10 Things (Post #2): Plant something

This is my second post in a series about ten easy things you can do to be more environmentally friendly inspired by the book Change the World for Ten Bucks and N.E.E.T. Magazine. Read more about the rest of the list here.

The second thing on the list is "Plant Something." I live in Iowa where we are all lucky to have some of the most fertile soil on the planet. If you plant it outside, odds are it will grow with very little effort on your part. Two years ago, on a crazy whim, I decided to plant a garden. Other than occasionally helping my mom weed the garden growing up, I had no experience. I planted whatever popped into my head or had an enticing seed packet at Wal-Mart. Everything grew except my onions, which grew but popped out the ground too early. I am sure I didn't plant them deep enough, so that was my fault.

I have had HUGE success growing herbs in pots on the back patio, which are my absolute favorite part of summer gardening. Last year I had thyme, oregano, chives, mint, rosemary, cilantro and basil. They all did exceptionally well so I had fresh herbs all summer long. I can't wait to have them again this year!

Plants in the house are a different story. Right around the time we got married, I decided I wanted a bunch of house plants. Most of them did well for a while and then died. The ones that survived didn't make it in the sweltering car when we moved in July almost three years ago. It's mostly me, partially that our house doesn't get a lot of sun and partially the monsters cats eating and pestering them. I am willing to give it a try again. I think I might start easy with some succulents and go from there.

I found tons of cute, unique and affordable planters, seeds and identification stakes on Etsy. Here's a few of my favorites:

 

1. Gollum Jade Cuttings from The Succulent Garden

2. Reflective Planter with Succulents from Monkeys Always Look

3. Naturally Felled Wood Garden Markers from Fig and Fern

4. Herb Garden Stakes by From Artisan Hands

5. Lotus Plant Seed from Seven Acre Woods

6. Shoe Planter from Giddy Spinster

7. Pillow Moss from Teresa B 123

8. Planter from Just Mare

9. Automatic Waterers from Trillium Hill Art

10. Planter from Clay Nest Pottery

11. Upcycled Spoon Plant Stake from Enchanted Key

12. Swish Chard Seeds from The Bear Foot Shaman

Next post in this series: Shop Local. Pay attention central Iowa because my Etsy selections will be local for you.

10 Things (Post #1): Decline plastic bags whenever possible

This is my first post in a series about ten easy things you can do to be more environmentally friendly inspired by the book Change the World for Ten Bucks and N.E.E.T. Magazine. Read more about the rest of the list here.

The first thing on the list is "Decline plastic bags whenever possible." The best way to do this is buy and, more importantly, USE fabric totes for groceries and mesh bags for produce. The first excuse I always hear on this one is "I can't remember to bring them with." We had that problem too, so now we have enough to have several in each car at all times. Then you'll never be without one. Once they are brought in the house full, we empty them and they go right back into the car, or at least on the door knob of the door to the garage.

Next step is to remember to take them into the store with you. Force yourself to go back out to the car to get them if you're in the store and end up with more than you meant to or forgot them when you parked. One or two trips to the parking lot in the dead of winter before and after you go to the cash register will help you remember to take them in with you in the first place.

Here are some great reusable totes and produce bags I found on Etsy. I am a HUGE fan of #2 - Love for Earth and highly recommend her products. You can read my post about them here. Also, note the shameless plug of my own store at number 10!

1. Bee Things
2. Love For Earth
3. Earth Cadets
4. Cozy Creek
5. PearAphenalia
6. Made by Molly
7. Rusty Bike Shop
8. Pink Crocodile Designs
9. The Craft Pantry
10. Tonya Dusold
11. Two Knit
12. Whimsical Stitches 

Tomorrow I'll have a post on either "shop locally" or "plant something" for you.

10 Things

In a recent issue of NEET Magazine there was an article about the book "Change the World for Ten Bucks." NEET Magazine gave a list of 10 things from the book that you can do to be more environmentally friendly. They are all small, easy things that we can all do. Here's the list:

1. Decline plastic bags whenever possible
2. Plant something
3. Shop locally
4. Give your change to charity
5. Try watching less TV
6. Turn off unnecessary lights
7. Have more meals together
8. Use a mug, not a disposable cup
9. Buy fair-trade products
10. Write to someone who inspired you

This list inspired me to come up with a few related posts. The first of which will be today, with a list of great stuff on Etsy that can help you avoid plastic bags.

Anything not on this list that absolutely should be?

All my loving - music loving that is

I listen to music at work constantly. I'd say of the 40 hours a week I spend in my office, 39.5 hours have iTunes blasting out of my speakers. I have a few play lists - Friday Gangsta Rap, Feel Better/Life is Good, a play list for my birthday and one play list of angry/I hate you music. More often than not though, my entire collection of music is on random, which leads to funny sequences of songs. Eminem followed by Elton John? Yep.

Anyway, a few random combos today made me wonder what songs I hear most often. Here's my top 25 played. (They aren't actually in order of most to least because I wanted to see how many artists are on the list more than once)

P.I.M.P. by 50 Cent
Not the Doctor by Alanis Morissette
Rehab by Amy Winehouse
Piece of Me by Britney Spears
Still Dirrty by Christina Aguilera
Cornbread by Dave Matthews Band
A Little Priest by Helena Bonham Carter (from the Sweeney Todd soundtrack)
Summertime by Hello Dave
It was a Good Day by Ice Cube
All My Loving by Jim Sturgress (from the Across the Universe soundtrack)
Anything's Possibly by Jonny Lang
Loose Lips by Kimya Dawson (from the Juno soundtrack)
Black Horse and a Cherry Tree by KT Tunstall
The Turn by M.I.A.
Tell Me Something Good by Maceo Parker
Heard the Word by O.A.R.
Farmhouse by Phish
Another Brick in the Wall by Pink Floyd
America by Simon & Garfunkel
Lodi Dodi by Snoop Dogg
Gin & Juice by Snoop Dogg
Octopus's Garden by The Beatles
I Want to Hold Your Hand by The Beatles
Your Lucky Day in Hell by The Eels
Regulate by Warren G

What does this list say about me? That I'm random and weird?

Goat tote update

 

Billy goats gruff, pink

 

Billy goats gruff, yellow

 

Wild foliage

The totes I showed you a couple of days ago that were only half done are now actually complete. The top two are in my shop and the third one will be yet this week. The last one doesn't actually have any goats on it but I still like the crazy flora and the back side has a happy tree similar to the Pink Pear Tree tote. 

Happy trees make me think of my grandpa, whose name is Richard Ross. When I was little, he would tell my cousins and me that he taught Bob Ross how to paint and we believed him. Nevermind that we'd never seen my grandfather ever paint anything, let alone landscapes filled with happy trees.

Centro's tomato basil soup doppelganger

If you've ever lived or worked in downtown Des Moines, you've likely had lunch at Centro, which hopefully included their tomato basil soup, which is delicious. I found this recipe on Breaking the Recipe Rut, made a few of my own changes - more basil, add tortellini, etc. It turned out so good - exactly like Centro's. 

Creamy Tomato Basil Soup
1/2 c butter
1 c flour
4 c chicken broth
3 1/2 c fat free half & half
1 1/2 c marinara sauce
1 can diced tomatoes, Italian style
1/4 c chopped fresh basil
1 package tortellini
Ground black pepper

Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in flour and stir for 5 minutes to slightly brown the mixture. Whisk in the broth. Increase the heat and cook and stir until thickened. Decrease the heat to low, stir in the half and half and simmer for 20 minutes.

Meanwhile cook the tortellini according to package directions.

After the 20 minutes of simmering, stir in the marinara sauce, tomatoes, basil and tortillini and cook until heated through. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

A few notes: After you whisk the flour into the butter, it will look a little like sugar cookie dough. This was unexpected to me for some reason, but appears to be correct, so go with it. Also, I doubled the basil to 1/4 cup and thought it was perfect, but if you don't like basil as much as I do, go back to the 2 Tbsps recommended in the original recipe or 1/2 a teaspoon of dried basil. You can also switch to vegetable broth to make this vegetarian.

Three billy goats gruff

I sewed this weekend! It's been a long time and it felt very relaxing. These three totes just need trim and handles attached and then they are ready for the shop. They have swimming goats, goats on a bridge and mountain goats on them and crack me up. I don't know when my love of goats happened, but now I love everything about them. They are cute and funny plus make wonderful milk that doesn't hurt my lactose intolerant tummy. The milk can be turned into so many great products like cheese, soap and more.

Random side story - Did your mom or grandma ever make you one of those shirts in the late 80s or early 90s that starts as a t-shirt, but they cut strips into the sleeves and bottom half, adding beads so you end up with a sort of beaded, tasseled top? Mine also had a pair of hot pink high tops ironed on the front. I was obviously the coolest kid in 4th grade. Anyway, I wore said shirt to the Milwaukee zoo on family vacation. In the petting zoo, the goats started gnawing away at my fringe and eating the plastic beads. I was not amused. I now realize that the goats were just trying to tell me what an awful fashion statement I was making.

I'm not sure why I've been in such a funk lately with sewing but I think I'm over it now. My list of projects is long. Besides yards and yards of printed canvas just waiting to become reusable grocery totes, I have fabric for new kitchen curtains, a skirt and a jacket.

I did finish and list this tote this weekend. For some reason, it really makes me think of hanging out on the beach in New England in the summer - which I have never even done - so I named it "Weekend in the Hamptons." I bought this fabric for a custom order and this is all I have left, so this will be the only one, so if you summer on the coast, better grab it quick!