Category: LIVING

DIY Natural Deodorant

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fun deododorant

Over the years I’ve tried every natural deodorant imaginable….Tom’s, Jason, LUSH, Dr. Hauschka, Burt’s Bees, Lush, crystals, lotions, and good ole’ soap. All left me either stinky and slimy, or red and rashy.

Determined to win the battle, I began to scour the internet to find an effective DIY Deodorant recipe. After two failed attempts using Essential Day Spa’s recipe, I ditched the clay, coconut oil, and lavender, and created the recipe below.

I recruited several guinea pigs, including my husband David, to put my homemade concotion to the test. Through wind and rain, heat and cold, lazy days and vigorous bike riding, my subjects’ pits smelled as fresh as ever! Try it for yourself! Continue reading →

Simple Living: Dinner for One

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It’s not often that I get to cook for just myself. So when walking home from the library I decided “today will be the day to indulge in a meal made just for me!”

Normally this means heading out to the closest Thai place – but tonight I decided to slave in the kitchen for none other than myself. Continue reading →

Signature Packaging: DIY Envelopes Tutorial

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One of my ongoing goals with Pierogi Picnic is to make every part of my business  “beyond green.” Much like “beyond organic,” I want to go farther than expectations, beyond green washing and marketing ploys to really reduce waste, reuse materials, and do it in style.

One of my all-time favorite ways to do this is hand craft mailers out of used cereal boxes. This was one of my first Pierogi Picnic innovations when I got started in 2008. The tutorial below will show you how you too can make these fun packaging pieces using leftover cereal containers you may have stashed in your cupboard. Continue reading →

Meat-Free Memorial Day

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Photo from The Enchanted Spice

If you’re anything like my husband, you can’t wait to light up the grill and throw some edibles onto the grates. For vegetarians and vegans, Memorial Day can conjure up deeply repressed meat missing emotions – if not just for the sake of nostalgia. That’s why I’ve put together this handy guide to a Meat-Free Memorial Day for veg-heads and carnivores alike! Continue reading →

Team Player: Writing for Ecoetsy!

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Do you get overwhelmed by the sheer number of sellers on Etsy? If you’ve ever been to the site and searched for eco-friendly and have found the results too big to digest then Ecoetsy is your saving grace! The Ecoetsy team is a group of Etsy sellers all committed to green business practices and sustainable products. By typing “ecoetsy” into your search inquiries you’ll have a list of guaranteed tree huggers like yourself to choose from.

In addition to providing filtered lists of goods – the Ecoetsy team runs a successful blog that helps you take the walk beyond shopping. Filled with news, business tips, recipes, and Etsy finds, the site will inspire you to take an extra step in your conscious lifestyle. And now, every month, you’ll be able to catch my Eco-Tutorials too as I’ve become an official Ecoetsy Blog contributor! Check out my first post about how you can transform your throw pillows with a set of fabric kitchen napkins! Show some love in the comments too.

Small Space? Urban Garden Solutions!

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Tis the season to start planning your 2011 edible gardens. City dwellers must overcome the myth and fear that growing veggies is only for those with a stiff mortgage and plenty of land mass. Those of us who live in apartments and high rises can overcome this obstacle by employing some creative solutions:

Urbio Vertical Garden: This up-and-coming design team is currently collecting funds via Kickstarter to turn their urban jungle ideas into reality. Their concept of magnetic and adjustable plastic planters is brilliant, modern, and functional.  Let Urbio be your inspiration. Continue reading →