Sustainable & Creative Living
Summer fun always includes cooking with fresh fruits and vegetables. For me, raspberries are high on my list of delicious seasonal fruits. They’re right up there with strawberries and watermelon. I eat all of them as often as possible while they’re fresh and easily available. This Raspberry Skillet Cake makes a nice treat for breakfast, bunch, or [Read more…]
For the past 15 years, our little family, along with my husband’s large side of the family, has been gathering on the white sandy beaches of Captiva Island for our summer ritual of fun and relaxation. One week spent in the same time share, for over thirty years, first began with my husband, his brother and sister, and his parents. A once small, but traditional family vacation, has now turned into a great gathering of friends and family where we share food, wine, laughs, game nights, ice cream, burgers, and more wine. [Read more…]
The right potty chair or seat can be the key to a smooth potty training experience. And I’m here to tell you that not all potty training chairs and seats are created equal. If your little one is potty training or close to starting, check out this Guide to the Best Potty Training Chairs and Seats. [Read more…]
This is the time of year I like to go to my local nursery or the garden departments of all nearby big box stores. I try to stick to easy to grow plants as much as possible. Check out my post about Low Maintenance House Plants & 5 Essential Tips for their Care. But no matter how easy plants are to grow, they’ll still need some care. One item of business with plant care is [Read more…]
When I first started thinking about teaching my 2 and-half-year-old son the alphabet, I thought the easiest approach would be to just sing the ABC song over and over and he’d eventually catch on. Wrong. He couldn’t even stand to hear me sing the ABC song let alone sing it over and over again. I’d get about 5 letters in and I’d hear my sweet boy say, “Mommy stop, stop singing!” Ugh! After being thoroughly offended for about 2 minutes, I had to think of a different approach. I decided to try using the Letter of the Week strategy and after about 4 weeks he was hooked on letters and singing his ABC’s anywhere and everywhere! My favorite is when he sings at the top of his lungs while we’re in the stall of a public restroom…it makes my heart smile every time! [Read more…]
A few weeks ago I shared my recipe for Homemade Coconut Aluminum-Free Deodorant so this week I’m sharing another one of my homemade personal care products. This recipe for Chemical-Free Coconut Oil Toothpaste is all-natural, chemical free, and eco-friendly. Over the past few years, I’ve really been trying to eliminate products from my life that are laced with all sorts of unnecessary chemicals in an effort to lead a more natural lifestyle. It’s not easy giving up products that I’ve relied on my whole life but with a little effort, I’ve slowly made some transitions. [Read more…]
Plastic shopping bags are a huge threat to our environment. Their impact is widespread- from the energy it takes to produce the plastic to the pollution they cause on land and sea. Yet they’re still one of the most used single-use convenience plastics. If these are items you’d like to eliminate (or cut back on), here are 22 Ways to Avoid Plastic Shopping Bags. [Read more…]
Sweating is the natural and healthy way our bodies release toxins. It’s essential in helping to cool body temperature and prevent overheating. But, it can feel unpleasant and often leave me feeling insecure about unsightly stains on my clothes. Which is exactly why I’ve been avoiding it for the past 20 years…until recently. As an adult, and new mom, I’ve started to question and research more about what I put on my body, what I use in my cleaning products, and what I consume. I’ve slowly become more health conscious and interested in consuming more all-natural products. Out of all the cleaning and personal care products I’ve made, this Homemade Coconut Aluminum-Free Deodorant is my favorite. [Read more…]
Since I love my DIY laundry pods, I decided it was time to make my own DIY Dishwasher Pods. They’re super simple to make and just as cost-effective. Of course, I love them too! If you want to cut back on or eliminate toxic household cleaners from your life, give these DIY Lemon Dishwasher Pods a try! [Read more…]
I am always surprised by how many of my friends and family don’t really know anything about shapewear. I’ve been wearing it for years, specifically thigh shapers and I can’t imagine not wearing them. I’m also a big fan of dresses and skirts so that could have something to do with it.
Potty training can be a dreadful time for toddlers and parents. I’ve heard horror stories from friends and family about the awful process. Some parents warned me it could take months or years to get my son out of pull-ups and into underwear full time.
So, before I started the potty training process with my son, I did a lot of research on what to expect and how to prepare myself (and him). After endless reading and stressing, I came to the conclusion that no matter how many blogs I read, my process and my experience would be different because no child or family situation is the same. I just had to dive in, expect the worst, and hope for the best. [Read more…]
If you’ve read any of my other posts, I’m sure you’ve gathered that I love DIYs, but only if they are
simple and easy. These 5 Eco-Friendly Beauty Tips are my favorite beauty DIYs because they are
just that– so simple to use and friendly on [Read more…]
When I first started teaching my son how to recognize different shapes, I would draw them on a piece of paper, point, and tell him what each shape was. Before too long he would get bored and move on to a toy with wheels or sound and leave me in the dust. It didn’t take me long to realize I was going about my teaching style all wrong. He needed something to touch and feel in his hands to be more interested in learning his shapes. So I turned my original boring shape activity into a reusable, hands-on, and very easy-to-make Shape Recognition Activity with colorful felt shapes that can be stuck on and peeled off over and over. [Read more…]
