Thrifty Thursday: Don't be sucked into the hype...

A few years back (and still going strong today), anything sold in a brown paper or cardboard package with green font on the label was playing into the latest "Green" trend.  Consumers were...well...consumed...with the need to buy green goods.  Manufacturers caught on quickly and started packaging products in a way that fed the fire of the trend, and prompted folks to buy their wares (which were exactly the same as before, but in a new package that duped you into paying more money for the same old stuff, and think they were getting a planet-friendly karma boost).  Currently the of-the-minute trend is Urban Farming.  Go me!  I'm on trend!  Super...

So, here's the deal... Most established "urban farmers" are pretty clever and are already in the dirt DIY'ing the hell out of stuff.  So they're probably pretty safe from hype-mark-up products like this "Chicken coop predator kit" from Williams-Sonoma (yes the place with the fancy plates and coco mixes is now selling "supplies" for your chicken coop)...

Source: williams-sonoma.com  

But for those of you just starting out (like me), who may not know any better, please educate yourself before going shopping, or you're sitting ducks.  Folks, please just visit your local farm, feed, or hardware store and buy the stuff from this "kit" for a fraction of the price.  That wire material is otherwise known as hardware cloth, and is usually sold by the roll in wider and longer lengths than the one above, for about a third of the price.  And I've yet to set foot in a single hardware store that doesn't sell nails and washers...

Other current trends to be aware of:
~Organic and natural products for babies (since those little buggers happen all the time, and people just can't help but throw mad amounts of money their way, I think this one's here to stay)
~Local (I have mad amounts of respect for this one, but for the love of God, please scream with me next time you hear something like, "buy local; support your local Walmart").
~Anything made from a pallet (this one was super creative in the beginning when you could still scrounge them up for free, but now that you have to pay solid gold for a one to destroy to make a coffee table out of, it's not really the same, is it?)

Thanks for stopping by,
-Lindsey

Make-it-work Wednesday: New Master Bathroom!!!

This is my inspiration photo for our master bathroom...

Source: fortheloveofahouse.blogspot.com via Lindsey on Pinterest

I'm totally kidding.  This bathroom is bigger than all 3 bedrooms in my house combined.  And although it's totally gorgeous, the practicality in me kills the dream of it.  All I can think of is how dirty that chair is going to get when my kid jumps on it, and how bad that rug's going to stink when it gets wet.

OK, so here's my actual inspiration room...

Source: frolic-blog.com via Lindsey on Pinterest

I know this picture doesn't show much of the room, but it has the stuff I'm shooting for; Bright walls, subway tile, classic sink that'll never go out of style, and just a few pops of color from accessories that can be redistributed elsewhere if I get sick of them.  I change my mind pretty often, and I like the option of being able to change out colored towels rather than repainting a colored wall.

Getting a bathroom for our master bedroom was a bitter-sweet decision.  You see, in order to have a master bathroom, we would need to sacrifice my closet.  Nooooooooooo!!!!   I'm slightly obsessed with my closet.  I could spend hours in there pulling things out, reorganizing, putting things back, and making it just the right amount of OCD awesomeness.  But then, I saw the light.  Having a master bathroom would add mega value to our house (essential right now, since we're working on refinancing it), it would keep our grown-up bathroom stuff separate from The Kid's bathroom stuff, and it would save me having to march my scantily clad behind through the house at 2am for a potty break.  All of a sudden my perfect, color-coded, sleeve-length specific  piles of sweaters didn't seem so important anymore.  OK, not true.  They're still just as important, but I'm now willing to find a different home for them.

So it began...

Before:  Our bedroom (still without flooring at the time of this picture) as it was since we moved in 3 years ago.

During:  My dad came over and helped demo the wall between the bedroom and closet, and frame in the new space for the bathroom to go.  We lost about 3 feet from our bedroom, but we won't have to share a bathroom with a 7-year-old that is somehow capable of getting toothpaste on every single surface each night when he brushes his teeth.  So totally worth it.  

Where we stopped yesterday:  Certainly not an "After" shot here, but progress made.  The flooring is done (in our room too!).  Still to-do:

~Run plumbing and electrical

~Put up final drywall sections

~Install shower pan

~Tile shower walls (this will be my first ever tile project, so please wish me luck)

~Make (yes make) sink base

~Prime and paint walls

~Make shower curtain 

~Cut giant hole in exterior wall (that we just put new siding on 2 years ago), and install a window

Just a tiny to-do list... 

I'll keep you posted as we move further.  Hopefully we're not far off from having an "After" to show you.  

Thanks for stopping by,

-Lindsey

Talk-it-out Tuesday: Local Love...

I'm sure you've already had the "Buy Local" message beaten into your brains more times than you can stand.  Just in case you have room in their for one more beating though, here I come with one...

You see, Vermont is lucky enough to have Al's French Fries call our state home.  And Hubby and I happen to be lucky enough to have most of our in-town errands be just a quick drive away from the culinary bliss that is Al's.  It's is not fancy, but it's good, it's cheap, the staff is always friendly, the place is spotlessly clean, and they've been open since the 1940's making the same great fries.  They've been decorated in the same old-fashioned black, white, and red diner colors since the beginning, and play awesome music from the era when it first opened.  The atmosphere can't be beat, and literally, The Husband, The Kid, and I can all eat there for less than $25.00 (total for the 3 of us), and come away with happy full bellies.  This place has been an institution in the Burlington area for as long as I can remember (and I'm sure long before that as well), and up until recently, there was simply no one who could compete with them.  And to be perfectly honest, I don't think anyone local would ever be rude enough to try.  You just don't mess with something that the locals love as much as they love Al's.

then a couple months ago, a Five Guy's opened on the other side of town.  Yesterday when we were in town, Hubby and I decided to try it out to see if it was worth all the hype.  For those of you who aren't familiar with them, Five Guys Burgers and Fries is a franchise that was started in the Washington DC area in the late 1980's, and has been popping up locations all over the country, with a cult-like following ever since.  They've made quite a reputation for themselves serving fresh-off-the-grill burgers with about a bazillion different combinations of toppings, and, yes, fries.  It's quick, it's cheap, it's good, and decorated in old-fashioned red and white diner colors.   Sensing a trend here?

Understandably so, the staff at Al's was a bit uneasy when Five Guys came to town.  Well, fellas, I'm hear to tell you that Al's is safe and sound, in my opinion.  While the burgers at Five Guys were a bit bigger than the ones at Al's and there was an option of getting spicy fries (which we did, and they were good), it cost us easily double the price, we had to listen to the staff scream out burger and dog quantities the whole time, and we both had horrific gas later that evening.  I'm sure you're thinking that's TMI, but that's an accurate food review folks. The aftermath is an important thing to factor in.  Am I right, or am I right?

So there you have it.  Buy local...or purchase air freshener on the way home...

Photo sources: travelthewriteway.com and fiveguys.com  


Thanks for stopping by,
-Lindsey

Manic Monday: There's a Tea for that...

When a Mom gets sick it's the equivalent of the captain of a ship becoming incapacitated.  It's not good.  Rough waters are surely ahead when the one most experienced can't be at the helm.  So I'm a big fan of good old preventative medicine.  I like to try and knock down whatever's trying to get me before it has a chance to take hold.  Basically, I feel that if I get it taken care of before I have to reach for the conventional medicine, I feel quite a lot better all around.  I ward off the worst of the ailment, and don't have to deal with any side effects of the medication.  I love the hell out of a few Advil when things get really tough, but it most cases, I try tea first.  Here's what I've found quite effective...     

I start drinking this stuff as soon as anyone else in my house has the first sign of a sniffle to give my immune system a little extra boost to fight off whatever's about to come my way.

This is totally amazing on a sore, scratchy throat.  I also use this one when I've been overzealous and gone out in chilly weather for a very brisk walk, jog, or snowshoe.  You know that ouchy feeling in your throat when you've overexerted yourself, and have been huffing and puffing freezing cold air for too long?  Well, this tea helps erase the consequences of my idiotic behavior.

This is their Christmas blend, but I try to keep it on hand all year.  It has ginger and peppermint in it, both of which are awesome for easing upset tummies.  It's tough to find in July though, so either stock up when you see it during the holidays season, or you can usually find plain peppermint, and plain ginger tea all year round.  You can either mix them together and recreate this one, or use them on their own. 

This stuff is terrifying, but extremely effective.  Fortunately, I've only had to use this once.  And I keep a box on hand, just in case, but it sits FAR back in the tea cupboard, as to not be confused for anything else and brewed on accident to ruin anyone's afternoon... 

***Disclaimer:  I'm not a medical professional.  I respect the hell out of those who are, but I would never in a million, tra-fillion years ever have the patience (no pun intended) to stay in school for that long.  So everything I just told you is how I, personally, choose to fix some of my minor ailments, and not what I would necessarily recommend for every single person on the planet.  As the boxes of tea themselves will tell you, it's not recommended for women who are pregnant or nursing to drink herbal (not-regulated by the FDA) substances, and it's advisable to see your actual doctor, as opposed to reading an urban farmer's blog, if you have a medical condition that persists, and is beyond the repairing abilities of a cup of tea.

Have a good, healthy day!
Photo Sources: Celestial Seasonings, Yogi, Stash Premium, Traditional Medicinals.


Thanks for stopping by,
-Lindsey

Farm-fresh Friday: Fabulous farm girls...

Don't these ladies make you think that standing in pig plops could almost be glamorous?

Source: emersonmade.com

Source: dustjacketattic.blogspot.com

Source: by nina leen from the life magazine archives

Unknown source.  Found on Pintrest.  Just thought this was a really cool shot.  Neat perspective.  And I can only hope to look even half this good in mud boots and an apron.   

Thanks for stopping by,

-Lindsey

Talk-it-out Tuesday: Book review

While everyone else on the planet is reading The Hunger Games right now, I'm reading this...

Source: Amazon.com

I have to admit, I'm a tiny bit jealous right now of this author, Raleigh Briggs.  First of all, she lives in Seattle, which is my if-we-won-the-lottery dream.  But also because, if I were to have gotten my act together, done tons of research, and written a book, I'd have wished for it to turn out a lot like this one.  Maybe not so much in exact subject matter (that's why I'm reading her book...she knows about stuff that I don't), but definitely in writing style, humor, and aesthetics.  Since I'm pretty new to the whole Urban Farming movement, and am now becoming an active participant in it, I'm quite interested in how different folks approach their homesteading, DIY, gardening, homemaking, and natural-alternative-to-chemical-crap conundrums.  I  also greatly appreciate it when I find someone who will teach me about this stuff without making me feel like I'm the dull tool in the shed.  This chick was able to write a book about being a homemaker, using sustainable practices (without getting all in-you-face-Peace-rally about it), teach me some really helpful new tricks (which, in the age of Internet, is pretty hard to show anyone anything they haven't already seen before), and do it all in a writing style that was fun to read and didn't make me feel like she was talking down to me.  This one is definitely staying on my bookshelf, and will be forever saved from the Barnes & Noble resale pile.

PS:  When my husband puts down The Hunger games for 5 seconds, I'll steal it, and be able to review that one for you also...Oh wait, I don't need to, because everyone but my husband and I have already seen the movie.

PPS:  Just realized that my husband and I should probably put down our books for a minute or two and venture out into public... Nah!

Thanks for stopping by,
-Lindsey            

Manic Monday: Establishing a routine...

Source: Urban Outfitters

I think there's a huge difference between a routine and a schedule.  In my opinion, a routine is series of regular events that happen throughout the day, and a schedule is something strictly adhered to where specific actions take place at designated times.  I have a bit of OCD, and I married a former Marine.  So you'd think I'd be all for the structure of a schedule, but I'm not.  For my family, scheduling just flat out sucks when it comes to everyday activities.  Something always comes up and the next activity has to be pushed, and then the next, and the next, and then someone (me) is pissed that the day fell apart.

This is how my routine functions like a schedule to avoid chaos taking over, but doesn't get anyone's panties in a bunch if it doesn't go perfectly;  I think of it kind of like a school day.  At school, The Kid has specific blocks of time for each subject, but each day the lesson is different.  So I treat my day the same way.  It usually looks something like this...

~Scramble Block...make coffee, make lunch, check backpack for things that shouldn't go to school, then either walk The Kid to school, or on bonus days my mom comes over and walks him to school, and I have an extra 5 seconds to wear pajama pants.
~Chill Block...if mom came over then we have coffee for a while once The Kid is at school, then I have computer time to blog, check on my Etsy shops, and cruise Pintrest for new project ideas.  If Mom didn't stop by that day, then not much changes other than me drinking the whole pot of coffee myself and getting up to pee a lot more while having computer time.
~Go-See Block...ever watch America's Next Top Model?  If not, you're probably better off because you're not addicted to the senseless babble like I am.  But anyway, the contestants are often sent out on what they call in the modelling world, a Go-See.  It's where they run around like crazy trying to find little fashion houses in big cities to go see prospective employers (fashion designers) and try to get hired to walk in shows or be in one of their ad campaigns.  I'm not trying to get hired for any modelling gigs, but it does make going to the grocery store a hell of a lot more fun when you pretend to be doing something way more fabulous.  In short, this is my go-see the public block. 
~Project and Fitness Block...I lumped them together because sometimes the project is strenuous enough to be considered fitness, and sometimes it's boring, and it's nice to take off outside for a brisk walk when I'm done.
~Study Hall...there's a floating block of time in the afternoons because some days The Kid gets picked up early in the afternoon, and some days he stays for the after-school program.  On the days he gets picked up early, this is the time that we hang out and do homework.  If it's a late pick-up day then I can choose a project that takes longer, or spend more time on my go-sees.
~Evening Block...game time (if homework is done), dinner, shower, bedtime for The Kid.
~Grown-up Block...hang out with the husband, watch Dexter, or South Park, or CSI, and talk about all the crazy, stupid, and really interesting stuff we each heard during different time-slots on NPR (basically anything that we know isn't appropriate to watch or talk about when The Kid is in the room, so it totally cements the fact that it's grown-up-only time).
~Sleep Block.

By having "Blocks" I can insert different activities into them, and not be totally bent out of shape when something doesn't get done at the exact right time.  It also allows me to not totally lose my shit during school vacations, because the routine can accommodate changes for when The Kid is home all day.

Do you have  a routine, or a schedule, or are you a fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants kind of gal?  I'd love to hear how different folks manage their time.

Thanks for stopping by,
-Lindsey