Book of the Month: Green Christmas

 Where we live our holidays are usually green as opposed to white but this year it is looking like we may have some snow stick around.  Lovely big dumps of snow the last two days have covered our mountain home.  Inside we are preparing for gift giving and the eating of yummy food and recovering from my almost 5 year old's space birthday party.  So much fun.
Each holiday season I like to check out a festive book or two from the library to browse.  I don't usually make anything as my making is usually already filled up at this time of year but the inspiration and ideas sometimes stick with me.  This book of course is about green for the earth and not green in general but I'm Dreaming of a Green Christmas: Gifts, Decorations, and Recipes that Use Less and Mean More by Anna Getty has lots of fun ideas for celebrating in a more thoughtful way.  In particular I think her projects are great for creating lasting decorations and gifts that are easier on the planet but still very stylish.
The ideas that I liked best were using an vintage/thrifted round table cloth for a tree skirt and her fresh and dried herb wreath.  (my make my own wreath aspirations have been neatly pushed to next year)
She also shares some lovely recipes the tastiest of which is Chai hot cocoa with whipped cream.  Add some cookies and you have a perfect Christmas eve dessert or at least that's my plan for this year.

So if you are looking for old fashioned holiday ideas (and by old fashioned I mean from a book and not Pinterest) Have a look at I'm Dreaming of a Green Christmas and let the holiday magic and beautiful photography bolster your spirit.

Book of the Month: Money matters

In the gene pool distribution between my siblings and I the universe decided that I was not to get the money smarts.  Cut to the girl who bought a shirt with her $20 that she only wore once, cut to her sister that had a substantial savings account by 15, cut to her brother that usually pays with cash, cut to a 25 year old who suddenly had a light bulb moment and decided that in order to not live hand to mouth she should get a steady J.O.B.  Again, I would like to make clear that my parents were/are excellent with money, as is most of my extended family (many of whom came of age during the Depression and worked really hard to get all they had) but little old me has had to learn the hard way.  Repeatedly.  And becoming a parent has certainly helped me to learn it fully and take notes and get my act together.
Reading Your Money or Your Life: 9 Steps to Transforming Your Relationship with Money and Achieving Financial Independence by Vicki Robin and Joe Dominguez has helped me to get a plan, and see money as a tool instead of in such an abstract way.  I still have a brain that balks at numbers, math, and the like (it still boggles my mind when people say they think math is fun...pardon?) But this book does line up with my values.  It is about not living the set dream that North Americans seem to adhere to, you know: big house, two cars, two paychecks, shopping as recreation, consuming to affirm your life choices.  Rather it asks you to work out what you want and make a plan to achieve it being resourceful, thinking outside of the box and being true to yourself, the environment and society as a whole.
We have yet to implement this book since I'm waiting for Dave to read it.  Our financial life is joint just like every other part of being married, so beginning without him on board seems pointless.  But it will get read and we will take the 9 steps it recommends and I have every confidence that this book will provide our map to a financial future that will be positive.

The new year is a great time to take stock and begin again.  Finances are always an area that can use improvement.  If you want to transform your lifestyle to match your values and reach financial independence I would recommend reading this book, it has the tools you'll need. 

Notes to my Future Self

If you have ever rented your home or if you do now then you can relate to my dilemma with home projects....I am very limited.  Some people paint walls, add different window treatments or shelving when they rent but we don't.  We've lived with vertical blinds for three years now.....(no offense if you like them, I don't) and change is not something that Dave likes that much in terms of decor.  He's an "if it ain't broke don't fix it" type and I...well, obviously I'm the "artsy, everything must look pleasing to my sensibility type."  So I've had to limit my changes and dream of future home ownership where I can let my interior and exterior design diva out.  When I came across this project in Garden Wise magazine last month I had a "I must remember this"  moment.  This my friends, is a clothesline trellis!

Isn't it lovely?  Hanging out your clothes along side a flowering vine and doing that thing that I love so much: making a functional object beautiful.  Clotheslines are so esthetically pleasing to me.  I love sheets, dresses, tea towels, even underwear floating in the wind.  The smell on the laundry when it dries this way is fresh, the sun bleaches out stains, and you save energy by leaving your dryer idle.  In the article they even suggest planting lavender or rosemary beneath it to encourage your laundry to smell even more divine.  Some day this will be in my backyard but until then my love affair with clotheslines will continue.   If you want to check out some photo streams of clotheslines from around the world you can do so here and here.  And for those of you that have one, lucky you!

Updating Thrift Store Finds: Short pants for kids

Often when you are thrift shopping for your kids or even for yourself you come across outdated clothing that fits most criteria but isn't really "in style." That was the case when I found these little pants recently. They are 100% cotton which is really important for Kyan in the summer as he tends to get overheated easily. I also loved the checkered pattern but the tapered legs had to go. So the following is how I converted them to short pants/Capri pants or whatever you wish to call them.

First you need to measure them on your child and figure out how much of the bottom you want to remove. I figured 3 inches would work well making them just long enough to not be shorts but the right length for extra summer weather exposure.


Next I cut off the excess fabric, turned the pants inside out, and hemmed the edge using a zig zag stitch. You could fold under the seam I suppose but I wanted to keep them from being too bulky. Then I pinned the edge in place preparing to sew the bottom hem. You can always do this by hand but I used my machine for speed.


And here are the results. My model wasn't interested in standing still very long for a photo but you can see that they are going to look great with sandals! These pants were $2 and with a little sewing from me they are not only an economical way to shop for our little ones (or ourselves) but they make creating a spring/summer wardrobe greener for the planet as well.


Updated, loose and breathable. All ready for some fun in the sun. Now we just need some sun.

A little reminder

I wanted to re-post my Yule gift wrap post from last season just as a little reminder to try and cut down on wrapping paper. Have a look around your house for gently used gift bags, boxes, fabric and such instead of running back to the store for another roll of paper. The Earth will thank you and you'll save the hassle of dealing with the crowds.

Happy wrapping!

Green Yule Wrapping 101

Handmade Nation Film Review

Last Thursday night I had a night out. I went into Vancouver at the ever important bedtime hour and watched a film about crafty women. More than just a film this was an event, with a small craft fair, book sale and Q&A with the film's director Faythe Levine. Handmade Nation is about the Do-it-yourself craft culture in the U.S. that is the pulse of a new generation (view the trailer here)
There are so many crafters in this movie that it was impossible for me not to leave inspired. There was no central narrator to thread things together, other than following one crafter from her set-up at a show and throughout her day. At times I found that detracted from the flow making it hard to move from point to point but in this method's favor it made the film fresher. After all this is a DIY style of film making, documenting a bunch of DIY artists who aren't really into following "the rules" anyway.

Also because of the abundance of different profiles some of the crafters featured were not as memorable for me. Perhaps a smaller grouping would have left a different impression. I think Levine's motive for this was that she wanted to demonstrate the vastness of talents and the broadness of the community. And community is the main thread for them all. Creating in a sustainable, handmade, thoughtful, community atmosphere.

Deep down this film touched some core issues of a counterculture looking to set itself apart from the mass produced consumerism that North America is famous for. I liked that and I support that. Someday I hope to contribute my own work to that end. I learned more about myself through watching this film. The kind of person I need to be to sell at craft fairs and the level of workmanship that I need to aspire to. Truthfully I think I may not be suited to craft fairs and perhaps am more of a gallery style artist but I won't close any doors at this point. Its too early in the game of my career for that yet. In the Q&A Faythe talked about many interesting aspects of her own creative life. One piece of advice that she gave which I found invaluable was to finish things. To follow things through to the end. I see many creative people who are challenged by this. And it is one thing that I will hold on to. As I find the time to work on my technique and develop my "style" I will follow through and have something to show for it. (even if I hate it when I'm done)

If you are a crafty/creative/artsy type this is a great movie, full of inspiration and people with the courage to do it their way. Support indie film! Faythe also let us know that DVD copies of the film will be on sale in September from www.buyolympia.com (who are featured in the film) So if you can't make it to a screening you can buy the DVD. Craft on!

Lawns and Bees and change, oh my!

My mother's lovely garden and pesticide free lawn

This summer has brought about some interesting developments in my local community. The first is a short article in Burnaby Now where their headline was: "Is the lawn out of style?" and for many important reasons I think that it is. The article mentions a suburb of Sacramento, California, that has a Cash for Grass program, encouraging locals to remove their conventional grass lawns and replace them with drought-resistant plants. This is a sustainable option for areas with water scarcity. Lawns are a strange obsession in suburbia, driving people to use pesticides and other horrible chemicals to have perfectly groomed green grass that you never even see people walking on. Another wonderful option for use in cities and suburbs for conventional lawn space is for growing food. The price and demand for food is rising, you could use your lawn space to grow a small garden and feed your family fresh vegetables for a few months. This article mentioned that many California initiatives are adopted here in BC and they could see the Cash for Grass program being introduced here in the next few years.

A development that has been initiated here in Burnaby, by a unanimous city council is that homeowners can keep their own bees. Bee populations are on the decline worldwide and so this will allow us to help bees and encourage their vital survival. Some homeowners expressed concerns about bee stings, but bees rarely sting and are only interested in pollinating their hearts out. Many people mistake bee stings for wasps or hornets.

In Vancouver they have voted to allow homeowners to raise their own hens for eggs, also a great way to provide fresh food for our families. Not yet being a homeowner I can not get rid of my grass lawn, erect a bee house or have my own chickens but I try and do my part just the same. I planted annuals and perennials this year that attract bees, butterflies and hummingbirds and I am growing tomatoes and green peppers in pots on my balcony. I am very encouraged to read articles from my community that show positive changes happening in the mindset of homeowners. Cities and suburbs must adapt their tiny patches of earth to make them as sustainable as possible. The benefits are endless and depending on how climate change affects us in the years to come these changes may become a matter of survival.

Cloth Diapers. Yes, you can!

One of the givens in my mind when I contemplated motherhood and then later became pregnant was that I would use cloth diapers. It seemed a no-brainer to me. I'm an environmentalist, I love this planet and I don't want to add thousands of diapers to fill up the earth. 500 years is too long to wait for them to decompose. Not to mention that raw sewage is being left to rot inside them.
Not only did I want to do this for myself but I also wanted to be able to look my son in the eye and say: Your babyhood did not put thousands of diapers into this earth. That is important to me because I hope that he will care even more about living lightly on this planet than his father and I do.
Besides researching what was going on in my own body as Kyan grew, I researched cloth diapers extensively. I asked people I knew about them and attended a free workshop put on by a local mompreneur who has a wonderful selection online. I hummed and hawed but finally decided on Bamboozle's with snap closures. Now cloth diapering has a whole language. I don't intend to get into that here. At the end of this post will be links for many wonderful sites that can give you basic to advanced information about cloth diapering. What I want to do here is relay our experience of diapering and be brutally honest about it.
Often when I am around other moms they comment when they see that we use cloth diapers.
"Good for you."
"Oh, you're so dedicated."
These statements are always laced with guilt. I hear in their voices that they know they should have done it but they didn't. To be clear I do not judge the choices other parents make concerning this issue but I do believe, from my experience in talking to other moms about it that they wanted to use cloth but convinced themselves otherwise. So consider this a little kick in the pants....just do it!
Some of the excuses I hear (and of course considered myself) are:
-I do enough laundry as it is. Yeah, you do. This load that you will do every 2-3 days saves approximately 5,300 disposables per child from filling up landfills. Disposables use 37% more water in the manufacturing process than cloth do despite needing to be washed several times a week.
-We are always on the go. Disposables are so convenient. Yes, they are convenient. So is Styrofoam, fast food and paper plates. Do you use/have these every day, multiple times a day?
In the essence of moderation using disposables for travel or a swimming day only, is taking advantage of the convenience while reducing your impact on the earth.
-My child goes to daycare and they won't use them. This one is tough. But if your daycare provider understood the ease that many styles of cloth diapers provide they may be convinced to try it out for a day or two. If they reject them still then at least you tried.

Beyond excuses, beyond the fact that we do the best we can as moms for our kids, it does come down to lifestyle choices. What is important to us as individuals in this world.? We chose cloth diapering because we liked that it was cheaper, it has saved us approximately $1000.00. And at this time in our life that is a lot. It is healthier on Kyan's skin. The bamboo diapers we use have anti-bacterial properties, and absorb up to ten times more than cotton.
We are not putting raw sewage into landfill sites. This one is really important. I did not know this prior to our research but it is technically illegal to wrap up your child's disposable diaper when it has feces in it and put it in your regular trash. You are supposed to shake the feces into the toilet so it can be treated as all raw sewage is. That is something they don't tell you about in baby books. What happens if you don't do that? The sewage chemicals seep into the ground and into the food chain. It's all connected after all.
There have been some downsides, having a bigger than average child the cloth diapers added so much padding that he often didn't fit into the slim clothing made for his age. He has slimmed down now so I find that to be less of an issue.
We use a dry diaper pail system and it does get smelly the day before washing day. We don't use deodorizers but they are readily available and you can always avoid it if you wash more often.
-As we begin potty training removing his pants, diaper cover and diaper is tricky. I'm considering other options and not putting too much pressure on him or myself to speed the process along. So far, so good.
I'm trying to think of other downsides but there aren't that many for me. This choice has really worked for us as a family.
It's great to not have to run out to the store for more diapers, we just throw a load in the washing machine. One other side note...we all know about the "blow outs" that happen to so many babies and leaves parents cleaning up poo in areas where we didn't want to see it. I can only recall once or twice that the diaper covers we use did not contain all the poo. Yes, you heard it here folks....no scrubbing stains out of baby shirts over here...well at least not poo stains...
You can use cloth diapers from newborn to potty training. It is a viable option. Please consider it and think of the earth and potentially your kid thanking you for making that choice. Here are some links for helping you in your research.

New and Green Baby Co. Online Cloth Diaper Store with great tips and ideas for making cloth easier for you and your family

Mother-ease A cloth diaper manufacturer with a truly green approach

Getting Started with Cloth Diapers - Mothering Magazine online

Real Diaper Association Why Choose Cloth Diapers?

Cloth Diapers Exposed-The Facts & the Fiction


*cross-posted on Mom Blogger's Network and PaganSpace.net

Yearly Goals Update

It's been six months....how are your New Year's goals coming along? Mine are in various states of being. The original post of my goals is here. I thought I'd go through them today.

Green Living Goals for 2009
-Make my own reusable menstrual pads & buy a new Keeper or Diva Cup
* I haven't had a chance to get this done yet. Sewing has not been the easiest thing to set up and do these last few months.

-Take a walk in nature every day
*Every day, no. Several times a week, yes. We are outside for at least an hour a day. Sometimes we just walk around the complex. The last few days Kyan has decided he wants me to carry him everywhere. I don't understand why yet. It could be the heat? Hearing dogs bark? (he seems to be afraid of dogs) His sandals not being comfortable? Separation anxiety? The jury is still out on this one.

-Look into getting a plot in our community garden & grow vegetables
*I did some research. Found several options for community gardens and stopped there. I do not have the time or energy at this point in our lives to take on such a big project as a garden plot would entail. So hopefully when Kyan is older and he can help me with it and I have more time (yah right!) this one will happen.

-Grow some vegetables in containers at home
*I have started a tomato plant which I will blog about later this month. I plan to get a few more vegetables and also get a few more flowers later this month.

-Continue to reduce packaging consumption
*This is a life long project for me. Packaging is everywhere. But I actually managed to reduce some by working on the goal below.

-Make more foods from scratch
*Yes I have! I currently make my own granola bars which has reduced the packaging that they came in. Each one individually wrapped within a cardboard box. I make my own bread as I mentioned in a post last month. And I have made hummus as well. These are the new additions to my making things from scratch. I feel proud of getting this goal going.

-Officially become an EcoMom community leader
*I have worked on this goal but it is out of my hands now. I signed the form, mailed it in and have received no response as to the interview you are supposed to take. This organization is run by busy moms and I have taken it as a sign that I should keep on going with my current projects and not try to overfill my cup.

-Plan & host an EcoMom party
*Not done for same reasons as above. This was a bit too ambitious for me.

Spiritual/Artistic Goals for 2009
-Continue my once a month ritual time (hopefully increase to twice a month)
*I think I managed four out of six. Since I don't include my Sabbat celebrations with this. I have missed this dearly in the last few months. But I will keep working on it. The time is there I just have to plan better.

-Plan a celebration for each Sabbat (small is okay)
*I celebrated Imbolc and celebrated and decorated for Beltaine. Solstice will be while I'm on vacation so that will also be a yes.

-Research a pagan themed essay I've been mulling over
*This particular topic has not yet been researched but it is still alive at the back of my mind. It's just waiting for its time to be written.

-Let the cycles of nature resonate inside me
*Being outside as I have been has helped with this. I do feel the seasons in my bones more now or I consciously acknowledge them more.

-Continue to branch out into the Pagan/Spiritual community
*I have joined PaganSpace.net and I do plan to attend our local Pagan Pride day this year. This blog is part of my outreach as well.

-Make time for my yoga practice
*Can't say I've done this. Some stretching here and there but no real "practice" yet.

-Make art when the spirit moves me, with the intention of developing my "style" and technique further
*As I mentioned above sewing wise, art and me are not getting much done. Although I did finish my album cover painting for my friend Matt. So that project is finished on my part. I'm striving to do more work this summer.

-Mother & love from a place of peace & truth
*This goal is eternal. I do my best in each day, each hour, each minute, each second. I'm not always successful but the intention is there.

Reuse

Last December I wrote a post about the first of the three R's Reduce. Today I'll talk about the next R: Reuse. By the abundance of garage sales, thrift stores and charity shops it is clear that there is a culture for re-using in North America. Some call it junk, while others call it treasure. I fall somewhere in the middle. Beyond washing out sandwich bags to use again, and turning old clothing into blankets what can we really do to re-use as much as possible? I found a huge list of ideas at this site. Personally I run through ideas in my head as I'm standing in front of the garbage can or recycle bin. Can I use this for something? can I store this in an appropriate place until I need it? Some of the obvious things that I reuse are produce elastic bands and twist ties, glass jars from tomato sauce and old toothbrushes for cleaning hard to get to areas. A problem with some of us, myself included, is that we can hoard things waiting for the chance to reuse them and then we never do. So I think when we are out at garage sales we need to remember to really be honest with ourselves....will I really use this? After all we don't want to add to the problem while trying to solve it.

*graphic found here

Happy Earth Day!

Earth day is here again. What a great day we have here too. Sunshine is out, even though it's a bit chilly. Kyan and I spent the morning on a playdate and had some park time. That will have to be our nature worship for the day, besides visiting the grocery store for some wonderful bounty.

I wanted to share my latest reluctant green purchase. Two weeks ago I lost my cellphone. Now I'm not much for fancy gadgets...I had had this cellphone for 6 years. It had no camera, a black and white screen and no internet capabilities. Call me old fashioned but I use a camera for taking photos, a computer to look up something on Google and an mp3 player to listen to music (sometimes I even use a tape deck! Imagine!!) So when looking for a new phone to purchase finding one that would do everything except wash the dishes wasn't top priority for me. I use the cellphone as a safety device. It is only there for emergencies or finding someone when we are meeting up somewhere etc. And then much to my delight my hubby said: Look this one is made from 25% recycled plastics. And I was done my search.

It's called the Moto W233 Renew. It is carbon neutral. Meaning that Motorola offsets the carbon emission production from this phone's operation, production and distribution. The outside casing of the phone is also 100% recyclable. So while I still feel bad that I lost my old phone, I am happy that I could buy a phone that is lighter on the earth.

In honour of Earth Day here is a poem I wrote this month. I hope you can get out and enjoy this day and remember the mother that loves you. Think of her especially when you eat her wonderful bounty today!

Wild Child

when your feet, so small and soft

spread out on this cold concrete

I see visions of

sprouts,

bright, green, strong, resilient

breaking apart this surface

swelling in size

returning the ground to something wild

they rise up to your knees

you run with abandon

chasing dragonflies

buttercups reflecting yellow on your chin

you spin, arms out

hands warm in the sun

you are the green man

gentle

at one with the trees

wind kissing your cheeks

with the love of the mother

Earth Hour and Pesticides in Canada

Tonight marks the global movement of Earth Hour. My original grand visions of a get together were lost into thin air...so tonight will be simple and hopefully relaxing. There have been some opinions circulating on the web about how "green" Earth Hour really is. That burning paraffin candles is not good for the climate since paraffin is a derivative of crude oil. (You can read more about paraffin candles vs. soy candles here.) That people may only participate to be "trendy" and not because they really want to make a difference. While it is very true that paraffin wax is bad and everyone should be educated on the truth of what is in these candles, I think those that are putting down this movement because of candles are missing a very big point. The scale of Earth Hour in the very short time that it has been happening is amazing.

"Earth Hour began in Sydney in 2007, when 2.2 million homes and businesses switched off their lights for one hour. In 2008 the message had grown into a global sustainability movement, with 50 million people switching off their lights. Global landmarks such as the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, Rome’s Colosseum, the Sydney Opera House and the Coca Cola billboard in Times Square all stood in darkness." (from earthhour.org)

In a mere two years look at how this has changed things. This is about spreading the word. Talking, sharing and learning from each other. For some of us who are doing our best to make our global footprint smaller this day is not huge in terms of our everyday impact. What it is for us all is a chance to unite in a simple way. Unplugging your life for a hour is not rocket science. Anyone can do it. If all you have are paraffin candles then burn them. If you can afford more eco friendly candles then more power to you. If you do this because your best friend or a celebrity says it's the cool thing to do...who cares? You are still doing it. And the earth regardless of an hour's tiny contribution in the grand scheme of it's life span will thanks you regardless. I thank you. Thank you.
Please turn off your lights, unplug your appliances and feel thankful that at 9:31pm you have power to turn back on. You will not be alone. Earth Hour: tonight 8:30pm to 9:30pm. In all time zones, all over the world.

In other earth activist news please head on over to the David Suzuki Foundation website and fill out a quick form letter to send to your governmental representatives regarding the work towards banning pesticides across Canada. Ontario and Quebec have already banned these harmful chemicals and more work is being done to extend this ban across Canada. This is an easy and effective way to let your elected representatives know that we want these chemicals gone. You can make a difference. Hey, I'm a the glass is half full kind of gal.

A Little Love for the Feathered Folk

I read recently that North American bird species have declined more than 50 % over the past 40 years. BirdLife International has a detailed article stating the reasons for the decline of birds and what the world as a whole needs to do to help.
The wonder of our wild birds is a joy for us all. Birds help control the insect population, help to fertilize and pollinate plant life and who can forget hearing the happy chirping of birds in the morning? The first thing that you can do to help your local birds is to set-up feeders.
We have a feeder on an upstairs balcony and outside on our living room balcony we have a bell shaped seed cluster inside a mesh bag. You can pick them up at local hardware or garden stores for a very reasonable $5. My son loves to watch the birds come to our balcony and the squirrels can't get at it because it is hung from the top. Mixtures of sunflower seeds, millet, cracked corn and suet are best. And you can enjoy the view and help local wildlife through the winter at same time.
*Please remember that windows can be lethal to birds, when light plays of the surface. Be aware of your window placement in relation to light during the day before you decide where to place your feeders.*

New Year Goals in the Blogisphere

I've been catching up on my blog reading today. Many of us are making goal lists for the new year. Amy at Crunchy Domestic Goddess lists her Green Goals for the year. At Reflections in the Pond Silverlotus made a very ambitious life/crafting goal list. Suzie at Chez Sacred Suzie made a thoughtful list of goals for herself and her home. When I started to think about my goals way too many lists popped into my head. As a list enthusiast I have to scale back my lists instead of encouraging them. But I think that by being realistic I can have multiple lists without overwhelming myself or setting goals that are unattainable. My family/home life works into these other lists in certain places so I don't feel the need to make a specific one for it. The two areas that I have goals for 2009 is in my Green living and my spiritual life. Art making will have to be fluid because of my new work from home job. To be honest everything is going to have to be more fluid with me working from home. But regardless I have so many ideas running through my head that a list will be just the thing to keep me focused this year. I have combined my spiritual and artistic lists because I consider making art to be a spiritual practice.

Green Living Goals for 2009
-Make my own reusable menstrual pads & buy a new Keeper or Diva Cup
-Take a walk in nature every day
-Look into getting a plot in our community garden & grow vegetables
-Grow some vegetables in containers at home
-Continue to reduce packaging consumption
-Make more foods from scratch
-Officially become an EcoMom community leader
-Plan & host an EcoMom party

Spiritual/Artistic Goals for 2009
-Continue my once a month ritual time (hopefully increase to twice a month)
-Plan a celebration for each Sabbat (small is okay)
-Research a pagan themed essay I've been mulling over
-Let the cycles of nature resonate inside me
-Continue to branch out into the Pagan/Spiritual community
-Make time for my yoga practice
-Make art when the spirit moves me, with the intention of developing my "style" and technique further
-Mother & love from a place of peace & truth

Set your goals and let the chips fall where they may. It helps to have them written down and sharing them is also a great way to stay accountable for them.

Green Yule Wrapping 101

Here are the finished morsbags. They seem to be very strong bags, and despite using them for Yule gift wrapping I chose to use fabrics that would work all year round.

I also stenciled "Love the Earth" on them with fabric paint. They look great folded up and tied with ribbon as below. A rule I had for myself in making them was to only use fabric that I already had. If you don't have a large stash of fabric you can always check out the ends bins at your local fabric store. This makes it much cheaper than buying fresh off the roll. I have not been shopping for fabric in a long time but when I go I usually check the ends bin first, often whatever colour or pattern I need will be in there.


Our family has a tradition of collecting tree ornaments. I decided to decorate some boxes I had around the house to keep them in. These are also a great way to wrap gifts. You can reuse the box each year. I wrapped them with festive fabric. You can use regular wrapping paper or decorate them with stickers etc. I use fabric because it lasts a long time. These will not fade or get ripped for many years to come. Shoe boxes, or any that have sturdy lids work well. You may want to reinforce the corners with tape just in case. All you need is fabric or paper, scissors, a ruler and a glue gun.




I had many of these little organza bags left over from Kyan's newborn clothing. They look great with coloured tissue paper and ribbon. Smaller gifts work perfectly with these. Being creative with wrapping is fun, and helps keep useful things out of the landfill. Happy wrapping!

Reduce & A No Plastic Yule

Today I planned to talk about the most important of the three R's. Reduce. Amy at Crunchy Domestic Goddess has issued a new challenge to her readers: The No Plastic Holiday Challenge. So I thought that since I signed up I would talk about both.
As I try each day to live a green lifestyle; Reducing my family's consumption is always on my mind. I do not shop everyday, that is a conscious choice. I try and shop the least amount possible. Our culture wants us to shop all the time and just feed the machine of consumption. I would hate having to go to a store everyday. So I plan out shopping, groceries are the necessity so they are once a week. Otherwise I leave shopping for special occasions or emergencies only.
Secondly, I always consider the packaging when I purchase something. If fruit is wrapped in cellophane on a Styrofoam plate I do not buy it. I rarely even use a plastic bag for veggies & fruit. The number you are purchasing does determine if you can skip the bag, but another option is to bring a bag from home, or if you are only getting two or four oranges just put them in the cart together, not hard really.
I try to never get a bag from stores. I bring my own bag, or I carry out things and keep the receipt to avoid anyone thinking I'm stealing. With a stroller its great, just pop it in the bottom and away you go. When I worked in retail 6 years ago, I remember customers in their buying frenzy paying for a gift. After they paid I would always ask: " Do you need a bag?" suddenly their eyes would clear and they would look down at the 3 or 4 bags in their hands and often say "No". I saved many bags from the landfill this way.
Sometimes even though a product's packaging can be recycled you have a more green option. An example of this is with hand soap. Liquid soap is usually in a recyclable bottle, but the energy it took to make the bottle and then to recycle it is more substantial than buying a bar of soap in a recyclable cardboard box. I will admit that it takes a long time to train your brain to think in these terms, but in the end it makes you feel that you are really doing your part. We can't all be activists, or green leaders, but we can make conscious choices with our hard earned dollars. And beyond the actual product's ethics, you have to consider the packaging's ethics as well.
Reduce is the first R because it has the most impact. In a way it is the easiest as well.
I am applying the reduce concept to Yule gifts this year as well. Amy is challenging us to avoid buying plastic gifts or gifts with plastic packaging. So along with reducing the packaging, reducing the amount of "stuff" in general is so important. Kyan is turning 1 on xmas day. This year he will have one birthday gift from us, some stocking stuffers from Santa, and a small Solstice/Yule gift. Even that amount is more than he needs, but it will keep things simple, and economical. For family we are going to have a strict budget per person and I have decided to use fabric tote bags as gift wrapping. You can never have enough reusable bags. In past years I have used gift bags. They are reusable but easy to damage and even though they are economical they end up in landfills eventually, and not to mention toxic to produce. I may even make the tote bags myself since I have lots of fabric stashed away. But I'm not putting too much pressure on myself since the holidays are such a busy time.
Yule is my favorite holiday. It has been since my childhood because my mother put so much effort into it and made everything so special and fun. Receiving gifts was never as fun for me as watching others open what I chose for them. The message behind this holiday for me is that we show people how much we love and appreciate them. We spend time together, we eat together, and we share gifts. I will post more about this season and my preparations further on. And without letting the cat out of the bag, I'll try and share my progress with the challenge as well. I urge you all to really think about your purchases this season and keep the three R's in mind when choosing your gifts.

The Magic of Trees

You step into the forest, needles crack under your feet, before you is a path covered with dappled light and your nose fills with the scent of pine.
That smell may conjure many memories for you, but did you know that the terpenes which are the chemicals that create that smell are also a natural climate control system? David Adam of The Guardian wrote of a new study undertaken by the Institute for Climate and Atmospheric Science at Leeds University in which they discovered that these terpenes are released by trees and join with the clouds above them to reflect more of the sun back into the atmosphere. It adds up to 5% more of the sun that is not being absorbed by the earth.
Trees are crucial to our survival on this planet. They studied boreal forests across northern regions such as Canada, Scandinavia and Russia. So while a single tree may not release as many as a boreal forest may, any tree can help to cool things down.
The sacredness of trees is unbelievable at times. They are so important for the health of this planet. So plant one, hug one or just admire a tree in your area. And whenever possible try to avoid buying, making or using products that could be contributing to the destruction of the earth's forests. They love us, we need to love them back.