Day dreaming

Posted: July 28, 2012 | Author: | Filed under: blog referrals | 1 Comment

Photo via Shelter Co.

It’s been a hot week in my part of Texas and I find myself coming back to this site again and again.  Californian’s have it good weather-wise and Shelter Co. found a brilliant way to take advantage, I’m thinking 40th birthday here I come, who’s with me.

Advertisement

Say CHEESE!

Posted: July 19, 2012 | Author: | Filed under: Reducing waste, Tips | Tags: , , , | Leave a comment

I like clothes, I like playing with clothes, the proportions, fabrics, colors.  I do not however like shopping.  When I figured this out it was shocking!  I used to find the mall one of the most peaceful places on earth, now I feel a little dizzy and ill when I’m there.  To remedy this situation, I’ve become a major shopper of my own closet.  When inspiration strikes and I feel the creative juices flowing, I set aside some time go back through my clothes try things on and take pictures.  To some this might sound like an exercise in vanity, superficiality and silliness.  For the others, keep reading.

Why take a picture, you might wonder?  It’s like writing down a good idea, sometimes we are given a gift to see things in a slightly different way, all of the sudden a tired outfit gets new life with a belt or a new proportion.  The pictures are especially helpful when I’m plagued by hormones and all of the sudden I can’t find one thing to put on my body.  Or I get the “new urge”.  It happens, an event comes up and I think, “Oh, I need something new for that” – I’ve now documented my clothes so thoroughly that be it a funeral, a hot date, horseback riding, a walking trip around Paris – I have an outfit for that!

A couple tips:

1.  Don’t include your head in the pictures, it’s a distraction, you might hate your hair in the picture and then the helpful outfit documentation is worthless.

2.  Don’t spend more than an hour trying on and documenting your ideas

3.  Hang up as you go, a mountain of clothes isn’t a great reward for your efforts

4.  Include shoes, that dress you never wear might due to the fact you don’t have footwear that works with it, so who cares if it looks great with a belt

5.  Ask a friend for help, either in finding ideas in your closet or editing your pictures.  That skirt might be perfect just a couple inches shorter.

6.  Think about alterations with a tailor, I’ve turned dresses into shirts and dresses into skirts.

7.  The internet is a great source of inspiration, I screen capture (or you can “pin”) photos I love and see if I can recreate the idea with my own things.  I keep two folders on my computer: “style” and “me in clothes”

I have a wedding coming up so I flipped through my formal wear here’s the winner:

Dress, Buffalo Exchange $16

Happy hunting.

A Ladies Only Cup

Posted: July 15, 2012 | Author: | Filed under: Reducing waste, Tips | Tags: , , , | 2 Comments

In my search for waste reduction in and around my life a new kind of cup has been getting some play…..every month to be exact.  Look out tampons and pads, you have some competition.  I decided to try the “Moon Cup” and after three rounds, here are my thoughts in case you are looking for a new avenue for your monthly visitor.

1.  I’m definitely not going back to tampons (I formerly used ob’s but had tried all the usual suspects)

2.  There is a bit of leaking (nothing I wasn’t experiencing with tampons already though) so far I’ve felt completely covered with one square of toilet paper for back up

3.  There is no leaking “sensation”, for me this was the worst part with tampons post-babies.

4.  It comes in two sizes, A. post vaginal birth and B. women who have not delivered a baby vaginally (So simple and who really enjoyed buying something with the phrase “super plus”?!)

5.  Big decrease in cramps compared to using tampons

6.  I have run, swam, biked, and sat in a car for hours while using the cup – all preferable to my former experience with tampons

7.  The placement can be tricky and it can shift during exercise, this issue mainly deals with the removal stick at the base of the cup, I’ve since removed the “stick” completely (this is done by snipping it off with scissors) and these problems seem to be solved.

8.  It’s less convenient than a tampon when you are out and about, ideally you’d want to have access to a private bathroom and sink for removal, disposal of cup contents, rinse and re-insertion, wash hands – this is not always available.  However I’ve been staying on about a four hour schedule for cup “maintenance” and I can usually work around these issues with a bit of simple planning.  All that said I’d use the cup even if we were camping.

Hope that helps for those considering a change and wasn’t TMI.

 

Update:  Wanted to clarify the reason I’ve decided not to return to pads or tampons is NOT purely waste reduction motivated.  The cup is simply a superior choice for my needs, comfort being paramount.

I’ve also experienced having to empty the cup and re-insert without washing in between – it was fine.  Not my first choice but do-able.

Me and my TV

Posted: July 9, 2012 | Author: | Filed under: Three Ways | Leave a comment

I’m constantly at odds with our television.  We disconnected from “regular” television years ago, opting now for the offerings on Apple TV and Netflix, it was a great decision for us and we will surely continue on this path.  We watch maybe a few hours a week, a movie for my husband and I, a show here and there for the kids, family movie night, other than that the appliance is OFF.  So I’m left staring at the black frame most hours of most days and it bugs me, so today when I came upon this picture from House Beautiful, I thought maybe others have the same problem, hence the sharing:

Photo via House Beautiful.com

This solution of a pull down map hiding the TV is brilliant for me, because another problem I have is that my grasp of geography is crap.  Double points if I can get my map used on eBay, as it seems the folks above were able to do.

 For more photos of the house with the hidden tv,venture here.

Updates and Interests

Posted: July 3, 2012 | Author: | Filed under: Three Ways | Leave a comment

A few things have changed around here, we got toilets seats for one.  Summer has taken over our house mind and body, I’m rarely on the computer, reaching for a book instead.  I’m spending time marinating on all of the “arrows” I’ve been following since the spring and feel like these interests still have a lot to teach me before adding something new.  Here’s a short list of the things I seem to be coming back to again and again:

1.  “Primary Nutrition: “Healthy relationships, regular physical activity, a fulfilling career, and a spiritual practice can feed your soul and satisfy your hunger for life.” (excerpt from the curriculum of the Institute Integrative of Nutrition)  This idea was developed by some of the leading functional/integrative medicine folks whose books and blogs I’ve come to know and respect.  I find this whole concept deeply interesting, above whatever we put in/on our bodies, “primary nutrition” is paramount.

2.  Summer Smut:  I love to read and I read all kinds of things, this summer I’ve been reading quite a bit of smut, and it’s been AWESOME.  I’ve also found it’s like a drug, trying to pick up a more substantial book after this should be interesting.  It’s all in the name of the art of doing nothing – a practice worthy of my effort this summer.

3.  Spending trends:  Our family has identified some new interests, namely travel, that we’d like to do more of so I’ve been combing through and categorizing our expenses from past months to figure out how we can turbo charge our travel savings fund.  If you don’t already do this I highly recommend it, there’s waste in our spending that has gone unidentified for too long, we are “spring cleaning” our spending and it feels soooo good.

4.  Creating boundaries:  I live in a big city with a lot of choice – many restaurants, many activities, many shopping venues.  It’s too much choice, too much distraction for me and mine so I’m creating my own little small town by identifying the places and ways I want to spend my time, money and energy – I’m creating a list, and if you know me, you know I LOVE a list.  If it’s not on the list you won’t see us there!

5.  Breaking back out “Clean” by Dr. Junger M.D, to start thinking about our summer detox for August (possibly September due to aforementioned travel).  There are tons of detox programs out there, if you are considering one I urge you to do your research, a week of water, lemon and paprika won’t work for a busy mom the way it might for a yogi on retreat in India……ya get what I’m saying.