Tag Archives: Green

3 Easy DIY Garden Projects

garden walkway

A lush garden not only helps beautify your surroundings, but it can be  beneficial in reducing your stress levels. A garden is going to be far more beneficial if you work on it yourself. After all, nothing can match that fulfillment  you feel when something beautiful comes out of your own efforts.

In this article, we present three of the most worthwhile DIY projects that you can do in and for your own garden. They are chosen based on the ease with which they can be done and their relative practicality.

Repurposed Container Gardens

Many environmentalists are making their voices heard nowadays. They say that the earth is slowly deteriorating because of the activities that we humans take part in. When we examine the actual state of our environment, it appears that they really are speaking the truth. So there is a need to respond.

Recycling is a great way to do our part to reduce the amount of trash we produce.  To achieve this, it is as simple as finding ways to reuse or repurpose items that we otherwise would throw away.

If you have an old tool box or an unused crisper just lying around the house, you can actually poke holes in the bottom, fill with soil, and then use it as your own container garden. The beauty that comes out of this project is not only for outside your home; you can use these techniques to accent your interior decor as well.

garden containers

Garden Walkways

There are types of grass that look very pretty. An example is the bluegrass, which can grow lush enough to really cover the ground. However, if you read WikiLawn and other gardening websites, you will learn that grass is very sensitive to foot traffic. Due to the sensitivity of grass, there is a need for you to create walkways, and it’s a project that you can very well do on your own.

garden walkway

All you have to do is collect good gravel and then lay it out in the path that you want. If you are looking to do something more elaborate, you can add tiles that contrast the color of the gravel. This immediately adds an air of sophistication to your walkway.

Wall Gardens

Usually, gardens are filled with flowering shrubs and small trees. However, there are species of plants that look their best when they are elevated or even hung. This is because they have flowers or leaves that cascade down, creating a gorgeous flowing effect. To take advantage of such flora, you can create a wall garden using empty bottles and other light plastic containers. This way, you will not only be able to beautify your environment, you also get to preserve it.

garden walkway

Doing certain garden tasks on your own makes the whole endeavour much more meaningful for you. Sometimes, what matters is not really the outcome, but the process of creating it. This is perhaps the main reason why DIY projects, no matter how time-consuming they are, are so rewarding.

garden

This is a collaborative guest post. The views and ideas expressed do not necessarily reflect those of Mommy Ramblings.


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Filed under Gardening, Home & Garden, Life

Perfect Gift For The Person Who Loves To Cook! #HolidayGiftGuide #LeadingGourmet

Are you are searching for the perfect gift for person who loves to cook and entertain or maybe you need a gift for a couple who just bought their first home? Maybe you are looking for something to make cooking for the holidays easier for you. I want to share a great product with you that I discovered recently. You may find it is just what you are looking for.

cutting board gift 2

Every kitchen and every good cook needs a great cutting board and this natural bamboo wood cutting board really fits the bill. Made from 100% natural, organic bamboo it is ultra strong yet lightweight. It has a non-porous, antimicrobial & antibacterial surface that eliminates strong odors and bacterial growth. This reversible cutting board  has rounded non slip silicone corners that come in blue or green and maximize safety. This cutting board makes a great cheese and serving board and is easy to clean with warm water and soap.

cutting board

cutting board thick

cutting board 2

I was very impressed with this board. I loved the silicone corners and how even on my quartz counters the board remained steady with no slipping through my chopping and cutting tasks. It looks very nice and makes a nice addition to our kitchen. It was easy to cut and prepare food on and easy to clean after.

cutting board 7

cutting board potatoes

cutting board blog

 

I like this board so much you will find it on our 2015 Holiday Gift Guide. Mommy Ramblings’ readers get a gift too! Take 15% off this great board when you buy it on Amazon. To get the discount just click HERE to add the board to your cart and enter the Coupon Code GOURMET2

 

 

Disclosure: I received one or more of the products mentioned above in exchange for review from Giveaway Service website. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. Reference ID: pmdbd146a24e3bc24319bf07050e2ec9b9


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Filed under Cooking, Home, Home & Garden, Kitchen, Review, Sale

Customizing Your Bike With The Longest Lasting, Super Bright, LED Rim Lights

Our family loves to ride bikes and if you are looking for a fun way to customize your bike or your kid’s bike, I have a great product I want to share with you.  Adding super bright, long-lasting LED rim lights to your bike is so easy.  The Speed Racer rim lights come in packs of 6 lights-2 blue, 2 multi color, 2 green, they are rust resistant, 100% waterproof and able to be used in any terrain.

Bike-Bicycle-Rim-Lights-LED

 

They attach to the valve stem on your bike tires. Fits most bikes and has motion sensor LED technology, this ensures durability along with the 50,000 hour of lifetime on the lights.   See our video review below and on YouTube for a real time look at the super bright bike rim lights. The lights come complete with the AG 10 batteries. You can purchase these lights on Amazon.com.

 

Let me know how you have customized your bike or your kid’s bikes.  Have you added rim lights?

 

I was provided with these bike lights to facilitate my review, as always my views and words are 100% my own.

 


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Say Goodbye To Soggy Sandwiches For Good!

Americans consume over 45 billion sandwiches a year!  Sandwiches are a great lunch option and very cost-effective compared to buying lunch out.  With more people packing lunch from home, the problem of soggy sandwiches was one that needed a solution.  No one wants to eat a soggy sandwich for lunch and yet that was the fate of many a sandwich by lunch time.  Now you can say goodbye to the soggy sandwich for good!  Perfect Sandwich is the patented, one of a kind solution to transport all your sandwich ingredients separately.

 

Perfect-Sandwich-Container

When lunch time arrives you can open your Perfect Sandwich and create a fresh sandwich from the separated ingredients.  The PerfecCHILL Technology keeps your sandwich ingredients within the USDA guidelines for perishable foods of under 40 degrees F for over 5 hours at room temperature and under room temperature for a full 8 hours.

Perfect Sandwich-Container

No need for plastic sandwich bags, foils or plastic wraps which are wasteful and bad for our environment not to mention costly.  The BPA free, Perfect Sandwich container is dishwasher safe and durable so it will last for years!  You can also use it for more than sandwiches adding to the versatility and expanding lunch options.  You can visit No More Soggy Sandwich on Facebook

Perfect Sandwich-Colors

 

 

Enter to win a Perfect Sandwich below!  Good Luck!!!

 

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Does “Green” mean what you think it does?

Toxic Clean???

I want to share something with you that I have been thinking about for a while now. I think we are all aware of the movement in recent years to “go green.” However, I don’t think as consumers we are as aware as we should be and take many things at face value. You may be wondering, what I mean? Let’s talk about cleaners that are marketed as “green,” do you really know what that means? Do you go to the supermarket and see the new cleaners packaged with flowers on the label and called “green something”, toss it in your cart and think you are doing something good for your family and the environment? I did. I used to, if it said it was “green”, “eco-friendly”, “plant based”, I was all for it. Then, I would take my products home and feel good that I was not using harmful cleaning agents.

If you take a look at the commercials that market household products to us like laundry detergent, they will usually be focused on the smell, and how even after 7 days, the smell is still as strong or how they have fabric softeners added right in, so you will never forget. Then, we are told to control static cling by adding a dryer sheet to our clothing in the clothes dryer. It is easy to get wrapped up in the scents of detergents; don’t you want to go to sleep with your blanket as soft as a cloud and smelling like lavender? What we don’t hear about is, the nasty side of all this. The chemicals that are in these products, the toxins that we are cleaning our family’s clothing with, the dryer sheets that are filled with toxic chemicals that we throw in and then heat our dryer up to make sure we release every bit of it onto our clothing. Clothing we wear on our skin, the largest organ that is just absorbing these toxins in.

When we think about the ugly side, it is no wonder that incidents of childhood cancers, infertility, premature menses, autism, ADHD, and other cancers are rising dramatically. Cancers that have no hereditary links, but are due to environmental factors. I know this too well, our teenage son was diagnosed last June with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. We have no risk factors, so if you ask me if I believe that environment and the agents we are exposed to are causing us harm, I think you know what my answer is.


The problem is that most of the time when we go about putting our homes on a detox, that the very products we are replacing them with, are as toxic or more toxic then what we were using. How can that be? Do you know what it takes for a cleaning agent to be deemed “green”? Did you know that a product can be marketed as “green” if it is biodegradable? Are you are using products that are so strong they have warnings on them, not to inhale, only use in ventilated area, harmful to people and pets, may cause eye and skin irritation etc? Do you think these products could be healthy for your family?

I find it amazing that we are marketed wipes and sprays that are said to kill the germs like the rhinovirus and influenza and we are advised to spray all the surfaces in our home, doorknobs, telephones, hard surfaces and the air. Did you know that these very wipes and sprays are not to be inhaled or ingested? Yet, we spray the surfaces we will surely be touching and we are spraying it in the air we are sure to be breathing. Okay, so you may be thinking that you don’t use any of those germicide sprays, you only use air fresheners with pleasing scents like cinnamon and vanilla. You may want to take a look at the back of your air freshener, plug-ins, scented candles, and linen sprays. Very likely, you will find that you should not be breathing these agents in. Why then are we told they are room sprays, air fresheners, room deodorizers when we are not to be breathing them in? Why in the world are we spraying these in our homes and making our air quality unhealthy to breathe?

Then, we can talk about beauty products, skin creams, cosmetics, scrubs, shampoos, baby products which have come under much scrutiny lately for containing chemicals and toxins. A major name in baby care products that we trusted for generations, was found to have 2 cancer causing chemicals in their baby shampoo and products. So you might think that once this was discovered, the FDA ordered all of the products off the store shelves. That is not the case and the company is gradually phasing the use of these chemicals out of their baby products and I believe they plan to have this done sometime in the next 2 years.

Again, there we are, trusting consumers, once again being sold “gentle” products with known carcinogens that we are applying to our most precious little lives. Scary isn’t it? What can we do? It seems we are misled, we can’t believe labels, and we have to be skeptical. Are you still using these products? Is the cabinet under your sink filled with chemical cleaning agents with safety caps, and warnings? If you are truly interested in detoxing your home, and getting rid of the harmful agents, please contact me. You might be thinking that you cannot find products that will do what you need them to do and are natural. I can tell you, that you can. I can show you products that will work as well as chlorine bleach, products that will kill germs and sanitize without putting your family at risk. Products that you will be on average less than the products you are buying in the grocery store. Products that will give you some peace of mind. If you have any questions, please contact me as I would love to help you. It is almost time for Spring Cleaning!!!

 


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Bambo Nature Diapers Review and Give-Away!!! {Give-Away Ended}

Bambo Nature recently sent me a package of their Eco-friendly diapers and I was excited to try them out! I got the maxi size 4. They were a tad big on my 18lb, 8 month old, so the size 3 would have been a better fit for him.  Despite the bigger size, they still worked just fine! The size 4 fit very well on my 2-year-old, and worked great! When using disposable diapers, I always had a hard time finding one that would not leak through the night. Bambo Nature diapers stood up great as a nighttime diaper! As long as you change diapers in a reasonable amount of time, just like any other diaper, you shouldn’t have to worry about leaks! For daytime use they work just as good as any diaper, we usually never have a problem then. It is during the night that Bambo Nature excelled for me, having no leaks like we usually do. One cool feature they have, is blue indicator writing on the front that blurs when the diaper is wet, so you know when it is time to change.

In manufacturing, Abena, Bambo Nature’s manufacturer, is environmentally conscious by recycling and using energy saving machines. They don’t use any chemicals in their diapers, and have almost completely reduced all waste during the production process. Being that they have a much lower eco footprint than regular disposables, Bambo Nature diapers are a great alternative to my cloth diapering, when I am in town, or go on vacation. I really liked Bambo Nature diapers, they are well made, and do their job!

I am happy to tell you that Bambo Nature is sponsoring a give-away on Mommy Ramblings!!! Two lucky winners will each get a bag of diapers of their choice.  Thank you Bambo Nature for the review diapers and for sponsoring this fantastic give-away! Open to residents of the contiguous 48 US states.

Bambo Nature Diapers Give-Away on Mommy Ramblings Rules:

Mandatory Entry– Visit Bamboo Nature, and let me know something about their company.   Leave your answer as a comment on this blog post.  (If this entry is not done, all others will be deleted.)

Extra Entries: (make sure you leave a separate comment for each entry or they will not count)

1. Like Mommy Ramblings on Facebook, and leave me a comment here that you did.

2. Like Bambo Nature on Facebook, and leave me a comment here that you did.

3. Follow Mommy Ramblings on Twitter, and leave me a comment here that you did with your Twitter name.

4. Follow Bambo Nature on Twitter, and leave me a comment here that you did with your Twitter name.

5. Follow Mommy Ramblings by email, and leave me a comment here that you did.

6. Vote for Mommy Ramblings on Picket Fence Blogs (Button is on the side of our blog, “We’re on the Fence) and leave me a comment here you did.  You can do this once a day, just make sure and leave a comment each time you do.

7. Rate Mommy Ramblings on Top Mommy Blogs (button is on the side of our blog) and leave me a comment here that you did.  Can only be done once per give-away.

8. Write a review for Mommy Ramblings on Alexa.com (button is on our blog right under the We’re on the Fence button) and leave me a comment here that you did.  Can only be done once per give-away.

9. Tweet this give-away on Twitter and leave me a comment here that you did with your Twitter name. You can do this once a day, just make sure and leave a comment each time you do.

10. Like Blueberry Hill Photography on Facebook and leave me a comment here that you did.

Good Luck Everyone!!!  Give Away Ends November 11th at 12am EST.   Winners will be selected by Random.org.


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Easy Lunchboxes Eco-Friendly Lunchbox Review & Give-Away!!! {Give-Away Ended}

I recently connected with Easy Lunchboxes.  I was sent a four pack of containers and a lunch bag cooler to review.  These divided lunch containers make it super easy to pack healthy lunches on the go.  Then you can just put them in the insulated lunch cooler and you are ready for a day at the park, zoo, beach, or even to take to work.  These containers are a very green way to pack lunch and there is no wasted plastic bags, plastic wrap or aluminum foil.  When you get home these containers are dishwasher safe and then you can start all over again.  This is plastic you can feel good about since it contains n0 BPA, Lead, Vinyl or PVC.  The lunch bag coolers come in 7 different colors so there is something for everyone.  Easy Lunchboxes can be purchased on their Amazon Store with free shipping!!!

If you like these eco-friendly lunchboxes you will be glad to know that Easy Lunchboxes is sponsoring a give-away on Mommy Ramblings. One lucky blog reader will win a container set and a lunch bag cooler.  Thank you Easy Lunchboxes for the review and give-away products.  This giveaway is offered to US residents onlyPlease do not enter this giveaway if you have won or received free product from EasyLunchboxes within the past 3 months.

Easy Lunchboxes Give-Away on Mommy Ramblings Rules:

Mandatory Entry– Take a look at the Easy Lunchboxes Website  and tell me what color lunch bag cooler you like best, and leave it in a comment on this post.  (If this entry is not done, all others will be deleted) Open to US and Canadian Residents.

Extra Entries: (make sure you leave a separate comment for each entry or they will not count)

1. Like Mommy Ramblings on Facebook and leave me a comment here that you did.

2. Like Easy Lunchboxes on Facebook, and leave a comment on their wall that Mommy Ramblings sent you.  Then leave me a comment here that you liked them on Facebook.

3. Follow Mommy Ramblings on Twitter, and leave me a comment here that you did with your Twitter name.

4. Follow Easy Lunchboxes on Twitter, and leave me a comment here that you did with your Twitter name.

5. Vote for Mommy Ramblings on Picket Fence Blogs (Button is on the side of our blog, “We’re on the Fence) and leave me a comment here you did.

6. Vote for Mommy Ramblings on Top Mommy Blogs (button is on the side of our blog) and leave me a comment here that you did.

7. Post this give away on your Facebook status and leave me a comment here that you did.

8. Tweet this give-away on Twitter and leave me a comment here that you did with your Twitter name.

9. Like Blueberry Hill Photography on Facebook and leave me a comment here that you did.

Good Luck Everyone!!!  Give Away Ends July 31st.  at 12am EST.  Winner will be selected by Random.org.


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Earth Monkeys Eco-Friendly Baby & Toddler Products Review & Give-Away!!! {Give-Away Ended}

Earth Monkeys Eco-Friendly Baby & Toddler Gear sent Mommy Ramblings a neat set of their products.  Mommy Ramblings received the Bib, Porta-Pad and Paci-Pack.  These were packed so compact in their little attached bags that they fold up into.  They have an attached recycled aluminum carabiner that is so handy to either attach to something or attach something to.

The bib is super handy to have and wipes clean, a definite must have in every diaper bag.  The handy pocket works well to catch all the crumbs our little ones seem to endlessly drop.

The Porta-Pad is handy for diaper changes on the go and takes up literally no room in the diaper bag and could be attached to the loop on your jeans for the mom or dad on the go, who wants to travel lite.

The Paci-Pack keeps pacifiers tucked away and clean until needed and the handy hook makes it easy to find.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AQkqkUO_HUI]

 I really feel good when we use green items because as a parent we need to be aware of preserving this wonderful planet for our little ones.  Check out their site, you will love their products.

Earth Monkeys is sponsoring a give-away on Mommy Ramblings.  One lucky blog reader will win their own set of these eco-friendly baby and toddler products in their color and style choice.  Thanks Earth Monkeys for being so generous!!!  Give-Away is open to US and Canadian residents.

Mandatory Entry-Go to the Earth Monkeys Website and let me know what color/style you would choose if you won.  Leave your choice in a comment on this post.

Extra Entries: (make sure you leave a separate comment for each entry of they will not count)

1. Like Mommy Ramblings on Facebook and leave me a comment here that you did.

2. Like Earth Monkeys on Facebook, leave a comment on their wall that Mommy Ramblings sent you.  Then leave me a comment here that you liked them on Facebook.

3. Follow Mommy Ramblings on Twitter and leave me a comment here that you did with your Twitter name.

4. Follow Earth Monkeys on Twitter and leave me a comment here that you did with your Twitter name.

5. Subscribe to Mommy Ramblings by email and leave me a comment here that you did.

6. Vote for Mommy Ramblings on Picket Fence Blogs (Button is on the side of our blog, “We’re on the Fence) and leave me a comment here you did.

7. Vote for Mommy Ramblings on Top Mommy Blogs (button is on the side of our blog) and leave me a comment here that you did.

8. Post this give away on your Facebook status and leave me a comment here that you did.

9. Tweet this give-away on Twitter and leave me a comment here that you did with your Twitter name.

10. Like Blueberry Hill Photography on Facebook and leave me a comment here that you did.

Good Luck Everyone!!!  Give Away Ends July 2nd  at 12am EST.  Winner will be selected by Random.org.


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Sage Smart Culinary Surfaces Review & Give-Away!!!

Sage Smart Culinary Surfaces sent me a nice assortment of products for me to review and some for me to give-away to a few lucky blog readers.  The products I am reviewing are, the 12″ by 18″ Non-Skid Chop Board, and the 6″ by 10.5″ Bar Board.  Sage is the professional choice in durable food prep surfaces.  Sage culinary surfaces are the essential work platform of professional kitchens.  Extremely durable & dishwasher safe, Sage surfaces offer the character and performance of wood.  They come with a lifetime guarantee so you know you can count on the quality.   Sage Woodfiber Laminate is enviornmentally friendly, made from FSC Certified wood pulp.

These boards are American made, knife friendly, dishwasher safe and heat resistant.   The Chop Board is a great size for so many prep tasks.  I love the four non-skid feet on the bottom which keeps the board very secure.  The fact that I can just pop them in the dishwasher and sanitize them really appeals to the germophobe in me, especially after using it for poultry.  The bar boards are so convienant to grab for small tasks.  The little leaf cut out handles are handy for holding or hanging.

I really like that the surface will not dull my knives and yet is dense enough to not allow deep slice marks that can harbor bacteria.  I am very impressed that Sage Culinary Surfaces will last at least twice as long as wood, bamboo, cork, or plastic boards.  Please take a look at their website to read more about this great company and all their products at http://www.sagesurface.com.

Now for the giveaway, we are going to give away 1 Non-Skid 12″ by 18″ Chop Board and 2 of the 6″ by 10.5″ Bar Boards.  So we will have three winners.  Same rules apply as our other give-aways, you must subscribe to the blog at www.carly67.wordpress.com, and like the Facebook Fan Page at http://www.facebook.com/pages/Mommy-Ramblings/142284565832382.  Then get your friends to go on the Facebook Fan Page and say you sent them.  The person with the most referrals will win the Chop Board, the second in referrals will win a Bar Board as well as the third.  Good luck everyone, you will love these boards.  I do!!!  I will end the contest on Monday at 12am EST.

 

The clear rubber feet on the bottom of the chop board keep the board from slipping.


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The Original GreenPan!!!

Yesterday, on Valentine’s Day, I received a very green present.  Jessica, from The Original GreenPan, sent me a nice little gift bag chock full of goodies.  It contained a 8″ high end, commercial grade non-stick pan, a very nice apron, pot holder, and care sponge.  I am so anxious to try this baby out.  As a mother, I am always so concerned with what are children are exposed to .  I mean, we are long aware of the dangers of most non-stick cookware.  If heated without anything in it, it can kill pets such as parrots.  This does not sound like something we want to use near our growing and developing children or when we are pregnant does it?  The ambitious goal of GreenPan™ was to create a new, healthy cooking experience in non-stick cookware. In 2007 GreenPan™ was ready to take off and succeeded in bringing to the market the first healthy, eco-friendly non-stick pots and pans with the revolutionary new PTFE/PFOA-free coating,Thermolon™

My Gift Bag!

The pan they sent me is from their Rotterdam Collection.

Here are some important facts from GreenPan’s website.  You should visit it yourself to learn all about their extensive line of products,  www.green-pan.com.

  • Our non-stick pots and pans are the first to be made with a non-stick coating made of minerals instead of plastics.
  • PTFE coatings are manufactured with the aid of PFOA (PerFluoroOctanoic Acid), which is classified as a ‘persistent pollutant of the environment’*. Besides that, PFOA is a tough chemical that the body has the greatest difficulties in expelling and is known to be a ‘likely human carcinogen’*. We don’t use PTFE, so no PFOA can be emitted in the environment. * According to the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency, a US federal agency in charge of the protection of human health and the environment) 

  • Less energy is used when Thermolon™ is applied on GreenPan™ products, which means 60% less CO2 emission compared with the production of PTFE-coated pans.

The best thing I like about Greenpan is that their products are healthy for us and our environment.  They do not produce any harmful fumes!

I also like that the coating is designed for superior performance, better cooking, better taste and is easier to clean.

I am going to be doing a full review by cooking in this great pan very soon.  I will let you know what I think of these environmentally friendly pans.   GreenPan has a variety of collections and also includes baking and roasting pans.

 

 

Here are some of the other goodies and other views of the pan they so graciously supplied me with to review.

The handle on the pan is removable.


I will test this pan out very soon and let you know what I think.  I have been very impressed with the literature they sent and the wide range of products available.  I plan to do some reading later on tonight and learn more about this healthy alternative non-stick cookware.  Hope you all are having a great day!!!


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