Get your creative juices flowing!

With prices going up on just about everything its time to get creative.  Ive been trying for years to share how you can shop at Whole Foods and keep on a budget but the same old cliche happens. Whole Foods Whole Paycheck! Well to be fair yes you can spend your whole paycheck very easily.  But to be perfect honest you can do that in any store not just Whole Foods.  Its how you spend your money that determines if you stay on budget.  Instead of planning your meals then going shopping how about go shopping, buy whats in season and then do your planning? Let me give you a few examples.

I recently went to my local Whole Foods and made sure I would stick to organic and on sale.  So here you can see Organic Zucchini only $1.99.  I picked up 3 of them to use during this weeks dinners.  Spent only 2 smackaroos! Soon I won't have to buy because my zucchini plants are loaded with flowers. That will save me a bundle. 

Since the Organic Spinach was 2 for $4  I snagged myself two bundles.  This is a good sale and those bundles are pretty large.  Tonight's dinner will include a bundle of these.

And look at these! Organic Baby Bok Choy is so yummy! I took home about 4 of them only setting gem back $2.  Yup these will also be used in dinners or heck maybe even in scrambled eggs in the morning.  I'm drooling just thinking about these. 

What I really needed was fruit and was hoping to buy some apples. At $2.49 per pound (not in season here) they just weren't in the budget. These white nectarines will be just fine. Yes they are not organic but they are non sprayed and way better than fruit in big box stores.  I mean right?   I picked 5 medium ones and headed towards the next sale item.  By the way I didn't use one of those paper boxes or use a plastic bag because that's added weight to my bill.  Just put them in the cart because we wash our produce before we eat.  And besides plastic sucks!

Organic black plums? YES PLEASE!!! Again I picked up a few of these and plopped them gently into my cart as is no bag or paper box.  My girls are going to scream when they see these.  So plump and juicy.  Our plum tree isn't ready just yet but soon we will have a week or two of our own fresh organic plums for free! I'm sure I will find lots of ways to preserve them.  

And here here looky here! This is how I make budget friendly organic meals.  $1.39 is a fantastic price but did you know you can buy them for cheaper? Buy a case of them (12) and get an extra 10% off! When you feed a family of 6 like I do a case isn't a big amount ha ha.  I already have regular pasta so I picked up a case of these to stock up on.  So instead of paying $16.68 I only paid $15.  That's only $1.25 each!

So when it came to making dinner I brought out what I had bought earlier at the grocery store.  On the way home I also stopped by my local Grocery Outlet and picked up nitrate free salami for only $1.99 each.  Kept one out for dinner and the other 5 went into the freeze for a later meal.  

Now doesn't this look yummy? I boiled the noodles then drained.  In the empty pan I tossed in 2 minced cloves of garlic with some olive oil.  I then tossed in the recently rinsed spinach, the salami  and tossed the noodles back on.  On a medium heat I cooked it till the spinach till it wilted. Added salt and whalah! You have dinner.  Here's the break down.

Organic Pasta from Whole Foods $1.25
Organic Spinach from Whole Foods $2.00
Organic Garlic FREE from my garden
Nitrate Free Salami from Grocery Outlet $1.99

Total cost: $5.24
That fed 5 people making it $1.04 a person.
I even have left overs!

Now is that budget friendly enough for you? Now go to your local organic or natural grocery store or local Whole Foods and do this for yourself.  Be smart with your purchases and you can still stay on budget!  Just gotta get your creative juices flowing people.

DIY Organic Buckwheat Pillow

I have been searching for a comfortable pillow for a few years now. Each time I find a new type of pillow I get discouraged.  Have you seen the prices of these pillows? From down to foam shaped these things can cost you anywhere from $30-$100 or more. Really hard to commit to buying something that you may or may not be comfortable with.  It wasn't until I stumbled upon a bag of organic buckwheat that I thought I might be able to afford such a luxury pillow.  Here's what I ended up doing.

DIY Organic Buckwheat Husk Pillow

What you will need:

Sewing machine or needle and thread

Pillowcase the size you like to sleep with. A thicker cotton one would work best. Use one you have already to save you money.   To make this easier you can buy a zippered pillowcase and simply fill it.  But this will add more cost to this project. 

6-7 bags of organic buckwheat husk. Found mine at Natural Grocers for a little over a buck a bag. Really would love to find them plastic free but this will have to do.

Dried lavender is optional. I grew my own and dried it just for this purpose.

Directions: Sew your pillowcase shut except for about 2-3 inches.  Fill the pillowcase with your buckwheat husk. Remember to add any herbs you would like into it before sewing it shut.  No stems so they don't poke through the pillowcase. I would test your pillow a few times to make sure you have just enough buckwheat husk and not too much.  You will want a little wiggle room to adjust the pillow as you would any pillow. To get the husk into the pillow I made a funnel out of paper and taped it so it wouldn't fall out. Once filled just simply sew the pillowcase shut.  

This pillowcase should last you over 10 years of use.  If it needs more husk simply take a seam ripper to it and add more.  Then simply sew it shut again.  Or if you are using a zippered pillowcase simply unzip and add as much as you want then zip it back up.  

If you need a "How To" video good old Martha has some here.  

Why even use a buckwheat husk pillow?

Buckwheat husk support your head and neck during the night.  Your weight of your head doesn't squeeze the air from the husk and the height of your head doesn't change at all.  No more neck pain or waking up to adjust your pillow.  Buckwheat hulls are temperate.  That means they do not take on heat or cold.  

This project cost me maybe $10.00 to make. I used a pillowcase I already owned that I know has never been exposed to bleach or chemicals.  Ive slept on it so many times so I know its comfortable.  I also grew, picked and dried my own lavender.  You can find dried lavender in the bulk tea section now days but will also add to the cost of this project.  You probably could save on the buckwheat husk by finding some non organic but these are the only ones I have ever seen where I live.  I'm willing to pay the cost for organic because I will be sleeping on this each and every single night.  

Note:Ive yet to sleep on this so I cannot tell you whether its comfortable or not. But I will update as soon as I test this out.  Peace

UPDATE: 1/01/14
Ive been sleeping with this pillow for a week now and so far I'm loving it.  I thought for sure I would hear a crunchy sound but nope. Well I should say only when I move the pillow around with my hand.  I added lavender to mine and get a lovely light smell of it each night.  Other than being crazy heavy I can't think of a negative thing about it. I'm forever changed by this pillow. 

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. 

Can you say yummy?

The garden is finally getting going.  The worst time for me is the waiting period.  You know, when stuff is growing but nothing is ready to eat. This is when I start talking to the plants and threatening them.  "Grow me some produce or your out!"  Of course they never listen to me. But then again neither do my children....I'm beginning to see a pattern here....

 I totally forgot what this flower is.  Its just beautiful right now and the bees are loving it.

 This month I have been able to go to the garden and have raspberries for breakfast.  The chickens are loving this because if I find any bug infested raspberries I toss them into the coop. They love raspberries. Heck they love anything you toss their way.

 Soon I will have some blackberries.  This is a thorn less blackberry I bought last year but am too afraid to plant it into the ground.  I just don't want a over growth of them.  I might plant them next to my raspberries in the retaining wall.  Not sure just yet so for now they stay in a large pot. 

 Its been in the upper 80's here in Portland Oregon.  Today I put some hay down hoping that the water will not evaporate and keep my plants nice and healthy.  I have been having to water them 2 times a day and my water bill is high enough. 

 My tomato plants are finally getting bigger. My tomatillos have flowers on them so that's good.  Its my first year growing them and I hope I can harvest lots of them.  I planted about a dozen different tomato plants this year. My goal is to can as much as I can so I will never have to buy tomato sauce.  We will see....

I only planted one type of runner this year.  Scarlet beans I do enjoy eating but I REALLY enjoy watching them grow. What a beautiful plant this is. Just look at those red flowers! Love love this!

I planted a few echinacea last year but they never blossomed.  This year they are blossomed and just beautiful.  I LOVE them! After they bloom I will transplant a few in my back yard for more color.  So far my back yard consist of calla Lillie's and green trees only.  They should add a nice touch of color.

 I'm happy to report we are finally getting beans producing in our garden.  We call these magic beans because it was a way to get our girls to eat beans.  They love watching these beans change from purple to green when cooked.  They are called Burgundy beans and are a nice addition to any parents garden. 

 Although yellow wax beans are not really flavorful they are beautiful. So I grow them each year just to add another color into our meals.

 I didn't plant these but they are a welcomed addition to the garden.  Our front yard was a bit drabby so this makes it all the more pretty. 

 Hens and chicks are starting to bloom as well.  These were my gram's and when I was able to get her birdbath I kept the hens n chicks in it just as she would of wanted it. 

 I have 2 varieties of blueberries in my front yard.  Right now were getting a smaller blueberry but soon we will be getting large berries from this plant. The blueberries growing in my garden are for the girls to eat at will.  All U Picked ones go into the freezer for treats all year long.

This weekend my husband built a new deck in our back yard.  Our last patio was concrete and not level at all.  Most of it was sunk into the yard and anytime it rained it would flood a bit.  Then the kids would drag dirt into the house. We built our own deck for about $1,400.  If we had someone built ours it would of cost well over $3,000.  We just love building things ourselves. 

My next project is to harvest all my mint and lemon balm.  I will be cutting it and dehydrating it for tea.  I need to do this soon because it will start blooming in a few weeks.  The bees LOVE these when they bloom and I can't get anywhere near them.  Must do this soon!