Oh What Fun - Advents Calendars and Cloved Oranges

Hi all,

It's been a looooong, loooong time. Can't believe it's the Holiday Season again, and for the first time we're celebrating in Germany. Yes, that's right, we made the big move and that's the reason why I neglected my blog so much during the past months.

It's been a very different lifestyle here, I got to say. Don't even know where to start. The city we live in have the so called "Biotonnen" for example, that's a garbage can for compost and leftover foods, grass and garden waste only. They pick it up twice a month and even clean it out for you. Awesome, I think. Of course it's better to have your own compost in the garden, but if that isn't an option, at least there's that.
The "normal" garbage can is tiny, especially compared to the American ones. You wouldn't be able to fit more than one what we call normal size garbage bags in it (30 gallons), and we have a deal that it only gets picked up twice a month as well. Can you imagine??? I doubt that many people in the States would be able to deal with that - but being who we are and given the fact that literally everything except diapers, textiles and very little other stuff is recyclable here, it is very much possible! You also have to pay for the garbage services here, not through the taxes, but directly to the provider, which, as much as it stinks in a way, I think is a good idea to make people think twice how big a garbage can they want and how often they want it to be picked up.

So with the holidays being very near and the fact that half our stuff is not yet unpacked (of course the Christmas stuff is tucked away in an unreachable corner :-( I have to think about green options to decorate the house.
One thing that is really big in Germany and is getting bigger in the States as well is the Adventscalendar - where you get a little surprise for each day in December until the 25th.
This surprise can be anything from little notes to toys, sweets, whatever you can think of. My hubbie got me a story - it came in a tin with 24 round papers, and each paper has a part of a story on the back. I got him a tea calendar, with a different tea for every day.
Our boys got "Ueberraschungseier". My German friends will know those, the rest of you won't. It's a chocolate egg filled with a tiny toy. 
They sell those already done, but I wanted to make my own.
So I just wrapped each egg with green and red paper, closed it with yarn and  hang them all on a rope, each one with a sticker with the number of the day on it.
In one of the many second-hand stores that I found here, I bought some cute Christmas decoration which I also hung on the rope - it came out really nice and the boys love it:

I know a lot of people love a Christmas-y smell in the house around the holidays and buy room sprays to achieve that.
Not only are most of those really bad for the environment, and for yourself, of course, they usually also cost a lot of money. An easier way getting a really nice smell into your house (and a nice craft project for kids) is to take some oranges and stick a lot of cloves into them. I hung mine up(just poke a hole through them with a knitting needle or something like that) but you can also just place them somewhere.

The first one is hanging in front of our window with an LED light curtain in the background, the snake-shaped one is just sitting on a table.
Fun to make and gives a really nice aroma. My 6-year old was just a little concerned about wasting food for decoration purposes - but I think it's worth it.

Have a happy Holiday Season everybody!

Dangers Of Drinking Milk by Sarah Wenger

Look What I Found!!!

Keeping your eyes open always pays off in many ways!
A few days ago I saw a post on Craigslist about a kitchen set that someone was giving away.
It stated in the post that it was self-made because the parent didn't like the "plastic junk" that was available in stores - I think that is what caught my eye.

Anyway, I responded and we got the kitchen set. It is really self-made, from kitchen cabinets and some other gear, and even though it's about 20 years old, it's still in great shape.

It's my "kid dream kitchen"! Made of re-purposed materials that otherwise would have ended up in the landfill (who wants old kitchen cabinets?), really creative and yes, it contains no plastic other than maybe in the acrylic oven door. We all love it and I just had to share this with everyone.
Happy Hunting :-)

Back to the Basics

 Picture taken from www.thepowerofbeing.net

Hi!
I can't believe how much I have neglected my blog in the past few months.
Sorry and thanks for checking in anyways!

I thought it's a good opportunity to go back to the basics and write about simple things what we all can do to fight global warming. Sometimes we all need a good reminder, don't we? :-)

So here we go:

• Reduce, reuse, recycle - and in that order. First of, we don't need as much stuff as we are made believe. Or if you are a consumer, buy used. Garage sale season has just started - Yay! 

• Donate stuff you don't need or want anymore, hand it down, sell it - whatever. Just keep it out of the landfill.

• Buy bulk and minimally packed goods whenever you can. Every little bit helps. And yes, recycle.

• Avoid disposables! Reusable containers instead of ziplock bags, cloth napkins instead of paper, reusable water bottle instead of plastic, etc. etc. You get the idea.

• Use cold or warm water for washing your clothes, not hot. It minimizes the used energy by a lot.

• Low-flow installments in showers and fixtures/toilets reduce the amount of water used drastically.

• If you have a dishwasher, run it only when full (with eco-friendly detergent!) and do not use the heat to dry option.

• Turn out the lights when you leave the room. Turn off appliances when not in use. It's that simple.

• If you are in the business of getting new or replacing your old appliances, get the ones that are energy-efficient.

• Get out of your car and on your bike, or feet! That's the best you can do for yourself and the environment. If you have to use a motorized transportation method, carpool and/or use public transportation as much as possible.

• Eat less meat and animal products, it's good for you and the Earth.

• Increase awareness among friends and family and share how you do that :-)

Happy May!

Adopting Healthy Habits for Successful Delivery by Katie Moore

 This picture is borrowed from itestdna.blogspot.com

The thought of delivery day is one that is welcomed with excitement and a few nerves. This day represents the culmination of months of waiting and preparation, as well as the beginning of a new bond between mother and child that will last a lifetime. There are tons of preparations to make for the big day and weeks thereafter, but the good news is most of the important preparations can begin much earlier.

Healthy Diet

Delivering a healthy baby is a direct result of a healthy mother. Prenatal vitamins and regular check-ups, as requested by the obstetrician or other health provider, are the backbone of preparing for delivery day, but there are other things to do and research as well. Keeping a well balanced diet and adding about 300 extra calories to your diet around the start of your second trimester are what is recommended during pregnancy.

Exercise for Pregnancy

Whether labor turns out to be a marathon or sprint, it can be beneficial to adopt a physical fitness routine as soon as possible. There are a few instances that will prohibit the suggested moderate-intensity aerobics, and this is why discussing any exercise regime you would like to pursue with your doctor is an important part before beginning it.

Those new to regular fitness should definitely seek instruction from exercise classes tailored to pregnancy. Whether it is yoga, dance or water aerobics, mom and baby will gain many short-term benefits. These include a reduction in fatigue, easing up of nausea and other digestive problems, and more relaxing sleep patterns.

Meditation

Meditation offers numerous benefits to expectant mothers during their pregnancy and labor. Meditation is not a medicine, but rather a state of mind and many expectant mothers can find meditation to be calming and a helpful way to cope with any pain or nerves. There are classes that teach how to properly meditate during pregnancy and labor; the benefits of meditation will be lasting postnatal as well.

Pregnancy Classes

New mothers and even experienced mothers will benefit from attending classes geared toward the different stages of pregnancy. This is a great time to meet other moms and share information about resources and procedures. These classes are typically run by experts who are ready to answer all the questions or know where to find the answers. They teach about what to expect during labor and ways to help prepare you for delivery day. They also may offer explanations of circumcision or procedures like cord blood banking (click here for more information from Viacord), which allows a family to collect and store their baby’s umbilical cord blood at a private facility, as a potential future medical resource for the child or a sibling.

Having reliable information and being both physically and emotionally prepared are the best ways to reduce delivery day stress. Stress reduction is the key to a healthy delivery and a quick recovery!

This article was written by Katie Moore. Katie is an active writer within the blogging community who discusses maternity, motherhood, prenatal health, childbirth and other topics within this niche.  If you have any questions or would like to connect with Katie please contact her via twitter @moorekm26.

Giving Old Things a New Life

Hello!
Long time no hear... I've been so busy with stuff lately that I totally neglected my blog. Sorry!

Today I spent some time with my family checking out estate and moving sales. We're looking for some stuff and are always trying to buy second-hand, as we say in Europe.
In my case it's a Bernina sewing machine,or ideally sewing/embroidery machine, my husband is always looking for percussion stuff, and our boys are in the Star Wars mode at the moment.
A decent sewing machine at a private sale you might ask? Well, let me tell you my story about me and my sewing machines: I wanted to own one for the longest time and was waiting for one to just "fall in my lap". I got a vintage Singer from a fellow freecycler and couldn't be any happier.
But, the Singer and I, let's just say we didn't get along. Not at all. I spend quite some money on repairs and tune-ups, and still had a problem whenever I started a project, so the Singer had to go.
Soon after, I got my beloved "new" sewing machine, a Husqvarna Oscar, for $100! Including a high-end Horn sewing cabinet. From an estate sale. I'm not kidding!

I love my machine. But since I'm expanding my sewing, I want to upgrade to a machine that can do more. So I keep my eyes open. And until I find one (and I will!), I look for vintage bedding and such to give them a new life.
Today I found a really nice bed skirt in pink colors that will become beautiful doll cloths.
I also found this weird piece of fabric that I don't even know what it used to be. Heavy duty, white, with some velcro on it. I made a dust cover for my sewing machine, for the times when it's not sitting in the cabinet.

The point is don't just throw out unwanted things. Even if it has a hole, stain, or you just don't like it anymore - try to make something new out of it or find somebody who will do that. Or, if it's still usable, donate it, freecycle it, or even sell it. Let's keep it out of the landfill as long as we can!

3 Tips for Greener Outdoor Living in 2012 by Tina Foreman

With 2012 finally here, we’ve all probably got a few New Years resolutions we’ve made. For some it’s to lose those extra pounds, for others it’s to make more time for themselves, and some are even resolving to be more eco friendly around the home. If you fall into that last category, you’re in luck, because that’s what we’re going to talk about today. Here are 3 tips to help you be greener in your backyard for 2012.

Garden & Compost

Growing your own fruits and vegetables is one of the easiest ways to help the environment and a fun project for the whole family. By growing your own food, you help cut down on carbon emissions and don’t have to deal with any preservatives or insecticides on what you’re eating. And if you garden, it makes sense to go ahead and start composting. This is an easy task that only required a compost bin to get started. Simply fill it with stuff like egg cartons, newspaper, needles from your Christmas tree, and other compostable materials, and you’ll have a natural fertilizer to keep your garden thriving all year long.

Buy Recycled

Looking to redo your outdoor furniture or add a few new accessories to the patio? Then make sure you buy items made from recycled materials. Recycled used to have a negative connotation when it came to furniture items, but that’s no longer the case, as more manufacturers than ever are scheduled to release recycled lines this spring. The designs have come a long way, looking just as good as non-recycled models, so you’re not limited to dry, boring pieces. The lack of maintenance makes them attractive as well, as plastic only needs a good hosing down every once in a while to keep its appearance nice. It’s furniture that will last you for years and give everyone a comfortable place to relax, and you can be happy knowing you’re helping the environment by purchasing it.

Go Solar

The past few years have seen the explosion of solar outdoor accessories and 2012 shows no signs of that slowing down. Solar technology has come quite a long way since its beginnings, with those old, limited designs and low lighting power. Today, tons of popular outdoor items have solar models – everything from wind chimes to bird baths to Christmas lights! The advantages of solar are numerous. For example, the lack of wires means you’re not limited in where you can place your items by where the closest outlet is. Another big one is how it cuts down on the electric bill, as saving money is something everyone’s trying to do more of these days. Solar items look good, they save money, and they reduce energy use – what more could you want?

If you’re looking to make some green changes to your outdoor living space in 2012, keep these 3 tips in mind. They’ll help you create a thriving, environmentally friendly paradise right in your own backyard!

About The Author – Tina Foreman is a writer with Outdoor Living and always keeps up with the latest in green home design. For more on items like plastic planters, solar fountains, gardening supplies, or a picnic bench, visit OutdoorLiving.com.

Happy 2012!

Wishing everybody a very Happy 2012!!!

Here some quick earth-friendly tips for a greener start into the new year:

• Serve home-cooked meals
• Use re-usable dishes and glasses (there's re-usable plastic out there, for example Preserve
• Don't buy cheap China-made decorations in the dollar store that you'll throw out the next day. Instead, get creative with what you have or what you can use over and over again
• For the new year, try to decrease the amount of garbage you create (buy bulk, compost, buy less in general, pass on what you no longer need instead of throwing them out)
• Do one good thing in the old year. My boys and I rescued two abandoned puppies yesterday! But anything, big or small counts! 

Be safe! 

Mario MANIA - again!

Hi everybody - I hope you had wonderful holidays!
We kept it simple and as green as possible with home cooked meals, very few presents, wrapping with re-used gift wrap and/or re-usable fabrics, online holiday cards and so on.
I believe in self-made gifts whenever possible, so our sons got one-of-a-kind crocheted dolls - Mario and Luigi - under the tree. It took me about 15 hours to finish these, and I'm very happy to say that the boys love them.

To see more of the stuff I've done, check out the "GarbArt or Recycled Art" section on top of the blog, or click here


I'm very happy to pronounce that Lili, Meili and Beau at 33 Watchung Plaza in Montclair is selling some of my dolls.

Happy New Year to everybody!

Self Made Holiday Cards

I must admit - I love getting cards in the mail. It's just different to get a real greeting that you can display in your home rather than looking at it on the computer.
This year I wasn't able to send out real cards, unfortunately, due to a very unexpected trip out of the country from which we returned only a few days ago, so I'll have to send online greetings to family and friends this year.
I still needed a bunch of cards for teachers etc.though and just wasn't able to find my stock of holiday cards (must be the jet leg... don't you hate it when you know exactly that you own something but aren't able to locate it in your, um, messy home?!)

So, instead of buying cards (how boring, anyway!) I looked around in my house for what I could use to create new cards out of old stuff.
Here are a few I came up with:

These first two cards are cut-outs from holiday gift bags that ripped and therefore are not re-usable anymore.
I made some other cards from old cards (you know, I save everything, much to the dismay of my family :-). Unfortunately the cards are sealed in envelopes and I forgot to take pictures. Just wanted to throw out some ideas - get creative! Find festive motives from used cards, magazines, gift bags - whatever you can think of, cut it out and glue or sew it onto cardboard (recycled, if you can), and stick it into an envelope. Voila - you have a one-of-a-kind greeting card!

The next three cards are made of fabric scraps. I machine-stitched around the shape and around the edge of recycled cardboard. The envelopes are made from fabric scraps as well, but if you do something like this, you might just as well take a "normal" paper envelope.

On another note: the lucky winner of the Made From Earth holiday giveaway is Laurie. Congratulations!
Laurie, please send your address to YourGreenerFuture@gmail.com so I can forward it to Made From Earth and thanks for participating!


Happy Holidays to everyone!

Holiday Giveaway MADE FROM EARTH!

Hi!
It's been a while - things are hectic with the holiday season coming up, I'm sure you can all relate.
If you're looking for a gift, either for someone else or yourself, I have a suggestion: check out Made From Earth's Vitamin Enhanced Moisturizer!
A few months back I wrote a post about this company's products (click here to read it and to re-freshen your memory about things to avoid in cosmetic products).

Let me tell you - it's not easy to find a trustworthy company that sells trustworthy stuff nowadays. There's hidden chemicals and toxins in almost everything I take the time to really check out.
A little while ago I was lucky enough to receive Made From Earth prime product, the Vitamin Enhanced Moisturizer. Just like with the other products I tested months ago, I wasn't disappointed in this one, either.
The list of ingredients is short and you'll know and will be able to pronounce everything you read there, the product is 100% vegan and it feels and smells really, really nice.

I get a lot of requests to review products on the blog lately. And I'm not easy to please :-)
So far, Made From Earth is the only product I actually did review (for all the others I wouldn't have too much good things to say). Give it a try and check it out. They deliver worldwide!

One lucky reader will be getting a Vitamin Enhanced Moisturizer FOR FREE!

All you need to do is
* leave a comment on the blog site directly or on Your Greener Future Facebook page saying what your favorite natural skin care product is and why, plus
* Like Made From Earth on Facebook and/or follow Made from Earth on Twitter.

Contest ends on Tuesday, December 20 at midnight Eastern Standard time and is open to participants worldwide. Good luck!

Halloween Again

I can't believe it's Halloween time again!
And with it comes the hunt for new costumes, decorations, treats etc. etc.
Today was a rainy day so we spent all afternoon inside being crafty.
One of the things we created was a very simple Halloween inside decoration made of a balloon head and a large piece of black organza like fabric. I simply wrapped the fabric around the balloon, tied it with a piece of ribbon, glued paper eyes on the head and hung it up in front of a window!

Luckily, I also had some red LED lights on hand (which by the way are so much more energy efficient than anything else out there!), so we were able to add some drama to our ghost. The kids had fun and we didn't spend any money AND we were kind to the environment since we didn't buy anything for this project!

What else can be done to be greener around Halloween time?
If you're lucky and your kid doesn't request to be a specific character, you can make your own costume. Think of princesses dressed in colorful scarfs, decorated with beads - or pirates dressed in old cut-up clothes. The possibilities are endless! This year my boys want to be Mario and Baby Mario. Easy enough since I don't need a costume. Brown shoes, blue overalls and red turtleneck will do in our case. The only problem was the hat. I mean, who has a red balloon hat at home to just stick a white "M" on? I certainly didn't, but I got creative and found a tutorial online to make my own. I think they came out great - and I KNEW there was a good reason why I bought these two hat stands!!!

To be honest, if I was (or is it were???) a judge for kids costumes, I would much more prefer creative, self-made costumes over store-brought ones.

If you need ideas or guidance, check out the web, there's a ton of tutorials and ideas out there even if you're not super crafty. Check it out - it's really fun!

Happy Green Halloween!!!!

My Latest Garage Sale Finds

I was planning on a little series about my garage sale finds for a long time.
My belief is that all thrifting - and garage sale purchases are a big part of it - is green for the environment as well as for your wallet. And it's so much fun!
Take a look at some of the things I found last weekend:

1) Giovanni's roll-out piano - perfect for our tiny space and the kids love it!
2) D&G purse - something fun for me after years of using just a diaper bag :-)
3) Learning computer for our 5 year old
4) Wooden sorting house for our toddler
5) Very cool newspaper-print fabric
6) 2 teddybears
7) Quirkie cubes game

I spent just a little over $10 on all of this and had a ton of fun!

How To Upcycle A Beat-up Kids Table

A few years ago, I bought a white Ikea table & chair set for $5.

It was a little beat up then already, but I figured even if I had bought a new set it would be like that with 2 hm, creative kids in the house. So this set got worse over time with paint that wouldn't come off anymore and some major scratches on the table surface.

Being who I am though I didn't want to throw it out and came up with another idea: I found a US map and taped it on the table. This way our kids can sit and study geography and get messy at the same time!

Did You Know...

... That the hard bottle caps of any kind of plastic product are NOT recyclable?
I just thought about it when I actually had to deal with some. Yes, I found myself drinking water out of plastic bottles for the first time in ages - Hurricane Irene freaked me out and I gave in and bought some bottles just in case.
In our neighborhood I can collect them and bring them to my son's school who has a partnership going with a cosmetic company (click here for more info).

Google mentioned the program "caps can do" - you can ship your caps to them. Some Whole Foods markets have bins where they collect #5 plastics for companies like Preserve.

If you think about it, these caps can cause a lot of problems:
When just tossed, they take years and years to decompose. When thrown in the recycling bin (where they don't belong in most areas) they slow down the recycling process because pieces that don't match (plastic bottle #1 plastic and lid #5) have to be separated, or, if accidentally processed together, it can ruin the whole batch.
What little caps can do to wildlife is beyond belief. Just think about animals trying to eat them, polluting oceans and streams.
Best is to stay away from plastics altogether. Buy reusable water bottles, that's the biggest culprit.
The caps that you have to deal with, either recycle the right way or be creative with them.
Here are a few ideas:
1) Use as tiny picture frames
2) Paint and use them as checkers
3) Use for artistic purposes - to hold small amounts of paint etc.
4) Use for storage for tiny things (you could glue a bunch of caps to a wooden board)
5) If you have a lot of caps in different colors, get a big piece of cardboard and "write" your child's name with them - this could be a fun rainy day project.

If you have other ideas, please feel free to share

Paper Decoration For A Really Cool Place

These are some paper decorations that I made for go lightly the last two nights for the launch of the new RAW CAFE. Yay, that's right - a vegan raw cafe in Montclair, NJ! If you live in the area, don't miss out on this, it's delicious, healthy, good for you and the earth.
I'm so happy that finally there is an option for healthy, vegan and raw food in the Montclair area.
And if you don't live in the area, I encourage you to look for a raw food restaurant and just try it, even if you're not vegan or a raw foodie. You have to try it to believe how yummy it is.
Bon appetit!

Self Made Toddler Hammock!

What is this? You may ask.
A weird looking pinata? A way of hiding presents from kids? A pet trapped in a blanket? Or a toddler in a impromptu hammock, made of an Ikea blanket and tied to two chairs.
My two-year old went back to napping, after 6 months of skipping naps.
I found myself wishing for some sort of swing, like the good old baby swings that soothed them into sleep, and came up with the idea.
I secured one chair by sliding a step ladder between the seat and the table so the chair wouldn't fall backwards. The other chair was secured by another one on top of it. I double-checked how safe it was before I put him in and, of course, stayed within arm's reach.
He had a wonderful nap!

A Truly Good Company

I just had a very pleasant experience with a very pleasant company that sells a product that I really like.
I'm talking about WRAP-N-MAT, the re-usable sandwich wrap and placemat in one.
Years ago my son received this wrap as a party favor, and until this day it was the most thoughtful and useful thing that we ever got at a party. He used it almost all the way through his two years of pre-school, until I accidentally put it too close to the stove and burnt it.
I had a replacement already (just in case :-), which unfortunately didn't make it quite as long and we had to exchange it for a new one when the new school year started.
This new one had a fault in the material - I wasn't able to wipe it clean without getting it damp and unusable for a few days until it dried out.
So I decided to write to the company and let them know about it.
What a nice experience that was! All through e-mail, the customer service representative was all about making it right, agreeing that the product should last for a very long time (don't we all have the environment in mind!) and send me three new wraps, one of them with the original design that I once had and can't find anymore. I'm so excited! I love their product! It made it possible for my son to not have any waste at lunch - ever! Think about how many zip-lock bags it'll save you and the earth over the course of a school year, or for your own lunches/picnics/snacks/...
It even doubles as a placemat when spread out! I just love it when a company has an awesome product and an awesome philosophy. And when they even stand behind their product and do everything to make it right for the customer, it's just the perfect fit. For me, anyway.

Mario MANIA!!!!!

Recently my older son is obsessed with Mario. You know, Super Mario - this old computer game guy. Not that he has ever owned a computer game, but one of his dearest, older friends does, and loves this character, and so does he.

A few days ago he asked me "Why don't you ever buy me a Mario T-shirt?"

As you know though, I don't like to buy new things, so I made him one. He has a bunch of white hand-me-down shirts (whether white is a color that he really should wear is another question...), so I picked a fairly nice polo shirt, got down to work with a few fabric markers, and made him his shirt. He loves it, and it saved me some money and helped the environment.


Then came his friend's birthday, and knowing how much he loves Mario and Luigi, and again not wanting to go out and buy something new, I painted him a Mario and Luigi poster.

This is the unframed painting (acrylic on paper)

I'm always on the lookout for usable frames so always have a nice stock on hand. This is the result:

Mario and Luigi in a blue reused Ikea picture frame

A Stack Of Clothes...

... just saved us a lot of money!
Somehow we accumulated a whole stash of somewhat damaged clothing - we had 3 of my husband's shirts. One had a button missing, one had a small hole by the shoulder and the third had two tiny holes in the front. A pair of pants of mine had a broken hook, a skirt had a rip.
What I would have done in the past was to either bring these to a drycleaner/tailor, depending on the personal value of the clothes (and paid a small fortune, as we all know!), or donate them to hopefully somebody who would be able to fix them.
And then get out there and buy other clothes. After all, the empty (huh, did I just say "empty"???) space in the closet must be filled, right?

Not this time! I decided to fix the problems myself. It took me about an hour of sewing, and it was all done.
Money saved, energy saved!
Try it out, you can do it, too :-)