Walmart buys local

I'm not a big fan of the super-size mega-giant Walmart stores. I do shop their on occasion, but it's the back to school and pre-Christmas shopping chaos that really keeps me away.

However, I read about their new investment into local rural communities by buying locally grown produce and I must say, bravo.

You know it really makes me think about how things go full circle. Back in the day, we bought locally, from the fruit market or farmer's market. Then everything went to crap and now here we are again, where organic and home grown are becoming popular again.
yeah!
Read about the good things they are doing http://instoresnow.walmart.com/food-article_ektid44214.aspx


Good for Walmart, good for a giant retailer to make a good choice. Call me cynical but I don't think they would do it if they weren't planning on saving some serious dough because of it, but ya know, so what.

It is always nice to see big companies doing good things without having to be told to!

Speaking, of companies doing good things, don't get me started on how I love Publix!

Audrey's new fave things

Have you seen these new Ugly Dolls. Well, they aren't really new, but they are new to us. My daughter Audrey loves them. My daughter Amelia loves eatting on Plungo's little tiny feet! And we love the story behind them. Ya gotta love a good entrepreneurial/love story!

Check them out http://www.uglydolls.com/

From their website...

From the creative minds of two love struck artists David Horvath and Sun-Min Kim emerge the Uglydoll family! What started as a drawing of a playful orange character known as Wage has turned into a whole new world of fun! In 2001, when David's soon to be wife and creative partner Sun-Min had to return to Korea, he sent her many "I miss you" letters with his little Wage character drawn at the bottom. Sun-Min sewed Wage into a push doll and sent him to David as a surprise gift. David asked Sun-Min to sew a couple more for the Giant Robot store in Los Angeles and they sold out in one day! A very excited Sun-Min sewed many more and those sold just as fast! Sun-Min and David then began to pull more characters from the Uglyverse, a universe where UGLY meant unique and special, to translate into plush Uglydolls. They both met again at their very first Uglydoll Toy Fair booth (a small 6x6 booth made of felt and wood) in New York, where they would go on to win Toy Of The Year 4 years later!

Diet Coke Necklace

I've noticed it popping up on several blogs lately! It's The heart Diet Coke necklace made by one of our artists!

I am thrilled for her! Orders have come in from Sweden and Australia just this past weekend!

Whether you are blogging about how you love Diet Coke, Coke Memorabilia or Recycled Products, Jennifer and www.repurposed4you.com love that you have added her necklace!

For more of Jennifer's line of recycled aluminum jewelry visit her page at http://repurposed4you.com/shop/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=3_27

One of my favorite things - LUSH Porridge Soap.

My daughters and I love going into our local Lush Handmade Cosmetics store. Although I have to admit the smells sometimes overwhelm my nose buds.

We went in during the Olympics, they were having a Lush Olympics. My 12 year old daughter won the 400inch dash and got to choose a free bath ball. (She was so happy).

www.lush.com has their full line of cosmetics. They are hand made, cruelty free, vegan, organic and all of that good stuff.

I tried their porridge soap. It is fabulous! There is something about that smells so comforting. Oatmeal and Orange juice... it's breakfast soap! The lathers is nice. It has little scrubby bits of goodness. It leaves you feeling lovely. It's not cheap that's for sure! But it is one of my new favorite things!

Their ingredients are listed on their website as this:

We use our ground breaking palm free soap base in all our soaps.The very best way to start the day: a helping of porridge oats with lashings of delicious molasses. Ideal for sensitive skin; irresistible to everyone else.

Ingredients in this product
Key: Blue = Clickable ingredients

Essential Oils and Absolutes: Labdanum Resinoid , Sweet Orange Oil Fresh and Natural: Fresh Organic Orange Juice , Pinhead Oatmeal , Rapeseed oil; Sunflower oil; Coconut oil , Sodium Chloride , Titanium Dioxide , Water Safe Synthetics: Propylene Glycol , Sodium Coco-Sulfate , Sodium Hydroxide
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Quantative Ingredients List
Key: Black = synthetic Green = natural
Water (Aqua) , Propylene Glycol , Rapeseed oil; Sunflower oil; Coconut oil (Brassica napus; Helianthus annuus; Cocos nucifera) , Pinhead Oatmeal (Avena sativa) , Fresh Organic Orange Juice (Citrus Aurantium dulcis) , Titanium Dioxide , Sodium Hydroxide , Sodium Coco-Sulfate , Perfume , Labdanum Resinoid (Cistus labdaniferus) , Sweet Orange Oil (Citrus sinensis) , Sodium Chloride , *Limonene *Occurs Naturally in essential oils †Click here to find out more about perfume

"Throwing" out recycleables

Are there others out there like myself that cringe when they see someone throwing a recyclable in the garbage?

We are recyclers. Luckily, our county even has mandatory business recycling. (I'm curious as the consequences because I there sure are a lot of businesses that still don't)

I have been known to pick up bottles and cans that I have found in parking lots, put them in my car, only to have them roll around the floor until I take them home and throw them in the recycle bin.

My grandparents don't have ANY recycle pick up at their home in rural Tennessee. I had to be talked out of my filling my suitcase with recyclables this summer and bringing them home with me.

But when I see people deliberately throw things away because of laziness it really irks me. I have a friend who refuses to separate her garbage because she thinks it is so much extra trouble. I get so bent out of shape. "The bins are right next to your garbage shoot, you don't even have to walk outside," I tell her.

My husband has a bad habit of assuming everything goes into the garbage. I take things out and put them in our recycle bin. We have an understanding at this point. If he throws away something that should have gone in the blue bin, I will pull it out of the garbage and give him the stink eye. He knows what that means. It means start running, because our understanding is that if he threw away a recyclable then I get to throw it at him. Plastic is not so bad, even diet coke cans, but if he throws a glass bottle in the garbage I will look up at him and he smiles the -uh-oh-I-did-something-bad smile and says"Oh Crap!" and he takes off running.

Sit Bag Recycled Suitcase chairs

From Maybe design. I think these chairs are fabulous.

Sit bags is what they are called. Clever chairs. They have a bit of a 60s retro look to me, maybe it's the colors they picked. I'd put one in my office. Made from recycled suitcases. Lord knows there are tons of those floating around.

Inventive. Original.

Seriously, a solar panel bra?

The Japanese company Triumph has made this new Solar panel bra. It is still in the development phase. It does still get damaged by water/rain, and that is a bummer because they also include two strategicly place water holding devices. (So you don't have to carry plastic bottles with you, of course). It will hold enough power o charge your cell phone or ipod.





So I guess when you get thirsty you reach into your shirt and drain one boob??


I just don't understand.





Was there a calling for this?





I also read that this company is developing a reputation for innovative, eco-friendly lingerie. They have already made bras that turn into a reusable shopping bag, and a bra designed to encourage the use of reusable chopsticks.

Well... I really appreciate the innovation. But this invention leaves me saying ... "Uhm, Ok."

Again I ask, were we looking for such products?





I can just picture it...





"Paper or Plastic, Miss?" "Oh, neither." She says as she pulls her arms into her arm holes and whips out her bra that converts to a bag in the middle of the grocery check out line.

Already started my Christmas List

I LOVE simple shoes. I adore their Eco Sneaks and Mary Janes. It seems that a couple times a month I get emails from them with new products. Recycled tires for soles, organic hemp. Also they list the materials they have used to make the shoes. LOVE THEM!It's already on my list. I can't wait till Christmas!