Stay green, y’all! ✌️
-Ally
Monday, May 25, 2020
Just For Laughs
Hey everyone! Sorry it’s been so long but things have just been kind of crazy (I’m fairly positive Rachel would agree with that). I just wanted to stop in, say hi, and leave this fun little pic I saw on Facebook. It’s not mine, just made me laugh!
Friday, April 3, 2020
Green Quarantine Projects
Hey everyone! How’s the quarantine treating you? Technically, my job is considered “essential” so I still have work every day. I am also a bit of a homebody so I don’t generally go out much in the evenings anyways. Regardless, there is more time being spent inside and I see people posting some of the projects they’re working on...most of which are masks for healthcare workers! While I think this is an awesome task to undertake, it’s not something I’m doing right now. I love the idea, though, of using leftover fabric to make something useful for others in this time.
In the spirit of using my quarantine time well and using what I already have (rather than making an unnecessary trip to the store to buy even more yarn), I’m working on a stash-buster blanket. I saw this V-stitch on Pinterest and thought it would make for an easy and fun way to use up the random, partial skeins of yarn I have shoved away. I also have as one of my many New Year’s Resolutions this year to make 3 blankets, so this will put me closer to that goal. 🤗
If you’re reading this and also have an unused stash, maybe it’s time to start something! If you’re already working on a green project, share a pic below!!!
In the spirit of using my quarantine time well and using what I already have (rather than making an unnecessary trip to the store to buy even more yarn), I’m working on a stash-buster blanket. I saw this V-stitch on Pinterest and thought it would make for an easy and fun way to use up the random, partial skeins of yarn I have shoved away. I also have as one of my many New Year’s Resolutions this year to make 3 blankets, so this will put me closer to that goal. 🤗
If you’re reading this and also have an unused stash, maybe it’s time to start something! If you’re already working on a green project, share a pic below!!!
Happy quarantining Friends!
-Ally
Sunday, February 9, 2020
4Ocean
Happy February Friends!
I’m just stopping by the blog today to draw some attention to a company that I’ve recently learned a little bit about, that I think is pretty dang cool! My sister got a bracelet from her boyfriend’s mom for Christmas and it came with a description card that piqued my interest. I had never heard of the company 4Ocean before and what they do is actually pretty neat. With every bracelet you buy from them, they pledge to remove a pound of plastic trash from the ocean. If you go onto their page and read their “About Us” section, the story of their founding begins with two college guys who discover their surf trip to Bali was marred by a ridiculous amount of trash on the beaches, which is a recurring and daunting problem around the world. After that they devoted themselves to ocean cleanup! I will admit that initially I misunderstood things and thought the bracelets were MADE FROM the cleaned up trash (which they’re not), but they are actually made from 100% post-consumer recycled materials.
I just thought this little bracelet was such an awesome Christmas gift idea...a way to help out and raise awareness! So, if you’re looking for a meaningful and unique gift idea, why not check these out?! Every little bit helps.
Ally
By the way, I am not being paid to say any of this...I just think it’s a cool product. 😎✌️
I’m just stopping by the blog today to draw some attention to a company that I’ve recently learned a little bit about, that I think is pretty dang cool! My sister got a bracelet from her boyfriend’s mom for Christmas and it came with a description card that piqued my interest. I had never heard of the company 4Ocean before and what they do is actually pretty neat. With every bracelet you buy from them, they pledge to remove a pound of plastic trash from the ocean. If you go onto their page and read their “About Us” section, the story of their founding begins with two college guys who discover their surf trip to Bali was marred by a ridiculous amount of trash on the beaches, which is a recurring and daunting problem around the world. After that they devoted themselves to ocean cleanup! I will admit that initially I misunderstood things and thought the bracelets were MADE FROM the cleaned up trash (which they’re not), but they are actually made from 100% post-consumer recycled materials.
I just thought this little bracelet was such an awesome Christmas gift idea...a way to help out and raise awareness! So, if you’re looking for a meaningful and unique gift idea, why not check these out?! Every little bit helps.
Ally
By the way, I am not being paid to say any of this...I just think it’s a cool product. 😎✌️
Wednesday, January 1, 2020
Homemade Vegetable Broth
Happy New Year everyone!
This week I want to make some carrot and sweet potato soup, for which I will need some vegetable broth. Something I’ve been doing for awhile now is saving all my vegetable scraps in the freezer so that I can use them at a later date for making vegetable broth! Some vegetables don’t work well for this (too strong of color or distinct taste), but ones I typically use are mushroom stalks, celery butts and leaves, carrot and sweet potato shavings and butts, discarded onion layers, squash bits, and so on. I just keep an old ziploc in the freezer to add to as I cut up veggies throughout the month.
I just throw some scraps in the pan, add water, about 1-2 TBSP of apple cider vinegar, and some Himalayan pink salt (which I buy from the bulk bins of Fresh Thyme ). I let it cook on low for about an hour and then drain the liquid into a separate container.
Once I make the soup, I’ll post the recipe in the comments (or whatever semblance of a recipe I can come up with).
Have a wonderful and blessed year friends!
Ally
This week I want to make some carrot and sweet potato soup, for which I will need some vegetable broth. Something I’ve been doing for awhile now is saving all my vegetable scraps in the freezer so that I can use them at a later date for making vegetable broth! Some vegetables don’t work well for this (too strong of color or distinct taste), but ones I typically use are mushroom stalks, celery butts and leaves, carrot and sweet potato shavings and butts, discarded onion layers, squash bits, and so on. I just keep an old ziploc in the freezer to add to as I cut up veggies throughout the month.
I just throw some scraps in the pan, add water, about 1-2 TBSP of apple cider vinegar, and some Himalayan pink salt (which I buy from the bulk bins of Fresh Thyme ). I let it cook on low for about an hour and then drain the liquid into a separate container.
Once I make the soup, I’ll post the recipe in the comments (or whatever semblance of a recipe I can come up with).
Have a wonderful and blessed year friends!
Ally
Saturday, December 28, 2019
Sustainable Gift Wrapping
Hey friends!
With Christmas sinking into the rear view, I’ve been thinking about my family’s Christmas get-together. With five brothers and sisters, a couple boyfriends/girlfriends, a nephew, and my parents, it gets a little crazy and the presents are PILED to the ceiling. It’s a beautiful array of everyone’s individual tastes in wrapping paper, such as my brother who obnoxiously wraps presents in three layers or my mom who wraps each person’s presents in different patterns of paper (mine is always Harry Potter!).
However, after helping to pick up the massive heap of discarded wrappings, I couldn’t help but think that it was such a waste. I love my Harry Potter wrapping paper and doing everyone else’s in buffalo check plaid and red pick-up trucks, but there’s got to be a better way.
I saw on Facebook a string of sustainable gift wrapping ideas, including putting items in mason jars, wrapping in newspaper, and using leftovers wrappings from previous years. Unfortunately I couldn’t figure out how to share it to everyone on here. However, I did find a neat little video on YouTube that has a couple cute ideas. I’m definitely going to try some of these next year (especially wrapping in newspaper!).
Check these out!
Sustainable Wrapping Ideas
One thing that was kind of cool that Amazon does is that you can opt (by paying and extra $3) to have them wrap your gifts. My brother did this for a few of his gifts and they came in cloth bags with drawstrings. I know Amazon probably wrapped it in layers of boxes and plastic too, so that’s not ideal, but the bags are awesome to keep for next year and wrap someone else’s gifts in!
Do you have any green wrapping ideas or practices you already use or that you want to try next year? Leave them in the comments!
Merry Post-Christmas Friends,
Ally
With Christmas sinking into the rear view, I’ve been thinking about my family’s Christmas get-together. With five brothers and sisters, a couple boyfriends/girlfriends, a nephew, and my parents, it gets a little crazy and the presents are PILED to the ceiling. It’s a beautiful array of everyone’s individual tastes in wrapping paper, such as my brother who obnoxiously wraps presents in three layers or my mom who wraps each person’s presents in different patterns of paper (mine is always Harry Potter!).
However, after helping to pick up the massive heap of discarded wrappings, I couldn’t help but think that it was such a waste. I love my Harry Potter wrapping paper and doing everyone else’s in buffalo check plaid and red pick-up trucks, but there’s got to be a better way.
I saw on Facebook a string of sustainable gift wrapping ideas, including putting items in mason jars, wrapping in newspaper, and using leftovers wrappings from previous years. Unfortunately I couldn’t figure out how to share it to everyone on here. However, I did find a neat little video on YouTube that has a couple cute ideas. I’m definitely going to try some of these next year (especially wrapping in newspaper!).
Check these out!
Sustainable Wrapping Ideas
One thing that was kind of cool that Amazon does is that you can opt (by paying and extra $3) to have them wrap your gifts. My brother did this for a few of his gifts and they came in cloth bags with drawstrings. I know Amazon probably wrapped it in layers of boxes and plastic too, so that’s not ideal, but the bags are awesome to keep for next year and wrap someone else’s gifts in!
Do you have any green wrapping ideas or practices you already use or that you want to try next year? Leave them in the comments!
Merry Post-Christmas Friends,
Ally
Wednesday, November 27, 2019
Pattie Gonia: Everything to Lose
Dear Greenies and Wannabes:
I saw this video in REI’s Facebook feed and was quite amused and impressed by it! Think of it what you may, but I just wanted to share this unique and creative way of drawing attention to the pollution and waste crisis that we are faced with today, as well as presenting a call to action.
Enjoy! Maybe leave a comment with your thoughts on it?
Happy Thanksgiving y’all!
-Ally
I saw this video in REI’s Facebook feed and was quite amused and impressed by it! Think of it what you may, but I just wanted to share this unique and creative way of drawing attention to the pollution and waste crisis that we are faced with today, as well as presenting a call to action.
Enjoy! Maybe leave a comment with your thoughts on it?
Happy Thanksgiving y’all!
-Ally
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