Back in May, I shared how I am trying to be more eco-friendly to both the environment and myself, and I thought I’d give an update on changes I’ve been successful at and things that have been a little tough for me. We’ve switched to organic produce, dairy and natural meat (hooray for having a Trader Joe’s nearby!)  I’ve been trying other organic food items like pasta, cereal, bread etc. to find ones I like too. And I’ve bought some reusable grocery bags so I can cut down on my use of paper and plastic. We’ve also completely switched all of our cleaning products to Method, which makes non-toxic, naturally based formulas. We use their liquid soaps, kitchen cleaner, glass cleaner, laundry products and bathroom cleaners. They smell great, work great and the best thing is they don’t put all those nasty chemicals down the drain, in our clothes and on our bodies. I want to get their omop, a kind of Swiffer like product that uses a washable microfiber cloth, compostable sweeping clothes and safe floor cleaner. As for toiletries, Adrian also uses their Body Wash bloq and we use Aveda hair products, which I know I’ve talked about a lot before. We also switched to natural toothpaste, which I love more than the old stuff! I am having trouble switching to more natural beauty products though. They just don’t make many that I enjoy (I tried Juice Beauty’s organic facial line and it was not for me) and it’s so much fun trying new products that I don’t want to give it up! It did make me feel kinda ill though when I checked my products and pretty much all of them have petroleum in them, yuck! And I’m not going to throw out things to replace with more organic things (like clothes) since that creates more waste than you had before. There’s been a few green based stores opening in our area (like a eco friendly version of Home Depot) and we just signed up with Lady Bug Pest Control, an environmentally responsible pest service nearby. It’s been fun so far to make small changes and take baby steps to living a more intentionally green life. We’ve learned a lot and are looking forward to more growth as we learn even more (a book I am going to check out is The Lazy Environmentalist). Let me know if you have any suggestions, comments or questions on this subject!

I usually go for much different footwear but I am obsessed with these Chie Mihara t-strap pumps. They may look a little old lady-ish but I find it delightfully retro and others may think green an odd color choice but I cannot imagine a better place to declare love for my favorite color. I think it’s the fact that they are unlike any other shoe in my closet that has me so hooked. Plus the beautiful tiny cutouts on the toes, nice contrast of brown stitched trim and cute chunky heel make it so unique and perfect for this fall! Chie Mihara is one of my new favorite shoe labels and I am sure a manageable 2 inch heel with some heft will make my feet very comfy and happy (which sounds very nice after dealing with blisters from my newest wedges.) The only prob? They cost $298. A little high for me, so I will be stalking them online at Anthro until they go on sale.

Drew Top

$54.00

Fossil

Enamel Bamboo Bangle by Kenneth Jay Lane

$50.00, on sale $35.00

Shopbop

‘Round The Clock’ Flat by Seychelles

$69.95

Nordstrom

5 bag Pouch

$35.00

Envirosax

Swirl vase

$48.00

Jonathan Adler

I love these little fabric boxes from Greener Grass Design, perfect for storing jewelry, medicine or using as a small gift box. Also, they would be useful for stashing in a handbag or luggage when you’re on the go. So cute!

I also really want to get this console table on sale from Z Gallerie. You can’t see the detail in the picture but I saw it in the store last week and the carved wood inlay is so beautiful! It will be perfect in my entryway.

Another favorite recent discovery are these Parisian globes from Anthro. I don’t know what it is but I am a complete map nerd. I could spends hours looking through a world atlas! These would be fun displayed on a shelf or placed in a large decorative bowl, I am definitely getting these!

This makeup bag from Stephanie Johnson is so lovely that I wouldn’t even put it away in my bathroom cabinets, it would stay out on the counter! Her bags are not only pretty to look at but so functional inside.

I have a gift card to Tiffany & Co. (yippee!) but I have no idea what to purchase with it! By no means do I have the extra budget to buy some huge diamond rock or spend thousands of dollars. Plus I’m not really that flashy anyway. I love simple, clean lines and classic pieces (which Tiffany is definitely known for), but they have such a huge selection it’s hard to decide on something! I am not a necklace person (thanks to my evil birthmark), instead I prefer earrings or bracelets. So here are a few of my favorites: Silver cushion drop earrings, Classic pearl studs, Onyx bead bracelet, and the Sevillana bangle. I already have a bracelet from Tiffany so I’m thinking maybe I should go with earrings, not that there is any problem with having more than one of their lovely bracelets! So what do you all think would be best?

After some very frustrating days of working with my server’s tech people, it looks like all the problems are repaired. I got the posts that were deleted back up but unfortunately the error deleted any comments that were on those posts, darn! Anyway, I am starting to feel much better after my nasty stomach bug and I will have new posts up for you soon. Thanks again for being patient with this!

So sorry readers. My server is currently a big ‘ol mess. I am working on getting the issues resolved and I should be back to normal shortly. Thanks for your patience!

Ugh, I got sick yesterday. Some sort of stomach bug or food poisoning (can you get food poisoning from mojitos?) I don’t know, but it is HORRID. Since I can only think of grossness and vomit and anger that I can’t eat anything even though my stomach is growling at me like a tiger, I found this dress. If you’re ever in the mood to blow about $900 and can’t figure out what to buy, I suggest this creative, old western meets Partridge Family meets gee-that-looks-like-my-great-grandma’s-apron-fabric jersey number from Matthew Williamson. Sorry if I am being extra grouchy today, I blame it on the pain! Hope to feel better (and more cheery!) tomorrow.

I’ve blogged before about eyeshadow primers and thought I’d found my favorite…until I tried Urban Decay’s Primer Potion. I joined the new Sephora Beauty Insider program (which I really recommend if you shop a lot there) and when you accumulate points you get sent exclusive product samples. On my last order, I picked a sample of the Primer Potion since my normal eyeshadow base, Loreal’s DeCrease, had run out. I gave it a try and instantly liked it more than my old staple. The consistency is very thin, smooth and blends perfectly into my lids. I wait a few minutes for it to completely dry, (I put on my foundation while I wait) and then apply my shadows, eyeliner and mascara. This product literally keeps my eye makeup exactly how I applied it the entire day! I have had zero creasing, smudging or fading. With the DeCrease product, it worked very well but there was some minimal damage done by the end of the day, especially if I was outside a lot. I think the Urban Decay formula works better for me because it is less creamy and more oil absorbing on my skin. I am ordering a full size as soon as my sample gets low. I am so glad I gave a new product a try even though I was pretty happy with my old one!