just 10 jumping jacks a day.

Whole Foods Market has a wonderful article on their blog called "resolve to eat right". Like the author of the article I am not big on New Years Resolutions, until I read another bloggers idea of a resolution. Her big resolution was to do 10 jumping jacks a day, I thought, "hey, I can do that!", and I have! Woo Hoo, off to a roaring start! I also added in 10 toe touches.....phew, I do work up a sweat.  Lets face it, if I  resolve to run 2 miles a day, I will not become a runner, but a master of excuses on why running is bad (it is bad for your joints...you know)! I have also resolved to continue with my "green" living practices, as I have written in past posts. However, the most important resloution I really need to keep is my resolution to eat healthier. It is not just for me, but for my entire family. My husband and I could both stand to loose a bunch of weight. Ivan needs to quit eating junk, and then there is Katie(my sister, who is currently living with us) who is very obese. So here goes our new healthy eating plan.....it makes me giggle, in a bad way.
Giggle you say. Yes, giggle, which is what I did the entire time I prepared tonights meal. No, I wasn't giggling because I was having fun cooking, it was because I kept imagining my familys face as I served the food....

We had organic lentil soup, with organic greens winter salad.
I served everything on small plates/bowls, with a piece of toasted homemade bread.
Now all of you out there that are ick-ing the soup, I will tell you a secret, add a dab of sour cream..."a little dab will do ya". it makes the soups consistency seen not so "sludge" like.

Generally eating fresh vegetables in the winter takes all of my inner strength to keep my gag reflexes in check, especially lettuce. However, Olivia's Garden lettuce is very good, it is a local product(bonus) made in New Glouster. I added raw almonds, blue cheese, and dried organic cherries, all topped of with a bit of Newman's (bonus-100% of profits go to charity) dressing.

It was good...I feel light.....so light..like I could float away to the Wicked Woopie Pie store in Freeport.

My  brother-in-law gave me a gift certificate to Whole Foods (which brings us to the first sentance of this tale) for Christmas....at first I thought to myself...hmm... interesting, but had a ball spending it on stuff for myself (non-food).

Aura Cacia - Soothing Heat - Evergreen and Eucalyptus Bubble Bath. I let you know how fabulous this is!

Dr Bronner Peppermint Soap...My husband loves all Dr.Bronner's  products...its a hippie thing!

Kiss My Face Antioxidant Toner, ahh...spray on goodness!

Earth Theraputics Sinus  Pillow, lets hope it helps, and I can stay off of the brain sucker Afrin.

Earth Therapeutics Boars Hair Brush - make my hair so soft and shiny.

Now that I am all natural (my legs are getting pretty hairy-which actually happens every winter), and organicy,

wish me luck, as I too wish all of you luck with your resolutions, and if all your resolutions fail, you can have one of mine....10 jumping jacks a day..you can do that!!!!!

Envirosax Animal Planet Pouch

My friend Carrie gave me one of these for Christmas, I love it!

I love it because it folds up into the size of a small apple,

and fits right into your purse....so you never have to run back to the car for your bag!

Envirosax Animal Planet Pouch

I am also loving this magazine..... BOHO MAGAZINE
I bought it at Borders.

New Years Pledge.

Bring your own bag

I often forget them in the car....now I will go back to get them!  You can make your own, use old pillow cases, cut the top double fold for the handle, sew and go!

as seen here

My sister Katie uses plastic baggies for her lunches, on the average day she uses 3-4 bags. 
I am going to make a bunch of reusable ones, like these. They are completely washable.

Repair items instead of buying new
I am so guilty of this. Both of my trash cans are kind of gross. I was going to go buy new, instead I will bleach them to clean them.

Rent or borrow something that will be used once, 
or just a few times.

My friend Shelley  buys her large family used VHS, and DVDs at the local Goodwill. 
At 99 cents a piece, it sure beats the $20.00 price tags of buying new!

Sell, trade or donate items in good condition.  
The Salvation Army, and Goodwill is always looking for donations
 

Eat at locally owned and run restaurants. 
say good bye to crapplebees, no one likes the food there anywhere.  Check your yellow pages for  small local dining experiences!

One Small Change

One small change is a great idea started by a fellow blogger Hip Mountain Mama.
She is asking everyone to make one small change a month until Earth Day, and blog about it.
What I like about this is that it is completely obtainable. The changes are small, but if may do them, the affect will be great.
This is a basic list she has started.....
Many I already do, some I wouldn't consider, like eliminating toilet paper, and having a family cloth. I must admit I don't know all of the specifics of this, but I am pretty sure I would pass.

Recycle, use cloth napkins, try cloth diapering, replace your bulbs with LED or CFL bulbs, turn off your lights, use natural cleaning products or make your own, drive your car less, buy a hybrid, turn your thermostat down, use the sun to warm your home through passive solar heat, bring your own bags to the store, install a low flow shower head, stop buying bottled water, unplug it, bring more plants into your home, always print double sided, when getting rid of things consider freecycle, craigslist or ebay (do not throw out as someone else is surely able to get some use out of it), support local farms and try to eat local, purchase wind power if it is available in your area, purchase products made with natural materials and that can be reused, purchase recycled paper products, use rags instead of paper towels to clean up messes, use reusable lunch sacks, buy organic, landscape responsibly by reducing the use of water needed, donate time and/or money to green efforts, elimate the use of toilet paper by using family cloths, don’t flush every time, put a brick or something heavy it he back of your toilet so it uses less water when flushed.

 The first change I am going to make is to eliminate the over use of plastic baggies in our house. We go through way to many, using them only once. 

Here is a link to make some...
craft stylish
we wilsons 

or you can purchase some here on ETSY .
I will post my handmade creations soon.

wonderful vintage christmas images

this past week

silk flower necklace. These are fun to make, and they end up as light as air.

I sold all of them at my open house....to the same person. I will be making more! 

our living tree with LED lights... hmm.... my husband did not particularly care for it.

but when we finished it was not too bad!!!!!

a night in the "BIG" city with Ivan

a solstice photo, taken this morning at 7:20 by request from my husband.

Now, I am off to figure out our Christmas day menu, oh' Barefoot C where for art thou!

 

books on my bedside table

They are all really good. I put them in order of favorites.
ETCETERA - is a gorgeous book, the interiors are very easy,
and laid back.....not for type A anal personality.
THE ALABAMA STITCH BOOK - Fantastic yet time consuming amazing sewing projects.
Very BOHO.....not for the Talbots shopper!
FELTIQUE - Great projects, easy to follow instructions;  I plan on making quite a few projects.
PAINTING WITH STITCHES - lovely book.....an amazing artist....super time consuming projects for this ADA crafter!
THE PICTORIAL DICTONARY  is a great source for images,
but some are so obscure that you would be hard press to incorporate them into your art.