught some pretty bad food habits and now it is my chance to break that chain.

I have been doing my best to follow a crunchy, healthy, greener life style, but I have been slipping a lot and that just isn't working for me. I need to be more dedicated and motivated, as these things can positively impact my family as well as the planet. It is time to make a change...A BIGGER change...Do what I know is right!

I have many more plans, but I think this blog entry is long enough. I will be posting more at a later date and will be posting updates on our progress.

Homemade Summer Wardrobe: Skully Shirt Recon

Here's what I have been up to, for those who are wondering :)

I am planning to make a Summer wardrobe for Ya ya and work through the "recon bin" at the same time. I have a habit of picking up shirts, skirts, pillow cases and so forth, at second hand stores, with the intention of making something new with it and have never gotten around to making anything...Until now! I really want to keep in line with being frugal, green and crafty, so this year will be a homemade wardrobe for Ya ya and some for myself. Some items will be re-purposed items and some will be made from scratch. I figure I will work through the "recon bin" first, as it is overflowing and taking up space I really don't have!

Now, I will share with you, the first item in Ya ya's Summer line :P A shirt and shorts, made from this t-shirt. I did use a piece of blue material I had as well.



I have to say, I am pretty proud of this little number and Ya ya really seems to like it!! She bounces around in it saying, "Mommy, you made dis fo me?" LOL!!

The Long Awaited Playdough Post!

Ladies and gentlemen! I give you, the post you have all been waiting for...HOMEMADE PLAYDOUGH!! It turned out great, just as I remembered it as a child. The best part was kneading it while it was still warm, my favorite part of homemade cooked playdough!


Here we have a picture of the playdough before and after coloring. Next, is a picture of Tinker enjoying her new treats!! She had a great time playing with it and didn't make much of a mess (to my surprise). We both had a good time with the playdough and when Daddy got home from work, so did he...LOL!! See, great fun for all ages :)


I looked at all kinds of recipes and tutorial videos on You Tube, but I am not sure where the recipe I used came from. They're basically all the same idea and you can add or take away whatever you want, to suit your playdough needs :)

Here is the recipe that I used:

1 cup flour
1 cup water
1/2 cup salt
1 tbsp oil
2 tbsp cream of tartar (I believe this is just a preservative and from what I hear, you don't have to add it. I think it just might not last as long)
food coloring

I just mixed all the ingredients in a medium pot and then cooked it over a medium to low heat. Keep stirring until the mixture becomes lumpy and form a sort of ball. I then let it cool until it was cool enough for me to handle. Put dough on a floured surface and knead until smooth and no longer sticky. Add food coloring as desired and VOILA! Be sure to store in air tight containers or baggies, to keep fresh...ENJOY!!

This recipe makes a pretty nice amount of playdough. When I started to make it, I thought it was such a small amount, but it is actually quite a bit. I hope you all enjoyed this post and make lots of your own homemade playdough. If you do, be sure to post pics so I can see the playdough goodness :)