Autumn Traditions

I would love to share some family traditions but honestly I have none. I have a large family but over the years all have sorta went their separate ways. I would really love for my girls to have wonderful family memories attached to each season. Instead of just accepting our lack of family time I will change this. This year I decided that we will start our own traditions. Not only am I teaching my girls family time is important but I'm also teaching to never accept whats in front of you but make your own path.  

After much researching I have come up with a great bucket list of autumn traditions I would love to keep. Enjoy!

1. Autumn Cleaning-Perfect time to pack away all your summer clothes and get out your winter items. Bring out those warm sweaters, wool socks, scarves and rubber boots. Perfect time to donate what you don't wear or out grow.

2.  Bake more-Not only is homemade baked food the best but it also heats up your home and adds a lovely scent.  Nothing beats the smell of freshly made bread! Try out new recipes using the freshest seasonal produce. Make sure to use Fall cookie cutters if making cookies!

3.  Winter Garden-Time to pull all those spring plants and replace with winter hearty plants. There's so many things you can grow in the winter so be brave and grow things new!

4.  Indoor Picnicing-Yes even in the Fall you can have a great picnic right in your home. Gather your favorite quilt, make some hot chocolate and eat some warm heart foods. 

5. Soups soups soups-There's nothing better on a cold yucky day than a big bowl of homemade soup. Make it a challenge to try a new one each time.  

6. Neighborhood Strolls-Go for a walk in your neighborhood.  Better yet visit a neighborhood not so close and have fun looking at different homes and decorations.  I really love walking around looking at homes.  I get so many great idea's on paint colors, decorations and garden ideas.

7.  New Findings-Don't be scared to try new things. When your in a coffee shop try their latest seasonal drink. Restaurant having a special of the week try it out. Maybe a new Fall candle or even a new lotion.  Try something new thats seasonal and have fun with it. 

8.  Seasonal Cooking-Instead of planning your meals plan your meals around whats in season.  Check out your closest local farmers market/farm and buy whats in season and on sale.  Then look up recipes and try to make your meal around the produce.  Not only are you supporting a local farmer but your saving money and eating the freshest produce possible. 

9.  Seasonal Picking-Want to save yourself even more money? Try picking your own produce at a local farm. Ask friends or get online to research local farms. When you pick the produce yourself you save so much more money and you get the freshest produce possible.  Bring the kids and make it a experience.  

10.  Sports Time-Nothing beats a cold day snuggling up in your blanket watching a good soccer game (go TIMBERS!!!). Or whatever sport you want. Go air pop some popcorn or grab a local brew. Enjoy!

11.  Seasonal Decorating-On the first day of Fall go grab your Fall decorations and have fun with the kids. Try putting things in a different spot than the previous year. To top it off light a Fall scented candle and put on some music.  Lets not forget outside decorations as well!

12.  Outdoor Fun-Go for walks each day. Heck go for a hike if you can.  Just get outside and enjoy the season. See the changes, smell the changes and feel the changes of the season.

13.  Autumn Treasure Hunting-While on your walks/hike gather nature along the way. Kids can use leaves that have fallen and use them to do art work.  Pinecones can be used as decorations in your home or even as fire starters.  Let the kids bring a bag and gather things that remind them of the season.  

14.  Booed-First I've heard of this but looks exciting. Basically you  bring some goodies to a neighbor, put up a sign stating they have been booed and to boo someone else. What a fun idea this is! You can make your own signs or print some out here.  Its a great way to get to know your neighbors and spread some cheer. 

15.  Cornucopia Fun-In Greek Mythology its been said that Amalthea broke off one of her horns and offered it to Zeus the ruler of gods.  Somehow it ended up that people fill a cornucopia with seasonal produce and ate it as time went by. This could be fun with the kids. Fill it with apples, oranges and fruit that keeps for a long time. Let the kids eat it as time goes. Don't have a cornucopia? Make one from paper! 

16.  Make a cornhusk doll-You can find easy directions to make them here.  Try to use things you have and get creative! 

17.  Dia De Los Muertus-Otherwise known as day of the dead.  Let the kids raid your recycling and try to make some day of the dead decorations. Heck take them to a lost loved ones grave. Celebrate them by cleaning the grave and leaving decorations.  You don't have to have Mexican roots to do this one people. Anyone can celebrate a loved ones life. 

And there you go.  All these idea's can be free and save you money.  Remember to be kind to the earth and use what you have. But most of all enjoy the season 100% each time it comes. Then you can look forward to it next year. 

Peace!

Green review-Schmidt's Natural Deodorant Giveaway!

CONTEST HAS ENDED *******************

And the winner is.......

 Carissa Bonham said...

this sound great. I'm still trying to find a natural deodorant I like. Lots of them keep you from smelling bad but I don't like feeling damp. I'd love to check this out. 

Please email me at 

survivingandthrivingonpennies@yahoo.com 

and lets get your free  deodorant to you!!! 

You have 1 week or I will have to pick 

another winner. 

Months ago I was at a convention center with my mama checking out the newest green products for the home and garden.  I went as a personal fun trip but also wanted to find some local companies to get samples to try out. I'm a non profit blogger so anything I review is given to me or bought out of my own pocket. 

I walked by a booth for Schmidt's Natural Deodorant and was excited to see a great product made right here in Oregon. Woot! I really actively look for local companies who strive to be sustainable and as close to nature as possible. Schmidt's fits the bill! I mentioned I was a non profit blogger and Jaime Schmidt gave me a large sample to try out for myself. I walked away with a giant smile on my face! 

Here are a few facts about this amazing company-

-Hand crafted here in Oregon! 

-Vegan

-Cruelty-free

-Propylene Glycol-Free

-Paraben-free

-Phthalate-free

-Scents include Cedarwood/Juniper, Ylang/-Ylang/Calendula(I sampled), Bergamot/Lime, Lavender/Sage and Fragrance Free for those who can't use essential oils or are sensitive to them.

-Neutralizes under arm odor

-Absorbs wetness without the use of aluminum or other harmful chemicals

-100% natural ingredients

-Glass jar with plastic lid

-You can buy online if not local to them.

-Also found in many retail stores across the USA 

-Retail packages have no outside packaging. Just the product which means less waste! 

-Affordable! 

MY REVIEW

In August we went on a vacation to California and I packaged my Schmidt sample. It was going to be hot and I knew that this would be a great time to test it out. First thing I noticed was that it didn't melt into a liquid when it was in my baggage.  I was a bit worried about leakage but nope!  I used it each day and my pits smelled so lovely. Stayed on when I was in the pool and let me just say we were in the pool most of the time.  Nothing worst than a deodorant coming off mid day and having to reapply it often.  I'm happy to report nothing but good things. This deodorant was awesome.

BONUS REVIEW

I knew the best test would be to hand over this deodorant to my 15 year old daughter.  She is a typical active teenager who NEEDS deodorant each and every single day. Plus she plays soccer. Need I say more? I handed over the deodorant and said use it. As a mother I didn't smell her after practice like the usual.  No rolling down the windows for fresh air. She also said it helped with keeping her arm pits dry.  Most natural deodorants don't help with wetness in the pits at all.  HUGE bonus! From now on she will be using Schmidt's Natural Deodorant as long as I can buy Bergamot & Lime so her arm pits can smell like Skittles candy.  Silly teenager! 

Although the essential oils are not organic they do use pure essential oils.  They use baking powder and arrowroot powder to control wetness and odor. No yucky chemicals here! What really impressed me was their customer service. Didn't hesitate to answer any of my questions. Which I had a ton. Ive got your back everyone and ask what I know you want to know.  I'm kinda awesome like that. 

I HANDS DOWN RECOMMEND THIS PRODUCT TO ANYONE. GREAT FOR ME BECAUSE ITS LOCAL BUT IF YOU CAN'T FIND A LOCAL PRODUCT FOR YOUR NEEDS THEN YOU MUST TRY THIS ONE OUT. AMAZING PRODUCT WITH NO ECO GUILT. 

For my plastic free readers-I asked and Jaime Schmidt gives the A okay for asking for no plastic bubble wrap when shipping their product to you. Because the container is glass she wraps it in bubble wrap but if your okay with the possibility of breakage she will leave it out. But honestly the glass jar is very durable if you ask me.  

CONTACT

info@schmidtsdeodorant.com

(503) 473-3997

postal address: 5527 SE 71st Avenue, Portland, OR  97206

Read my disclosure on the left side of this page. I'm a non profit and was not paid to do this review and these are my views and personal opinions. 

Leave a comment below and 1 lucky person will win a free full size bottle of Schmidt's Deodorant and the scent of their choice!!!!!!!  

What are you waiting for ??? Hurry enter! 

Rules-One entry per person please. Leave your name and I will announce the winner the day the contest ends. Winner will email me & details will be emailed.  One lucky person will be chosen at random. Contest ends September 25th 11 am Pacific Time. 




CONTEST HAS ENDED*******************

Lessons Learned by my Bike

Yesterday I decided to ride my bike up to the store to return some beer bottles we had in our recycling bin.  My husband doesn't see the reason to take them in when you only get a five cents each. My girls were all in school for the first time this year so I was bored. I loaded up my bike basket with the bottles in a paper bag and headed off. Here is what I learned

-I'm out of shape. I'm having hip issues so this is less stressful on my body than running. I'm still out of shape.

-Old bike isn't comfortable. I have butt bruises.

-Old bike means loud bike. Especially with glass jars.

-Bike was collecting dust for a while and mocking me anytime I saw it. "Get off your lazy butt lady!" 

-Don't forget your bike lock. I did. Had to bring bike in with me....embarrassing.

-Check deposits to see if they are accepted in Oregon where I live. Do this BEFORE you leave. I didn't. Yeah so my lovely bike ride got me nothing.

-It's exercise. Anything is better than nothing.

-It was beautiful out so I enjoyed the smells, sights and sounds all the way to the store. I have a duck pond walking/bike path near my home. I'm pretty lucky.

-I learned that not all glass bottles have deposits. Who knew! 

I plan on using my bike way more often. I have a trailer that hooks up to it for those grocery trips.  My goal is to not be a sissy and even ride in the rain. We will see how this pans out. Less I use my car means the less gas I have to buy which means the less pollutants I put into the air because I'm too lazy to walk or bike. Good all around! Peace

Schmoozing my grandma

So I broke my Grandma Mary's green glass bowl. I was moving another bowl and wasn't being very careful about it. I knew better. But I broke it. I was so mad at myself for doing it because I knew better. I take pride in everything I own especially something so special to me. I literally found this completely covered in dirt on my grandma's property after she passed away.  It was like finding a diamond in the rough. The whole day I felt pretty crappy about myself. Until last night that is! 

I remembered that I brought home a shelf and 2 rakes that I thought I could do something with. I had an idea to make a necklace holder with the rakes and the shelf needed some new paint. Honestly they were stashed away and I completely forgot about them. My husband was in a "hanging" mood so I started finding anything I could to hang up. I had a few things around sitting along the wall as a hint for him. 

Here is the end results. Not exactly fancy but to my likings.  I plan on adding some other green colors to my room as well but thats another project. I recently changed my bedding because it was a bit boring. After trying to replace my comforter and failing I decided on just adding colorful decorations. Not only is this easier for me but its also cheaper. Queen size comforters are not cheap! Its a work in progress and maybe one day I will share the results when its done.

There is a story behind this shelf. Originally this shelf hung in my grandma's dining area.  We realized after she passed that she was a hoarder. She hid things very well! This shelf was full of little trinkets and literally had never been cleaned or dusted. I really just loved the size and shape of this shelf. It is handmade and constructed pretty rough which leads me to believe my grandpa made it for her. He had a wood shop in the back of their property and the two of them were pretty creative.  

I cleaned this shelf up as much as I could and went looking for paint we already had. Since I loved the texture of the old existing paint I decided just to spray paint it so i could keep it.  Plus I'm impatient and this was a quick project. 

My grandmother loved ordering things from Avon whether she needed them or not. Whoever sold Avon to her really didn't need many customers. Grandma was enough! She bought lots of necklaces because she was a tall lady and needed long necklaces. Avon had a great selection and sizes.  Grandma would also buy us grandkids lots of things from Avon. Usually soaps, bubble bath and Chapstick. What I didn't know was how much she loved rings. I don't really remember her wearing many but then again I don't remember much because I have the worst memory. But when we went through all her belongings we found so many rings. I have very small hands so I can't wear any of them.  Instead of giving them away I decided to display them. Also I recently discovered that one of them had lead in it and that completely freaks me out. These are up high so my children don't touch them but low enough they can enjoy looking at them. 

My grandparents were amazing gardeners. They had lots of structures in their back property that had to be gone through after she passed away. It was like Christmas for me. Some family members took furniture but not me. All I wanted was my grandparents garden equipment and her kitchen tools.  I knew I would use them daily and honestly I prefer older kitchen tools anyways. They made them way better back in the day.  

In the back of my grandparents garden was a small shed that looked like a out house. Inside I found several garden tools including these two rake heads. I'm sure grandpa was going to give them new life eventually but never got around to it.  Lucky me I snagged them up! 

One rake is for bracelets and the other for my necklaces.  As you can tell I love natural types of jewelry.  Pearls are my favorite but I also love silver,shells, leather, glass and natural stones.  I'm allergic to gold and nickel so I have to stick to these things or I will break out. Even my wedding ring is just silver.  That pretty blue necklace was given to me by my sister but I don't wear it because it too had lead in it. Most vintage glass jewelry does. I wore it up until I found that little toxic fact out.

I hope all this schmoozing has her looking down on me and smiling.  I hope she knows I was always there as a spectator taking in everything.  I hope she knows that I miss her and grandpa so much. They were the most hard working people I knew. It was them who made my single mother the hard working mother she was.  I owe my blog to them. Had I not grown up in that beautiful environment this blog wouldn't exist.  Many thanks Gram

Recycled School Savings

School time doesn't have to put you in debt. I challenge you to keep your credit cards in your wallet and open your eyes to new ways to buy what you need each school year. I have learned over the years that some things are needed and some things are not. Mostly not! 

Here are a few simple ways to save money. Even if you just try one thing I promise you it will keep that hard earned money in your wallet. 

Clean, Organize & Take Note

Pretty simple thing. Before you try to buy anything you need to go through your children's closet. If you have other children then you can hand down what is too small, store whats too large and donate what you cannot. Try calling your local schools to see if they have a program that gives clothes to needy families. 

Once cleaned go through and note what you need more of, sizes and remember to think all seasons not just summer clothes. Winter jackets, boots & etc. You might consider looking for things one size up if your child is still growing. 

Write everything down and keep this list in your purse/wallet or in your car. Being prepared will save you money in the long run and it means you won't miss out on a deal. To be safe make two list. 

Hand Me Downs

Once you have organized you will have things too big or too small.  Now you can hand those down to your younger or older kids. There are many times that we don't need to buy much at all.  One year we only needed school shoes and a few supplies. That was a awesome year! This year I will be able to hand down things to my oldest because we are only one size difference. Luckily she has a cool mom who has good taste. Not the case when I was young. Sorry mom....so true. lol. 

Friends & Family Hand Me Downs

During the summer I get the word out that if anyone has any clothes/shoes to give away to think of us.  I also ask around to friends/family who have children younger to mine. I let them all know that we go through our stuff and anything their kids can fit they can have. Helping each other helps save everyone money.  Every few months a co worker gives my husband bags of clothes for our girls. We also go through our twins things and give them to another co worker who has 2 little girls. My older girls give things to our neighbors girls. It makes us feel better to know someone else could use these things that we loved and cherished for so long.  So remember to get the word out and keep the list of names. Every bit helps to all.

Garage & yard sales

Okay here is where your list come in handy. I recommend hitting up yard/garage sales on any day. Fridays are good for key items you really need. Let's say a Winter coat. Those go quick and are expensive if you have to buy new. Same with shoes. Things you know you really need bad get first. Saturday are days to search for shirts, jeans and sweatshirts. These are always at garage sales for cheap and sometimes even in the free box.  Sundays are excellent days! People want to get rid of things and most the times give excellent deals.  Remember to bring small bills,  bring your own bags and never be afraid to ask for a cheaper price.  When you buy something remember to check it off the list (both list!). 

Thrift Stores

Sometimes you just can't find what you want at garage/yard sales. Thats when you hit your good old thrift store. I try to visit my favorite stores regularly and be friendly with the staff. This helps if I am looking for something in particular. I can just ask & they usually know me and show me what they have. Its good to know your favorite store workers no matter what store you are at. They always know where the best deals are! Thrift stores are a great place to find a certain style for that oh so picky child.  Keep an eye out for the weeks color tag thats 50% off or shop on the day thats 50% off.  Whatever the deal/day remember it & make note of it. And never forget that whatever the price its better than buying brand new retail prices.

Retail

It is only when I cannot find something in particular that I will look in retail stores.  For example yesterday I went to Target to buy socks and undies.  My girls hand down these things to each other. I wash them, I know where they have been and I know there are no harsh chemicals/toxins on them.  My older girls need new ones ever so often. They don't grow fast because were small people in general which comes in handy. I walked out of Target spending $22.49 for 19 pairs of socks and 9 pairs of undies. Those were sale prices and still too spendy if you ask me.  I also don't like the plastic involved in the packaging, toxic sprays which I'm sure they spray on the fabrics and don't get me started on the cotton to make the fabric which I'm sure are sprayed with pesticides and who knows what. But organics are just not a financial option for me right now. Oh how I wish it was though. 

That pretty much sums up how I save money each year. I have 4 daughters and if I bought everything new for each one of them I would be in some serious debt.  And the best part of this is that you can use these idea's for school supplies too! As your kids get older they will not need to share school supplies. Your child can reuse their school supplies each year saving you money. Except when they want you to buy a new fancy calculator that cost $100. That was my problem last year! That calculator will be taken care of and handed down to my next daughter when she needs it. We will continue to reduce, reuse and recycle what we have and donating what we don't need anymore. 

The idea that you need to buy "new" things each year just boggles my mind.  Be smart. Reuse and buy used. Its just another form of recycling! 

NW Portland Locals here are a few of my favorite places to buy used:

Goodwill's-185th/Baseline or Bethany/Cornel Hillsboro locations.

Goodwill Outlet-TV Highway/Century BLVD Hillsboro. It's my "go to" place to find everything. 

Plato's Closet 185th/Evergreen Hillsboro. Here you can shop for that teenager and not go broke. 

Green Review- Soaps to Live By

Soaps to Live By

One thing I will never go back to doing is buying cheap soap. When we kicked all toxins our of our life  I found that mainstream soap was packed full of toxins and waxy oils. This was a huge issue for us because we are a family of girls with allergies and eczema.  Just changing to non toxic natural soap had a huge impact on our skin. No more flare ups and no more dry flaky skin.  

I recently stumbled upon Soaps to Live By in my blogger network.  Andreea Ayer's the Founder of Soaps to Live By send me three 4 ounce bars of soaps to try and review for free. Soaps to Live By have amazing customer service (which makes me happy!) and has been great to work with.  

Here are some reasons why I'm falling in love with them

-Each organic bar of soap is handcrafted from natural and organic ingredients.  Things like coconut oil, sustainable palm oil and pure essential oils.  Each batch is hand poured, hand mixed and hand cut here in the USA. Now thats awesome!

-Their labels are made from something called "biostone" which is fully compostable and biodegradable.  Thats right stone not trees! Yeah for the environment not being harmed!!!

-They also have partnered with Trees for the Future.  Thats right! For every soap they sell a tree will be planted!!! I love my trees!

-Each bar of soap has a word of wisdom stamped on them. This makes the soap perfect for gift giving! 

Scents

Oatmeal Cloves (reviewed)

Peppermint Rosemary (reviewed)

Patchouli Orange

Orange Lime

Lemongrass Sage

Thyme Lemongrass

Lavender Rosemary

Shea Honey

Citrus Lavender (reviewed)

My Review

Peppermint Rosemary soap I decided to use in my shower.  There's nothing like waking up and a kick of peppermint does the trick.  It lathers so much so you could make the soap go further by using a loofa sponge or wash cloth.  Rinsing was easy peasy and took just a few seconds. I was squeaky clean but nice and soft once I was dry. Oh how I look forward to my morning shower. Ive even used this soap to shave with and it worked very well.  Why spend money on toxic yucky foam shaving cream when you can get double use from your bar of soap? Makes no sense to me. This soap is fantastic! 

Citrus Lavender soap I use at my kitchen sink.  Since Im in the garden each day I need a good soap to clean my dirty hands with. Needs to get my hands clean and leave them soft and ready for more.  I keep the soap on a cast iron soap holder that allows water to drip off the soap and the soap stays dry in return lasting longer.  That really is the key to making use of your soap as long as you can. A dry bar of soap! I just LOVE the smell of this soap. Just enough smell to keep you smelling fresh but not enough soap to make your food smell like it. Perfect for the kitchen. Nothing worst than toxic soap that oils stay on your hands and leach into your food you are making. Yuck! Not with this soap! 

Oatmeal Clove soap I decided to use when making my own laundry soap.  I simply took 2 pounds of baking soda and grated in 1/2 a bar of oatmeal clove soap. I use 1 tablespoon of my laundry soap in my HE washer.  Less if your clothes are not super dirty.   Wow was the smell amazing.  Again it cleaned my clothes great, smelled amazing but didn't have that lingering smell like toxic soaps do.  Nothing worst than walking by someone and being assaulted the the smell of their soaps or softeners. Seriously people you smell way too much and it makes me sick. Best part of this soap is that it has oats in it. Best softener you can get naturally!  Just a little secret most people don't know. Oats are a eczema girls best friend! Tip-Take a old sock and add 1 teaspoon of oats. Tie a knot and use this to wash your body in the shower. You will be amazed how soft your skin is afterwards. Or just buy this soap because all the work is done for you! 

My Verdict 

I really would recommend this soap highly. It has many uses than just washing your body.  It leaves our skin feeling amazing and smelling wonderful.  At $8.00 a bar it doesn't make me go broke. Better yet buy a gift set and save yourself $4.00!  Or even better sign up for the soap of the month and get 2 bars each month saving you $52.00 each year! You can also sign up for 3 months if you are not ready for a full year. There are ways to save money just gotta find whats right for you.  

$8 is about a average price of a good quality of soap. But as I pointed out there are some  huge differences in products. With Soaps to Live By you get a clean eco friendly purchase. Trees planted, compostable labels and lets not forget the amazing product. 

The only thing I really didn't like personally was that the soap came in with bubble wrap around the soap. I asked and here is what they told me.

"We used to send them without bubble wrap and they got damaged in the box, so we started the bubble wrap.  However, if someone buys only one or two soaps, we send in a bubble mailer and don't wrap it again.  It's the only way to send it without getting it damaged, unfortunately.  The only other option would be to put it in a box, but then we'll have to increase the price to $10.  So this was the best alternative to cost vs eco factor." 

I then asked if it was okay for a customer to request plastic free and okay with damage if any at all.  My gosh Beth Terry would be so proud of me! I feel as if I have a little Beth on my shoulder. She's always keeping me in check! lol

"Yes definitely! And I am even thinking of giving the option to order without a label at all (I have to see if I'm allowed to sell it without labels though). And I am always looking for more eco friendly and affordable alternatives to the bubble wrap, so if you have any suggestions, let me know! "

See what I mean about amazing customer service? They rock! 

Thats my only small issue otherwise I give this amazing company a big fat YES! 

Find them on Facebook, Twitter, or Pinterest too! 

Now go check them out here or find a local retailer here. What are you waiting for? 

Check out my disclosure to the left. These soaps were sent to me for free and all opinions are mine and only mine are are not influenced by money/companies what so ever. 

Green Review Lullaby Paints

Lullaby Paints

Lullaby Chalkboard Paints is a hard, washable, and super-resilient paint designed for creating your own chalkboard surfaces.  The low-sheen finish ideally takes all general purpose and sidewalk chalks and is fully washable.  The paint included in the kit is sufficient for a thirty square foot chalkboard, painted with two coats, onto a normal surface.  The kit also includes edging tape, a roller and a tray of paint.

Lullaby Paints sent me a kit for free to try out and review. I was in the middle of remodeling our 8 year old twins room so after I finished that I started this project.   I decided on black paint because its traditional and the black color will cover well.  I then searched for the perfect second hand item to up-cycle into something fun for my girls.  It took me a few weeks but I finally found this.  I really have no idea what it was originally meant for but it looked like a tray or general board I could turn into a blackboard. At $2.99 it was easy on the bank too! 

Instructions that came with the kit were very helpful.

Prepare-Surfaces should be clean, dry, sound and free from grease.  Remove any soft, dusty or loose material.  I lined the outside with tape and sanded down a bit to prepare the surface for paint.  Used a dry cloth to get all the dust off and ready for paint.

Mix-Do not thin.  Stir gently and thoroughly before use. The paint came in a small bag that I simply squished and mixed up a bit.

Paint-Spread generously and evenly.  Avoid going back over painted areas.  Apply two coats, allow to dry in between applications.  This is where I didn't follow directions and should have.  So my painted surface looks a bit rough but I'm pretending its a old chalkboard and old is in. Yeah lets go with that. I also only had one brush which broke after the first applications but I thought I could still get with with using it. Nope. Now there is a hair or two from the brush in the paint. So this handy lady sacrificed a make up brush to finish painting with. Sure did the trick! I don't wear make up so that brush was just sitting around awaiting to be used. Clean up was a cinch.  Just washed my hands with soap and water. Easy peasy. 

Enjoy-Remove chalk with a damp cloth, for other marks use a mild detergent and water.  Before first use, rub the entire surface of your chalkboard with the side of the chalk stick, then wipe clean. 

And here is the finished project! Perfect for the girls to make signs or just simply draw pretty pictures.  But because its also a tray size I could easily take this and set some cheese, fruit and cuts of meat on and write on the board what kinds they are. Its non toxic so I don't need to worry about my food being poisoned by chemicals.

My Review
I highly recommend this company.  You can get inspiration from their website or  their blog. I was browsing online for hours. I'm amazed on how many projects people come up with. Truly inspiring.

Another great thing is you can try before you buy. Simply go online and order some paint chips (FREE!!) or even some 2 oz paint samples.  Nothing worst than ordering something that isn't what you wanted and not being able to return it. This just helps you keep from wasting money.

Their paints are made from the finest ingredients, their baby safe paints are carefully selected for their safety and performance.  In fact, their paints are so safe they include food grade ingredients.  In fact their rich, deep pigments are imported from Europe and meet the highest environmental and safety standards.  And because their resins are not diluted with cheap toxic solvents, they're thicker and cover your walls much better.

Lullaby Paints are recognized by consumer advocacy groups and leading environmental organizations, used by hospitals and maternity facilities, lauded by magazines, designers and bloggers and, most of all enjoyed by moms as pregnancy safe paints.  Now mom to be, mommies and babies can be safe.

Now thats awesome. Actually its awesomeness!  (yes I made that up)

Lets not forget the perk of being able to shop from home! But if you like to support a local company ( like myself!) you can find a nearest retailer to you.

Last but not least my favorite part of this whole product and review. Customer service!!!! Excellent customer service is a MUST (and rare these days!). If you have any questions at all you can call live toll-free (866)587-3586

Now go check out LULLABY PAINTS and discover why I fell in love with them. They have many different colors for every color scheme and can help you jazz up any room or project in any home or building. You can thank me later.

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I would like to thank Janelle and Lullaby Paints for giving me this opportunity to try your paints. It was a fun project and a great experience all around. As a mother I feel good about using non toxic products from amazing companies. Thank you for making such a great product I feel safe bringing into my home.

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