Color Me Domestic

Blast From the Past: Easter and Spring Projects

noreply@blogger.com (Gen @ Color Me Domestic) — Thu, 14 Mar 2013 18:19:00 +0000

Hello everyone!

First of all, I want to apologize for not posting lately. I can't believe it's been 1 1/2 months since my last post! Unfortunately, it will probably go on like this for a while still. I just don't have the time or the energy to think much blogging right now. I'm concentrating my efforts more towards finishing my master's, exercising and losing weight and feeling better and more motivated all around, and general housekeeping duties. I hope you will understand, and really I'm sure you will, we all go through this, right?

That being said, I'm not officially going on hiatus or anything. I might still post from time to time when things slow down and/or I get better at managing my time, and feel more motivated to do so. I could seriously write a 2000+ word post about what is going on with me right now, but I'm not gonna do that at this time; I'm still a little too much hesitant about who may in the future read these types of post (read: future employers). I have written many a post like that in the last 6 months but never was quite able to push the publish button. So maybe short and sweet will have to do.

I am still on Facebook and posting updates there more frequently (make sure you interact with me occasionally to keep seeing me in your newsfeed!! Just a simple Like once in a while will do :) ). I'm also, slowly but surely, working on a new blog design, that I'm making from scratch. I just kinda really love that stuff!

I did want to drop by your newsfeed or email inbox today to share with you some fun Easter and Spring crafts I made last year.

(Click on the links to see the full tutorials. I'd also appreciate it if you pinned directly from the tutorials, for others to find them more easily, thanks!)

First there's my Bunny Family Portrait. I made it so last minute last year, but still got quite a bit of positive feedback for it. So I hope more people will enjoy it this year. It was probably the most out-of-my-own-head craft I've ever done, so I'm particularly proud of it, and even still!

These little Flower Balls were quite popular last year!

And this was my spring "mantle" (which is really just the top of the low bookshelf) last year. I'm not sure what's gonna happen this year because I'm thinking of changing my living room around in the coming weeks. But I will have to find some place for all these lovelies, I so need some spring cheer right now!!!

Until next time!

ETA: Just writing this one post gives me a bit of an itch to share something new! So maybe it won't be so long until next time ;)

Crochet Cluster Shell Lapghan

noreply@blogger.com (Gen @ Color Me Domestic) — Wed, 30 Jan 2013 14:35:00 +0000

I finally decided to learn to crochet right in time for Christmas and Christmas present making! The project I'm sharing with you today is not the first crochet project I made, though, but the second. The first is not yet finished (it's the embroidery part that's left), but will be on the blog eventually.

I made this crochet clustter shell afghan for my maternal grand-mother. Of course, she loved it, as well as just about everyone else in my family! Let's just say I'll be making some more afghan's this year. At least I have a tiny family, so that means just a couple more!

I was going to make her a scarf at first, but in light of recent events, I changed to this more-practical-for-her afghan instead. It is very warm and soft because of the yarn I chose, and you just want to snuggle under it!

Let me just say that crocheting an afghan, or throw, of this size, takes a lot of time. Like, 30+ hours. I watched many movies while doing it!! I wasn't able to finish it in time for Christmas because of the change in project, but I managed to get it done in the week following Christmas, and gave it to her by mid-January. I spent 3-4 hours each night for a week straight working on it. My arms only got tired the before-last ball, at least.

The yarn I used was the Loops and Threads Country Loom yarn in Lavender Blues, and I ended up using 10 balls for this afghan. The finished measurements were 43" by 60", which doesn't quite cover a twin bed, but is a good size for a throw to keep you warm on the couch.

Now this is the part where I almost screwed up. The balls I bought after the first one (cuz I was just making a scarf, remember? I didn't need more than 1) ended up being a different color than the first one, even though they had the same name Lavender Blues.

I never would have thought that the lot would make such a drastic difference!! They really shouldn't be called the same name, one has blues, the other does not! That is why the border is more blueish than the rest of the afghan.

I was able to rescue this error by ending the afghan with the only other ball of yarn that was the same lot as the first. I don't know how I managed to buy just one other ball of the same lot, but I'm glad I did! At least it looks intentional this way. I don't have a picture that you see the entire afghan to show you that I really did finish with a bluer ball, so you'll have to take my word that it looks good!

The pattern I ended up using was this crochet shell cluster afghan, mainly because I found the youtube video on how to make it that I could follow along, which for a beginner was crucial.

I originally wanted to try making this one from the Michael's website. I made the first row easy enough, but could not for the life of me figure out the second!!! Maybe if I go back I'd understand it now, which I think I might, since I have a bit more experience.

This afghan pattern was pretty easy after the first row. I had trouble identifying all the sc in the chain while making my first row (so the shells aren't always exactly spaced every 4 spaces), so I ended up with 3 chains at the end. It's ok, I just wove it in at the end.

As I mentioned, I used 10 balls, and even though I got them during yarn week (so the balls were like 4$ instead of 7$ I think), it still rang in at 47$ total, with the N hook I needed for the bulky yarn. So this is definitely one of the pricier projects I've ever done. But it was worth every penny and second for that look on my grand-ma's face! Wish I had remembered to take a picture!!

I can easily see now how these handmade throws can sell for 400$ and up! Still, I'd rather make one myself and use my time rather than my money, because, you know, now I can ;)

I really got to appreciate this craft while making this afghan. There's just something really relaxing about being able to sit on the couch, watching a movie or TV show and crocheting away, with a cup of coffee, or tea or hot chocolate by your side! This will definitely not be the last of my crochet projects! It just marks the beginning :) I've actually pinned a whole lot more crochet projects on my Crochet Pinboard!

I party at these parties.

The Perfect Wallet: DIY Fabric Wallet

noreply@blogger.com (Gen @ Color Me Domestic) — Mon, 14 Jan 2013 14:27:00 +0000

Just a quick note, if you make this wallet for yourself, or someone else, I'd love to see it! I'm going to add a collection of all other wallets made with this tutorial at the bottom of the post! If you don't have a blog, just send me a picture, link to contact me in left sidebar <---

I've been on a quest to find the perfect wallet for quite some time now, and I think I might have found it!! Of course, I had to make it myself, but that just makes it all that more special ;)

I've only tried a few wallets in my lifetime, and they've all come with their faults. The one I had for the longest time was one I got from my parents from their trip to Italy. It was very nice and sturdy, made of orange leather, but the configuration was very problematic. I could not access both my bills and my coins at the same time.

Here in Canada we have the looney and twoney which are coins, unlike the 1 and 2 dollar bills in the US, so there's a lot more coins to handle. I had to close the flaps of the wallet, flip it around, and unzip the coin compartment every time I wanted coins, and then had to put my coins in, zip up the pocket, flip the wallet open to put the bills in their place. Let's just say sometimes I was trying to go too fast and the coins fell on the ground cuz I didn't zip it up.

What I wanted was a wallet that I would have easy access to both the compartments at once, side by side. Those are not that easy to find, and much less at an affordable price! The ones I did find had other useless to me compartments.

So I set out to make my own. I looked at many wallets in the store, and searched for some nice tutorials online. I found this tutorial at All Wrapped Up (CLICK HERE FOR ORIGINAL TUTORIAL) and thought it was pretty nice, but I wasn't completely sure it would be the best wallet. But since I am a beginner sewer, I thought it would be wisest of me to follow a pattern/tutorial for my first wallet, instead of winging it. So that's what I did.

Here are the supplies I used, and the cost breakdown:
~ 3 fat quarters, 2$ each at Wal-Mart; you'll only need all of the one for the card slots, the other 2 FQ will have half leftover so you could use 1/8ths if you have some
~ 7" zipper, 1.35$, FabricVille
~ Button, 2.50$ for 2 so 1 for 1.25$, FabricVille
~ Interface, 1$ for 1m, Fabricland
~ Coordinating thread, 3.50$, FabricVille
~ Hair elastic, 1$ for a pack of 20, dollar store (Note: Do not buy cheap hair elastics!! I really regret this decision as it's kinda disintegrating now. I highly recommend Goody brand hair elastics, they hold their shape and elasticness very well, unlike the cheapo ones, which I did try to use in my hair and they just broke within a couple of uses)
Total: ~12$

All in all it took me 6 hours to make: cutting the fabric, pinning in place, folding the slots, repinning better, basting interface, sewing pieces together, figuring out how to put the zipper foot on, ripping the zipper cuz it was too much to one side, resewing the elastic cuz I sewed it on wrong, trying to get the interface to not bubble, trying to figure out how exactly you sew the last edge closed, etc. Basically, I lost a lot of time figure it all out. A more experienced sewer, with a rotary cutter, might whip this out in 3-4 hours I'd say.

I did do a few modifications, though, to better suit my needs. The first was to change the snap closure for a button/elastic closure, and adding a little flap. I didn't like the idea of the open end, nor did I want to figure out the snap closure.

For the flap, I added 5cm to the wallet (so the pieces would be 27cm x 20cm instead of 22x20). I would recommend going to 30-32cm even (so 32cm x 20cm), and I'll show you why later. The added part is the exposed pink on the right. I then measured 2cm from the edge, found the center of the width (or length of the wallet) and drew a line from the edge to the middle to have a triangular flap and not a square one. The picture shows it better.

While sewing the triangular flap, I inserted the elastic right at the tip, half on the inside, half on the outside, and back-stitched over it a few times, making sure the needle went through the elastic.

I snipped the elastic that would be on the inside while turning it inside out.

You'll want to sew the button on right before the very last step, which is to sew the last edge close. Make sure you sew it on real nice because it would be a pain to have to go back inside to sew it back in place if it ever falls off.

I think the button and elastic add a little flair to the wallet, don't you?

The second change, very minor, was to add an extra layer to the zipper pocket so that when you looked inside you wouldn't see the interface there (the pink side of the inner pocket below; cut 2 pieces of the pocket piece instead of 1). I just sewed an other pink layer on top of the interface before sewing the zipper.

I can't remember exactly how I managed for that seam at the bottom of the pocket to be inside out, but I did... So just think ahead when you sew this thing together!

Which btw was the first time I sewed a zipper! Sure it took me 15 minutes to figure out how to change the zipper foot (which takes all of 5 seconds when you know it!), but once that was done sewing a zipper is super easy! In hindsight, I should've sewed on the extra layer like you would sew a lining, but I didn't know better this time, so you see the raw edge.

The rest I followed the instructions from the original tutorial. I love my wallet! I am so glad I decided to finally tackle this project!

Oh, and instead of the patchwork strip, I just added a solid strip on the back. The main fabric of the wallet was busy enough, but I did want to add an extra little touch.

All in all, I think this wallet is pretty awesome.

There's plenty of space for all your cards: 12 card slots that can fit 3 cards each (not that I have that many). I don't know if you'd be able to put 3 cards in every slot, though I wonder if anyone really has that many cards (12 x 3 = 36 cards, that's a whole lot of cards!).

3 cards in one slot isn't even that snug!

There's 2 big slots, one I use for bills and the other for receipts.

The bill slot I got right next to the coin pocket.

Now, the actual coin pocket is very roomy, maybe too much so, cuz my coins get lost in the corners which are a little harder to access, as you can see in the picture below. If I would've known this I would've done a seam across the corners, so the pocket would be kinda funnel like and wouldn't get anything stuck in the corners.

The one big(ish) problem I do have with the wallet is with its construction. As I mentioned, I'm a beginner sewer, though I do think I did very well thank you very much. And the problem mostly lies with the supplies I had, more specifically the interfacing. I could not find iron on interface (though I did not look super hard, but I didn't have much options anyway...) so I used sew in interface. Again, my first time using interface. The interface and the fabric did not become one and made a sort of bubble (right in the crease when it's folded open).

ETA: I would recommend going with a heavy to heavy-medium interfacing. I believe I only used medium, or maybe even light, with cotton fabric, and the wallet does not hold it's shape that well. Usually wallets are made with heavy/thick fabric anyway, which I realize now really helps with keeping the shape and being able to unzip the zipper easily. Just make sure to get a needle that is able to pierce through all the layers. And also change for a new needle!

I didn't think it would cause problems, but I think that's why the end product is a little wonky and bubbly. Not a huge deal, but does not look professionally made. It's just for myself, so it doesn't matter so much, but just so you are aware if you attempt to make it.

It's a pretty big wallet, to be honest, but it packs a lot of features, too. It gets pretty bulky once it's all sewed together and filled up. If I could've foreseen this, I could've made the flap a bit longer, as mentioned previously, because the corners of the flap flip up, if you can see from the picture below. But I'm still happy with the triangular shape I made instead of a simple square.

I've been using it for 3-4 months now and can say I really like it. I realize now that no matter which wallet I have, I will always hold the line at the cash register as I put things back in their spot and grab my bags. At least my coins never fall on the ground anymore, even if I forget to zip the pouch, and it's easy to take out my receipts while leaving the bills inside since they have their own compartment.

ETA: I've now been using it for over a year, and I still love it. BUT I added some notes throughout for more changes I would make and recommend. If you missed them they are:
1) A good hair elastic! Cheapo dollar store ones will loose their elasticity very quickly and make breaks in the elastics that are just not pretty.
2) Use heavy or medium-heavy interface, it will keep the shape better and be easier to unzip.
3)When doing the card slots, do test with actual cards. Mine are quite loose, and the cards don't stay in their slot, I constantly have to push them back down to access the ones on top. While it is great that I can fit 3 cards in one slot, it's just good to know that too loose is not good either. I'm not afraid of losing any cards, though, as the flap I added ensures that none can slip out.

I just want to end with this. If there's a sewing project you'd like to do, but are intimidated because you're a beginner, give it a try anyway. This was my 4th ever sewing project. Two of the previous ones can be seen on this blog, and the 3rd is hemming pants (yes, I count that as a project, I did 5 in 2 days ;) ). Sure my wallet might not be perfect, but that's what learning is all about. Plus, no matter how wonky it is, you'll still love your finished project, because YOU made it! So just give it a try!

Are you also picky when it comes to choosing a wallet? Have you ever considered making your own?

Here are other who have been making this wallet:

Jen @ Lea and Lars

Nuria's wallet

Halley's wallet

Rochelle's wallet: She flipped one of the card slots, moved the zippered pocket, used a fabric strap instead of elastic (smart!), and Scotchguarded her wallet (super smart!) to really make it her own. Here's what she had to say: "Exterior fabric is made out of a bedsheet (the bias tape trim from the sheet was used as embellishment around the wallet). The interior fabric is made out of two tea (kitchen) towels from Walmart ($3.97 for the pair); did not need to interface these. I didn't want the two card slot sections to be "facing" each other, so I rearranged the placement. Also, the zippered pocket is on the top half so that I don't need to open up the entire wallet to access my most-accessed items. "

Carrington's wallet @ Stitch After Stitch 88

Sandra's wallet

Crystal's wallet: She added a wrist strap, used the button with a hole instead of an elastic, and I love the fabric she used!

Andrea's wallet

Erika's wallet

If you enjoyed this post, consider following: RSS Feed, Facebook, email, or Pinterest. There's also the Project Gallery, recently revamped, for your viewing pleasure :)

I party at these parties.

Christmas Gift Ideas of Christmas Past

noreply@blogger.com (Gen @ Color Me Domestic) — Tue, 11 Dec 2012 13:12:00 +0000

Are you feeling the pressure of Christmas gift shopping yet? I can't believe there's only 2 weeks left before Christmas already!

This year, I decided to hand make all my Christmas gifts. Anybody else in the same boat?! I really enjoyed making the few I did make last year, and I love how personal they are that way, not to mention cheaper! So I decided to up my game and go all out this year.

I did almost all of my Christmas supplies shopping this past weekend, and just received some fabric I ordered online, so the countdown is on! I have 10 people to make presents for; some are more complicated, some are smaller, some are in double and quadruple, and a few I have to mail out (so they are first on the list to make!). I think I must have 20 individual presents to make, and I'm starting to feel the pressure, a little, but I'm determined to make it!

I'm not sure I'll have the time to blog about it before the holidays, but I will be sharing my progress on Facebook if you are interested in following me. (But if you're family please stay away ;) )

I also want to apologize for my lack of posting the last month without warning, and not finishing the green series (though I will eventually finish it!). I had a really hard time adapting to my boyfriend's new schedule (at a hospital 1 hr bus ride away), and I was more concentrating on keeping house and lab work. To me, that comes first, and I do blog stuff as a side project when and if I have the time and energy, so thanks for being understanding!

So with that, if you're still wondering what to get or make for some loved ones this year, I thought I'd share the gifts I made last year for your inspiration purposes ;)

I made this Magnetic Pin Dish for my grand-ma that sews. I'm happy to say it's held up perfectly so far. I think not spray painting the inside of the top plate (where the pins "stick"), but rather the underside only, meant that no paint could be scratched and hence it looks just as before.

A practical gift I made last year both for my other grand-ma and my mom was this Remote Caddy. It was supper easy to make, is completely functional and looks pretty! That way people will actually want to use it and your remotes will not get lost in the couch cracks (though results are not guaranteed).

Lastly, I made these decorative magnets for my friends and my aunt. Simple, cute, practical, and handmade! Who doesn't need more fridge magnets?!

Are you hand making some, or all, Christmas gifts this year? What are you making?!

Finally, if you actually made it to the end, I'm also working on revamping the blog a little and making it more user friendly. I started making a footer section, and I will reorganize the Project Gallery into more subsections to correspond. I want to declutter the sidebars and possibly just have 1 instead of 2, but I'm not entirely sure yet. I'm not changing the blog design yet, just the layout and organization of it. If you've got any ideas or preferences, I'd love to hear them!!

Day 26: Gift Wrapping

noreply@blogger.com (Gen @ Color Me Domestic) — Fri, 09 Nov 2012 15:00:00 +0000

Christmas is coming, I'm sure you are all at least starting to think about what to get your loved ones. But have you ever stopped to think about how much excess waste is generated around Christmas time? Especially for wrapping! Just to keep everyone from seeing their present before it's time. Every year I get a little more discouraged about that. It seems like Marilyn, from 4 You With Love, was on the same wavelength as me! She's here today to share with you some green ideas for your holiday wrapping.

Howdy everyone. I'm Marilyn, from 4 You With Love, and Gen has given me the opportunity to be a part of her wonderful Greener Sustainable series. Her series has been chock full of so many wonderful posts and ideas. I am just blown away by all the information that's been shared with everyone.

The holidays are right around the corner. Are you ready? If you've been planning, it's probably about the actual gifts you'll be creating for those special people in your life. Do you give much thought about how you will be wrapping your gifts? I give it some thought but not a lot. However, every year, after all our Christmas gifts have been opened, I am always shocked at how much gift wrap waste we have generated. Gen's series got me to thinking about how I could be "greener" with my gift wrapping this year.

I think a beautiful bow can really make your present something special. Here are some ways to create a bow from newspapers and magazines.

(source)

(source)

(source)

Look at these package adornments. Can you tell what they are made from? Look closely. Yup, these are strips of produce mesh bags that add a splash of color to these packages.

(source)

Have you ever made your own gift bags? How about this tutorial that shows how to make bags from newspapers!

(source)

I know I have rushed out the day after Christmas to get that great deal on wrapping paper for the next year. Well, how about this great idea of decorating grocery sacks with date stamps to create your own gift wrap? I know what I will be doing with some of the grocery sacks in my closet!

(source)

Here is a fun way to use those cans that have a flip top to "wrap" gifts. What a clever idea!

(source)

For those people who sew, how about making gift totes that can be used year after year. Talk about reducing trash!

(source)

Finally, how about decorating an ice cream tub and turning it into a great gift basket?

(source)

Okay, I'm ready to reduce my holiday trash this year. How about you? Gen, thanks for your great series. It has really inspired me to take a closer look at how I can reduce my environmental impact!

Thanks so much Marilyn for sharing your finds with us! Now I have an idea of what I will do with that brown paper that is leftover from packing boxes I've received!

This reminded me of the toilet paper roll favors I did last year.

I want to add just a few other options for you to make and reuse year after year.

How about some reusable drawstring bags? You could make some of different sizes to fit all types of gifts. I know I'll be snooping the fabric store after Christmas for some cheap Christmassy fabric to make some for next year. Though I might also get some super cheap fabric (like dropcloths maybe?) and stencil them with Christmas patterns. Would be better (read: cheaper) for big boxes.

from Brown Thumb Mama

If you don't want to hassle of making it yourself, there are some Etsy stores and online websites that sells them.

EllaWrap has some really gorgeous bags, I'm really in love with this one! If I'd get anything in this bag, I might just like the bag better! What can I say, I like cute bags and boxes!

(35$ at ecowrap.com)

But that's still a bit too pricey for my taste. So here are a few I found on Etsy that are more reasonably priced. (Or go here for even more)

(SUZUYA on Etsy)

(debupcycles on Etsy)

(VZWraps on Etsy)

So how about it? Are you going to give the gift of green this year?! You could even give reusable bags or a gift made from repurposed items! This way you can introduce more people to green alternatives!

To find more ideas on ways to go green, check out the other posts in the series:

I party at these parties.

Day 25: Cleaning Products

noreply@blogger.com (Gen @ Color Me Domestic) — Thu, 08 Nov 2012 12:58:00 +0000

I'm sure I'm not the only one who likes a clean house (or apartment in my case), right?! But sometimes it's so hard to choose which product, and if you want to be green about it, it's even harder because you can't always trust the companies to tell you the truth. So it's best to just bypass them, and make your own.

The truth IS that they don't have to list what is in the cleaning product, there is absolutely no regulation regarding that. They can SAY it's natural but it might not actually BE true.

Case and point: Vim PowerPro Naturals Bathroom spray

It says on the bottle that it's 98% natural ingredients, but tests show once you remove water content, 24% is petroleum based, and petroleum is really bad for your skin and can lead to cancer. This is just one example of many where the label says one thing, but the truth is something completely different!

If you want to know more, check out this video of The Marketplace which debunks some "natural" house products, like the one mentioned above. (It's a Canadian show, but I've checked that even people in the US can view it! Seriously worth your time!!)

I'm not saying all green cleaning products are bogus, just be careful. They can also be pricey, so making your own will most probably save you some cash.

Alright, so off my soap-box I get, but I hope I showed you that the best way to be green when it comes to this stuff, is to just make it yourself! That way you really know what goes into the product. I want to open your eyes to a few simple, really natural and non-toxic cleaning solutions that you can make with common household items. We're talking baking soda, vinegar, lemons and oranges, essential oils, alcohol (isopropanol or ethyl alcool), hydrogen peroxide, nail polish remover (aka acetone). All these have very natural or non-toxic cleaning properties.

We'll start in the laundry room. There are so many DIY recipes for homemade laundry detergent, both powder and liquid, as well as stain removers, it's kinda hard to decide which ones to share with you! So at any time, if you want to see even more of these type of recipes, head on over to my Cleaning board on Pinterest, I pin some a lot!

Here's a great, simple, and cheap powder laundry detergent recipe at DIY Natural.

All you need is Washing Soda, Borax and a bar of laundry soap (Fels-Naptha or other, like Ivory here). As soon as I can find these ingredients, I'm trying this one out. And it's good for HE washers! No more buying that super expensive special soap ;)

Liquid laundry detergent recipes usually make a really big batch, so you need more space to store it. It uses the same ingredients, but because you dissolve it, it makes more in mass. Your choice! I would probably do this one if I could store it, would have to make some less often, too.

from Why Not Sew

I also saw this post from Whole New Mom not too long ago about Soap Nuts and thought it was interesting. It's natural and you don't have to make your own laundry detergent. It's an other option!

How about stain removers? I've been meaning to try this armpit stain remover (that also works for other stains) for a while now. I don't wear a lot of white because of this problem...

One Good Thing by Jillee
Jillee is really awesome when it comes to DIY recipes, you should really check out her site if you've never ran accross it!!

You can also make your own Oxi Clean to help fight those other tough stains.

from Creatively Domestic

Using vinegar for laundry can help with softness, keep bright colored clothes, really soiled clothes and linens, static and lint, and much much more!!

image source

Moving onto other household cleaners, we'll start with this Shower and Tub Magic cleaner. I've been using this for 6 months. It works just as well as what I had before (Vim cream for bathrooms), but the vinegar does smell strong. I need to try adding some lemon juice or essential oil to kill the vinegar smell. I chose this one because I had everything on hand to make it, and I was looking for a spray. It's got really awesome reviews, but I think I'm not the best person to ask how good it is because I'm not entirely sure how to evaluate it...

recipe for Shower and Tub Magic

Also, remember when we talked about the not-paper towels? Well, this is as good a time to use them! I have some old clothes rags and some cheap microfiber rags that I use for cleaning.

How about using your reusable rags for cleaning windows with this homemade window cleaner?! Microfibers seem like the best option, though, for getting a streak free shine. You'll need vinegar and essential oil, and of course water.

recipe at Money Saving Mom

You'll also want an all-purpose cleaner, which is again super simple to make yourself! Though there are a few different recipes, ranging in complexity, I like the simple and effective type, which I think this one from Natural Nesters is.

I also really like the idea of this degreaser! So simple to make, though it does take 2 weeks of incubation time to get the full effect. My kitchen is covered in a film of oil from stir-frying, so I really need to try this!!

fromTried and True

Here's a simple recipe for homemade furniture polish. All you need is oil and lemon juice!

from Our Homemade Happiness

Finally, once you've made all those recipes, you probably want to label your containers, so here are a few cute labels around the webs.

at Design Finch (bottom of post)

Some of my favorite blogs for DIY Homemade recipes like the ones shared here are:

Now this gets me excited to clean! What? I'm the only one?! :P Do you make your own cleaners? If there's a recipe you'd like to share, link it in the comments please!!

Check out all the posts in the series (must be on blog to see):

I party at these parties.

Day 24: Reusing Textiles

noreply@blogger.com (Gen @ Color Me Domestic) — Wed, 31 Oct 2012 02:10:00 +0000

What do you normally when your clothes or linens get too worn out and are no longer givable, either? Throw them out, right? Well, here are a few ideas on how you can reuse all sorts of textiles, like clothes and household linens, once they are past their prime.

Did you know clothing is recyclable (as opposed to reusable)? Yup, I wasn't sure until I googled it, but it is! Finding somewhere to bring your clothing for recycling, though, is the main challenge. I've found companies that recycle textiles, but I'm having lots of trouble figuring out where, and even if, I can bring my used textiles to them.

For U.S. Residents, I found Recycle Now that you can enter your postcode and see if there's somewhere near you where you can recycle clothing and household textiles. But I've had no such luck for Canadians :( Which encourages me even more to find a way to reuse my old worn out clothing.

Of course you can make useful rags, to help get your house clean. Seems like most of my rags are made of clothes!! But I wanted to find more creative ways to reuse old textiles. Here's some of what I've found.

I've recently been amazed at stuff people crochet out of t-shirt yarn. Of course, the first thing you need to do is make the actual t-shirt yarn.

Craft Passion

You can also turn an old bedsheet into yarn! It's a little different than with tshirts, Kara of Petals To Picots shows you how in this tutorial:

And these, THESE are why I need to learn to crochet!!! You can crochet just about anything with t-shirt yarn.

You can follow just about any crocheted basket tutorial to make a t-shirt yarn basket. For example:

Instructables

How about making some pom-poms, to decorate gifts, or to use in crafts!

Craftaholics Anonymous

Or how about making your space a new spiffy rug? Like this crocheted t-shirt yarn rug.

One Dog Woof

Of course you can just make a braided rug too, out of strips of linens.

Craft Passion

While I'm on rugs, how about a shaggy rug made from old cut-up towels and using a gridded matting?

Fine Craft Guild

There are plenty of other things you can do with used clothing and other household textiles to give them a second life.

There's the ever so popular sweater pillows as of late. I think I might convert a few sweaters once their time is up, but I still want to use them a bit longer.

Brassy Apple

Remember when we talked about not-paper towels? How about using some shirts to make napkins, like these plaid ones!

Whole Living

Here's one I really love! Make a stuffed animal out of old denim, like this denim whale!

Valaan Villapaita

Once again, this time with printed t-shirts, make some pillows!

Uncommon Designs

I hope I got your wheels turning with these ideas to reuse textiles! You are only limited by your imagination, and creativeness :)

Check out all the posts in the series (must be on blog to see):

I party at these parties.

Day 23: Eco-Friendly Periods

noreply@blogger.com (Gen @ Color Me Domestic) — Fri, 26 Oct 2012 18:30:00 +0000

Guys (as in men), you'll want to skip this post, unless you're curious and want to know more about our time-of-the-month, or send your woman to read it ;)

Between being in diapers and being a woman, a girl sure goes through a lot of disposable sanitary stuff! The thing is, it wasn't always like this, there was a time when reusable sanitary supplies were the only option. I think it's time we explore this option once again!

One option that was not available 100 years ago (but that has been around longer than you would think) is the reusable menstruation cup, such as the Diva Cup, which seems to be the best known brand. There is also: the Femmecup, Keeper, Lady Cup (available in many different colors), Lunette, Miacup, and Mooncup (UK).

I learned about the DivaCup when one of my best friends, and oldest friend (we've known each other since we were 4!), told me about it. I was still very skeptical about it, and not ready for it. But now, I'm gonna try it out, soon, very soon. In the mean time, I asked her to come and talk to you guys about the DivaCup, and her experience using it.

Hi there,

My name is Isabelle, I am a childhood friend of Gen’s. I was kindly asked by my great friend to share my opinion and experience with one of my favorite products of all time – the DIVA Cup.

(source)

A few years back I developed an interest towards the importance of caring for the environment and in reducing my carbon foot print. While researching environmentally friendly products online, I eventually stumbled upon the DivaCup.

This product consists essentially of a silicone menstrual cup that you insert when you get your period and can be reused for years. The price ranges between 36$ and 40$ depending on the store. It might seem pricy but for the duration of the product, you save money as you will no longer need to purchase tampons nor pads. It’s also fantastic as you have no waste to dispose of except of course the period discharge.

My first experience with the Diva Cup: I went to the Market Organics Store in my city and purchased it (Gen adds: you can find a store that sells it near you through the DivaCup website Store Locator, or you can buy online). They had two sizes available: one was for women who have never given birth and the other is for women having given birth as it is slightly bigger. I purchased the first option.

I also bought the soap meant to clean this product. I still have it in fact 3 years later – it’s a good sized bottle that cost me 10$. Although the soap is great and can be used to clean your entire body, any mild soap will do to clean your Diva cup.

Prior to using the cup, I read all the instructions provided and visited their website which is really useful. To insert the Diva cup you have many options which are described in the manual as well as online. I found great YouTube videos where women demonstrate how to fold the cup prior to inserting.

I found myself placing the Diva cup under water to lubricate it, folded it and gently inserted it. Once in, you must seal it. To do so, you must rotate it 360 degrees to ensure it expands and creates a seal which will ensure there are no leaks. Rest assured, even if the seal is not fully done the leaks are minimal – I’ve never had a problem.

You can leave the Diva cup in all day. I normally empty it, clean it and re-insert it in the morning and repeat the process at night when I take my shower. This means you have no worries all day and night like you would with pads or tampons. I love it.

At the end of your period, all you must do is boil water and insert the Diva cup in the water for 10 minutes. This will disinfect it. Once completely dry, simply place the cup in the pouch provided and store it until your next period.

It’s truly an amazing product that I would recommend to anyone. The company suggests it be used for a year but I honestly believe you can keep it much longer it you care for your Diva cup properly. (Gen adds: I've seen you can use it for 5-10 years)I hope this will inspire some of you to try this fantastic invention and I would gladly provide more information to anyone who has questions.

Thank you!
Isabelle

What really had me hesitating in getting it was that I had first read that it was only good for a year. So the cost of the Cup did not justify me getting it for a year when it would cost me more than pads. But now that I've read it can be good for up to 10 years, I've changed my mind. It's definitely worth a try now! I've actually JUST bought it online, I never hesitate doing that when it's free shipping. So I'll definitely be doing an update once I've been using it for a few months and got used to it.

(source)

If you need more reasons to consider this option (completely unrelated to being green), here are some: you don't need to run to the drugstore to get more feminine products cuz you've run out; you'll save some money; you don't need to change it/empty it as much, only twice a day, so no worries during the night either; you can swim with it! and do sports no problem; if properly inserted, there is no leakage; it doesn't smell as it's not in contact with the air and so doesn't ferment; no bad chemicals stuck inside your body; no toxic shock syndrome like you may get with tampons; some women have even reported less cramping with the menstrual cup.

But if are still wary of the reusable menstrual cups, or for your daughters when the time comes, then maybe I can interest you in reusable pads?

LunaPads seem to be the big company that sells them. You have your normal maxi pads, for your periods, (light or heavy), post-partum pads, or pantyliners.

I've also seen them sell on Etsy. If I weren't getting a Diva Cup, I would totally get some of these, they are so cute! Actually, at the disclosure of proving too much information... I might still get some reusable panty liners.

There are a lot of options out there! Different thickness for different flows, different sizes and shapes, and some are one piece or changeable inserts. Here are 3 different types I've seen, click any of the shops here (or the Etsy link above) to explore what else they have and find the one that would be most suitable for your needs, and wallet.

from TrojacekFarms on Etsy; these specific ones are made from minky, but they have other choices too

Pleat on Etsy, have a TON of different types, mostly made from flannel; this one is a set of 3: overnight, regular and pantyliner.

These ones have a removable insert, Lili's Cameleon on Etsy)

Now I'm sure you're all asking how you wash these things, and carry them around, which is a very valid question!!

First, when you change out a used pad for a new one, you can roll them up like this to take home. You can also get a cute little bag to put them in. No mess! And they are so cute and pretty that it doesn't matter if you come out of the bathroom with it in your hand.

Pantyliners from MyPoshPads on Etsy)

You also need to prep new pads so they absorb well, much like you would cloth diapers. Then when it comes to washing the pads, there is generally 2 methods: either keep them wet until you wash them or dry them out. Eco Crazy Mom has a great post about all that stuff, so I'll just send you there ;)

So, are you gonna join me and change your period experience?? Or what would it take for you to do it? I really want to convince you!

Catch up with the 31 Days to Greener Sustainable Living series (must be on blog to see):

I party at these parties.

Day 22: Cloth Diapering

noreply@blogger.com (Gen @ Color Me Domestic) — Thu, 25 Oct 2012 15:06:00 +0000

I've got my friend Sarah guest posting today (very first guest post on Color Me Domestic, woot woot!). She blogs at Glimmersnaps, where she shares everyday life moments with her son. When she offered to write about cloth diapers for me, telling me she even worked at a store that sells them, I totally jumped at the occasion! I knew she would do a much better job than I ever could!! Here she is!

Hello! I’m Sarah from Glimmersnaps. I’m so excited to share what I know about cloth diapering with you all today. My son is currently 20 months old and we’ve cloth diapered since he was a newborn. I also work at a natural baby boutique that sells most every kind of cloth diaper out there.

Environmental

The first thing that jumps to most people’s mind when considering cloth is the environmentally friendly aspect. Disposables take far more energy and resources to produce. Cloth is not only more efficient to produce but it can be reused for years and years. My son still wears some of the same diapers he wore when he was a week old. After he potty learns, the diapers will be used again on any children we may have in the future. Used diapers can also be donated or sold or used as rags around the house. Disposables? They sit in a landfill after just one use.

What strikes me is that we don’t even know how long it takes for a disposable to decompose. Estimates say it might be between 250 and 500 years! That means that if you weren’t cloth diapered, your diapers are still out there somewhere. And they will still be there when your great grandchildren are having children.

Some point out that cloth diapering still uses electricity and water for washing. They argue that disposables take more energy to produce but that cloth takes energy to maintain. While it is true that cloth must be washed and dried 2-3 times a week for 2-3 years, cloth users can take steps like maintaining efficient washing schedules, using high efficiency washers, and low heat or air drying to reduce the energy usage. If you have at least 24-30 diapers, you won’t have to wash but twice per week. This really isn’t much more water than a person would use flushing the toilet. The truth is that having a baby will cost energy—after all, you’ve added a new human to the community—but as parents we can help to balance that by using the least amount as possible and cutting back in other areas.

Another environmental concern is the chemicals used to produce disposables and the chemicals that are in them—next to your baby—that make them absorbent. Polyacrylic acid, dyes, Ethylbenzene, Styrene, and Trichloroethyleneare just a few of the chemical additives found in diapers. (To read more about the toxicity of disposables, go here.) So not only are these agents dangerously close to your dear child, but they eventually end up in landfills along with the diapers and the untreated waste inside.

Budgetary

Many people opt for cloth because it’s more economical. Disposables cost about $70 USD a month. This is $1680 USD for two years and—let’s be honest—many kids don’t potty learn right at age 2. And disposable training pants cost even more than the diapers do! Cloth is a bigger initial investment. However, it can be done for $200 USD if you choose the more basic styles. Even if you want high-quality convenient styles, you can get an entire stash for around $600 USD, which is still far less than disposables. Not to mention, you can re-sell your diapers as long as they are in decent condition and recoup some of your investment.

Cuteness

I’ve often said that people start researching cloth for environmental or budget reasons, but they get hooked by their cuteness. Need I say more?

Want to know more?

Perhaps you’re interested in cloth, but you don’t know where to begin. The market is flooded with different brands, styles, sizing options and fabric choices. Here’s a post I wrote last week with more details about your options. You can also check out online diaper forums like the Diaper Pin or DiaperSwappers to get more information or ask questions. If you are fortunate enough to have a store that sells cloth in your area, go! It’s best to be able to touch and feel the different materials and ask questions so you can pick out what’s best for your baby.

Many stores have newborn rental programs that can help get you started. Newborn sized diapers will fit well for the first few weeks, but babies quickly grow out of them. Renting a newborn stash is a great way to begin with cloth.

If you are concerned with washing, some areas have laundry services, but what’s available varies. Be aware that some services may use chemicals like bleach. Ask details about their wash process to make sure you are comfortable with what is offered. Washing at home really isn’t that difficult. It’s best to do a cold soak (I usually do this overnight) and then a hot wash followed by a cold rinse. I use a cloth diaper friendly detergent and half a cup of vinegar. I air-dry some diapers and tumble dry others depending on the fabric. (My stash, like most peoples, is not comprised entirely on one style or brand.)

I hope you will consider using cloth diapers for you little one. My husband was skeptical at first, but now we are so glad we did it. I’ll be happy to answer any other questions you might have in the comments section.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Thank you so much Sarah for sharing your wisdom! I've known for some time that I wanted to do cloth diapering (some day, not soon) when we have kids, but have always been a little intimidated, so this reassures me some! Isn't it easier when it's all laid out for you, no?! Be sure to check out Sarah's very complete guide to choosing the right cloth diapers for your baby on her blog for even more information! And she will also have a post up next week about washing and taking good care of your cloth diapers! I will link to that when it's up.

Catch up with the 31 days series:

I party at these parties.

Day 21: Reducing Electricity Usage

noreply@blogger.com (Gen @ Color Me Domestic) — Wed, 24 Oct 2012 01:59:00 +0000

You knew it was coming! Either because I mentioned it in the previous post, or because it's such a fundamental way to be greener, reducing our electricity needs can greatly impact the environment.

Like water conservation, I could write a 31 days series just on this topic, so I'll do a bullet list for ya.

General

~ Close the lights when you're not in a room.

~ That goes for your computers too! Close them when you leave them, or at the very least put them in standby.

~ Unplug unused appliances and electronics. Did you know they use a bit of electricity even when they are turned off? Yup, that little on you monitor, on your TV, etc, consumes some energy uselessly. It's called phantom load, or vampire lights. Read more here. All you need to do is unplug, or turn off a powerbar that has everything plugged to it.

(picture source)

~ Change lightbulbs to energy efficient ones. They are so much better than incandescent lights, and they last soooo much longer! But you must be careful when disposing of them, because they have mercury in them, which iis only harmful if the bulb breaks. You can easily recycle them by bringing them to Home Depot or IKEA, to name a couple stores.

~ Wrap your water heater with a thermal blanket. If it's hot to the touch, then you should really consider this. You could save 9% of its operating costs by doing this.

~ Insulate any hot water pipes that are exposed. Those pipe insulators aren't just for crafting!! haha!

Heating and Cooling

~ Winterize your home. Make sure the seals on your windows are still air tight, and that your weather strips on your doors are also sealing properly. Consider adding an other air pocket with window insulation kit.

~ Stop drafts with draft blockers. They can really be cute! And you could use some old socks or whatnot to stuff them!

Family Fun

~ Turn the heat or A/C down during the winter and summer, respectively. Or forgo the A/C all together and just use ventilators and open your windows! We're too cheap for A/C right now, and I grew up without it until I was like 19 or something, so I'm ok without it. But we don't have unbearable summers here, either.

~ You can wear comfy bathrobe to keep you warm, knit sweaters, and use blankets.

~ Use hot water bottles to help keep you warm at night. I need one of these bad! I've heard good things. Just for those nights I go to bed without my boyfriend and I can't warm up my feet!

~ Heat your house in the winter with a wood fireplace. This is one of my fondest feelings of home, the fireplace. My parents burn logs from old rotten trees, big branches, but mostly pallet wood which we get for free! My dad just cuts it down to size with the chain saw, doesn't even remove the nails.

Kitchen

~ Use the toaster oven instead of conventional oven. We cook everything in there, but then again we're just 2. I know when we have a family that won't be always possible, but we'll try and use it as much as possible.

This is the one we have, it's really quite big, we can do frozen pizzas in it.

Oster Toaster Oven

~ Use the right size burner for the job. You lose a lot of heat when you use the big burner for a little pan!

~ Exchange your appliances for energy efficient ones : refrigerators, oven, stove tops, dishwashers. If you're current one is still in good order and you want to switch out, don't throw it out but sell it.

~ Speaking of dishwashers, choose the air dry option instead of the heat dry option.

~ Make your appliances run as smooth as possible. That means cleaning your fridge's coils. But also your air filters, and A/C filters need some cleaning every once in a while.

Laundry Room

~ Exchange your appliances, again, for energy efficient ones. They use both less electricity and/or and less water.

~ Wash with cold water as much as possible.

~ Do full loads as much as possible, so you don't have to do as many.

~ Air dry your laundry instead of drying in the dryer. I live in an apartment that has the "laundry room" together with the kitchen and I made this work. So can you!

I can hang about 30 pieces of clothing on hangers to air dry on the rod attached to my laundry shelves! It's really awesome!

Outdoor

~ Have spot lights that turn on when there is movement only instead off always being on.

~ Don't have too many outdoor lighting, or at the least have some LED lights, like for Christmas.

Activities

~ Make a night a month where you have fun with the family and turn off all electricity in the house. Light some candles, tell stories, play a game, whatever!

Now, I'll say this: I think reducing our electricity needs at home is just part of the solution. Commercial properties and work places need to get on board too. I suppose that's the same for recycling and buying too needlessly, as well. Still you should do your part at home.

I know I didn't cover everything, so if you've got more to add, I'd love it if you'd leave me a comment!!

And just a little note, but the rest of the series might be spaced out more. I need to give my apartment a little TLC, it's looking really bad. And things are really going well (knock on wood) at the lab so I'm quite busier. I just don't have the time for this every single day. I'll still try my best to finish the series as soon as possible, though! Thanks for your understanding :)

I party at these parties.

Day 20: Renewable Energy

noreply@blogger.com (Gen @ Color Me Domestic) — Mon, 22 Oct 2012 11:52:00 +0000

When I say renewable energy, what do you think of? Wind power and solar power are the first that come to my mind, but there is also low-impact hydro (as opposed to high impact large facilities), and 100% green natural gas. They are green because they are naturally replenished.

The way we currently mainly generate electricity is very harmful for the environment. Extracting energy from coal, oil or gas creates lots of carbon dioxide, the primary greenhouse gas linked to climate changes. And that's only the beginning, there are a lot of other problems with this way of generating electricity.

Wind power is the cleanest energy source, generating no air pollution.

Green Energy is a growing market. 12.7% of the U.S.'s energy came from renewable resources in 2011. The more you demand for it, the more they will invest in constructing new plants, windfields, etc.

Want to support green renewable energy? BullFrog is a Canadian company that promotes green energy. Basically, when you sign up with them, they put as much green energy into the system as you consume. So essentially you are using green energy. There's also Just Energy that is across North America.

The U.S. Depertment of Energy's website can help you determine how you can get green energy where you live.

Of course you can also simply lower your electricity and heating consumption. We'll cover that in the next post.

But I also wanted to give you some feasible green energy solutions you can do yourself at home. Again, I'm no expert, so I won't go into very much details, I don't want to give you false information. I just want to show that there are options out there!

Solar energy seems to be the most common and practical renewable energy used for ones home, though.

How about installing some solar panels on your roof, or car port? The energy created from this can be used for electricity, lighting, heating and cooling. Yes, it's a big investment, and needs a lot of research, so this option might be for the more hardcore eco-friendly people. But you never know until you look into it.

Solar Energy at Home is a great website to get you started, or to get you thinking about implementing this for your home!

source

Similarly, you can have a solar water heater. They are black tubes where the water passes and the sun heats it up.

source

Then there's the solar oven, or solar cooker. There are 3 types you can choose from, all of which concentrate sun rays on the pot or box oven to heat up food. Thought they were pretty cool, but then you can't cook on a cloudy day :( So it's not sustainable to use.

source

Would solar energy be something you would consider for your home? Why or why not?! I'd really like to have solar panels when we get our own home someday!

P.S. I know I'm behind, and I have no excuse, other than I really wasn't motivated this weekend... sorry :( Will be catching up this week hopefully.

Catch up with the series:

I party at these parties.

Day 19: Not-Paper Towel and Napkins

noreply@blogger.com (Gen @ Color Me Domestic) — Sat, 20 Oct 2012 02:44:00 +0000

It's gonna be on the short and sweet side today guys. But doesn't mean it's any less important! Who needs a paper towel when you can opt for the reusable kind? Not us!

My family was never very big on paper towels growing up. Yes we did use them, but not on a regular basis like I've seen other families do. We mostly used them to clean up when the cat puked. Or to clean windows and mirrors. And we occasionally had the paper napkins, but I personally never really used them.

The bottom line, there's nothing a good old fashion cloth towel cannot do that the paper towel can. The paper kind might be more convenient (I blame the Bounty ads), use and throw away, but not to sound like a broken record, it is a complete needless waste.

I just want to put out there, before getting too deep into the cloth paper towels, that paper towels are compostable, as long as they were not used to clean up oils or fat (meat stuffs), or poop (not sure about other bodily fluids, aka puke, though, but I would say no).

Cloth not-paper towels just take a little getting used to, but I'm sure you'll be happy that you aren't throwing away all those paper towels, and will never look back! And while you're at it, substitute napkins, too, for the cloth version.

Let's look at a few different options.

This one looks just like paper towels on a roll, but are cloth towels!! I thought that was so cool when I first pinned it. There are a ton of different sellers on Etsy, but this one was one of my very first pins! Plus, how cute are they?!?!

Snapping Paper Towel Set from MamaMade on Etsy

They seem pretty straightforward to make, but just in case, here's a 5$ PDF pattern on Etsy if you need help making them. And that pattern is for the pick-a-size ones.

These ones are made from Birdseye cloth and are quite affordable. I've read good things about this type of material. Thin, absorbent, soft are just a few qualities that make it stand out to me.

LilAdi on Etsy

I also saw some made from terry cloth, microfiber and flannel. So there's a lot of choices for your needs and tastes.

I also stumbled upon some wet bags selling again on Etsy, for holding the not-paper towels that are used. That answers that question that I had!

24$ from pepperjackhome on Etsy

If you use cloth paper towels, I'd love to have your input! Please leave me a comment! How do you make it work, how many do you have, how often do you wash them?! Cuz the thing is, I already rarely use paper towels, so if I'd get cloth paper towels, they might just sit for a month before I need to wash them... Of course when I get kids that will be an other story, but that's not in the close future.

Of course you can make your cloth towels from just about anything, though the more absorbent the better (old towels maybe?). Better save those less absorbent materials for napkins. Great way to reuse old linens!!

Speaking of which, if there's a particularly gross mess that you need to pick up, and really don't want to clean the rag after, use old clothes that were headed for the trash. I'm especially thinking of socks, what are you suppose to do with old socks, anyways? I think this could be a good last effort reuse for them. Moving on.

Tips from a pro: Clean Mama

The idea for cloth napkins is the same. They have been around for a long time, my mom has some that she uses more just for special dinners, so to me they are more fancy. I'm really not sure why we ever preferred the paper napkins, other than the convenience of it.

The best part is you can make cloth napkins out of absolutely any material! If there's a pretty fabric something or other on special that you really like the print, turn them into napkins.

That's what Megan from The Homes I Have Made did. She got a pretty shower curtain on special and converted them to napkins!

The Homes I Have Made

Simple Mom has some really great tips for going paper towel free, and explains the different types of cloth towels she uses every day.

Oh, and while we're at it, could we substitute kleenexes for handkerchief's? Go back to the way it used to be? This one is a real biggy for me, I dunno if I could, but I'd like to try! Maybe. I'm not gonna mention reusable toilet paper, I'm really not there yet!!

image courtesy of Cozy Green Cocoon

Are you ready to throw-in the paper towel?! Just try it out and see how it goes! If you need more motivation I'm here for you!

Have a great weekend everyone, and see you tomorrow!

Catch up on the series:

I party at these parties.

Day 18: Food Preparation and Storage

noreply@blogger.com (Gen @ Color Me Domestic) — Fri, 19 Oct 2012 01:23:00 +0000

Today we're taking it to the kitchen! How green are you when it comes to cooking or baking your family wonderful dishes? How about when all those tummies are full and you need to put away leftovers? I'm hoping to challenge you a bit and provide you with some reusable, safe and green alternatives to what you might use every day.

Let's just jump right into it, shall we?

Do you enjoy a nice cup of coffee, or tea, in the morning? If so, you can make your coffee experience a little more green in these simple ways.

I already mentioned last week that coffee grounds, with the filters, are compostable, as well as tea bags. So if you have a compost, just pop it in and you don't need to worry about it.

If you don't compost, and don't plan to, consider getting a reusable one instead. They are less than 10$, which is really not a very big investment, and easy to manage.

2$ on Amazon

They also have some reusable K-Cup filters if you've got one of those fancy machines. My parents do, break my heart when I see them throw away the cups when the coffee grounds are compostable (which they do) and the cup itself (clean) is also recyclable... Think I'm getting them one of these for Christmas.

4$ on Amazon

For those that get their coffee on the go, remember we covered reusable mugs!

I also gave you lots of ideas for reusable lunch items last week, so go see there if you missed that and need some inspiration.

Now, are you a baker? Amateur or not, everyone loves some homemade freshly baked cookies! But no one likes to scrub the dirty pan. So a lot of people now use parchment paper for easy and fast cleanup. But that makes a lot of waste, just to save you a minute of scrubbing.

I recently saw these silicone cookie sheet liners, and at 5$, I grabbed one!

Thing is, though, I never use my full size oven, only my toaster oven. And the cookie sheets don't fit in there, so I've got a couple smaller trays that I use. I had to cut my silicone liner so it would fit, but again for 5$ I didn't care so much, still does the job.

An other thing that is super fun to bake: cupcakes! And muffins, too. But do you realize that for every cupcake or muffin baked, we waste the cupcake liner? I know that they are part of the charm, but really, all you really care about is chowing down that yummyness!

If you don't use cupcake liners and bake directly in the pan, then good for you, I have nothing to teach you, haha! For everyone else, there's silicone cupcake liners. They come in a variety of colors and shapes! You don't even need the cupcake pan anymore, they hold themselves up! I am so grabbing myself a dozen very soon!! In the mean time, I think the paper cupcake liners might still be compostable... that's what I've been doing.

12 cups for 9.72$ at Amazon

(Picture credit: Audrey's Cooking Lab)

When I prepare food, I like to cut everything in advance, then cook it; I'm a bad multi-tasker-cook. Instead of bowls (which I don't have very many of), I use mushroom containers to hold the veggies. They are a great size and shape, and I get to reuse something that is not recyclable around here (#6 plastic).

Then when I bake something in the oven, I have a couple of glass bakeware that I love, because they also have a lid!

There's always more food than we can eat just to 2 of us, so being able to put the lid on and refrigerate is really an awesome feature! I don't have to transfer to a new container with a lid, and I don't waste saran wrap.

I loathe saran wrap. Not just because it's so wasteful, but because it is no fun to use! It's hard to pull out of the box (unless you got those big ones with the little zipper/cutter) and it clings to everything BUT what you're trying to cover it seems. And it folds on itself and sticks. Just... no thank you.

When I have containers that don't have lids, like bowls, I use those shower-cap like bowl covers. They are awesome. They come in many different sizes, though I do use the bigger ones most often, and are super cheap at the dollar store.

I even cover my watermelons with them to store them, cuz I can't eat a whole watermelon to myself in one day. Works like charm! See:

Covers the half or quarter pieces perfectly.

Of course, you could make your own pretty bowl covers if you've got a bowl that is bigger. Or just because they would be prettier. I need to make myself some square ones, for when I bake brownies and such! I've got such a long to-do list after this series!!

Bowl Covers fromThe Cottage Home

What's your favorite green cookware?? Do you have an other green alternative for cooking? Please do share in the comments!

Catch-up with all the posts in the series:

I party at these parties.

Day 17: Conserving Water

noreply@blogger.com (Gen @ Color Me Domestic) — Wed, 17 Oct 2012 22:53:00 +0000

We've already discussed how we can help save one of our precious resources, trees, now it's time to discuss how we can conserve an other very important one: water. For something that is so essential to life, we sure are not very careful about it!

There really are so many ways we can conserve water, ranging from easy to hard, free to more costly. I could probably do an entire 31 days just on that! But I'm not gonna, 1 31 days series a year is enough for me haha!!

Water is so available to us, we don't think twice about it when we use it; we take it for granted. It's there, it's free (unless you pay a water tax), so why not use it? Once again, it's when we waste too much of it, too needlessly, that the problem arises.

The other problem is that of the freshwater we have available, a good portion of it is now too contaminated with polluants, or trash, to be drinkable. We are using up the earth's freshwater supply too quickly, and there isn't very much of it available (only 1% according to water.org), so we really need to be more careful!

Here are some ways you can help conserve water every day.

1. Close faucets when not being directly used. That means closing it while brushing your teeth, rinsing produce, etc!!

2. Fix leaky faucets. It may not seem like a lot, but it accumulates when it's constantly dripping.

"Every year, the average American household leaks 10,000 gallons of water. That's enough to shower 600 times or wash 280 loads of laundry." - from Earth 911

3. Install a dual flush toilet, or change for a toilet with a smaller tank capacity, or if you can't (cuz you live in a rented apartment like me), put a full water bottle in the tank so it doesn't need as much to fill up.

(Photo credit)

I believe that some states will pay back 100$ if you switch your toilet, even! How's that for incentive?

You don't even need to buy a whole new toilet, they sell kits that you can just install inside your existing toilet! Didn't even know this before I read it on Young House Love.

4. Change your shower head(s) to a low debit one.

5. Install an aerator on faucets.

6. Collect rainwater during the summer to water your plants.

from Mini Manor Blog

7. Collect water when washing vegetables and such to water your indoor plants. I've been doing this for a while. When I soak lettuce, that's enough to water all my plants for that day, and I only need to water twice a week.

8. Only (or as much as possible) start the dishwasher when it is full.

9. Only (or as much as possible) do full loads of laundry.

10. Switch to a front loading washing machine. They use on average 3 times less water than top loading ones.

11. Take shorter showers, and opt for showers instead of baths.

12. Take showers and/or bath with spouse/partner. I LOVE my baths, I'm sad when it's summer and warm and I can't take them. But I know how much water this wastes. So I only do it when my boyfriend joins me. He raises the water level like woah! haha!

13. Do your dishes in a small basin instead of filling up the whole sink. Have an other basin to rinse instead of always turning on the faucet to rinse.

There are many more ways you can reduce water waste, you just gotta be willing to put in a bit of effort. Got any more ideas?

I party at these parties.

Day 16: The Greener Sustainable Linky Party: Arts Crafts DIY Edition

noreply@blogger.com (Gen @ Color Me Domestic) — Tue, 16 Oct 2012 22:45:00 +0000

The day has come! The linky party is here! I'm super excited to be hosting this, my very first linky party!

I'm thinking about maybe making it a monthly thing in the future, after this series, depending on how much participation there is for these first 2. Would you like that, would you come link up??

Before we get on the party, I just want to show you a few examples I've found around blogland for repurposed items made into arts, crafts or DIY projects.

Repurposed glass jars to vases from Happy Clippings

Wine Bottle Chime from Designs by C.D. Childs

via Walla Gardens
Would look so awesome if the tires were painted in multiple colors! I think I just got an idea!

Ombre Cassette Tape Art from Sarah SaturDIY

Newspaper Basket from How About Orange

Wine Cork Bath Mat from Crafty Nest

Also, you can repurpose items to make crafts. Like this styrofoam dish which I use as a paint pallet, or yogourt cups to rinse my brushes in or mix paint in.

Just before commencing, I'm looking for others to co-host my next party, the one at the end of the series, with me! I just want to spread the word as much as possible that there is a greener way of living, and to encourage others to make the effort, so I'd really like to reach as many as possible! It would really mean so much to me if you would co-host with me! It'll be on the Wednesday, October 31st, starting in the evening. If you're interested, or want to know more, shoot me an email!

Alright, so now onto the party. The only rule is to stay within the theme, which is repurposed items made into arts, crafts or DIYed projects. The point is to show what you can make out of things that would have otherwise ended up in the dump, or sent to recycling!! I'll let you be the judge, but if something is way off topic I will have to delete it. You may add anything that is upcycled no matter how old it is!

I encourage you to visit other links, get inspired, and share the love!

Thank you for linking up!! And for living the greener way!

I party at these parties.

Day 15: Repurposed Styrofoam Box to Ottoman

noreply@blogger.com (Gen @ Color Me Domestic) — Tue, 16 Oct 2012 17:56:00 +0000

Today is a very special day in the Green series, because I am showing something BIG that I repurposed. No list today, just one big, epic tutorial!! And come back tonight to link up your repurposed projects!!

I am SO happy to finally be sharing with you this post.

It's been over a year in the making, from the time I got the first piece in August last year, to when I got the perfect fabric on super sale in January of this year, and finally to when I decided to do this series and realized this project would be perfect for it. I was so afraid it wouldn't turn out so I kept procrastinating... but I'm so glad I finally did it!

I present to you, my Styrofoam Box Ottoman:

(clouds part and the angels go aaaaaaaaaaaaah- that is how I feel about it)

Can you believe this thing is made from a giant styrofoam box? I got it from my lab. We get products in styrofoam coolers all the time, but I'd never seen one so big and sturdy.

As soon as I saw it there in the corner of the hallway ready to be thrown out (though I think they do recycle it here, there's a special spot for them to be left and they are picked up seperately), I saw potential. I saw an ottoman.

This was actually taken last week when I saw some again, hadn't taken a pic last year. And s'cuse the horrible phone pic (not an iPhone...).

Sure everyone thought I was crazy when I sneakily grabbed it and stashed it in a corner of the lab until I could bring it home (I'm on bike, I couldn't just strap something that size, though very light, to my bike and go home...), but I didn't care. I was gonna be fanta- what for it- bulous!!

Fast forward 5 months to January, I was at Fabricland, again, searching for the perfect fabric. And I found it. It matched the colors of my curtains in the living room. And it was on sale 3 meters for the price of 1. Oh yeah! Walked out with 14$ worth of fabric, and 3 meters! More than I needed but the extra meter was free.

But yeah, I thought I'd get straight on it when the snow melted, but I procrastinated. I wasn't sure it was gonna hold, or that the spray adhesive would work on the styrofoam box (cuz it's not craft styrofoam). Finally I tackled it last month (during the time I was suppose to be preparing for my oral presentation- procrastination at its finest my friends).

I laid out the fabric in our bedroom, cuz it's the biggest floor surface we have (I did have to tidy up, though), and cut my pieces.

I practiced laying the fabric on the styrofoam box a couple of times. Because it's striped, I needed it to align perfectly or else it would look weird. I quickly realized that something was wrong- the top perimeter was slightly larger than the bottom perimeter. This meant that no matter that I tried to lay it flat and smooth it out, it would never meet perfectly.

So I had to fake it. It doesn't show in the end, but there's an air bubble around the bottom corners.

Also, because the styrofoam box was, well, styrofoam, I could just pin it right into place to practice!

When it came to do the corners of the top lid, because all the edges of the box are rounded, I thought this would be the easiest and prettiest way.

So I had an action plan, but I still had to actually glue it down. So I took it outside. It looked pretty awesome just pinned, and I was, again scared I would mess up the glueing part.

I tackled the inside first, for practice. As you can see, it's pretty big on the inside as well, which will give me some more much needed concealed storage space.

(Pardon the change in color, that's the difference between sunlight and no sunlight)

I laid out the bottom piece first, which was bigger than the actual bottom. So I snipped the corner a bit to be able to lay it flat.

Then the other sides went on.

For the biggest piece, the one that wraps around the box, I unpinned halfway, sprayed the adhesive glue, and glued to the box. Note:I only sprayed the fabric, not the styrofoam. I did a test swatch and when sprayed with the adhesive spray, the box disintegrates a bit, so it's a no no!

I snipped the corners again so they would lay flat:

And here's the adhesive spray I used, from Krylon.

For the bottom, I just folded the edges, kinda like a present.

Then for the top I did the same. Unpinned half, sprayed, glued on. And for the corners, I had already figured how I should fold them, but actually folding nice and tight was an other story. I just pinched the sides together, folded in one side, then the other, snipped as much as I could, and held it all into place with pins until it dried completely.

And my Styrofoam Box Ottoman was born! I think it's pretty shnazzy. My boyfriend is glad it no longer squeaks when we move it around, cuz we've still been using it for 8 months. I just smile every time I see it.

We mostly use it as a table, cuz it is a little too high to rest my feet (no matter what this picture might suggest); our couch is really low. But it's sturdy enough to sit on, and I think I could stand on it, though not anyone heavier than me.

So what do you think? Would you consider saving a styrofoam box and turn it into an ottoman?

I've also seen someone turn an old tire into and ottoman by covering it with jute twine, it's also pretty cool and something I would consider doing!!

from That Was a What?

Please come link up your own repurposed projects at the linky party!!

I party at these parties.

Day 14: Reusing to Organize

noreply@blogger.com (Gen @ Color Me Domestic) — Tue, 16 Oct 2012 02:06:00 +0000

Remember when I started the series, I said that reusing what you already have is the best way to be green? Well today I'm showing how you can reuse things to organize, and keep said items out of the trash and recycling bins! Best of all, organizing with repurposed items is completely free, and saves you your sanity (well it does mine!).

I also want to take the time to remind you all of the linky party tomorrow (it'll be in the evening). This is the kind of stuff you can link up: basically anything that you've repurposed to make pretty and/or useful!! Doesn't have to be for organizing, it can be for crafts, art, DIY, anything!

Without further ado, here are some repurposed items used for organizing!

Tin Cans

To organize pens, pencils, paintbrushes, etc. I've got a bunch of these, separated all my markers and pencils and scissors in them, but I've yet to add some pretty paper to them, ha!

viaBH&G

Coffee Cans

Use coffee cans in the same way for bigger items like punches and ink pads. You're not limited to scrapbook paper, you can also use twine to make them pretty!

viaSimply Kierste

Cardboard boxes

I save just about every size boxes for organizing. Especially printing paper boxes, cuz they have a lid, so are super useful. Here I've covered one with wrapping paper (not the prettiest one, though...) and I'm keeping big craft supplies in it.

I'm still waiting for that perfect size box to go beside that one on the middle shelf. Or something else.

You can also cover up some cardboard boxes with fabric for even prettier storage:

via iHeart Organizing

Glass Jars (baby food jars, Ball jars etc)

For organizing your pantry (like bulk food which we discussed last week)

viaThe Kitchn

Or your craft supplies:

via Crafty Nest

Yogourt Cups

Here's one of mine: repurposed yogourt cups to organize office supplies!

Egg Cartons

viaBH&G

Plastic Bottles and Containers

Here an old baby lotion bottle is turned into a charging station, so brilliant!!

fromMake It and Love It

Maybe your husband (or yourself) can find this useful in the garage, to organize screws and such:

viaFamily Handyman

Other/Random

And a few more unusual repurposed items, like this tic-tac box for organizing ribbons:

via Instructables

Old CD case to organize acrylic stamps! I have a ton of these I don't know what to do with, but don't wan to throw out!

via Craftaholics Anonymous

There is a lot more you can do with all sorts of containers and materials, you are only limited by your imagination! I'd love to see what you've come up with, please come link up your own repurposed projects at the linky party!!

See all posts in the series:

I party at these parties.

Day 13: Organic Linens

noreply@blogger.com (Gen @ Color Me Domestic) — Mon, 15 Oct 2012 01:19:00 +0000

While yesterday I covered organic food, there is also organic non-edibles to consider. For much of the same reasons as food, such as chemicals and sustainable soil, organic cotton can be grown and used in the making of many organic linens and provide a greener alternative.

I'm not gonna be covering organic, or natural, body products, because I've seen too much evidence to refute the authenticity of those claims. This includes organic shampoos, body washes, even diapers, where the company has an "organic" product, but has the same ingredients listed as the non-organic counterpart. So yeah, I'm still very skeptical. It was this video/episode of The Marketplace that started it for me (I have no idea if Americans will be able to see the video... It's from a Canadian website).

Though there is still some controversy surrounding organic, both edible and non-edible, and you should definitely look it up for yourselves and make up your own mind about it, I'm still gonna put out there the different options, even if only quickly. I think there are some organic linens, but that you have to be careful because they might not all truly be organic.

These options can be more expensive, so you should do your own research. I'm really not an expert in this matter, at all.

Organic Bedsheets

via Target

Organic Pillows

via West Elm

Organic Mattresses and Matress Pads

via Target

Organic Towels

via Gaiam

Includes bath towels, hand towels, washcloths, dish towels, etc.

Organic Crib Linens and Matresses

via Target

Organic Comforter

via West Elm

So are you convinced or unconvinced about organic? Or are you still making up your mind?

Check out all the posts in the series:

I party at these parties.

Day 12: Organic Food

noreply@blogger.com (Gen @ Color Me Domestic) — Sun, 14 Oct 2012 02:04:00 +0000

Reducing the amount of waste going to the landfill is one thing. But being careful of what we eat is something entirely different, yet equally important in living a greener life.

I'm not just talking about pesticides and other toxins in our food. The conventional way of producing food is not sustainable because it depletes the soils nutrients to the point where it is no longer cultivatable.

Organic food is a defined as being produced using methods that do not involved synthetic pesticides or chemical fertilizers, and that rely on natural and sustainable cultivation.

Here are a few reasons why organic food is better:

1. In order to have the organic certification, food needs to meet very strict criterias, ensuring that we get the highest quality food. What's more, food of any type needs to be 95% certified organic to have the organic logo.

This means crops are grown on soil that has been free of synthetic pesticides for 3 years, animals and crops have no synthetic chemicals input (fertilizers, antibiotics, pesticides, food additives), no genetically modified organisms and no irradiation.

2. There is a lot more nutrients in organic food compared to non-organic. This makes sense in the end, better soil translates into the food we eat.

Here's an example with lettuce. Organic lettuce has 12mg of sodium and commercial lettuce has 0mg; organic has 176.5mg of potassium, commercial only 53mg; organic has 169mcg of manganese (an important nutrient), while commercial has only 1mcg. I was so shocked at when I read this! You think eating fruits and veggies is good enough, but no, it's not!

Also, organic food apparently tastes better. With all those nutrients, it's not surprising.

3. Growing organically is just plain better for the environment. It will ensure that we still have soil to grow on in 100 years, because at the rate we are growing, we are using up the soil to the point where nothing can grow in it, and this will take decades to fix.

Organic farmers rotate their fields and give them time to replenish their nutrients. This also helps with water retention, so they don't need to use excessive amounts of water to grow the crops, thus saving an other of our precious resources.

It's also favourable for wildlife in that it doesn't destroy their ecosystem.

(Picture credit)

4. Eating organic foods is better for your health. Not only are you not putting all those horrible pesticides and other toxins in your system, but eating organic also helps you fight cancer, stroke and heart problems.

We know now that many of the toxins used for growing crops are cancerogenous, yet they are still being used. Even if you wash the food before eating, it's not enough because it's inside the food, absorbed through the plant itself.

5. Healthier livestock means a healthier you!! Organically farmed animals are healthier and don't need to be pumped with antibiotics or grown in inhumane conditions.

And here's one more thing. Meat itself takes up so much resources to produce. It takes 16lbs of grain to produce 1lb of meat! And we're not meant to eat that much meat anyway.

So here's an idea, make at least one meat-less dish per week. And reduce the amount of meat per dish while augmenting the amount of good (organic) vegetables.

To be honest, I hadn't quite realized how bad conventionnal farming methods were until now. And the information about the nutrient deficiency of these foods is showing me that I do need to be more careful in what I buy and eat.

Just about every type of food is now being grown organically, and there are more and more choices. They can now also be found in your local supermarket, as opposed to special natural food stores a few years ago.

What's even better is getting your produce locally at farmer's market. This encourages local growers and is even greener because the produce hasn't been transported from so far.

Eating more organics is definitely on my list of things I need to improve on for living a greener more sustainable lifestyle! So I really don't have much more tips for you guys, but maybe you do? Share them in the comments!

I party at these parties.

Day 11: Composting

noreply@blogger.com (Gen @ Color Me Domestic) — Fri, 12 Oct 2012 15:13:00 +0000

Sorry Day 11 didn't go up yesterday, it wasn't ready and I was too sleepy. I'd rather give you something that's quality than rush to get a half-a$$ed post up too early. Forgive me? I will make it up and have 2 posts in 1 day sometime this weekend, hopefully.

We're going back to basics! Composting basics, that is! Did you know that organics compose more than half of the waste that ends up in landfills? And once in the landfill, it decomposes without oxygen (anaerobically), creating methane gas, which is a greenhouse gas, and I don't think I need to tell you that those gases a B.A.D.

Here's the thing, composting is SO easy, and we can save all those organic materials from entering the landfill and producing methane gas. Ok, maybe not ALL, but we gotta start somewhere.

First, organics are your kitchen food scraps and yard waste. There is more to it than that, which I will get to in a minute. But first, I want to show you how easy it is to compost.

We've been composting for a year and a half. We started out with just a shovel. I kid you not, that is all we really needed! We just wanted to prevent those food scraps from going in our trash, and weren't so much interested in making fertilizer.

At first, we just had an old ice cream tub to collect our food scraps in the kitchen. Then last Christmas my parents gave us this kitchen food scrap container. It's really large, maybe a little too large, cuz we don't need to empty it very often, and stuff starts getting yucky inside.

So once it's full, or whenever we feel like it, we go to our back yard, dig a hole (we always go to the same stop), dump the food scraps in, cover it, and that's it! See, nothing fancy!

It just looks like freshly dug soil.

The soil does the rest of the job. To actually decompose the organics. They do get a little help from these guys: worms! See how big they are? That's cuz they love our compost :) There are SO MANY in the hole, they really are attracted to the scraps.

This is what it looks like once it's had 2 weeks to decompose, and after turning the soil:

Barely anything left! The arrow points to a piece of pepper that was not completely decomposed that I found in there. But really, about 80-90% of it was decomposed. And it's not even magic! Haha!

And composting done right will not attract any pests! Which is why we always cover the fresh food scraps we put in the hole, just in case.

But back to my compost container. I try to always line it with a piece of newspaper, so it doesn't get so yucky so quickly.

The first thing I put in it this time was:

Coffee grounds! WITH the coffee filter! Yup, coffee filters is organic and decomposes really quick.

Here's a list of things you can compost:
~ Food scraps: leftovers gone bad, fruit and veggie scraps, bread, rice, etc
~ Yard waste: leaves, branches, plants, grass
~ Eggshells (though they take really long to decompose from my experience!)
~ nut shells
~ non colored paper, newspaper, cardboard (actually really good to add even; decomposes faster if shredded)
~ paper towels! (though not the ones you use to clean with chemical cleaners)
~ coffee grounds, tea bags
~ CLEAN kitty litter
~ dog, cat, bird, etc food
~ saw dust and wood shavings
~ dryer lint

May be added but use caution:
~ milk products, including cheese and yogourt (be sure to put in the middle of the pile so it doesn't attract pests)
~ deseased plants (ok if pile gets to 135 degrees F...)

And what you shouldn't put in the compost:
~ meat, fat, fish, oil, bones; these are the things that will attract pests, too
~ leftover salad with dressing (which contains oils)
~ cat litter, dog poo
~ charcoal ashes
~ nonbiodegradable materials
~ toxic waste

For a more complete guide, check out this article from Earth911.com.

I'm sure you're thinking now that you CAN start composting, it looks so easy! Right?! But you may be turned off by my compost in a hole idea, I know I'm getting tired of it. So here are other nicer options for a composting bin. Evaluate how much you think you're going to put into the compost bin, and get one/ make one accordingly (how much yard waste, how much food based on your family, etc).

Oh and, you'll want it on the ground or grass, not cement.

First up, and easy to build compost made out of chicken wire or hardware cloth and pressure-treated 2x4s, from Birds and Blooms.

I want to build something similar to that (above), but I've got no corner to put it in... Still trying to find a solution though. I really like that idea because it leaves a lot of aeration room, which is really great for faster decomposition.

Option 2

I think that is the mother of all composting bins! 3 compartments, netting around 3 sides for good aeration, removable slat front to collect the compost when it's done, and to hide it a bit. Only thing is the plans are no longer available :( But if you're crafty I'm sure you can figure out a way to make something similar ;)

Or else there's a very similar one on Lowe's website, with plans. Though I would really make one without a paneled bottom.

Option 3: all wooden paneled

Hides more the compost, but less aeration.

Option 4: Tumblers

130$ at Clean Air Gardening, or here's a DIY version, but I can't take the pictures from the site...

Option 5: Garbage can turned compost bin

Instructions for this one, if you need them, at The Happy Housewife.

Here's a great article to help you troubleshoot your compost pile, if it's not working as well as you'd hope.

If you're not satisfied with the options I've provided here, turn to Pinterest. But whatever you do, just start composting!

I party at these parties.

Day 10 : Buying in Bulk

noreply@blogger.com (Gen @ Color Me Domestic) — Thu, 11 Oct 2012 02:51:00 +0000

Yesterday, we talked about using reusable snack and sandwich bags, as well as other lunch items, to reduce waste generated from individually wrapped snacks and such. But now we need to fill up those baggies! If you were thinking yesterday about what you could pack in your kids' lunches instead of the individually packaged snacks, the answer is bulk food!!

I'm covering bulk food in general today, not just bulk snack food. I think a lot of people don't quite realize how much food you can buy in bulk, removing the packaging from the equation.

I myself was curious about what I could find at Bulk Barn, the big chain bulk food store here in Canada. So I went "undercover" to show you just what is possible to buy in bulk. Here we go!

To be honest, the times I have been to bulk barn, I have pretty much always bee-lined for the candy and chocolates aisles.

Little note, all images enlarge if you click on them

I was good this time and only got Dino Sours

This time, I went through every aisle and was amazed at what I found!!

Let's start with snack stuff, since that is what brought us here. There's stuff like Bits and Bites, Hickory Sticks (my fav, got me some of that too). And pretzels of many shapes (not all really called pretzels, but you get the idea).

I love me some cornnuts!! Didn't get any this time though... And cheeses and stuff. Yeah, I know not the healthiest stuff, but man is it tasty!

They even have premade mixes. I know these ones show chocolate in them but they don't all have chocolate, I promise. There's about a dozen different mixes!

There's really lots of choices, way more than I'm showing you here, so it's worth checking out! But, I also want to show you what else there is, so much stuff I didn't know they would have.

There's the expected sugar (brown, icing, etc)

Flour. Funny thing, I didn't see the normal flour. I'm sure they have some, but didn't particularly look for it. Also a whole row of nuts! That would be a good snack, too.

Muffin and cake mixes. Many different types of milk powder, and cocoa powder.

All sorts of rice!! And pasta!! I had never realized they had this stuff.

What else? Powdered soups. Many different flavored hot chocolate!

And spices. So many spices!

I thought this aisle was super colorful with all the colors of confetti and cake/cupcake decorations.

If you like tea, they have a good variety, as well as some coffee beans (didn't take picture, oops).

There's even a little something for your pets! Dog treats, rabbit food, bird food.

I strongly encourage you to go out to your bulk food store and see what they have. Then you can start building your pantry staples around that, and forgo packaging! This is why I took pictures, though I wish I would've taken more, so I know what they have and their prices, so I can get more in bulk.

And remember what we covered Monday about reusable bags? Well those bags are good for buying in bulk, too, especially the canvas produce bags! They even have a little weight tag so the cashier can tare the weight of the bag off, so clever!

I party at these parties.

Day 9: Reusable Lunch Items

noreply@blogger.com (Gen @ Color Me Domestic) — Wed, 10 Oct 2012 02:26:00 +0000

Before I start, just a little reminder that next Tuesday is the first linky party where you can link up your projects made from recycled materials! So start saving your projects and come link up! Also, if you'd like to co-host this party with me, let me know, cuz I'd love to get as many people involved as possible! :)

I think a lot of the stuff we throw out but might not really need to is related to food. Especially for food on the go. Snack bags, prepacked snacks, sandwich bags, juice boxes, etc, all oh so convenient, but make so much waste, especially when you you use them 5 days a week, or more.

I think it's time we reinvent lunches, make them a little less pre-packaged and a little more homemade. What? I haven't convinced you? Let me state my case, then.

Here is an example I came across this weekend. It was on a post from Allison of House of Hepworth's about Organizing her kids' lunches. Do you see what I see?

Everything is prepackaged! Except 1 of the 2 sandwiches which is in its own reusable container. Snacks, juice bags, water bottle, 1 of 2 sandwhiches in a disposable baggy (I was wondering why she didn't just get a second reusable container), individual portions of carrots and dips. It just doesn't end!

Now, I think it's really great that she does pack lunches and they are full of healthy stuff and not complete junk. BUT, this is the 31 Days to Greener Sustainable Living, and this just made my heart break a little. All that waste, it's so unnecessary!

So, have I convinced you now? Or still not sure how exactly to do it? Cuz I'm here to help!!

Also, let's ditch those plastic baggies! After I'm done the boxes I have now, I'm not buying new ones. If you don't have them, you'll find an alternative. Who's with me?!

If you do want to keep a few, just reuse the ones you have now. I know they are a pain to wash, really, I do, I wash every single last one that comes back home. And that's the problem! Not the washing, the getting back home to me part; that's why I can't trust plastic baggies anymore.

I found this useful trick for drying baggies from Whole Living. I need to get me one of these!!

So here are a few alternatives to ziplock baggies.

Reusable snack containers

Jen at iHeart Organizing wrote about implementing snack containers in her routine, instead of baggies, and I had a little head desk moment when I saw it.

They might take up a bit more space, but are way easier to wash than baggies.

I already got myself a couple from the dollar store for 75cents each. We're not super big on snacks, so we don't need a ton, but I do like to pack some cut veggies for our lunches, like carrots, cucumbers, and peppers, and they fit nicely in these containers, as long as I'm careful to cut them the right size, though!

Or if you want to reuse what you may already have, I love cream cheese containers for snacks! I've got 2 sizes and they are perfect for bringing granola, fruits, and even yogourt! Yup, they are leak-proof, which is great for yogourt. This way you can buy the bigger tubs and aliquot however much you like.

Reusable dip and sauce containers

Just like Allison's kids, we like dip with our veggies. But here's an alternative to the individually packaged dips she uses. Just pour your own favorite dip in small reusable containers. My mom gave me some really good Tupperware ones for Christmas a couple of years ago. They are great for sauces! I just wish I had more, cuz I already lost one :( (only had 4 to begin with) And bonus, they are orange! lol (orange is my favorite color...)

But back to snacks. I've seen and pinned quite a few tutorials for making your own reusable baggies in the last few months.

Reusable Snack and Sandwich Bags

Water proof Snack Bags from Destination:Craft

Reusable Sandwich Bags from The Gilded Hare

Reusable Lined Snack Baggie from Happy Hour Projeects

Or if you're not the type to make it, here are a few cute ones I found on Amazon:

LunchSkins 3 pack 25$

Bumkins Reusable Snack Bags, 2 pack 7$ (Sandwich 5$ each)

ChicoBag rePET Baggies, 3 pack 16$

You may also want to skip the baggy idea and go for some lunch boxes/containers that have compartments, a la bento box:

Bento LunchBox Containers, 4 for 14$

Stay-Fit Lunch 2 Go Container, 10.24$ each

Bento Box 2 Tier, 14.62 each

For older kids, or for yourself or your spouse, it seems like a lot of the time we bring leftovers to school or work, and not so much sandwiches. In those cases, it's a good idea to use glass containers, as they don't leech any chemicals into your food. These are the ones we use:

They are GlassLock, but I can't find the exact same set anywhere. I really like them. I have even dropped them (not from too high) and they didn't shatter, I can remove the plastic seal to wash it when I need to.

But sometimes, we may still opt for cafeteria food. If this is a common occurence, may I suggest keeping your own plate at work, and bringing it to the cafeteria so they can give you food on that instead of the styrofoam containers.

Oh, one last thing. We usually need utensils to eat with, right? Opt for these cute reusable and compact choices instead of disposable plastic utensils. Or you can also just wash the plastic ones :)

Light MY Fire Spork 4 pack 8.15$

Wenzel Chow Utensil Kit 5$ (seen them at dollar store for 2$)

Did I give you enough choices? If not, you can always do a google search, or amazon search, or pinterest search. I saw a lot of great other options, but I only have so much space.

Do you use reusable baggies or containers for your lunches? What are your favorites?!

PS None of these links are affiliates

I party at these parties.

Day 8: Reusable Totes and Produce Bags

noreply@blogger.com (Gen @ Color Me Domestic) — Tue, 09 Oct 2012 01:02:00 +0000

All posts in the series linked at the end of the post.

I always like to start with a little perspective, so today is no different. Between 500 million to 1 trillion plastic bags end up in landfills in one year on average. Seriously, doing research for this series is really bringing my spirits down :( I can't believe this number!

And nowadays this is so avoidable! Do they charge you for plastics bags when you go shopping? They do here, and seriously I am so glad they do this!! Most grocery stores do. I just wish more stores would implement this, or at least ask you if you want a bag. Most of the time, I can do without, but I forget to tell them and they've already packed the bag up. Most of the bags we end up with are from the Dollarama :( And they double bag when it's the least bit heavy :( :(

Bringing your own reusable bags to the store is one of the simplest ways to be greener. You can find some in just about any stores, and they are very affordable.

So it seems like this post is rather long, despite my efforts to split it. I'm covering 4 things: 1) Reusable bags and totes, some you can buy and some tutorials for you to make your own. 2) produce bags, for those who want to take it one step further. 3) Tips for remembering to bring them with you!! 4) How to reuse the plastic bags you already have. Feel free to jump to whichever section you want :)

Here are a few nice reusable bags I spotted on Amazon:

Cotton canvas, 5 bags 25$ here

Non-woven polypropylene, 5 pack 11$

Non-woven polypropylene foldable bags, 6 for 14$

I like that they are plain, wish mine were this plain, I'd love to do a fun stencil on them!

The most common place to bring your reusable bags is the grocery store, but don't stop there! Bring them everywhere! When you go clothes shopping, when you go to home stores, everywhere and anywhere!!

They have some that are a bit more flexible and foldable, and less grocery bag like. I need some of these! I feel so silly with my grocery totes when I go clothes shopping. For example:

Foldable shopping bags, 6 pack 20$

Strawberry foldable bag, 5.59$ each

Chico Bags foldable, 4 pack 21$

But since this is still a creative blog, I'd like to highlight some tutorials and patterns if you're feeling crafty and you want to make your own.

Reusable Market Bag from Living with Punks

Foldup Tote Tutorial from Zaaberry

Strawberry Reusable Grocery Bag tutorial from Craft Passion

Quick Carrier from EarthGirl Fabrics

Are you feeling like using reusable bags isn't enough, and you're ready to take it to the next level? How about using reusable produce bags?

I've recently been reusing the transparent plastic ones, but I'd like to get or make some cute ones. There are so many options out there!! I really don't know how I'll pick just 1, they are all just so cute! But maybe I don't have to...

Flip N Tumble Mesh Reusable Bags, 5 pack 9$

Organic Cotton Muslin Bags, ranging 10-13$ for 3 pack in Xs, S, M, L or XL, or 6 pack 2 each of S, M, L

recycled PET or Hemp cotton ChicoBags, 3 pack 12$

I also saw these really pretty and colorful bags on Amazon, and am kinda in love with them, but at just over 6$ each, I just cannot justify it. Especially since they are rather big. But I did find a tutorial to crochet your own!

ECOBAGS® Reusable Tropical String Bags, 5 pack 32$

Crochet Tutorial for Linen Grocery Tote at Purl Bee

Here are more tutorials for you to make your own:

Fat Quarter Produc Bag Tutorial from Sew, Mama, Sew!

Produce Bag made from Sheer Curtains from Wisdom of the Moon

Scrappy Reusable Produce Bag from a Day in the Life of the Hooks

Lastly, these are pretty cool, too, made from old t-shirts!

I think I might buy or make a few packs and give them out at Christmas. I think that might be a great way to get more people introduced to reusable produce bags especially.

Tips for remembering to bring your reusable bags

Ok, great, now we all have our reusable bags, bought or handmade, (or are in the process of getting some, right?!) but we keep forgetting them! Here are a few things I have found helpful so I don't forget them.

First, always keep some in your car. That way, you always have them with you. When you are unloading them after a shopping trip, make sure to place them near the door, so that you grab them and put them back in your car every time you leave.

Keep some compact ones in your purse, either plastic bags or some collapsible ones that I showed earlier. But again, don't forget to put them back!!

If you are really bad at putting them back in your purse or car, consider putting a pretty little note on the door so you are reminded when you leave.

Other uses for plastic bags

Now, let's look at a few ways we can reuse those plastic bags, shall we? Because no matter how hard I try, I always end up with a useless plastic bag when I'm out shopping.

1. Carry some in your purse so if you forget your reusable bags, you have a backup.

2. Pack your lunches in them. I do this one a lot! I don't have a lunch bag, and the plastic bag conforms to whatever I have in my lunch that day.

3. Use them to line trash cans.

4. Carry some when you walk your dog to clean up their doodoo.

5. Use them as packing stuffing.

I know these ideas aren't new, but be my guests and be more creative!! When it's finished its life, see if you can't recycle them (we can here in Montreal).

Are you ready to upgrade your shopping experience with reusable totes and produce bags?! Or have you already?

I party at these parties.

Day 7: Houseplants

noreply@blogger.com (Gen @ Color Me Domestic) — Mon, 08 Oct 2012 00:39:00 +0000

Links to all posts in the 31 Days to Greener Sustainable Living series at the end of the post.

I'm taking things a little more easy today, since it's Sunday :) Following in yesterday's footsteps about reducing air pollution on our daily commutes, let's talk about how we can make the air we breathe cleaner. More specifically, the air inside our house.

Houseplants are a great way to refresh the air in our homes, and to rid it of polluants. This includes benzene, formaldehyde, and trichloroethylene, as well as smoke and paint fumes, and whatever other chemicals might be in the cleaning products you use.

The air inside our homes is 25-65% more polluted than the air outside. And especially in the winter when we can't open our windows and doors, it becomes all that more important to have a few houseplants around.

Here are the top houseplants to have:

1. The Feston Rose Plant aka Lantana
2. Devil's Ivy aka Golden Pothos (poisonous though)
3. Phalaenopsis
4. The English Ivy
5. African Violet
6. Christmas Cactus
7. Yellow Goddess
8. Garlic Vine
9 Peace Lily
10. Bamboo Palm
11. Chinese Evergreen
12. Dracaena
13. Ficus
14. Gerbera Daisy
15. Philodendron
16. Pot Mum
17. Snake Plant
18. Spider Plant

Before you buy plants, make sure they are compatible with your living environment. Spider plants are poisonous to cats, for example. You'll also want to make sure you meet the plants light requirements.

I thought I'd take this opportunity to show you my (now) many houseplants. I've been wanting to do this for a while and thought this was the perfect opportunity.

I've actually got quite a few on the list up there, which I was pleasantly surprised to see! Most of them I got for free, either given to me by the previous tenant, my parents or my father-in-law.

Golden Pothos

This one was on the list above. I wasn't even sure what it was before. Given to us my the previous tenant, the vines are like 5 feet long. I kinda just curl them up on themselves or else they drag too much on the floor. Very easy to maintain, never had any problems.

Peave Lily

Also on the list, and the second plant given to us by the previous tenant. This plant was actually starting to flower when we moved in, and there's been a new flower every time the previous one died. One is starting there in the middle, but it's not very strong. There are some leaves that dried up at the ends, not too sure why, but other than that pretty easy plant, though it is quite huge. It gives a nice feel to our bedroom.

These next 3 were given to me by my parents when we moved in last year. I'm not really sure what any of them are, except the english ivy. I've yet to properly plant them in their pots. My dad had them for a while and just kept them like this.

This one's english ivy is kinda dying... The other 2 are doing pretty well. We keep this guy in the bedroom on a little table by the window.

This english ivy has no problems, unlike the other one.

This one used to be in the pot in picture above, but it grew a monster root that was bigger than my finger, which I had to cut off, and I decided to plant it in it's own pot after that. It's grown so much since!! I have to be careful and turn it regularly or else it gets crooked while reaching for the light.

I don't know the name of this one either. I originally bought it to replace the one above in the common pot, but quickly realized that it didn't really fit and was growing too much. I potted it in my favorite orange square flower pot, I find it's a nice contrast with the color of the leaves. I love the design on these leaves! And it makes the cutest little flowers!

Croton Petra

My father in law gave me this croton petra, which he found abandoned somewhere. I love the colors of these leaves!! It's the only plant that can tolerate being away from the window, so it gets a special place near my desk. I'm still looking for a bigger pot for it, it's overgrown the one it's in and I'm also use a margarine container as a saucer. I haven't had any problems with watering it yet, even though I've read that it is very picky with the amount of water it needs.

Stephanotis

This stephanotis was also given to me by my FIL who said he could not make it flower, yet the week he gave me it it started blooming. But it kinda went downhill after that, not many of the blooms turned to flowers, they just yellowed and fell off :( I was very sad, the few flowers I got were so pretty. I might have to work hard to make this one flower again.

Miniature Rosebush

I showed you guys my mini rosebush back in Febuary, when I got it for Valentine's Day. This plant has gone through so much!! Can you believe there was a time when there wasn't a.single.leaf. on this plant?! Yup, I kid you not, I had a lot of trouble at first with the amount of light, then bugs, then my boyfriend made it fall and it broke some branches, and probably some watering issues, oh and the squirrels too ate the buds once it picked up again. So yeah, the fact that it looks like this is kinda a miracle at this point! I'm hoping I'll be able to maintain it through the winter. At least flowers keep forming, so that's a good sign.

And lastly, my newest addition as of this past week, a mum! My first mum :) Don't you just love the yellow and red petals of this variety?!

I party at these parties.

Day 6: Transportation

noreply@blogger.com (Gen @ Color Me Domestic) — Sun, 07 Oct 2012 03:51:00 +0000

Links to all posts in the 31 Days to Greener Sustainable Living series at the bottom of the post.

Today, we're talking about a different type of pollution: air pollution. Cars are the biggest cause of air pollution releasing carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides, particulate matter, volatile organic compounds and benzene into the air. This ultimately affects our health much more concretely than waste in the landfill.

These gases are way more concentrated in cities where the density of cars if much greater. It is one of the reasons why more and more kids have asthma these days, with increase occurrence in cities.

So let's look at several ways we can reduce these gases and make the air we breathe cleaner and more refreshing.

1. Choose to walk or bike.

This is the best option and creates zero air pollution!

I personally bike everywhere as long as there isn't snow on the ground. But it's really easy to bike around where I live. Everything is very close by. School is 10 minutes away, grocery stores 5 minutes or less. Downtown takes half an hour, not that we go very often.

My bike :)

I LOVE biking! You can "park" just about anywhere! This city is really good with bike paths, but some streets are really in bad conditions and that makes it harder on the bikes, and the bum! Not to mention the amount of broken glass everywhere... but that's an other story. You can also instantly become a pedestrian. You don't have to pay for fuel!! Nor for public transportation. If it weren't for me biking, I wouldn't get much exercise these days...

There are some down sides. Like we can't carry too much food in our backpacks, or big or heavy items. But we manage.

When we go for groceries, we walk to the store, which is just 15 minutes away, and we have a trolley (pictured below) to carry our purchases. I'm perfectly fine doing that since we don't have many expenses attributed to owning a car, like insurance, fuel costs, maintenance, parking, not to mention the car itself.

2. Public Transportation

Taking the bus, metro, or train in to work every day has several benefits.

It minimizes air pollution since there is less cars on the road creating pollution, and it consequently reduces traffic which itself leads to increased air pollution because of idling cars.

Photo credit

I always enjoyed taking the bus to work or school. It gave me time to read books, to relax while I listened to music, and decreased my stress levels because I wasn't angry at the stupid drivers around me (yeah, I'm an angry driver, one bad thing I learned from my dad lol). I also never had trouble finding parking! Or paying for it.

Truth be told, I still had to drive to a park and ride and then take the bus, because my parents live in the suburbs, where the buses were extremely infrequent (3 times a day only, in the morning to go into town, and evenings to come back) and required super special passes. I did take the bus for a year while I worked, but I parked and rided when I went to university. It was still cutting my driving distance in 3, even if it did take me twice as long to get there. And the park and ride is completely free.

3. Carpool

In the same idea as public transportation, it reduces the number of cars on the road. If you and your spouse work close to each other, go to work together. Or maybe there's a neighbour that works in proximity to you that you could ride with. Alternate who drives. And the more the merrier! Good reason as any to et to know your neighbours more.

4. Maintain your car and be a good driver

Make sure your tires are properly inflated, you can waste a lot of gas, and create a lot of pollution, if they aren't!

Maintain your car, change the oil when it needs it, so that it's in tip top shape and will operate as efficiently as possible and reduce the emission of bad gases. Not only that, but a well maintained car will last longer and will stay out of the landfill that much longer.

Be a good driver!! I'm not talking about being curteous to other drivers, though that is also a good idea, but more in the sense of not being an aggressive driver. As in accelerate slowly, take your time to break, and don't drive too fast. All these will make your gas go further and limit the amount of air pollution your car emmits.

5. Plan your trips

Planning your trips into town will not only reduce your fuel consumption, but will also make the most of your time. Yes, this requires some forethought and organization, but it's well worth it. You'll have more time to do the things you love like spending time with your family, cooking, crafting, etc.

This means making 1 trip to go do the groceries, and run your errands, though you might want to keep the groceries last so that cold foods stay cold.

This is also where meal planning comes in handy. Buy your food for the week, or for 2 weeks, or for the whole month (that is a bit extreme, but Danielle of Blissful and Domestic does it!). You won't have to worry about what to put on the table every day, if you have the ingredients, and you will reduce the fuel you use!

Lastly, stop by to do errands on your way home from work, or ask your hubby to stop and buy the few things you might still need for supper.

Have you seen the trend so far?? All these methods with decrease the amount of fuel you use and will save you money! With the rising cost of fuel, isn't that incentive enough?!

6. Get a hybrid or electric car

For those that have extra money, or that are willing to invest some money, hybrid or electric cars are a great environmentally friendly solution. Though the money you save by plugging your car instead of fueling up will make up for it in the end...

There is even a tax credit if you buy a a hybrid or electric car, I've seen 7500$ in the US, and up to 8500$ in Canada (wiki; all hail mighty wiki! lol).

Nissan Leaf

7. Buy an electric scooter or e-bike

Less expensive than an electric or hybrid car, less tiring than biking long distances, an electric scooter is the perfect alternative for getting to work! Though not in the winter... My boyfriend really wants one of these bad boys.

Jademark e-bike

What's your favorite way of reducing air pollution?

I party at these parties.