BPA, PVC, OMG...I'm losing my mind!

AAAARRRGGHH! I'm feeling very overwhelmed right now!

I have been checking out Baby E's teethers and bottles and they are not all BPA, PVC, and phthalate free! I found a blog with a lot of good information on it, Non-Toxic Kids, and it is really helped in my resolution to make my home organic and non-toxic. However, I am one hair away from breaking the camel's back and tossing everything I own out and starting from scratch. I have ordered glass bottles to replace the plastic ones without a recycling number. I tossed all the unknown plastic teethers and kept the Sassy BPA free ones and the wooden one from Plan Toys that I put in Baby E's Christmas stocking. I'm looking at an enamelware plate, bowl, and cup from Nova Natural for her toddler foods. And let me tell you how much I love the Nova Natural catalog! I can't wait to order some of these all natural, made in the USA, old fashioned, imagination inspiring toys for Baby E's first birthday! I will write a review when I get some of their products.

I think it is time for some sleep (Baby E's first tooth is poking through and that plus diaper rash has been keeping her up!) and then maybe I'll be able to plow ahead with detoxifying my home!

Good Night!

Quick Note

Just a quick note to let you all know another great use for vinegar! It works well as a fabric softener! I just pour some in the fabric softener compartment in my washing machine and it is dispensed during the rinse cycle. Now, I don't have to use fabric softener sheets in the dryer. They supposedly coat your clothes with toxic chemicals and I never knew you weren't suppose to use them on towels or baby clothes anyway. They make towels water resistant, defeating the purpose of a towel, and they take away the flame retardant on baby clothes.

Hooray for another tried and proven green idea! Hundreds more to go!

Green Progress

Here's an update on my progress of going green. I found the fels naptha soap! Unfortunately, it is only sold in bar form. Yes, I grated a bar of soap. No, I will never do it again. The recipe (1 cup fels naptha, 1/2 cup washing soda and 1/2 cup borax) works really well and it smells really good. However, the grating is just way too time consuming. I plan on trying a ready made detergent that is chlorine, phosphate, fragrance and dye free. I believe Arm n Hammer makes a good detergent. I am also still cleaning my bathroom with vinegar and baking soda and loving it! And am trying to remember that there is nothing that soap and warm water can't clean.

The main problem I am having with going green is the price tag attached! They can hike up the price just because they can put "organic" or "eco-friendly" on the package. I would love to buy all organic food and all natural soaps and cleaners but I can't afford it. Oh well, perhaps when I win the lottery...I guess I would have to play the lottery first!

I love this time of year!

There's a nip in the air...turkey dinners, candied yams...a general sense of good will. Of course all the children love Christmas gifts but a lot of adults don't like the commercialism of the holiday or the stress of expectations put on them. I say it is what you make it. You don't have to go broke to please your children on Christmas morning. You don't have to have a huge turkey dinner with all the fixings just because your family expects it. Do Christmas your way.

What do I love about Christmas? It's actually the season...not the day. I love that Thanksgiving is a day to thank God for the blessings that He's given you and not about what you did or didn't get. I love the Christmas songs on the radio, the glow of the lights on the Christmas tree, the smell of the cookies or the turkey baking in the oven. I love my decorations...I'm very sentimental and most of them are homemade or have a story behind them. My husband and I tried to pick up an ornament at each of our vacation destinations...a quilted pillow from Hawaii, a shield from the tower of London, Mickey and Minnie Mouse from DisneyWorld, etc. Most of all, I enjoy the time spent with family. I don't need gifts and I don't need to spend a ton of money on my husband and daughter. I need to sing the songs with them, to decorate the tree with them, to bake the cookies with them. I need to share the dinner table with them and my parents, brother, and grandparents. I need to open up my home to my in-laws...I need hugs all around.

Let's not forget that the real purpose of Christmas is to celebrate the birth of Jesus, our Lord and Savior! It's not about cards and gifts and commercialism. It's about the salvation that came with God in human form. So, let's enjoy the company of the family and friends that God gave us and praise His name for all of the blessings He showers us with everyday!

The Important Things in Life

Time? What is time? I haven't got any to spare. Running around grocery and Christmas shopping, cleaning and organifying the house, spending some time playing with Baby E and talking to the hubby...the list goes on and on.

I'm sure you have all experienced it and feel the need for better time management. Managing my time down to the minute is the only way I can accomplish things like making a dedication dress for Baby E and making Christmas gifts. However, other things must be put on hold like designing and creating, blogging and tweeting, and updating my etsy shop. This doesn't bother me because I've come to the conclusion that the economy is hitting people hard enough not to buy what I'm selling. So, I'm doing a final craft show on Saturday and leaving my listings on etsy until they expire. If they don't sell, a lot of people will be getting purses for Christmas!

After all, isn't it family that matters most? Didn't I quit teaching music lessons to have more time for Baby E? I can still design and create. I have to...it's in my blood. I will just do it for my family. I am really looking forward to making toys for all the children I will have, clothes for everyone I love, and filling the house with homemade love!

Will I continue to blog if I'm not promoting? Maybe. We will see. Well, that is all the time I have allotted for blogging today. Next on the schedule...feed baby and self. I've loved sharing a piece of myself with you all and I hope you enjoyed my daily musings. God bless!

I'm working on it!

Changing over from chemical cleaners to the all natural homemade recipes is taking longer than I thought. I didn't think it made much sense to just toss the chemical cleaners wasting the money that I spent on them and it's taking time to use them up. I'm getting there little by little though and I will give you an update:

• I am now loading the dishwasher with equal parts washing soda and borax.
• I am still looking for Fels Naptha soap to make laundry detergent...please leave a comment and let me know if you know where I can get some.
• I have cleaned my whole bathroom using vinegar and baking soda and it worked superbly! The vinegar worked so well on the mildew stains...they just wiped right off!

Well, that's it so far. Check back for more updates. I will keep at it!

More Green and Clean

Here are some natural cleaning recipes that I want to replace my toxic cleaners with:

Disinfectant- 1 tsp eucalyptus, clove or lavendar
2 c. warm water

Glass Cleaner- ¼ c. vinegar
2 qts. Warm water

Bathroom Mold- 1 part hydrogen peroxide
2 parts water
Or just straight vinegar

Dishwasher Soap- equal parts borax* and washing soda

Wood Floor Cleaner and Polish- equal parts vegetable oil and vinegar.

Furniture Polish- a few drops lemon oil
½ c. warm water
Mix well. Spray onto cotton cloth. Dry with a clean cloth.

Laundry Detergent- 1 c. Ivory or Fels Naptha soap
½ c. washing soda
½ c. borax*
Use 1 tbsp for light loads and 2 tbsp for heavy loads.

Oven Cleaner- Make a paste with ¾ c. baking soda, ¼ c. salt, and ¼ c. water
Spread on and let it sit overnight. Remove with a spatula and wipe clean.

Toilet Bowl Cleaner- ¼ c. baking soda
1 c. vinegar

*Borax is still toxic and all these ingredients should be kept out of reach of children.

I'm still not sure if I want to use the dishwasher soap and laundry detergent recipes because of the toxicity of borax. The whole point was to rid the house of toxic chemicals. I will keep searching. Stay tuned...

Resources:

http://www.pioneerthinking.com/homecleaning.html#windows
http://www.eartheasy.com/live_nontoxic_solutions.htm
http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Prairie/8088/clngrn.html

Green and Clean

I have to admit that I'm jumping on the environmentally friendly band wagon. I'm tired of inhaling the noxious fumes of the cleaning products that are probably burning holes in our lungs. So, I am researching natural cleaning agents. This may be a hard change to make because I (and my husband) am so obsessive about cleaning. It's gotten worse since we had Baby E and we want to protect her from germs. However, I am going to try my hardest to rid the house of hazardous toxins. Not only do they jeopardize your health, they pollute the earth. And after all, we are only borrowing this land from our grandchildren and great grandchildren!

So, here are the steps I'm going to take.

• Get rid of everything that says danger, poison, warning or caution on it.
• Check if my town has a hazardous waste pick up day to safely discard these products.
• Use rags and sponges instead of paper towels.
• Use a safer antibacterial spray (2 cups of water mixed with 1 tsp. of essential oil of lavendar, clove, or eucalyptus) instead of chlorine bleach.
• Switch to biodegradable dishwashing detergent and laundry detergent that does not contain chlorine.
• Use baking soda and a damp sponge to clean kitchen countertops, sinks, and tubs.
• Use white vinegar and lemon juice to clean wood surfaces.
• Use distilled white vinegar to kill the mold in my bathroom.

This is a start anyway. Once I accomplish these changes, I'll search out more. Please post a comment if you know of any other natural household cleaners. I'd especially like to know how to naturally polish wood furniture.

Resources:

http://www.care2.com/greenliving/clean-house-top-10-eco-friendly-ways.html

Handmade With Love

I really do believe there is nothing like a handmade gift. When someone takes the time to make something, it really comes from the heart. Not only have I given gifts that I've made, but I have received some homemades as well. They are all treasures that you could never put a price on nor could you find them in any store. I encourage everyone who has a skill or a talent, whether it is woodworking, drawing, baking, or whatever, to make a gift for someone special this holiday season.

I thought I might share some pictures and give you some ideas.


This was last year's birthday gift from my dad. He took the bottom of an old sewing machine and made a table out of it. On top of the table, to the left of the pitcher, is a candleholder he made as a Christmas gift last year by attaching votive holder on a saucer to an upside down teacup. He is very talented!


I crocheted this dress as a gift to my sweet Baby E.

Another heirloom treasure produced by my dad, he made this cradle for Baby E. It is something that will be passed from generation to generation.


A few years ago, my dad custom designed and made this hall tree for us as a Christmas gift.

My mom has the talent and patience for cross stitch and made this for me.

My mom and dad love vintage and antique inspired things, so I crocheted this granny square afghan for them.


For my parents' 30th anniversary I made them a scrapbook with pictures and letters of congratulations that friends and relatives sent.

As a gift to her bridesmaids, a friend made this jewelry for us to wear to the wedding.

I've also noticed a new trend...buying handmade gifts. I've received handmade gifts that relatives bought knowing I value handmade over mass produced. I think this is a marvelous alternative for those who do not have the time or do not feel confident about their skills. There are so many options with online marketplaces like Etsy, craft shows, school holiday bazaars, etc. The items you will find are unique, of high quality, and worth the price. I urge everyone, in one way or another, to go handmade this holiday season...you won't regret it!

A New Mom with New Hobbies

I am loving this internet doohickey thing! Before Baby E was born, the only thing I used the internet for was e-mail. Now, with only a few minutes here and there, I have discovered this whole other world that many people knew existed for years. Blogger, Twitter, Wishpot, Etsy...I must say I am addicted.

So here I am, Baby E is napping to classical music and I can organize my thoughts. I am so blessed to be able to be a stay-at-home mother. My first love is God, then my family, and I must say that crafting is on that list. I have very fond memories of my mom always having new crafty ideas for me and my brother to work on. I would do anything from quilting to rug hooking to loom weaving. And it is the same to this day...quilting, crocheting, embroidery, anything!

I would not have the time to be creative if I had to work a job and raise Baby E and keep the house clean! I must thank my wonderful husband profusely when he gets home from work! We both agreed that it was important to us that I stay home to be a mother, but little does he know that Baby E and I play all day!

Well, anyway, I plan on using this blog and twitter and wishpot and etsy (and I'm sure there will be more) to keep my thoughts organized, keep family and friends updated on what I'm up to, and share my handmade passion with others. So ends my first daily musing.