Sustainable & Creative Living
Recently, after making some face mists, I learned how versatile and beneficial rose water can be. Rose water is a super simple DIY beauty tonic that anyone can make in a hurry. In less than an hour, you can have a multipurpose beauty potion that is both functional and fun.
Face mists are a great way to hydrate your skin all year but are especially refreshing during dry weather season. Not only do they soothe and calm irritated skin, but with their pleasant scents, they’re also a great mood and spirit booster. I love the way mists relieve my dry skin and make me feel refreshed. After inadvertently spending $17 on a face mist for oily skin, I decided to start making my own mists. I’m so glad I did – they’re more cost effective and I can tailor them to my own skin and the scents I love.
I tend to save scraps and odd pieces that are supposed to be discarded. I always think, “Hmmm…could I make something out of this?” That’s how I came up with these Snowman Ornaments. They are made from Ashland candle jar lids from Michaels (but you can use anything circular).
Every time I get a candle with a lid I [Read more…]
Crafting is one of the most enjoyable Christmastime activities there is. Eating yummy treats is about a close second. Making these Christmas Lollipop Candies combines both of these holiday pleasures. They only need 6 ingredients so they’re super simple to make and they taste delicious. These ones are peppermint flavored but other extracts could be used to create different tastes. These Christmas Lollipop Candies can also double as DIY holiday decorations.
One of the issues I struggle with most in my life is a balance. I often say I want more of it, and yet I often take on more projects and new responsibilities. I know that I really don’t want to do less—I want more time to do more things. Obviously, since I will never have more than 24 hours in a day, I try to be more efficient.
Bird watching has never been an intentional hobby I took on but it became an especially enjoyable and interesting hobby when I moved to my home on The Gulf of Mexico. I’ve just always been fascinated by seeing these creatures and all their different shapes and colors. And so many find their way to my backyard; like Great Blue Heron, Egret, Roseate spoonbill, Osprey, and even Eagles; Hummingbirds capture my attention more than any other bird.
While these tiny birds appear fragile and delicate, they are actually quite resilient—migrating thousands of miles every year. Hummingbirds can fly forwards, backward, sideways, and even hover midair. Their wings beat 70 times per second and three times that rate when they are diving. No wonder they’re so eye-catching!
Although the area I live in is naturally an attractive location for wildlife, I do a few simple, but key things to make sure I attract hummingbirds:
Everything in my life requires simplicity, and meal prep and cooking are no exceptions! Simple rubs for meat, chicken, or fish are the perfect way to add flavor to your meals without a lot of fuss.
These rubs can be pre-mixed and stored in an airtight container for up to 2 to 3 months–preferably away from light and heat. Use about 2 Tablespoons per pound of meat, chicken, or fish. Pat on evenly. Put on at least 30 minutes prior to cooking or grilling.
Plastic-free July is coming to an end, and I’m happy to report that I did pretty well at eliminating single-use plastic products from my life. I slipped a few times by using plastic shopping bags, and a couple of times I didn’t use my reusable cup when I went for coffee.
I’ve been wanting to try making my own DIY makeup remover wipes for a while now. Meagan has used DIY baby wipes for little J since he was a baby and I always thought that DIY Makeup remover wipes would be a great idea. Not only are they beneficial for the environment, but they also save a lot of money.
Plastic-free July finally got me motivated to make the switch to these wipes. The other day I was pulling out a makeup wipe from its packaging, and I realized I’d cut down on a lot of plastic use if I eliminated that package from my life (not to mention the wipes themselves, of course).
I came up with this easy to make DIY makeup remover wipe because, if you’ve read any of my other posts, you know I’m all about simple and easy.
Meagan, Christina, and I decided to take the Plastic Free July Challenge. The goal of the Plastic Free July Challenge is to encourage people to stop single-use plastic product consumption and reduce plastic packaging (at least for the month of July). It’s also to help people become more aware of issues surrounding plastic use in our lives and to encourage new consumption habits moving forward.
One of my favorite treats is this Berry and Greek Yogurt Dessert. I came up with it because I love strawberry shortcake and wanted a tasty lower calorie version. I started off by just mixing and eating pureed berries with Greek yogurt (which I also still enjoy). Adding the rest of the ingredients really give it that yummy berry shortcake-ish taste.
Since I love all the different treats and foods that are served in mason jars these days, I decided to serve my Berry and Greek Yogurt in them for holidays and special occasions! Mason jars have such a quaint and cute appearance. They make just about anything look [Read more…]
Now that summer is in full swing, many of us are spending a lot more time outdoors enjoying picnics, beach days, and just hanging out in the backyard. Unfortunately, outside activities can expose us, and our loved ones, to all kinds of dangerous situations—some minor and some not so minor.
One of those situations that may seem minor, but sometimes isn’t, are Mosquito bites. Mosquitos carry and spread all kinds of diseases such as malaria, dengue, yellow fever, chikungunya, West Nile virus, and Zika—to name a few. Over one million people worldwide die from Mosquito-borne diseases. Mosquitos also transmit diseases and parasites to dogs and horses.
This is my all-time favorite salad! It can be served in the summer, spring, fall, or winter. I’m making it in honor of Father’s Day for my husband because I got this recipe from his late Mother many years ago. To be exact, it was 1983. She gave me the recipe so I could bring this dish to a family Fourth of July party. I still have (and use) the original piece of scrap paper that she wrote the recipe on.
