Without Further Ado....FOUR!

I know, I know. 

I'm still slacking on the blog this summer.

But, once again, everyone can thank my Oma for giving me a little nudge to post Tripp's 4th birthday pics.

What?! 

My *baby* is already 4?!

Wasn't he just born?

And how did 4 years just fly by before I can even catch my breath?!

Well, it did and this 4 year old wanted to celebrate his birthday with a camping and fishing party! 

It was so much fun!

 Tent Pinata Prep Work

 MeMe gave him his 4 wheeler on the morning of his actual birthday.

 Birthday cupcake

Ready for his party!

 The spread...camping fare. Hot dogs, trail mix, "roasted" marshmallows w/ pretzel sticks, mixed goldfish crackers, chips and dip, fruit and veggie trays and the watermelon that MeMe carved with little fishes that sat in the fridge until the next day :/

 Not only did he need this cake (my most detailed to date), but also he informed us he wanted "dirt and worms" cupcakes. 

My go-to for natural food coloring

 The pinata was a hit! 

A tent filled with granola bars, boxes of raisins, packs of peanut butter crackers and more camping themed goodies! They didn't miss the candy at all.

Henry really racked up!

 Where's Tripp?

 His balance bike from Nana and Poppie...which he LOVES by the way!!!

And really, who needs all those birthday presents when, really the box is the most fun.

Seriously. We've yet to be able to recycle the darn thing!

Happy Birthday Tripp! I can't wait to see what year 4 has in store!!

Cotton District Arts Festival

I'm an arts fest lover to be sure and the Cotton District Arts Festival quickly usurped all the rest in my heart last year. I was definitely looking forward to this years and was not disappointed!

My parents joined us for the fun, too!

 Having a tough time b/c he really wanted a red string or black.

He settled for pink.

 Very cool addition for this year was the drum/percussion circle open to anyone who felt the beat.

 Serious stuff, those balloon animals

 Charlie LOVED this toy and I was planning on buying it.
A few minutes later, the guy snatched it up and sold it to someone else.

Charlie was not happy.

Ever seen a 1 year old throw a fit? 

Well, you would have if you were nearby when this went down.

 simple fun.

giant bucket o' chalk

 Walking around with Nana

Tripp LOVES his owl pillow my friend Alisha made!

Besides the owl pillow, Tripp really racked up. 

He picked out 3 pieces of art from one of my favorite semi-local artists for his room.

Well, technically he picked out about 6 pieces, but mom and I talked him down to 3 small ones. 

He was also really convinced he needed or that my mom needed several other items, but was distracted otherwise. At least my little bud can appreciate the beauty of homegrown, local artists!

Have you ventured out into your community lately? 

The creativity may surprise you!

Wool Dryer Balls

No need to purchase those dryer sheets and fabric softener anymore!

Instead, use a reusable alternative that is WAY more fun and better for your clothes AND the Earth.

Plus, did you know that fabric softener and dryer sheets are extremely toxic and harmful to your health?

Wool Dryer Balls!

These worked fabulously and they will not only save you money from not having to buy conventional dryer sheets and fabric softener, but they will also noticeably decrease your drying time!

Double the Points for this ecofrugal item!

You will save money on your energy bill after tossing these wool dryer balls into your dryer as well as precious time drying laundry!

Wool dryer balls also are gentle on your clothes unlike the plastic dryer balls you'll find in the big box stores.

They reduce static and soften your clothes!

They are quiet, so no worry about the noise of balls bouncing around your dryer.

When these beauties aren't in your dryer, fun can be had by all playing with these.

Charlie loves them so much, I really should just buy him some to play with instead of him rushing to the dryer to help unload, so he can find one to sneak off.

You don't need many of these, however, the more you use, the quicker your clothes will dry.

Thus, you'll save more money on energy costs in the long run.

The general recommendation is to start with 4 and many people end up using anywhere from 8-12.

So, let's recap...

Wool Dryer Balls

*save you time & money

*better for your clothes

*better for the Earth

*reduce static and softens clothes, towels, cloth diapers, etc

*quiet, attractive, customizable

*multi-purpose

*100% natural, sustainable reusable product

Have I convinced you yet to make the switch?

Not yet?

Well, how about a GIVEAWAY, to convince you to try them out?!?!

Nicole of Natural Family Supplies  has generously donated a set of SIX beautiful, handmade Wool Dryer Balls to be given away!

To enter, Simply "Follow" my blog and do at least one of the following:

1. "Like" Natural Family Supplies on Facebook

2. Follow their blog, Mountain Top Tribe
Or

3. go to their website and tell me which of their products you love!

Then, just leave a comment here letting me know you did and Voila! You're entered!

This giveaway is open to US and Canadian residents (I don't mind shipping internationally, but you would have to cover the extra shipping costs) and will be open for 1 week. I will draw using random.org on Wednesday, April 11th  first thing in the morning.

Want more tips on being ecofrugal???
Part 1: Reusable Snack Bags & Sandwich Wraps

Part 2: Reusable Feminine Products

Part 3: Say Goodbye to Plastic Wrap & Aluminum Foil... 

Say Goodbye to Plastic Wrap & Aluminum Foil...

and Hello! to Reusable Lid Covers!

For the third part of my Ecofrugality: From Disposables to Reusables series, I want to introduce you to the awesomeness of reusable lid covers.

Gone are the days of plastic wrap and aluminum foil...

These lid covers have a cute outer fabric and a waterproof inner fabric to help keep your food fresh.

Not only are they super cute and personalized to your liking, but they are functional and an inexpensive way to reduce your waste!

Like many of the handmade products I feature, there are several etsy and hyena cart shops that make these in some form or fashion.

My personal favorite is Rebel TLC's. 

She has a TON of fabrics to choose from as well as the largest variety of lid cover sizes.

She literally has designed a lid cover to fit over anything you can imagine from an open cup of yogurt to than half used can of condensed milk all the way to your largest serving platter or casserole dish.

Her prices are more than reasonable as well!

Now for the BEST PART!

Kelli of Rebel TLC's has donated 2 of her lid covers for this giveaway!

AND you get to pick the size and print!

How awesome is that?!

My giveaways are simple:

1. "Follow" my blog by clicking the follow tab to the right.

2. "Like" Rebel TLC's Facebook Page! 

3. Leave a Comment on this post letting me know you're interested and what sizes and print you would choose!

And that's it my friends!

   

Want more tips on being ecofrugal???

Part 1: Reusable Snack Bags & Sandwich Wraps

Part 2: Reusable Feminine Products

This giveaway is open to US and Canadian residents (I don't mind shipping internationally, but you would have to cover the extra shipping costs) and will be open for 1 week. I will draw using random.org on Thursday, March 17 first thing in the morning.

Ecofrugality: Reusable Feminine Products

Yes, I know.

This one just sounds kind of "out there", but stick with me foks. 

Except for you, Dad. You're excused from this post ;)

Seriously, though, why spend money every single month on disposable mentrual products?

The options for reusable ones fit every budget and taste. 

Plus, do I even have to mention the toxins that are so close to such an intimate area?

This seems like an easy choice...less money, less waste, eliminate toxins and reusable products are much more comfortable.

Have I lost you yet?

Are you still thinking "crazy hippie"?

Let me assure you that I'm not the only one out there rethinking my monthly flow.

If you just google, you'll see how many different reusables are out there. 

There is quite a market.

And, I will let you in on a secret...

Users of  cloth pads, menstrual cups, sea sponge tampons...all claim that cramping is noticeably LESS and that their periods are SHORTER!

Um, hello?!?!

Personally, I love the sea sponge tampons and cloth pads.  I've never used a menstrual cup, but know plenty of satisfied women who have.

sea sponges

 

Menstrual Cup

The one pictured is the Diva Cup. The Keeper Cup and the Moon Cup are 2 other popular brands.

Assortment of cloth pads...liners, regulars and overnights

Most of my stash is from a dear friend, Nic at Crimson Moon Pads.

Her pads are made with super soft flannel and she has snaps on the wings to keep them snuggly in place.

I heart her pads!

Now, I know you're wondering about the washing/cleaning aspect. The cups and sea sponges are simple, rinse and reuse. The pads at our house are thrown in with the cloth diapers and it's no big deal. When I no longer have diapeys to wash :(, I will throw them in and do a quick rinse cycle before washing the remaining load of towels/kitchen linens, etc. In the meantime, a wet bag is perfect for storage on the go or around the house.

Easy. Peasy.

 

Still not totally convinced that you should switch from disposable feminine products to reusable ones?

Well, how about this?!

My friend Nic has graciously donated one of her "Try It" Packs to be given away!

It consists of 2 regular 9" cloth pads in a fabric of her choosing.

All you have to do is :

1. Follow my Blog by clicking the "follow" button to the right --->

2. "Like" Crimson Moon Pads on Facebook

3. Leave me a comment letting me know you've done #1 & #2.

 This is the second post in my Ecofrugality: From Disposables to Reusables series.

My first post with an awesome coupon code for reusable snack bags and sandwich wraps

can be found here.

Reusable Snack Bags and Sandwich Wraps

This is the first part in my Ecofraglity: From Disposable to Reusables series. 

We've all bought those cheap little plastic baggies and used them thousands of times.

Which means we've thrown them away thousands of times...

So why not replace them with a super cute reusable bag?!

Sure, there are other storage containers to use that you may even have in your kitchen already.

But, to ease into a new habit without wanting back your old one is more easily done with something that is close to the same. 

Enter the Reusable Snack Bag and Sandwich Wrap!

Aren't these the cutest things??

I'm a big fan of cute, functional and reusable.

Not just for your kiddos, either.

You can have a stylish lunch as well. And don't worry guys, there are plenty of manly options out there.

I personally am sold on Mada's Place  on etsy.

Her bags and wraps are my favorite out of SEVERAL brands I've tried. 

In fact, I'd almost given up hope until I found her bags and wraps.
The size is perfect and the inner linings keeps your food fresh.
We've used our snack bags to hold everything from crackers to apple slices to carrot sticks.

Her sandwich wraps measure 12"x12", so it'll hold a sandwich scaled for any appetite. In fact, I usually put 2 pb&j's in one wrap when we take a picnic to the park.

I prefer the wrap to sandwich bags as it creates a nice little placemat for your lunch when it's unwrapped.

The inner lining is water- resistant, food-safe nylon making cleaning up a snap! 

Just shake the crumbs off into the trash, wipe it with a damp cloth, or toss it in the wash. 

The snack bags are 7"x6" and feature a fashion cotton print outer and a food-safe nylon inner with a strip of velcro on the top to keep it sealed until you're ready to eat!

Seriously, get rid of the toxic plastic baggies that you just throw away and upgrade your snacks and lunches with cute, cute, cute reusable bags.

You'll save money and you'll make your life and home just a little healthier.

I know I said I'd make this ecofrugality series fun! 

So, to kick it off, how about something for everyone?!?!

All I ask is that you Follow my blog and leave me a comment letting me know if you placed an order!

Stephanie, owner of Mada's Place, has graciously given a coupon code to my blog readers.

The code is good through Feb. 28, 2011 and can be used once per customer.

If you order quickly, these bags would make great little Valentine's gifts!

For 10% off enter coupon code GOODLIFE10

Check our her entire shop while you're there! She has tons of cute items!

The Final Touch

We moved literally the day after Charlie was born almost a year ago. 

Then, a few days later, Will started back to school and work.

Thus, life with a newborn and toddler in a new house and new town took over and our master bedroom just didn't get any attention. 

This summer Will was out for his break and we finally got to do some major projects in there and give it some personal touches.

For Christmas, I picked out the final touch...

A beautiful piece of artwork from a local artist  selling her work at the holiday bazaar.

Thanks mom and dad! It's perfect!

We have this great platform bed but no headboard.

Using an old door that came out of his grandmother's home in Toccopola, Will made us this one of kind headboard for our bed.

Didn't it turn out well?

We make a pretty good team, he and I.

I have the great ideas and he brings them to life.

Or as he would say, does all the work ;)

Another repurposed item from his grandmother's house is this old window frame.

Inside of it is a favorite old tapestry of mine.

The opposite wall is pretty special too.

"All because two people fell in love."