Blog of an Eco-Friendly Husker Fan

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2012-10-22T09:55:00.001-05:00

'Tis The Season for Canning

2012-10-22T09:25:00.000-05:00

Good Monday Morning,

Now is the time of season, when you try to extend the life of your vegetable garden. Freezing and canning are one of my favorite things to do with the fresh produce from the garden. You are also preserving fresh vegetables, and not worrying about pesticides you may find on store bought produce. Very eco-friendly way of eating.

I love to can salsa. I make both the boiling salsa method as well as the chopped and jarred. The later only lasts around a week or so. Make sure you have plenty of tomatoes. I used to grow jalapenos, habaneros and banana peppers and don't forget the chopped onions. Delicious!

Canning sweet corn is another favorite of mine. My boys' great grandmother used to freeze the best sweet corn ever. She would blanch the sweet corn, cut from cob and add sugar and salt before placing it in quart size ziplock bags. This was excellent in a crockpot for holiday get togethers.

I once tried to freeze habanero and jalapeno peppers so I could use them at a later time, but they turned out pretty mushy. I will need to find a better way to freeze these. I know you can pickle them, but then you loose the natural flavor of the peppers.

Head on over to here, the Kelly Bluebook of Canning. I think I will check out this book, with as much canning as I do.

Lastly, I have been invited to a Pompeian Twitter party on Smiley360. It is my first party invite. My problem is, I do not know how to Tweet. I think I will need to research this and sign up for a Twitter account. Olive oil is so much better for your health than some vegetable oils. I am pretty excited. You can join too,
Join me for the Smiley360 #PompeianParty on Twitter on Wed 10/24 at 9pm ET! Hang out & win prizes! http://blog.smile.ly/pompeianparty.html

Another cloudy, gloomy day in Nebraska, it will be a great day for canning.

Earn Money at Home & Online

2012-10-18T09:16:00.000-05:00

So, looking at my older posts, it has been quite some time since my last post.
I had a wonderful summer, working on a produce farm. We sell to market vendors, who would come every morning at 6am and buy produce that they would in turn sell at their corner stands. I also was in charge of our HyVee grocery store accounts, by gathering their orders every morning and organizing and completing paperwork for our guys to load trucks for the next day's deliveries. I loved that job. But it is seasonal and as of Oct 8th, I have been laid off, and looking for work again.

Evriholder 3-Pc. Produce Saver Set (Google Affiliate Ad)

Meanwhile, I have been scouring the internet, to find easy ways to make a little extra cash. I tried SwagBucks for awhile, didn't win a thing, and pretty much gave up.

Recently, I have re-enrolled in InBox Dollars. You sign up here here, read e-mails, take surveys and play games to earn money. In the first 2 days, I have earned over $7.00 and have enjoyed earning this money. When I reach $30.00 they will send you a check. PS. You get $5.00 just for signing up.

Also, I Just Joined Smiley360: I just became a Smiley360 member! Discover and review exciting brands for free, too! Sign-up at Smiley360. *Please remember the FTC requires you to mention that you received a free sample courtesy of Smiley360 when sharing.

One more easy money making site, is RewardsTV. You take surveys of programs you have watched on TV the night before. It is so easy, and the list of programs includes all cable channels too.

I have subscribed to several blogs that I read daily that refer me to hot deals of the day. In the last 24 hours I believe I have signed up for over a dozen free samples or coupons for free groceries.

And as I login to Craigslist everday, looking for an Admin Assistant job, some are scams so it gets frustrating.

Happy Thursday to all! It is going to be a very blustery, cold and windy day here in Nebraska. A perfect time to earn online.

Milk Paint, Non-Toxic & Biodegradable

2011-02-03T07:18:00.012-06:00

So after spending a week in the hospital, due to a blood clot in my leg and smaller clots in both lower lobes of my lungs, I am home and resting. During my stay at the hospital, for the first few days, I could NOT move from my bed. Needless to say, I did a tremendous amount of reading.

One magazine that had arrived in my mail, was Mary Jane's Farm, The Everyday Organic Lifestyle magazine. I don't remember subscribing to this, but will definitely enter my renewal. This is full of great organic ideas for around your home as well as many unique ideas for recycling.

For all of you thinking of Spring Cleaning, which according to Punxsutawney Phil, spring is just around the corner, there is an article on how to make Homemade Milk Paint, courtesy of The Real Milk Paint Co.,

Milk has been used as a base for paint for centuries. Cave paintings and Eqyptian artifacts were painted with a milk mixture and have survived throughout the years with vibrant colors. Milk paint is a simple mixture of milk and lime and was used to paint furniture, houses and barns. A protein found in milk called Casein, dries to a very hard finish, and is so durable that even a harsh chemical stripper cannot remove it. You can add earth-based pigments to tint or color the paint producing intense, velvety colors.

The best thing about milk paint is that it is completely non-toxic and biodegradable. You can make milk paint at home using the following recipe:

Homemade 1870's Milk Paint Formula

1 quart skim milk, at room temperature
1 ounce hydrated lime by weight, available at building centers
(Do Not Use quicklime, as it will react with the water and heat up. Hydrated lime has been soaked in water, then dried.)
Earth based powdered pigments to tint (color) the paint

1. Stir in enough skim milk to hydrated lime to make a cream. Stir in remaining skim milk; mix well.
2. To tint, add powdered pigment (available at www.realmilkpaint.com) to desired color and consistency (pigment powder must be lime-proof.) Styir well for a few minutes before using.

For best results, continue to stir paint throughout use. Apply with a cheap, natural bristle brush. Allow to dry before applying next coat, and dry thoroughly 3 to 4 hours before use. For extra protection, give paint a coat of oil finish or sealer. Colors may change, test in an in cospicuous area. Mixed paint may be kept for several days in the refrigerator, until the milk sours.

Milk paint does not stick well to metal surfaces, plastics, or oil-based paints.

As my voyage to live a more sustainable lifestyle, this project has been added to my To Do List. And don't forget to check out my site here for all of your cleaning and personal eco-friendly, non-toxic needs. Any questions, feel free to e-mail me at atjshelby at yahoo dot com.

I am Literally Allergic to Housework

2011-01-18T06:57:00.008-06:00

Good Tuesday morning to all. I have been very busy lately working on paperwork for a new job and spending time with my mother and at the hospital, my step-dad has been there since December 22nd. Everyday is like a rollercoaster, he has 1 good day, then 1 bad day. Please say a prayer for him.

As I stated, I am allergic to housework. For years I have had headaches that I thought were sinus headaches, and I always thought it was from what I ate the night before. For awhile there, I blamed them on tomato juice, jalepenos, (although, that was a bummer, because I love spicy foods), and avacados. A few months ago I had a headache so severe, after the fourth day of pain, I went to the emergency room to desperately have them treat my headache that just wouldn't go away. They hurt so bad, I was sick to my stomach. Anyway, after a few hours in the ER, and serveral questions from the doctors and nurses, turned out I had allergies. It boiled down to mowing the lawn the day before the headaches started. No cure for allergies, just use the sinus rinse, and take Claritin daily and wear a mask when doing yardwork and housework.

I remember having allergies as a child, when I ate homegrown tomatoes or watermellon, I would loose my voice and my throat was itchy, but never did I have such excruciating headaches.

Well the other day, as I sat watching tv, elevating my surgery foot, I noticed dust on the base of my tv, and grabbed a dust rag and removed that dust, which led to, 'it's a little dusty under the table, and that table' and well, bottom line, the next day resulted in the headache-from-hell, hence I am allergic to housework! I didn't wear a mask, because I wasn't planning on a two hour house cleaning, just one thing led to another and I will NEVER clean house again (without a dust mask on). Or better yet, just a great excuse to not have to do housework as it affects my health!

I am going to see an allergy doctor this week, to see if there is some magic pill he can give me if I ever get another headache because the pain is so bad, I would never wish it upon anyone. Wish me luck.

There will be no mowing this week, as we have over 4" of snow on the ground and are expecting another 4" tomorrow. And after reading this, you know how much housework I plan to do, zero.

One last tidbit, if you haven't already submitted your e-mail to ALL YOU, hop on over to HERE for a daily alert e-mail for the freebie of the day.

Have a great day, and check you grocery list, if you are in need of any eco-friendly cleaning or personal products, stop on over at Celadon Road and mention consultant id 11395 for all of your toxic free needs.

Eco-Friendly Husker Fan Community Forum

2011-01-11T10:44:00.000-06:00

Eco-Friendly Husker Fan Community Forum

Scentsy is Scent-sational

2011-01-05T09:42:00.010-06:00

I love Scentsy. Those of you who have heard about it, probably own a few warmers and love it too. And for those of you who have never tried it, I can guarantee after reading my post your mouth will be watering, and your nose will be tantalized, and you too will be hooked. The Scentsy product
isn't meant to be explained, it is meant to be experienced. The Scentsy Collection has something for everyone.

I have always been a huge fan of candles, but now being more eco-conscious, and living a more eco-friendly, greener lifestyle, the Scentsy product is perfect. Flameless, smokeless and soot-free—with Scentsy’s wickless candle bars and electric warmers, I can enjoy all the sensory delights of scented candles without the dangers of an open flame. Scentsy offers a safer alternative to traditional candles.

A few years ago I was introduced to the amazing Scentsy Collection. I was visiting my sister in Arizona, and she had plugged in this really decorative, stylish warmer with wax that melted by the heat of a small light bulb. Her house had the most wonderful aroma from this wickless candle concept. I was hooked immediately. It was the Bubble Gum scent, which reminded me when was in grade school and my favorite lip balm, Bonnie Bell Bubble Gum Lip Smackers, I didn't go anywhere without my Lip Smacker, this brought back so many memories of my childhood past.

Last year for my birthday I received the Scentsy Nebraska Cornhusker warmer, with five different yummy smelling scent bars. I have not been able to go one day without plugging my warmer in, and enjoying in the delicious aroma that fills my house.

My Scentsy consultant, my friend is Sheila. Along with selling Scentsy, Sheila also sells houses in Arizona, and she owns her own Real Estate firm and she says "I love it when my listings smell good-always helps make a great first impression! I know most everyone else wants their home to smell good, whether it is for sale or not. (Who wouldn't!!!)".

You can make a statement in any room with a Scentsy warmer, and with over 80-plus scents, and enjoy a total fragrance experience. Scentsy has plenty of creative gift ideas for everyone on your gift-giving list, whether it's a special occasion or just because. Scentsy sells large or medium size warmers, room sprays, over 80 bars or bricks scents, plug-in warmers, car fresheners and more.

To place an order, host a party or even become a Scentsy Independent Consultant where you can enjoy the flexibility, fun and satisfaction of connecting people you care about with the products you believe in. Go HERE to Sheila's Scentsy website for more information.

Click HERE and "Like" The Scent Fairy on Facebook where Sheila gives the inside scoop of upcoming events and monthly specials.

Before and After

2011-01-04T07:59:00.002-06:00

I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday and is starting 2011 in a positive direction. Anyone made any unusual New Year's resolutions? I vow to continue my blogging and promoting Celadon Road products. I want 2011 to be a prosperous one and will work diligently on it.

Anyway, day six, after my left foot bunionectomy. I am still in alot of pain, and very thankful for the pain meds I am taking. If I didn't have those, I think I'd be crying non-stop all day. I would never wish the bunionectomy surgery on anyone, I think the pain is worse than childbirth! Ha.

A few posts ago, I published the before picture of my left foot, remember, the one with the "worn-out" toenail polish? Well, here it is again, along with the 'after' picture.

It's still quite swollen, but the Dr. seems to think everything is going well, and x-rays showed great alignment. My highlight of the day,,,,I get to take a shower. Do you know how hard it is to take a bath with one leg hanging over the tub? Not easy, and very uncomfortable.

Along with my shower, I am going to re-organize my coupons, I'm sure 90% of the ones in my case have expired in 2010. My next post will be about coupon deals I have found, along with some amazing coupons I have up for grabs for anyone who replies or comments.

Happy Tuesday, be safe.

Enough Said, Happy, Happy New Year to me

2010-12-31T19:06:00.000-06:00

Scorpio Outlook for 2011
.Scorpio
10/23 – 11/21
Year 2011 Overview
Get ready to rock it in 2011, Scorpio! You've got so much going for you in nearly every life arena you won't know where to focus first. For starters, you'll have more work opportunities than you'll know what to do with. In fact, with so many alluring offers crossing your desk, the whole picking and choosing fiasco could easily lead to typical Scorpio overkill. Extreme by nature, the idea of having too much to handle sounds like a total joyride until the reality of having zero time for anything (like eating and sleeping) kicks into your stubborn consciousness.
You thrive under intensity, so that aspect of your ridiculously busy life won't be a problem. It's just that Saturn bearing down in your sector of sleep, dreams and retreat will feel like an ongoing thorn in your side should you neglect taking enough time out for yourself to re-balance and shut out the demands of the big bad world.
Balance is never easy for a Scorpio. You're like a moth to a flame when it comes to amping up the drama in your life. By the time your half-birthday arrives in May, you'll be under the extreme influence of six planets lining up in your work sector in the Cardinal sign of new beginnings: Aries. And yes, that could literally mean you'll be working on at least six different projects simultaneously. Just watch that your health doesn't suffer as a result. Double up on the supplements and be sure to get enough rest to see you through this exciting but demanding time.

Ringing in the New Year

2010-12-30T07:21:00.001-06:00

Today ends the Nebraska Cornhusker football's association with the Big 12, and begins anew with the Big 10, after tonight's Holiday Bowl against Washington. Exciting news it is, but then a sad moment as they change tradition and leave the history behind. This brings to my attention, Rosenblatt Stadium. This past year the Omaha Royals played their last game at the stadium and will be moving downtown to a brand new stadium, as the old stadium will be torn down and concreted layed to make way for more parking for the Henry Doorly Zoo. Traditions bring so many memories, but in today's world things are always changing, and one must accept the change and cherish the memories.

Alot going on today, as the Nebraska Cornhusker football team ends it's association with the Big 12, and enters anew begining with the Big 10 following tonight's Holiday Bowl against Washington. They will leave behind many traditions and start new memories for all of us. Both happy and sad moment for many Husker fans. I personally will miss the yearly rival with the Iowa State Cyclones. A tradition of mine for many years.

The other big event of the day, surgery #4 on my foot today. This time the left foot. I am having a bunionectomy and hope all goes well and I recover much faster than the right foot, which were the other 3 surgeries. Love the toenail polish? It's winter here in Nebraska, not much flip-flopping weather and the Dr. makes me take off all of my polish before surgery. Hopefully in a few days, my foot will look NORMAL.

A Few of my Favorite Things...Going Green with Celadon Road

2010-12-12T08:49:00.003-06:00

I have had the opportunity to try some of the eco-fabulous product of Celadon Road in the last few weeks. Of all the items I have sampled so far, there is not one I didn't like.

One of my personal favorites, the Body Butter. Celadon Road describes it as:

Healthy Planet, Healthy You! Smother yourself in pure nourishment! Using only gentle, natural and Certified Organic ingredients, our body butter is more than just lotion, it’s a support system for what the body does best...keep you healthy! Created with the notion that the health of the body and the planet go hand in hand, we’ve left out the harsh, artificial and synthetic ingredients when creating this ultimate hydrating moisturizer. Minimally processed, hypoallergenic and cruelty free.

The Body Butter is fragrance free, a little goes a long way, and unlike alot of lotions and creams, it absorbs into your skin and doesn't wash off so quickly with hand washings. With winter upon us, now is a great, green time to be using it. It is item # 019-001, sells for $26.00, (& remember you only need a little bit.) You can order it here.

Another wonderful smelling, toxic-free product I have been using almost daily, is the Lemon Mint Glass Cleaner. I used it the first time for my car windows. My dog slobbers all over the inside of the windows. I just loved it, not only did it clean my windows with no streaking, the smell of the Lemon Mint Glass Cleaner inside my car was an all-natural deodorizer. I couldn't wait to use it inside my house and now use it daily. I have even used it to clean up small spills on the linoleum.

Not just the natural way to leave windows sparkling and clean, it’s also an all purpose cleaner that boasts a fresh scent which naturally repels flies. So definitely a plus in the summer. Plus, safe for everyone to use. Sells for $6.00 for 24oz. Want to try it? Click here.

To finish my blog today, I want to tell you about one more product, the Jasmine Laudry Detergent. Celadon Road describes it as,

The essence of pure essential oils, it takes only 1-2 tablespoons of Celadon Road’s™ low-sudsing Jasmine Laundry Detergent to work its all-natural magic on any dreaded laundry mountain! Use in regular or HE washers. Dissolve in water for washing floors and walls. An all-natural family formula, this detergent was originally created to ease the suffering of a child with eczema aggravated by commercial laundry products.

Another fabulous green product that smells great and safe for the environment. $10.00 for 32 oz., Details here.

Have a great Sunday, am off to shovel snow in the freezing cold weather.

GO BIG RED!

2010-12-04T09:19:00.001-06:00

It is Saturday morning, exactly 3 weeks until Christmas. Am I thinking about Christmas shopping, heck no, it's Nebraska football time. The Huskers are in Dallas getting ready to play the Oklahoma Sooners tonight for the BCS Championship and if we win, we will surely get a spot in a Bowl game.
If you live in Nebraska, you know on game day you must wear red. One would definetely feel out of place if one didn't, (almost like high school peer pressure).
Nebraska is the underdog by 3 1/2 points, but my saying is: Nebraska football is like the weather, you never know what to predict. Wish I could be there live, but then again, it would only take me 10 seconds vs 10 minutes to run for a snack.
Not much else for this morning, am off to a craft show, to introduce a new eco-friendly company, Celadon Road, which I recently became involved with they offer hundreds of eco-friendly products. I will be giving out samples of the laundry detergent, which is one of my favorites. It is safe for septics and HE washers, and the best part, you only need a very small amount for your entire load. Wish I could give out samples of the Lemon Mint glass cleaner, it is my all time favorite and smells eco-fabulicious!
Happy Saturday to all and best of luck to the Nebraska Cornhuskers.
Stay tuned to my next post: 'My boss is a BOZO'

Annie First Blog of Many to Come, It's Not Easy Being a Green Blogger...Yet

2010-11-30T05:49:00.002-06:00

Welcome to my first attempt at blogging. I am open to suggestions, tips, hints and advice on improving my blog. I have wanted for years to start a blog, I have probably 500 How-To pages from the internet, and now I sit down to write.

I am a single mother of two kids, in their 20's now, they are pretty self sufficient. I love spending time with them, they always have something to share that makes me laugh. I am proud of both of them. They are both very computer-literate, can build and fix computers, and they taught themselves. They have been a big help to myself and my family and friends. Now we need to just find them a job that they enjoy too. Besides, we all work to pay our bills, so why not do it doing something we are passionate about.

I live in the Midwest, work full-time outside the home and plan to someday, make myself money rather than make someone else money. Basically, I want to work from the comforts of my home and feel financially comfortable doing it. I spend hours upon hours on the internet just researching. Blogging seems to be the wave of the future and so here I am.

I have recently been intrigued how so many people are starting to be aware of the future of Mother Earth, and learned they are so many ways to contribute even if it is just through awareness and understanding of what it means to Go Green, or to be Eco-Friendly and how to live a sustainable life.
I have recently become an independent consultant with Celadon Road, we are a direct selling company of hundreds of eco-friendly, organic products for your children, your pets, your cleaning needs, your personal care, entertaining and more. Celadon Road has some really great people involved in the company, and in just the first few weeks of training I have learned so many interesting and shocking truths about the everyday products we use and why it is so important for us and the future to make a change. I have tried a few of the products already, and love them all. I can't wait to write about the eco-fabulous products I won't live without. To learn more about Celadon Road, click here to view a full color catalog. Interested in ordering anything this is my personal website. Our cleaning and personal care products are our best sellers.

So as the clock ticks to 6am, time for reality and get ready for my "other" job. Today will be a fun one, it's 28 degrees outside with blowing snow and accidents all over the interstate.

Thanks for reading. I can't wait to post again. Oh, and did I mention, I am a huge Nebraska Cornhusker Fan.

From the desk of: Eco-Friendly Husker Fan