Looking for ideas to save some money while saving a little bit of the Earth for future generations?
Then let this crafty mom of two help you become a little bit greener!
In continuing to share with you past pottery projects, these are a couple of pottery soap dishes that I made for my kids' teachers for Christmas gift and then my kids made homemade glycerin soap to put in them.
For some other pottery soap dishes and soap ideas, check out these:
I thought this turned out just lovely. I made this for our cabin as a soap dish there. To make this I slab rolled out my clay and cut out the shape that I had drawn free-hand on some newspaper. Then rolled on an open lace pattern over the turtle cut out. Next I punched out 3 holes for the water to drip out.
Next I made ball feet for underneath it. I made 5 of them, 4 of which went under the main body and the 5th one went under the head. then I curved the flippers, head and feet slightly downward while curving the body inward so that it gave it some shape and wasn't a flat turtle and gave the soap somewhere to rest.
These are some simple soap dishes that my son and I made at the Art Center. I wanted to try a couple different ways and had made 2 of each version, obviously you can tell by the picture one of versions only 1 of them survived. Sometimes that happens. :( Sometimes you just don't know what will break at different stages, so it can be good to make an extra if you have the clay and time.
Anyways, both version were made by slab rolling out my clay. I used an old metal french fry cutter to cur the side edges on the rectangle ones and to cut the strips in the weaved one.
On the bottom of the rectangle one I did attach strips of rolled coil clay to make a stand for it and placed them on each of the long sides. To make the indents, I used a rounded pencil to press it in.
The weaves one is just weaved strips and now that it is glazed it is sturdy, but my second one of that one had a weak spot on one of the weaves and broke when handling after the first firing. Oh well.
My son painted the pink and yellow glazed one by hand and I dipped the other two in the same glazes. We have all of them to my dad for Christmas. I don't know what he will all do with 3 soap dishes, but he will never want for another one. Ever. :)
What's the first thing you notice when you open up a new package for a plastic shower curtain liner? It's the fumes from off-gassing. This shower curtain is made with an enviromentally-friendly PEVA material. I noticed no fumes at all when I took it out of the package, which is a welcome change. The material is a heavy duty material that is going to stand up from being put in and out of the tub depending upon if people are taking showers or baths.
In this picture you can see it hanging in my bathroom behind a fabric curtain. I like the look of a fabric curtain on the outside to add visual interest in my bathroom. I want you to notice the edge of the curtain. It is a little larger so that it helps keep water from splashing out on the sides and I really like that. It uses heavy duty grommets on the top which will prevent it from tearing at the holes for the curtain hooks.
Also, if you scroll down to the bottom picture, you can see what the bottom is like. It has heavy enough magnets at the bottom to keep it hanging down so that it doesn't bunch up. This shower curtain really does seem to deliver on all the features it has. I haven't had it long enough to comment about mildew-free claim,
Environmentally friendly PEVA material won't expose your family to dangerous chemical fumes as polyvinyl EVA curtain liners can Slightly extra-large size for added splash protection, reinforced metal grommets prevent tears and give ample coverage for years of aggravation-free use; 73"W x 74"H (185 x 188 cm)
Six magnets (twice what others have) mean this liner stays put and helps keep water in the tub where it belongs
Perfect for straight or curved shower rods
Use alone or behind the cloth shower curtain of your choice for the perfect combination of function and fashion - 100% Satisfaction
Guaranteed or Your Money Back! - by My Stunning Abode TM
I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.
The second of my giveaways and review this week that involve pampering yourself. This time I got to try out Dial Coconut Water Mango Body Wash. I was lucky to try it out because as soon as my daughter smelled it she informed me that she was out of body wash for her "swim bag" that she takes to swim team practice with her. Guess I will be going to the store to buy my own bottle of this. It smells awesome and clean very nicely.
Here you can see it in my hand. It is clear, which is awesome. Who needs coloring when you are washing your body clean anyways, but I do appreciate the smell. Did I mention it smells awesome?!?!?
What other scent would you like to try?
One lucky reader is also going to win a coupon to get their own bottle of Dial Coconut Water Mango Body Wash. I haven't looked for it in stores yet, but I usually have luck finding these products at Target or Wal-Mart.
ONE LUCKY READER WILL WIN A FREE COUPON FOR THEIR OWN BOTTLE OF
I was sent the above mentioned product and coupons for the purpose of review and a giveaway. No monetary compensation was received. All thoughts, opinions and photographs belong to SGBG.
Updating a bathroom can be expensive, but it doesn't have to be. I have longed to be rid of the brass in my bathroom but never too the leap because there were so many brass items and one item in particular (the toilet paper holder pictured below) was set in the wall and if I were to remove it I would have to repair the wall (since I couldn't find a replacement for it that set in there too), which I didn't want to do.
Then it dawned on me that I had a can of silver spray paint (the color I wanted the accessories to be!) from when I spray painted a light fixture in a different bathroom last year.
I spray painted the existing frames in the bathroom, but them glued our Geometric Paintings to the top (finally figured out where to put them!) and also painted the bath towel holder.
Couple more items that I painted - the problem toilet paper holder that is set inside the wall and a hand towel holder.
I had my husband take down the light fixture for me so that I could remove the glass and paint the fixture.
And finally, I also spray painted any switch plate covers in the bathroom too! It's so easy to provide a quick update to cheap plastic switch plates by applying some paint or in the case of the Zebra Print Switch Plate Cover, a sharpie marker.
Just by using a can of spray paint that I had sitting leftover from a project last year I was able to completely change the look of the room. Of course, then I did change a couple other things (bathroom rug, shower curtain, and clock) to match the new look of the room, but I would have totally blown my budget out of the water if I didn't spray paint all these items and reuse them (no to mention also having to patch a wall.)
Disclosure: I got this product as part of an advertorial.
My Thoughts:
The "Sprout" Toothbrush from WooBamboois a new product that was just made available in early 2014. It is one of 3 different kinds of toothbrushes made by WooBamboo. The "Sprout" version is a small sized version that is sold in a 2-pack and is for a child. The bristles are super soft. These are seriously the softest bristles I have ever felt on a toothbrush.
They also make adult sized toothbrushes that come in a standard handle and a slim handle. All of the handles on each variety are made from biodegradable, sustainable grown bamboo and are coated in a natural wax. The bristles are not biodegradable but are made from Dupont Tynex. So, I guess I will have to cut the head off the toothbrush when the kids are done using them so I can put the handle in the compost bin.
They do offer customization on the handles if a company or dentist office wanted to order a bulk order to pass out to their customers.
My kids both liked using it. I thought this smaller size was really good for my 4 yr old. It was easy for him to hold and brush his teeth with. I thought it made a great travel tooth brush for my 8 year old because of it's compact size it can easily fit in her travel pouch.
The Bamboo "Sprout" from WooBamboo is an eco-friendly bamboo-handled children's toothbrush. We believe that big changes can be made with small, innovative steps. Using a WooBamboo toothbrush (we have adult versions, as well) is a fantastic way to make a small difference every day, and helps inspire people to continue to make eco-friendly changes. :)
I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.
Disclosure: I got this product as part of an advertorial.
Today I am going to tell you about North Coast Organics Deodorant which I was sent 3 pack of travel sizes to review. There are 3 different varieties in the travel pack size that include: "naked", which is the bare product and has no added scents to it; "Revolver", which has a musky scent to it and a scent that I think my husband would most enjoy; and Death by Lavender, which has as you expect a lavender scent to it.
I knew right away that I wanted to try "Death by Lavender" because I strongly prefer a scented deodorant and I love the smell of lavender. I do admit I was skeptical about trying another natural deodorant because as much as I want to use one I have yet to find one that I feel works well for me. So, I tried this deodorant in 3 different activities/ways to give it the best evaluation. I did check out the ingredient list on all of them, here is the list for "Death by Lavender":
Ingredients(Vegan): Coconut Oil*, Carnauba Wax*, Cornstarch*, Baking Soda, and Proprietary Blend of Essential Oils* . *Certified Organic
I know that all of our skins do not respond the same to all ingredients as I have known people who were allergic to aloe, whereas my body loves the use of aloe, but I have had issues with some products with baking soda in before so I proceeded with my review slowly. Also, I was very interested to see what happened it being sticky or smelly after working out or at the end of the day, which had been a problem with other natural deodorants I have tried.
First evaluation - I applied as my re-apply after I worked out. I wore my normal deodorant to my workout but I need to re-apply at some point in the day, so I tried this out to see how it worked. Successful! I loved the smell and did not get sticky or stinky or seem to have any reaction to it.
Second evaluation - I applied on a day when I was not working out and this was applied right after my shower. Successful! Love the scent! It dried nicely on my underarms and I did not get sticky or stinky.
Third evaluation - I applied after a shower and wore to a workout. This attempt was not successful for me. After 30 minutes of working out in Zumba class I started to feel irritation that lasted throughout the rest of my class. After I stopped sweating and cooled down, I did not feel any more irritation. I really feel it has to do with my sensitivity to baking soda and think it would be fine for others. I do want to mention though, that I did not get stinky and as I cooled down I was not sticky either. So, it did pass my stinky/sweaty evaluation.
I will continue to use this deodorant on my non-active days because it did work and I love the lavender scent.
ONE OF MY READER WILL GET A CHANCE TO WIN A 3-PACK OF TRAVEL SIZE
I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.
I had the opportunity to review Dial Vitamin Boost Body Wash with my family. I have t. o admit I didn't know what Vitamin B did for the exterior of skin until I was asked to do this review. Normally I take B vitamins in supplement form to help with energy, but I did learn that vitamin B is a natural humectant that helps draw in moisture and keep skin hydrated. This body is also lotion infused so it will feel good on your skin and is not drying. It looks like these new Vitamin Infused Body Washes are so new that are are not even on the Dial website yet, so you might now see them there if you are looking for them.
Here you can see a picture of the body wash in my hand. It is a very vibrant green! Yes, the colors do come from added dyes. I was surprised to see several juices listed on the ingredients list including mango and kiwi (both of which were listed with their scientific name as well as common name) and averrhoa carambola juice, which it did not list the common name for, maybe because it isn't that common in grocery stores yet. Anyways, it is starfruit!
Check out all the other scents of Dial Body Wash there are!! There is also a Men's Line and a Kids' Line. If you have a Hello Kitty fan in your family you are certainly going to want to check out their kids's products.
ONE LUCKY READER WILL WIN A COUPON FOR FREE DIAL BODY WASH!
The Dial brand provisded me with a sample of Dial Vitamin Boost Body Wash in exchange for a product review. However, all opinios expressed here and pictures are my own. No monetary compensation was received.
Today we are sending some non-traditional, but hand made gifts to school for my daughter's first grade teacher. This is a hand built pottery soap dish that I made by slab rolling and molding. I made a couple others that are a little different than this in design & definitely different glazes that I will share with you once they are given (so, it is going to be a while yet).
You will see that our other hand made gift she is getting today is earrings that my daughter made.
Please check out my Teacher Gift Ideas Board on Pinterest to find some more ideas! You still have one more day left of Teacher Appreciation week, and even if you miss it I bet any teacher would be very appreciative of a gift given at any time.
I bought this drawer at an antique store. They had it sitting on a table standing vertically and had books inside it. I thought it would look cute on it's side and on to the wall as a shelf in my bathroom.
Have I ever told you that I love Peppermint body products? I am not sure it has ever really come up in a review before, until now that is because I received both peppermint bar soap and lip balm from Spinster Sisters Co. I just find that peppermint just helps wake me up and stimulates my senses and this soap did not disappoint. It was pure luck (on my part) that they decided to send me these particular varieties when they carry around 35 different kinds. The other variety they sent me was Lemongrass Sage. Some of the other scents I would love to try include Cucumber Basil (kinda sounds like a tasty summer salad!), Lime Mint and Rosemary Mint. Did I mention I love mint body products? :) I am quite intrigued by the varieties of Wasabi and Eucalyptus Lime as well.
But it's not just the peppermint that I love about these products. They have truly made a concentrated effort to provide products and run a business in as eco-friendly way as possible. They use raw ingredients that you will recognize on a label that include olive, castor, coconut, palm, jojoba, sweet almond, avocado, hempseed oils, cocoa and fair-trade shea butter. No having to look up how to pronounce any of those ingredients! Or wonder where they were derived from. Plus, they grow many of the herbs and botanicals they grow themselves.
They don't stop with the items used to make their products, they have made eco-friendly efforts with the packaging including bio-degradable and compostable bags on their soaps that are made from wood fibers, lip balm containers that include 35% recycled plastic, and bath soaks and bath bombs are in 100% recycled paper bags. Not only that, but they also have reduced the carbon footprint of their business with a solar photovoltaic system and passive solar construction.
If you are looking to make even one step towards a more eco-friendly lifestyle or looking to add another change to yours, then please check out Spinster Sisters Co. Not only do they have soaps and lip balms, but also bath bombs, bath salts, scrubs, shaving kits, sunscreens, insect repellants, shampoo, deodorant, and more!
I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.
This homemade Christmas gift is quite simple in its concept, but very practical in its use. I made the three pictured above for my children and husband and thought these would be perfect to bring along with us on our camping trip. After the holidays I will have to make myself one so that we each have one. I made sure that I chose different ribbon colors so they could tell whose is whose.
Here is what the finished Washcloth Travel Pouch looks like when it is rolled up and tied. This is one of the two that I made for our Operation Christmas Child boxes.
This project is just a few simple straight stitches. You can determine the number of spaces you have but I made four so that there was room for a bar of soap, toothbrush, toothpaste, and a washcloth.
I folded the washcloth so that the bottom third was covering the middle third. Cut a piece of ribbon to 24". Fold the ribbon with 8" over 16" with right sides in. Pin in to place between the layers on one side.
Be sure to pin the ribbon in to one edge before stitching so that you can have it stitched in between the layers. It looks more finished that stitching it on the outside after the fact.
Stitch the other side closed and stitch in the number of pockets you want. I stitched in 4 pockets, which I think is about the maximum # you could do and have enough space to put in toothbrush, toothpaste, soap & washcloth.
These are the three for my family, all stacked up neatly.
I had the opportunity to review the Waterpik SinuSense with my family. It came at the perfect time because we just got head colds. My husband who frequently uses other types of sinus flush products said that it has significantly more pressure than the other products and will really flush out your sinuses.
It was very easy to fill and use. The only design flaw it has is that you are unable to get all of the water out because of how you have to hold it, so you may have to add more water.
This product doesn't even have to be plugged it. It is battery operated and it comes with the AAA batteries needed for it. It also comes with 15 saline packets that are infused with eucalyptus and aloe vera extract to help wake up your sinuses and soothe them at the same time.
Coupons for a variety of Sinusense products are availableHERE.
I was gifted with this product for the purpose of review. Compensation was received to write up this review, but all thoughts, opinions, photos, and videos are my own.
The Waterpik Ultra WaterFlosser which is faster, more effective, and less painful than regular flossing. Retail value of $59.99
This was another opportunity I had to review an alternative to string floss, which I don't use because my teeth are very tightly packed (can't say spaced because that would indicate there may be some space between my teeth, which there is not!). I reviewed the Waterpik Ultra Waterflosser and am going to share my thought about the product, some pictures, a video on how to set it up and a video on how to use it.
How to Set Up Your Waterpik Waterflosser
This product was very easy to set up. After you have removed all the packaging, just fill the reservoir with water, snap it in to place on the top and add the cover. The snap the desired attachment in to the handle. That's it! Easy!
You can find out more information about attachment in the manual that comes with it, so don't be overwhelmed that there are 6 attachments. You will probably gravitate towards one and just use that one all the time. How to Use Your Waterpik Ultra Flosser
Using the Waterpik Ultra Waterflosser is just as easy as setting it up. The first time you use it you need to prime (take 1 second, seriously!) and the first time or two you will figure out what setting you want it at (1-10, 10 being the highest). I like it at a 5 (so far, but I think I might try it at 6 tomorrow). Just put the attachment in your mouth THEN turn it on. Let the water drain out over the sink as you spray the water in your mouth along your gum line and between teeth. I honest think this takes me half as much time to do compared to using string floss (it is really a long of work with string floss to push & pull between those tight spots.) I do plan to continue to use this. My husband has been asking to try it too and he can choose one of the other attachments and give it a whirl!
Compensation and product was received to complete this review. All thoughts, opinions, photos and videos are my own.
I am not saying that I get excited about cleaning, but by offering to review Natural House Natural Home Cleaning Products it sure gave me motivation to do some cleaning and these products made it very easy to do and worked.
Using Flushy is easy! Just plop in a packet let is sit for 10-15 seconds and let it foam. The action is in the foam. Then just scrub as usual and flush. The probiotics continue to consume toilet paper and waste build up in the p-trap, drain and pipes. It is safe for use with a septic system.
Natural House probiotics creates mini-ecosystem on a microbial level that produces enzymes which break down odors, dirt, fats, oil, grease, food scraps, waste and toilet paper products on a continuous basis between applications. This creates a natural, clean, balanced environment that is safe for even the most sensitive members of your natural house.
Using Sinky was equally as easy. Just plop it in your drain and turn on the hot water for 5-10 seconds. I used it in the disposal so I had to turn that on for a couple seconds. Then let it do it's work!
Sinky breaks down grease and food scraps to help prevent clogs and slow drains. We have had lots of clogging problems with our kitchen sink in the past, so I am very happy to be using this product to help with clogging and a slow drain.
All of these products and eco-friendly, non-toxic, biodegradable and phosphate free. They are made with plant-based ingredients.
Not that I was thrilled I had something nasty leak from the trash bag into the garbage can and was stinking up the house, but this prevented the perfect opportunity to try out Trashy.
To use this product you just spray it and then either let it air dry (if your trashcan is clean) or wipe it out after it sits for about 10-15 seconds.
Trashy removes odors from your indoor or outdoor trashcans by dissolving grease, odors and food scraps.
Their cleaners contain good probiotics which continue to scour, clean, consume odors, grime, grease, and germs, and they continue to do so until your next weekly treatment!
You can purchase Natural House products directly on their website or you can purchase Natural House on Amazon: -- This is a nice option for those who use Amazon perks like "Free Super Saver Shipping" or "Amazon Prime."
You still have a few more days to enter my giveaway of a prize pack of Sodee Naturals bath & body care products worth over $75. Please read my review and enter the giveaway HERE! The giveaway ends on February 7th.
I am so excited to tell you about the products from Sodee Naturals that my family and myself have been using for the past 2 weeks.
The first product I want to tell you about is the 4 different types of eczema cream (original, lanolin-free, anti-itch, and seabuckthorn.) Both of my children get eczema in the winter, and while my daughter has begun to outgrow it my son still get patches all over his little legs. Between both kids we have used every eczema cream out there, including prescription). My favorite was the original and I found it to a good thickness - Not too thick and not too thin. I was also pleased with the effectiveness. After one application the redness was gone and after several applications the dry patches were gone.
I had never used a shampoo or conditioner bar, so this was a new experience for me. I wash my hair only a few times a week (but this naturally curly mop needs conditioner daily!). I surprised at how little I had to rub my hands on the shampoo bar to work up a lather. I am going to have this shampoo bar for a LOOOOOoooong time! The conditioner bar applied easily and worked well and I will be interested to see how long it lasts because after 2 weeks of use it is just barely noticeable that it has been used.
My husband was the lucky recipient of the shave cream.He said it works just as well as anything else he has ever used for shaving. They only thing is he is getting used to spreading on a lotion instead of a foam, so it's just a texture thing based on what he is used to. It performs just as well and shaves similarly. He does like the lighter scent (over what he was using previously that tended to be much stronger.)
The bar of soap I opted to review is the Dark Beer Soap. I thought my husband would enjoy this soap, which he did. I could it interesting to learn that hops is anti-inflammatory.
It is one of 4 varieties of soap. The other varieties are old fashioned lace soap, satsuma soap and sea salt soap. I am not sure I know what satsuma smells like, but I am now curious.
When I first opened up the Tropical Breeze Body Butter, I thought it smelled good enough to eat. I love wearing it. It covers smoothly with a minimal amount of body butter. I have had several people smell this and they agree it smells fantastic.
I am very pleased with this body butter. It makes my skin feel better and smell like I am on a tropical island. Highly recommend!
Readers at Save Green Being Green can get 10% off your order by using coupon code: green.
There will be a place to enter in your promotion code when you enter in your billing address. Go to Sodee Naturals to begin shopping.
I was gift with 6 products from Sodee Naturals in order to be able to review their products. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this post are mine. No compensation was received to review the products or write this post.
