2011 Resolution #2 ... Go Green (Part 2)

As previously stated in 2011 Resolution #2 ... Go Green (Part 1) - I have been doing many things to become more eco-friendly.

Part 2 of of my Go Green Resolution in 2011 was to Use Eco-Friendly Household and Cleaning Products. I have to say this was fairly easy. See below for some great products that I have found. I hope to continue adding to my list...

HOUSEHOLD and GENERAL - Cleaners and Cloth Rags
For everyday cleaning - we use old Rags and Towels to clean up messes. I can honestly say I have not bought Paper Towel in years! And sometimes all you need is a little water to clean something up. I have also found Many Great uses for Vinegar and Baking Soda - which I always have in the house. These 2 products are also great, because they are cheap!
Baking Soda: ARM and HAMMER Baking Soda - 13.5 lb. bag
Vinegar: Bakers and Chefs Vinegar
Water: It Comes out of the Tap ... lol
Rags: Cut up Old Towels or T-Shirts

KITCHEN - Dish Soap and Cloth Towels
Swapping Dish Soaps was no problem. I have used Mrs Meyers and Seventh Generation and found that both worked great. I love the various scents that Mrs Meyers has to offer - and have even tried some of their other products - including Countertop Spray. We also have a large collection of Kitchen Towels, Washcloths & Cloth Napkins - Most of which are from Estate Sales, Rummages or Etsy!
Dish Soap: Seventh Generation Dish Liquid or  Mrs. Meyer's Clean Day Dish Soap
Countertop Spray:  Mrs. Meyer's Clean Day Counter Top Spray
Dishwasher Detergent: Can anyone recommend a product?

BATHROOM - Cleaners and Cloth Rags
Same as with the Kitchen, swapping cleaners was not a problem. With a little elbow grease, anything is easy to clean. We use a traditional Toilet Brush, you don't need anything fancy. We use various cleaning products from Bio Kleen Bac Out - including the Bathroom Cleaning and General Purpose Enzyme Cleaner. We also re-purpose old towels as rags for cleaning the bathroom and other areas of our house.
Toilet Brush: Casabella Bowl Brush Set
Bathroom Cleaner: Biokleen Bac Out Bathroom Cleaner Spray
General Purpose: Bac-Out Stain and Odor Eliminator
Toilet Bowl: Can anyone recommend a product?

LAUNDRY ROOM - Detergent and Dryer Balls
I have sensitive skin and have always tried to use more natural detergent - so as not to irritate it. Currently I am using ECOs for Everyday Laundry Cleaning. During the summer we hang all of our clothing outside - to air dry. In the winter, I do have have an indoor drying rack, but also use the dryer. I currently have some Nellie's Dryer balls (instead of dryer sheets) - but would like to try Wool Dryer balls.
Laundry Detergent: ECOS Liquid Laundry Detergent Magnolia and Lily
Dryer Balls: Nellie's Dryer Balls

Any other recommendations? Have a great product I should try? I would LOVE to hear from you :)

2011 Resolution #2 ... Go Green (Part 1)

2011 Resolution #2 ... Go Green (Part 1)

Okay - This may seem 'a little broad' ... but let me explain. Going green, being eco-friendly ... is nothing new to me, but I want to do more.  I didn't want to become overwhelmed by doing it all at once, as I wanted to ingrain my earth friendly practices into my everyday life.

One area that was new from me in 2011 - was Body Care products. I wanted to quite using harsh chemicals - as it would be better for me, my family and the environment. This is still a work in progress - but I would like to share the items that I am currently using, how I got to where I am and I'm hoping to get some suggestions for even better items!

HAIR CARE - Shampoo and Conditioner:
Currently I only use Shampoo and Conditioner. I do not use any styling products, a hair dryer or dyes. Over the last year I have worked my way down to only washing my hair once every 2 to 3 days. To get to this point, I started by Swapping between my old, harsh shampoo to a new sulfate and paraben-free shampoo every other day that I washed my hair. From there, I started to skip a day of washing on occasion and then made it a regular practice for several weeks. And then I gave up my harsh shampoo all-together. I now use a more eco-friendly sulfate and paraben free shampoo ever 2 to 3 days. I have to say, my hair never looked better. I did the same thing with conditioner - and when I feel like I need it, I use one with Tea Tree oil.
Shampoo: Kiss My Face Whenever Shampoo for Frequent Use, 11-Ounce Bottle
Conditioner: Tea Tree Oil Therapy Conditioner - 8 oz,(Jason Natural)

BODY CARE - Body Wash, Deodorant, Lotion, Shaving and Bubble Bath!
Body wash was a fairly easy thing to change. I was able to make the switch by using the Old & New every other day, and then just completely switching over to the new. I like the Grapefruit scent to the Kirks - as it gave me an awake feeling. I would like to add that I do have sensitive skin & have on occasion reacted to new Laundry Detergents, etc - I have found that Castile Soap w/ Tea Tree oil is great for cleaning these areas, reducing irritation and promoting quick healing. Deodorant was probably one of the most difficult to switch. I have very sensitive under-arms but knew that I needed to get away from the Aluminum laden product that I was using. I felt like I was addicted to it, as it was the only thing that had worked for me and I was afraid of change, as I did not want an adverse allergic reaction. Here is how it went. I started using Arm & Hammer Natural Deodorant- as I knew that it was free of aluminum. Prior to the swap I would apply my Anti-Perspireant/Deodorant twice a day - right after my shower (at night) & right before work (in the morning). After making the switch - I decided that I would start to apply it only in the morning before work. WOW did I smell for the first month or 2. I think my body needed to cleanse itself, as I found myself washing my under-arms 2 or 3 times a day - in order to avoid smelling. I am very happy that I did that, because now (a year later) I can go a day or 2 without deodorant, and I am fine! I am happy with my Choice of Deodorant, as it got me away from aluminum, but I have discovered that my 'Natural' Deodorant isn't as natural as I would like it to be & am hoping that someone can recommend some other options. Lotion has been my easiest & hardest area to change, as I actually rarely use it. I am currently using CJ's Creamy Body lotion as hand lotion. And Palmer's Cocoa Butter for stretch marks (new baby!). I also bought some Babo Botanicals for the New Baby & ended up using the Entire Bottle of Bubble Bath, I just loved it! Shaving is interesting. Over the winter, I try to limit the amount of times I shave my legs - as it is simply not necessary. I also use a razor with replaceable head, so that I am not throwing out the entire thing. I also find that they last much longer than you would expect, just be careful. As for Shaving Cream - I now use Kiss My Face Moisture Shave and Love It! It is great for sensitive skin and the packaging is recyclable too!
Body Wash: Kirks Original Coco Body Wash Grapefruit Ginger 16 oz
Castile Soap w/ Tea Tree: Dr. Bronner - Castile Soap Tea Tree or  Desert Essence Liquid Soap
Deodorant: Arm and Hammer Essentials Natural Deodorant, Unscented
Bubble Bath: Babo Botanicals Babo Botanicals Lavender Meadowsweet
Body Butter: Palmer's Cocoa Butter Formula Tummy Butter For Stretch Marks
Hand/Body Lotion: CJ's Creamy Body Lotion (Coconut Lime Dream)
Shaving Cream: Kiss My Face Fragrance Free Moisture Shave

FACIAL CARE - Face Wash and Lotion:
Facial Care was very hard to change, as I felt like I had very sensitive, temperamental skin. My skin also seems to change, as the weather changes, which makes it difficult to know if a product is actually working or not for me. I do have some mild/occassional acne and I am still hoping to find a more natural remedy for this. I was able to switch my face wash & face lotion and I have to say, my face feels less oily now that I have gotten away from one that contained Salycylic Acid (which is for acne treatment). It is however winter now - so we will see what happens in spring!
Face Wash: Burt's Bees Sensitive Skin Facial Cleanser with Cotton Extract
Face Lotion: Burt's Bees Sensitive Skin Daily Moisturizing Cream with Cotton Extract
Acne Treatment: Looking for suggestions

ORAL CARE - Toothpaste:
Currently I use Tom's Of Maine - I have been using this for quite some time and really like it. I like that I can brush my teeth and then go drink a cup of coffee or eat some food without that weird taste in your mouth. I don't use mouthwash & I really should floss ... are there any eco options for floss?
Toothpaste: Tom's of Maine Wicked Fresh Long Lasting Fresh Breath Fluoride Toothpaste
Floss: Looking for suggestions

Overall - another great way to 'Be Green' is to simply use less. You may find that you are using too much shampoo, conditioner or even body wash than you actually need. I found that this to be very true with Body Wash for me - and now use about half of my original amount.

Have you tried similar product? Do you have any suggestions? Please let me  know!

New Year's Resolution #1 from 2011: De-Clutter & Donate

Prior to 2011, I never made New Year's Resolutions - However, I decided it was time to start.  

2011 Resolution #1: De-Clutter & Donate The plan was to get a BIG BOX and put ONE item in everyday to Donate to a Local Charity. I have to say, It was a SUCCESS! In the beginning, I kept a large Cardboard Box in my Kitchen - so that I would see it everyday as Reminder of what I was doing. The great thing was - it worked much better than I thought! Everyday for the first couple weeks I found myself cleaning out a cabinet or drawer to find items I no longer needed! I was cleaning out cupboards that I had not looked in for a couple years. I discovered forgotten items, brand new items & useless items. I found items to sell in my Etsy Store and on Ebay.

After the initial burst of energy, to De-Clutter & Donate, I was able to continue cleaning out Drawers, Shelves & Cabinets throughout the year - in an effort to better organize my life. While the large box is no longer in my kitchen, I now keep a small bag of items in the closet that I am constantly adding to as I find something. AND I can Honestly say I was able to donate OVER 365 Items (1 Item a Day) to the local Thrift Store. As I sit here & begin my taxes for 2011, I have all of my donation sheets and am Very Happy to report that I donated over $1500 worth of items, which feels great!

It's such a great feeling to have accomplished my goal and now it is just a part of everyday life :) Lara

Enter To WIN $25 to Retro ReDesign!

It's been awhile since I have posted to my blog! In order to 'get the ball rolling' I am hosting a giveaway for a $25 Gift Card to my Etsy Shop!

I sell a variety of Vintage Household, Retro Clothing & Costume Jewelry! New Items are added daily!

Check it out Retro ReDesign on Etsy!

Contest Ends 1/30. Winner will be notified via email and have 72 Hours to Respond.

Vintage Cookbook Recipe: Bacon and Tomato Shortcake

Today I made "Bacon and Tomato Shortcake" from my Vintage Cookbook titled "Quick and Easy Meals for Two" by Louella G. Souer (Assoc. Food Editor, Ladies Home Journal). This cookbooks has "Over 200 tempting, easy to prepare menus - over 500 up-to-the-minute, time-saving, kitchen-tested recipes - for brides, young marrieds, career girls and all busy homemakers."


Here is the Recipe:
"Add 1/2 cup milk to 1 can condensed mushroom soup. Add 2 tbsp finely minced onion and 2 tbsp finely minced green pepper. Heat together. Meanwhile, saute 4 strips bacon with 2 thich tomato slices (floured first). Make fresh toast, put a fried tomato slice on each piece of toast. Top with 2 slices bacon. Pour the hot sauce over all and sprinkle with grated cheese."


The things I did slightly different were: used red pepper, instead of green. I also chopped up extra bell pepper and onion and sauted it in a small amount of the bacon fat before adding to the soup/milk mix. Additionally, there was way too much sauce and I did not use it all. Either way, my husband loved it! View More Photos of the Preparation & Finished Product on Flickr.

Stormy Weather & Lightning

I've strayed... again... SORRY! I've been busy renovating my house, planting my first vegetable garden, weddings, work and more! I want to learn how to photograph Lightning and Stormy Weather ... better... Here is one of my first shots... HOPE YOU LIKE IT! check out all of my FLICKR photos HERE!

Vintage Curtains - I Love Them!!

Hello All - Sorry it's been so long! I've been busy! Today I'm trying to decide if I should add curtains or valences to the back 2 windows in the Dining Area in my Front Room. What do you think? I have a nice set of Vintage Fiberglass curtains in the sitting area that have Leaves on them. The color of the leaves matches the Green paint color in my dining area.

I've been searching eBay for some curtain ideas... Here are some Unique Drapes that I found!

Retro RECIPES - California Curry & Cheese Wafers

Today I am featuring some RETRO RECIPES that I tried for dinner tonight!

First I made the Cheese Wafers from the Cookbook "Specialties of the House" from 1960. This cookbook is a selection of "Great recipes that guests ask for - chosen from eight of America's most admired and popular cookbooks ... " My husband thought these were great and is happy that there are more to bake in the fridge... I added freshly chopped chives to the basic recipe.

Cheese Wafers recipe:
Mix together 1 cup flour and 1-1/4 cups grated sharp Cheddar cheese. Cut into this 1/4 pound butter as you would for any pie dough. Roll the dough into a long sausage about the thickness of a quarter, wrap in wax paper and chill several hours in the refrigerator; the dough will, for the matter, keep for a week or two. When needed, slice off the wafers thinly, as you would icebox cookies, and bake in a moderate oven on a lightly greased cooky sheet until golden tan, about 10 minutes. These are delicious. For variation I sometimes add 1 or 2 tablespoons minced ham to the dough, or 1 tablespoon finely chopped parsley or chives. Or the wafers may be sprinkled with caraway or celery seed before baking.

My second recipe was California Curry from the Pyrex Prize Recipes cookbook published in 1953. This cookbook was "Dedicated to All Men, Women, and Children who Love to Cook in Pyrex Ware." This recipe was good - needs more flavor & I forgot to add the cashew nuts.

Ingredients:
1 package quick-cooking rice (5 oz)
1 can tuna (7 oz)
1 can condensed Cream Chicken soup (10.5 oz)
1/2 cup milk
1/4 tsp curry powder
1-1/2 cup drained crushed pineapple
1/2 cup chopped cashew nuts (2 oz)

Recipe Steps:
1. Cook rice according to the directions on the package.
2. Pour boiling water over tuna fish to remove excess oil & drain
3. Mix soup, milk and curry powder in a Pyrex Flameware Saucepan. Cook over low direct heat until almost boiling, about 5 minutes.
4. Add tuna and drain pineapple and bring again almost to boiling point, about 5 minutes.
5. Serve over hot cooked rice. Top with the chopped nuts.
*** If you wish, you can turn rice into a Pyrex Round Cake Dish, pour on the tuna sauce, and place in a moderate oven, 350 degrees, for 15 to 20 minutes. Top with nuts just before serving. ***



Here are Pictures of the Cheese Wafers & California Curry - Also check out more photographs on Flickr!

I made it to the ETSY Front Page!

I'm so EXCITED!! I made it to the Front Page of Etsy with my Retro BUTTON Mini BOUQUET in Vintage Blue Glass Vase !!! Thanks everyone for looking at it!

New Porch, Facia & Soffit - Part 2

All NEW Facia and Soffit has been added around my house, FINALLY (we've been in limbo since Fall)! Also, I was surprised to see that the PORCH ROOF was being added! It looks great and I can't wait for the concrete to be poured and get a chance to sit out there! I have some 1950's blond wood - lounge chairs that will look great out there! These chairs need to be refinished, but I don't think this should be too difficult. I need to find a low table for in between the chairs. I also have to replace some outdoor lights that were were on the corner near the garage. Unfortunately, the Originals are not longer usable. Does anyone know of a Retro Style outdoor lighting source? Check out my Earlier post about my Porch for more information. My next project is to add a Perennial Garden in front of the porch, find some Vintage Planters for the porch and some other Unique Vintage items to display. And More Pictures on Flickr!

Retro Handmade MAY Design Contest

The Retro Handmade Team on Etsy is holding its first monthly design challenge! This month's theme is GREEN! Please VOTE (for me)!

My entry is the Retro Green Green Green Vintage Button Bouquet! This Retro ReDesign is a Floral Arrangement that contains 10 Green Button Flowers, 2 Green Spiral Accents and 3 Silk Green Leaves. Each Flower has and assortment of 1 to 3 Green Upcycled Buttons and Beads. Each button is hand-picked and individually added to a green cloth wrapped stem. From there, each of the stems is hand twisted. This bouquet can be displayed as a whole or each stem can be displayed individually.

If you are interested in purchasing this bouquet after the contestt is concluded - please contact me and I can reserve it for you. I also have several other Button Bouquets on Etsy and a Variety of Other Retro ReDesign items Available! Also, see More photos of my entry on Flickr!

I love Vintage Clothing!

I have a "Larger" collection of Vintage Clothing. I love the bright colors of the 1940's and 50's era House Dresses, Rhinestones and Plaid! I have just started to photograph my collection... I may end up selling a couple - Or maybe not :)
I need to buy a mannequin, so that I can display them and to help photograph the collection. Does anyone have any suggestions for where to get vintage one reasonably?

Check out some additional Vintage Clothing photographs on flickr!

Also, Check out these Awesome Vintage Dresses that I found on eBay!

My Favorite Things... K La Moyne Ebonyte & More

This cupboard is in the Dining Area of my house and I've recently finished re-organizing it. Let's just say, it's been a lot of fun! This built in cupboard; has a closed storage area below and 4 Shelves above with glass sliding doors. My favorite shelf houses a portion of my Kaye LaMoyne - Ebonyte Collection (Branchell Melamine). I have been collecting K LaMoyne for about 10 years. My collection started with about 10 pieces that my Grandparents gave me. Most pieces are hand painted with characters that mean "Good Taste."

The rest of my cupboard houses various other collectibles. Including salt & pepper shakers in many shapes & sizes, hazel atlas condiment server, glass & metal pitchers, funsten's pecan choppers, aluminum ice bucket and much more! Check out more photos on my flickr page! Please let me know if you have any questions about my items.

Thanks for Featuring Me!

Just wanted to THANK the AWESOME etsy Seller SWIRLYARTS for featuring me on her Blog - Cuteable - "a Mon-Fri treasure trove of cute stuff for you and your home!!" In the Blog Post entitled Cuteable Finds - Virtual Labs she has featured my Retro Mini Button Bouquet! So Check it out!

1950's Porches... I'm fixing Mine & Need your Help!

Okay, I'm currently in the process of re-doing my 1950's porch. I'm not really sure what to do. This is how the porch looked last fall. The original owner thought it was a good idea to put the gutters on the roof (all around the house). We have since removed the roof-top gutters and a portion of the front porch roof, since it was rotted through (from the roof gutters). I want to extend the porch along the front (to the right) of the house. I'm not really sure what this should look like. I have some 1950's books, with floor plans, but they haven't been very helpful. I don't want a railing - because I like the fact that you can now see the brickwork. There were some really ugly bushes, that have also been removed.

You will also see in the second photograph that the port has been fixed, however since then, I've decided to stretch it down the rest of the front (oops... ) So, this week, the concrete is being poured and next week the porch roof is being extended. From there, we will be adding gutters, downspouts and rain barrels. And we will be adding a perrenial garden in front... So many things to do... So little time.


Does anyone know of any websites or books that give good suggestions for 50's porches? I have 2 lounge chairs waiting... I need a small table and I need to figure out what type of posts to use.

Here are some Vintage Porch items that I found on eBay while researching my porch... Maybe it's what you're looking for!?!

HAPPY ETSY DAY!

HAPPY ETSY DAY to All Fellow Etsians and Etsy Supporters! I hope that everyone finds some great deals, by supporting this day. :)

Check out some of My Favorites & Support a Fellow Etsian!

Etsy Buy Handmade RetroReDesign

Please Feel Free to Browse some of my items - Everything Comes with a FREE GIFT in support of ETSY DAY!

Etsy Buy Handmade RetroReDesign

Estate Sale Season! YAY!

Okay, Just wanted to let everyone know how excited I am that Estate Sale & Rummage Sale season is upon us here in Milwaukee! I went to 2 Estate Sales this week & got lots of goodies... At least a dozen 1950's cookbooks & pamphlets, AWESOME Red Plaid Pants, Vintage Wallpaper, Funky 80's Sunglasses, Bright Yellow Heels, Costume Jewelry, Pyrex Bowls, Cute 1950's Napkin & Placemat sets and too much more! So, if you live in the Milwaukee area - you will probably see me... :) I will post pictures shortly...

VINTAGE BLACK - Retro Ebay Picks

Todays eBay Picks are Vintage AND Retro BLACK items... I have found Retro items for almost every other color - so I thought it was time to hit up the timeless color - Black. Including an ART DECO Black Gloss Ceramic HANGING LAMP, RETRO Original 1950's Coasters Lady Faces Black / White and a Vintage MM 50s Retro Jumbo Coin Purse Black Handbag.

THINK SPRING - Vintage eBay Picks!

Today's Picks are a Assortment of RETRO Spring and VINTAGE Spring eBay Picks! Everything you need for a Lovely Spring Day - Including a RETRO Travel thermos pack 4-piece and a Vintage 40s CUTE SPRING PLAID Cotton Swing Day Dress Small.

VINTAGE WEDDING eBay Picks...

I remember searching for Vintage Wedding items & being amazed at how many great Retro Wedding items were available! It was very difficult for me to find exactly what I was looking for - so I hope some of these items help! Please let me know if you need any help find any items for yourself. Todays Picks include a Vintage 50s TULLE & LACE WEDDING Gown - This is AWESOME!, a Vintage 1940's Wedding Cake Topper Plaster Bride Groom and an Antique/Vintage Linen Napkins/Box Set 1929 Wedding Card