Flip and Tumble Bags
You’ve heard it a million times; bring your own bags when you grocery shop to save the planet. And every grocery store is going to sell you different bags to do just that. And I’ve bought a couple from Whole Foods for just that purpose. The problem? A lot of them are ugly, a lot of them don’t fold up well and a lot of them aren’t comfortable to carry once loaded.
I had heard a lot of friends rave about the Flip and Tumble bags but I was really suspicious of a bag that folds into itself. I’ve bought a lot of those (and blankets) that never, ever, fold back into themselves. But the price, the colours and the raves (plus the fact I could order using Paypal – always a plus for me) made me cave, and I’m so glad I did.
This is the first bag that easily – and I mean easily – folds into a ball. In seconds. With no thought! I keep my little ball in my purse (it’s that small) so whether I’m at the grocery store, out running errands from clothing to beauty stores or just in need of a bag to take to the beach without worrying about getting sand it, I now have it.
The handle has a little bit of padding which makes it comfortable on your shoulder. It holds a lot of groceries while still being comfortable to carry. And did I mention in turns into a ball? The only downside for me is that the handle is long and I’m not. So if it has things in it and my arm is extended down fully, the bag touches the ground. If you like to carry things that way, you’ll have to either shorten the handle yourself or find another bag.
But the goods far outweigh that which is why I’m going to order a few more!
BUY AT: Flip and Tumble
Bionaire Silent Flat-Panel Heater
I am cold pretty much all the time, even if it’s 100F and I’m wearing a parka. And while I love my flat, it’s hard to keep warm since it has lots of window and 3 outside walls, none of which are energy efficient. I also have gas heating which is expensive and just kind of blows out of the ceiling vents, staying up top and not really heating the space down below.
This lead me to look for a space heater since I didn’t really need to heat my whole place at once. I wanted something movable, easy to use (and install), inexpensive, silent and efficient. After a lot of research I found the Bionaire Silent Micathermic Flat-Panel Radiator Heater.
First, it was very easy to set up since it’s light and only has three parts. Within minutes I had it turned on and heating my room – quietly. There is literally no noise when this is running yet it really does manage to get the heat throughout the room, perfect since I spend most of my time in my office which is really the living room that connects to an open kitchen. Toasty!
There are two levels of heat and you can select a setting you want and the heater will keep it at that setting, shutting off for periods of time to save energy and turning on to keep it at your preferred setting.
If you have children or pets, you don’t have to worry; it’s not going to burn them if they touch it and if it tips over, it automatically shuts off. It’s also very light so you can move it from room to room if you need to (I sometimes move it to them bathroom to help dry hanging clothes).
BUY AT: AMAZON
Williams Sonoma Oil Mister
I love olive oil whether it’s to cook with or as a base for my salad dressing. What I don’t like is my inability to use just a little bit! So in trying to cut back in over doing it, I discovered the Oil Mister from Williams Sonoma.
With a built in filter that works wonders if you add herbs and garlic to your oil, this non-aerosol mister easily sprays just the perfect amount of oil. It’s much more economical and eco-friendly that those areosol sprays in the supermarket, and this way, you get to choose what oil and what herbs (if any).
With just a few pumps you get a lot of spray which allows for easy coating of a pan or a coating on your salad as well the spray allows for a lot less oil being used which is great for those who are trying to keep their fat intake down or who are trying to save money by not using up their expensive oil all at once!
BUY AT: Williams Sonoma
Kiehl’s Marvelous Mineral Mascara
Having blond lashes makes mascara a must for me but finding one that can make my lashes full, long and soft has been a challenge. For years I’ve alternated between Blinc’s Kiss Me and DiorShow Mascara’s with pretty good success but wasn’t satisfied for a couple of reasons.
First, both are pretty expensive. And while I love how Blinc’s mascara is waterproof and works great as an every day, if I don’t wash it off each night it can dry out and snap off my lashes. The same with DiorShow but with the additional problem that it really is only good for a few hours (or a night out on the town).
My experience with eco-friendly mascaras hasn’t been good; they have always smudged, clumped or failed to give fullness. So when I started to see rave reviews for Kiehl’s new Marvelous Mineral Mascara, I was very skeptical.But since I needed to replace my mascara and this was at least $10 cheaper than what I’d been using, I decided to try it out.
The first thing I noticed was how it glided easily onto my lashes. It made them look very look and healthy and there was no clumping. Lashes were separated, shiny, full. As for milage? I went the whole day without any issues (which involved an hour outside walking in the sun, a nap, and receiving some bad news). The best part for me was that my lashes always felt soft, which was so important since the other mascaras had often dried out my lashes and, at one point, made a big chunk of them fall out!
The mineral pigments really do add a rich, luscious colour that looks natural but noticeable. You get length and fullness without parabens which is always a plus. Finally, an eco-friendly mascara that actually works without working the pocket book too much.
BUY AT: Kiehls
Sedu Revolution 4000i Hair Dryer
I thought having the best hair stylist in the world is all that it would take to make my hair fabulous and manageable but the truth is, it’s only half the battle and a battle I was losing. Although my hair cut was amazing and my stylist could blow it out all smooth, I could not replicate the nice, soft, frizz-free fringe at home.
I kept hearing all the buzz about Sedu products and how they were the best but at their high price tag I thought it was some kind of gimmick and kept buying relatively inexpensive brands through beauty supply stores (Babyliss, Chi, Salano).
The problem with those brands was always weight and temperature. I thought I needed something hot and fast to blow out my fringe quickly but I always had frizzy hair with a kink from the round brush. Even after having lessons from my stylist I kept having the same issue. So I thought maybe the lower heat and speed of the Sedu would make a difference combined with the Tourmaline ionic generator.
And I hate to report it, but it really, really did. Read the rest of this entry »
jute bouclé rug by West Elm
Having a very small living room I really needed to define the space, especially since I had an office in it and my kitchen opened up to it. The best way I thought was to buy a 5X8 rug. Easy, right?
Wrong.
I wanted something that would withstand a lot of wear and tare because I have a dog that tracks in everything and a kitty who loves to lounge and scratch a carpet. I also wanted something eco-friendly that wouldn’t have a lot of chemicals put onto or dyes that would come out. Reversible, too in case of spills or accidents and the kicker? Under $150.
I scoured every online web site I could think of, visited countless stores but most rugs were either out of my price range for the size I needed or didn’t match all of my criteria. So I was so happy when West Elm launched these eco-friendly Jute Rugs for $129.
Because everything I have is white or light and I didn’t want to darken the space, I chose the rug in Ivory. It has really enhanced my furniture, defined the space and made it cosy. The jute is soft to the barefoot (no scratching as with some natural rugs), durable (has survived a vacuum and a kitty) and really stylish (goes with my modern, boho, shabby look). Best of all? It’s eco-friendly, sustainable, and affordable!
Buy at: West Elm
Staub Cast Iron 5qt. French Oven
I am by no means a cook especially because I don’t enjoy cooking. All the pots, pans and timing are honestly just too much for me. But when when I saw some one pot recipes involving french/dutch ovens, I thought I found something I could do.
Searching for a well made, hardy, sizable and affordable oven was a challenge. There are a lot on the market for a lot of money. I wasn’t comfortable shelling out $100 or more dollars for something I wasn’t sure would work or be used a lot.
A friend directed me to QVC where she had recently bought the Staub Cast Iron 5qt French oven. She told me since they have a 30 day money back guarantee if I didn’t like it, back it would go. So I bought it.
That was about four months ago and I kid you not, I use this about three times a week. Granted I’m making the same chicken dish but I love it. It has made cooking a fantastic, easy experience. Staube has been in business for over 30 years and has received numerous awards and high ratings. This cast iron oven has a honeycomb surface which is needed for even heat distribution. The lid has basting spikes which helps keep food inside moist whilst cooking. It’s dishwasher and oven safe and can also go straight to the table. Easy clean up, too.
With this I have been able to buy inexpensive pieces of meet (whole chicken legs) and within 45minutes have tender, juicy chicken meat that can be enough for 4 meals. Now that’s my kind of cooking.
BUY AT: QVC
Ever walked past something in a store that you just instantly fell in-love with and had to touch it? Maybe it was quick or you picked it up but either way you just had to pet it. Well, I am one who likes to pet many a pretty things and, if it's worth it, I bring it home and share it with you. So you can decide should you pet it, too? 