Twice a year, I go through the kids clothes. The ones that are really stained, I either try to figure out a way to use them or throw them away (usually a handful of items). The one that are either a little to worn or a tiny stain, I put in a bag to give to a friend who passes them along to others. The rest I take to a nice consignment store who go through and get the items they want. The leftovers go to a the friend mention before. I get either 40 or 50 percent of the sale. They hang and price the item. I then have an account which builds as my items sell. I then buy items that my kids need to keep them clothed. The last two Christmases, I have bought all of my nieces and nephews presents.
If you have not tried to consign clothes, I strongly encourage you to. You are selling items you no longer need and if you purchase from a consignment shop, you are saving yourself money and helping the environment by reusing clothes.
*** Today I bought... for Jackson two pairs of jellybean shorts for 3.50 each, a pair of adjustable Gap shorts for 4.50, a pair of The Children Place Linen pants for 5.00, and a pair of real Crocs for 4.50... for JC a pair of Jellybean capris for 5.00 and a pair of adjustable Old Navy shorts for 5.50... a book for 1.25 and a Diego Backpack with other things for 5.00...I think I luck out because I only paid 1.80 out of pocket for all...
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
One Big Reason to Make Your Own or buy Organics..
This was post on Planet Green.... There are links so if you would like to read the real article check it out... http://planetgreen.discovery.com/fashion-beauty/cancer-shampoo-toxins.html
There's Going To Be a Little Less Cancer in Your Shampoo
Clairol's Herbal Essences line is making it nice and easy to avoid 1,4-dioxane.
By Virginia Sole-Smith
New Hamburg, NY, USA | Tue Mar 16, 2010 12:30 PM ET
Herbal Essences Long Term Relationship Shampoo for Long Hair contained a 1,4-dioxane level of 14 parts per million in a 2010 test by the Green Patriot Working Group.
Copyright 2010 Procter and Gamble. All rights reserved.
READ MORE ABOUT:
Cancer | Green Personal Grooming | Hair
If you track toxins in personal care products like baseball fans track box scores, then you'll remember the hubbub last year when the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics announced results from lab tests finding a pesky little contaminant called 1,4-dioxane in a whole host of children's bath products.
Just in case you're saying "one, four, what?" let's review. 1,4-dioxane is a contaminant produced when manufacturers mix up batches of sodium laureth sulfate and other chemicals that give soaps and shampoos their foamy suds. The EPA considers it a "probably human carcinogen" and California includes it on the Proposition 65 list of chemicals known or suspected to cause cancer or birth defects. This isn't to say that lathering up with your favorite bubble bath or shower gel is going to cause cancer. But using these products does add a teensy dose of potential carcinogens to your average bath, which is already something of a toxic soup.
Here's the rub: since sudsy product makers didn't intend to put 1,4-dioxane into their formulas, they've been having a heck of a time trying to get it out. Which is why it's such exciting news that Proctor & Gamble has said it's reformulating its entire Clairol Herbal Essences line to be 1,4-dioxane-free by the end of 2010 in response to pressure from environmentalists. Herbal Essences has long been the scourge of the eco-beauty movement, since it sounds so green (remember those coy commercials about having a "totally organic" shower experience?) but actually wasn't. Even a little bit.
So, kudos P&G and let's not stop there. "We're glad Proctor & Gamble is reducing the levels of 1,4 dioxane in its Herbal Essences line, but the company clearly has a much bigger problem," says Lisa Archer, national coordinator of the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics from the Breast Cancer Fund. "Proctor & Gamble needs to show it cares about all its customers by eliminating this carcinogen from all its brands." In fact, when environmentalists announced the P&G news at a press conference on Friday, they also released new testing that found several P&G brands of laundry detergent (Tide, Tide Free and Ivory Snow) still contain pretty high levels of 1,4-dioxane. Oops.
Meanwhile, if you want a truly green shower experience, check out our top green shampoo picks and learn how to make your own shampoo and conditioner at home.
There's Going To Be a Little Less Cancer in Your Shampoo
Clairol's Herbal Essences line is making it nice and easy to avoid 1,4-dioxane.
By Virginia Sole-Smith
New Hamburg, NY, USA | Tue Mar 16, 2010 12:30 PM ET
Herbal Essences Long Term Relationship Shampoo for Long Hair contained a 1,4-dioxane level of 14 parts per million in a 2010 test by the Green Patriot Working Group.
Copyright 2010 Procter and Gamble. All rights reserved.
READ MORE ABOUT:
Cancer | Green Personal Grooming | Hair
If you track toxins in personal care products like baseball fans track box scores, then you'll remember the hubbub last year when the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics announced results from lab tests finding a pesky little contaminant called 1,4-dioxane in a whole host of children's bath products.
Just in case you're saying "one, four, what?" let's review. 1,4-dioxane is a contaminant produced when manufacturers mix up batches of sodium laureth sulfate and other chemicals that give soaps and shampoos their foamy suds. The EPA considers it a "probably human carcinogen" and California includes it on the Proposition 65 list of chemicals known or suspected to cause cancer or birth defects. This isn't to say that lathering up with your favorite bubble bath or shower gel is going to cause cancer. But using these products does add a teensy dose of potential carcinogens to your average bath, which is already something of a toxic soup.
Here's the rub: since sudsy product makers didn't intend to put 1,4-dioxane into their formulas, they've been having a heck of a time trying to get it out. Which is why it's such exciting news that Proctor & Gamble has said it's reformulating its entire Clairol Herbal Essences line to be 1,4-dioxane-free by the end of 2010 in response to pressure from environmentalists. Herbal Essences has long been the scourge of the eco-beauty movement, since it sounds so green (remember those coy commercials about having a "totally organic" shower experience?) but actually wasn't. Even a little bit.
So, kudos P&G and let's not stop there. "We're glad Proctor & Gamble is reducing the levels of 1,4 dioxane in its Herbal Essences line, but the company clearly has a much bigger problem," says Lisa Archer, national coordinator of the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics from the Breast Cancer Fund. "Proctor & Gamble needs to show it cares about all its customers by eliminating this carcinogen from all its brands." In fact, when environmentalists announced the P&G news at a press conference on Friday, they also released new testing that found several P&G brands of laundry detergent (Tide, Tide Free and Ivory Snow) still contain pretty high levels of 1,4-dioxane. Oops.
Meanwhile, if you want a truly green shower experience, check out our top green shampoo picks and learn how to make your own shampoo and conditioner at home.
Sunday, March 14, 2010
Natural Face Scrub
I just found this. I will do it in the morning.
How to Make Your Own Natural Face Scrub
I love the fresh feeling of the cold morning air on my face each day. Since I can’t ride my bike to school (the roads are too icy and bike lanes are now snowbank lanes), I started walking to school. It’s the most beautiful way to start my day.
Unfortunately, my skin doesn’t think so.
The constant, drastic changes in temperature and humidity have me finally understanding the disaster that is dry skin in the winter. That’s why I love a homemade scrub. It’s the perfect exfoliation, and because you can make it yourself, it’s cheap and fun to mix up in different combinations.
The following recipe is adapted from one of my favorite books, The Green Beauty Guide, which has all sorts of recipes and tips on hair products, makeup, and – best of all this time of year – moisturizers. I love this recipe because it has three of the simplest ingredients that we all have in our kitchens!
The author, Julie Gabriel, also adds a little rose oil if you have it around.
This recipe doesn’t have a shelf life, so you have to mix up a little batch each time you want to use it. At first, it seems counterintuitive to massage oil onto your face. Conventional skin care has led us to believe that all oil = bad. Of course, we are learning that some oils (like the natural bacteria-fighting oils on our faces) are actually good for us. Olive oil happens to be the really good one in this recipe… it just feels a bit different. I’ve been using this recipe for just under a year, and the idea of olive oil still feels weird. But it hardly keeps me from turning to this recipe over and over.
I love handmade, especially when it only costs pennies. Don’t you? Julie writes, “There is a commercial product just out on the market that has sugar and olive oil as the only ingredients. The cosmetics company is charging $32 for a 10-ounce jar.”
Wow. Just like that, you already know 2/3 of the recipe. You liking the sound of it? Here’s the rest:
* * * * * * * * * * *
Homemade Sugar Scrub
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 drop vanilla extract
1. Whisk the ingredients together.
2. Massage on your face and neck directly over the sink, as some of the product will fall as you massage.
3. Rinse with warm water and a wash cloth (to remove the oil) or step into the shower. You can continue with your traditional face wash and toner if desired. Then moisturize.
Found at http://www.makingthishome.com/2010/01/29/how-to-make-your-own-natural-face-scrub/
How to Make Your Own Natural Face Scrub
I love the fresh feeling of the cold morning air on my face each day. Since I can’t ride my bike to school (the roads are too icy and bike lanes are now snowbank lanes), I started walking to school. It’s the most beautiful way to start my day.
Unfortunately, my skin doesn’t think so.
The constant, drastic changes in temperature and humidity have me finally understanding the disaster that is dry skin in the winter. That’s why I love a homemade scrub. It’s the perfect exfoliation, and because you can make it yourself, it’s cheap and fun to mix up in different combinations.
The following recipe is adapted from one of my favorite books, The Green Beauty Guide, which has all sorts of recipes and tips on hair products, makeup, and – best of all this time of year – moisturizers. I love this recipe because it has three of the simplest ingredients that we all have in our kitchens!
The author, Julie Gabriel, also adds a little rose oil if you have it around.
This recipe doesn’t have a shelf life, so you have to mix up a little batch each time you want to use it. At first, it seems counterintuitive to massage oil onto your face. Conventional skin care has led us to believe that all oil = bad. Of course, we are learning that some oils (like the natural bacteria-fighting oils on our faces) are actually good for us. Olive oil happens to be the really good one in this recipe… it just feels a bit different. I’ve been using this recipe for just under a year, and the idea of olive oil still feels weird. But it hardly keeps me from turning to this recipe over and over.
I love handmade, especially when it only costs pennies. Don’t you? Julie writes, “There is a commercial product just out on the market that has sugar and olive oil as the only ingredients. The cosmetics company is charging $32 for a 10-ounce jar.”
Wow. Just like that, you already know 2/3 of the recipe. You liking the sound of it? Here’s the rest:
* * * * * * * * * * *
Homemade Sugar Scrub
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 drop vanilla extract
1. Whisk the ingredients together.
2. Massage on your face and neck directly over the sink, as some of the product will fall as you massage.
3. Rinse with warm water and a wash cloth (to remove the oil) or step into the shower. You can continue with your traditional face wash and toner if desired. Then moisturize.
Found at http://www.makingthishome.com/2010/01/29/how-to-make-your-own-natural-face-scrub/
Sewing Blog
I started a blog about just the things I have sewn. I have only put things up that I have already made and had pictures of. However, I will be posting currently and future projects. http://colbyrileydesigns.blogspot.com/
I have food burnt to my pan...
Most morning I cook eggs which stick to the pan. When I am done, I add about 1/2 inch to an inch of water, add some dish soap, and baking soda. Let it sit for a little while, then it is an easy clean up. This works for just about everything. Brian made a roast in the oven without tin foil on the bottom of the pan. I did this but let it sit overnight. The burnt on stuff was a snap to clean.
Friday, March 12, 2010
Thrift Stores...
I am love going to the local thrift stores. I do not go offend because I have to really look and to keep up with two kids is a little hard. However, my oldest and I went yesterday because I was looking for some t-shirts that I could turn into St. Patrick's Day shirts. I did not find those but I did walk away with a little kimono that I will turn into a baby present by redoing it, a pair of knitted slippers for my daughter, and a beautiful handmade dress with butterflies. I paid $2.50. There is no way I could have even made the dress for that.
Thursday, March 11, 2010
Money is tight but I need to make a gift....
I have found several sites over the past year on the Internet that shows you how to make gifts for people. In the past year, I have found jar mixes at www.budget101.com and found adult and baby slippers, baby kimonos, and vanilla flavored sugar at www.marthastewart.com.
Now I have found another website. If you look on the left hand side of www.oneprettything.com, click on homemade gift guide. Here you will find different categories for men, babies, edible, kids, girlfriends, etc. There are lots and lots of ideas. Some are easy and some are a little more difficult. Can anyone guess where I will be getting my ideas for my next batch of presents from? :)
Now I have found another website. If you look on the left hand side of www.oneprettything.com, click on homemade gift guide. Here you will find different categories for men, babies, edible, kids, girlfriends, etc. There are lots and lots of ideas. Some are easy and some are a little more difficult. Can anyone guess where I will be getting my ideas for my next batch of presents from? :)
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