Sustainable & Creative Living
Last week I wrote a post all about learning to let go – let go of all my stuff since I’m trying to downsize for my upcoming van life adventure. I wrote about how this is a serious struggle for me, not only because I tend to assign a sentimental value to a lot of things – but also because I love to shop. I didn’t emphasize that as much last week because I am working on it. But have to admit, I’m definitely a bit of a shopaholic.
As a fairly new parent, I worry incessantly about my 2-year-old getting hurt, sick, bullied, abducted, or drowning. Sometimes I forget about how dangerous my own house can be. Chemicals, hot stoves, pools, ponds, electrical outlets, and heavy furniture are just a few of the looming dangers lurking in plain sight. As my son gets older and becomes more curious, I fear less about bumps and bruises, and more about ingesting chemicals or wandering to the pond behind our home. This is why I baby proof everything! [Read more…]
Last Christmas when I was shopping for gifts, I saw this adorable little trinket that said “follow your dreams” on it. It’s the kind of cute little thing I’m always buying for one of my girls. I picked it up, examined it, thought for a moment, and put it back down. I wasn’t in the mood to promote my kids following their dreams if they didn’t involve them living within a fairly close proximity to me or the rest of their family.
Easy Baked Onion Rings are a quick and simple snack to make when the craving for something crisp, crunchy, and sweet takes over. I like to eat them by themselves, but they’re also tasty as a side dish for soup or salad. They go great with my Easy Low-CalorieTomato Soup. Since they’re baked instead of fried they’re healthier but still feel indulgent and satisfying. Best of all, they’re one of those dishes that I almost always have the ingredients for on hand in my kitchen!
Decluttering possessions is something I tend to do on an ongoing basis, and I do a lot of it right after the holidays. It’s the perfect time to declutter, of course, because with so many new items to put away, old ones have to go. This is so true when you have small children and they receive a barrage of new toys for Christmas!
This January I’ve done a lot of decluttering. Even though I’ve always done my usual decluttering, this year was different. For the past several years, my extra time has been taken up by health issues surrounding my [Read more…]
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…]
I’ve been looking for a way to help calm my 2-year-old son when his temper gets the best of him. About 7 years ago a family member made this DIY Calming Glitter Jar for her daughter to serve the same purpose. I made a mental note to give it a try when my own child came along, you know if I needed it.
Fast forward 7 years, the terrible twos in full swing, and I’ve quickly learned that toddler tantrums are tough to deal with. When your crazed child is [Read more…]
I always do my best to recycle or reuse as much as possible, in hopes that maybe I can make a difference in the way that our society consumes and discards resources, materials, and objects. I’m a firm believer that waste doesn’t always have to be wasted. Recycling and reusing the products we consume not only helps the environment by reducing greenhouse gas emissions, but also helps save money, energy, and natural resources.
My favorite things to save and reuse are [Read more…]
Do you ever see something at the store and think “I can make that”? I literally do that all the time and everyone always rolls their eyes because… can I really make that? Well over the weekend mom and I saw a really cute Christmas ornament and I said my signature catchphrase.
When I started explaining how we could actually make the ornament, I realized I’ve made something very similar before.I was instantly brought back to my days in the National Art Honor Society in High School. Back then we were making locker magnets and selling them to classmates, trying to raise money for art supplies.
Now it’s a fun little project for a rainy day. Make adorable emoji magnets or funky letters to arrange on the fridge.
I’m always in search of a yummy treat that I can serve my toddler, he’ll taste it, and he’ll actually want a second bite of it. This raspberry orange roll is adapted from a cranberry orange recipe I came across while on the hunt for something new. This Raspberry Orange Bites recipe came about mostly because I didn’t have cranberries on hand so the Raspberry Orange Bite was born.
I love making mini bites or mini muffins because they’re the perfect size for my toddler’s tiny hands. These particular bites have very few ingredients, which is my favorite ways to cook, and they’re ready to eat in 6 simple steps. [Read more…]
I know the first day of Fall isn’t until September 22nd, but by Starbucks’ calendar, it’s officially pumpkin spice season so I’m in full swing. While everyone in Florida courageously awaited the arrival of Hurricane Irma this first weekend in September, my son and I walked the bare isles of Target trying to keep our minds off what was coming. When we came upon the dollar spot (a.k.a. Bullseye’s Playground), one of our favorite sections to browse, I immediately took notice of [Read more…]
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:
I’m always on the lookout for a quick and easy dinner recipe. My wheelhouse is 5 ingredients or less! After working all day and taking care of a 2-year-old, I desperately need a quick and easy dinner recipe or odds are I’m not cooking.
To be honest, I don’t do a lot of the cooking. My husband and I share a lot of the responsibilities when it comes to the housecleaning, laundry, and grocery shopping. But when it comes to meal prep, [Read more…]
