As you know, we just moved into a new place & we are super gung-ho about kicking our old messy habits to ensure we keep our new house in pristine condition.

That is where these eight tips come into play from Delish.com!

What about using hydrogen peroxide to clean your countertops?  Ever consider using baking soda to mop your floors? – and then make them shine by a dose of white vinegar!  Au naturale & super clean.

Check out the article to find out more tips & even how to clean out the neck of your pesky vase necks.

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It is that time again, we are packing up the family and relocating. 

The place we are renting now has tons of character & served its purpose when we needed to downsize, but now we have Rigby (who is growing like crazy!) and we are back on our feet to upgrade a little.

Even though we are upgrading from one bedroom to two, we really don’t need a lot of things – and that is the point of this post.  Our current place has a total bohemian feel to it – intricate prints against eclectic furnishings, a whole mix match that actually coordinates; and I love it!  The new place has a different feel to it though, a more sophisticated, elegant vibe is what I get.  Like I said, we don’t need new things, those things just need a new look!  Maybe even a new purpose!

Follow along in the next coming weeks to see how we are taking some of our old things and giving them a new life, and in turn, feeling like we have some totally new gear without the cost!  I must say, I am very thankful to have 2 dedicate assistants in this process – for one, they will keep me grounded as I tend to get carried away, for second, nothing is more fun than having someone to keep you company while working on projects!

Project #1:  Tea Cart turned Entertainment Center turned Sleek Bar

As you can see, this tea cart has been turned into our entertainment center.  It has a super cool vintage feel to it, but that just won’t cut it in our new digs. 

The Plan: 1) Refinish it to a darker color wood or paint it with a textured color.  2) Change out the drawer pulls with some funky, but classy looking knobs  3) Add a funky wine rack to the inside shelf with some cool glassware. 4) Wheel around from kitchen to livingroom as needed for a unique buffet/bar!

Project #2:  Reuhpholster a Sentimental Seat

This chair has a sentimental feeling to it, it is the first piece of furniture my hunny gave me & he found it at a garage sale.  As you can see, it too has a super vintage feel to it, which I want to keep – just with darker wood & a funky printed fabric.

The Plan: 1) Restain the arms & legs to a dark wood (similar to that of the tea cart). 2) Create a slip cover to give a new look and feel to a super cool seat!  The fabric I am considering has some bright vibrant colors and intricate patterns to bring a lively pop to the solid colors of the room while keeping a vintage feel with a sophisticated look.

Another option would be to repurpose your old comforters or draperies to cover your old chairs!

Like I said, stay tuned to see how these projects actually turn out

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In keeping with the theme of harvesting this week in honor of autumn, we have a very special treat from some new friends!

Real Time Farms helps you and me determine where your food comes from, that is if you want your food to come from local farms and farmer markets, plus it helps us figure what markets have what foods fresh and where! Make sense? 

These Michiganders have been hitting the press a lot lately – probably because of the great things they do!  It is so easy!  Just go to Real Time Farms and enter your zip code or city and state, then sit back & wait for the magic to begin.

After I entered the zip code for GTB, I found a new farmers market to go to and several new local vendors that I can’t wait to check out!  Plus it shares images from these events, a daily schedule of events of other locally grown events, and restaurants that feature locally grown produce.

Real Time Farms’ blog also rocks and has made our blogroll for easily accessible link to all you GTB readers.

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Today, September 13th, marks Chocolate Day in honor of Milton Hershey‘s birthday, founder of Hershey Chocoloate.  Let me just say, besides being a serious lover of chocolate, I feel I might owe a little gratitude to Mr. Hershey for all the fantastic memories in my childhood including: Halloween, Girls Scout camping s’mores, getting my first (Hershey) ‘Kiss,’ … well, you get the point.

Today, while I may not pay particular tribute to Mr. Hershey’s products, I am paying tribute to his fanstatic product – chocolate. Ah, that delicious concoction from the cocoa bean.  And these particular blogs feature some organic mixes:

CHOCO-BLOG by Gnosis Chocolate

My friend, Laurel, introduced our group to Gnosis Chocolate while she was training to become a certified Health Counselor.  She brought back a tasty little morsel that melted in my mouth and changed my view of all things chocolate: it can be tasty, organic, vegan & kosher all in one. I love this excerpt from their blog ...I have a weird and wonderful father and since the earliest I can remember, he quoted Latin at me. One of his favorites was degustibus non disputandum est, which translates to, “In matters of taste there can be no dispute.” …Each of us is possessed with our own individual sense of taste and smell, and our innate senses are honed by our environment – where we grew up and what we ate as children…

DAGODA’S SWEET & SAVORY CHOCOLATE - Dagoda Chocolate by Organic Authority

Chocolate doesn’t only have to be sweet, it can be savory too!  Such a versatile tasty little morsel …Dagoba uses the finest organic aromatic cocoa beans from Latin America and the Caribbean, shade-grown and harvested with environmental sustainability in mind. The company is perhaps best known for its tantalizing chocolate bars, which are nothing like the typical offerings you’ll find on a natural foods candy display…

CHAM-PLAINLY HEALTHLY CHOCOLATE

The blog at Lake Champlain Chocolates  shares some of the excellent health benefits of organic chocoloate, so go ahead, enjoy a piece…or two. …First, cocoa, the main component in chocolate, contains Phytochemicals called flavonoids also found in red wine, green tea, and fruits and vegetables. Flavanoids contain antioxidants, which are beneficial in that they block arterial damage caused by free radicals. Flavonoids are also associated with a reduced risk of cardiovascular disease and some cancers. Chocolate contains stearic acid, which is a neutral fat that does not raise bad cholesterol and a recent study in the Journal of the American Heart Association also shows that dark chocolate might lower your blood pressure and improve insulin resistance.
 

How could I not share a recipe to end this week’s blog carnival?  THANK YOU GREEN & BLACK’S ORGANIC CHOCOLATE!

How do Chocolate Brazil Soft-Baked Cookies sound to you?

Green & Black's Organic Chocolate Brazil Cookies

6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter

• 1 large egg, beaten
• 1 1/3 cups whole wheat flour
• 1 cup bran
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1-2 tablespoons milk
• 3 ounces dark chocolate, minimum 60% cocoa content, roughly chopped
• 3 ounces milk chocolate, preferably 34% cocoa content, roughly chopped
• 2 ounces brazil nuts, chopped (about ½ cup)

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper.

Beat the butter and sugar in a bowl until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg. Sift the flour, salt and baking powder once, returning the bran to the sifted flour, then fold it into the mixture. The bran gives a distinctive flavor and texture to the cookies. Beat well, adding the vanilla extract and enough milk to make a pliable dough. Mix it with your hands, adding the milk in stages until the dough is fairly soft, but not sticky. Add the chopped chocolate, and nuts, and distribute evenly through the dough. Roll out onto a 

lightly floured board to a thickness of about ¼ inch. Press out the cookies using the cookie cutter and place them on a greased cookie sheet, leaving plenty of room in between cookies.

Bake in the center of the oven for about 20 minutes until just golden around the edge but still soft. Leave the cookies to cool on the cookie sheet for a few minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

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During a recent trip to Manhattan, my friend gave me this adorable little spork made from 100% organic-grown bamboo. It’s only 3.5″ long and I love it.

It comes from a company called Bambu that makes renewable home and kitchen products using sustainable practices and creative design.

This little spork was such a great gift, and I’ve been using it for lunches at my desk. It would also be a great present for someone who likes to go camping because it would fit easily into a pocket or wallet (of course you’d want to wash between uses, hehe).

Just wanted to share a lovely green product line! You can learn more about Bambu’s organic materials and sustainable practices here.

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Do you or anyone you know use a deep fryer to cook your turkey on Thanksgiving? For me, the whole thing seems really dangerous, because every year I hear stories about people burning down their houses with a turkey fryer. How about the nutrition factor? Well, anything fried is usually a bad idea, but LSU AgCenter nutritionist Dr. Beth Reames says that fried turkey “is not as unhealthy as it might sound,” as long as you’re not eating the skin.

So if you’re going to use a turkey fryer, what do you do with all the waste oil after you’re done cooking? Many companies are accepting donations of waste cooking oil to use to make biodiesel or other renewable fuels. Some companies are even paying you to drop off your oil! Cool, huh?

To find a drop-off in your city, your best bet is probably a Google search. Here’s a few I found on my own:

• Tulsa, OK - Hebert’s Specialty Meats, 2101 E. 71st St., 11am – 5pm, Friday & Saturday, will pay up to $1.00/gallon
• Colorado - Rocky Mountain Sustainable Enterprises’ Holiday recycOil, Saturday, 10am – 4pm, in Arvada, Aurora, Aspen/Pitkin County, Boulder, Denver, Fort Collins, Greeley, Lafayette, Longmont, Loveland, Littleton, Louisville, and Thornton (exact locations on website)
• Tucson, AZ - Grecycle, Friday, 9am – 1pm (map to locations on website)
• San Diego, CA – City Grease Disposal Program, Miramar Landfill, 5165 Convoy Street, M-F 7am – 4:30pm, Sat-Sun 7:30am – 4:30pm

You can also try out the Earth911 website. Type in “cooking oil” and your city on their main page to get a listing of drop-off locations.

Enjoy your Thanksgiving and please recycle the oil if you use a fryer! If you know another family that’s frying up oil, offer to pick it up and drop off for them! Your holiday good deed will be done before the Christmas season even starts!

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The Natural Resources Defense Council recently investigated the chemical levels in some common air fresheners. The scary results? 12 out of 14 air fresheners had hormone-disrupting chemicals called phthalates in them. What’s even more frustrating is that some of the air fresheners they tested were labeled “unscented” and “all natural.” The only two air fresheners that were free of phthalates were Febreze Air Effects and Renuzit Subtle Effects.

Children and unborn babies have been found to be especially susceptible to these toxins. The state of California maintains the stance that five different types of phthalates are “known to cause birth defects or reproductive harm.”

I don’t know about you but I just love a fresh smelling car and home. To do it the “green way,” fill up a regular spray bottle with water and then add a dash of your favorite essential oil. One recipe I read said to mix 1 cup of water with 30-40 drops of oil. Just shake the bottle to mix the the oil before you spray each time.

A lemon or other citrus mixture would be nice for the kitchen and maybe lavender or other flower oil might be nice in your bedroom. For me, I’m going to make a peppermint spray for my car. Mint is proven to help you wake up and feel energized. That’s exactly what I need on my morning commute!!

Need some advice on where to get your supplies?

• Spray bottle – You can get cheap spray bottles at any drug store, Target, Walmart, Dollar Store, or Sally Beauty Supply. I always see them in the hair care section by the hair brushes, combs, etc.
• Essential oils – These are actually pretty easy to find if you know where to look. Check your local health food stores in the personal care section or a bath and body store like the The Body Shop. Of course, a google search of “essential oils” will also offer you a huge variety of online stores where you can buy in bulk. One of my favorites is a store called Leaves and Roots. They have a huge selection of oils, plus a great supply of natural herbs, extracts, and teas.

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While there are some great “green” cleaning products out on the market right now, you may want to consider some homemade, all natural cleaning with things you already have in the house. It’s a cheaper and healthier way to keep your home clean. There are a TON of homemade cleaning recipes out there if you Google search, but here are a few of the basics for easy access.

Drain Unclogger

You can use baking soda and vinegar to unclog any drain in your house. Pour 1 cup of baking soda into the drain and follow it with 1 cup of hot vinegar. It will bubble and steam, but don’t worry, that’s normal. Once the bubbles die down, pour hot water down the drain to clear it completely. This same mixture can be used as a toilet cleaner, but you don’t need a full cup of each. Just sprinkle a little baking soda and vinegar in and swish around with a cleaning brush. (Green Living Ideas)

Glass Cleaner

Mix equal parts vinegar and hot water in a spray bottle and you’ve got a wonderful glass cleaner. You can also use plain water with a few drops of mild dish soap. Use a squeegee or old newspaper instead of paper towels to avoid streaks and cut down on waste. (Martha Stewart)

Furniture Polish

For finished wood, mix 2 parts olive oil with 1 part lemon juice in a bowl to make the polish. Dip a soft, dry cloth into the mixture and rub into the wood (in the direction of the grain). Use a soft toothbrush if you need to get in small spaces or between grains. Wipe off excess with a clean cloth. For unfinished wood, add 1 teaspoon lemon oil to 1 cup of mineral oil for the polish and follow the same steps as above. (eHow)

Mold/Mildew Remover

Add 2 teaspoons of tea tree oil to 2 cups of water in a spray bottle and shake it to blend. Spray directly on mold or mildew in your shower, on your shower curtain, or even on a moldy ceiling. Do not rinse. Make sure the area is well ventilated because the tea tree oil smell is very strong. I’ve also read that you can sprinkle a couple drops of tea tree oil on any area where bugs like to come in. It will keep them away from that area. (care2)

Air/Fabric Freshener

Add a few drops of your favorite essential oil to a spray bottle of water. Spray anywhere to freshen up the air or make a room smell better.

Stain Remover/Metal Polisher

A wedge of lemon or fresh lemon juice can be used to get out any stain on a counter or to polish metal. Squirt lemon juice onto the stain and allow it to dry. A wedge of lemon is a great way to freshen up your sink too. Rub the lemon all over the metal in the sink. For tough stains, try sprinkling baking soda on the lemon before you begin. (CHEC)

Do you have any homemade cleaning recipes of your own? Share ‘em with us and we’ll post it on our site. Happy cleaning loves!

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I just had to share this video.  Please take the 7 minutes and 17 seconds to watch – it is an inspiration to see what someone can do from waste.  A HUGE THANK YOU! to Brittney for sharing her link on videos about recycled bags.

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If your area doesn’t have a local grocer, don’t fret.  A lot of mainstream grocery stores are offering organic products on their shelves.  Organic Earth Day supplied a flyer at my grocery store to provide coupons and steps for going organic.  Their website has some great ideas for recipes and highlights companies that create organic food items. 

Some grocery stores that are making the movement:

Publix recently took their Greenwise Market products and created a whole store!  Their first location is in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida and they have four more locations planned. 

On a recent (and rare) trip to Wal-Mart, they are now selling organic products too! Like Laurel & I’s faves: Amy’s organic foods and Stonyfield Yogurt amongst others.

For those of you on the other side of the country, Safeway’s website has a whole organic section to browse before you order online or go to the store.

And, do not forget to continuously check Laurel on Health Food  for the most recent information on what organic foods can do for you.  This is an excellent resource to encourage healthy things to go into your body, things you never knew could happen if you just ate the right things.   

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