Candles Love Soy!

As you know, we have recently added our line of handmade soaps. I love soap! It’s an addiction. My hubby says I am not allowed to bring anymore soap into the shower as it’s overtaken every inch of space. Really, truly, I have so many soaps, they are always falling off the ledges, and sliding across the tub. That’s the problem when there are so many awesome soaps out there that need to be used, and you make them yourself, and have a ton of soapmaking friends .

Hubby’s really not going to be happy when he discovers that I WON some more soap from a fellow soapmaker, Michelle, owner of Sarva Soaps.

I usually never win anything, but decided to enter a contest by visiting the Eco-Office Gals web site. I have been in awe of Sarva Soaps for quite some time. Her marketing is quite clever, she gives every soap it’s own personality. Here’s a little quote:

Babies can be a real challenge at bathtime. They don’t want to go to bed, they sometimes don’t like getting a bath, or they get playful and wiggly in the water, and then they get soap in their eyes. That’s no fun! So, here’s a soap designed just for babies. Engineered to have a gentle, abundant, creamy lather–no big bubbles to jump up into baby’s eyes out of nowhere (some soap does that, even to grownups like me).…

I still can’t believe I won these beautiful soaps and I expect them to arrive in the mail any day now. I can’t wait.

Oh, and if you’re looking to win some cool stuff, visit the Eco-Office Gal’s site, as they’re giving away stuff all week.

These charming status jars have been a huge hit at quite a few weddings lately, including at my cousin’s recent wedding.

They haven’t had their own product page up until now, and had to be ordered as a special request. Not quite as much fun or as exciting as viewing them on their own special page. Not anymore You can choose to have them packaged in organza bags, so they’re ready for your occasion right out of the box! Choose from ivory, pink, blue, or lavender.

Volume Discounts for large quantities!

So right now we’re in the middle of another “horrible” day in America’s economy. Bad news looms everywhere you look, according to mainstream media. Everyone is damn near TERRIFIED today over the stock market - but we are safe.

Here’s why.

Innovation and desire. Americans are hardwired to be innovative, and we have the desire to follow through. What is the mother of invention? Necessity. These are times of necessity. Don’t suddenly stop spending, pull all your money out of the bank and go hide under your bed. That is not innovation. That is a reaction to panic - which you would rightfully feel after listening to even 10 minutes of the daily newscast.

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You Do NOT Have To “Fall Prey” To This “Bad” Economy.
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Be smart. Let’s look back a few generations. My grandmother turned 81 this year, my grandfather is 90.

My mom had me when she was 19, so we lived with them until I started kindergarten at 6. Grammie had a routine.

For EVERYTHING! Get up in the morning, make breakfast, immediately do the dishes afterwards, take the rugs out to shake the dirt off, sweep, make the beds, if it was ironing day, she’d iron, darning day, she’d mend socks. Sunday was coupon clipping day. Both my grandparents tended to their garden. They then canned the fruits of their labor. Grammie shopped at goodwill, I never thought twice about it. It was normal to me. hand-me-down’s were a must. I always got Andrea’s old clothes (technically my cousin, but more like a sister). Which sometimes wasn’t all that great since she’s a LOT taller than me. But never fear, grammie was there with her handy-dandy needle and thread, hemming up my pants.

Think we were dirt-poor, and never had anything new? No, that’s not the case. We had plenty of new “things”, fresh from the store, and sparkling. But we also “reduced, re-used, and recycled” everything possible. I still do. Growing up that way was such a blessing. My grandmother didn’t work outside of the home, she stayed in and raised her 8 kids, and practically me too. My grandfather was a shift-supervisor at the 7up bottling factory. He didn’t have a 6 figure salary, yet they managed to keep everyone fed, got them to the doctor if needed, clothed and they bought a second home on the lake (loon lake, where I learned to love caterpillars). (let me tell you, he’s my hero!)

What’s my point? Be frugal, not frightful!

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The law of the universe, what goes down, must come up!

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Listen, as long as you have innovation and desire, I think you’ll practically be IMMUNE to any type of recession or other economic downturn. (as long as you are employed, and even if you lose your job, you can still be frugal, innovative and have the desire to change your circumstances!)

*clip coupons - some stores will even double your coupons!

*Shop at second hand stores, discount stores, garage sales, AND buy only those things you need, or can use NOW. Don’t go buy that $80 doohinky because you’ve wanted it forever and it’s finally marked down from $82 to $80. That is not a smart investment. Of course the occasional splurge is still okay, as long as it’s occasional.

*Look for Buy one Get one sales

*Google “kids eat free [your city name]” if you’re looking to go out to eat, usually you can find many choices on a variety of nights where kids eat free

* Trade services, swap furniture & clothes, barter, work out a trade!
Here are a few resources to trade or swap items: Freecycle.org, LocalBucks.org, and Craigslist.org

I have found new reusable bags that are made out of recycled material - old juice packets. Yes, that’s correct These are sooo cool. I bet if you went grocery shopping with these bags, everyone would be “green” with envy. Juicy Bags also makes wallets and coin purses. These are the neatest, most crafty bags I have ever seen! Very reasonably priced too! Go check them out.

I’ve been wanting to do a “green bag” blog post ever since we moved to Seattle several years ago, and it’s finally time. Seriously, Seattle is a very environmentally aware city and you can’t help but be affected by it sooner or later. I’m in tree-hugger heaven!

My first brush with local green-ness came at the supermarket. I was surprised to hear on the news that Washington was about to pass a law that charged people to use bags other than cloth. Honestly, I had thought about using another type of bag but had never “got around to it”. I knew plastic bags were bad for the environment, but I use the bags as bathroom garbage liners or to carry stuff in when we went on “day-cations”- I would never just throw them away. However, the Seattle City Council helped push me towards cloth bags by passing an ordinance that charges customers 20 cents every time they use a bag other than one they bring in. It’s not that much money, but it did get me thinking, why don’t I have cloth?

So, I picked a few up one day at the grocery store and have nothing but good things to say about them. I can hold so much more in them, they are easier on the hands and arms (I have this thing about carrying in all my groceries in one load - and I used to just about lose circulation with the plastic bags digging in my arms), plus I can carry them over my shoulder.

I just can’t say enough good things about them. It’s one of the easiest eco-friendly changes to make! The bags typically cost around $1 each, there’s some really cute ones for more, and think of the trees you’re saving. Plus the rumor is it takes 500 years for a plastic bag to fully decompose - we don’t really know because they haven’t been around that long, but suffice it to say, it’s a long time!

If you like the really fancy bags but don’t want to pay big bucks for that snazzy picture imprinted on one side, get creative and paint your own! Most acrylic paints will adhere very well to the cotton-y tote fabric, and you can easily find a plethora of colors at your local craft store. Use brushes, sponges, potatoes, those old plastic bags , go ahead - unleash your creative self!

Locally, cloth bags can be found at Fred Meyers, Albertsons, Trader Joe’s, PCC, the dastardly major chain everyone loves to hate Wal Mart, and Safeway. Go get some - you’ll love ‘em!