Bio-degradable Sponges

I'm sure I've said this before, but I'm constantly looking at the things I throw away and always ask myself, can I recycle or re-use this, or is there an alternative? I'm so glad I found the product line Twist. They make natural, bio-degradable cleaning products so when you're done with them, you can toss them in your yard waste bin and they won't contribute to the increasing waste in our land-fills.

I bought the "Naked sponge" which works really great and keeps suds at their maximum lifespan. I also bought the "Loofah scrubby" which has a sponge on the inside and poofs up when you get it wet. It works great as well, and the natural fibers have held together well. I found them at Metropolitan Market, I'm sure they sell the same product line at other similar stores. Like most natural products, they were a couple more bucks than the non-biodegradable options, but I think it's worth it. If you don't, then I have some suggestions on how to extend the life of your kitchen scrubby sponges and bacteria free.

• First, always rinse it well after each use, and keep it hanging on some type of rack to help it dry quickly so avoid bacteria growth.
• To kill any bacteria, you can boil it for 10 minutes. I've also heard that you can microwave it for a few minutes, but watch it- I read 5 minutes was a good time to follow, but my sponge ended up burning so I had to throw it away.

And you thought you knew how to recycle...

I was over at my sister's house the other weekend and went to toss something in her recycle bin when I found a few things in it that couldn't be recycled. I then went to throw something away in her trash and found something that could be recycled! I admit, my family knows me as a recycle nut, and I'm not afraid to point things like this out to them. Thinking about the things I see in the trash at my work, and talking about recycling with my sister, I thought that a post on recycling might help a few people out!

The number one thing I recommend is using the recycle guide that the city sends to you. I seriously have it on my fridge so if I'm not sure about something, I can take a quick glance at it. A pdf version of what I have can be found here.

Recycle!

• Aluminum cans, glass bottles, paper
• Cardboard- it drives me crazy how people at work don't recycle their frozen food containers!!!
• Plastic bottles and tubs (except for #7)- this includes shampoo, lotion, toiletry type things.
• Plastic grocery store bags- BUT they must be collected into a big ball of bags. You can't just throw one in- single bags can get caught in machinery.
• Aluminum foil- but it should be clean of food residue.
• Milk cartons
• Lids- 3 inches or wider. Smaller lids and caps can be recycled at Aveda stores

Don't Recycle!

• Chips bags
• Food storage plastic bags (ziplock, bread, produce)
• Paper towels
• Batteries (SEE BELOW)
• Plastic wrap
• Styrofoam (SEE BELOW)
• Paint cans
• Oil bottles (engine)

Compost!

• Vegetables & fruits (cooked and raw!)
• Breads, pasta, dairy/cheese
• Meat/fish/bones/beans
• Paper towels, napkins, plates
• Compost-able to go coffee cups
• Lint, hair, dirt, pet food
• Basically- if you can eat it, you can compost it!

Don't Compost!

• Non-food items
• Poop (human and non)
• Take-out cartons lined with plastic

Many homes and apartment buildings in Seattle are now required to provide a yard waste bin that you can put your compost-ables in. One thing my sister brought up was how it's gross how they have to dump their food waste straight into the bin. There are corn based "plastic" bags that you can line garbage cans or counter top canisters with to make it a less messy process. I either use a big paper bag from the grocery store if I know I'm going to have a lot of waste to collect for the week, or I'll use my counter top canister and line it with a BioBag. I found mine at Bartell's. They come in small and large garbage can sizes.

Going one step further, just think when you're throwing something away- can I recycle or compost this? I loooooove going to the recycle center in Tacoma, it's so much better than the main one in Seattle. They recycle all kinds of batteries, cell phones, Styrofoam popcorn, you name it. It's kind of fun too since everything has it's own little station.

Hopefully you already knew all of this- if not, I hope this might help you in your future recycling adventures! : D

Chrome & Steel Wool

Chrome fixtures in your shower and kitchen tend to get pretty scuzzy with soap scum and sometimes scrubbing it with a sponge just doesn't get it all off. One of the tricks of the trade is to use a fine grade steel wool pad. We would use this at all of our deep cleans to get fixtures super shiny without a whole lot of effort. Be sure to test it on a small area before you begin in case it scratches the fixture easily. The finer the grade, the less possibility of scratches but it won't be as effective. I prefer a medium grade for most fixtures since they can usually take it.

Rip off a small patch of the steel wool and rub it on the fixtures (be sure they're dry, or you will have a mess) where ever you see soap scum- it will come right off and turn into a soapy powder. Be sure to really get in there and get all the nooks and crannies. You can use this on bath and sink faucets, shower head pipes, drain holes, plugs, toilet paper holders and towel racks. After all the soap is rubbed off, wipe down the fixture or rinse it if it's in tub or sink, and polish it dry with a clean dry cloth. With proper up keep, you shouldn't have to steel wool your fixtures very often, but every now and then they will probably need a good sprucing up. Side note: I once tried to steel wool a light plate that was some sort of steel, and created a huge spark. I don't recommend doing that!

Natural dryer sheets

In an earlier post, I wrote about how to make your own natural laundry detergent. I'm currently working my way through a big tub of the liquid version of the soap. I feel really good about using a natural product when I'm doing my laundry, but it killed me when I realized that I'm cancelling out the good by using a dryer sheet in the dryer. Dryer sheets contain a laundry list (waa-waa) of harmful and irritating chemicals that are not only bad for our bodies, but also bad for the environment, as well as contribute to waste when you throw it away. Here is a list of commonly found chemicals in commercial dryer sheets:

• Benzyl Acetate: Linked to pancreatic cancer
• Benzly Alcohol: Upper respiratory tract irritant
• Ethanol: Can cause central nervous system damage
• A-Terpineol: Can cause respiratory problems and central nervous system damage
• Ethyl Acetate: A narcotic on the EPA’s Hazardous Waste list
• Camphor: Causes central nervous system disorders
• Chloroform: Neurotoxic, anesthetic and carcinogenic
• Linalool: Narcotic that causes central nervous system disorders
• Pentane: A chemical known to be harmful if inhaled

But the one that grosses me out the most, is that they also contain tallow, which is a refined form of beef fat. It's essentially what makes your clothes soft- it coats it in a fine layer of fat. Uggg.....

So that's enough to freak me out. I searched for ways to make a natural fabric softener at home, but nothing really hit it out of the park. The next time I was at a grocery store that had an extensive supply of natural products, I checked out what they had in the laundry aisle. To my delight, many companies that make natural laundry detergent also make some type of natural fabric softener or dryer sheets. I picked up a pack of Method Squeaky Green Dryer Cloths, and tried them for the first time today. I love them! You get 40 cloths, each are usable twice, then afterwards you can recycle them. Even better! They left a great light scent behind (I got the lavender scented cloths- yes, I love lavender), and my clothes were wonderfully soft and static free. Other companies that make natural fabric softener are Mrs. Meyers, Ecover, Sun & Earth- CostCo even sells a natural fabric softener which my parents use and like. Or you can use a dryer ball, which I've never used, and don't really understand the science of it, but I have heard they are an equally "green" alternative to dryer sheets.

Linen Water

Most of my clothes need ironing, so that is my "fun" chore every week. The steam feature on my iron is broken, so I use a spray bottle with water to mist my clothes with. I've always heard about linen water and have seen it featured in magazines but have never used it. It seems like something only well off middle aged women from the Hamptons use. Therefore, I must use it!! So of course, knowing me, I did a little research and made my own! Mix 25 oz. distilled water, 3 oz. vodka and 1 tsp. of an essential oil of your choice, such as lavender or eucalyptus. The vodka acts as an emulsifier and keeps the oil mixed evenly. Combine the ingredients in a glass or plastic bottle with a spray nozzle, and swirl to mix. If stored in a cool place, it should last 6-8 months. Spray it on your clothes before ironing, on your sheets, carpet, drapes, etc. It's basically a natural Febreeze and air freshener!

Kale Chips

While searching for some new ideas for healthy snacks a couple years ago, I came across this recipe to make chips out of kale leaves on a vegan site. It stated that they taste just like Lays potato chips. Yeah right.....I thought. Well you know what? THEY DO! I'm completely obsessed with these light, crisp little chips. I can't make a batch to last me a few days because I end up eating the whole thing in one sitting. Not only is it completely delicious and addictive, kale is a "superfood" and provides a high amount of calcium, vitamin C, vitamin A, and manganese. You can experiment with different seasonings, like curry, cayenne, soy sauce, whatever floats your boat. Whatever you make like, there are 3 main ingredients that give the chips their distinct Lays flavor: apple cider vinegar, oil and salt.

Preheat your oven to 350F. Wash and dry several (about 3) leaves of kale, then tear off pieces of the leaf about the size of a small chip and place them in a bowl. Drizzle over about a tsp. of olive or canola oil, a cap full of apple cider vinegar and a little salt. Generously mix the kale so that each piece is evenly coated, then arrange in a single layer on a large cookie sheet. Place it in the oven, and let it sit about 4 minutes. You need to tend to it from here on out, flipping the pieces and making sure nothing burns. The chips may start to turn brown, that is not your goal. Try to keep them as green as you can, yet crisp. Some chips crisp faster than others so I like to keep an eye on them, removing the crisp pieces one at a time. It's a recipe that takes some getting used to, it can be pretty easy to burn them if you aren't paying attention. Once you master the art of kale chips, it's pretty fun making different flavors. Although, my favorite will always be the good ol' standby recipe with the addition of garlic powder. And yes, I did just eat a huge mound of it.

Oil Cleansing Update

It has officially been 2 months since I have not washed my face. Not with soap, that is. I have been following the Oil Cleansing Method that I wrote about in an earlier post, and I have to say, I'm very pleased with the results! I was nervous, especially since I'm no stranger to zits; on an average day you could fry bacon with all the oil on my face. So how could washing with oil decrease my oily mess?

I had a boyfriend that had a pretty good complexion. I would never have guessed that he suffered acne when we was younger. We were taking a shower once (oooo, sexy talk!) and I playfully wanted to wash his face. He refused to let me and said that his skin would break out if I did. Later he explained that he did have acne pretty bad as a teen and young adult, and would routinely wash his face twice a day with the Neutrogena Acne Oil Wash. It never helped- so for some reason, he just quit washing his face, and his skin cleared up. Strange, huh?

There are many reasons to explain zits. Hormones, stress, diet, etc. From what I have read several times, one of the major reasons for poor complexion (especially in adults) is that we simply over clean our face. We naturally produce sebum in our pores, and if you constantly are washing it away, more of it is produced causing breakouts. Apparently by cleansing with oil you are just loosening the excess amounts of oil that your skin doesn't need and helping it keep a healthy balance. Therefore your skin doesn't feel the need to produce extra oil that clogs pores and makes your skin shiny. Makes sense when you think of it that way.

I'm going to continue washing the oil. Since I have an oily complexion, I use the 70% sunflower seed and 30% Castor oil combination. Also, since I wear eye make-up, I use just a little bit of the oil cleanser from DHS that is specifically designed to remove make-up (the other oil does remove it, but not as well). I have discontinued using toner, as well as face lotion. I simply use a drop or two of the oil after I'm done cleansing and that is enough to keep my skin lightly moisturized.

I'm sure that my results are not completely due to the oil, though. I'm sure it helps that I am washing my face every night with a hot wash cloth, which I never did before. It's like giving yourself a mini-facial every night. But don't get me wrong, I don't have the greatest complexion because of this. It has simply improved the balance of oil production on my face, and decreased the amount of pimples I get. I still get them, but not nearly as bad, and I don't feel as oily as I usually do. My skin also shows the scars of many past pimples too, so I probably will never have great skin. Those are not going to go away without some type of cosmetic treatment like microdermabrasion.

Otherwise, I support the oil cleansing method!

The Perfect Egg

One of my fondest memories of growing up are the weekend breakfasts that my mom would make, and she still does! I clean my parents house every other weekend and I purposefully wake up early each time and make that 40 minute trek to get there in time for breakfast. The usual spread consists of some type of combo of pancakes, eggs, scones, potatoes, waffles, etc. Since my mom is such a great home style cook, she somewhere along the way perfected the egg and passed along the secret to me. I never grew up with fried eggs, it just grosses me out getting one that's crunchy, and has probably been fried in bacon fat. I like my eggs light, fluffy and slightly runny so that I can sop up the yolk with a good piece of toast!

I have made eggs for a few people and they usually comment on how great they turn out. It was at that moment that I realized, oh, maybe not everyone makes eggs like this? Do people usually fry them? Which ever way you like it, since I've had friends taken a back at my method, I thought I'd share the secret to the perfect egg!

Basting an Egg

First off, use an organic, free range egg that the mama chicken has not been treated with hormones. Trader Joe's sells reasonably affordable organic eggs, or buy them from a local farmers market.

Start with a small pan, pre-heated just under medium on the burner. Once hot, but not too hot, (a drop of water should evaporate on it), spray it with a natural non-stick spray. Crack the egg into the pan and let it cook for about 30 seconds. Wait till the white starts to set, then slowly pour water into the pan so that it covers the egg about half way. Place a lid over the pan, and let it cook for about a minute. Keep checking the egg about every 45 seconds to a minute to monitor it's progress. Depending on how runny you like your yolks, you can generally gauge it's progress by tilting the pan a bit and shaking it slightly so that the yolk gives a little shimmey.

When it's reached it's level of "done" for you, be careful with picking it up with a spatula. It can be pretty slippery, and make sure to let the water drain well or your plate will turn into a pool. Good luck! Hope you like it! Yay for good, healthy weekend breakfast! (that is a veggie sausage, I assure you!)

Biz's Doing Their Part

In the last month or so I've really noticed a great amount of local businesses pitching in, in more ways than just providing a recycle bin. So I wanted to point them out and provide a huge THANK YOU to them and hopefully in the near future more businesses will be inspired by their actions .

Ballard Bros.- 15th Ave, Ballard, WA. http://www.ballardbrothers.com/
Not only is their food delicious, but almost every bit of "waste" that comes out of there is compostable. They use compostable corn plastics in their cups, straws, utensils, etc, so instead of a garbage bin in the restaurant, they have a compost bin. You can put dirty napkins and food wrappers in it as well. THANK YOU BALLARD BROS.!

Cupcake Royale- Ballard, West Seattle, Capitol Hill. http://www.cupcakeroyale.com/
They also provide compost bins that you can put your cupcake wrappers, napkins and latte cups in. Ceramic plates and bowls are provided if you are eating "in", so that cuts down on waste as well. THANK YOU CUPCAKE ROYALE!

Old School Frozen Yogurt- Capitol Hill. http://www.oldschoolfrozencustard.com/
I was recently there for my birthday "cake", and the cup they give you not only states that it is compostable, as well as bins provided in the store after you're done with it, but on it is a wonderful paragraph about the Eco-Products they use:

"In one year Eco-Products customers make a difference by saving: 150,000 gallons of gas- enough to five around the earth 181 times; 7,380 pounds of greenhouse gases; 504,326 kW hours of energy- enough to power the average American household for 10 years.

And the surprise eco-warrior of them all....

Mrs. Cooks- U Village. http://www.mrscooks.com/
I made a Christmas purchase there recently, and to my delight, on the bag in big letters it states that the "plastic" bag that my item was in is 100% BIODEGRADABLE. Holy crud! Way to go, Mrs. Cooks!

I'm so proud of many of these businesses taking a stand (Whole Foods also provides a compost bin inside). I believe that recycling and composting are one of the easiest and most effective steps we can take to help clean up the earth. Next time you go to throw away something, stop and wonder, is this recyclable? If not, is it compostable? Your latte cups, dirty napkins, paper take out containers, food scraps, and in many areas (Seattle!) even meat! If you have a yard waste bin then you can put all this in it (keep it in a compostable bag- like paper). You might be surprised at how much it will decrease your garbage!

Holiday Tipping

I have had a few jobs that collect tips, and my cleaning job was definitely one of them. We didn't usually get tipped at every job, it was typically at the end of the year at Christmas. This was something that we all really depended on; for myself, it would help pay for my college books and tuition so it definitely was a bit of an income supplement. So just in case you have a house cleaner, a nice Christmas bonus is at least the amount of what you usually pay for the service. So if your bill is $50, give $50. The better you treat a cleaner, they better they will treat you! (As with most philosophy in life should be!). I had a lot of great clients that I would bust my butt for, but every now and then a gem would come along......

Which brings me to the real story of this post. It's the holiday season, and I thought I would share a little story of my cleaning past (I seriously could write a book).

We had a client that was quite wealthy and lived in a penthouse in one of the high rises in Belltown. It was the day after Christmas, and I was cleaning their home. The husband came towards me, walking from far down the hallway holding a dollar bill up in the air crinkling it. "Patty! Patty! Have you ever heard the story of King Midas?" "Yes", I replied. "Well, I'm going to be King Midas and give this to you." I couldn't quite tell what kind of a bill it was, for he was a distance away. I thought, hey I'm going to get my bonus for being a great cleaner for them, and for putting up with cleaning his pee trails, for he apparently had prostate problems and would dribble from his gym to the bathroom. Gross, huh? I've dealt with worse. Seriously.
Anyways.... He got to me, and handed me a crisp new $2 bill. That was my bonus- the moral of the story was that he wasn't just going to give me a free bonus- I had to go earn it on my own. It was a horrible slap in the face, for I couldn't even go downstairs to Tully's and buy a holiday latte with it. He just assumed that I was stuck cleaning toilets for I had no motivation to make life better for myself. What he didn't know was that I was also in school, working towards my Bachelors degree in Finance. I got up every morning at 3am, got off work at around 3 pm, then had about 2 hours to shower and to homework, then go to night school, where I would then get home around 9:30pm. I also wasn't poor- I come from a modest, middle class family, I lived on my own in a cute apartment in Green Lake and owned a new car. I took the bill, smiled and said "thank you". I then requested to my boss that I do not clean their place again unless absolutely necessary.

So don't always assume that just because someone has a shitty job that they don't work hard and/or aren't educated! Hope you enjoyed the story!

More for Less

Hello, my name is Patty, I am a girl, and I like to shop. I wasn't sure how much this post would fit in with the rest of the blog, but it has to do with getting more for less so I think it will work! I am by no means a super fashionista, but I do love fashion, I love creative outfits and seeing how people express themselves with their clothing. It can be pretty hard to do this though, for throwing on a pair of jeans and a t-shirt is easy and affordable. But what I've heard a lot of people (well, mostly girls) say is that they just don't know how to dress otherwise. This may sound weird, but something that I love doing in my down time is looking at style blogs and magazines and seeing how real people dress- it usually gives me little ideas on how I can alter some of my boring pieces. But this can be expensive- you either pay rent, or have an awesome wardrobe!

So here is an idea that I like to play with every now and then, so I hope you can take this process and enhance your closet on your own!

Find an outfit or look that you really like. I found this on the internet of a real girl in NYC- I think the style is super cute, easy, and a lot of different body types can wear it.

There are a ton of shops that replicate trends, provide easy go-to pieces, and similar "knock-offs" of expensive brands. I took a quick look around at different internet shops and I found some very similar pieces at affordable prices to complete this look.

For the motorcycle jacket, Forever 21 is selling a faux leather jacket for $32.80.

I found a similar boy-friend style sweater at Target for $27.99 in a dark blue. They also have super similar shoes for $29.99.

I didn't see a dress or tunic exactly like she's wearing but this one from Wet Seal ($24.50) is super cute and pretty darn close (plus I love stripes!).

Then to top it off throw in a skinny belt ($4.80 Forever 21), a cream colored scarf ($5.49 Ebay) and a cute little necklace ($5.80 Forever 21).

So there you go! This whole outfit can be bought for $131.37, and it is super interchangeable with other items. Hmm... this is really cute. I may have to buy it.

Drying herbs

I love growing herbs, drying them and storing them up for the winter. Actually, I just like growing stuff! As I look around my living room, I currently have 7 plants, 1 pot full of mint, 2 pots with 10 lettuce plants growing, a little pot with lavender, another with chamomile, also one with parsley and 4 volunteer tomato plants that grew out of my compost that I'm trying to nurture for next summer.

True, fresh herbs are best, but if it is out of season or you don't grow them yourself to dry, buy them by bulk from a natural food store for 1) it is sooooooooooo much cheaper. 2) you can buy what you only need for it tends to lose potency. The general rule is ground or powered herbs/spices have a shelf life of about 6 months, and whole dried herbs at about a year. Keep it in a sealed glass container in a cool cupboard, away from light and heat. If it loses color, or smell, compost it.

A quick way to dry your herbs rather than hanging them upside down in a cool area is to arrange them on a cookie sheet and place it in the oven. If you have an oven light, that's all the heat you will need. If not, the lowest setting on your oven (usually "warm") will suffice, but maybe every now and then turn it off so it isn't too hot.

I recently dried a large bunch of rosemary from my Mom's garden and it made my apartment smell amazing, like it was suddenly Christmas in October!

Grade B Maple Syrup

Who else here was raised to believe that Mrs. Buttersworth was maple syrup, and not just a goopy brown tinted mess of high fructose corn syrup? About 5 years ago or so I tried a little bottle of organic Grade B maple syrup from the bulk section of Central Market, and I haven't looked back since! Real maple syrup has different grades that range in color, taste and nutrition. My absolute favorite is Grade B. It tastes like liquid brown sugar- it's dark, super rich and everything that maple syrup should be! I'm not just in love with it because of how great it tastes, I'm also in love with it for it's nutritional content.

Grade B maple syrup is the same syrup that is used in the Master Cleanse diet. It contains calcium, potassium, manganese, magnesium, phosphorus, iron, zinc, B2 (Riboflavin), B5 (Pantothenic Acid), B6 (Pyridoxine), PP (Niacin, B1), Biotin, Amino and Folic Acid. The syrup is great as a sugar substitute for unlike sugar, which does not digest into your body and spikes your bloodstream, maple syrup is digestable and doesn't turn into fat or cause a rollercoaster on your blood sugar levels. Maple syrup also does not go bad if stored properly in the refridgerator.

Grade B maple syrup is a little pricey, but places like Trader Joe's and bulk sections like at Central Market make it a bit more affordable for you can buy a big jug for $15 rather than the cute little maple leaf shaped bottle for $8 at your usual grocery store.

So the next time you feel a bit of an urge to pig out on junk sugar, pour yourself a tablespoon or 2 of pure organic maple syrup and feel good that you're satisfying your craving and taking your vitamins at the same time!

Breakfast Smoothies

About a year and a half ago I did my first detox. My digestive system was a mess, I felt like garbage and wanted a good clean out without fasting for I was a full time student and needed energy and a clear mind for my studies. I used the Detox Box for it gave you a step by step guide on how to do a safe detox. It consisted of drinking organic smoothies laced with supplements, taking different vitamins, eating rice and vegetables, drinking water, juices, bentonite, psyllium, and for the first time in 15 years I introduced fish into my diet. It was hard, after a week I wanted to puke at the thought of brown rice and veggies, but it set my system straight. A friend of mine did it as well, mostly just to detox from sugar, and she liked it as well.

Since then, I have kept drinking the smoothies for breakfast every morning. It's a great way to get a serving of fruit in and additional beneficial supplements and vitamins. The detox requires that you use organic berries, and I agree that organic is important if you are going to eat these certain berries, but let's be honest. For the amount of fruit that I go through, I cannot find an affordable option. So, I "subsidize" in a way. I tell myself that all the organic and health foods that I do eat off-sets the non-organics! ( I know, I know!) CostCo is great for huge bags of frozen berries, and Seattle Super Supplements is cheaper than other stores for the supplements and usually has a great deal on at least one thing you need. Also, I usually get my flax seeds from Trader Joe's. I grind about 1/2 cup whole seeds in my coffee grinder then stick both the ground and whole seeds in the freezer. They start to lose nutrients once ground but freezing locks it in, just don't grind a big batch, keep it as fresh as possible.

Breakfast Smoothie

3 frozen strawberries

1/2 cup frozen blueberries

1/2 fresh banana

1 Tbls. flax oil

1 Tbls. fresh ground flax seeds

1-2 Tbls. Rice Protein

1/2 scoop Perfect Food*

1 tsp. buffered powdered C

1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon**

I prefer grinding it up in my mini-Cuisinart food processor. Before grinding, add about 8 oz. filtered water. The water amount will vary by how liquidy you like it.

*I love Perfect Food- it is super potent so you don't really need to use a full scoop, unless you want to! Plus, it's not terribly cheap, so a little goes a long way. Doing the detox isn't cheap- and neither is setting yourself up for the smoothies. But it's something that I feel good about putting in my body and feel that it's worth it. The berries last a long time if you get them bulk, and the other supplements last me a couple months.

**Cinnamon has several health benefits, one being that it helps control blood sugar levels. Here's one of many little articles explaining more about the spice.

Cleansing with Oil

So, I'm almost 30, and I still have acne. Maybe not as bad as I used to as a teen, but I still get breakouts and have clogged pores. I've tried it all but nothing really works, I just find a routine and see what keeps it at bay. In fact, I have two continents on my face right now so that brought me to write a post about what I have been using lately.

I have super oil skin, and I had heard that instead of washing your face with soap, the best way to wash the oil away is with oil. I know, weird huh? And since I wear make-up (I admit, I love me some eyeliner), I try to make it a point to wash it off at night. I've been using the Deep Cleansing Oil from DHC, and I really like it. It washes all the make up off and I don't feel gross like I used paint thinner on my face afterwards. There are a couple other companies that make a similar product, one is Shu Uemura, but who has $72 to spend on make up remover?

As much as I really like the DHC oil, I'm still looking for something a little more natural for it says in the directions to cleanse afterwards. I did a little research and came across the Oil Cleansing Method (OCM). The idea is that oil dissolves oil. You can use this method for any skin type but I've read that it's a bit trial and error. After I run out of my face soap I'm going to try this method, then I'll report back the results after a few weeks!

The Oil Cleaning Method

Oily Skin: Try a blend of 30% Castor Oil to 70% Sunflower Seed Oil.
Balanced Skin: Try a blend of 20% Castor Oil to 80% Sunflower Seed Oil.
Dry Skin: Try a blend of 10% Castor Oil to 90% Sunflower Seed Oil.

Directions:

1. Rub a quarter sized amount over your face for at least a minute- give it time to absorb and break up the oil in your pores.

2. Soak a wash cloth with hot water and place over your face. Wait till it cools off, wipe the oil off, and re-apply the hot wash cloth. Repeat this a few times till the oil is wiped off. This will remove make up, unclog pores, and exfoliate.

3. Once the oil is removed, pat dry your face. If your face is a little dry and tight, put just a little drop of the oil mix in your hands and rub it in evenly as a moisturizer.

This method should be done at night, and in the morning a water and washcloth routine should suffice. First start out doing this a few times a week for it can be a little overwhelming for your skin, then work your way up to every night. A recommendation is to also add a few drops of tea tree oil (it's my Windex!!) to the oil mixture for it is an antibacterial oil.

Hardened Cookies

Not sure how to describe them otherwise, but you know when you make a batch of cookies and in a few days they are hard? You don't want to throw them out because they are still good, they just haven't a lick of moisture left?

This is an easy fix- throw a slice of bread in with them, whether they are in a sealed Ziploc bag or Tupperware. They will absorb all of the breads moisture leaving it dry and crusty, and your cookies moist again. Coz who wants to throw away cookies if they can be salvaged???

Home-made Dishwasher Detergent

As well as clothing detergent, I also just made some dishwasher detergent! I have been using a good biodegradable detergent from Central Market, but it was approx. $7-$8, so if I can make a natural detergent from home for cheaper, then you know I'm going to! The ingredients are similar, but slightly different.

Natural Dishwasher Detergent

2 cups Baking Soda (not the same Washing Soda for clothes!)

2 cups Borax

1/4 cup salt

4 tbls. citric acid,

or 4 packages of Lemonade Kool-Aid

White vinegar (for rinse cycle)

Mix all contents together (except vinegar), then store in a sealable container. Put about a tablespoon of the detergent in each open slot in your dishwasher (I have one open one, and one that closes) and fill your rinse-aid slot with the vinegar (instead of using Jet-Dry, it does just as good a job). I have done one load so far and everything came out clean and sparkly, and I felt good knowing that I didn't wash any harmful chemicals down the drain!

Home-made Clothing Detergent

We are so lucky these days to have so many amazing natural cleaner options. With choices like Method, 360, Full Circle and Seventh Generation we really can't make any excuses not to live more "green", except that they do tend to be a bit more expensive. So in my quest to live more enviro-friendly, I found a few recipes on how to make your own home-made, natural, "green" dishwasher and clothing detergent. I haven't made the dishwashing detergent yet so I will leave that for another post to report how good it works.

Clothing Detergent

3/4 cup Borax

3/4 cup Washing Soda

1 bar natural soap (Fels Naptha, Ivory, Pure & Natural)

The Borax is easy to find in any grocery store in the detergent isle, but I found the Washing Soda to be a challenge. It is commonly made by Arm & Hammer, it is like Baking Soda, but the chemical compound is slightly different. You can't eat it like the Baking Soda, but it is equally effective for cleaning clothes and is biodegradable. I finally found it at Fred Meyers, right next to the Borax and the Fels Naptha soap.

Grate the bar of soap, then combine it with the Borax and Washing Soda. Be sure to do this in a well ventilated area or use a mask. Once combined, you can leave it like this, but my grated soap was so big that I decided to put it in my food processor and it made it more granular like normal detergent. The pic I have here below is before I put it in the processor. You only need about a tablespoon or so for each load- I did my first load today and the clothes came out super fresh and clean. The Fels Naptha has fragrance in it so it is pretty soapy smelling. I also made another batch using a bar of Ivory soap and it's much less soapy scented, so it just depends on how sensitive you are to scent.

If you prefer liquid detergent, this can be made into a gel. Grate the soap and put it in a pot on the stove. Add 12 cups of water and turn the burner on to medium till the soap is completely dissolved. Add 1 1/2 cups of the Borax and 1 1/2 cups of Washing Soda to the pot and mix till it dissolves. Then take a large bucket and add 8 cups of hot water, then add your soap mixture to the bucket and stir. Again add 2 gallons of water plus 12 cups of water and stir. Let the mixture sit for 24 hours, and then mix it really good once it becomes a gel to make it smooth. Use about a cup for large loads and a half cup for smaller loads.

Natural Vegetable/Fruit Wash

I'm starting to think that I should change the name of this blog to "1001 uses for vinegar"! I by no means consider myself a germ-a-phobe, but after hearing stories from friends that have worked in grocery stores, I'm definitely more inclined to wash my food items before consuming them. It's a really good idea to wash your fruits, vegetables, cans and especially soda cans! I read an article a while ago (I can't find it, sorry) that in a study comparison between a water wash, commercial vegetable wash, and 1:1 vinegar to water wash, the vinegar and water wash killed much more bacteria than the other 2 techniques. Vinegar is a natural anti-bacterial that not only kills harmful bacteria, but it can also help in breaking down waxes used by the farming industry. Just keep a spray bottle with half white vinegar and half water handy along with a potato brush (get those from the grocery store). Spray, scrub and rinse the smooth skinned fruits and veggies and cans, or just spray the softer skinned ones, even lettuce, then quickly rinse the solution off (that is, unless you want your strawberries to taste like vinegar).
One note about scrub brushes: try to avoid multi-usage scrub brushes or sponges. One scrubbie for food items, one for dishes, one for cleaning the kitchen (Not the same one for dishes! Gross!), and one for your bathroom. It's kind of considered a cross contamination in the cleaning world- would you really want something that scrubbed a counter top to clean your fruits?

Fabric-ing a Wall

I admit it, I love decor. Interior design. Architecture. It really makes me happy. I had the pleasure of seeing so many different houses and their amazing furnishings that it really inspired me over the years to look beyond the norm. One of my favorite magazines is Domino, but it's out of print. : (

A few months ago I decided to completely re-do my bedroom to try to lift my spirits. I bought a new headboard for my bed, new sheets, a new duvet cover, and painted the walls what I like to call, "plant green". I still need some wall decor, but I had a great idea to fabric one of the walls. This in a sense is simply wallpapering with fabric. I've never done this before and as anyone who has ever rented knows that it's difficult making your place really interesting without losing your deposit, so I hope it works and I hope it comes off easy! I found this amazing modern artsy fabric through Ikea- I think it will look great, I'll post some pictures when I'm done (if it turns out cute!). So this entry is more of an experimental tip than a tried and true trick! I did some research, and this is apparently how I'm going to do it:

1. Clean the wall to remove any dirt.

2. When cutting the fabric, add a couple extra inches, and make sure the design will match the next panel like when using wallpaper.

3. Spray the top part of the wall with Spray Starch, and smooth the fabric into place leaving about an inch to be trimmed later. Use push pins to hold the fabric temporarily in place.

4. Apply starch to the top of the fabric, smoothing the fabric in place to remove bubbles and wrinkles.

5. Work your way down the panel, continuing to spray starch onto the wall, smoothing the fabric, and applying more starch.

6. Repeat steps with second panel.

7. Cut the excess fabric when it's completely dry.