My New Stainless Steel Water Bottle

Lately we've been hearing a lot about Stainless Steel Water Bottles. What's the reason to go out and buy one of these expensive water bottles when you can get a nice plastic one for, what $1? Or you can buy a bottle of water in the store and it comes with a bottle! I've been holding off on buying one, because they always seem to cost about $10, which to me is a little to much to pay for a water bottle. After all, I usually drink Dr Pepper ;-) But a little research about BPA helped me make the change .... that and the fact that I found one on clearance for less than $4.
To me it always did seem a little wrong thinking about a plastic bottle sitting in your car. The plastic gets warm in the heat and we drink the water out of it. I know that plastic is made from chemicals and it just seemed to add up to me that if the chemically-made water bottle heats up, even in the slightest, the chemicals could be released into the water we drink from the inside of said water bottle. Well it turns out I was right.
What is BPA?

Bisphenol A, more commonly known as BPA, is a chemical that has been used for more than 40 years in the manufacture of many hard plastic food containers such as baby bottles and reusable cups and the lining of metal food and beverage cans, including canned liquid infant formula.  Trace amounts of BPA can be found in some foods packaged in these containers. (HHS.gov)

Here's something else I read and it definitely concerned me, as it should my fellow reproductively-challenged friends

Bisphenol-A (BPA), found in polycarbonate plastics (#7/other, sometimes called Lexan), is an endocrine disruptor that has been shown to affect reproduction and brain development in animal studies. it can leach into foods and liquids and mimics estrogen when absorbed by the human body. (Trailspace.com)

 With all the concerns about infertility and cancer, the Stainless Steel Water Bottle was born! YAY!! Not only is it not made of the big-bad-wolf: Plastic, which in and of itself is a plus with me, but it's BPA FREE and FDA COMPLIANT. WooHoo in my book! And if you need a few more stats, well here you go:

The Bottled Water Problem

Still drinking bottled water when you could safely filter or turn on a tap? Consider:

• 1.5 million barrels of oil are used to make water bottles in the U.S. each year.
• Bottled water also requires oil for shipping, refrigerating, and even recycling.
• 86% of plastic bottles in the U.S. end up in a landfill or incinerator.
• More than 60 million plastic bottles end up in landfills and incinerators every day — 22 billion a year.
• Water quality standards set by the EPA for tap water are more stringent than the FDA’s standards for bottled water.
• Ounce for ounce, bottled water costs more than gasoline.
  
  Container Recycling Institute

 Well it sounds like good enough reasons to me ;-)
And so without further ado, here is my New Stainless Steel Water Bottle!

Happy Drinking! ;-)

I'm Branching Off

Well I've decided to Add a 2nd Blog to my profile ;-)
I figured I've been posting way too much about my craftiness on my Green Blog! LOL I think it's best to have a separate Blog for crafts. Now I can devote this one solely to my Green Living & Education. I'll be sharing all the information I find for Green everything with you right here. I'll just be saving my Craft Projects for the separate blog: Crafty Me.
I hope you continue to enjoy this one, but I also hope you find delight in Crafty Me.
I've been MIA a bit lately (yes because of my craft projects!) but I promise to be back and give this Blog the attention it deserves. After all Green Living is an everyday element of my life now. And I'm also excited to share the new things I learn with you!

Amigurumi

I found a new way to make my holidays more Green:

Amigurumi

OH it's so much fun to do!!!

A friend I went to school with saw on Facebook where I've been making scarves and how much I love to crochet and she sent me a message with a link in it to a Web Page with Free Amigurumi Patterns! At first I was so intimidated by it. It looked complicated and scary! I bookmarked it and went on with my scarves. But then I ran short of the color yarn I was using . . . and there wasn't much going on on Facebook . . . nothing on TV . . . so I decided What the heck! Let's give it a whirl! 

I took the directions step-by-step, one at a time. Luckily the first set of instructions had a diagram accompanying it - made things really get off to a great start! I crocheted one stitch at a time until it was complete. Of course it would be wrong of me not to mention the fact that I had to have 3 tabs open on my computer to make this cute little Amigurumi Cat: (1) with the pattern (2) with a list of crochet abbreviations and their directions (3) a YouTube video with slow-motion instructions on making a "magic ring" - which I had never heard of before and actually had to Google it, thinking it was something I would have to buy to finish the cat! LOL Well it's all about learning, isn't it? ;-) 

I started at about 9:00 pm and put the final touches on it just before midnight. But by the time I was done I had a completed project - one I had done in a matter of hours and one I had done pretty much on a whim. I was jumping up and down and so excited!! I took a picture of it of course (don't you know me by now?) and had to post to everyone my joyful little kitten! 

Here's what's so great about them:

• They're easy to make
• They don't take a lot of time
• They don't take a lot of material
• They're adorable
• They make good gifts for kids, 
• for babies, 
• even pets
• There are free patterns all over the internet for them
• They're Homemade!!!! Perfect for Green Gift-Giving!!!!

With all this, who wouldn't love to take up Amigurumi?!?

Cleaning Green ~ Non-Toxic Soft Scrub

I saw this online and thought it looked pretty handy, so I Bookmarked it.
And ... well ... forgot about it.
Until today! I had something yucky on the floor in the bathroom (my throw rug in there keeps getting wet and when it dries, the rubber on the bottom sticks to the floor UGH!) and thought back to the Soft Scrub recipe and figured "Why Not?" After all, who doesn't love Soft Scrub? LOL
It's a very simple recipe:

• 1/2 Cup Baking Soda
• Liquid Detergent
• A Bowl
• 1 tsp Vegetable Glycerin (if you make enough to store)

Sprinkle 1/2 Cup Baking Soda in Bowl

Add Liquid Detergent until texture resembles frosting

Scoop mixture onto sponge and wash surfaces such as Tub, Sink, Tiles

**If you have some left over, simply add 1 teaspoon Vegetable Glycerin and store in a sealed glass jar to keep moist. 

Today was the first time I used this recipe and it works fantastic! I used my dish-washing liquid (that's why it's green in the picture) and just dabbed it on the floor and scrubbed my sticky rug troubles away! It also smelled very nice :-)

So to sum up: 

Cleans Great 

+ Smells Good 

+ Safe  

+Non-Toxic

--------------------------

Fabulous Green Cleaning!!

Happy Veterans Day!!!

OK - does this have anything whatsoever to do with being green? Nope!
But I did a post for Halloween for Peter's sake! Of course I'm going to do one for Veterans Day! In the future, come to expect this from little ole me! I love to give shout-outs! And I love basically ANY holiday at all! LOL You'll be seeing posts for Thanksgiving, Christmas, probably even GroundHog's Day!
To know me is to love me ;-)

So it's Veterans Day today. And this a very important holiday around here. Let me see if I can remember the people I know who have served:

1. My Dad
2. My Older Brother, J
3. My Younger Brother, M
4. My FIL, R
5. My BIL, D (who is, as I type this, in Afghanistan fighting)
6. A Dear Friend that Passed Away Last Year, L

And countless friends I went to school with, more than I know right now.
I'm so very proud of all our Service Men & Women - doing what other won't or can't so that this country can be free. Protecting our freedom of Religion, of Speech. The freedom to walk down the street. To leave the house alone. To wear what I want when I leave the house, my face and hair uncovered, if that's my desire. The very freedom that allows me to write this Blog! Typing away any thought I want, hitting Publish and sending it out there so that you can read it. Yep, there are places in this world nothing like that can happen! There is no comfort or security - where the word security has a whole other meaning entirely.
So I thank you all who serve this wonderful country I live in - Thank you for being so brave, even though maybe you didn't feel brave at the time, even though you may have been scared, or alone or confused as to what you were there for. You were there for a country full of people, walking around with our heads held high. . . Walking around Free.

Happy Veterans Day!!!

Has Anyone Tried My Homemade Creamer?

So I'm fixing a hot cup of coffee to warm me up this afternoon and I realize I'm out of my creamer! OH NO! What ever will I do? LOL Why I'll whip up some more of course! :-D
Whenever I make creamer nowadays, I make one bottle for me, in which ever flavor I feel like at the moment, and I make a bottle for DH, who prefers to have plain Vanilla. The recipe makes 2 bottles, so this is always easy. Well Hubby has been drinking mine apparently because his bottle is full and mine is empty! LOL He won't admit it, but I think he secretly LOVES my Pumpkin Spice Creamer! Whenever he has company for coffee, they always request the Pumpkin Spice ;-)
So I was fixing my coffee creamer and got to thinking:

Has anyone made any of the creamers from the Homemade recipe?

If so, Which one is your favorite?

If not, Well why the heck not?? LOL Give something Homemade a try!

I'd love to hear from anyone who has tried the recipe :-)

We are Women & We Create

So I've been posting quite a bit about crocheting and my scarves and how much fun it is . . . And last night my friend Jenn told me she's learning how to crochet as well!! YAY!! I love sharing something with another person! And she said that I inspired her!! WOW That's so amazing to me! :-) I don't know if I've ever inspired anyone to do anything? But I'm so very very excited for her! She has 2 little ones and I know this is something they will benefit from. Little kids just love it when you make them something! They cherish it.  I think the first time she makes one of her babies a blanket, she will be so proud of herself! And of course I fully expect to see a pic of it at least!
When I first learned how to crochet, I was so excited! I mean, being able to create something is amazing in itself. And as women that is what we do - we create! We create life. We create nourishment for that life - I'm not going to go off on a huge Extended Breastfeeding craze here but when you really stop and think about it, our bodies are made so that we can feed our babies all the way up until they are able to sit at the table and eat regular food, right? There you go! And it's a woman's body that makes that very thing possible! We create!!
And here we are, creating soft, warm blankets and scarves to keep our babies (and other loved ones) warm and cozy! We create warmth! ((big blissful sigh)) I love what women can do! I think we are truly amazing and a wonder to behold! And if crocheting a blanket reminds me of that, I'm happy to relive that feeling every time I pick up my crocheting needle!
So learn how to crochet, or knit, or anything that gives you that feeling as well!

More Scarves in the Works!

I've been really working on my Scarves! I love crocheting them! I love creating something - it gives me such a great feeling! It's like when you clean the house, you can see the fruits of your labor. The effort pays off when you look at your nice, tidy, clean-smelling house. You can just sit and enjoy it and breathe a sigh a accomplishment.
For me, making a scarf - or a blanket, for that matter - is just like that. I look at the finished product, at the outcome, and breathe a comfortable sigh of accomplishment! Look at what I've done! Someone is going to keep warm with this. Someone is going to cover up with this and feel cozy! It truly is a great feeling.
Hubby and I were shopping the other day (yes, again LOL) and he bought me 6 new skeins of yarn! I was so excited! He made the shopping trip just for that purpose. He's really getting into watching me create! He knows that I'm trying to get them down just perfect, so that when I give them as gifts, people will be proud to wear them :-) And he wants one too! Of course I'm making him one - I love that he appreciates my work and is so supportive of what I'm doing! It really makes a difference when you have people around you that love and support you and make you feel good about what you're doing and what you're trying to do as well. I think it helps to make all the difference between an honestly happy and content person, and one who is discontented or constantly searching for flaws.
So a great big Thanks to my wonderful, loving, supportive husband! You're amazing, Honey!

I've added some pics of my new Yarn Stash & Hubby's New Scarf (in the works)

A Little Shopping Story

Today Hubby & I ran a few errands, one of which was grocery shopping for this weekend. Went went through the store, one we don't normally go to, taking our time and enjoying all the things this store has to offer. We strolled lane by lane, looking at this and that, buying what we needed for the meals we planned. When we came to the check out line, it wasn't crowded at all and we could take our time. Of course I had my big Bag of Bags! LOL The cashier even used the GIANT BYOB bag I bought from a boutique over a year ago and have so far only used at carry stuff back and forth like a tote bag! I loved watching it fill with groceries! We even skipped on the small plastic bag for our produce! Choosing instead to put our precious asparagus bundle directly into the basket next to the bread, and then into the cloth bag next to a head of lettuce! :-)
It felt great!! I'll tell you what else felt great:
When we pulled out the Big Bag of Bags, the Cashier clapped her hands and said "YAY!" Yep, that's right! She actually said "YAY" . . . Well OK apparently they were running low on plastic bags and wouldn't be getting any more until the following afternoon and were under strict instructions to be frugal (for once) with the plastic . . . But still, it was a good sign!
Again I have to say how much I just love walking out with all those Cloth Bags!
When we came out of the store, I tell Hubby how much I like the fact that he supports me in my new Green ways, especially with the reusable shopping bags - being that it is so much easier to just let the cashier pack everything into plastic sacks. And he tells me a little story:
On Monday we went to the store. The kids had a little money they wanted to spend, so we took them shopping. It had been a long day, following a long weekend, and when we got in line, I was suddenly overcome with exhaustion. It hit me so quick! We were parked pretty close, and the line was kinda long, so Hubby told me to go ahead to the car and close my eyes for a bit and he would take care of everything and be right out. The kids only had a thing or two each, so I figured they'd be quick and so I headed out to the car. Kids growing up like to pay for their own things as soon as they are old enough to, so Hubby helped them count it all out and didn't notice at first that the first one to pay had been handed his toy in a plastic bag ((gasp)) I of course had handed them my reusable bag before heading out to the car. When the second one paid, the cashier started to hand him a plastic bag as well. Hubby noticed and stopped her right there! He said "Oh I'm sorry, I have my own bag here. Boys take your toys out and hand those plastic bags back to her please. We can put everything in this bag."
((sniffle sniffle))
I'm so proud hearing this story! Hubby said he told the cashier if he walked out the store with those bags his wife would not be happy! LOL He said he'd already made that mistake once and knew better now! He told her how I'm Green and don't want to use plastic bags. I love that he (1) took the time to switch bags (2) recognized that it was something I would want very much and (3) that he really is getting what I'm doing! And he respects my choices even when it might be easier to just take what they hand you and walk out the store!
I love my husband and I'm so proud of him! He has really made me happy :-)

Homemade Blankets & Scarves

Thought I'd take a moment to talk to ya'll about Homemade stuff .... I love anything that's homemade! Really really love it! A few years ago I learned how to crochet a blanket. It was a little rocky at first - really the only way to learn how to do something like that is to just get right in and do it! It's definitely a trial and error kind of thing! LOL But after a few small puppy blankets and one not too good large blanket that I keep in the closet and only I use when no one's around because I'm too embarrassed for anyone else to see it, I finally got it just right. Now I know exactly how much yarn to buy to make a Baby Blanket and a Child's Blanket (still haven't got the nerve to try a bigger blanket again, but I feel like it'll be coming pretty soon).  I can gage the loops just right and somehow make everything come out even and balanced. The end product is soft and flowing and cozy as can be! I've made blankets for my nephews when they were born, for my children for Christmas, and now . . . I think I'm ready to starting making them for the public! I've decided to make a few and perhaps sell them online! The smaller ones, because they're pretty fast to do. So we'll see! ;-)
Also I've learned how to make scarves! It's so awesome that you can learn to do anything online! I just looked up How to Crochet a Scarf and POOF! There was a video and step by step instructions! I watched and watched and crocheted at the same time and by the end of the evening - there was a scarf! I was so proud of myself! And it's really going to help when Christmas comes around! (so if anyone in my family is reading this right now, surprise! You're getting a scarf for Christmas! LOL if you're picky about colors, you'd better leave a comment!) I kept the first one I completed for myself and I've worn it a few times - it's not really cold yet. And I love it! It's adorable and trendy and keeps me warm! I also just really love wearing scarves and can't ever find my own. 
I also feel a lot more Green when I'm wearing something I've made myself or covering up with something I've made myself! I love that . . . well, that I can make stuff! I mean - it's so great!! I love that it comes out looking like it's suppose to and it's functional! So try making something! If not a scarf or a blanket, a pot holder or a hankie, a dress, even an apron (made a few of those in my time as well). Any time you use it, you'll be so proud of yourself and your handiwork! And there's certainly nothing wrong with that!