D.I.Y Composter

A while back my son, Baylor, decided to make a composter for a class project. The project's goal was for each student do something that would have a positive impact on the earth. After doing some research online he gathered the materials and put it together. The process is shown below....

First, he drilled holes into a large garbage can for ventilation (organic matter needs oxygen in order to break down)

Next, he decided to paint the composter to give it a personal touch

He placed straw in the bottom of the can to promote drainage

In went the organic matter we had collected from the kitchen

It is amazing how little trash we have now once we have recycled and composted! The composter has been a real success. It requires a bit more muscle than one that rotates with a hand crank since it needs to be turned regularly, but manual labor never hurt anyone. We have been able to use the "black gold" in our yard and nothing feels better then seeing nature come full circle. Do you compost? Please share your tips with us!

-Kari

Start Your Winter Veggies in a Sunny Window

As fall approaches, it is time to start planning for your winter garden. I found this picture on an adorable blog called The Lark. What a great way to recycle your tea tins! You can plant your starter seeds in these sweet tins until ready to transfer them to a bigger pot or bed in the yard. I also have been storing up toilet paper rolls to use as little pots for my seedlings to grow in. You can find a complete tutorial for starting seeds in toilet paper rolls on the ehow website. Here is a picture of their final product:

We have just begun prepping our raised boxes for our winter garden, pulling the weeds and clearing out the expired plants. I also plan to add some compost to enrich the soil. I will keep you posted on our progress and share pictures as well. I hope this winter we have large harvest of greens and root vegetables.


-Kari

Patio Inspired by "Chocolat"

My close friend Lisa is moving. With a move comes a lot of purging and she has taken this opportunity to another level. She said "why move something you don't love or need?" I agree.  With her purge came a generous offering of furniture. She suggested that I take her old dining room table and chairs, as well as a console (more on that later). I briefly hesitated, since I don't need a table inside my house, and then she suggested putting it in the yard "Chocolat" style (as seen in photo still from the movie above). She struck something deep inside of me that longs to live in the countryside of France and eat alfresco every night. You might remember the movie that hit theaters in 2000, starring Johnny Depp and Juliette Binoche, and the enchanting scene of the party in the garden. That was Lisa's vision and now it is mine. I have consulted with my painter friend on how to restore and weather proof the furniture and have picked some outdoor fabric to recover the chairs with. Now the challenge begins. I thought I would share some before pictures of the dining set. Once this project is complete, I will share the final results! Any advice is very welcome!

the table also has two leaves to seat 8 or more

one of the chairs ready to be recovered


-Kari

Packing a Waste Free Lunch

The mission in my home is to simplify everything, from the laundry to the lunches. Being slightly paranoid of chemical-laden plastics, as well as being environmentally conscious, adds another twist to making sure you make smart choices for your children. I do believe it is wise to invest in high quality lunch systems because they save you money in the long run. If you added up the cost for every water bottle, baggie, and paper napkin you used each school year you would be shocked. In addition, many plastic bags and water bottles leach chemicals into your child's water and food - pretty scary. Don't forget the environmental impact of millions of children tossing away their lunch bags and bottles everyday! Years ago, I purchased the Laptop Lunch Box (as seen above) for my kids, and still love them. Everything is contained in little compartments, leaving zero waste. All of the containers, and bag, are also free of phthalates, lead, PVC, and BPA. The compartments are on the small size so the kids eat everything I pack. Having 4 compartments also promotes variety. I can pack a fruit, veggie, snack, and sandwich. Another plus is that they are flat and minimize the bulk in their backpack. Best of all, the kids have loved them. Laptop lunch even has larger containers  for adults and teens. Another great option are lunch boxes from Easy Lunch Boxes . They are also completely waste free. Here are some other ideas for storing snacks, soups, and sandwiches.

Stainless Steel Thermos

Wrap-n-mats

Laptop lunch

Lunchskins

If you have ever been to your child's school for lunch, you know how much gets mindlessly tossed in the trash. This is a great way to get kids involved in conservation and let them set the example in the cafeteria. Knowledge is power!


~Kari

Back to School!

As summers always do, this one flew by and it's time to gear up for back to school shopping and preparation. It's difficult to transition our children from a more relaxed schedule of days full of play, camps, family vacations and time off from homework, back to the demands of school. As parents, we too can experience slight dread as a new school year approaches. Its back to making lunches, helping with homework and projects, and everything else that comes with being back on a real schedule. So, this week, we thought that we would provide some "back to school" tips that we have discovered to make the process easier, and dare say, fun!?

School supplies have been posted, and so with high-lighter and lists in hand, it's time to hit those back to school sales. There is something about school supplies that kids love. Freshly sharpened pencils, new lunch boxes, erasers and binders. A clean start. Let your child take part in the shopping by giving him/her a copy of the list and their own cart (if they are old enough) and then stand back and watch how responsible they can be. For the younger kids, let them see the item on the list, try and find it with you, and then have them cross it off the list. Make sure everyone is up for the task of back to school shopping and set the ground rules before you go so as not to disappoint anyone (should you decide that their current backpack is in mint condition, or that they have such a collection of hand held pencil sharpeners, you refuse to buy another).

There are many children who will be without school supplies when the year begins. In Charleston, a non- profit organization called Teacher's Supply Closet is a wonderful resource for those individuals and businesses who would like to donate school supplies to children. Look within your communities and discover organizations that may be in place and consider donating. Below is an example of items that are needed. This year, won't you consider helping a child? 

• Pencils
• Copy Paper
• Glue Sticks
• Crayons (24 pack)
• Composition Notebooks
• Dry Erase Markers
• Pink Erasers
• Folders
• Kleenex, Hand Sanitizer
• Scissors

Let the fun begin!

Liz & Kari

Backyard Spa

Most of you already know that coffee grinds are a great way to boost the quality of your compost, but how about using them as an exfoliant? We decided to mix some Dr. Bronner's soap with the grinds to make a nice paste, and gathered the girls (and boy) and created our own backyard spa. We have to say that our feet, legs, and hands felt buffed and smooth as a baby's bottom! Once you try it, you'll be hooked! Afterwards, try using some coconut oil to moisturize for another great and natural idea.


thought:
kids like to get dirty, what a great way to allow them to make a mess while cleaning off their feet after a summer of flip flops, bare feet, and sandy beaches...

    easy and fun clean up

    sweet revenge!


~Liz & Kari

Living Room Update on a Budget

At some point the sofa in our den was condemned. Habitat for Humanity denied it and so it was carried off to be recycled. We then decided to find a new sofa for the living room and move the current one into the den. As always, I love the challenge of spending as little as possible. I found a sofa and down filled chair at my friend's estate sale for a great price. All it needed was a slip cover and it would look brand new. In the meantime, I was struggling with finding the right white to paint the inside of my house. As many of you know, white is not just white! I ended up seeking the help of my neighbors Julia and Denise. We tried many swatches on the wall and narrowed it down quite a bit; but not enough to pull the trigger. Julia then put me in contact with Elizabeth Goff, a local interior decorator, and she came in and sealed the deal. I ended up having the slipcovers made by Cheryl Arnold, of The Slipcover Shop, who did an amazing job. She did them in a white cotton duck, sounds crazy, but I knew I could wash them endlessly and not worry about the color fading. Below are some before and after pictures of my living room transformation. Note the yellow on the walls, not sure what I was thinking!

This is the sofa prior to being covered.

I decided on a neutral, clean palette that I could easily switch up. Here are some pictures of the room in progress. Note there is still no rug. A pretty seagrass rug has been purchased but when the puppy showed up, the rug went upstairs till further notice.

-Kari

The Slipcover Shop- 843-817-9231

Repurposing Treasured Items

If you want to find a purpose for those sentimental items buried in drawers, or vintage finds that may be collecting dust, check out the below ideas from our homes on ways we have used  pieces that are special to us. So go through your drawers, pull out those hidden family heirloom pieces, and find a use for them! Not only will you have more drawer space, you will have in your eye's view treasured pieces that remind you of special people, places, and times in your life. Smiles the whole house through!

handmade chicken wire frame to display precious art! brilliant!

vintage drawer to keep beauty supplies organized

antique dish for soap

vintage box for tp!

vintage dish for jewelry

antique tea party plates displayed

Liz's Dad made this bowl and the bowl below in his pottery class!

keep keys together by the front door

a handmade tray by grandmother to house those shades 

a wonderful use for childrens pottery!

Send us your ideas on ways you repurpose items in your home!

Cheers,

Liz & Kari

How Does My Garden Grow?

After an inspiring trip to Germany a few years back, I talked my husband into building some raised boxes for a vegetable garden. He built three boxes out of cedar and we filled them with organic soil and compost. I have learned a great deal over the past few seasons on what works and what doesn't, how to keep pests away without chemicals, and what is fruitful and what struggles. Here is the garden after tilling and filling it with compost from our compost bin. 

after planting seeds and seedlings and a giving a little TLC here is how the garden has grown....

baby heirloom romas

my favorite, roasted like Dr. Doug taught me to..

too hot for me, any takers?

squash blossoms, should I fry them?

the rain barrel provides all the water to the garden

full view of the garden


Share your gardening tips with us!
Cheers, Kari