Eco & Elsie

Thank you dear readers. My pity party is over! :)

noreply@blogger.com (Jennifer) — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 21:00:00 +0000

Hello dear readers, thank you so much for letting me vent my frustrations the other day. Before going to bed that night, I was really sad and mopey, so I meditated and something beautiful kind of happened. For a split second, this intense feeling came over me that can only be described in these words, "Being grateful is a way of life, not something you can express in words." And then this phrase appeared in my mind, "Don't be afraid to act upon the invitation." This is kind of like a fortune cookie. I don't know what the hell it means exactly, but I'm going to keep it forever! The universe works in mysterious ways my friends. This reminds me I need to thank you all for being so understanding and kind. Your ears and sympathetic comments are very encouraging and I am so lucky to know - whether in real life or online - all of you.

Should you invite children to your wedding?

noreply@blogger.com (Jennifer) — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 12:30:00 +0000

So the question of the day today is...*drum roll please*...
Should you invite children to your wedding?

Photo from The Thirty Something Bride

If you asked me this question five years ago, I totally would of said NO! In fact, I didn't invite children to my wedding by doing it the only etiquette friendly way I knew how - by leaving their names off the invitation. People brought their children anyway and ultimately, it ended up being a ton of fun. Those kids... They rocked it on the dance floor. They were cute and funny and joyful. They had parents that took them out of the room when they misbehaved. I felt like an idiot.

I know not every wedding is conducive to having children attend. What do you think? Will you be inviting them to your wedding?

DIY: Eco-Friendly Out of Town Bags

noreply@blogger.com (Jennifer) — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 12:30:00 +0000

This is a repost from August 2010. :)

I love receiving mail from readers! Especially when they recommend or share an eco-friendly idea or project. When I get "fan" mail, I secretly say to myself, "You love me! You really love me!" Okay, maybe it's not so secretly. Maybe I belt it out in a sing songy voice while doing a river dance. My husband thinks I'm crazy.

I received an email from fellow blogger and Earth Friendly Weddings reader, Kristy of I'm Gonna Marry You Someday, about an awesome DIY project she took on for her own wedding. Rather than purchase bags for the out of town guests, Kristy took a big leap and created her own out of newspapers. The result!? Incredibly cute, wonderfully graphic bags that are truly eco-friendly. And hello!? Completely free! Each bag uses only two pieces of tape, which is promising for those of you who end up with paint in your hair and tape all over your clothes when you try to DIY. Check out the tutorial here!

Come Join My Pity Party

noreply@blogger.com (Jennifer) — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 12:30:00 +0000

Dear lovely readers,

I am having a tough time tonight. A really tough time. I would like to write that I spent a lot of time contemplating whether or not I should be sharing my pity party with you, but I'm kind of channeling Betty White (the queen of bluntness IMO) at the moment, so grab the DJ and start putting toothpicks through those olives! Let's get this party started!

It's been a long day. My daughter, who is 18 months old, is entering the terrible two's and her attitude change is wearing me out. My husband works a lot and I choose to be a stay-at-home-mom, so I play domestic diva most days - cleaning house, child rearing, making dinner, playdates, etc... - and I work on this blog in the evenings. I don't get a lot of sleep as a result. Of course, no one is forcing me to blog. I do it because I like it and because I need a little something to call my own. I have been working hard to build a brand and make this blog an interesting place to visit and I was recently very excited when a company contacted me about doing a sponsored post. However, after a little back and forth, I realized they did not want me to explicitly state that it would be a sponsored post and that I would be receiving compensation. That's okay, I understand where they are coming from, but I didn't feel comfortable not putting a compensation disclaimer because I feel it's misleading. Since I refused to comply, they refused the sponsored post. *Sigh. Standing alone on the dance floor. Stuffing face with tooth picked olives.*

So I am left once again at what feels like a starting point and for some reason, a complete sense of failure. After some thought, I realize my problem is twofold - one, I need more clearly defined goals, and two, I am attaching my sense of self worth to extrinsic achievements (i.e. the success of this blog, my daughter's behavior, my relationships with friends, etc...), when really I need to focus on intrinsic accomplishments. I do believe that by doing this, the extrinsic success will follow, it's just such a hard mindset to leave behind. After all, rarely do we consider "wealth" and "success" to mean anything but "high monetary value."

So off I go. My dad used to tell me to "get over it." (Thanks for the sensitive advice, Dad.) So that's what I am going to attempt to do tonight. Tomorrow is a new day and I promise this PMS laden post will be replaced with a brand, new cheeriness. Optimism is a beautiful thing and as part of my new focus on intrinsic achievements, I plan to implement fully.

*Starting to dance a little. Can see disco ball lights dancing around my head.*

Own It Baby! I'm a Sloth!

noreply@blogger.com (Jennifer) — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 12:30:00 +0000

First off, thank you for such a great response to my imperfection posts. I have received a lot of supportive mentions and e-mails regarding my first post, so thank you for that.

I have to say, I am a bit of a sloth. "Reeeaaallly slow and steady wins the race" is my motto. I blame it on my roots. My mom's from Alabama, my dad's from New York, so I have this weird brain that wants to move fast but can't. I've come to accept my slothy ways.

One advantage to being a sloth is that you rarely find yourself in a stressful situation because of an impulsive decision. On the other hand, you can run yourself in circles trying to make the "perfect" decision. If I was a sloth, this is what would go through my head on my thirty minute climb to the tastiest branch: "I should start with the twigs then move on to the leaves. No, maybe the leaves first and then the twigs. Okay, let's envision I ate the leaves first...am I happy?"

I could never understand how some gals are able to plan their wedding in six months or less, but some of us work well at a faster pace. Whether you are a turtle, a hare, or the ridiculously slow sloth like me, you should be planning at the pace that suits you best. It's also important not to let yourself fall into the comparison trap. For instance, don't listen when a friend says, "Well, I had my invitations done, my venue secured, my cake picked out, aaaand my dress tailored six months before my wedding day." Just smile sweetly and say, "Yeah, but your cake sucked."

Okay, kidding. I had to slip that in. :) The point is to own what works best for you. Enjoy your wedding planning and the days of your engagement!

Choices in Environmentally Responsible Partware

noreply@blogger.com (Jennifer) — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 16:42:00 +0000

When I have a party, the cheap part of me says, "Jennifer, use the plates and cups you already have." The environmentally friendly part of me agrees and adds, "Yeah, listen to el cheapo. You don't need to buy any more and it will only create unnecessary waste in the future." But then the designer in me says, "The plates we have are so ugly and plain."

*Sigh...* I have yet to really buy separate partyware, but here are some of my favorite environmentally responsible pieces curated from around the web. Keep these in mind when planning an eco-friendly engagement party or shower.

1. Kaku By Wasura

2. Recycled Aluminum Serving Tray

3. Veneerware Square Plates

4. Flower Enamel Picnic Collection

5. Recycled Glass Dishes

6. Biodegradable Compote Bowl

7. Reusable Recycled Cutlery

8. Biodegradable Striped Straws

Today I will enjoy...

noreply@blogger.com (Jennifer) — Sun, 22 Jan 2012 03:12:00 +0000

Today I will enjoy:

Ben and Jerry's Smores Ice Cream

A playdate at a local fun place for toddlers and children

Looking for new quick + easy recipes

Picking out blueberry bushes to plant

Hope you are all having a great weekend!

Dreaming of Vacations

noreply@blogger.com (Jennifer) — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 13:30:00 +0000

I've totally been dreaming about a vacation. One that involves sleeping and eating and maybe a little bit of sightseeing. Unfortunately, it's going to be a while before we can take one, for two reasons: kind of hard to travel with a toddler and hubby is busy, busy, busy with a new job. Instead, pretty, pretty pictures will have to suffice. How about you? Any vacations planned in your future?

Yes, please

Stroll on the beach?

Yes! A TV!

Echo, echooo, echooo...

New Yawk

Can I live here?

Bike To Your Wedding + What Kind of Bike Are You?

noreply@blogger.com (Jennifer) — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 12:30:00 +0000

Have you and your partner thought about your riding a bike to or from your wedding? It's economical (much less than renting a limo), environmentally friendly (Pollution! What pollution?) and oooohh, the pictures you will get (even better than a silly trash the dress session).

What kind of bike are you?

Love of classic lines

The talk of the town

Happily Nostalgic

Treehugger and activist

Retro yet Modern

And just for fun, Bride on a Bike!

Stop SOPA!

noreply@blogger.com (Jennifer) — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 12:30:00 +0000

I am pretty against SOPA, the "Stop Online Piracy Act," and since today seems to be the day to protest it, I am hopping on the bandwagon. It's not that I don't care about online piracy or copyright infringement, but this is one of those things that I feel might go a little too far. Although not explicitly stated, the act was really created to protect movie studios and record labels, but it gives the American government an immense amount of control over the internet, as well as the type of material it's users can view. I don't think that's a door we want opened.

Not to mention, it would be really nice if they would put this on hold and focus on some more important things right now - like our ailing economy. Then again, record labels and movie studios have a whole lot of money to spend on lobbyists and I guess it's pretty important that our lawmakers keep them happy. *Rolls eyes and sighs.*

Here is how you can help stop it.

Congress' stand on SOPA and PIPA

Back tomorrow with regularly scheduled programming from Eco and Elsie!

Ways To Care For The Earth On Your Wedding Day

noreply@blogger.com (Jennifer) — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 12:30:00 +0000

How is your wedding planning going? Are you agonizing over whether or not to offer chicken, steak, or fish? You can't understand why your maid of honor hasn't offered to plan your shower yet?

These are such first world problems, right? Did you notice my brief pity party in last Friday's post? I referred to my iPhone 3g camera as "pitiful." Such a first world problem, right? I actually remember cell phones without cameras! (Big, chunky, Nokia REPRESENT!) And yesterday we had a water main break in our neighborhood, which means we are on a 48 hour boil water advisory. Oh, the complaints that came out of my mouth. "What! We have to boil our water? But that takes foreeeever!"

Let's do this together. Put the back of your hand up to your forehead, close your eyes, pout your lips, and say, "Woe is me!"

Donate leftover food. Offer tree seedlings as favors.

With all our modern day worries, it's important to take a step back and realize all we have to be grateful for. Sir Winston Churchill said, "We make a living by what we get, we make a life by what we give." These are some wedding worthy ways to help you do just that.

Adopt or save an animal as a gift to your bridal party.

noreply@blogger.com (Jennifer) — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 03:47:00 +0000

Unfortunately I don't have a new post for today. My daughter has been
sick all weekend and tonight is worse. I am currently holding her in
my arms so that she can sleep upright, otherwise the congestion seems
to cause her more problems. As a result, I am typing this on my phone
and being inundated with vicks vapor fumes.
This is a picture of her from earlier today, when she was in better
spirits. I've been fascinated lately with the way light makes it's way
into a photo and sometimes I find it just beautiful.

Find Your Light, Enjoy The Weekend!

noreply@blogger.com (Jennifer) — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 12:30:00 +0000

I spent the day at the Georgia aquarium for my mom's birthday - did you know they will let you in for free on your birthday? I caught the above picture on my pitiful iPhone 3g camera and then had some fun with instagram and photoshop. I really liked how the sunlight was coming in from above, which gave this room a calm and beautiful presence. The quote, "When you possess the light within, you see it externally," is so simple and so true. Sometimes it's hard to dig that light out of the darkness, especially when stressed or upset, but remember your world is what you make it.

I hope you all have a wonderful weekend ahead of you.
Below are a few links and treats for your reading pleasure. :)

Enter to win a $2,000 wedding dress!
January Photo A Day Challenge
Meatless Monday Inspiration
Graduate Save The Date
Creative Way to Ask Your Maid of Honor
Creative Yarn Chandelier

Join Eco and Elsie on Facebook!

Yay or Nay on "Messy" Wedding Hair?

noreply@blogger.com (Jennifer) — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 03:51:00 +0000

I read somewhere (on Twitter I think) recently that another predicted wedding trend for 2012 is "messy." I'm not sure if this was meant as a trend for hair or an overall theme, but I hope this also applies to makeup because I've got that one covered. I can blame this on the fact that I am a thirty year old mom with months of sleepless nights under my belt, turning half my brain to mush. My morning routine often involves dancing like a monkey just to keep my toddler out of the meltdown zone, who will have a major tantrum because I won't let her suck on the cap of the toothpaste tube (which must contain tasty bits of toothpaste or something).

Anyway, I love the messy hair look, although we all know pretty well it probably takes a long time to make "messy" look good. Scarlet Johansson, or her well paid staff of beauty minions, does a good job of this. What do you think? Would you ever go for "messy?"

Grocery Bag Grandma

noreply@blogger.com (Jennifer) — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 12:30:00 +0000

Do you have any insane relatives? Will you be inviting them to your wedding? The crazy award in my family goes to my late paternal grandmother, who unfortunately passed away by the time I got married. She had two modes of operation - crazy and more crazy. Most of my family members, including me, believe she had a pretty severe chemical imbalance, but I also like to believe that deep down she was a kind, warm-hearted person who just took a wrong turn somewhere in life and couldn't get back on track. I do have to give her credit though for being accidentally green. It was quite common for my grandma to use a plastic grocery bag as a handbag, which was due to more of an apathy about personal style than out of a desire to re-use and reduce.

In honor of my "grocery bag grandma," and in an effort to bring her back to life in a more pleasant light, I thought it would be nice to feature some stylish re-usable grocery totes. So here's to you grandma! I hope you enjoy these "grocery bags"!

1. Ship Tote Bag

2. Fabric Tote Bag

3. Squirrels Lined Grocery Tote

4. City Shopper Shopping Bags

5. What a Sloth! (My personal favorite.)

6. Envirosax Optimistic Bag

7. Hand Printed Blossom Cotton Tote

8. Bright Run Around Bag

FYI: Today is the last day to take advantage of Envirosax 72 hour sale!

*Must spend $50 or more to receive the discount

Simply enter in GREEN2012 in the discount code box prior to checkout
Valid only in USA on www.envirosax.com

Applies to items 'in stock' only during sales period

Offer valid January 9-11, 2012

Digital Papers and Patterns for Invitations and Save the Dates

noreply@blogger.com (Jennifer) — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 12:30:00 +0000

I wonder if some of you know how easy it is to make your invitations. It can be time consuming, tedious, and yes, it can make you want to swear off getting married. And after you manage to glue your fingers together and you've fished the last paper scrap out of your hair, you then wonder how tacky it would be to ask your invitees to hang their invite on the wall and keep it forever, because you are sure the effort you put into creating it can only be paralleled by the work that Michelangelo put into creating the statue of David.

You know what, I am just going to shut up because I might end up talking myself out of writing this post and I really am a fan of DIY projects. :)

Tiffany Blue Digital Paper

Are you planning on making your invitations or save the dates? I read somewhere that patterns are the newest trends in weddings and it seems chevrons are especially loved. Any of these could work well as backgrounds in emailed save the dates (Yay! No Paper!) or even printed on eco-friendly paper.

Primary Chevron Pattern

Thru the Year - 10 Digital Patterns

Circular Digital Patterns

Polka Dot Paper

Holy Cow Cupcakes

noreply@blogger.com (Jennifer) — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 12:30:00 +0000

Just a little randomness for your Monday.

I made these for my daughter's one year birthday party back in July. I really enjoy baking, especially when it's as easy as there were. Junior mints for the ears, vanilla bean jelly belly's for the horns, strawberry puffs for the nose, and mini chocolate chips for the eyes and nostrils. I used a basic boxed mix for the cupcakes, but the icing is homemade cream cheese icing.

Can you tell which one is a little "stoned," as my husband said.

Today I Will Enjoy...

noreply@blogger.com (Jennifer) — Sat, 07 Jan 2012 13:00:00 +0000

I will enjoy:

frozen whoopie pies leftover from New Year's Eve

a one year old's barnyard themed birthday party

coffee tonight with a good friend

my daughter's giggles when she touches our dog's nose

not multi-tasking

In My Head: Trash the Dress

noreply@blogger.com (Jennifer) — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 12:30:00 +0000

What do you think of trash the dress? A few years ago it was a really big thing, but then, you know, the economy went down the tubes and rolling around in the mud in a $5,000 dress suddenly wasn't so appealing. Personally, I never found it appealing. Maybe it's the cheapo, er, I mean frugal, part of me, but I have a problem with destroying anything of significant monetary value, not to mention it's not very environmentally friendly.

I actually still have my dress because some part of me really hopes that one day my daughter will wear it. Yeah, I am one of those moms... However, this is what goes through my head when I think of trash the dress.

Love this!

noreply@blogger.com (Jennifer) — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 21:00:00 +0000

Isn't this amazing? So pretty. Found here (beware, that site sucks you in and you won't be able to leave).

Own It Baby! Embrace Your Feminine Side!

noreply@blogger.com (Jennifer) — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 12:30:00 +0000

This post is for my women readers, and let's face it, that's pretty much all of you. So welcome my female brethren! Let us rejoice in front of the fertility Goddess and drink champagne whilst gossiping about the hot pool boy next door... Oh wait, that's my other life. *Blushes and chuckles at own hilarity*

Anyway, so here's the deal ladies. We women are special. Not special like Gollum, but special in the sense that we have an obligatory duty to care for the world. Before you start throwing feminist bombs at me, I will mention that it's the man's job too. It's most definitely the guy's job and while some are great at it, others would rather chug beer and play video games.

So chug away, fellers. We are awesome and we're going to save the world!

We are the natural caregivers of the world and deep down, we all desire to see our world flourish, our environment protected, and it's people thrive. Maybe it's that we are given (or nature threw this in our lap) the gift of carrying a child in our wombs for 9 months. Perhaps it's because we have the ability to give our babies nourishment and health through nursing (which nature literally threw in our lap). Whatever the case, let's embrace our feminine abilities to nurture and comfort. Whether it's a person, an animal, or part of our environment, we have the ability to heal, comfort, and nurture.

Let's start owning it, baby!

Phew, that was an effort to be inspiring, but I feel like that entire post needed to be played to the soundtrack of Rocky! What inspires you to care for the environment?

I feel I should add that this is no way a commentary about my own husband, who does take the time to put all our recyclables in the recycle bin. Go hubby!

Collaborative Concept Shoot: Luxuriously Eco!

noreply@blogger.com (Jennifer) — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 13:00:00 +0000

Today I wanted to share with you a project I did about a year ago with a few other folks in the wedding industry. It was my first time ever doing a collaborative concept shoot and although it was a great experience, it almost didn't happen. The weather was incredibly uncooperative and the ground was mush from all the rain, but both Lara (of Lara Molettiere Events) and I worked really hard to create this "wedding", so we were determined to see it through to the end. It was originally an entry into the Inspired Creations contest and even though we didn't make it into the top 10, I was ridiculously pleased with the results.

This concept of this shoot was if Marie Antoinette had an eco-friendly wedding. Enjoy. :) Photography by Edward Zeltser Photography.

Our backdrop was the beautiful Swan House of the Atlanta History Center. On a beautiful day, it doesn't get any better than this.

We re-purposed baby food jars by turning them into place cards and planting small lavender plants inside, which enabled them to act as favors as well.

True vintage umbrella from Bella Umbrella

The stand was courtesy of High Tea for Alice, who re-purposes vintage china into delightfully cute dessert stands.

Invitation made by me, during my days running Earthly Affair, and printed on 100% post consumer recycled paper.

Event design and floral – Lara Molettiere Events \ Eco-friendly Stationery – Earthly Affair \ Photography – Edward Zeltser Photography \ Linens – I Do Linens \ Cake – Sweet Sensations \ Calligraphy – Dreamweaver Calligraphy \ Venue – The Atlanta History Center, The Swan House \ Umbrella – Bella Umbrella \ Tea stand – High Tea for Alice \ Rentals – Event Rentals Unlimited

Ideas for Planning a Beautiful, Eco-Friendly Wedding in a Budget Conscious Way

noreply@blogger.com (Jennifer) — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 13:00:00 +0000

So, we are starting 2012 by owning all our imperfections, right? Okay, good.

I have some friends that would say one of my biggest "imperfections" is that I am cheap. I call it frugal, they may call it cheap, but whatever. For instance, I am pretty embarrassed for anyone to see my closet. Not because it's messy or because I have clothes in there from 1995 (seriously, one Old Navy dress from 1995), but because I have very few actual items of clothing. I don't see the point of dropping more than $10 on any amount of clothing if I only sorta care for it, and since I can't afford what I covet, I just don't buy.

What if we applied the same concept to weddings? I personally feel memories will be beautiful whether you've spent $5000 or $50,000 on your wedding. "But," you say, "how can I have a beautiful eco-friendly wedding and not spend lots of money."

Simple, my friend. First off, stop worrying about what other people will think. Seriously, I know a lot of us walk that walk, but now you have to talk the talk. If you worry too much about what someone else may think - your wedding band isn't big enough, your dinner isn't fancy enough, your dress isn't expensive enough - you start letting others dictate your happiness and your wedding budget.

Here are just a few of the ways brides have rocked their wedding by being kind to the environment and to their wallet:

more vegetarian info: A Vegetarian bride shares her wedding day menu

wildflower Wedding Ideas here and here

mom's wedding dress pic found via Offbeat Bride

Own Your Imperfection Baby! (The first resolution to make when planning an eco-friendly wedding.)

noreply@blogger.com (Jennifer) — Mon, 02 Jan 2012 13:00:00 +0000

If you got engaged over the holiday season, then welcome and congratulations! If you're one of my wonderful returning visitors or just passing through, then thank you, thank you for stopping by!

Perhaps it's my lack of time management skills, lack of sleep, or my lack of ability to think about anything other than whoopie pies right now (made some for a New Year's party and I am trying to refrain from eating the leftovers), but the post I had planned to share with you today is just too lame to see the light of your screen. It was supposed to be this insanely awesome, motivational, new-year-new-you kind of speech, perfect for the bride-to-be about to embark on an amazing journey of creating and planning an earth friendly wedding. However, I'm just not feeling it and I don't really feel like trying to pull the kumbaya wool over your eyes.

Rather, I'm going to be perfectly blunt and perfectly honest. If you're about to embark on a series of wedding planning adventures, or perhaps you're already engaged in one, and especially if you want to incorporate all sorts of eco-friendly goodness into your special day, then this should be your first New Year's Resolution: Remind yourself everyday "I'm Not Perfect!"

There you go. Ready. Say it with me. "I'm. Not. Perfect."

Are you the kind of person that needs this reminder? I know I am. Hell, I am the kind of person who stresses out when I have a couple of people over for dinner, can you imagine how insane I went when I essentially invited 120 people over for dinner, with three course meals, dancing, live music, toasts, cake...! So hire a planner, don't hire a planner, employ friends, or do it all yourself (not recommended), but if you want to enjoy the journey of planning a wedding, then don't hold yourself, and your event, to an unattainable level of perfection.

Over the next couple of weeks, we'll expand upon this and start exploring this awesome new level of imperfection and how it relates to planning a wedding with environment in mind. In the most candid and honest way possible, we'll cover:

embracing your love for the earth, yourself, and even how
to embrace your mom's insistence that you wear
her wedding dress...from 1979

planning an earth friendly wedding without breaking the bank
(hey! we aren't cheap, we are frugal!)

handling potential losers who can't deal with
you caring about the earth
thinking inside and outside the environmental comfort box

and much more, my friends!

Merry Holiday Time!

noreply@blogger.com (Jennifer) — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 12:30:00 +0000

photo from 320 Sycamore

Dearest readers, I'm taking a short blogging break for the holidays, but I'll be back in twenty-twelve. I need to tend to a few things over the next two weeks. A big one is to finish up my advertising kit for Eco and Elsie, which I have been avoiding remarkably well. (I'm not sure why, but it's slightly scary - trying to monetize this blog. I feel like selling advertising on it makes me a hack, because it's not like running it is that hard, but if you have a blog, then you know it requires a considerable amount of time and effort to run it.)

Anyway, my husband and I celebrate Hanukkah, so we'll be indulging in some potato latkes and matza ball soup on Tuesday evening. (Hubby thinks I make awesome matza ball soup, but really I just use the ready made mix stuff. Hey, whatever works, right?!) My mom on the other hand celebrates Christmas, so we'll be jingle belling it up on Sunday! Hope you all have a wonderful, beautiful, amazing holiday - whatever you celebrate!

----------------------------------------

If you haven't filled out the Eco and Elsie Reader Survey, I would be so appreciative if you did. It will help me learn more about you and how I can improve this blog to better your experience.