Girl on Bike

Remembering Maui - The Food

2012-05-13T09:04:00.001-07:00

The food in Maui was amazing. We were on the lush side of the island so food grew so abundantly. Everyday Dan and I would peek around the land gathering all the newly ripe fruits. Avocados fell off the trees daily & we ate them with vigor. Thimbleberrys, papaya, banana, lilikoi (passion fruit), soursop, pineapple, were all in season on our property while we were there and other fruits were brought to the stand we worked at by the locals. The food was always fresh & it was very easy to eat healthy.

One morning I found a dish in the community fridge containing a strange looking mixture. Another girl on the farm, Ashley, told me it was her breakfast of sprouted buckwheat, chia seeds, banana, & cinnamon. This meal intrigued me because it was so simple & healthy. A combo of foods I would have never thought to put together but would love to try. I was surprised at how sweet it was having only the banana & cinnamon to flavor it.

Since coming home I haven't had any bananas. I don't usually buy them unless they are in the discount (otherwise we would throw these away) section, because I try to buy as locally as possibly and bananas just don't grow well in Northern California. Yesterday though, someone left one at our house so I immediately thought of the chia/buckwheat porridge. Last night I sprouted the buckwheat and this morning I dined on a memory of Hana, Hi.

Raw Chia Buckwheat Porridge (makes 2 servings)

1/2 cup buckwheat

4 tbsp chia seeds

1 large banana (or 2 small)

healthy sprinkle of cinnamon (to taste)

Cover the buckwheat in water and soak over night. Drain and rinse. Place in bowl and sprinkle with chia seeds. Add just enough water to cover the seeds. Let sit for half an hour. Mash in the banana and add cinnamon to taste. Enjoy!

Herbal Hearth - Homemade Healing Balm/Moisturizer

2012-05-11T09:04:00.001-07:00

Calendula, Tea Tree, & Lavender Coconut Oil Healing Balm

A while back I made a post titled Healing Acne With Simplicity. I talked about my experiments with NOT washing my face and how much it has helped me. I still am not using soap on my face and am still touting its benefits. Today I'd like to expand on this a bit and talk about my homemade facial moisturizer. I have found this simple concoction to be helpful not only as a wonderful facial moisturizer but also as a balm/ointment for wounds & acne.

I first started using this moisturizer as a simple oil infusion. I took raw organic extra virgin coconut oil, mixed it with dried calendula flower petals from my garden and set it in a sunny spot for about 4 weeks. Every day the sun would heat up the coconut oil (which melts at aprox 76 degrees) and melt it, helping the petals to infuse in to the oil. In the evenings the oil would re-solidify. After 4 weeks, while the oil was melted, I strained out the petals using cheese clothing and poured the oil in to an old moisturizer container. I used this every morning & every night for a while.

It's important to note, when using coconut oil as a moisturizer it works best if you apply it while your skin is still wet. It helps lock in the moisture.

Recently I have been having some stress break outs and felt like I needed a little extra help in the moisturizer department so I amped up my recipe a bit by adding some Tea Tree & Lavender oil. I am so in love with this new mixture. It smells amazing and works great no only as a daily moisturizer but also as a minor wound ointment.

Coconut, tea tree, & lavender oils are all naturally antibacterial, and the calendula is anti-inflammatory and aids in healing.

Give it a shot and let me know what you think or if you have an alterations to the recipe you prefer.

Bike Month Sale on GOB Earrings

2012-05-08T19:10:00.001-07:00

It's Bike Month again, and to celebrate I am having a huge sale in my etsy shop.

During the WHOLE month of May you can get 25% off my earrings by using the coupon code BIKEMONTH

Tell your friends, share it on facebook, twitter, your blog. Keep me busy this May so I can make a dent in this huge pile of spent tubes I have building up.

Girls weekend bike trip through Napa

2012-05-02T18:17:00.002-07:00

This past weekend a group of girlfriends and I headed out on our bikes for a trip to wine country. All the pictures below are taken by my friend & cycling partner Yelena of Yelena >< Sophia Photography

First we rode our bikes to El Cerrito then took a bus over to Vallejo

We hopped on our bikes again once we reached Vallejo and headed through Napa to St. Helena
Total miles rode round trip: 77.2(ish)

Getting ready

Vallejo Transit Center

We stopped for a picnic lunch at the Napa State Hospital

Another stop along the way, this time to visit with the wonderful Dorothy at her farm

The wonderful Dorothy

We stopped for some wine tasting along the way

Just a little ddive pastries from Dean & Deluca's

sorting

The wine drinking, cheese eating, cycling ladies

Homemade Food Swap Haul

2012-04-16T16:19:00.002-07:00

This is why I love Homemade Food Swaps! I came out of this one with more food than I get during a regular grocery shopping trip and everything was of amazing high quality and locally made/grown.

I ended up making 5 different things to trade: whole wheat cheese crackers, fruit bars (newtons style in apricot, persimmon, & appleberry), garden huckleberry jam (fruit grown in my yard), medicinal herbal tea blends (all herbs grown in my yard), and edible flowers (from my yard).

Check out all the amazing things I got in my trades!

All this!

3 doz eggs, focaccia, soup, salsa, whey, jams

more jams, strawberry shortcake, bread, cookies, homebrew beer, kombucha, chai tea,

cookies, candied nuts, granola, triple sec, queso blanco, irish soda bread, candied lemon peel, & more cookies

Speeding Back Up

2012-04-05T07:36:00.000-07:00

Slowly, I've been speeding back up. There is a LOT more to do here than my lazy days on the farm in Maui. The good thing, though, is that I really enjoy just about everything I am doing (even if it does make me a bit frazzled sometimes).

Since I was away in January, the Winter Homemade Food Swap didn't happen. Now it's time for the Spring swap, so I have jumped back in to planning & organizing events. To my surprise, I was almost out of spots just two days after opening up registration for the swap. So luckily, this time around, very little time needed to be spent advertising the event. Now I'm just fielding emails, attempting to build a new website for the swaps, and trying to decide what to make for the swap myself (besides those jams I made last fall).

My earrings are a whole other story. I'm struggling to get back in to the major production mode required to stock all my empty stores. So far I have only managed to stock the one down the street from my house and I've been back 3 weeks already.

As always there are tons of projects around the house(s) as well. Some pretty major, lots of work involved, projects. I'm feeling the need for a schedule to plan my time well and make sure it all gets done.

For a little bit of fun, some friends and I have planned a ladies weekend bike trip at the end of the month. It will be nice to spend some real time on the saddle again and ease myself back in to riding. Three months in Maui without a bike has left me a little rusty.

Fun In Maui - Pictures

2012-03-22T14:24:00.001-07:00

Swimming at Venus Pools

Climbing out of "Secret Beach"

Hiking the Kings Trail

Crazy Banana Baking Day:
banana cream pies, banana custard, banana breads, peanut butter banana cookies.

Hiking the Pipiwai Trail through the Bamboo Forest

Makahiku Falls

It's my thing

looking over the cliff of the Infinity Pool

The top pool of that waterfall (the Infinity Pool) is where we were.

Haleakala Crater

Maui Lessons: Choosing to be happy

2012-03-20T09:55:00.001-07:00

Maui Lesson: Choose to be happy and see the positive in every situation you are in.

This lesson is cliche yes, but oh so important to get a reminder in every now and then.
The reality of being surrounded by the same people ALL day and ALL night, living AND working together, actually depending on eachother helped drive home this message for me. It helped me really have a chance to practice it and begin making it a habit of mine instead of just an ideal.

The first month or so while in Maui, I found myself getting sucked in to other peoples bad moods and creating a few myself. I gave in to the strange pleasure of complaining with those around me while trying to hide my shame in doing it. I would feel wrong and but also feel complelled to do it. Somewhere along the line (with a little reminder from Dan, and an awesome perpetually happy couple who stayed on the farm with us) I decided this wasn't making me happy. I felt like these actions were ruining my amazing Maui experience. So I made the decision to actively change. My feelings of discontent still arise but now I make a point to stop my negative line of thought when I realize it I remind myself about all the positives as well. All those little things we think are so awesome when we first realize them but then take for granted as being things we are owed after we have gotten used to them.

I'm not perfectly happy & smiling all the time (if that is even possible) but at least I feel like I have actually gotten on the path to positivity instead of just turning my head to look at it every now and then.

Maui Trip: The Farms

2012-03-16T10:25:00.001-07:00

On our trip to Maui we stayed at two different farms. Two VERY different farms. Each one had it's own lessons to teach us. I plan on making posts going over some of the lessons I encountered but I thought first I would introduce you to our two farms.

The first one, you have already had a little picture introduction to in previous posts:
Hana FarmsThis farm is a business. They have a banana bread & fruit stand right on the Hana Highway. All WWOOF'ers work trade hours go towards helping the business in one way or another. You either help make the products, work the stand, or work the land which supplies some of the ingredients & fruit for the stand (though not many people are allowed this position). I also helped a little with their facebook page & website as well.

Hana Farms offers one of the most generous work exchange set up's we came across. Which is why we chose to go to Maui instead of the big island where you will find the majority of Hawaii WWOOF farms.

At Hana Farms we happened to come at a time when they were low in staff so we had our pick of a few different cabins. The work trade hours were minimal (25 hours a week which includes 6 hours of "garden time") and all of our food was paid for. The food set up was awesome and anytime someone had a complaint I thought about all the other WWOOF farms where they give you only bare bones minimum (some rice and beans). Heck, they even went out and bought us special things like goat yogurt & special cheeses. One thing I can say about the owners of this farm is that they are generous (but of course are weary of being taken advantage of). The farm is on grid. They have water supplied by the city, a clothes washer & dryer, an actual toilet, & a propane heated shower. The kitchen, clubhouse, and some of the cabins have water & electricity in them. The clubhouse even has a projector which allowed for many "movie nights". To us, this place was very luxurious.

We were very grateful for our time at Hana Farms but also wanted to experience some of the more sustainable practices we would love to implement in our own home. Because of this, we decided to switch farms for our last 3 weeks in Maui. (you can see more pictures of Hana Farms in my previous posts HERE)

The second farm we stayed at was in the next town over Nihiku. I won't name this farm since I will be talking about some of their very awesome & sustainable yet somewhat illegal practices.

The Nihiku farm was 3 acres with around 30 chickens, 5 goats, completely off grid powered by solar panels, rain water catchment, composting toilet, solar hot water shower, grey water, etc. The farm is a sustenance farm for the residents. No food or farm products get sold to the public so our work there was very different than at Hana Farms. Here, our work trade was about 15 hours a week, & we were encouraged to come up with our own tasks to work on. The residents there had some cool projects started & the garden could always use weeding & tending. I loved spending time with the animals and really enjoyed spending time with the goats. It surprised me how affectionate they could be. One specifically loved rubbing her head against mine which was the cutest thing ever. The community dynamic at this farm was very different as well. Here we ate meals together with even the owners & their children. It was really nice to have that time together instead of having it only be about work. That simple act did wonders to make it feel more like a community. Food costs were shared by all the WWOOF'ers. People would just take turns purchasing the food & all items were open for anyone to eat. It created some small issues but I was surprised by how well it actually did work.

Here are some pictures of the Nihiku farm:

Looking out on the goat yard

chickens & gardens

Solar hot water heated shower (with propane as a backup)

one of many ponds

Bamboo tool rack Dan built

Solar dehydrator Dan built

Day 1, HOME from Maui

2012-03-13T07:33:00.000-07:00

I'm HOME!
The amount of gratitude I am feeling for this place is surprising even me. It's overwhelming to be back but it feels so good.
There is so much to do and so much to say. This post will be short but there is plenty more to come. I don't know if I can do one post to sum up the last 3 months so it might be broken up in to a few over the next week or so.

Day 1 home. Today's agenda:
*catch up on emails.
*get together earring supply tools and prep for production (excited to see if any new designs come to me)
*explore the changes in the garden. There will be weeding! And HARVESTING!
*declutter (after living out of a backpack for 3 months you realize how little you really need)
*call the fam-bam & tell the same stories over and over

I think that's about all I can handle for the day.
I can't wait to share all my Maui photos with you.

Garden Fresh Tabbouleh

2012-01-31T14:26:00.000-08:00

The garden here is overflowing with various greens right now so I am constantly trying to come up with tasty ways to eat them. I have found this tabbouleh recipe is a great way to use up all the parsley and mint we have growing here. Traditionally, tabbouleh uses bulgar wheat as the grain but I prefer the snap & protein pack of quinoa. I also like the idea of kicking out wheat here and there when its convenient. This nourishing side dish has a wonderful fresh flavor that makes "getting your greens in" no trouble at all.

Garden Fresh Tabbouleh

1 cup cooked quinoa (cooled)

1 1/2 cup fresh parsley, minced

2/3 cup fresh mint, minced

1/2 cup fresh onion, chopped

1/3 cup dice tomatoes

3 tbsp lemon juice (or more to taste)

3 tbsp olive oil

salt to taste

Mix together all ingredients together in large bowl & serve. Can be made ahead of time and refrigerated.

End of week 2 at the farm in photos

2011-12-28T14:25:00.000-08:00

"Farm Day"

Pulling Weeds

Dan cutting Comfrey

The Kitchen & The Clubhouse

One of 8 resident cats on the property

Paths lined with papaya trees

Jungle Huts

Our outdoor shower

Cacao pod

Soursop - taste like sour candy

Where we grow our veggies

Thimble Berry

Christmas Eve at the beach

"Red Sands"

Hiding in a cave while the rain passed by

Christmas morning treats

Last night of Hanukkah Latke prep

Latkes with guacamole

End of week one on the "farm"

2011-12-20T19:43:00.000-08:00

The past few days I have been taking tons of pictures documenting our time here. Then...I realized the memory card wasn't in the camera :( wah wah

We finally made it out to the beach. The BEACH! In DECEMBER! The sun was out & the water was so warm. Somehow we magically didn't get burned. It was pretty great playing in the water. One of those "feel like a kid again" moments that lasted for quite a few moments. Ocean water that is warm enough to get right in to without cringing is so indescribably wonderful. I can't wait to make it out to the beach again.

I REALLY wish I had a bike out here. It is not very fun having to rely on hitchhiking to get around. Some people seem to have great luck with us but Dan and I don't seem to be those people. With all the moisture in the air apparently bikes (and everything else) break down pretty quickly. Our computer, ebook reader, and cell phone all have a bit of trouble as well. Sometimes they freak out a bit or wont even turn on. This causes some delays in updates but I'll keep at it.

My job on the farm is mainly baking. The farm has a farm stand where they sell various fruits, coffee, breads, candies, jams, & hot sauces almost all made here on the farm. Sometimes I help make the other products, work the farm stand, or help clean up as well. It's nice to mix it up a bit.

Being a punctual girl, "Island Time" is a bit hard for me to grasp. There have been a few times where someone has told me something like "we will be leaving in about 20 minuets". I now know this actually means an hour and a half. This, I don't much like. I have noticed myself slowing down a bit though. I walk slower, take more naps, take longer to clean up, and just move a little slower in general. I think its just because I actually have the time to do these things.

The food situation is interesting. The kitchen here is stocked better than our kitchen at home. There are regular items they buy every week and we are allowed to make special requests as well. All these things that Dan and I consider special occasion or every now and then foods are always in stock here. I have to make sure to resist the urge to have cream cheese on my bagels every morning. We have been chowing down on all the fruits our little hearts desire. Smoothies, fruit & veggie juices (we have a juicer here) , fresh fruits, it's wonderful! The other residents here are really good cooks too. We have many communal dinners. I am loving the break from cooking and getting to taste other peoples creations. Some amazing things have filled our plates since we've been here.

Alright, I've got the memory card in my camera. I promise more pictures next post.

WWOOF-ing in Hawaii

2011-12-16T16:37:00.000-08:00

I'm in Hawaii!
Maui to be a bit more specific. Dan and I have decided to skip winter this year and head for the tropics. We will be WWOOF-ing for the next three months at a small farm in Maui. Today is day 4 and I think we made the right choice when we choose this particular farm. I am very excited for the months ahead.

Our first night in Maui we were lucky enough to stay with friends of friends. They were so amazing and we are so grateful for their help. We really didn't want to attempt hitching the Hana Highway at night. They picked us up from the airport, cooked us dinner & breakfast, & gave us a comfortable room & bed to sleep in. So much more than we would have ever expected.

The second day we had some breakfast, picked some fruit, then started hitchhiking. It took 3 hours but someone finally picked us up. We had a lot of locals drive past us holding up their thumb & index finger (like when you are saying "a little bit"). After about the 4th time we worked out that they were telling us they were only going a short distance and that it must be a well known symbol around these parts.

Dan with our Hana sign

The ride to the farm was winding, long, & rainy but we arrived in one piece. Everyone at the farm has made us feel welcome. Our work/trade hours are minimal and we have plenty of time to explore. In exchange for our hours we get free room & board which includes a nicely stocked kitchen & all the tropical fruit we can eat.

Our cabin at the farm

Ocean view from our cabin

The mosquitoes have gone nuts feasting on my poor arms & legs but I expected no different. I knew what I was getting in to and have gone in to town today for some anti itch cream. Dan is getting bitten pretty bad as well though hes attempting the" stay covered up at all times" tactic. It's hot and I love to feel the breeze so I am choosing to endure the bites. Everyone here on the farm is telling me your body gets used to it after a few weeks and the bites stop itching and swelling nearly as much. It's so awesome here I'm willing to wait out the discomfort & slather on my anti itch cream for now.

Just a fraction of my mosquito bites

I'll try to get on every few days with pictures & updates. Have a good winter everyone, I know I will :)

Leafs, bikes, & explosions

2011-11-18T10:51:00.000-08:00

One of my favorite things about riding my bike in Autumn, is the leaves in the streets & pathways.

I like to pretend they are targets and my bike is armed with a laser. As I run over them, the crunch of the leaf is the explosion of my laser hitting the target.

Sign the petition to help pass Cottage Food Laws in California

2011-11-03T10:58:00.000-07:00

I got this email from one of the folks over at SELC and wanted to pass it on to all of you. Currently 23 states have Cottage Food Laws. The most recent states to enact these laws are Arizona, Arkansas, South Dakota, Texas, Washington, & Florida. Help make the cottage food laws a reality in California.

"The Sustainable Economies Law Center is launching the Cottage Food for California campaign!

As part of a growing movement to localize food systems and stimulate small-scale food production, we are proposing that the California State Legislature allow for the sale of certain home-made food products, namely: baked goods (but with no cream or meat fillings), jams and jellies, candy, granola and other dry cereal, popcorn, waffle cones and pizzelles, nut mixes, chocolate covered non-perishables (such as nuts and dried fruit), roasted coffee, dry baking mixes, herb blends, and dried tea.

To sign the petition, go to
http://www.theselc.org/cottage-food-laws/

They need support to make this happen!"

Feeling Fall

2011-10-17T18:15:00.000-07:00

I've really been feeling fall these past few days. I'm getting excited for my small ways of celebrating Samhain (like decorating my mantel with dried leafs, sticks, & spent seed pods).

Of course, I've also been focusing on preserving my fall harvest in jams, sauces, ferments, etc. I have herbs hung all around the laundry room and have started gathering containers to store everything in.

And the swaps, OH THE SWAPS! Last weekend two big fall swaps were scheduled: Fall Plant Swap, & Fall Homemade Food Swap. Unfortunately, I am in the middle of a flu that has pulled me right back to childhood with its intensity. I was forced to miss both of my highly anticipated swaps. :(

I hope you all are enjoying fall, what ever that looks like in your neck of the woods.

Putting Up My Fall Harvest - Canning Tomato Sauce

2011-10-06T16:12:00.000-07:00

I haven't had much experience with canning. My mother is a "Master Food Preserver" so I haven't had to learn how to do it myself. I just pick up a bag full of jams, pickles, & sauces every time I go for a visit. But she lives far and I decided it was time to stop being lazy and get a little bit deeper in to practicing what I preach.

Those lovely jars of pasta sauce up there. That's all me! I got a bunch of tomatoes at the crop swap last weekend so I did a harvest of my own and joined them with the ones for the swap. I was SURE it would be enough for 4 or 5 jars of pasta sauce. Obviously I had never made pasta sauce for canning before. Those 2 jars are all my millions of tomatoes gave me, but I'm sure they are two amazingly delicious jars of sauce. Hopefully I'll get my hands on some more tomatoes soon and make another batch.

Traditionally, you remove the seeds & skin when making pasta sauce. I think that is a huge waste of both time and nutrients. Instead, I just ran all my tomatoes through a blender, skin, seeds, & all. I then sauteed up some onions & garlic in olive oil, added rosemary, the tomato puree, basil, & parsley. A pinch or two of salt and let the whole thing simmer till it was the thickness I desired.

I'm no expert, so I don't want to give any instructions for canning but there is a TON of information online. A quick search will turn up more info then you could ever look through.

My Backyard Crop Swap Haul

2011-10-01T16:51:00.000-07:00

Today was the second of our newly started Backyard Crop Swaps that happen at the Phat Beets N. Oakland Satruday Market. These swaps happen the FIRST Saturday of every month. Last month was our first one and I came home with an impressive spread of fruits & veggies. This time was even better with more people showing up and a wider range of items.
I brought a bunch of mullein (for teas), culinary sage, Vietnamese cilantro, tree collards, & baskets of garden huckleberries.

I came home with all this:

From the top:
Large bag of dried stinging nettle
oyster mushrooms
summer squash
curly parsley
figs
tomatoes
large zucchinis
eggs
mint
Jerusalem artichokes
hot peppers
peppino melon
purple potatoes
and green beans.

And I didn't have to spend a dime!
Eating well and healthy is totally possible when you can get your community together to share their resources. With events like these swaps everyone who participates benefits. Like me, you can turn your bumper crop (even if it's just herbs you grow in pots on your porch) in to wide variety of produce.
I'm off to turn all those tomatoes in to some pasta sauce. More on that later :)

Getting Hyper Local This Weekend

2011-09-22T09:54:00.000-07:00

Come out to the N. Oakland Farmers Market Saturday Sept. 24th for an afternoon of fresh local produce and handmade goods.

East Bay Arts Collective will be setting up a group show with some amazing vendors selling locally made goods including: bags, clothing, jewelry, homegoods, kids items, fine art, accessories, homemade snacks, and more.

Phat Beets farmers market has a wonderful selection of pesticide free produce vendors with a focus on affordability. $1.50lb peaches anyone?

Come shop for some great local produce then browse the EBAC Craft Fair and support some amazing local artists and crafters.

Phat Beets Farmers Market

5717 Market St.

Oakland, CA

Facebook Event Page: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=161854123897066

Healthier Homemade Cheese Crackers

2011-09-08T18:08:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow I'm leaving for a camping trip, so the day today was spent preparing food to take with us. We will have to hike in all our food which means lots of dehydrator action to save some weight. Currently I have 8 trays going full of lentil stew with garden veggies, peanut butter kix snack bars, blackberry apple peach fruit leather, and fruit chunks for oatmeal breakfasts. I only made one thing today that caught some oven time... Homemade Cheese Crackers!
Dan and I love cheese crackers and they make the perfect savory snack for camping trips. I decided this time around to health them up a bit so I threw in some whole wheat flour and ground flax seeds. These bad boys still have a good amount of butter, and of course cheese so they are not the healthiest snack. But, they are made with whole wheat flour and flax, so you can feel just a little bit better about that extra handful.

Healthier Homemade Cheese Crackers
1 cup Flour
1 cup Whole Wheat Flour
1/3 cup ground flax seeds
1 1/2 cup shredded cheese of your choice
1/2 cup butter cold, cut into cubes
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
fresh or dried herbs of your choice (thyme, marjoram, basil, rosemary, etc.)
1 tsp salt
dash of pepper

Place all ingredients in a food processor and pulse until well incorporated. Slowly add cold water one tablespoon at a time till dough comes together. Separate dough in to two balls, wrap in plastic wrap and put in the refrigerator for 1 hour.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Take out one ball of dough and roll out to about 1/8 inch. Use a small cookie/garnish cutter or cut in to roughly 1 inch squares. Repeat with the other ball of dough. Bake for 15 min. Let cool, then enjoy!

Locally Made Finds & Food Trucks...August 19th

2011-08-18T08:00:00.000-07:00

I will be at this tomorrow!

Check out the event page on Facebook!

The East Bay Arts Collective will be getting together a select group of artists for a Trunk Show & Open Studio in Temescal.

This event will be going on during the same time and just a block away from Bites off Broadway http://www.bitesoffbroadway.com/ so you can spend your Friday night eating some of the Bay Area's best food truck fare while browsing some amazing handmade utilitarian artwork by east bay artists.

Shop home-wares, jewelry, accessories, paper products, and gifts.
All handmade right here in the East Bay!

Featured artists:
By Lee Design
http://www.etsy.com/shop/byleedesign

Meta Light
http://www.etsy.com/shop/metalight?ref=pr_shop_more

Dawn Kathryn Studio
http://www.etsy.com/shop/DawnKathrynstudio

Girl on Bike
http://www.etsy.com/shop/girlonbike

Mayene
http://www.etsy.com/shop/mayene

Enchanting Stamps
http://www.etsy.com/shop/EnchantingStamps

Misfit Yarns
http://ladylazarusplath.etsy.com/

Mangosteen Jewelry
http://mangosteenjewelry.etsy.com/

Kalika Designs
http://www.etsy.com/shop/kalikadesigns

Healing Acne With Simplicity

2011-08-13T08:32:00.000-07:00

As each year passes I move more and more down the path to simplicity. Each step seems to ease a small load off my back and clear just a little bit of my mind. I document some of my steps here but most I choose not to. This next one wasn't going to be one I shared, but the results have been great and I'd love to pass this on in case it could help anyone else out there.

I have acne. I'm 27 and it still plagues my face. The second puberty hit the little beasts arrived, and they haven't gone away since. Until recently there hasn't been much that has offered any relief either. I have religiously washed my face every morning, and every night for just about as long as I could remember. I've even had friends comment on their amazement of my ability to make it a priority even after a night of drinking and staying out late (something which is no longer part of my life). Instead of crashing right to bed and passing out, I always made sure to wash my face and drink as much water as I could stomach first.

It never occurred to me that all this washing could be part of the problem. Though the years I moved from nasty paraben filled toxic concoctions to more "healthy" brands of cleaners. My first breakthrough came when I thought "maybe my skin is just sensitive" so I started trying ultra calming soothing cleansers and moisturizers. I saw a slight improvement and thought I was on to something. Then I went to visit my sister. She lives states and an expensive plane flight away so I rarely get to see her. While visiting her she casually mentioned during one of my face washing fits that she never washed her face. It struck me as amazing! He face is a beautiful porcelain, seemingly perfect. I just assumed other factors were at play...she got the "good" genes, her body chemistry changed after giving birth, she had found the perfect combo of foods that works just right for her body.
I filed this knowledge away and continued washing my face. Slowly I started meeting more and more people who simply never wash their faces. "I just throw a little water on my face every now and then" or "I only wash when I shower...which is about once a week". Once a week??? I had been washing mine 14 times a week!

Finally my curiosity got to me and I decided to give it a shot. With very little confidence and bracing myself for it to "get worse before it gets better", I began simply wiping my face with a wet washcloth (cold water) every morning and night. If needed, I still added moisturizer. Even if I had put on makeup that day, all my face received was a cold washcloth wipe down. Once or twice a week, when I showered I would wash with an ultra gentle cleanser. You know what happened??? My face NEVER "got worse before it got better", it just got better!

This is an ongoing process of course, but at this point I'm no longer washing, even in the shower. No cleansers touch my face, just water. I've even moved from store bought moisturizers to an amazing homemade one using coconut oil infused with calendula (grown right here in my front yard).

This small act alone has made my skin smoother than I ever thought possible, dramatically improved my acne problem, dropped two expensive items from my shopping list, stopped a trail of energy use and waste, saved me a little time everyday, and given me just a few less things to worry about. I really wish I would have tried this sooner!

I'm not going to show you before and after photos. It would be impossible to give an accurate representation of something that is constantly in flux. And I don't want to give the impression that my face is magically cured and will never have a pimple again. They still show up, but a lot less often and they seem to heal a lot quicker now too (I think that's due to the calendula). I just wanted to share this and let people know there are other options. Other things you can try beyond just buying more products and hoping that the next one will work. As time passes I grow more and more convinced that letting everything in life go as naturally as possible seems to give the best results.

New Grips

2011-08-10T08:22:00.000-07:00

I decided to give in and actually purchase new grips. (some of my previously homemade grips: HERE)