Link Love and Lovelies

 

Happy Earth Day!

We should all try to spend this weekend doing 

one or two things to lessen our impact on our planet.

I like this clip because it shows the interconnectedness of people.

If we can think a step further about how our actions effect

the environment, it would be that much easier for us to 

start changing some of our less eco-friendly beavior.

Here is a clip-heavy link love and lovelies for the week!

~ I cried watching this.

~ Still loving on Oh Land.  And that sweater!

~ This old guy really knows how to let loose!

~ Gah!

~ This little girl is the best!  And the song, oh lord, this song.  Love.

~ I love Radiohead, but this still makes me laugh so hard!

Have a green weekend!

xo.

Smog.

The whole Salt Lake Valley in filled to the brim with pollution.  This used to happen only one or twice a winter when I was a kid, but now it happens whenever we don't have a storm system constantly blowing fresh air into the valley.

I really do love Utah and Salt Lake, but the inversions we get in the wintertime are enough to make me want to move!  We consistently have some of the worst air in the nation in the winter months!  I feel pretty guilty about my driving habits lately, as well.  I drive about 75 miles a day with my job...while I am driving clients around to appointments and the like, I still can't help but cringe when I'm heading into work on the freeway and I can't even see our beautiful mountains because of the smog.

Luckily, we have a storm system moving in on Saturday to sweep the air clean, but I can't help but think about where all that pollution goes.  Everyone has been freaking out over these mass amounts of animals dying around the world, but why can't we stop and look at how much crap we're pumping into the environment daily?  Let's not mention the ripple effects from a huge offshore oil leak that occurred last year, either.

I think the poor Earth is finally speaking more loudly and clearly: what we are doing is not sustainable and it is damaging.  So, in this New Year, let's try our bests to make the small changes that lead to a healthier and happier planet.  I've mentioned a few things we can start doing, but I'll give a few more here to think about:

• Recycle.  It's easy and its impact is huge.
• Turn off the water when you brush your teeth.
• Use dishtowels instead of paper towels to dry your hands.
• Walk or ride public transportation when you can.
• Don't let your car idle at drive-thru windows. Turn it off!
• Run your dishwasher only with a full load!
• Wash your hair every 2nd or 3rd day, it saves water and my hair looks better a day or two after a shampoo anyway;)!
• On that same note, invest in some dry shampoo or shampoo powder to freshen up your hair on the non-wash days.
• Keep your thermostat at 68 degrees or lower in the winter.  Just put a sweater on of you're cold instead of heating up the whole house!
• Use eco-friendly laundry detergent, it's an easy switch and you won't notice the difference!
• Get a reusable coffee mug and swear off disposable cups for good!
• When your old light bulbs burn out, switch to the new compact fluorescent bulbs.

There!  If you choose to try just one or two of these over the weekend, you will be making a difference!  If you have any other great conservation ideas, please leave them in the comments so we all can give them a try!  I hope you have a lovely, smog-free weekend! xo.

Little Teacup

I am loving these antique teacup bracelets!

It's such a creative way to use something that otherwise would have 

just sit on a shelf collecting dust!

Clever.

Natural Beauty: Lip Balms

I think I'm probably just one of millions of people in search of the perfect lip balm.  It sounds like a relatively simple quest, seeing as there are zillions of lip balms for us to choose from.  But being me, with all sorts of needs and wants, finding the perfect lip balm was much like finding my husband - a happy accident that changed my life for the better.  (Now for all of you who just read that and realized I compared my husband to lip balm, be not alarmed, because this is a-ma-zing lip balm!!!)

Said lip balm has to moisturize, but not create an application addiction (see: Carmex).  It has to be paraben and petrochemical free.  It has to glide on and stay put.  It has to not be super-fragranced.  It also can't form those weird little mouth boogers that some lip balms do after awhile...See the list gets pretty long.

Tilvee Hydrating Lip Balm was a gift from my mom for Christmas.  She lives in Denver, where the gluten-free, organic, health food business is going OFF.  In her holiday spirit, she picked up a few natural lip balms as a stocking stuffer for me.  Since I had a surplus of lip balms at the time, the Tilvee languished in a drawer for a few months until I had to crack it open and put it into primary lip balm rotation.

I was horrified that I had let this balm wait around for me!  It was ALL of the things I could ever want in a lip balm.  It was shiny without being obnoxious and moisturizing without being lip schellac.  Seriously. Best. Lip balm. Evar.

BUT.  I went to purchase some of this elixir of the gods myself and found that it's $6.99 a tube...!  SO I'm waiting until next Christmas for my replacement.  Until then, I've found a less expensive substitute - eos smooth spheres.  While they're no Tilvee, they are available at Walgreens for $2 and they are paraben and petrochemical free.  Sigh.

Pit Juice

The experiment for a FUNCTIONING natural deodorant begins....

Contenders:

Tom's of Maine

Mbeze

Etsy Finds

Magic Crystals....

I'll keep you posted.

Eggs

Have you ever had a "farm fresh" egg?  Before today I wold have answered "yes," because the organic, free-range eggs I purchase clearly state: FARM FRESH right on the package.  Yes, I am a sucker for what's printed on a package of food I consume, because it's in the great hope that what I find inside will indeed be a myriad of things pertinent to my survival that the package promises.  Silly little words like gluten-free, pesticide-free, and organic are all on the roster.  I really thought I was eating the "best" I could.

Enter Rico Locals, locally grown Utah food brought to a convenient, downtown center.  Shug brought home some "farm-fresh" eggs a few days ago and, thinking they were like allllll the other "farm-fresh" eggs we've consumed in the past, they sat in my fridge for a few days.

This morning, with a very welcome unexpected day off, I indulged myself in an omelette.  After the first egg was cracked I knew something was up.  The bright, vibrant hue of the yolk practically blinded me!  I have always thought egg yolks were yellow...that's how they're depicted in cartoons, pictures, and in my mixing bowl.  These yolks were ORANGE.  Glaring, healthy, sunny, ORANGE.  The first rational thought that popped into my head was, "They must have gone bad. Egg yolks are never this color."

I cracked egg number two.  SAME THING!  I decided to crack a third and if all three were this alien-orange color, I'd give it the good ol' college try and eat them.  Sure enough, the third egg was just as loud of an orange hue as the previous two.  Into the pan they went.

As the eggs cooked, instead of opaquing into a soft buttery yellow, they morphed into a rich golden saffron color.  I was really getting freaked out.  What if I poisoned myself?!?  What if they had already gone bad?!?  What if all of the eggs I've consumed in my life were just "blah" and these eggs were "bang"!?!?!  EXISTENTIAL CRISIS.

The eggs sizzled sweetly in their pan as the sun through the window caught the wafts of steam curling up from the stovetop.  I plated the eggs, gave them the holy trinity of egg dressing: freshly cracked black pepper, ketchup, and Cholula.  I readied myself for the worst.

Words cannot describe how lovely and perfect these eggs were.  They were rich, flavorful, and delicious and I am sad to say I have NEVER tasted an egg like this.  In 27 seconds my newly found love was gone.  I hadn't the strength to savor them.

But, I'm planning on omelettes for lunch and dinner.

Natural Beauty: Mascara

My six-month-long-and-counting experiment in ridding my life of parabens continues, but I've had a few small victories along the way!

Finding natural products that work as well, if not better, than products with parabens has been a challenge.  Parabens help everything in cosmetics from being spreadable, extending their shelf life, and to not flake, to name a few...So finding products that work as well as paraben-laden junk has been tough.

But today I feel victorious, because I have found a mascara that's BETTER than any of that paraben crap!  It's Korres Provitamin B5 & Rice Bran Lash-Strengthening Mascara.  It's highly pigmented and is really layerable, plus it has virtually NO flakiness.  I wore this by the ocean, out in the sun, for an entire day and didn't even need a touch-up for dinner (my stinky armpits are another story!)

I also really like tarte's Natural Lights, Camera, Lashes! "push-up bra for your lashes" mascara.  It's not as pigmented as the Korres mascara, but it made my lashes suuuuuper long and luxe.  It's more of a night-time mascara, since it's pretty easy to Tammy Faye yourself with this stuff.  It's a bit flaky towards the end of the day, but if you're only wearing this at night, no one can see!

Do you have any paraben-free make-up that you love?

SLC Oil Spill

Oil spills can happen anywhere.  Even in my own backyard.

This last weekend a Chevron pipe burst in a beautiful place called Red Butte Creek.

The oil leaked into the creek and down into our city waterways.
It ended up in our city park's lake.

I'm pretty sure wind power and solar power "leaks" are ridiculously rare.

Natural Beauty: Vitamins

The skincare biz is a multi-bajillion-dollar industry and it's not surprising: people have dealt with skin issues that have hundreds of creams, serums, and potions that promise to fix whatever problem you might have.  I have to admit that I have funneled quite a bit of my own income into this snake oil business.

As a teenager, I was one of those terribly lucky girls who had porcelain perfect skin.  I got maybe two zits a year and they seemed to come and go with the new fashion statement I was making.  I also was a lifeguard, which meant hours upon hours in the sun with minimal amounts of clothing on.  While I did wear sunblock, I usually only applied it once in the morning.  I was always so ridiculously tan by the end of the summer.  Gross.

All of the skin issues I was spared from in high school seemed to take their vengeance on me as an adult: sun spots, acne, sun damage, photo-aging, melasma, THE WORKS.  And while I was lured into the creams and potions way of dealing with these new fun issues, I found myself turning to root causes of many of these problems when the topical treatments fell short.

Enter vitamins.  While antibiotics are the go-to treatment for dermatologists, I have real issues constantly consuming antibiotics to deal with non-life threatening issues, i.e. my skin.  I have been using a more holistic approach to dealing with the horrible way I treated my skin ten years ago.  Here's a list of supplements that have worked well for me:

• L-Lysine - helps with healing and inflammation of the skin
• CoQ10 - functions as an antioxidant
• Zinc - aids in healing and immunity
• Probiotics - maintains your body's "good" bacteria and helps prevent skin infections
• Flax Seed Oil - great for overall skin health

**Of course, I am not a doctor, so consult your physician before you start taking any supplements or vitamins, since there may be side effects when taking these supplements with other medications.  Dosages are also a personal decision and should be discussed with your physician, as well!**

Learning to care for my skin from the inside out was a true paradigm shift for me.  In a culture where miracle creams are being pushed to 9-year olds, it was liberating to realize my skin is a part of a bigger system that I should be taking good care of also: my body.

House Renovations

It's been almost a year since Shug and I bought our first home!  A lot of hard work has gone into this house, but sometimes it seems like it's taking us forever to reach our goals...

But, we are proud to announce our plans to start a garden this year, plans that had been waylaid by a silly little summer planning and carrying out our wedding last year!  This summer, while already filling itself up with plans and events, has us in supporting roles rather than the glaring spotlight which allows us just enough time to cultivate a little backyard garden.

So we (actually, Shug) wrestled the old planter boxes apart and readied a patch in the backyard for some sprouted plants.  Our sprouts sadly perished in the sunshine, so we will have to be purchase some from a reputable organic greenhouse here in Salt Lake City.  Have any suggestions?

I'll keep you posted on our green thumbage factor increases...!

Natural Beauty: Dry Skin Brushing

So when trying to rid my life of parabens, I've found there is some other nastiness that I needed to throw out, not so much because of the harmful chemicals it contained, but harmful polyethylene, or simply plastic beads.  My favorite exfoliating scrub had these little buggers in them, and that had to GO.  These plastic beads that are so great in scrubbing off dead skin cells gently are also super-pro at collecting in large garbage patches in our water systems and oceans.  YUK.

Enter dry skin brushing.  First of all, it's the cheapest exfoliating agent for the price, once you spring for the $7-10 brush (get one with natural agave or cactus fibers), you're good to go for years.  I like the Yerba Prima Botanicals Skin Brush because it has a removable handle that makes it easy to scrub my back.   Secondly, my skin has never been softer since I started using this method, and last, but definitely not least, it reported that skin brushing can help reduce the appearance of cellulite!!!  Ok, I really haven't seen any changes in the cottage-cheese department, but a girl can dream.

So all you have to do is, before hopping in the shower, start at your appendages and brush in small, short strokes towards your heart.  Dry skin brushing has been reported to stimulate your lymphatic system, so help a girl out and always brush towards your heart, since this helps with lymphatic drainage.  Don't use this brush on your face, decollete, or lady parts, since the skin is super-sensitive, duh!

It will seem super-scratchy, at first, but your skin will start getting used to this mini-massage.  It really does help wake you up!  After you're done brushing, hop in the shower to rinse off all those dead skin cells.  Be sure to wash your skin brush every week with castile soap, I like Dr. Bonner's Magic All-One Soaps, and let it dry with the bristles facing down, so water won't collect in the base of the bristles! 

See, you can get super-smooth skin with no waste and no polyethylene!  Win-win.

Earth Day Tribute to Rachel Carson

Rachel Carson was a woman way ahead of her time.  She studied to become a marine biologist in the 20s, a time when women in science was not only unexpected, but scoffed at.  Her love of writing and of nature helped her create some of the most beautifuly written works about nature, including Under the Sea Wind and The Edge of the Sea.

What Carson is known for is her book, Silent Spring, in which she attacks the use of petrochemicals in farming and agriculture.  Published in 1962, this book still rings true today about caring for our environment and the adverse effects of using pesticides and fertilizers.  Any environmentalist should read her books, it will renew your love of nature and reinvigorate your resolve to protect the precious resource we have.

Have a happy Earth Day!

Quality

Put This On, Episode 2: Shoes from Put This On on Vimeo.

I remember my dad teaching me how to polish shoes when I was just a grom.  And over the course of my childhood I think he purchased maybe one or two pair of dress shoes.  He cared for what he had and made his shoes last.  Do you know anyone that shines their shoes anymore?  It's kinda sad, right?

I love how this clip talks about quality and making things you own "a treasure."  I also appreciate the focus on mastery of a craft...Something that is endangered in this age of technology.

Spring.

I've been getting a little freaked out for a nanosecond for the past few mornings the moment I exit my house and rush to my car on my way to work. The sky will be light and glowing, not the pitch black frigidness I've been stumbling through to my car all winter. I get anxious because my circadian rhythm says, "Great. You are so totally late! Look how light it is outside!"

But as soon as I start my car, its little digital clock blinks comfortingly that I am actually on time. I get so excited about the thought of spring and warmth and sunshine and walks outside that my little heart does a somersault on the trampoline of my diaphragm...

I am so lucky to have my birthday on the cusp of spring (and spring break, for that matter)! It's really difficult to be a grump when spring is just around the corner!

Are you excited for spring where you live?

Recipe of the Week: Quinoa-Stuffed Acorn Squash

On the heels of yesterday's post touting how imperative it is try to eat vegetarian a few nights a week, I wanted to get a recipe up that is supremely easy (and microwave-free;)). All you need to prepare these perfect, delicious, and visually stunning cups is for the earth to make them and you just cut them in half, scoop out the seeds and 30 minutes later relish in Mother Nature's amazing work. How easy is that?

Quinoa-Stuffed Acorn Squash
Serves 2 with extra stuffing for tomorrow's lunches
Ingredients:
One acorn squash, cut in half with the seeds scraped out
Extra virgin olive oil
4-5 new or red potatoes, scrubbed clean and thinly sliced
1 onion, diced
Few pinches of dried rubbed sage
Pinch of saffron
1 bay leaf left whole
1 can vegan/vegetarian gluten free cream of mushroom soup*
1 cup rinsed quinoa
1 cup frozen peas
1 squirt Bragg's Liquid Aminos
Freshly ground black pepper
Few slivers of Parmesan cheese (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees while you wrestle with the squash. Squirt a little of the extra virgin olive oil on a cookie sheet and place the squash cut side down and place in the oven. Let bake for 30 minutes or until easily pierced with a knife.

While your squash is baking, bring 1 cup of quinoa to a boil with 2 cups of water. Reduce to a simmer and cover. In a large saucepan, saute the potatoes in some olive oil. Once they start to soften add the onions. Season with the sage, bay leaf, saffron, Bragg's, and pepper. The quinoa should be close to being finished, so keep an eye on it!

Once the potatoes are tender, throw in the cup of frozen peas and the can of cream of mushroom soup. Once well combined add the quinoa. Mix until well incorporated and the peas are hot. Give it a taste and add more Bragg's and pepper if needed. Take out the bay leaf. Remove your squash from the oven, turn them over and fill with your delicious stuffing. Top with Parmesan if wanted and sit back and pat yourself on the back. You are actively helping the planet!

*Healthy Valley makes a great gluten free Cream of Mushroom soup! It's not as thick as the mushroom soup you may know and love, but it is organic and the flavor is much better in my opinion!

Paraben-Free Update

A few weeks ago, I embarked on an adventure. I aspired to rid my house of all cosmetics, lotions, soaps, scrubs, and potions that had parabens in them. Little did I know that everything, I mean EVERYthing, has parabens in them!

Most of my spendy makeup I splurged on for the wedding, yep, has em'. My favorite of all favorite cleansers, that is touted by dermatologists as the BEST, has em' too. Even Shug's favorite local heat and serve enchiladas have them in it!!!

So, instead of the huge overhaul I had planned, I've been phasing the house over bit by bit. It's been a tedious process. You know why products have parabens in them? Because it makes them work better! Case in point, in search of a paraben-free mascara, I tried Physician's Formula Organic Wear. Aside from the fact that I smelled like honey all day (the smell really never went away), I had raccoon eyes by lunchtime.

Some products I've tried are actually better than products I've been using with parabens. Two products I've fallen hard for have been Korres Lip Butter and just extra virgin coconut oil. The lip butter is pretty self-explanatory, but the coconut oil is amazing! I've been using it as a moisturizer for my face and body, on the ends of my hair, as an oil-cleanser for my face, and to cook with. I know I sound like a crazy hippie, but this stuff has a million uses!

If you have any paraben-free products you love, let me know!

Trying Something New

Last night a former coworker and good friend, Grace, stopped by to discuss her new logo design with Shug. She needs a logo for her coffee shop that will be opening in a little over a month. It was just a few weeks ago that she and I worked our last shift together at the coffee shop where I am still employed. Grace had been at the shop for about seven years.

Words can't describe how proud I am of her! Lately, I've been beginning to feel the pressures of adulthood and the realization that many things are NOT possible if I just put my mind to them...I'm not complaining about this fact, just recognizing that I never will become a surgeon or physician; a life goal that I finally retired after years of rejection letters, a depleted bank account, and the selfishness of living a life where I can be present with my loved ones. I also will never be a rock star, but we needn't delve into my "woulda-coulda-shoulda" list...!

What I am so very proud of is Grace's ability to stick to her dream, her tenacity through all of the tar and cement and sludge that settles in as we near certifiable "adulthood." We both have worked for small businesses our entire lives, but always for men. Now Grace will be a female business-owner where the stats say it's still 300 men to 1 woman. I admire her so much for uprooting herself from her comfort zone, her routine, her everyday life to dream big. I admire her because she is strong, brave, and a little bit crazy.

I'm going to take Grace's jump into business ownership as a lesson and an inspiration: even if some dreams may not be attainable any more, there are still new ones that can be created.

So, New Decade, let's try something new...

Source

Adorable Sustainable

I am loving these flats from SMARTFISH.

They are 100% vegan and made by hand without the use of any adhesives.

So cute.

90 Days

Well, it's been 90 days since our wedding.
And I couldn't be happier about our decision.
Here's to three month's of being hitched!

Happy Weekend! We made it!

Was your week crazy? Mine was.
I hope you have a lovely weekend.
This is my favorite time of year!

Photo via CountryGardner.