is in the sharing between two SOULS.
I am so excited for my little sister!
So, proud of ya sis!
This was her first attempt at sewing.
Her hubby was going to toss this old shirt of his away, but she LOVED it & had another vision.
No pattern either...
Yee Haaa!
Can't wait to see the finished product... with waistband and red knee pads.
Way to go Ginny!
I LOVE THEM
So my workspace is evolving.It is getting a lived in look while things are still finding a permanent place.
I am still trying to find functional homes for all my tools & toys.
I love this book. Her sense of humor is right up my alley!
But her simplistic and economic solutions for a more intentional life is what really has me.
I have leaned toward the more simple & sustainable approach to living for the greater part of my life now. But, I have not always found it feasible or economical to make a lot of the choices I would like to.
I am guilty of falling prey in this mad world of capitalism and propaganda.
WOW!
I gotta say, most people who know me know this to be truth...
as well as anyone who has been to my home...
Cleaning is NOT my favorite thing in the world to do.
Ok, I know that this isn't too many folks favorite pass time but some people are really just better at it than others.
Like many people I am sensitive to the toxic chemicals in most cleaning products. And after one of my serious cleaning sprees I get from time to time, I typically end up with a nasty chemical cold.
So, if cleaning it self wasn't reason enough not to tidy up... the cold really was.
I have tried many "all natural" products over the years but found none of them to really do a great job cleaning.
Until NOW...
This summer has been filled with many adventures.
But the greatest adventure has been trying to make some permanent lifestyle changes in our family.
Yep...
Behavior Modification
it isn't like popping a pill for a quick fix to life's problems.
And it isn't even really anything new to our family
or
me personally.
And because I am rich in the abundance of friends and family I have been able to share openly many of my thoughts and actions.
And they have reciprocated... with their own.
One of the similar themes has been in the removal of artificial preservatives and additives from our children's consumption and use...
real food, whole foods.
I wish this was as simple in action as it is in theory...
So...
Baby Steps.
On this journey I am revisiting my younger years... and reclaiming some of the less toxic ideals and weaving them into my always evolving life.
An Old Friend
Mixed with ...
New Friends
Dr. Bonner's & Tea Tree Essential Oil
Last week I had a MAJOR epiphany.
I wish the battery in my camera had not been dead that day.
I decided to put into action one little nibblet from Raleigh's book.
My sister had shared with me earlier how she had used most of the ingredients suggested in a blog of a
good friend who happens to be related to us by marriage...
How blessed are we to call her family.
She couldn't believe what a GREAT job it had done on a really gross bathroom they never used.
Now, I read this blog religiously... and I must say I was not inspired to try this concoction for lack of faith.
Sorry Tay
I just assumed she was one of those gurus that was incredibly gifted at the art of keeping a clean home and she didn't need anything with serious deep cleaning ability like I did... you know cuz I such a unique and all.
Anyway... the ideas and seeds began to germinate and I asked myself why did I have the information at my finger tips (the book) and even the supplies if I wasn't willing to use them.
Good question!
So, I grabbed my book... and found her suggestions for a " Soft Scrub"
I rolled up my sleeves, hiked up my skirt and headed for the bathtub.
1 c baking soda 1/4 c liquid castile soap
3-5 drops tea tree oil 2 aspirins, powdered
Mix all ingredients together & add enough water to make a paste. Keep in a shampoo bottle. To use, apply with a sponge, scrub and rinse thoroughly.
Now because I am not very good a following instructions (more will than ability)...
and because I didn't have any powdered aspirin, I decided to wing it.
I threw baking soda all over the bathtub, sprinkled Dr. Bonner's and added a few drops of tea tree oil... pulled out my wash cloth and started cleaning.
I was first amazed by the pleasant smell...
then the lack of elbow grease it took to clean the tub.
It wasn't until that point that I had my epiphany...
how wasteful was I?
The amount of baking soda and other ingredients was enough to have cleaned that tub MANY times over.
And why in the world had I been so reluctant to even try something else?
Baking Soda...
really...
I bet that makes corporate earnings go up...
Most of those "all natural" cleaners were made by the same folks that made the toxic stuff... why would they want me to find out the "truth"?
I was filled with mixed emotions.
I was so excited...
but at the same time I was sad and angry that I had been duped for so long.
This is very non earth-friendly of me to admit...
I threw those other toxic bathroom items in the trash..
nope I didn't even try to recycle them...
my emotion got the best of me.
Shampoo, conditioner, foot scrub... you name it ...it was history.
The only bathroom items I held on to were, my husbands items...
he might be a harder nut to crack.
My daughter followed easily and quietly.
Outdoor Shower
I personally like to just use the good dr. for my hair and everything else.
What's in Your Laundry Room?
I haven't used it in a while. That dag on tomato blight...
Laundry Soap
Yeah, notice how the shout... has collected dust... don't use that too much...
actually we don't used it at all since we re-routed the water flow for grey water use.
For Now
This is what I have been using for a while now...
I am considering making my own laundry soap... we'll see.
Keeping Busy
I started to work on these while some of Mary and her friends were busy painting some gourds of their own.
The Final Days of Summer
The countdown has begun...
Next week, back to the grind... so we had an impromptu camp-out with 4 of her friends...
Wow...
No More Pink Boots
I can not say that I am sorry to see Mary's "people pleasing" pink phase go.
What's good fer the gourd is good for the giddy-up.
I think they turned out nicely.
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