Eco-Friendly and Frugal

UPrinting Die-Cut Business Cards Review and Giveaway

2012-02-01T07:18:00.000-08:00

When you own a small business or when you are a business person looking to stand out from the crowd one simple way to do this is to have creative and unique business cards. I recently worked a bridal show and collected the business cards from many of the local businesses. Most were lovely, but the one that really stuck out to me was a 2x3.5 card with one rounded corner. I recognize these cards immediately as one of the unique Professional business cards offered from UPrinting!

UPrinting offers a wide variety of unique cards that will help you stand out in the crowd. Two of my favorites are the "Leaf" and "Half Circle Side" options. While it seems like such a small little thing, having a unique business card really does make an impact and makes it less likely that your card will just be tossed away.

You already know that UPrinting offers a wide variety of unique and customizable products for all of your small business needs, but by far their Die-Cut Business Cards are my favorite!

What I Love: UPrinting has unique products that will help you and your company stand out in a pile of business cards for reasonable prices. In addition to the die cut cards they also have standard, slim, and square cards available if you'd rather go in that direction for your business cards.

What I Don't Love: When designing my own business cards I did find it a bit difficult to adapt my template to fit the alternate sizes. But that's more of a personal issue and has nothing to do with this fabulous company!

WIN IT!

If you run your own small business or if you are trying to stand out among hundreds in a large company, UPrinting Die-Cut Business Cards are a nice place to start. And you can win some today with UPrinting and Eco-Friendly and Frugal!!

PLEASE READ THE RULES AND REGULATIONS CAREFULLY AS THEY ARE A BIT DIFFERENT FROM MOST OTHER GIVEAWAY!!!

Prize:

250pcs Die-cut Business Cards for one winner

2x3.5" Rounded Corners, 2x2" Rounded Corners, 1.75x3.5" Rounded Corners, 2x3.5" Leaf, 2x3.5 Rounded one corner, 2x3.5" Half Circle Side, 2x3.5" Oval, 2.5" Circle

14pt Cardstock Gloss / Matte / High Gloss (UV), or 13pt Cardstock Uncoated

6 Business Days Turnaround time

Free US shipping only

Restrictions:

1. This giveaway is open to US residents only, 18 years old and above. The winner should be able to submit a Tax Identification Number for documentation purposes.

2. No prize substitutions allowed.

3. Winners are allowed to win once over a six-month period.

4. Only email addresses used for the giveaway will be eligible to claim the prize.

If You Do Not See The Widget Click "Read More"!

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The Green and Frugal Wedding Guide Will Continue Soon!

2012-01-31T21:21:00.000-08:00

I apologize for the lack of updates. I got sooooo sick last week. Blah! But I promise I will get a few more wedding-related posts up before my fiance and I leave for our bachelorette/bachelor parties in Las Vegas on February 17th! I will also have some GIVEAWAYS coming up! So stay tuned.

The Green and Frugal Wedding Guide : The Craigslist Debate

2012-01-18T13:22:00.000-08:00

If you are on a budget for your wedding one of the easiest places to turn to for affordable vendors is Craigslist. For anyone who doesn't know, Craigslist is a virtual "community board" where people can post anything from cars for sale to houses for sale to want ads for a handy man around the house. I've used Craigslist in the past to find apartments, roommates, furniture, my old car, pet cages, and even someone who would install a floating TV for me. It's a resource that I find extremely valuable in my everyday life.

But when it comes to weddings and wedding vendors, Craigslist can be hit or miss. Many people will tell you to not even go to Craigslist in regards to your wedding in any way, but I'm not one of those people. There are so many great ways that Craigslist can help you achieve the wedding of your dreams on a budget... and there are many ways in which Craigslist can burn you and should be avoided.

So here are some Dos and Don'ts of Craiglist Weddings

Maggie Sottero, worn once and cleaned!
Only $300!

DO... check out the "For Sale" section for savings on a wedding dress. Sometimes brides will change their mind and buy a different wedding dress and then try to unload their original, unworn, wedding dress for a fraction of the cost. Or a bride will wear a dress at her wedding and then sell it to make back a little of what she sold. The dress in that case will be worn, but usually still in good condition and maybe even dry cleaned and maybe even preserved professionally. For my first wedding I actually found an amazingly incredible dress FOR FREE on Craigslist. The original bride spent $2,000 on the dress but was moving to Hawaii and couldn't take it with her. Instead of going through the hassle to sell it she just gave it away and I was lucky enough to get it! Be sure the check the size of the dress and ask if you can try it on or at least see the dress in person before selling. As always, meeting in a public place is ideal.

DON'T... have high hopes for a Craigslist vendor. This is a part that is REALLY hit and miss. I know people who have gotten Craigslist vendors and had a wonderful experience. I know others who got a vendor off Craigslist still cry about their experience years after the fact. Usually if someone is posting on Craigslist they are new to the wedding business. Maybe they got a Canon Rebel for Christmas and now think they are a photographer. These are known as "fauxtographers". Or maybe they bought an iPod and a cheap speaker set and now they are labeling themselves a "DJ". An easy way to weed out someone who is only doing this "for fun" and not seriously is to ask if they have liability insurance. Tell them your venue requires that all vendors to have liability insurance and you need proof of insurance for the venue. Since it can cost between $300-1000 to fully insure many wedding-related businesses, you can be assured that if your vendor is insured they are at least serious enough to make that investment. You can also be assured that if, God forbid, anything does go wrong you can turn to their insurance company for reimbursement. You may be able to find yourself an amazing deal on a photographer or DJ or videographer or officiant by searching on Craigslist. They are probably still new to the business, but if they are taking their craft seriously and running their business legally they may be a great option for your budget wedding! (NOTE: Officiants probably wouldn't need insurance, but do ask for credentials that they are allowed to legally marry someone in your state!)

$65 On My Local Craigslist!

DO... type in "Wedding" into the "For Sale" section, and see what you find! Right now on my local Craigslist I am seeing a pair of worn-once (for only 10 minutes according to the ad) Steve Madden shoes, size 8, for $60. Perfect wedding shoes! I'm also seeing a listing for tons of wedding scrapbook supplies for $90, wedding veils, wine glasses, decorations, a silk flower bouquet, and even wedding rings. Most of these items will be used, but you can go see them first and check out their condition. I got a bunch of tulle and gift bags for free from my local Craigslist a while back that will be great additions to my wedding projects!

DON'T... meet with anyone you meet on Craigslist in their home or alone. So many creepy people lurk on that website and there was even a serial killer using Craigslist to lure in their victims as early as last year! You hear so many stories of people being robbed, injured, and even killed when they are too trustworthy of people they meet on Craigslist. If you are dealing with a vendor, ask to meet in a coffee shop. If you are dealing with someone selling an item, ask to meet at a Walmart or mall... anywhere there will be other people. If they insist they have to meet you at their home (maybe they are disabled or at home with kids) then bring a friend or your fiance along and make sure someone else knows the address you are going to. But whatever you do, DO NOT GO TO A PRIVATE HOME ALONE!!!

5 Unique Wedding Cake Alternatives

2012-01-17T08:33:00.000-08:00

Much of my research, price points, and images in this post came from the Sweet and Saucy Shop located in Long Beach, CA, the Lovely Layers Cakery in Chico, CA, and the Tin Roof Bakery in Chico, CA.

I mentioned in my Cake post from last week that I had some great ideas for Wedding Cake Alternatives. I know many of you have been waiting on the edge of your seat to find out what these are, so wait no more! Here is that post. :)

For the record, since I have already discussed using cupcakes instead of regular cakes in my last post you will not be seeing that suggestion here. It's a great alternative to wedding cakes, but this post is about UNIQUE cake alternatives and, let's face it, cupcakes are getting more and more mainstream every year!

1) Cheesecake

Lovely Layers Cakery in Chico, CA

My brother and sister in law were married in 2005 and at their reception they decided to skip the plain old wedding cake and instead opted for a variety of cheesecakes as their dessert of choice. This decision went over extremely well with their guests (myself included)! They offered about 6 varieties of cheesecake to choose from and I sampled all but two of them. They were delicious!

They still did their traditional cake cutting and feeding of the cake and I believe they even saved a slice to freeze and eat at their first anniversary as per tradition. So this is a great alternative if you want something different but don't want to sacrifice traditions.

Price wise, you're going to spend about the same on this that you will on a traditional cake (between $2-4 per serving). This idea won't save you much green, but if you are not a fan of cake and would rather not serve it at your wedding this is a great alternative.

2) Ice Cream Bar

Brilliant Bash

The thought of an ice cream bar is just making my mouth water! At my high school graduation party I opted for an Ice Cream Bar instead of your traditional finger foods. For a pretty small price my parents picked up strawberry, vanilla, and chocolate ice cream by the gallon along with all the fixings to make a delicious Sundae. It was an idea I realized could translate easily into a wedding!

Give you guests some cute dishes (possible favor ideas?) and a spoon and let them go to town with fresh fruit toppings, sprinkles, nuts, and other goodies. With Yogurt Bars growing in popularity I'm sure this is a dessert that would be universally appreciated by most of yours guests. (Maybe throw in an option for an lactose intolerant guests.) And since many of these ingredients can be found at large bulk grocery stores, like Costco, it will likely leave a lot of green in your pocket at the end of the day!

On a related note, why not also pick up a root beer keg and throw some root beer floats into the mix!?

3) Dessert Shooters

Sweet and Saucy Shop in Long Beach

I got this idea while visiting Applebees one day. They have these little deserts in a cup about the size of a shot glass. You can choose from multiple types of cake like strawberry shortcake, chocolate mousse, and hot fudge sundae. Then throw in a few more like key lime pie, lemon raspberry, banana cream pie, chocolate peanut butter, and vanilla latte, and you have a dessert that guests will be talking about for years to come!

In my research I found many places now offering dessert shooters and the prices seemed to range from $2-3 per shooter, so this idea won't really save you a lot of green. But if creativity and uniqueness is your goal, this is definitely a way to accomplish it!

4) S'mores Bar

ellybevents.com

I actually saw this at a bridal show last weekend and though the idea was fantastic, especially for a backyard wedding. Just buy some traditional s'mores items, such as graham crackers, marshmallows, and chocolate, and set up a s'mores bar! If you are having a back yard or park wedding that allows camp fires, start up a fire for your guests to roast them the old fashion way! If that's not allowed, many caterers are now offering flame options for s'more roasting!

Want to spice it up a bit? Throw in some non-traditional s'more items, like caramel, vanilla drizzle, cinnamon sugar graham crackers, dried fruit, and nuts so your guests can create truly unique and memorable s'mores.

Since many s'mores ingredients can be found at large bulk grocery stores, like Costco, a s'mores bar may end up saving you hundreds on your dessert bill!

5) A Pastry Bar

Tin Roof Bakey in Chico, CA

Have you ever walked into a high end pastry shop, looked around and thought "Man, I wish I could try so many of these!". Well, imagine walking into a wedding reception only to be greeted by a virtual donut shop on the dessert table!

At a wedding I worked at in 2010 the bride worked at a locally bakery that donated her favorite treats for the wedding. Items like individual little pies, brownies, eclairs, cheesecake bites, and mini tarts. It looked AMAZING! Sadly, the table was eaten up by the time we got over there, but I imagine it was delicious!

I did some research and found a few places and if you buy each item individually you will spend between $1-4 per item. However many places will make bulk orders for you, with enough advanced warning, for a small discount. This idea could save you some money, but also please the various pallets of your guests!

Of course there are many variations of each of these, such as the donut tower cake and mini pie bar. And many more alternatives to wedding cakes that will make your guests happy they were invited to your fabulous wedding!

Have a wedding cake alternative of your own? I'd love to hear about it! Please comment below to tell me what you did, plan to do, or would like to see as a wedding dessert!

Spice Up Valentines with EdenFantasys!

2012-01-16T17:08:00.000-08:00

Being just two weeks away from our wedding date, my fiance and I will not be having a sexy romantic Valentine's Day this year (we'll wait to be a married couple for that!) but that doesn't mean we can't have a romantic Valentine's Day and it doesn't mean we can't turn to EdenFantasys, The Sex Shop You Can Trust, to help us out!

The Sweetheart Strawberry Box would make a great gift to the man in your life. Chocolates? Pfffft! Who likes those? But edible body souffle, white chocolate body paint, and strawberry honey dust in a heart shaped box? WIN! What man (or woman, even!) wouldn't love getting that for Valentine's Day? Sure, the fiance and I couldn't USE this stuff on Valentine's Day but, hey, the wedding would be just two weeks away! ;) At just $34.99 it's also budget friendly.

You all know that I love practical gifts. I find items that I can use for days, week, or even months to be the most romantic. The bubble bath I got for my birthday last year was enjoyed for weeks and every time I soaked in that bubble bath it made me think of him. If you want your woman (or man!) to think of your genorosity and romantic gift over and over again why not give them a bottle of Naughty Bubbles Bubble Bath? Available in two sizes (8.5 ounces for $21.99 or 2 oz for $9.99) will help you relax after a longer day, or warm up for a long night!

Finally, to go along with the whole "practical gift" theme, I was thrilled to find one of EdenFantasys newest products- the Terme Trio Hair Care Set! Hair and Body Powder, Shampoo, and Conditioner... all three practical gifts that she will use and enjoy for weeks to come! The price is a little steeper then I would prefer spent on me for Valentine's Day at $58.99, but for the average person it's probably right on target. And since it's practical but still romantic, I can get behind it!

So head on over to EdenFantasys today and see how they can help you have the most romantic Valentine's Day possible. And remember, it ain't all sex toys! But, you know, you can find those there, too! ;)

The Green and Frugal Wedding Guide : The Venue

2012-01-16T10:31:00.000-08:00

There are two venues involved in most weddings - the ceremony venue and the reception venue. Oftentimes, the venues are one in the same. Have your wedding at your church, have your reception in the church basement! Or, they can be different. Have a wedding at a park and the reception at a hotel ballroom. There are pros and cons to both and what you have for a budget will greatly affect where you can (and cannot) have your wedding.

What We Are Doing...

Smith's Cove, Georgetown, Grand Cayman

Our decision to have a destination weddings was mostly a cost one. We have a small budget and needed an affordable venue. I love beach weddings and since many beaches are public they don't cost anything to use for your ceremony. In the US you have to be concerned with the legalities of having a ceremony on a public beach (permits and other regulations) so do your research before you pick this for your venue. But in Grand Cayman you do not need a permit to have your wedding on a public beach. So off to Grand Cayman we go!!

Planning a wedding through the actual cruise line will cost an arm and a leg. Definitely more than we can afford and it comes with perks we, frankly, do not want. Instead, I contacted a local wedding planner (more on that later!) who knows of some great beaches that are public but quiet to give us some privacy for the ceremony. The planner, the marriage license, and the officiant is going to cost us $700. That's nothing in the wedding industry!

For the reception we have opted to go nice and easy. Cruises offer formal sit-down dinners in their Main Dining Room each night. While not private, it's a great way for our guests to have a wonderful meal and socialize with each other. So instead of paying for a reception room and having a private dinner with a limited menu we opted instead to just have our reception in the regular Main Dining Room and splurge a bit on some wine for our guests to drink with their dinner.

Total cost of our wedding venue + reception venue? $800.

Not into a cruise port wedding? Check out these other money saving ideas!

1) Your Church

If you have a church that you already have a great relationship with and you want to have a religious ceremony, oftentimes this can be the most affordable route for your ceremony. Most churches do not charge for you to have your ceremony in their church if you (either the bride, groom, or one of your parents) are a member of the church. And if they do charge it will be a nominal fee, usually under $300. You will need to pay the officiant for performing the ceremony, however. The cost of this varies and I've seen everything from $100 to $500. Usually the fee is a "suggested donation", but I do suggest you donate what they suggest you donate! If you'd like an organist or performer provided from the church you will also need to pay for that, usually about $100. Tipping the church coordinator and other employees is also typical, but will usually only add up to a few hundred dollars at most.

You can also opt to have your reception at your church hall if they have a space available. The church I grew up in (a Catholic church) will rent the basement out to it's members, free of charge, for wedding receptions. There tend to be more regulations with this option, however. For one, alcohol at my church was limited to wine only. No beer, no hard alcohol. Dancing beyond the first dance and parent dance was also not allowed. I found this to be the case at the few churches I looked into to write this article. Having your reception at a church may also mean a little more work on your part. Usually decorations, setting up, and cleaning up is the responsibility of the bride and groom, not the church. Obviously, though, this means more money in your pocket at the end of the day! Remember to tip anyone involved in helping out with your wedding if provided by the church, often times they are volunteers or working for minimal pay.

Please note that some churches may have more of a fee to use their full facility for a wedding. And if you are not a member of the church they may charge a fee to use the chapel for your ceremony. Be sure to ask before you get your heart set on a church you can't afford!

2) Parks or Other Public Spaces

I mentioned beaches in the intro to this post and I'd like to expand that option by including local parks. In 2010 a friend of mine got married at a local state park and then had the reception at the parks event hall, which was really little more than a log cabin with a kitchen. It was a beautiful wedding with lots of personality! A great highlight to this particular park was the ability for the bride and groom to rent out the little cabins so guests could spend the night.

One cost example I know a bit about is the Samuel P. Taylor State Park in northern California. They offer 2 sites for weddings- the smaller site charges $110 and allows for up to 30 guests and the larger site can accommodate up to 80 guests and will run you $225. In addition to that you need to pay for a monitoring fee to ensure your wedding does not affect the other park guests and vice versa. At Camp Taylor that would cost $90/hour (so about $500 total for a full wedding). If you plan to serve alcohol you would also need insurance. But for about $800-1000 you will have a beautiful ceremony and reception site!

Remember, state parks aren't just trees and camp sites! Many state parks include historic homes, lighthouses, and beaches. The price you will pay for a state park will vary greatly based on the state you are in and the type of park you are choosing.

3) Hotels... Without the Ballrooms

Most hotels with ballroom options will be pricey! But go just down the street to the smaller hotel and you may find yourself a great deal! With manicured lawns great for the ceremony and modest conference rooms that have a lot of decorating potential they are an often overlooked options, which means you can usually snag yourself a deal.

Every year my family rents out a room at a motel in Rochester, MN for our family Christmas. For 4 hours we get a room for just $75. We are responsible for decorating and cleaning up, but the room is large enough for the whole family (about 50 of us) and the hotel is easily accessible to many downtown ceremony venues. No, it's usually not going to be a fancy wedding, but if you throw in your own personality and decorating ideas you can really make it great!

To find a hotel that will cater to a wedding without breaking the bank do a Google search for affordable wedding hotels in your area. At least here in Chico several that label themselves an affordable wedding option popped right up! Just make sure you don't end up having to spend more on bringing in your own caterers, bar tenders, security, etc. than it's worth! When not provided by the venue those costs, if you feel you need them, will add up quickly!

4) A Backyard Wedding

If you or someone in your family has a large backyard, why not look into having the ceremony and reception there? The venue itself would be free, so then you just have to focus on the details and legalities. Depending on where you live this vary GREATLY! In my town we would need to purchase an event permit and a liquor permit (in addition we'd be required to have security and insurance if serving alcohol). All in all this added up to about $1000. Not too shabby for a place where you can have both the ceremony and the reception, but still a bit over our budget. However, if we lived just 300 feet west it would cost us almost nothing due to the fact that the city limits end at our house and everything passed that is part of the county which has fewer regulations. The cost would have been cut nearly in half to about $500. So keep that in mind! But in many areas using your own backyard can be doubly effective- it'll save you some money and you can also use some of your budget to spruce up your yard and curb appeal which will add to the value of your home!

If you aren't interested in doing that much work, there are many people who already have their homes set up to host weddings. They will already have the needed permits on hand and areas of their home and yard already set up and designated for ceremonies and receptions. The costs to use these places will obviously vary based on a lot of factors (size of the home/yard, cost of the homeowners permitting for weddings, services offered, etc.) but often you can find a great deal. To find these sorts of venues, check out Craigslist and do a few Google searches. Just make sure you interview the homeowners to ensure they are properly permitted and insured to host your wedding and, if not, how much more it will cost for you to obtain this.

5) An All Inclusive Resort Destination Wedding

Many All Inclusive Resorts around the Caribbean and Mexico offer amazing deals on weddings! The Sandals line of resorts, for instance, offer guests FREE weddings (which include the wedding venue, bouquet and boutonniere, music, officiant, wedding cake, and more) if you stay for a certain number of nights at their resorts. Add ons are, of course, extra, but still minimal in comparison!

Destination weddings are also a great way to keep your guest list down. If you have dreamed of a small, intimate wedding but still want to invite your large extended families and close friends, a DW is a great way to do that but also keep the numbers to a comfortable level. I personally did not want a large wedding, but with over 30 first cousins, it's hard to keep numbers low. A destination wedding also allowed my fiance and I to compromise the "where", since we live in one place (California) and our families are spread out between Minnesota and Arizona. Since someone would have to travel, we made it fair and made everyone travel!

Destination weddings aren't for everyone, though. My Grandma will not be able to attend my wedding because of her health, and my best friend (who was supposed to be my maid of honor) will also not be in attendance due to the financial strain of a DW. But everyone who cannot come is still so excited for us and not hurt in any way that we planned our wedding this way. However, a lot of people WILL be upset and feel left out. So just keep that in mind if you go the DW route.

So there are just some of the many ways you can cut down on the expense of a wedding venue! Do you have some ideas? I'd love to hear them, please post in the comment section so budget brides can receive your wisdom and experience!

Walgreens Prescriptions Savings Club

2012-01-15T20:00:00.001-08:00

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Walgreens. All opinions are 100% mine.

If you've been a Walgreens Pharmacy customer for a while now you are probably familiar with the Express Scripts program, a program that allows Walgreens customers to get their prescription medications at a discounted rates. Unfortunately, on December 31st, 2011 negotiations between Walgreen and Express Scripts were unsuccessful and Walgreen has been dropped from the Express Scripts program (read their press release: Walgreens and Express Scripts). Walgreens is disappointed that their many attempts to work out an arrangement with Express Scripts has fallen through.

This change will affect many who benefit from the discounts they receive through Walgreen as part of the Express Scripts program. People like military families, retirees on fixed incomes, and lower income families. These families are now finding themselves having to drive farther from their homes in order to get the medications they need at a price they can afford. Many have been Walgreens customers for years and have a relationship with their local pharmacists and are now having to leave the place they are comfortable at. As you can imagine, few are pleased with this situation.

There is good news, though! When walking into my local Walgreens yesterday I notcied a sign advertising a special program offered through Walgreens called the Prescriptions Savings Clubs. For just $5 for an individual or $10 for a family through January 31st you can take advantage of this great savings program! Prescription Savings Club at Walgreens has benefits that include savings on more than 8,000 brand-name and generic medications, discounts on flu shots, PET prescriptions, nebulizer, and diabetic supplies. It includes bonuses when you purchase Walgreens brand products and photofinishing services as well!

While the loss of support from Express Scripts will affect many, I appreciate the effort being put forth by Walgreens to maintain the happiness and comfort of their clients. If you'd like more information be sure to check out Walgreens on Facebook and Walgreens on Twitter to find out the latest on this great program and the failed negotiations with Express Scripts.

Amazing Deal from Pexagon Tech!

2012-01-13T11:15:00.000-08:00

As a photographer, I like to throw little touches into the products I give to my clients. After several issues with CDs and DVDs I decided to switch to USB thumb drives. I was buying them, originally, from WalMart but then I discovered Pexagon Tech. It's a company that allows you to order custom USB thumb drives, and to order anywhere from 1 to 100 or more! You are not bound to purchase in bulk like other websites. This worked out great for me because I was able to order just enough for my wedding season, with no wasted money!

And now I have this great deal just for you! You can get $50 worth of Pexagon Tech products for just $25!!! That's a 50% savings and a great way to save on your business or personal products this New Year!

The Green and Frugal Wedding Guide : The Cake!

2012-01-09T10:14:00.000-08:00

Let's face it... Weddings are EXPENSIVE! According to CostOfWedding.com the average wedding in the United States will cost $26,542 with the average wedding costing somewhere between $19,907 and $33,178. In the average, at least in my area, a bride and groom can expect to spent about $400 on the wedding cake.

$400, in the grand scheme of things, is not a lot of money. In fact, that can be the most affordable part of your wedding day even if you pay the average! But if you think $400 will break the bank, or you'd rather save there so you can spend somewhere else, here are just a few ideas on how you can save a little green on that wedding cake!

PLEASE NOTE: The cost of cake will vary greatly depending on where you live! The prices quoted below are from research I have done in my local area (North Central California), my experience with cake shopping in Rochester, MN, and a friend's cake company in Central California. These numbers are specific to these areas only, although I imagine they won't vary too much unless you like in a major metropolitan area where the cost of living is higher (like New York or San Francisco).

1) Check Out the Grocery Store

We are not having a traditional cake from a bakery for our wedding since it's a DW, but did do some basic research when we were originally planning an "at-home" wedding. I also had a wedding cake at my first wedding. Prices in my area ranged anywhere from $2.50 per person to $3.75 per person to $85 for a 2-tier cake that will feed 25 people. So, how places price cakes seem to vary, but I found that the GROCERY STORE was always the most affordable!

Before you shake your head at the idea of a cake made at the grocery store, try them out. Most places will do free tastings that will allow you to taste the quality of their cakes as well as meet their bakers and take a look at their design options. The first time around my Mom and I went around to three bakeries, the grocery store, and a large chain box store to try out their cakes. By far, the Hy-Vee in Rochester, MN (Barlow's Plaza for anyone in the area!) had the BEST cakes! We devoured the samples and there were no left overs.

On top of that, the baker (Janine) was amazing and my cake was exactly what I had requested. I wanted an ocean-blue cake with sea shells cascading down one side (pictured). It was a 3-tiered square cake as well, which is a shape that is usually more expensive. In the end, I was very, very pleased with my cake. So much so that I recommended the same bakery and cake to a friend for her wedding. And, like me, she loved her cake!

2) Feed Your Guests Sheet Cake

Image From http://www.nanascookiesandmore.com/

Everyone likes the idea of doing the cake cutting with a beautiful tiered cake, but did you know that a tiered cake is more expensive than a sheet cake and you actually get less in a lot of cases? Plus, the cake is usually cut up back in the kitchen and served in slices. So why not purchase a smaller tiered cake and then feed your guests sheet cake?

Let's say your bakery charges $3.00 per serving for a tiered cake and $100 for a full sheet cake, and you have 150 guests coming to your wedding. On average, a full sheet cake will produce 100 servings. So instead of paying $3 per serving, you are pay $1 per serving. If you get a small two-tiered sheet cake with 6" and 9" tiers this cake will feed 25 on average, so you can expect to pay $75 or so for this tiered cake. Throw in a full sheet cake for $100 and a half sheet cake for $65 and you are spending just $240 on your wedding cake with left overs to spare!

Going this route you can also save the top tier of your tiered cake for the first anniversary tradition without risking running out of cake for your guests, and still pay less than just having a full tiered cake. You still get your lovely designed tiered cake for the cake cutting and display, and your guests still get yummy cake, all while staying on budget.

3) Get Cupcakes!

Cupcakes are HUGE right now! Of the dozen or so weddings I went to last year 4 of them had cup cakes instead of a traditional cake. Guests generally love these, and the bride and groom love them because they are often more affordable!

If you are paying $3/serving for a tiered cake in your area, look into cupcakes. A shop in my town called Cupcake Crusader charges just $18 for a dozen cupcakes! That comes out to $1.50 per serving! So for a guest list of 150 you will need 13 dozen cupcakes at a cost of just $234!

However, I will note that Cupcake Crusader is the lowest cost cupcake maker in my area that I was able to find by doing a simple online search. Another cupcake baker in my area charges $2.25 per cupcake, which would make the cost go up to $27/dozen or $351 for 13 dozen. So this option is not always more affordable. But on the same note, my friend runs Clever Confections in Turlock, CA and she only charges $15/dozen so just $195 for 13 dozen cupcakes! And I hear her Irish Car Bomb cupcakes are TO DIE FOR!

4) Find a Friend or DIY!

Image Courtesy of Clever Confections

Cupcakes, cake design, dessert design in general is becoming a big hobby for a lot of people these days. I have many friends who make cakes either as a hobby or part time job, but do not own their own bakeries. Often times you will find that they will charge less to make their delicious creations. Either charging cost or a small fee. A lot of the time your friends' talents will look and taste similar to those you can get at a large bakery. BUT, like all DIY options, there is risk involved. If you friend gets sick, if your oven breaks, if you forget an ingredient, etc. you could end up with a cake disaster and be SOOL. Especially if you DIY it can also bring in a lot of unneeded stress! So, if you go this route, I'd say hire a friend who does this as a regular hobby or small business. Just to take the stress off of you!

You may even have some friends who are not regular cake makers who want to contribute to your wedding and offer to make your cake. If you aren't set on a specific look or too picky about perfection, take them up on it! My friend Kristina had a friend make her cake and while it wasn't exactly professional looking it was fun and crazy and a little kooky, which fit her so perfectly! In that case I think the less-than-perfect cake fit the mold of her style, personality, and wedding than a finely designed cake would have.

Had my fiance and I opted for a local wedding, as we were originally, we would have had my friend at Clever Confections make our cake for us. We estimated we would spend between $200-250 to do a combination of cupcakes and a small tiered cake and possibly even a sheet cake (I love variety!) which is far under the average of $400.

5) Skip The Cake Altogether!

Not everyone likes cake or cupcake. So why not skip the wedding cake altogether and instead opt for some yummy cake alternatives. I will actually be doing another post soon to breakdown some of my personal favorite Wedding Cake Alternatives. Note, some may actually be MORE expensive than a traditional wedding cake, but many are much, much more affordable. So stay tuned for that!

In Conclusion...

I wanted to conclude this post by saying that there are many, many talented bakers out there who not only create beautiful custom decorated cakes, but delicious and unique cake/cupcake recipes out there. Since $400 is such a small price to pay when you consider how much everything else costs, I'd still keep an open mind to a more traditional cake. At my first wedding the cake was a highlight for me. The baker did a fabulous job... the cake was beautiful and delicious. If I had to, I would have spent double on that cake than what I did. To me, cake is worth the splurge. It's a nice treat for your guests and a way for you to show your personality in a creative way.

I actually attended a bridal show this past weekend and the cakes on display here were amazing! Also the samples were incredible. I know my first wedding was just four years ago but I don't remember cake being that awesome or pretty back then! It makes me sad that, due to us having a destination wedding, we won't have any control over the design or taste of our cake. :(

So if you want to splurge, DO IT!

Do you have some wedding cake money saving tips? I'd love to hear them! Please comment below with your ideas and suggestions.

Wedding Mode!

2012-01-07T00:49:00.000-08:00

Alright people, I have bad news for you. For the next 50 days (or so) this blog is going to be all WEDDING all the time!!! According to my countdown on my iPad I have 52 days left until my wedding date. Ah!!! I have a ton of DIY pojects, a ton of money saving tips, and I hope to be hosting a ton of wedding-themed giveaways! This will include some giveaways of my own wedding items when I'm done with them. :)

Quick Update... We have changed a few wedding details! It was becoming too difficult to plan the wedding on March 1st in Haiti so we bumped the date and changed the location. We are now getting married in Georgetown, Grand Cayman on February 28th. So with two days less to plan, it's crunch time!

To start, for accountability purposes, I wanted to share my Do-It-Yourself (DIY) to-do list. I literally just made this list tonight after looking at a ton of wedding images on Pinterest. I wasn't going to do most of these but, you know, I want to. I love DIY projects and I'm a little bored right now so it works out.

1) Mustache/Lips "I Do" / "I Do, Too" signs (great for pictures, easy to resell!)
2) "Here Comes the Bride" sign (I have a ring bearer now, so I want something for him to carry down the aisle.)
3) Thank You banner (great for Thank You Notes!)
4) Mrs. hanger. Not sure if I want to do wood burning or wire. I'll have to see how much time I have!

I'm sure more will be added as I go, and of course when I do a project I will update you all!

So stick with me as I continue my Green Wedding Guide.

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

2011-12-25T20:29:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas!

I hope you had a very Merry Christmas!!

Let's Get the New Year's Going With Eden Fantasys!

2011-12-25T20:27:00.000-08:00

I love New Years! It's the start of a New Year and a great time to set goals and work to better yourself and your life! This year will be a pretty big one for us since in just TWO MONTHS we will be boarding our cruise ship to go get MARRIED! So let's ring in the New Year with some awesome outfit ideas from EdenFantasys.

Planning a big night out on New Years Eve? I have become obsessed with exploring EdenFantasys website lately. Not just for their wide variety of sex toys, but also for their wide variety of really nice dresses and club clothing!

Want to rock in the New Year with a sexy black dress? Look no further than the Black Dress from EdenFantasys. At only $29.79 (on sale right now!) this dress will make eyes turn and make your significant other drool and be happy they are celebrating the new year with you on their arm.

Black not quite your thing? How about red? This Merkel one shoulder dress is sexy and modern but has a sort of Greek Goddess feel to it. For just $50.99 (it's also on sale) this dress also comes in a purple!

Not a big fan of short dresses? Worry not! EdenFantasys has a great selection of longer, fancier dresses that will still make heads turn! The Long Dress is available in black and white, and is a form flattery, sexy, cleavage showing gown that is perfect for a more formal get-together!

Not a dress person at all? That's OK, too! EdenFantasys has a great selection of sexy tops and other club wear to choose from. I personally love the above pictured Flirty Ruffles Top! Also on sale and just $29.74 this top is dressy without being too dressy, and sexy without being something that could only sit in your closet unless you were going clubbing!

So there you go! Those are just four of the many, many, many New Years outfit suggestions available from EdenFantasys. If you want to rock one of these for New Years don't forget to order with rush shipping to ensure you get it in time! I still can't believe 2011 is almost over!

Another EdenFantasys Christmas Post!

2011-12-11T17:14:00.000-08:00

'Tis the season to be.... SEXY! Yes, yes, this is another EdenFantasys Christmas Post! Because I really didn't even scrape the surface of the many ways EdenFantasys can help you celebrate the holidays with your most beloved this season!

Again, it's not all just sex toys over at EdenFantasys! You can be Wild About Christmas with this sexy get-up ($47.99)! This red velour dress with cheetah fur accents comes complete with a shrug and matching hat! He's sure to have a Happy Christmas with this one!

How about this 12 Days of Christmas Lip Set! Hang up that mistletoe and grab your honey for an enchanting holiday kiss with one of six delicious sounding lip balms! Choose from the Brown Sugar Exfoliating Lip Scrub, Day and Night Lip Conditioning Treatment, Super Shiny Clear Gloss, Matte Gloss, Hazlenut Cocoa Butter Lip Gloss, and Breath Mint Lip Balm. This set comes with two of each so you'll have plenty to get you through lots of holiday kisses!

How about adding the Holiday Handful Trio to your gift list? Nourish, protect, and moisturize you skin and protect it from holiday dryness with this trio of hand lotions that are made with mango and shea butter, marshmallow extract, and glycerin! The trio includes one of each: Milkmade (whole vanilla milk and baked raspberries), Unsweet (no artificial colors or scents), and Vanilla Snow (sweet vanilla cream). At just $35.99 for all three they would be great to find in your stocking on Christmas morning!

Finally, why not give your loved one a sensual massage as a gift this year? He'll love it, you'll love it, and it's a gift that can keep on giving with the Kama Sutra Massage Candle. Choose from four amazing sounding scents- Island Passion, Deep Ocean, Mediterranean Almond, and Tropical Nights. Fall deep in love with these tropical scents, forgetting the cold and snow outside (should you live in a cold and snowy area). Only $18.99 and worth every penny! This candle is made with Coconut Oil, too! And you know how much I loooove coconut oil.

So have a happy holidays with EdenFantasys!

Gift Guide 2011 : Gourmet Gift Baskets

2011-12-05T07:36:00.000-08:00

I've review Gourmet Gift Baskets a lot on my blog and I continue to do so because it's a company that I love. Their selection of gift baskets is so vast and wonderful that I don't think I could possible blog about them enough!

It's the Christmas Season, so today I'd like to tell you about the Christmas Gifts Selection offered by Gourmet Gift Baskets. As I glance through the selections I am seeing a gift that I could buy for literally every person on my gift list this year! Most of them within my (very small) budget! So... let's get started...

The 6-Beer Microbrew Beer Bucket Gift Basket ($69.99, though there's also a more affordable 3-beer basket that is just $39.99) would be a great gift for my brother. He doesn't drink a lot but enjoys the occasional microbrew beer and I know he'd love this. And do you see that beer in the front? You know what that is? YUP! Sierra Nevada which is brewed right here in my hometown, Chico, CA! Gourmet Gift Baskets throw in some "bar food" (jerkey, nuts, and pretzels) to really give this basket some oomph that makes it truly gift worthy!

My soon-to-be-father-in-law has been attempting to educate me on fine wines since we first met. Every week he comes home with a new wine and makes sure know where it came from, what awards it's won, what year it's from, and some other fun facts about the wine or winery. So when I saw the Ravenswood Red Wine Gift Basket ($69.99) I thought of him right away! The gift basket includes a bottle of Ravenswood Cabernet Sauvignon (*drool*) as well as crackers, biscuits, cheese, and sausage to enjoy with your bottle of wine. This would be a great gift, not just for him but for me, too, because he always so generously shares his wine with me!

My good friend is a huge Red Sox fan so when I saw this Boston Red Sox Gift Basket Premium (only $79.99) I thought of her right away! She would FLIP if someone got her this basket for Christmas! It includes a baseball hat, t-shirt, pennant, playing cards, tumbler, and lanyard, all adorning the logo and name of her favorite baseball team. The only thing that saddens me is that Gourmet Gift Baskets doesn't offer a Twins Gift Basket because, if they did, that pretty much covers everyone else on my list! Upgrading to the Deluxe package also gets your a hoodie! Pretty much if you have a Red Sox, Yankees, Phillies, Mets, Dodgers, Cubs, or Cardinals fan in your life, these gift baskets are great for you!

There are a ton more I could list here, but I know you all want to get on to the GIVEAWAY already, so I'll wrap this up with one last basket! The Gourmet Cheesecake Sampler is not just AMAZING, but also looks so, so, so delicious! It's also rather affordable at a drool-worthy $37.99. It comes with 4 slices each of Classic New York Cheesecake, Strawberry Cheesecake, Amaretto Cheesecake, and Turtle Cheesecake. This would be great to bring to your holiday gathering or give you some cheesecake lovers on your Christmas list. And just in case your curious, this one is on here for me! *nudge nudge* anyone who hasn't purchased a Christmas gift me! I'll share a slice with you. :) Yes, that's right, I go gaga for Cheesecake!!!

These are just a small, small sampling of the many great Christmas Gift Baskets offered over at Gourmet Gift Baskets. Head over today to see who you can cross of your list with a great gift basket!

GIVE BACK!

Gourmet Gift Baskets not only offers a great selection of gift baskets, many of which would be fantastic for the holidays, but they also have a huge heart! Take this Christmas season, for example. Gourmet Gift Baskets, in all their awesomeness, is donating TWO gift baskets to our military to help brighten up their Christmas whenever a blogger blogs about their selection of Christmas gifts on their blog! Awesome, right? So if you are a blogger, use your blog to give to our troops and review the Gourmet Gift Basket's Christmas Gifts on your blog and then send Gourmet Gift Baskets an email with a link to your review.

WIN IT!

Once again Gourmet Gift Baskets is generously offering one lucky reader a Christmas Gift Basket Classic (ARV: $59.99)! You can keep the basket, bring it to your next holiday party, or send it off as a gift! Use the entry form below to enter. Don't see the form? Click "Read More" to get to it!

Eco-Friendly Christmas Spreads Holiday Cheer

2011-12-02T11:25:00.001-08:00

Thank you, Brittany, for this excellent guest post!

Christmas is a time of year when we reflect and try to be the best versions of ourselves possible. This year, consider throwing a bit of eco-friendly cheer into the mix. A green Christmas is an excellent way to get your family involved in holiday preparation, and will ensure the Christmas spirit is on your mind all season long.

A silver, aluminum tree with pre-lit branches doesn’t exactly scream old-fashioned Christmas. This year, why not purchase a real tree from a local tree farmer? This not only supports local farmers but real trees are also biodegradable and do not contain harmful chemicals like their artificial counterparts. Plus, live trees come in a wide variety of shapes and sizes, meaning you can find one to fit your needs, whether you live in a three-story mansion or a 400 square foot studio. Don't forget – live trees give off a fragrant aroma of pine trees, a scent that will instantly put anyone in a Christmas mood.

Take the idea of a living Christmas one step further by using fresh produce as part of your decorating plan. You can dry slices of orange and lemon in the oven and then string the slices up on a piece of thread, hanging the string as you would a garland. You can even hang the fruit garland on a tree outside; you might just entice a few woodland creatures to join you for the holiday. You can also freeze cranberries in a bowl of water in the freezer, then place in a bowl of punch for a festive holiday floater. There are limitless possibilities when it comes to using food as décor, from stringing popcorn to making centerpieces out of sticks or cinnamon.

When considering a present for a friend or loved one, choose gifts that can be consumed and won’t take up space once the holiday has passed. This could mean a tin of homemade fudge or chocolate covered pretzels for a pal with a sweet tooth. Or, if you know a movie buff, put some bags of popcorn and a few boxes of candy in a basket to use for their next movie night. Soaps, lotions and stationary are examples of other gifts that get used up, and won’t collect dust by sitting on a shelf.

While it may seem like you need a PhD to find the perfect gift for the friend who has everything, the truth is simple is often better. Treat one of your girlfriends to a massage at her favorite spa. Or, for the guy who loves sports, purchase tickets to a local ball game. Passes to a museum, concert tickets or theme park tickets are a few examples of “experience” gifts that give the recipient a chance to do something they love without the extra cost. You can even plan an outing that you and your loved one can do together, making it a gift of an experience and time spent together.

If you enjoy making gifts, use recycled materials, which is easy on the planet and a green-friendly gesture. Use strips of newspaper to make pretty papier mache boxes or ornaments. You can also turn chipped tea cups into charming candles by placing a wick inside the cup and pouring some paraffin wax inside the bowl. Or, use scraps of old fabric to put together a number of gifts, like potpourri sachets, scarves or small change purses for little girls. The sky’s the limit and with some creativity and elbow grease, you’ll have unique gifts that can’t be found on the shelves of a department store.

If you’re really stuck for ideas, give a gift to the community and volunteer. You and your family can make a day of helping to feed the homeless at a local shelter or picking up trash at a park. You can sing carols or read stories to the elderly in a nursing home or sew simple blankets to donate to a shelter or orphanage. By reaching into your heart and giving back, the Christmas spirit will come back to you tenfold.

There’s no shortage of ways to keep an eco-friendly holiday this year. Celebrating a green Christmas doesn’t mean you have to miss out on any of your yearly traditions. In fact, you just might find yourself with a few new rituals you and your family will love to honor each season.

Gift Guide 2011 : TykesBykes Review and Giveaway

2011-12-02T09:54:00.000-08:00

Your child is just starting to learn how to ride a bike so what do you do? You get them a little bike with training wheels, right? But is that really the best option?

If you think about it, a bike with training wheels is really no different than a tricycle. The skills your child gains from riding a bike with training wheels and a tricycle is the ability to power it using pedals and steer. But that's it. Think back to the first time you rode a bike without training wheels or think back to when your child was learning you first took the training wheels off. Did your child fall? Get hurt? I know I did! I have the scars on my elbows to prove it (this was the 80s... before pads and helmets were mainstream). This happens because training wheels don't train your child one key skill: Balance! TykesBykes is a great way to teach your child balance and give them a safe step between tricycle and bicycle!

TykesBykes are balance bikes, they do not have pedals, instead your child propels themselves forward using their own feet. TykesBykes are well made and lightweight so your child can handle them easily while learning that essential skill.

The thing that impressed me the most about TykesBykes is how well made they are! I got the yellow bike for my nephew and was impressed at how durable the bike is while still being lightweight! Assembly was pretty easy, though I will admit that my inability to follow basic directions meant that my wonderful fiance assembled the TykesByke for me. Though I am confident, after watching him do it, that I was making it far too complicated and assembly is actually very easy, especially considering there were no pedals or chains to put together.

The bike itself consists of only five parts- the handle bars, the body of the bike, the seat, and the two wheels. There aren't a ton of "small parts", either. And as soon as the TykesByke is assembled it's ready to go and be ridden by your young one so they can learn balance and steering and have a great stepping stone to a two wheel bicycle.

I also really love the over-all appearance of the TykesByke. It looks like a grown up bike, not a kids bike, which is much more appealing to most kids, IMO. The TykesByke is heading my nephews way and his Dad is a big biker and triatholon competitor so I know my nephew will want a bike that looks more like Daddy's. And my brother doesn't have a bike with Bat Man or Dora on it! TykesBykes come in black, orange, yellow, blue, and pink. The regular TykesByke is 12" tall and TykesByke is soon introducing a slightly larger (14") TykesByke that will be available to ship around December 20th (just in time for Christmas!).

And stay tuned! As soon as there is no longer snow on the ground I will post a video of my nephew trying out his TykesByke! Until then, here's a great video of another little one enjoying her TykesByke!

Who It Would Make a Great Gift For: A younger child (3-4 years old) who is just learning how to ride a 2-wheeled bike or is ready to move up from their tricycle. At just $89.99 it's a well-made and affordable gift that your child will adore. Just imagine the look on their face Christmas morning when they look next to the tree and see a TykesByke meant just for them!

BUY IT!

TykesBykes are available on their website for $89.99 ( the 14" TykesByke will be $99.99). You can also order everything your child needs to safely and happily ride their Tyke Byke, including Helmets, Protective Gear, Bells and Noise Makers, and Water Bottles!

WIN IT!

TykesBykes has generously offered one Eco-Friendly and Frugal reader a Tyke Byke of their very own to gift to their child or a family member just learning how to ride bike! To enter use the entry form. If you don't see the entry form click "Read More" below to reveal it.

My Arm Hurts! But I have laundry detergent again!

2011-12-01T19:33:00.000-08:00

Confession time. I've been a very baaaaaad eco-friendly and frugal lady lately. Chalk it up to a slight depression (not about life, but about not being able to find a job), lack of interest, whatever you want. I have been using *gasp* store bought laundry detergent since we moved back to California!!! It's a shocker, I know.

Last week, we ran out of detergent. And because of the whole lack of a job thing I didn't really have the money to buy the brands I would normally buy (Seventh Generation, Ecover, etc.). So what's an eco-friendly girl to do? Get off her lazy butt and start grating up bars of soap!

That's right! I went back to my green roots and made my own detergent again! Let's flash back to January of 2010 when I first got into making detergent but was far too ADD to grate detergent. I used liquid Dr. Bronners and it actually worked! However, I had a coupon for some bars of soap (Dove, actually, not the best option but according to the interwebz, it works!). So I used my lovely coupons and then sent my fantastic fiance to the store to buy the rest of the ingredients. You should have heard him on the phone: "BORAX? WTF is Borax? 20 Mule what? OK, Washing Soda? What's that?" Ah.... love him! But he found it all!

This time around I was able to find washing soda (yay!) so here is the recipe I used:

-2 Bars of Soap (yielded about 5 cups of soap)
-2 cups of Borax
-2 cups of Washing Soda
-1 cup of Oxygen Whitener

I'm told 2 tablespoons of this combo will work great for an HE front loader washer. I did a load and thus far, I'm very happy! No stains, the clothes smelled and felt clean, and it seems like this will last us a while, a heck of a lot longer than the store bought stuff, anyway. All for just under $9!

The upside? Lots of great detergent and I know exactly what went into it! Plus it was affordable, I even have lots of Borax, Washing Soda, and Oxygen Whitener left so all I need to do is buy some more soap and I can make more anytime.

The downside? My arm is soooo sore today from grinding up those two bars of soap! It only took about 10 minutes per bar but since I can only use my left arm to grate it up all the stress and work went to the muscles in that arm. And they are mad at me today! But... it's worth it!

The Nativity Collection by Robert J Morgan

2011-12-01T14:03:00.000-08:00

The Nativity Collection is a wonderful holiday book! It is a collection of six wonderful Christmas stories that Mr. Morgan and his congregation have shared with each other the night before Christmas, which is an on-going tradition which gives me hope that someday a sequel may be available. Each story features the Nativity which affects the characters in each story in a way that connects them all.

In "Ollie" it's a Nativity snow globe given to a young boy on Christmas Eve by an elderly woman who had almost lost hope of having one more Christmas with her loved ones. In "Poet Boy" it's a Christmas Eve play performed by a boy with a lot of nerves and a photographic memory to boot. It is a hand carved wooden Nativity in "Over My Dead Body". In "Five Quarters of a Mile" it is also a hand-carved wooden Nativity, but this one's purpose is to save two lives. It is a smiling Nativity that helps a pair of bitter newlyweds restore their faith in "Nativity Seen Smiling". Finished off with a twist in "Sugarplum and the Christmas Cradle", where you could argue there was no Nativity in the story, one would be there soon.

The Nativity Collection is beautifully written and beautifully illustrated. I will admit that more than one of the stories brought a tear to my eye. It would make a great addition to any Christmas tradition. Read one story a night for the week following up to Christmas as a family or read it to a child to teach them the Reason for the Season.

Available on Amazon.com for $10.19 new (as low as $0.01 used!) or for a limited time just $7.99 at ChristianBook.com!

Gift Guide 2011 : SnapSac Review and Giveaway

2011-12-01T12:07:00.000-08:00

Let's go back to giving the gift of green this year and take a look at SnapSac! SnapSac carries a wide variety of eco-friendly, reusable shopping totes that are also stylish!

Take a look at the Grocery Tote! At just $2.49 this stylish tote would make a great stocking stuffer for children and adults alike! Kids can use these 12.5”w x 17” h x 8” g totes as a lunch box or to carry toys and books with them on long trips! Adults will love it for shopping trips, especially in areas that now charge for plastic bags this tote is stylish AND a money saver for your loved one!

The Petit Tote is just $2.99 and would also make a great stocking stuffer! Adults will love using the Petit Tote as a lunch bag if they brown-bag it to work. It can be used for light shopping trips as well! At just 18”w x 12” h x 7.5” g in size this bag folds up nicely and travels easily.

But, if you really want to get your loved one something special, reuable, and eco-friendly look no further than the Super Tote! At just $3.99 this tote is affordable and perfect for so many uses! I use mine to tote around my bathroom supplies when I go on trips. It can of course be used for shopping trips, too! And I can confirm that it is large enough and strong enough to haul around a 17 pound turkey (though the straps seemed a *litte* strained, they never broke!). The tote compacts down nicely to about the size of my iPad, which means it fits nicely in my iPad purse pocket, making it the perfect size for me! You all know I am horrible at remembering my shopping bags! But when the fit flat and nicely into my purse they are a lot easier to remember!

This Would Be A Great Gift For: Children and adults a like! The smaller sizes could be stocking stuffers an the large sizes (I didn't even mention the Mega Tote, Lunch Tote, and Cool Tote) make great stand-alone gifts for so many! The uses are endless (from shopping to road trips to brown bag lunches) that you would be really hard pressed to find someone that these totes would NOT make a great a gift for! Remember, they all compact up and snap flat for easy storage! These bags are stylish, recyclable, and all are under $10.

BUY IT!

SnapSac is available on their website. You can also find SnapSac Totes in various groceries stores, like Sprouts and Albertsons. Use their online store finder to find a store near you that carries SnapSac Totes!

WIN IT!

One lucky Eco-Friendly and Frugal winner is going to WIN a SnapSac Super Tote courtesy of SnapSac! If you don't see the giveaway widget below click "Read More".

New Skin - Share the Outdoors Sweepstakes

2011-11-29T12:00:00.001-08:00

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of New-Skin. All opinions are 100% mine.

I recently was given the opportunity to speak about New Skin products and to tell you all about a great new Sweepstakes the New Skin is currently running. I jumped on the chance because, well, to put it frankly, I'm madly in love with New Skin products!

In 2010 I had my shoulder surgery. I am not a vain person, but there is something that really bothered me about the thought of having scars on my shoulder. I love wearing tank tops and bathing suits and didn't want that to be the first thing that caught someone's eye when meeting me for the first time. As soon as my surgery incisions healed I began using New Skin Scar Fade Gel. I religiously applied New Skin Scar Fade Gel twice day (morning and night) and wore tee-shirts for an entire summer to avoid sun exposure on the scars. Now, over a year and a half later, the only time anyone realizes I have scars on my shoulder is when I point them out. I wear my tank tops and bathing suits with confidence thanks to New Skin Scar Fade Gel!

Another New Skin product I love is New Skin Liquid Bandages. It's funny because when I started writing this post I realized my New Skin Liquid Bandages bottle was sitting on the desk next to me. I used it about a month ago after cutting myself shaving. It's my shave-cut go-to!

New Skin carries a third product called New Skin Poison Ivy Treatment, which I haven't tried but kind of wish I had back in August of 2010 when I discovered my allergy to poison ivy spores (which most people AREN'T allergic to) and had those horrible rashes on my arms and legs for WEEKS (thanks, Wisconsin!). New Skin Poison Ivy Treatment addresses both the root problem of poison ivy rash and the uncomfortable itch that often accompanies it. I tried dozens of solutions- rash creams, oatmeal baths, lotions, etc. While some offered temporary relief, nothing solved the problem and I had to "tough it out". With how reliable other New Skin products have been, I'm sure New Skin Poison Ivy Treatment would have worked great!

New Skin products are great if you live an outdoor life! If you love the outdoors head on over the New Skin website and enter to win the New-Skin sweepstakes for that chance to win a 4-day adventure of your choice! All you have to do is click "Enter" on the sweepstake's page, fill out the entry form, and then have your family and friends visit your sweepstakes page to earn up to five votes a day! The more votes you have, the better your chances to win!

Did you enter the sweepstakes? Share your sweepstakes page link in the comments section of this post to help increase your clicks and changes to win! I promise to vote for you. :)

Gift Guide 2011 : ECOlunchbox Solo Cube Review and Giveaway

2011-11-28T08:45:00.000-08:00

Get back to the Green basics this holiday season and give your loves ones some eco-friendly gifts that they can use and enjoy throughout the year! My Mom brown-bags her lunches at work everyday. It's a frugal way to save some money, but not the best option Green-wise. ECOlunchbox is a company that can help her and anyone else who brown bags their lunches not only save money but be eco-friendly at the same time!

At only $15 the Furoshiki ECOsnacksack is a great alternative to the brown bag at a low price! Choose from 6 styles of these fully lined and machine washable bags and add some style to your meals! Want to splurge a little? Get your loved on an ECOlunchette Kit ($45) which includes a zip-able and machine washable lunch bag, as well as a food container, 1 napkin, and a spork made of sustainably grown bamboo!

About halfway through the summer my Mom won a drawing at her work and actually won a nice reusable lunch bag that I know she loves. So instead of getting her a lunch bag for Christmas this year my attention turned to ECOlunchbox's line of stainless steal, reusable lunch containers! They make packing a lunch easy and keep your lunch bag from getting dirty too quickly!

The ECOlunchbox Three-in-One ($22) comes with three containers and is a great way to keep food separate. This will help keep sandwiches from getting squishes, fruit from mixing with veggies, and keep everything packed in neat stainless steal boxes that are easy to clean and maintain!

This year for Christmas I am giving my Mom the Solo Cube, a 5 1/4 inch square and 1 7/8 inch deep stainless steel food container, a perfect size for a sandwich on sliced bread! At only $19 it's an affordable and eco-friendly gift. The container is non-leaching, unbreakable, and dishwasher safe. It's a gift that the receiver can use for years to come!

To test it out, I actually used the container on a road trip recently, packing it full of my favorite treats for the road. The lid snaps on securely and even rolling around in my back seat it didn't open or dent! Then I threw it into the sink, scrubbed it out, and repackaged it. It looked like new! You'd never be able to tell I'd testing it out.

Who It's a Great Gift For: In my case, this is a great gift for my Mom who bag-lunches it to work every day. This would also be a fun gift for a child who doesn't like their food to mix or maybe one who wants to take their lunch to school in style!

BUY IT!

Head on over to the ECOlunchbox to purchase the items mentioned in this review and many more. The Solo Cube sells on the website for $19. ECOlunchbox products are also available in at several brick and mortar stores including Whole Foods Market, The Container Store, and New Leaf Community Markets. Check their website for a full list of retailers so you can find your favorite ECOlunchbox product in a store near you!

WIN IT!

ECOlunchbox is offering on luck Eco-Friendly and Frugal reader a Solo Cube! To win, all you have to do is enter using the widget below. If you don't see the widget click on "Read More". Be sure to read the directions carefully! Anyone who doesn't follow the rules will be disqualified!

Scentsy Black Friday Sale!

2011-11-25T11:25:00.000-08:00

Looking for a great gift? Check out Scentsy!!! They are having some great Black Friday deals. Remember, I am having a Scentsy Party! If you purchase from the party you will be entered to win a Scentsy Prize Pack. And don't forget to enter to win the Full Size Warmer Giveaway!

Happy Thanksgiving

2011-11-24T09:43:00.001-08:00

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

I hope you and your loved ones have a fabulous Turkey Day!

And Gooooooooooo PACKERS!

Gift Guide 2011 : My Memories Review and Giveaway CLOSED!

2011-11-23T08:00:00.000-08:00

Think of all the people on your Christmas list this year and think of a word that describes each of them. If the word "Scrapbooker" came up at all, I have the PERFECT gift idea for you... MyMemories Suite V3!

MyMemories is a highly rated, award winning digital scrapbook software that you can use to not just make digital scrapbooks but also photobooks, cards, calendars, and gifts without having to buy expensive and complicated software programs.

I got the chance to try out MyMemories (version 2 at the time) to see how easy it really is. I decided to try the software out without doing the thing I always do (and highly recommend everyone do) before using a new software for the first time- reading the manual and watching tutorials. I thought "let's see how easy this really is" and jumped right in. First, let me say that I am NOT a scrapbooker! I still have my completely unfinished High School Scrapbook in a box, complete with all of the things I wanted to put into it. But what I liked about MyMemories is that it's a DIGITAL scrapbook. No need for tape, glue, scissors, or a workspace. Everything can be done within the software using your personal photos and the Digital Scrapbooking Kits available on the website. Which means I'd probably be more inclined to scrapbook should the urge hit me. While I am not a scrapbooker, I am a Photographer and several of my portrait packages include creating custom invitations, birth announcements, save the dates, and other press print products. So even without being a scrapbooker, the MyMemories software can definitely come in handy to a wide audience!

So now onto my creations. I thought about the scrapbooking concept and figured what better thing to scrapbook about then my wedding? But since it hasn't happened yet I decided to test MyMemories out by creating a "Wedding Inspiration Board" and fill it with pictures of my ideas and some things I have already decided on for my wedding to show the feel of it. Ladies (and gentlemen) I present to you my Wedding Inspiration Board, creating using the MyMemories software:

I spent all of five minutes creating this photo collage of my wedding ideas/inspirations. The background was as easy as clicking on the "Background Papers" tab and selecting the background I wanted! The photo layout was a predesigned layout that I selected when starting this project. All I had to do was select the images I wanted to use and drag them into the boxes. Then I added the text (again, super easy to do) and then I was done. Not overly fancy, but not bad for five minutes without even reading the manual or watching a tutorial!

Next I decided to put myself in the shoes of someone with a child. What would I use MyMemories for? The obvious answer was "Scrapbooking about my child's life!", but that just seemed too obvious so I decided to create and invitation to a child's birthday party, just to give you an idea of the many things you can do with MyMemories. I also decided to play around with a few more of the features offered with the software. Here are the results:

This time I played around with different "Embellishments", colors, and fonts (these fonts already existed on my computer, they did not come with the software). All of these embellishments came original with the program, they were not purchased separate. So "straight out of the box" you can create the above invitation or something similar. Again, this creation only took me about 5 minutes and was extremely easy! The only problem I encountered while creating this invitation was an issue with layers. By that I mean that I added that beautiful boarder last, but after adding the boarder it wouldn't let me select the font in the middle (it would just select the boarder again. So I remove the boarder, finalized the font and other details, then re-added the boarder. I'm positive there's a way to put a layer "to the back" which would move the font and other embellishment layers to the front. I believe if I were to have read the guides and watched some tutorials I could have figured out how to do it. It just wasn't "dummy-proof". However, if that's the only issue I ran into while creating these two masterpieces? Yeah, I'm not going to complain!

Who This Gift Is Great For: MyMemories would be great for the crafter in your life! The aunt who likes to scrapbook, the cousin who's always sending out cute invitations to parties, or the sister who writes a blog (*nudge* *nudge*, Greg!). I plan to use this software for years to come to create fun creations for the blog here.

BUY IT!

MyMemories Suite is available on their website for just $39.97. And, awesome news... they just updated this software to version 3 on MONDAY!!! This upgrade implements a lot of features and fixes that come directly from customer feedback and ideas to make this software even better. I have downloaded this upgrade but haven't been able to play around with it, but I imagine it'll be fantastic!

They also have two specialty packages - MyMemories Wedding Studio and MyMemories Photobook Studio - for only $29.97. You can also purchase Kits of various themes and prices to go with the theme of your digital scrapbook. There are several free Kit options that you can download to add flair to your MyMemories creations. I did download a couple of them to test out the ease of downloading it is extremely Dummy-Proof!

SPECIAL OFFER: Use coupon code "STMMMS33787" to get $10 off the purchase of MyMemories Suite V3! That brings the price down to only $29.97. Which is a steal for such an amazing Christmas gift.

WIN IT!

One very lucky Eco-Friendly and Frugal reader will get a free copy of the MyMemories Suite V3 software to keep or give as a gift! If you don't see the entry widget click "Read More" to get to it and learn how you can enter to WIN!

Amazing Giveaway From Prizey and Score Big

2011-11-22T11:39:00.000-08:00

Score big with Prizey this Christmas season with an amazing (and very easy to enter) giveaway of a $100 Amazon Gift Card and $100 Score Big Credit!

If you are not already familiar with Prizey yet, you should be! It's a giveaway listing site that I have been using since starting my blog to list my giveaways as well as find giveaways I'd like to enter on other blogs. It's a site that I know, love, and trust, so when they contacted me about a giveaway they were working on, I jumped at the chance to work with them.

Now, onto the giveaway! The prizes are great- A $100 Amazon Gift Card and a $100 Score Big Credit! And all you have to do is sign up for ScoreBig.com before December 6th and you will be automatically entered into the giveaway. That's it! It takes two seconds if you sign up using Facebook or four if you don't.

So what are you waiting for? Sign up today! The winner will be announced on December 8th... just in time to do some fabulous Christmas shopping with that $100 Amazon Gift Card!

Please note: I am getting compensated for each person who enters this giveaway from Prizey. So by entering you not only have your chance to win the $100 Amazon Gift Card and $100 Score Big Credit, but you will also be helping out Eco-Friendly and Frugal!

Gift Guide 2011 : It's A Scentsy Party!

2011-11-22T08:00:00.001-08:00

Several years ago I was staying in a friends apartment and was in love with this lovely scent that filled her home. It was there when we showed up, and there when we left, but I didn't see a candle burning anywhere in the house that would give off that lovely scent! Then I discovered the source- in her kitchen she had what I originally thought was a nightlight/lamp thing and I realize that above the light was a dish that held wax. And it was that wax that smelled so wonderful! I asked her about this interesting lamp/candle thing and that was the day I learned and fell in love with Scentsy.

Scentsy are wickless candles. They give off a wonderful scent by welting squares of wax in a dish over a regular light bulb. Scentsy candles are a safe and beautiful way to fill your home with a wonderful scent and not have to worry about a flame!

But Scentsy is more than just wickless candles! In the three years since I've discovered Scentsy I have had the honor to own and try almost every product in their growing catalog. Each time they come out with a new product I always order one from my fabulous Scentsy dealer, Shelli, to try it out. So far, I have never ever been disappointed by Scentsy! I have a Scent Circle hanging in my car, Scent Paks in my gym bag and camera bags, Travel Tins in the rat room, Fragrance Foam in my entry way, and a Room Spray in each bathroom! Mix that with a warmer (I have full-size, mid-size, and plug-in warmers) and my dozens of Scentsy Bars so I can mix up my home's smells based on the season and my mood you'd think I sold Scentsy myself! But I don't! I rely on Shelli to hook me up and get me my Scentsy fix when I need one!

IT'S A SCENTSY PARTY!

In honor of the holidays Eco-Friendly and Frugal is throwing a Scentsy Party!! Head on over to Shelli's Scentsy Website today and shop around. Everyone who makes a purchase as part of this party between now and December 6th will be entered in to a giveaway to win a Scent Circle and Scent Pak from my own personal collection!

Scentsy products would make a great gift for soooooo many people on your Christmas list. Trust me! I give Scentsy products to everyone. :) Here are just some ideas...

For Your Gym Rat: Hemminway Scent Pak - a masculine way to make that stinky gym bag a little more pleasant!

For Your Germ-a-Phobe: Cucumber-Lime Fragrance Foam - a clean smelling hand sanitizer!

A Teach: Ribbert the Frog Scentsy Buddy - he's sure to be a classroom favorite!

For The Christmas-a-Holic: Silent Night Warmer and Silver Bells Scentsy Bar - a great addition to the Christmas decorations!

The Guy Who Loves His Car: Hendrix Scent Circle - to give his car and pleasant but masculine scent!

As you can see, the possibilities are endless! Scentsy could easily be your one-stop-shop for holiday shopping this year.

WIN IT!

There are two ways to win with this Scentsy giveaway!

Way To Win #1: Make a purchase through my Scentsy Party (by clicking that link) between now and December 6th and you will be entered to win a Scent Pak and Scent Circle from my own personal collection! (Retail Value: $10) To enter this giveaway, just make a purchase! You don't have to do anything else and the winner will be selected from the list of purchases when the party ends.

Way To Win #2: Enter using the widget below for a chance to win a Blizzard Full-Size Scentsy Warmer!

You can enter to win BOTH! In fact, if you make a purchase through the party you will get 10 entries into the Warmer giveaway as well as the entry for the Scent Pak and Scent Circle! Win win!

If you don't see the entry widget below click "Read More" to enter.

Zach Perez Photography Web Marketing Guide Black Friday Sale

2011-11-21T23:25:00.001-08:00

Zach Perez (whom I will be telling you a lot about soon) is having some Black Friday sales on his amazing guides and products! But the best part is these sales are going on NOW through 11/28! The sales include...

30% Off the Web Design Guide .... $49 (usually $70)

50% Off the Intro Web Guide .... $14.95 (usually $29)

50% Off the Blogging Guide .... $14.95 (usually $29)

30% Off the Self Study Work Guide .... $62 (usually $89) - FRIDAY ONLY!

I cannot emphasize how amazing these guides are and what a wonderful writer Zach Perez is. If you are a professional photographer or if you want to become a professional photographer you can learn a lot from his expertise and experience and what a better time to do it then right now when everything is on sale?!

Gift Guide 2011 : EdenFantasys Sexy Christmas $25 Gift Card Review and Giveaway CLOSED

2011-11-20T08:06:00.000-08:00

I love the holidays! It's a great time to get family and friends together, but it's also a great time to show the one you love how special they are! EdenFantasys has many ways for you to do this in a sexy way!

Play "Sexy Santa" with this beautiful Santa Robe Set ($26.99). He'll be amused (and hopefully a little turned on!) when you strut your stuff in this Hooded holiday robe with fur trim and belt and matching chemise! Not quite what you are looking for? Check out EdenFantasys for a wide selection of sexy, holiday themed outfits and find the one that the one you love will swoon over!

Costumes not your thing? Why not do a "Secret Santa" exchange, but instead of cheap trinkets you can exchange sex toys! Empty the house for the night, light a fire in the fireplace, and make your loved on blush with some Holiday-Themed Toys like the Naughty Secret Santa Tingle Gele (only $9.99). This tingly treat tastes just like candy cane and gives you a pleasing tingle without burning!

Still not quite your thing? How about this adorable Holiday Ball Santa Duckie ($22.49 on sale). Yeah, he may look cute, but has quite a bit of vroom!! This discrete massager is waterproof so he can be used in the bathroom or hot tub for a sexy Christmas night!

HOLIDAY GIFT TIME!

It's time to WIN with Eco-Friendly and Frugal and EdenFantasys this Holiday season! Enter today to win a $25 gift card to buy a sexy little gift for your loved one! Click "Read More" to enter if you don't see the widget.

Green Holiday Gift Guide 2011!

2011-11-19T12:59:00.000-08:00

It's that time of the year again... Holiday Gift Giving Time!!! I love this time of the year and I'm so pleased to be able to bring you, my readers, some GREAT reviews and giveaways to help you with all of your gift buying needs this year. Starting next week and running through December 18th you will see many great companies featured on my blog including...

And More!

So be sure to come on by and check out the site daily for your chance to win some fantastic gifts for your loved ones this holiday season!!!

The Day They Sold the Moon

2011-11-18T15:55:00.000-08:00

Last year I reviewed the book "The Art of Autism" and mentioned it was a book very close to my heart as the subject of the book, a young autistic boy named Jack, was the little boy I was a nanny for many years ago. It brings me great pleasure to follow-up that review by telling you of a book written by that very same little boy!

"The Day They Sold the Moon" is a book directly out of Jack's own imagination. While working with Jack I realized that autism takes a creative child's brain and locks all of their thoughts away in a little box. Occasionally, little tidbits would come out and everyone around them gets to see the wonders that are held within. This book is one of Jack's wonders. He began telling his mom, Tracy Goodwin, this story one day. As she listened to the story Tracy realized there was more to this tale than just a child's story-telling. The story held a real message!

It's the story of a little boy (named Jack) who has heard that the moon was made of cheese which begins his obsession with someday going to the moon to see for himself. With the help of an alien being called Musher Jack does indeed make it to the moon and also discovers that it actually is made of cheese. In fact, he sets up a cheese business using the moon cheese with the help of Musher the alien. However as his cheese empire grows the moon gets smaller as it is literally consumed.

Illustrated to perfection by Jefferey Duckworth, Jack Paschall’s wonderful story tells the tale of how the boy discovers that natural resources should not be wasted and certainly not for money nor what money can buy. The story is clever and although written by a young boy it asks the very adult question of what are we doing with the earth’s resources.

As the holidays grow closer I keep thinking of gifts to buy my nephew. He loves books so "The Day They Sold the Moon" immediately jumped into my mind. Yes! It would make a fantastic holiday gift. My nephew may never meet Jack, but they both share a common thread- they have made a huge impact on my life and I love them more than anything. So it seems only fitting to share Jack's story with my nephew this Christmas.

Check out the Facebook Page for "The Day They Sold the Moon" and be sure to become a follower!

"The Day They Sold the Moon" is available on Amazon.com for $13.95. Click the Amazon widget below to explore the first few pages of the book!

Simple Green Pet Products Review and Giveaway CLOSED!

2011-11-18T08:20:00.000-08:00

Dog Formula

I have a well trained dog. I swear! He's cute, he's fluffy, and he knows he's not supposed to go potty in the house. But sometimes, accidents happen. When we lived in our apartment there were times when I was sick and would sleep in and he just had to go potty. He's not one to wake me up so he'd crawl under our kitchen table to go potty. He also gets very nervous in new places and has a tendency to go potty as a reaction to being nervous or scared (like when my Mom's friend Fran came over to visit for the first time... the woman has a loud voice). So when moments like these happen, it's great to have great products like Simple Green Pet Stain and Odor Remover (dog and cat formulas!) and Oxy Dog Stain and Odor Oxidizer on hand to clean up the mess!

Take the time Boo- my lovely, fuzzy, well trained dog- first met my future mother-in-law. It was a new place, a new person, and with her four dogs around, Boo was one nervous puppy. Nervous... on her $2,000 rug! It wasn't a great introduction to say the least. I went straight to Simple Green Oxy Dog Stain and Odor Oxidizer to clean up the mess and save Boo's relationship with my future-mother-in-law (don't worry, she loves him... or at least she says she does!). First we dabbed up the remaining wetness, sprayed on liberally, covered with a towel, and let Simple Green go to work. It did take two tries (he peed A LOT), but in the end the stains were gone and the $2,000 rug was saved!

Cat Formula

This also came as a huge help when I moved out of my Phoenix apartment. Boo didn't have too many potty accidents there (only two, when I was sick and didn't wake up like I mentioned before) but since I have a dog with food problems we had a few throw-up issues while we found food his tummy liked. I swear puke stains are the worst. We've clean them up when they happened but since we were just using water and maybe a little carpet cleaner they'd always resurface. So I decided ot let Simple Green Pet Stain and Odor Remover gowork, and cleaned those stains right up! My carpet looked great, my apartment smelled lovely, and I got my entire security deposit back!

I did find that the Simple Green Pet Products worked great on vomit and poo stains and struggled slightly with pee stains. Usually we had to apply it twice. Still, a lot better then other solutions and definitely a life saver! I tried two brands of carpet cleaners and one other brand of pet stain cleaner in the past and neither worked as well as Simple Green.

Another thing I love about Simple Green Pet Products is that they also work on hard surfaces! We now have THREE dogs (four if you count Thing One... I'll show a pic eventually) living here in our Chico home now and while they are all trained, accidents do still happen. Our hardwood floor is clean and sanitized thanks to Simple Green!

What I Love: I love Simple Green. I love the company, I love their products... I love everything about them! Their Pet Products are great and a must-have for all pet owners!! Their products are affordable and available online and in brick and mortar stores like Costco, Home Depot, CVS, and KMart (among many others!).

What I Don't Love: I accidentally left one of the bottles back in Phoenix. Aaaah!!!

My Boo. He's well-trained... I swear!

BUY IT!

As mentioned, Simple Green Pet Products are available online for just $9.99 as well as various brick and mortar stores! Check out the Simple Green website to order or find a list of retailers who carry Simple Green products (note, not all will carry the Pet Products, be sure you call ahead so you don't waste gas!).

WIN IT!

Simple Green is going to reward one Eco-Friendly and Frugal reader with some Simple Green Pet Products of their very own! These are really must-haves for all animal lovers! Click "Read More" to enter if you don't see the widget.

Fine print...
I will be provided with a free product for the purpose of this review. I was under no obligation to write a positive review or sponsor a product giveaway in return for the free product. All opinions expressed are my own. I was not paid to write this review.

EcoChi : Designing The Human Experience Review

2011-11-17T07:06:00.000-08:00

"EcoChi : Designing the Human Experience" is written by Debra Duneier and is one of those books that made me look up from the pages, look around, and sigh "Yup... she's right!"

Duneier, an accredited LEED green associate and certified eco-designer, began her EcoChi endeavor after a series of circumstances that I found oddly relateable- her divorce and a frozen shoulder. Hrm... sounds familiar! It was while visiting a Chinese acupuncturist that she realized she was "stuck", not just her shoulder but her life in general. She moved from a large suburban home into a small apartment and EcoChi was born as she realized that the environment we live in can affect our mood and successes.

EcoChi is a concept that combines Feng Shui and the five elements, green living, and environmental psychology that anyone can implement into a more harmonious home. Duneier understands that it's not always how our home looks, but how it makes us feel. These concepts range from ancient Chinese Feng Shui practices to modern green living.

I appreciate that Duneier touches on the concept of "greenwashing" in her book and recognizes that "green" is not always "eco-friendly" which gave her an immense amount of credit in my opinion! Furthermore, her examples are based on those of her actual clients, experiences she has seen first hand through them.

All in all this book was an easy read, although I found myself stopping frequently and looking around my own home and thinking of ways I could implement what I was reading. It's a book that makes you think, and makes you act to improve your living situation and, in turn, your outlook.

Meet the Author: Debra Duneier is a Feng Shui Master Practitioner, an accredited LEED® Green Associate, and Certified Eco-Designer. Founder and President of EcoChi and Living Home by Debra LLC., she is the creator of the EcoChi® system of interior design and an expert resource on feng shui, green living and health and wellness for a variety of media outlets.

You can find EcoChi in many book stores, on Debra's website EcoChi.com, as well as Amazon.com (in hard cover and Kindle version!).

The Green and Frugal Wedding Guide : The Big Plan

2011-11-16T16:31:00.000-08:00

*emerges from cave* Ugh! What a month! Mix some life insanity with a little mental insanity and I had to take a breather! But I'm baaaaack! And I figured it's time to reveal "The Big Plan".

So... here it is... The Big Plan:

Date: February 29th, 2012 or March 1st, 2012 (I'll explain the two date thing in a second)

Where: Ocho Rios, Jamaica or Labadee, Haiti (keep reading)

How: Onboard a cruise ship!!!

So, how it all came about...

Confession #1: I have had my heart set on a February 29th, 2012 wedding date since FI (Fiance) and I got serious. It just seems like such a cool date! Admittedly, I've been stuck on this date for over a year now (yes, we did just get engaged... a girl can dream, right?).

Confession #2: We bounced around close to 20 different ideas before settling on the a cruise wedding. Initially I wanted an eco-friendly destination wedding (a bit of an oxymoron, I know) and had my heart set on getting married at an ecological preserve in Mexico. But that wasn't going to work out budget wise. FI threw in Costa Rica but, again, that would break our $3,000 budget. We had the idea of having a backyard wedding, but the amount of work needed to be done on our back yard would far exceed the budget and leave no room for anything else! We thought of a wedding in Minnesota at the summer camp I went to as a child and worked at this past summer, but Minnesota in February just didn't seem appealing and my family (who are all in Minnesota) seemed disappointed they wouldn't get to go somewhere warm for the wedding! So finally, we went back to where it all started. In March 2010 FI and I met on a cruise ship. It seemed fitting and was a wedding both he and I were interested in having and my family LOOOOOOVED the idea of!

Confession #3: I didn't realize until AFTER I picked the cruise that we would need to get married in Jamaica in order to have a February 29th, 2012 wedding. I love Jamaica. A lot. But I was also married there. It seemed weird to put that on my wedding invitations again and I was worried people would think it was odd, too. So we picked Haiti as our destination instead, the port we will be arriving at on March 1st. But since planning this we've encountered some issues with this plan and may be moving the wedding to Jamaica after all!

No, it's not the most eco-friendly wedding. Not at all! Cruises are far from being eco-tourism. This was a compromise we came to after many, many hours of discussion and looking over our other options and this being the only one we were happy with and though maybe our friends and family would be, too. But it will be frugal, our budget is still only $3,000 and that will include the cost of the cruise, and I will share with you the many ways I have cut corners and gone low-budget without giving up style! And I figure if everything else is Eco-Friendly then the Eco-Gods will forgive my one discression!

More coming soon... as we plan it!!!

Untitled Jersey City Project Review

2011-11-07T07:02:00.001-08:00

This post brought to you by Untitled Jersey City Project. All opinions are 100% mine.

The Untitled Jersey City Project is a new form of television. With it's out-of-sequence, characters who aren't fully introduced, and unresolved plot lines. There is of course some background and some explanation to characters, but nowhere near what mainstream television shows have done in the past. The background of the series is given on the FX website: The story is set amidst the fast-developing Jersey City waterfront, just across the river from Manhattan. A shining new city is being built on the edge of this gritty town. But while the glass office towers and condos are sleek and new, the rules of the game haven't changed one bit.

Here is the clip for Episode 2 of Untitled Jersey City Project.

This two minute clip introduced us to four characters (who are also briefly described on the website, allowing the viewer a bit more background on the characters). The clip starts with attractive blond reporter Jane Kaplan making out with Frank George in the front seat of a car in a gritty neighborhood, assumedly somewhere in Jersey City. Just as Jane notes that their behavior is unprofessional their car window is bashed in.

The scene then skips to 36 hours earlier as Jane Kaplan, who according to the FX websites dreams of becoming editor for the New York Times, meets Frank George, who we learn is the architect for the Jersey City waterfront project, and Frank's partner Ray Rahne, for lunch to discuss an less than favorable review about the project's developer Larry Tyerman.

The scene then introduces us to Larry Tyerman as he enters the scene right as Jane Kaplan is defending her article, stating that Tyerman is a well-known crook with notorious bad taste. In an almost too predictable twist, Tyerman is right behind Jane as she describes these flaws of his character. Tyerman plays it off, saying that Jane is a truth teller and he likes that in a girl. He comes off briefly as being charming and likeable until the clip jumps to it's final scene- Tyerman punching a man in what appears to be the back seat of a limo and asking "What do you do? I'm asking you. What do you do?"

The rest of the story is left blank, allowing you (and your imagine) to fill in the gaps.

This new style may not appeal to everyone, but if you find yourself bored watching the same tired story lines over and over then the "Untitled Jersey City Project" will be a breath of fresh air! It makes the viewer think and use their imagination. Two things that very few shows have done in the past.

I'm curious to know what you think of this new style. Is having more viewer interaction, even if it's just you using your imagination, something that interests you and something you look forward to watching?

EdenFantasys Review - Spice Up Your Honeymoon!

2011-10-30T15:26:00.000-07:00

EdenFantasys, with it's wide variety of sex toys and other adults toys and products, is a great place to go to find products to "sexy up" your honeymoon! We are just 4 months out from our wedding so I've been thinking about this a lot and would like to share a few fun things I found with you that can be used specifically for your honeymoon!

The Honeymoon Carry-on Bag is sure to please! Light the spark of romance and keep it going through your honeymoon with a taper candle, fore-playing cards, massage oil, edible body paint, blind fold, hand cuffs, and more! The bag comes complete with toy cleaner and even a luggage lock to keep your kit discreet.

I haven't done the math on what it would cost to assemble this kit yourself, but for just $49.99 I imagine it's an excellent, sexy deal!

Have you given any though to what you will WEAR on your honeymoon? The Nuptial Chiffon Babydoll Set is a fun and playful way to tie your white dress into your wedding night and honeymoon!

This angelic halter style babydoll is soft and sheer with a sexy open front. Pink shimmering flowers with a beaded center accent the neckline, as well as the back of the matching g-string. It's sexy, but subtle and sure to please at just$24.99 on the EdenFantasys website. Throw in some sexy heels (maybe a chance to wear your wedding shoes again?) and your beautiful new wedding band and you'll have yourself a sexy outfit that says "I'm Yours"!

But what about HIM? You shouldn't be the only one dressing up on your honeymoon. Why not get your man the Willy Wedding Garter and have a little fun yourself? It's probably not recommended that you do a Willy Garter toss at the reception, but you can have a little fun with it on your wedding night! Tons of fun for just $4.99!

So there are just a few of the fun and creative ways to spice up your honeymoon with EdenFantasys!

The Green and Frugal Wedding Guide : The Dress Part 2

2011-10-25T07:59:00.000-07:00

I saved this great post for this week because of a wonderful event I got to experience over the past weekend that I think will greatly interest you! This post will cover my three highest preferred and recommended methods of obtaining a beautiful wedding dress at an affordable price (and in an eco-friendly manner). One of these is also how I became a two dress bride over the weekend. *blush* I didn't mean to be but it's happened. I'll explain later.

3) Bridesmaids Dresses... Not Just For Bridesmaids!

I shot a beautiful wedding on the shore of Lake Superior in Grand Marais, MN over the summer. The bride was stunning and I loved her dress. It had pockets. POCKETS! Love. We got to talking about the dress during the portrait session and she laughed and confessed "It's a bridesmaid's dress!". I never would have guessed! It was beautiful, was white with a blue sash, and looked very bridal dressy to me.

I then started noticing this more and more. With bridesmaids dresses get nicer and nicer they start to closely compare to bridal gowns. I've even spent time on wedding boards where brides have flaunted their beautiful "bridesmaids wedding dress". And since the word "bridal" was removed from the title, they are a fraction of the price. I looked at many bridesmaids dresses and no matter how fancy they got I was hard pressed to find one priced over $300.

A few dresses I love that are bridesmaids dresses, but if ordered in white/ivory could make a beautiful bridal gown are...

This White by Vera Wang bridesmaids dress looks very similar to a White by Vera Wang bridal gown that I tried on during my dress hunt and loved. It's a bit more form fitting but still very gorgeous. The downside to this dress is that it's NOT available in white or ivory through David's Bridal. However, the Champagne and Blush colors offer viable alternatives, especially if you are going for more of an off-beat look!

At only $168 (and frequently going on sale) from David's Bridal, this beautiful dress is a steal and would definitely be a head turner on your wedding day!

If you are looking for a dress that really says "Wow" on a budget then check out this WToo Bridesmaids dress. Unlike the Vera Wang White dress above, this one is available in off-white and dark ivory (on the website, they look pretty "white" and "ivory" to me, but you may want to find them in a local bridal boutique and look at the swatches!), as well as "frosting" which looks like a light blush color.

This beautiful floor length dress is not only stunning, it's also only $148 at House of Brides!

This Eden Maids dress caught my eye when I was dress shopping. It's gorgeous, flowy, and fun! Available in White and Baby Pink (similar to blush) and just looks like it would be a fun and comfortable dress!

I found a great deal for this dress online at Ella Park Bridal (a shop located in Newburgh, IN) for only $180! The dress (and price) are hard to beat!

4) Charity Dress Drives

This is my #1 recommended way to obtain a wonderful bridal gown at an affordable price... while also helping out a great cause! There are numerous charities that will do a dress drive where they resell donated gowns. The most popular one that I'm aware of is Brides Against Breast Cancer. Brides Against Breast Cancer is an organization that takes donated dresses and resells them for a nominal fee and the proceeds go to the organization. Usually how they work is they will set up in a building (a hotel or similar place) for a couple of days and you can make an appointment to come in and try on dresses, just like in a bridal shop. The dresses are name brand (Maggie Sottero, Jasmine, Eden Bridals, Mori Lee) and even high end designers. Prices usually range from under $100 up to a few hundred. Usually no more than that. Read to the end of this post to hear my recent experience with a Brides Against Breast Cancer event.

Another charity that I was turned onto just today, actually, is Church Street Bridal. Run by the YWCA of Central Virginia, Church Street Bridal has racks and racks of donated dresses for sale. The sales go to support the various programs offered by the YWCA of Central Virginia which include Domestic Violence Prevention Center, Permanent and Transitional Housing, and Racial Justice Program.

Their website is fun to explore as it featured dresses as they get them in. The prices seem to range from about $200-700 depending on the dress designer and original price. The pictured Herve Leger Bridal dress is the most recently posted dress on the blog and is for sale for $400. It's original price was $3600!

Also consider donating your dress post-wedding. I will be doing a post later on about things you can do with your dress after your wedding, but I figured this was a good place to mention donation. Donating your dress can go to a great cause and really help people out, plus give another budget bride the dress of her dreams!

MY BRIDES AGAINST BREAST CANCER STORY

When C and I set our date I realized that our engagement was only going to be five months long. This didn't leave much time to order a dress to be made and altered. So I knew I'd have to buy off the rack. My mind jumped to the Brides for Breast Cancer organization immediately and I jumped to the website. There I learned that on October 22nd they were coming to Chico to do a dress dash! I had always wanted to participate in a dress dash (yes, I've seen "Say Yes to the Dress"!) and since it was for Brides Against Breast Cancer I though that was even better. I also noticed on the website that they were asking for volunteers. I decided to volunteer for Friday afternoon to help set up. I figured I could scout out the dresses and maybe even hide the ones I wanted to try on so I could have a little advantage during the dash! Hehehe!

In the meantime, I found my dress at a local boutique. But the day before the Friday I'd signed up to volunteer for I got a reminder email that mentioned that they were still short handed for Friday. I decided to still volunteer even though I already had a dress as a way to give back to my community a bit and still be involved in this fun event. So on Friday, I went in.

You can probably guess what happened next. I found a dress very similar to a dress that I've been eyeing for a long time but could never afford. Erin, the woman coordinating the dash, asked me at one point if I'd found a dress I was interested in. I point at two (the one I had been eyeing and another that caught my eye) and she invited me to try them on then and there! Part of me was screaming "DON'T DO IT!" but I couldn't resist. The other dress didn't quite fit but that first one... like a glove! Perfect. Of course. Erin said I could set it aside and she'd hold it for me as long as I showed up the next day. All dresses, no matter the designer or dress condition, was selling for just $150. It was a GREAT deal.

I called my Mom because I was torn. I already had my dress and I was happy with it. However, I'd always had this impression that my Mom was not happy with it. During our conversation she pointed out that by buying this dress the money was going to a good cause AND I was still well within my dress budget if I were to buy this one. And this way I could have two dresses in case something happened to one on the way to Haiti (oh... shoot... I haven't mentioned that we're getting married in Haiti yet, have I??? Hehe!).

So at 5:30AM I arrived at the gates of the dress dash. A truck full of girls had been parked there overnight in order to be first in line. They were great! I spent about 45 minutes chatting with them. Of the five I believe three were engaged and there to buy dresses and the other two were there for support. For both of my engagements I've been planning alone since none of my local friends are/were engaged. I kind of wish I had a group of friends like that, where we could help each other plan and have someone to sit in the back of a truck for 12 hours with.

Anyway, at about 6:30 I approached one of the volunteers and mentioned who I was and they let me into the dash half an hour before it opened. Erin found me and said I could go ahead and buy the dress as soon as they were up and running, so I went inside to try it on again one more time, just to be sure. It still fit. I decided to wait until the dash started so I could see that first rush of girls and feel the excitement involved. At 7AM the doors opened and they let in the first 50 people. The ladies from the truck were the first in. I'd scouted a few dresses I thought they'd like and pointed them to them and they ran around grabbing more. The rest of the 50 dashes in and it was on! Dresses were being grabbed off the rack and it was very exciting! I really hope that every bride found her dream dress that day!

I paid for my dress and left, happy that I had my dream dress and happy that I was able to contribute not just a few short hours of my time but also a little money to a great cause. I think that even if you are not going to buy a dress that volunteering to help set up or organize an event is a great experience. I wish I could have stayed longer and seen if the girls from the truck had actually found their dresses, but I had a busy day and had to go.

So now I am a two dress bride. I know I will wear the Brides Against Breast Cancer dress for my ceremony, without a doubt! The other, since it's more casual, I may wear for the rehearsal or maybe wear it for dancing after dinner. Because I hope to preserve the great condition that the dream dress is in so that I can donate it back and pass on the love to the next bride.

And I have searched high and low and have yet to find a picture of my dress! So I figured when the fiance is out of the house next I'll take some nice shots of it for everyone. Until then, that's my story!

Suzy's Craft Shoppe Giveaway Remains LOW ENTRY!

2011-10-22T11:26:00.000-07:00

Hey readers! Don't forget to swing by my new blog The Overexposed Photography Blog and check out the Suzy's Craft Shoppe Giveaway. This is a great giveaway for a newborn beanie. She has fantastic stuff, and right now the giveaway is VERY LOW ENTRY!!! So swing on over today and enter!

The Green and Frugal Wedding Guide : The Dress Part 1

2011-10-17T07:30:00.000-07:00

The wedding dress is one of the most important decision most brides will make during their wedding planning. It can also be one of the most difficult decisions to make, especially if you are a Green and Frugal bride. It was definitely a decision that I struggled with!

When I first started planning my wedding my Mom said she would be buying my wedding dress. I made an appointment at David's Bridal (they carry the Vera Wang White Collection, which I love!) right away. Technically, I was not given a budget and I honestly believe that if I wanted a $3,000 dress she would make that happen. But if you've been following my blog you will know that I find it hard to justify spending any large amounts of money on anything! But, I went into my dress shopping experience with an open mind and an open budget.

Ultimately, though, my frugal self just could not justify spending thousands or even hundreds of dollars on a dress I will wear once. I also couldn't justify buying for a large chain bridal shop, even though I will say that the Duluth, MN David's Bridal gave me excellent service! I decided to set my own budget of $300. Yes, it's more than I would spend on a dress normally, but this IS my wedding day and I do want to make it special. I also decided to support a local business and shop at a locally owned boutique instead.

A few weeks later I was back in California and went by myself to a locally owned bridal boutique here in Chico. I had a 2PM appointment but got downtown a little earlier than planned so I went window shopping. I stumbled upon this great little dress boutique called Betty's on Broadway. In their window display was a beautiful dress, so I went inside just to see what they had as far as wedding dresses. This was not a typical bridal store, it was a dress boutique that offered a small selection of 5-6 wedding dresses sold off the rack. The dress I eyed in the window was way over my budget at over $500, but it got my into the store where I immediately spotted another great dress. I walked up to it and eyed the price tag- $250! PERFECT! The sales woman was wonderful and helped me find my size then led me to the changing room. Next to the changing room was the rest of the wedding dresses they had and she pulled out another one that she thought I might like.

I tried on the first dress and loved it! It was made out of a crinkle fabric, which would be perfect because my fiance and I have decided to have a destination wedding (more on that soon!). Because it would probably be shoved in a suitcase at some point the crinkle fabric would mean not having to get it pressed before the ceremony and money saved! It was perfect... that was, until I tried on the second dress that she had pulled for me. It was love at first sight! I tried it on and immediately felt like it was "the one". I know many people say they have this feeling when they find their wedding dress and it's true! It perfectly covered the part of my shoulder I wanted to hide (the other dress was a strapless so I'd have to cover it some other way), and it was so flowy and fun. I asked what the price was and was SHOCKED when she read it to me. $160. I had found "The One" for under $200!

I had to be sure, though. I took the dress off and said I loved it, but I had an appointment at a bridal store that I wanted to keep. The saleswoman was wonderful. She understood and offered to set both dresses aside for me until closing so I had time to think about it. I went off to my appointment knowing I had found the dress to compare all others with. Ultimately, I was back at Betty's on Broadway to buy the $160 dress after my appointment. I knew I loved the dress and I probably wouldn't be able to find one I liked as much anywhere else and for that price. The best part was, it was off the rack and fit me perfectly! No waiting 6-8 weeks for my dress to come in and no paying for 3-4 alterations to make it perfect. I walked out of Betty's on Broadway with my dress in hand, ready to go! Now, to stay the same size for the next 5 months!

Oh yeah... 5 months! Did I mention we set a date? March 1st, 2012. But more on that later. This is a dress buying guide!

I managed to find my dress in the perfect place- a small locally owned boutique. By purchasing my dress there I did my little part to stimulate my local economy. I also found the dress well within my $300 budget and will use the $140 I saved to buy a birdcage veil (still on the hunt for that!) and accessories to round out my completely wedding look!

Are you a Green bride on a budget? I have a few tips and tricks to offer you to help you find the perfect dress on your wedding day, too!

1) Remove the words "Wedding" and "Bridal"

You will be amazed what happens when you are no longer searching for a "wedding dress" but instead a "formal white dress". While I did enjoy all three of my bridal store shopping experiences, I never did find anything I liked within my budget. If your budget is closer to the $1,000 range (or even as low as $500!), you may find luck in bridal shops. Otherwise, check out local dress boutiques and look for while formal dresses. My dress is listed on the Nordstroms and Macy's website as a formal dress, not a bridal dress.

A few dresses I like that are formal white gowns are:

This gorgeous FBS White Satin One Shoulder Gown is beautiful and affordable at only $85 at Sears.com. You really cannot beat the price and no on would ever guess that it's not a "bridal gown". Available in all sized between XS and XXXL. Plus size ladies- you will not pay more for being plus sized! Even the XXXL dress is still just $85. The dress is available in Ivory and White. Had the strap covered the right shoulder instead of the left this dress would have been a strong contender in my search! (Click to enlarge image).

This Dalia MacPhee Strapless Taffeta Mermaid Gown is nearly identical to a dress I tried on during my dress hunt, but at just $298 on Nordstroms.com, it's a fraction of the price! It is available in sizes 0-12 and you won't pay extra for ordering a larger size. This would make an amazing beach dress!

This GoJane Tie-Waste Pick-Up Ball Gown is advertised as a prom or bridesmaids dress, but since it's available in white and ivory I would say it would make a great wedding dress as well. And affordable at only $89.99 on Amazon.com. As a bonus it's also US made! The downside is that it appears to only be available in X-Small and Medium at the time of this posting.

2) Check out Etsy!

You all know my extreme love for Etsy, and wedding dress shopping is no different. In fact, before walking in to Betty's on Broadway I was *thisclose* to purchasing a dress on Etsy (no longer available and I can't seem to find the shop again or else I'd share it with you). The options on Etsy are numerous and you should be bale to find something that fits your budget and style. A few warnings- pay attention to where you are ordering from! Some knock-off China companies list on Etsy. While I don't think they are that horrible, if you prefer to keep your business within the US and/or Canada be sure to limit your searches to those. The downside to Etsy, of course, is that unless the dress maker is local to you and allows this, you won't be able to try on your gown ahead of time. And since they are usually custom order, they aren't returnable, either.

A few Etsy dresses that I love are:

I love this Couture Ruffled Whimsical dress by CGHeaven on Etsy. At only $195 you really can't go wrong with the price! This talented dress maker lives in the Los Angeles, CA area and offers a wide variety of gorgeous dresses for all occasions.

Want a truly unique, eco-friendly wedding dress? Check out this shabby chic boho wedding dress, made out of recycled white t-shirts! Only $250, this gown is made by Houston, TX based esewell. It is a one-of-a-kind creation and fits size 6-8 (description says it can be altered). Definitely an eye catching dress and very eco-friendly!

Love convertible dresses? If so, check out the Freestyle Wedding Dress by Cynrgyarts, based in Charlottesville, NC! At only $175 the price is great and with convertible dresses you can choose whatever style you'd like on your wedding day. Maybe play around with a few styles and have a different on for the wedding, portraits, and ceremony. It's like having 3 (or 7) dresses in one!

This concludes Part 1 of my dress guide, but stay tuned! I am coming up with other ideas for Part 2 and hope to have that up soon! In the meantime, if you know of an eco-friendly and frugal dress maker or website for wedding/formal dresses I would love to hear about them! Please share your experiences in the comment section.

UPrinting Flyer Giveaway

2011-10-16T12:08:00.000-07:00

If you run your own business, like me, or if you work in the marketing department for your company, you know how hard it is to find quality printing companies for services such as flyer printing. Well look no more because UPrinting has you covered!

Uprinting offers a variety of quality flyers including club flyers, business flyers, and (my personal favorite) die-cut flyers. The club card flyers aren't just for clubs! These layflat card flyers are printed on thick and durable 14pt glossy, matte, high gloss, or uncoated cardstock. Choose from 5 standard sized (2x3.5, 4.25x5.5, 4x6, 3.5x8.5, and 4x9) or in custom sizes to fit all of your advertising needs! Normal turnaround time is just 3 days, although you can rush the turnaround to two days or even one day!

UPrinting is a great company that offers some great print goods for any business. I am doing my first bridal show in just 8 days (AH!) and will be proudly showing off my UPrint business cards and club flyers!

BUY IT

Need some flyers for your business? The Business and Club Card Flyers start at around $22. For 250 4x6 Club Card Flyers, front print only, you will spend roughly $42. Not a bad deal for such wonderful quality!

WIN IT!

UPrinting of offering one lucky ready a 250 pack of 4.25x5.5 or 4x6 glossy Club Flyers (front print only). This prize is valued at over $42!

Mandatory Entry: Head on over to UPrinting.com and let me know what product that they carry would help your business succeed! It can be any product, not just the flyers. You must also be a follower of my blog (widget is in the right sidebar).

Once you have done that come back here and leave ONE comment..

Don't forget to leave an e-mail address so I know where to contact you if you win! You only need to post your e-mail on one entry.

Extra Entries: Please write a new comment for each additional entry. If something is worth 2 entries, be sure to leave two comments. For example: "I follow you #1" and "I follow you #2" should be two different comments. All entries are worth 1 entry unless otherwise noted.

-Make a UPrinting purchase during the course of this giveaway! Be sure to save your confirmation email as I will ask to see that if one of these entries wins. (worth 10 entries)

-Follow UPrinting on Facebook

-Follow UPrinting on Twitter

-Network with me. There are four ways to do this- Twitter, Facebook, RSS, and email subscription. Buttons and links are on the left sidebar. (worth 1 entry per method, up to 4 entries total)

-Tweet about this giveaway. You can use this Tweet or write your own: Win 250 Club Flyers from @UPrinting with @EFandFrugal http://www.ecofriendlyandfrugal.com #giveaway (2 Tweets per DAY-at least 2 hours apart- 1 Entry per Tweet)

-Follow my Photography Facebook Fan Page (worth 2 entries)

-Follow the new Overexposed Photography Blog (worth 2 entries)

This giveaway is open to my readers who are 18 year of age or older with a US mailing address and will end on October 20th, 2011 at 10PM Central Time. The winner will be notified via e-mail and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be selected. Good luck, everyone!

Fine print...
I will be provided with a free product for the purpose of this review. I was under no obligation to write a positive review or sponsor a product giveaway in return for the free product. All opinions expressed are my own. I was not paid to write this review.

EdenFantasys Reviews - Awesome Halloween Costumes

2011-10-15T12:20:00.000-07:00

Halloween is just around the corner, and that means it's COSTUME TIME!

Last year my fiance (I love saying that!) and I went as Mario and Luigi. It was a huge hit, but I must say I missed feeling all sexy on Halloween. A red jump suit just doesn't scream "sexy"! Well, lucky for my, EdenFantasys has got my back again.

EdenFantasys is a sex shop with pages and pages of sexy costumes for women. They aren't all *too* sexy that you won't be able to wear them to your Halloween party, either! I also love it when couples in love theme up their costumers on Halloween. In you're the same, check out these sexy, but not too sexy, themed costume ideas:

Lager Lass: Only $39.99! This adorable costume can also double as your Octoberfest outfit next year. You know... in case you dress up for Octoberfest. Perfect for the beer lover in all of us! The beer mug is not included, so why not dress HIM up as the beer mug?

Racy Red Riding Hood: Only $35.99! Get your man a wolf costume and rock your Halloween party with this sexy red frock! Be sure to pick up a basket of goodies to go along with it as it's not included. This costume was my fiance's original idea last year, but we couldn't find a Red Riding Hood costume. I'm thinking, this year, we've found it!

Female Football Player: Only $27.99! Does your man already have a jersey for his favorite player? Go as football players for an affordable costume combo! This costume could double as your Super Bowl Costume. Because... who doesn't dress up in costume for the Super Bowl? I know I do.

Retro Stewardess: Only $31.19! OK, I will admit, I have a small obsession with all things air travel in the 60s and 70s. I think I would be a "flight attendant" if they still dressed like they used to. I know, it was a little sexist, but there was something so glamorous about it! Relive those days with this sexy costume. Dress your man up as a pilot. Let's face it, pilots are sexy. Throw in some inappropriate sexual harassment comments and it'll be like it's 1962 again!

EdenFantasys also has your classic "sexy" costumes. French maids, schools girls, etc. Several options for each, actually! And right now, they are all ON SALE! Swing on by and "sexy up" your Halloween this year. But the clock is ticking! Halloween will be here before you know it so stop on by TODAY and order your (affordable) dream costume.

http://www.edenfantasys.com/

Suzy's Craft Shoppe Photography Prop Review and Giveaway

2011-10-13T10:05:00.000-07:00

After years of shooting weddings and engagements I finally decided to dip my toes into maternity, newborn, and child photography last year. I have discovered that I love shooting these sessions. They are just so much fun and you never know what to expect going into them. Shooting children and, especially, babies is not easy! You never know what you're going to get when you start a session. Also getting these sessions can be a challenge if you are in a competitive market-place that is already saturated with child and baby photographers. One idea I was given to help stand-out from the crowd is to offer props for use during portrait sessions.

A lot of parents I surveyed said they would choose a photographer who offered props over one that required them to provide their own. They are already spending money on the session and prints so if they can save themselves some money by using props offered by a photographer it's a huge incentive to book one with these sorts of options. I then started my hunt for some great newborn and infant prop shops. My search brought me to Suzy's Craft Shoppe where I found a newborn and infant prop gold mine!!

From Flag Banners to Flower Headband to Newborn Animal Beanies to Newborn Cocoons... Jen, the mastermind behind Suzy's Craft Shoppe, does it all and more!

What first attracted me to Suzy's Craft Shoppe was the adorable Owl Beanies. A lot of people make these but I thought Jen's designs were unique, colorful, and beautiful. Also her prices are extremely affordable, especially for someone who's first starting out in newborn photography and doesn't have a ton of money to spend but still wants a good, quality product. I was especially impressed with the craftsmanship of Jen's beanies. I have gotten a few from various sites and have been disappointed by loose threads, uneven stitching, and just poor quality. Not with Suzy's Craft Shoppe! The quality is amazing and it's hard to believe that it's handmade! But it is! Jen does a truly fantastic job and my Owl Beanie will likely be on my prop shelf for years to come and still look the same it did when I pulled it out of the box!

I interviewed Jen to learn more about her Suzy's Craft Shoppe so you can get to know her and her products a little better.

Tell me a bit about what you sell in Suzy's Craft Shoppe:

Suzy's Craft Shoppe is a Crochet shop specializing in bright and colorful beanies that are custom made to your size and color. I've made anything from dishcloths and washcloths, blankets, beanies, scarves, newborn photo props, Men, Women, Adult beanies, sports team beanies and more. If you can create it with yarn, I can crochet it for you. I have purchased a few patterns, but I dont have specialized patterns I follow. I like to be original and design products that are nifty and cute.

How did you get started?:

I learned how to crochet when I was a teenager from my English Grandma one summer at the beach house in North Carolina. It never really caught on until Thanksgiving weekend 2010 my little sister brought some yarn down from Tahoe and showed me how to make a hat. I was "hooked" since. I started making all sorts of hats for my one year and old and with the help of some other friends on ETSY, I decided to open a shop, now there are over 100 different products online. I've shipped stuff to France, England, Australia, the farthest NorthEast in Canada you can go and all over the United States. It is quite awesome I might say!

Who taught you how to knit/crochet?:

My little sister Krissie was hookin over Thanksgiving Breeak because her friends in Tahoe showed her how.

Tell me a bit about yourself (kids, pets, favorite hobbies):

I am 28 years old, Married for 2 years now to the best Hubby around. We have 2 dogs. Maggie is a boxer and June is a Pug. We have an 18 month old daughter Abigail and we are also expecting our second child any day now (NOTE: since this interview Jen has given birth to a healthy baby boy!), around October 2nd. We spend a lot of time with our family. We like to go camping, dirt bike riding, boating, house projects, and family BBQs.

A lot of people call me Suzy because of my shop name, but Jen is my name. The name came about because my mother in law was super impressed at my craftiness, my baking, cooking, etc and decided to call me Suzy every time I do something that reminds her of Suzy Homemaker.

What is your favorite thing about what you do (running your Etsy shop)?:

I love that I have a creative outlet! I originally wanted to create a website of 365 days of fun craft ideas, recipes, etc. But then realized there was too much work involved and crocheting took over. The website, www.TheSuzyFiles.com has turned into my crochet website/blog. All products are still order able on ETSY. I have a day job in the flooring industry, as a Territory Manager for STAINMASTER(R) Carpet, and my crocheting allows me to bring out my crafty side when I am not working. I love that I can create products for people that they can have a unique customized item and LOVE getting pictures that photographers used my items in their photography sessions.

BUY IT!

Head on over to Suzy's Craft Shoppe on Etsy to see all of the fabulous products Jen has available!

WIN IT!

Head on over to the Overexposed Photography Blog to enter to win!

The Green and Frugal Wedding Guide : The Bling!

2011-10-04T07:44:00.000-07:00

To kick off the Green Wedding Guide I wanted to start by sharing my bling with you! Since most engagements begin with a ring, I figured this was a good place to start.

What I DIDN'T Want: A diamond. There are many reasons for this. Conflict diamonds and the diamond trade in general being one of them, and a big one at that. But also the frugal side of me just couldn't justify spending a lot of money on a stone that held little to no meaning for me. Diamonds are pretty, I'll give them that. But I already have a diamond... on the is very meaningful to me... my Grandmother's wedding ring (which I will wear once married and then wear the engagement ring on my right hand). For this reason I asked for no diamond, or, if he insisted on a diamond, a lab created colored diamond.

What I DID Want: If it has been possible, I would have been thrilled to have him propose with a ring worn by his great-great-grandmother that's been passed down for generations. I LOVE stuff like that. That wasn't possible this case so what I wanted was something different and meaningful to *me* as well as something eco-friendly and conflict-free. Aquamarine is my birth stone. Amethyst is my Zodiak stone. Blue and purple are two of my favorite colors. So when giving my fiance some ideas on rings I sort of tried steering him in that direction. I like antique settings so even getting a ring from a pawn shop or antique store would've been OK with me!

What I Got: A beautiful three stone aquamarine white gold ring with an antique setting. I really honestly could not be happier! Here's some pic porn to feast your eyes upon:

The Eco-Friendly Side Of Me: I'm happy. Unfortunately, we aren't able to trace *where* the aquamarine comes from and that's a little disappointing to me, otherwise I would be extremely happy! It's a practical ring, a beautiful ring, and a meaningful ring. And it's a ring I would love to pass on someday.

The Frugal Side Of Me: Very, very happy! We did buy this ring together. My fiance found it important to get my input and for me to be 100% happy with my ring. I'd actually spotted this ring weeks before, but hadn't given it much thought until we went ring shopping. It was in the clearance area (yup, it was on clearance and I am not ashamed to admit that!) and originally I circled the regular jewelry case trying on other rings and just wasn't finding "the one". Then I remembered seeing this one and went over to see if it was still there. To my amazement, it was! I tried it on and it fit me perfectly. It was a sign. It was my ring.

Other Places I Looked and Like:

GreenKarat- A great option if you are looking for non-diamond ring. They have a small but beautiful selection of Gemstone rings as well as lab-created diamond rings. They also do custom designs. Great for engagement and women's wedding rings. Prices were a little too high for our budget.

BrilliantEarth- A great site for conflict-free diamond engagement and wedding rings as well as sapphire rings. Mens bands, custom designs, and even a section to create your own ring. This site really has it all. Unfortunately, while they are very eco-friendly, they aren't very frugal.

SimplyWoodRings- Just like the website name suggests, this is a website for wood rings! From simple wooden bands to rings with bling, this site has it! The prices are excellent as well, and were well within our budget. My decision to not buy a wooden ring ultimately has to do with my horrible habit of not taking care of my jewelry very well. I'm not a big jewelry person so my rings are lucky if they get cleaned once a year! Wooden rings require a bit of maintenance, but if you already put in effort to clean and maintain your jewelry collection this will fit right into that routine!

Etsy- Like everything else, you can find some amazing rings and deals on Etsy! In fact, I was leaning toward a ring I found on Etsy but my fiance wasn't a big fan of it. I love the ring I got in the end, but if I hadn't found my ring I am sure I would have eventually found one I love on Etsy. There are rings of every style, for every personality, and every budget.

Do you have an eco-friendly wedding or engagement ring? If so, I'd LOVE to hear your story, learn of the website or store you bought yours from, and maybe feature your ring on the blog here! Comment below or email me using the Contact/PR link just below my header.

Bling Bling?

2011-10-03T07:38:00.000-07:00

Wow. What a week. I have some new. Some big news. Really, really big news...

I'M ENGAGED!!!!

I am happy to announce that on March 1st I will become a married woman to a wonderful, wonderful man!

Yes, I will be blogging all about and giving some idea for having an eco-friendly wedding. So far we have some very eco-friendly decisions made and one not-so-eco-friendly-but-very-very-"us" decision made. The wedding date is March 1st so over the next several months I will be blogging about various eco-friendly wedding-related ideas and writing up some how-to articles. I have gathered SO many ideas that we won't be able to do, but I still would love to share them with you.

So stay tuned for that. BIG STUFF coming soon!!!

(PS- I need to change my header...)

Designer Clothing - Non Designer Prices

2011-10-02T15:55:00.000-07:00

I have been obsessed with improving my work wardrobe lately. I need more professional clothing but I am also on quite the budget. With no Good Will in town I have been searching the internet high and low for a good deal for women's clothing. I also have a cruise coming up in a few months and need some cocktail dresses for the dinners, which I am also on quite the budget for. Luckily, my hours spent internet hunting has led me to two great sites that I'd like to pass on to you!

Ideeli - You may have seen their adds on Facebook. That's actually where I first came upon Ideeli and I've been obsessed ever since. So many great deals on designer brand clothing, shoes, and accessories. I've only purchased one thing (just ordered, still waiting for it to arrive) but so far I have been very impressed with Ideeli for their selection and prices. Advice- shop early! This seems to be a very popular site and the best deals sell out quickly. I find new sales go up in the morning around 9AM PST and then there are sales that go up in the evenings.

Current Ideeli Sale Example:

This adorable pair of Badgley Mischka black pumps.
Usually $185, only $79.99 on Ideeli!

HauteLook - Very similar set up to Ideeli, in fact they often have the same designer deals, just at different times. I have also only purchased one item from HauteLook, but have also been very pleased with them for the same reason I'm pleased with Ideeli. I do find that HauteLook is not quite as popular so they don't sell out as quickly. However, I don't feel like their sales are quick as nice, although you will occasionally find a great steal!

Current Haute Look Sale Example:

Getting married?
Check out this adorable Guess Halter Dress, perfect for the rehearsal dinner!
Usually $128, only $49 on HauteLook!

So if you like designer clothing or if you are just looking to expand your wardrobe on a limited budget, I highly recommend checking out these two websites. They also have great deals on Children's clothing a toys, menswear, and even products for your home!!!

EdenFantasys Reviews - Coochy Shave Cream

2011-10-02T15:32:00.000-07:00

How I've managed to get through this much of my post-puberty life without hearing about Coochy Shave Cream, I really have no idea. But somehow, it happened until this past summer when, once again, a friend turned me onto a life changing product offered at EdenFantasys.

Coochy Shave Cream is a rash-free shave cream that is designed protect and moisturize your skin while you shave to give you a closer, smoother shave. It's not just a gimmick, it really does work! It's designed for both men and women to use and you can use it on other places besides your Coochy. :)

I've been shaving with Coochy Shave Cream for about 3 months now and, honestly, I will never be able to go back to any other sort of shaving product. It really works that well. My friend who turned me onto the product also says she will never go back and everyone I mention this product to who uses it raves about it. I have yet to hear anyone who's had a bad experience with Coochy Shave Cream, in fact. It works by moisturizing even the coarsest of hair as well as your skin, so when you run the razor over it the hair comes off easily and your skin is left soft and smooth.

At $6.99 for a 4oz bottle it seems expensive, but I use such a little bit of this shave cream, and shave less often, so a 4 oz bottle will probably last me several months. Keep in mind, I am a very fair haired person and even before Coochy I would only shave once every 2-3 weeks. But now I'm down to shaving maybe once a month (you hate me now, don't you?). So with Coochy I'm probably spending just as much money on shaving products as I was before, just shaving less often to off-set the higher initial cost. So all in all it's a good deal for a great product!

Coochy is unfortunately sold out right now on EdenFantasys, but I have an email alert set up so when it's back in stock, I will let you know! It is available in three scents- Green Tea, Pear Berry, and Original.

House Update

2011-09-26T13:48:00.000-07:00

I know it's been a while since I did a house update, but I swear things have been happening! I was gone from June through September so things were stalled for a little bit for a while but they are moving once again!

One big change was the realization that, sooner or later, it's going to stop being 100 degrees in Chico and we will need to ensure the house will stay a nice temperature during the winter months WITHOUT using our heater. We managed to make it through a hot summer without using the AC unit once (we're not even sure it works!) and we are sure we can do the same come winter with the heater. But we needed help.

I know it's hard to see in the picture but the windows in the living room are made with beautiful beveled glass. We thought about replacing it with double paned windows, but we couldn't bring ourselves to do that. It's impossible to find glass like that anymore, and to replace all of the windows would be extremely expensive. That's when we were given the idea from a family friend- plexi-glass. C (C's Dad) jumped on it and installed them, I believe in a day!

It's not fancy but it's an easy and affordable way to create "double paned" windows without actually replacing windows. We can preserve the historic beveled glass while still making our home more efficient. We started with all of the windows in the front of the house and after spending only $350 or so it looked... NO DIFFERENT! You can't even tell what he did which, in this instance, is great! The plexi glass is clear and does not distort (any more than the beveled glass did, anyway)! It's an easy, eco-friendly and frugal way to utilize what you have to make your home more efficient.

I swear, someday I'll take better pictures and do a "How-To" guide on this subject.

Totally Rad Actions RadLab Review and Giveaway

2011-09-23T05:54:00.001-07:00

Hello faithful followers (all the six of you)! I have promised big things from this blog and I am excited to deliver. I wanted to start out with a bang and tell you of one of my all-time favorite companies that has helped me immensely along the way as I grew my business. If you are at all into photography I bet you've heard of Totally Rad! and Totally Rad Actions (TRA). But just in case you have, Totally Rad Actions are, well, just like the name describes- totally rad actions for Photoshop.

When I first started in Photography I was self-trained on Photoshop CS2. It worked fine but I found myself spending long periods memorizing what I did between one image to the next so I could have a streamlined workflow (keep in mind, this was before I discovered Lightroom). Then someone suggested I try out TRA. What I love about these actions is the variety- you will find an action that fits every editing style and shoot. With TRA I could edit in half the time because I just memorized my "recipes" and used the same set of actions or relatively the same set for every shoot. My images had a consistent look and I was very, very happy.

Then one day I was just reading some things on Facebook and I saw someone mentioning how much they loved "RadLab" and how Totally Rad! did it again. I ran over to the website to take a look and was so pleased I saw that Facebook posting because Totally Rad! has once again changed my photography life with an even more streamlined way of editing with their new product RadLab!

I can tell you what it's all about, but I'd rather show you. Let's start with this picture of my nephew eating a Twizzlers at a hockey game:

Cute kid, huh? This image is pretty much SOOC (Straight Out Of Camera) minus some color adjustments and sharpening done in Lightroom. As it is, it's not a bad photo! But for the purpose of this review let's just pretend that I really want to spice this photo up!

First thing you want to do is pull the image you want to edit into Photoshop. I am using Photoshop CS4 but you can use RadLab on Photoshop CS3 or later and Photoshop Elements 7 or later. Oh, and pardon the other stuff I have going on in PS today, I'm editing a boudoir session but figured I'd show you a cute little boy instead of my client's boobies. :)

RadLab is a Photoshop plug-in, which means it does not operate as a stand alone program. You need Photoshop to use it. You do not, however, need to have Totally Rad Actions to use it! RadLab comes with 78 Actions (50 from TRA and TRA2 and 28 new ones!)! If you are like me and you already own TRA and TRA2 and now you're all sad that you will pretty much have to pay for them again, don't worry. There are some actions that I use constantly to fine tune images that are not included in RadLab (like Select O Sharp and Pro Retouch). The money you have already spent on Totally Rad! products is still money well spent. So, to access RadLab just go to Filter > Totally Rad > RadLab and the plug-in will open right up.

What you are seeing in the image above is the opening screen (for me) for RadLabs. I think my favorite feature of RadLabs is that it remembers the recipes I have used previously in the Recipes Window and will show that to me first. The image to the left is the last round of editing I did. To the right you will see a few recipes I used. When you are going for a consistent look in your portrait sessions this is extremely helpful! You do have the ability to save recipes so if I find myself using one a lot I will save it and name it so I will always have it for the future. I find I have enough saved recipes at this point that I don't often go back and create new ones, I just tweak the ones I have. But for the purpose of this review I will not use a pre-existing recipe and just use a new one.

So here we are now in the Stylets Window. To the right you will see the unedited version of the image, and to your right you will see the actions that are included in RadLab and how the image will look if you play that action with this image. When you apply an action to your image the previews on the right will change to show what your image will look like if you layer your actions. You can add 1, 2, or 10 actions together to create your perfect image. You can also adjust the levels of your actions to tone them down and even to increase them past 100% to achieve your desired look.

Now you can see that I have run two actions- Sugar Rush at 70% and Claireify at 79%. I can obviously do more, the previews to the right are showing me some great black and white options and the sharpening options, but I like the image the way it is so I will hit the "Finish" button on the bottom right corner of the screen.

RadLab then applies the actions to your image. Depending on the actions you chose and the number of actions used this could take 1 second or a few minutes. After RadLabs has done it's thing then you will be left with just the final image. I then roughly cloned out the Twizzlers and whatever that circle was in the background (not well, mind you!) to give a finished product, which you can now see above. Obviously if I was presenting this to a client I would have better cloned out the Twizzlers and gotten rid of the purple in the eyes, but you get the point!

RadLabs is a great way to streamline your editing while keeping your look consistent. I am very impressed with this product and really don't see myself going back to using just the normal actions pallet in Photoshop anymore. Totally Rad! really has done it again and done it well!

I also wanted to add that I DO see this product as fitting in with The Eco-Friendly and Frugal Blog, even though it's my launching feature of The Overexposed Photography Blog. To me, time is money. Anything that can help me edit an entire portrait session the same day I shot it and get the final product to my clients sooner is invaluable to me as a professional. I can fit in more sessions per week and not get overwhelmed thanks to Totally Rad! and their totally rad line of products!

BUY IT!

RadLab is available in the Totally Rad! store for the very reasonable price of $149.00. After purchasing you will be able to immediately download RadLab and install the plug-in into Photoshop. It takes just a few moments to get the program up and running on your computer so don't hesitate to order now so you can start working right away!

WIN IT!

Want to have a chance to win a free product from Totally Rad!? In order to win this one you have to head over to my new blog - The Overexposed Photography Blog - to enter!

Oh! And get an extra entry if you Google +1 this post (click below, then in a separate comment on the other blog say that you "Google +1ed EFandFrugal!).

The Shopping List Bag Facebook Promo

2011-09-13T11:05:00.000-07:00

Hey guys! I just got a head up on a new product coming out later this month called "The Shopping List Bag". It's a reusable bag that will also carry your shopping list, coupons, and grocery store loyalty card that you can then stick on your fridge between shopping bags with their built-in magnets. It's an easy way to remember at least one bag on your shopping trips and remember your coupons and loyalty card each time to save. So it's Eco-Friendly AND Frugal!

And if you "Like" their Facebook page between now and September 18th you are automatically entered to win a bag for free!

I am hoping I'll get the opportunity to try this bag out myself and give you a more thorough review when it's released later this month.

The Overexposed Photography Blog

2011-09-11T21:59:00.003-07:00

I did it! I got the photography blog up and running. Now all my gabbering about photography can go there and not clutter things up here. I will still be posting "teasers" and review/giveaways that are photography related over here, but most of the good photography-related stuff will go over on The Overexposed Photography Blog. If you haven't started following it yet, head on over and do so! If you follow BEFORE the first giveaway you'll get some extra entries. Wooot!

It just got started so I apologize that it's a little bare bones. I'll get around to sprucing it up soon. Tomorrow I'm actually going to a marketing seminar will Sal Cincotta so if you are curious to hear how that goes check the blog on Tuesday!

And stay tuned, the giveaway for Totally Rad Actions is coming up THIS WEEK to kick off the official launch of the new blog! And don't worry eco-friends! I am not giving up on this blog. Not at all. I have some great stuff coming up including more updates on my sad, poor, neglected house.

Diamond Candle Winner!

2011-09-06T10:22:00.003-07:00

You know what kind of makes me giggle? When I go to Random.org to draw a winner for a giveaway where the entry number is close to 500 and it gives me... 9. Yes, entry #9 is the winner today!

tinyrobotichearts said... 9
I am follow you on fb.

And she has already confirmed! Contest is closed, thank you for entering!

Introducing The Overexposed Photography Blog

2011-09-05T16:44:00.000-07:00

Now that we are settled and establishing ourselves in Chico, CA I have really been putting forth a ton of effort into getting my photography studio up and running. I have spent hours absorbed in new product ideas, marketing kits, backdrop shops, props, pricing strategies... the list goes on. We are talking HOURS of work to compile all of this information. I also learned about some amazing companies, products, and other sites and message boards that would make a great resource for photographers.

So I had the idea to start merging my personal life and my blog a bit more by including my professional life in that a big. However, since there are many aspects of my job that are not frugal at all and not directly eco-friendly I was thinking that a lot of it didn't really "fit" here. Some of it does (actually a lot of it does), but not all. So I've created a new blog called "The Overexposed Photography Blog" where I will cross post a lot of these posts. So, I will start by writing a brief introduction to the post on here and then link you to the new blog if you want to read the rest. Then, if you are interested in photography, you can hope on over using just one click and read the rest of the post. If you are one of my eco-friendly and/or frugal only readers with absolutely no interest in photography you won't be overly annoyed by my photography-related posts and can just skip over them and move on to the next thing.

The blog is very bare bones right now as I set up for my launch even that will feature some amazing vendors like Totally Rad and Zach Perez! But stay tuned, in just three weeks I will be doing the official launch and (if you're into photography) you will NOT want to miss it!

EdenFantasys Reviews - Warming Lubricants

2011-09-04T22:59:00.002-07:00

A few weeks ago I was hanging out with a few female friends and, after a few drinks at a local restaurant, we got onto the subject of sex toys. I'm not sure how, I'm not sure why, but we went there. At first it seemed like one girl was treading on the topic, wanting to learn more. So we started chatting about sex toys and then moved onto things that make sex, in general, more interesting. This is where I learned of a product that I never knew existed before - flavored warming lubricants.

According to one girl in the group- she hated certain intimate acts until the moment she discovered this stuff. Basically, it's a lube, that's flavored, and after a few moments on your skin it warms up. At first I thought it was a little strange sounding, but we went to her place and checked it out and... yeah. I was intrigued! So I ran home as soon as I could to check the inventory over at EdenFantasys to see if they carried warming flavored lubricant. I couldn't remember the name of the brand that my friend had, but the bottle (from what I recall) looked just like their Razzels Warming Flavored Lubricants

Available in six scents - watermelon, tropical fruit, strawberry, cherry, green apple, and orange - Razzels offer users a flavored warming lubricant perfect for "getting things started" and "keeping things going". It's latex compatible and has no bitter aftertaste or added sugar!

The downside- they aren't organic or vegan. Given, they would be a lot of fun, I know a lot of you are looking for eco-friendly alternatives. I couldn't find a flavored warming lubricant that offered a nice alternative for the organic only crowd, but I did find Sliquid Organic Warming Lubricant! It's a female product, and what I take from that is it's to be used as a lubricant for intercourse, not for oral sex. But hey, it'll give you that same heat sensation that I had fallen in love with! It's made from natural ingredients and infused with botanical extracts. It's also vegan, animal friendly, and made in the USA!

The ingredient list (Purified water, Plant cellulose(from cotton),Aloe borbadenis*, Natural tocopherole(Vitamin E), Cyamopsis, Extracts of Hibiscus*, Flax*, Green tea* and Sunflower seed*, Menthol, Citric Acid, Phenoxyethanol. * - Certified organic) didn't scare me, and the product itself intrigues me!

It... yeah. Looks like a lot of fun! Pile that on top of an excellent price - $12.99 for a 4.2 fluid ounce bottle - and you have yourself a wonderful, eco-friendly, vegan product that will help enhance your sex life.

I'd really like to thank my friend for turning me onto this product. While I will continue to wait and hope that EdenFantasys will soon start carrying an organic flavored warming lube, I think it's OK to relax my morals a little (hehe) and pick up the Razzel brand of warming flavored lubricants this time.

"Some We Love, Some We Hate, Some We Eat" Book Review

2011-09-02T09:15:00.000-07:00

"Why It's So Hard to Think Straight About Animals" is the subtitle of this wonderful book, written by Hal Herzog. Mr. Herzog is an anthrozoologist, a profession I never knew existed but now am very intrigued by. If you've never heard of it, either, it's a combination of anthropology - the study of humans - and zoology - the study of animals. Mr. Herzog has spent years researching the animal/human relationship and has come to the conclusion that humans cannot think straight about animals.

In many ways, he's right, and his research and the studies have proved this. In "Some We Love, Some We Hate, Some We Eat" Mr. Herzog explains that, mostly, we are conflicted in regards to the animals we love (our pets) and the animals we will ear (our dinner). Why is it that animals such as dogs get held in high regard but animals such as chickens will be used to either eat or fight? And speaking of using chickens to eat or fight- we turn out noses up at cockfighting even though chicken used in cock fights are pretty well taken care of during the earlier part of their lives, whereas chickens used for chicken nuggets in certain fast food chain restaurants... uh... don't. Not that Mr. Herzog is promoting or approving of cock fighting in any way, but he does have a point.

Personally, this is where the "majority" does not apply to me. I don't eat chicken nuggets. When I do eat chicken, I have a pretty good idea of where it comes from since I buy local and have actually been to the farm. In fact, the old rooster that lived on our property now lives there. But do you think the majority of Americans know where their chicken comes from? Do they even think about it, or, more likely, WANT to think about it? No, probably not.

In the chapter "Prom Queen Kills First Deer on Sixteenth Birthday" he started talking about animal rescuing and hording. This is something that I can easily relate to. I did work at an animal shelter, given, it was a non-kill shelter, and I did that on purpose. I am one of those people who would show up at home, sneaking in yet another dog into the house because I knew it was going to be put down the next day and I just couldn't allow that. Working at a no-kill shelter is the only thing that kept us a no-dog family all those years. Some of my long time readers may recall that I didn't get Boo until after I was no longer able to work at the shelter when I felt I was finally ready for the responsibility of having a dog. In the book Mr. Herzog talks about Becky, the director of a municipal animal shelter. She calls the animals by names, knows their stories. And she loves her job... despite the fact that every year she will euthanize 60% of them. Yet she remains perky and cheerful when talking about her job. She also only has three dogs at home. Mr. Herzog points out that she is the right person for that job. I would not be. There is no way I could do that without hoarding more animals than I could personally handle. I would be miserable and sad all the time, like some of her fellow shelter directors who are miserable with their jobs. Yes, someone has to do it and it's great that people like Becky exist- people who can do this job without hoarding and without letting it break them. I respect people like that because it's such a hard job and something I could never do.

Yes, I myself am conflicted by my feelings toward animals. I really can't think of anyone who doesn't. Even my vegan father struggles with his feelings toward animals. Not eating them doesn't end this.

I will admit it took me a long time to read this book. Part of it was where I was while reading this (at camp). Part of it was the subject matter, especially when the book got into abuse and torture. At the same time, I found myself learning new things about... uh... myself. Which is not something that happens too often when I read a book. So I'm happy I have it on hand. I will admit that I didn't read it from beginning to end. I skipped chapters and back tracked later, only reading what I felt I'd be able to read without having those conflicted feelings that Mr. Herzog insists we all have. I definitely have them. So skipping around I went! I do believe I have ultimately read the whole thing at this point, though, and I'm happy I did. This may not be a book I would pick up off the shelves and want to buy, but it's one I'm sure I will read again someday when I come across it and need a reminder that I'm not the only one with these conflicts!

Hal Herzog is recognized as one of the world's leading anthrozoologists. He is a professor of psychology at Western Carolina University and lives in the Great Smoky Mountains with his wife Mary Jean.

I'd like to thank TLC Tours for including me in another great book tour!

Why the Electronic Cigarette is Called the Subsequent Stop Smoking Machine

2011-09-02T07:19:00.000-07:00

Thank you to Roxanne Peterson for this fabulous guest post!

Want to quit smoking? You have to start somewhere. Where’s that going to be, though? Patches or gum? Hypnotism? Ask yourself a question before you gotoo much further. That question – how much do you really want to quit? If the answer is “not much” or “only because I know I should” then you need an electronic cigarette.

Electronic cigarettes are the ultimate answer to that “I really ought to quit smoking but I quite like it” conundrum. It happens to all of us. We smoke and we enjoy it. Then we smoke and we feel guilty about it. But there’s always that moment when we’d really rather be sucking down some hot gas than slapping on a patch or going to see the hypnotist.

So what do you do? Frankly, if I couldn’t have a cigarette with my first beer of the evening then I wouldn’t want the beer. Now, whether or not that’s a good thing is a whole other conversation. Friday night is beer night for me and most of the rest of the English speaking universe. So how do I get around the fact that I know smoking will kill me?

Simple. One electronic cigarette, one beer. Ideal. That way I can even smoke it in the pub. The rest of the time I use patches or gum -0 but on Friday nights, it’s me and the electronic cigarettes against the world. The electric cigarette is there for any occasion when you would naturally have lit a cigarette and enjoyed it. Now, for all the damage smoking does and for all the cigarettes you light that are completely addictive and nothing to do with actually wanting or enjoying one: every smoker on earth can tell you that some cigarettes genuinely are awesome. The first one of the day. The post coital one. The post surf one.

An electronic cigarette is there for all of those smokes. The ones that a nicotine patch or a piece of gum just doesn’t cut. How are you going to celebrate the birth of your first child with a bit of gum? You’re not. You’re going to the pub to wet the baby’s head with a nip and a couple of electronic cigarettes.

As a vehicle to quitting fully, the electric cigarette is a much friendlier thing than endless packets of expensive medication. Unlike any other form of quit smoking merchandise, electronic cigarettes pander to the age old smoker’s need to smoke: not to get nicotine into their bodies, but to take a tube from a pack, put it in your mouth and draw smoke from it.

The electronic cigarette produces a vapour that has no harmful anything in it, except nicotine – and since your gum and your patches have nicotine in too, using an electric cigarette is no more harmful than that. All smoker know the true power of the smoking habit. Everyone quits and gets caught by the “just one” phase. That phase is dealt with by electronic cigarettes. What it is, is these moments in your life when a real cigarette would honestly be enjoyable, something you’d love every second of and never regret doing. An electronic cigarette makes those moments possible still.

Thank goodness someone came up with the idea. I’d bet everything I own that it was a smoker. Only a smoker would know the feeling – and only a person who knows the feeling would invent something that helps you get it back safely.

Roxanne is associated with various health institutes as their freelance and staff writer. She has been linked with some of the best Electric cigarettes companies and is been offering various ways to stop smoking and switch to E Cigs.

If you would like to guest post on my blog I welcome that! Use the Contact/PR link to get in touch about guest posting on my blog.

"Some We Love, Some We Hate, Some We Eat" Book Review Coming Soon!

2011-09-01T20:37:00.000-07:00

I got sent another fabulous book by the people over at TLC Book Tours and today was my day to write the review on the book "Some We Love, Some We Hate, Some We Eat". Unfortunately, on Tuesday we got word that my Grandma was getting out of the hospital on Wednesday and my Mom and I drove down to Rochester (six hour drive) on Tuesday night to check her out the next morning. We just got back a little bit ago (10:30PM). My Grandma doesn't have internet so I wasn't able to get the review up like I'd hoped! I will post it tomorrow!!! Stay tuned, and I apologize for the delay!

But, trust me, you'll want to come back for this one! It's a great book with a lot of insight (even if a lot of it doesn't apply to me because... well... I'm crazy.).

Amber Alert / Missing Child Frustration

2011-08-26T11:50:00.000-07:00

Two things happened this week that have really got me a little upset over the way our country deals with missing children. Should I be upset? Should YOU be upset? I'll let you decide.

The first was a FB post made by a friend of mine. She lives in San Diego and last Monday was in Target when a young girl approached her and asked if she had her ID on her. My friend didn't go into detail of why (although she's not the type to buy alcohol for a minor) but did say that six days later she came across an article for a missing local 16 year old girl named Elizabeth Rodriguez, a girl who had been missing for four days when my friend was approached by that young girl in Target. And this young girl looked a lot like the one that approached my friend.

Immediately my friend called the 800 number given in the article and told the person on the phone of her encounter. What happened during this phone call is what has me fuming... The dispatcher (a female but my friend didn't mention her name) was dismissive of her and very rude. Yes, it had been 6 days since the encounter at Target, but it was still something, and it was a sighting that occurred 4 days after she was last seen. The dispatcher said that someone may call my friend for more details, but to date, they haven't.

I looked up Elizabeth Rodriguez of Spring Valley, CA to see if I could find more details about her and her disappearance. According to the first article I read she called her dad shortly after midnight to say she was driving home from a party and would be home in a few minutes- she was just a few exits away from home. She never arrived.

In fact, that was the only mention of Elizabeth Rodriguez that I could find. As far as I can tell she's still missing, no Amber Alert was issued, and the police think she's a runaway. Perhaps she is. But if she was a runaway, why would she call her parents to say she was on her way home? Why do police jump to the assumption that a missing teen is a runaway? I understand that many are, and maybe they know something the general public doesn't know, but it still seems so uncaring.

Then yesterday... My mother and I were watching TV when suddenly the show was interrupted. The screen paused and words started scrolling across the top saying "Amber Alert for All of Minnesota..." and then it started listing areas in western Wisconsin. We both sat up, waiting to hear more details, it's not very often that this happens. The details came... about a minute later, in the form of a male's voice. A 16 year old girl was missing and the suspect was a 17 year old boy in a blue sedan. That was it. No other details. No pictures.

My first thought was "did she run off with her boyfriend? Is that even considered an abduction?" I decided to Google her name (Dolla Yang) to see more details. And the details were scary. 16 year old Dolla Yang was walking down a sidewalk when an asian male in a "boxy blue sedan" pulled up and forced her into the car, and drove off. The article also showed a very attractive young girl.

WTF?!?! A girl gets forced into the back of a car and none of this is mentioned on TV? Why waste 2 minutes of my TV watching time with a report that sounds like a teen ran off with her boyfriend when a very serious thing just happened? Is it really that difficult to add "was forced into the back of a car by a 17 year old suspect" during the alert and flash her picture instead of just freezing the frame on bit player's face? How many people watching TV that night first thought the same thing I did and then went about their day without getting on their computers to look up the details? Perhaps they were people who had seen Dolla earlier that day and thought nothing of it!

This has me bothered. I admire the United States for putting such a strong emphasis on finding missing children. I'm reading a book right now about a child abduction and it's a difficult read. I cannot imagine waking up one morning and have no clue where my child is. No clue if they are alive, if they are safe, if they are in pain... it's a thought I can't even wrap my mind around fully. So good job to the US for even having the Amber Alerts and program that gets the name out there within a few hours of a disappearance like that. But why the scant information? Why the lack of a picture? If that had been my child that was forced into the back of a car I'd want that detail put in there and I sure as hell would want her picture out there!

Maybe I'm just expecting too much from such a young program. Maybe changes are in the works but thanks to bureaucracy they are slow in coming. Maybe the parents requested the image not be used in the Amber Alert. There are a lot of things I don't know about it, but as a person who cares about other people it's alarming to me.

There is good news to this story. 4 hours after the Amber Alert was issued Dolla Yang was found and the suspect was in custody. I'm sure it has something to do with the Amber Alert and that's great! I don't mind have my TV shows interrupted a dozen times a day if it means the stories have happy endings like this.

Diamond Candles Review and Giveaway

2011-08-24T04:04:00.008-07:00

From time to time I come across a company that just makes me obsessed. I spend hours on their website or Facebook and learn everything I can about the company and their products. Diamond Candles is one of these companies. When I say that I spend HOURS, I mean HOURS. Far too many hours and I sucked my Mom and most of my friends into the obsession with me. Now, I'd like to share it with you.

Diamond Candles is such a unique company. Yes, they are a candle company - and an eco-friendly one at that! All of their candles are made with 100% soy candles and not from petroleum based parrafin wax, bees wax, or palm wax. Each candle is 6 inches tall, 3.5 inches in diameter, and weigh about 3 pounds. They are available nine delicious scents ranging from "Apple Slice" to "Lavender Lemon". There's also a scentless option for those who love candles but dislike or are sensitive to scents.

Yet, that's not what makes Diamond Candles so unique and obsession-inducing. There are many, many candle companies out there, after all. What really sets Diamond Candles apart from the crowd is what they put in each candle. If the name hasn't already told you, I'll let you in on this special feature... each candle has a ring, valued from $10-5,000 inside!

You read that right! A ring. Here's how it works- each Diamond Candle has a little gold sticker on the side of the candle marking where your ring is buried. You burn the candle down until the wax foil protecting the ring is revealed. Then you use tweezers (or whatever you can find to dig something out of hot wax) to dig the foil-wrapped ring out of the wax. Then you desperately rip the wax apart and open the baggie that holds your ring and reveal to yourself the treasure you just received within you Diamond Candle!

The funnest part, for me, wasn't just getting the ring inside my candle (read on to hear details about it, though... it's pretty cool!). It's the community that surrounds these candles. Since I am not the only one obsessed with them I can join in the fun of hundreds of other (mostly) women around the world as they show off their beautiful rings through Diamond Candle's Facebook Page. Some take the rings to get appraised and it's always fun to read how much they are worth, what the rings are made of, and what the gems in the rings are. I have yet to see a $5,000 ring show up, but there are plenty of $1,000+ rings in the gallery!

Now onto my ring. Because, well, I love it and want to brag about it! I ordered a Sweety Pea candle mostly because I have a theory that the color of the ring may match the color of the candle and I'm an amethyst fan (btw, I don't think this is true... I think the rings are random). I loved the scent. It's fresh and light without being overwhelming. We burned the candle for about three hours before the foil finally revealed itself. The first glimpse I caught of my ring showed a beautiful blue stone. Which to me meant "Hey! A beautiful blue stone... awesome!". Though it was pretty, I figured it was a fake $10 ring. A fake $10 ring I really liked, but fake none the less. But to my gem obsessed Mom, that blue stone was like winning a jackpot. Immediately after I cleaned it off she ran to get one of her favorite rings- a London Blue Topaz ring so we could compare. And they looked very similar. We tested their temps (various gems absorb heat differently) and, again, they compared.

That's when my Mom told me that London Blue Topaz is kind of a rare gem stone and can be pretty valuable. I got a little excited, but since I figured I wasn't lucky enough to get something with any amount of value over $10 I sort of shrugged it off. Then a week later I got a call from her telling me that she had taken the ring to her jeweler to get appraised. Sure enough! It was REAL London Blue Topaz! The white stones on the side are most likely White Topaz and the band is platinum coated silver. Total appraised value: $200!

So not a $5,000 or even a $1,000 ring. But getting a $200 ring out of a $25 candle? That's not a bad day! Given my Mom's love of London Blue Topaz and the fact that the size 7 ring was a touch too large for my ring finger and a touch too small for my middle finger, I gifted her with the ring. I'll wear it from time to time when I go visit, but I know she'll wear it way more than me and appreciate it more as well. No, we are not going to sell it... though I was tempted to do that just so we could buy more candles!

So the obsession was born. I love Diamond Candles. I'm even ordering another one today because my Mom has been having a bad month (I'll post why soon!) and needs some cheering up. We are also planning on buying candles for, well, everyone we know for Christmas!

What I Love: Um... everything? Diamond Candles is amazing- from the eco-friendliness of the candles to the rings themselves. They are a girls best friend in SO many ways! This company is just unique, an idea so "out there" I almost didn't believe it was real when I first came across them. But they are very real and very awesome!

What I Don't Love: As of right now the candles are only available on the website, no brick and mortar stores. Luckily, that will soon change! According to their website Diamond Candles is working on getting candles in retail stores. Wooooot!

BUY IT!

I know you want to buy a Diamond Candle now. Come on, even if you win the giveaway you want to buy one. Because TWO candles and TWO rings are better than one! Or how about buying a sample pack of 5?

Individual candles are only $24.95 and sample packs of 5 candles are $124.75. Remember, each candle contains a ring valued between $10-5,000. Thanks to the growing online community if you don't like your ring you can trade it or sell it so you really have nothing to lose. Although, I love my ring and I'm sure you will, too!

WIN IT!

Yes, that's right! Diamond Candles is giving one of my EXTREMELY LUCKY readers a FREE Diamond Candle in the scent of their choice. This giveaway is valued at $24.95 but could be much, much more valuable to you if you get the candle with a $5,000 ring inside. Read on to learn how to enter...

Mandatory Entry: This is a FOUR PART ENTRY! You must do all four parts of the mandatory entry in order to do any of the extra entries.

1. Go to the Diamond Candles website and tell me which scent you'd pick if you won.
2. Go to the Diamond Candles Facebook Page and "Like" their page.
4. You must be a public Google Friend Connect Follower of my blog. The widget to follow my blog is in the right sidebar.

Once you have done all three of those come back here and leave ONE comment saying you did all of those things along with the scent you would choose.

Don't forget to leave an e-mail address so I know where to contact you if you win! You only need to post your e-mail on one entry.

Extra Entries: Please write a new comment for each additional entry. If something is worth 2 entries, be sure to leave two comments. For example: "I follow you #1" and "I follow you #2" should be two different comments. All entries are worth 1 entry unless otherwise noted.

-Make a Diamond Candles purchase of any size during the course of this giveaway! Be sure to save your confirmation email as I will ask to see that if one of these entries wins. Also if there is a "comments" section on your order for me sure to let them know that you learned about them from Eco-Friendly and Frugal. (worth 10 entries)

-Follow Diamond Candles on Twitter (worth 1 entry)

-Network with me. There are four ways to do this- Twitter, Facebook, RSS, and email subscription. Buttons and links are on the left sidebar. (worth 1 entry per method, up to 4 entries total)

-Tweet about this giveaway. You can use this Tweet or write your own: Win a free Diamond Candle- the candle with a ring inside @EFand Frugal! Ends 9/5 #giveaway #eco @diamondcandles http://www.ecofriendlyandfrugal.com/2011/08/diamond-candles-review-and-giveaway.html (2 Tweets per DAY-at least 2 hours apart- 1 Entry per Tweet)

-Follow my Photography Facebook Fan Page (worth 2 entries)

This giveaway is open to my readers who are 18 year of age or older with a US mailing address and will end on September 5th, 2011 at 10PM Central Time. The winner will be notified via e-mail and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be selected. Good luck, everyone!

Fine print...
I was provided with a free product for the purpose of this review. I was under no obligation to write a positive review or sponsor a product giveaway in return for the free product. All opinions expressed are my own. I was not paid to write this review.

Camp Is Over

2011-08-23T12:55:00.000-07:00

Female staff members enjoying the sunset during the staff banquet

Camp is now over. :( But this means I'm back to blogging! :)

This summer was absolutely fantastic. I am so impressed with the staff this year. I came in during week 4, so right smack dab in the middle of the season, and was very worried that I wouldn't be "accepted" right away as part of the group. Camp staffs tend to bond quickly and become very close during staff training week, which I missed. But the rock stars on the staff this year welcomed me with open arms and I never once felt like an outsider. They were a caring, trustworthy, responsible group. I wouldn't hesitate for a second to leave my child in their capable hands!

The kids, of course, were amazing as well! But kids always are so I wasn't surprised by that. I had such a wide variety of campers this year, it was fun to get to experience all of the age groups- from the 5 year old Day Campers to the 14 year old Art Power campers! It was truly an amazing summer.

Now it's back to reality! Which isn't so bad. I've got work to get done (wedding season was CRAZY this year and I'm still catching up on my editing) and family to enjoy. I won't be back in California to see what's been happening to my house during my absence until September 14th or so. So no house updates until then. Instead, I figured I'd share an awesome giveaway or two. Enjoy!

Summer Camp

2011-07-25T20:00:00.000-07:00

I know, I suck. I disappeared again. This time it was for a good cause. I'm spending a lot of time back home in Minnesota this summer for weddings and other events so while I have weekdays off I decided to volunteer my time at the summer camp I called home every summer for almost a decade as a camper and later as a counselor. I spent one week there and was hooked again! I asked to come back three more weeks and got invited to be on payroll... SCORE!

I just wanted to write a quick post dedicated to my love of summer camps. I feel so lucky that my parents were brave enough to send me when I was 8. Back then, I was a sick kid. And I mean REALLY sick. I got so familiar with the toys in the emergency waiting room that I actually thought they were mine. Haha! But I'd have good spells so my parents figured it was safe to send me to a 3-day "mini camp". I am so grateful. I didn't get sick, and had a great time.

For 8 more summers I went back. As a camper and then when I got too old to be a camper I became a counselor. The memories I have from camp are memories that have stayed with me for years. In college I worked at two different camps but really did miss "My Camp", the one I'd grown up in. In 2009 I had the opportunity to go back but because of my shoulder injury I had to turn the job down that was offered to me. I did volunteer for a week and when that was through I vowed it would not be my last time at camp. So this year I jumped at the chance to go back.

Yes, I am 27 years old. Arguably an "adult" (though I do use the term lightly). But I can still put on my kid pants, wear my underwear outside of my pants, and run around pretending to be a super hero (OK, I didn't really do this because I was Rogue - see picture above - however, my Magneto co-counselor Justin did!). I can jump into a freezing cold lake at 7AM. I can eat mass produced camp food and not get an upset stomach. I can still somehow shoot a bow and arrow even though I only have one usable arm. Because at summer camp, anything is possible!

So if I am in and out over the next several weeks, that is why. I am soaking up the sun, being thrown in the lake, riding horses, sleeping on a rubber mat, and remembering what it was like to be a scared but excited little 8 year old girl going to camp for the first time. So bear with me! I will be back as often as I can and have yet more AWESOME giveaways lined up!

I Think My House Reads My Blog

2011-07-07T06:40:00.000-07:00

Just as I was lamenting and debating over what to do as far as those two back doors, I walked into my kitchen, glanced out my window, and saw this leaning up against the back door:

Yup. It's a new sliding glass door complete with a screen! (Along with our 16 year old Jack Russel Terrier, Whiskey.) I think my house read my blog and is trying to tell me something. Or maybe my future-father-in-law decided we needed this in order to keep the door open during the day to let the breeze in... either way, it's here! Only one from what I can tell so we'll still need to get one for the bedroom door, but this is a great start!

And now to install it. I'm thinking that if I post this the house will read it again and self install. I can dream, right? :)

Three Boys Shaklee Review and Giveaway

2011-07-07T05:43:00.000-07:00

Surprisingly, I'd never heard of Shaklee until Sarah (AKA Three Boys), an independant Shaklee Distributer contacted me about a review and giveaway. How this company manages to stay of my radar this whole time is beyond me, but I'm happy I've discovered them now!

Shaklee's mission is to provide a healthier life for everyone and a better life for anyone. They sell their products in four categories- Healthy Nutrition, Healthy Weight, Healthy Home, and Healthy Beauty.

Bone Health, Heart Health, Women's Health, Children's Health... Healthy Nutrition offers everything from Multivitamin and Multimineral Powders for babies to Menopause Balance Complex and everything in between, vitamins and supplements for the whole family! I had the opportunity to try out the Omega Guard Fish Oil Supplement. Omega Guard delivers a full spectrum of ultra-pure, pharmaceutical-grade omega-3 fatty acids to support healthy heart, joint and brain function. I was taking this supplement during out move and I think it really did help me wrap my brain around everything that was happening at that time. That and shooting five weddings in the month of June would usually take a toll on my body (especially my joints!) but with the combination of Omega Guard and a regular work-out schedule I found myself feeling stronger than ever!

Another Shaklee line of products I am very interested in is their Healthy Home line of cleaners called Get Clean. These cleaners are safe, green, and powerful. Plus some of the products, like the cleaning concentrate and the disinfecting wipes are organic! The prices are reasonable and I especially enjoy the cleaning kits that make shopping for your cleaners easy with one click!

Shaklee products are sold by independent distributors and today I'd like to tell you about Sarah! She's a mother of three little boys (including TWINS!) and a wife living in Michigan. She became a Shaklee distributor because of her passion for the health of her family and the health of the environment... I think that's something we can all relate to! She swears by Shaklee which is why I trust her to purchase my Shaklee products. She is also a Mommy blogger! Her blog is called Three Boys and documents... what else? Her life raising three young boys! She a DIYer, a recycler, and a lover of the earth so be sure to check out her blog.

What I Love: Shaklee is a company I can get onboard with, both for their great green and safe products and the fact that it's a carbon neutral company. From their Healthy Nutrition line to their Healthy Home line they have a wide variety of great products for all homes and needs at reasonable prices.

What I Don't Love: Really, not much! Just my normal complaint of the inability to buy from a brick and mortar store. But with local distributors, you don't need to!

BUY IT!

Let's show Sarah some love and check out her Shaklee website! You can join as a member and get 15% off your purchases. A membership is only $19.95 so if you find yourself order from Shaklee a lot a membership is a great way to save on the great products you already buy!

The Omega Guard suppliment I mentioned in this review sells for $19.95 for a 60 count bottle ($16.95 for members!) or $51.70 for a 180 count bottle ($43.95 for members!). Also be sure to check out the other great products and deals! I especially love the Get Clean Starter Kit (available in regular scent and fragrance free). Both kits sell for $115.32 or only $99 for members! If you plan to get a kit like this you may as well get a membership as well... it'll almost pay for itself with this one purchase!

WIN IT!

Sarah is genorously offering one lucky reader a sample size (concentrated so it'll last a while!) of the Basic H2 Organic Cleaner. Read on to find out how to enter.

Mandatory Entry: Go to the Sarah's Shaklee website and tell me of another product not mentioned in this review that you would like to try. Also, you must be a public Google Friend Connect Follower of my blog to enter this giveaway. The widget to follow my blog is in the right sidebar.

Don't forget to leave an e-mail address so I know where to contact you if you win! You only need to post your e-mail on one entry.

Extra Entries: Please write a new comment for each additional entry. If something is worth 2 entries, be sure to leave two comments. For example: "I follow you #1" and "I follow you #2" should be two different comments. All entries are worth 1 entry unless otherwise noted.

-Make a Healthy Options of Days Gone By purchase of any size from their online store or Etsy store! Be sure to save your confirmation email as I will ask to see that if one of these entries wins! (worth 10 entries)

-Become a follower of the Three Boys Blog (worth 1 entry)

-Make a purchase through Sarah's Shaklee Website during the course of this giveaway. Be sure to save your confirmation email! (worth 10 entries)

-Network with me. There are four ways to do this- Twitter, Facebook, RSS, and email subscription. Buttons and links are on the left sidebar. (worth 1 entry per method, up to 4 entries total)

-Tweet about this giveaway. You can use this Tweet or write your own: Make your home safer and your family healthier with Shaklee! #win with @EFandFrugal http://bit.ly/pugTFj #giveaway #eco #green (2 Tweets per DAY-at least 2 hours apart- 1 Entry per Tweet)

-Add my button to your blog's sidebar and comment with a link to your blog (worth 3 entries)

-Follow my Photography Facebook Fan Page (worth 2 entries)

This giveaway is open to my readers who are 18 year of age or older with a US mailing address and will end on July 18, 2011 at 10PM Pacific Time. The winner will be notified via e-mail and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be selected. Good luck, everyone!

Fine print...
I was provided with a free product for the purpose of this review. I was under no obligation to write a positive review or sponsor a product giveaway in return for the free product. All opinions expressed are my own. I was not paid to write this review.

Healthy Options of Days Gone By Review and Giveaway

2011-07-05T05:27:00.003-07:00

Companies like Healthy Options of Days Gone By are a breath of fresh air for me. In this world where large corporations are taking over great "natural" companies, it's great to see a small, family run business selling quality products at extremely reasonable prices. They strive to make these products available to everyone.

Healthy Options of Days Gone By is run by the husband and wife duo of Christian & Chasity Corriveau. This Georgia based couple and parents of 5 saw being "natural" as a better way of life for them and their children. In that sense, this couple and this company are like many of us- just trying to live and give others a better life.

Alright, now what you've all been waiting for, their products. I can't even wrap my head around where to begin, there is just so much to talk about! I guess I'll start with the product that started it all- soap. Cold Process Bath Soaps are the base for this awesome company. And with scents like Orange Jasmine, Old Fashioned Chocolate, and Sweet Southern Green Tea you will find soaps here that you just won't find anywhere else.

I will admit, I am not a huge fan of bar soaps. I feel like they dry you out in the shower and make too much of a mess when placed next to your sink. Which is why I was pleasantly surprised to discover that the soaps I've tried from Healthy Options of Days Gone By do not do either! I use a bar in the shower now, it slightly exfoliates while cleaning without over drying. A hard combo to find for sure! I also have one next to the sink and it doesn't melt or stick to the side of the sink like whatever bar soap the previous owners had there (remnants of which I still have not been able to get off the sink!). Have sensitive skin, eczema, or a need for bug repellent this summer? They have soaps that fit your needs as well! And I can't be certain, but ever since I started using the Kiss Me Goodnite bar I've found that I zonk out right away and sleep like a baby. Could be a coincidence, but I'm usually one of those people who toss and turn to get to sleep and then wake up a few times during the night.

Let's move what has become my favorite product- Bath Soaks with Dead Sea Salts. I LOVE taking sea salt baths. Especially during wedding season it's great to be able to relax after a 12 hour wedding and just let it all go. Healthy Options of Days Gone By has a great variety of Dead Sea Salts that are natural, non-toxic, and non-irritant. When you want to truly relax and enjoy yourself in a hot tub after a long day's work the last thing you want to worry about is your bath products having irritants in them, after all! Lavender, Hedonistic Desires, and Tangerine Dream are just some of the natural scent options available.

One more thing I want to talk about and then we'll get to the good part... The Salves. Achy Muscles? There's a salve for that. Tired feet? There's a salve for that! Motion Sickness? Yup, there's one for that, too! I feel like I need a first aid kit of Healthy Options of Days Gone By Salves! I love using natural salves instead of harmful chemically filled lotions or gels so these really come in handy! As do the prices. :)

There's a lot more, of course! Beeswax Lip Balms, Beeswax Candles, Dryer Sachets, Raw Sugar Scrubs, and more. But I couldn't even begin to go into detail about everything without making this post a mile and a half long! So I'll just let you swing by the Healthy Options of Days Gone By website and Etsy Store and see everything for yourself!

What I Love: Healthy Options of Days Gone By is a small family operated business. They somehow manage to produce top quality all-natural products while also keeping costs down. Really, I want to know how they do it! The soaps are amazing, the bath salts are soothing, and their line of salves is beyond impressive. I love, love, love this company!

What I Don't Love: From what I can tell, none of these products are available in Brick and Mortar stores. And they really should be, at least in their area of Georgia! Though I'd love to run to a local boutique and pick up my Cold Processed Soaps when I start running low. I don't mind ordering online, though! I'm just horrible at remembering to order things BEFORE I run out of them!

BUY IT!

There are two ways to order your Healthy Options of Days Gone By products- their online store and their Etsy store. The Cold Process Bar Soaps sells for $2 each, their Dead Seas Salts are only $5 each, and those amazing Salves start at just $3!

They use flat rate shipping boxes and up to 12 Dead Sea Salts can fit into one medium flat rate box! So be sure to stock up while you are there to save on shipping. They make fantastic gifts, after all!

To learn more about this awesome company, be sure to check out their Blog!

WIN IT!

Healthy Options of Days Gone by has generously offered on of my readers a fabulous gift! Enter now to win up to $15 in wonderful bath products!

Mandatory Entry: Go to the Healthy Options of Days Gone By website and tell me something you learned about this company on their site. It can be anything from how they make their soaps to a product you found that's NOT mentioned in this review. Also, you must be a public Google Friend Connect Follower of my blog to enter this giveaway. The widget to follow my blog is in the right sidebar.

Don't forget to leave an e-mail address so I know where to contact you if you win! You only need to post your e-mail on one entry.

Extra Entries: Please write a new comment for each additional entry. If something is worth 2 entries, be sure to leave two comments. For example: "I follow you #1" and "I follow you #2" should be two different comments. All entries are worth 1 entry unless otherwise noted.

-Make a Healthy Options of Days Gone By purchase of any size from their online store or Etsy store! Be sure to save your confirmation email as I will ask to see that if one of these entries wins! (worth 10 entries)

-Become a follower of the Healthy Options of Days Gone By Blog (worth 1 entry)

-"Like" Healthy Options of Days Gone By on Facebook and let them know Eco-Friendly and Frugal sent you! (worth 2 entries)

-Network with me. There are four ways to do this- Twitter, Facebook, RSS, and email subscription. Buttons and links are on the left sidebar. (worth 1 entry per method, up to 4 entries total)

-Tweet about this giveaway. You can use this Tweet or write your own: Win fabulous bath products from Healthy Options of Days Gone By and @EFandFrugal! Ends7/15 http://bit.ly/lc7IJZ #giveaway #healthy (2 Tweets per DAY-at least 2 hours apart- 1 Entry per Tweet)

-Add my button to your blog's sidebar and comment with a link to your blog (worth 3 entries)

-Follow my Photography Facebook Fan Page (worth 2 entries)

This giveaway is open to my readers who are 18 year of age or older with a US mailing address and will end on July 15, 2011 at 10PM Pacific Time. The winner will be notified via e-mail and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be selected. Good luck, everyone!

Fine print...
I was provided with a free product for the purpose of this review. I was under no obligation to write a positive review or sponsor a product giveaway in return for the free product. All opinions expressed are my own. I was not paid to write this review.

Love Giveaways?

2011-07-02T15:28:00.000-07:00

This is the mother of all giveaways! If you are a photographer, new parent, or know someone who is either, this giveaway is for you. THOUSANDS of dollars in awesome prizes, including free photo shoots from all over the country (and world!).

Check it out The Big Bang Photographer's Dream Giveaway on the Beautiful Photo Props blog!

I am working on doing a giveaway of this sort myself in the fall, so if you own a photography-related business please use the "Contact Me" link at the top to shoot me an email to get in on the action!

My House Needs Help!

2011-07-01T14:35:00.000-07:00

The first project I want to undertake is one I feel I need to do out of necessity. We need new back doors!

Right now we have two sliding glass doors that lead onto our back porch- one from the kitchen (hidden by the awning) and one from the master bedroom (seen in the picture). Only, they are old, rusted, and are very difficult to open. The one in the master bedroom comes off its tracks constantly and I can just see if falling off and shattering into a million pieces! So I'd like to fix them before this happens.

Here are the options:
-Nice French Doors. Maybe try to find a set that reflect the period of the house?
-French Doors with Doggy Door. We have three dogs... enough said!
-New Sliding Glass Doors. Lighter and with screens this time, so we can keep them open when it's warm out!

If you were me, which would you choose and why? I'd really love to hear your feedback.

Also, does anyone know what I can do with the old doors? The tracks are spent, I don't think they can be repaired. But the door themselves are still in relatively good condition, just way too heavy for our home. Can I donate to Habitat for Humanity or another organization?

And once that's done we can finally paint the back and re-finish the deck!

Latest Obsession : Pinterest

2011-07-01T11:15:00.000-07:00

I'm sure by now you all know what Pinterest is. I discovered it a few months ago and have basically been obsessed with it ever since! Along with posting anything I see that interests me, I love looking at other's Pinterest boards. So if you have Pinterest and love is as much as I do please leave the link to your boards in the comments! Here's mine: EcoFrugal Yes, I have a wedding planning blog. No, I am not *quite* engaged. :)

And if you don't know what Pinterest is, go here and check it out! If you need an invite just comment with your email address and I'll send you one!

Gourmet Gift Baskets Review and Giveaway - CLOSED

2011-07-01T05:00:00.002-07:00

I am so pleased to have the opportunity to work with Gourmet Gift Baskets again! I love this company and how they cover such a wide variety of preferences and needs for gift baskets. In this review I want to tell you about their Care Packages.

There are so many reasons to send Care Packages. From hospital stays to being away at summer camp for the first time. Showing support for a Big Game or helping a college freshman through their first finals week. Heck, sometimes it's great to send a package just to say "I Care". Gourmet Gift Baskets has a gift basket for all of these reasons and more! You can easily find the perfect Care Package for any person or life event on their website.

I just so happened to get my Care Package from Gourmet Gift Baskets a day before we made our move from Phoenix to Chico, CA. A 13 hour drive, by myself. See, Cody was driving the moving truck while I was driving up the car. 13 hours... all alone... for both of us! Having the Gourmet Gift Baskets Health Nut Care Package to munch on during this 13 hour drive made it a lot easier for both of us! It gave us energy to drive (which we did through the night) and something to do (yes, I see eating as "something to do").

I love this Care Package and any Health Nut in your life needing a little pick-me-up or support will as well! David Sunflower Seeds, Chex Mix, Kashi Chewy Granola Bars, Welch's Fruit Snacks, and Fig Newtons are just some of the healthy snack options we had to choose from during our drive, and are the options your friends and family will have to choose from if you send them a Health Nut Care Package!

We devoured our package. Some things, like the popcorn, had to wait until we arrived, but were eaten as well. Everything was delicious and fresh which is what I've come to expect from Gourmet Gift Baskets.

What I Love: Gourmet Gift Baskets is truly a company I have come to love. They don't ignore their health nuts and sell only products full of junk food... though they do also sell those for the junk food lovers! The number of amazing baskets they offer astonished me! I could spend hours on their site selecting a gift basket for a friend or family member for multiple reasons!

What I Don't Love: Once again, I can't think of anything!

BUY IT!

Know someone who could use a little love or a pick me up right now? How about a child going away to summer camp for the first time? Check out Gourmet Gift Baskets line of Care Packages and find them a gift they will remember and appreciate!

Care Packages range in price from $34.99 to $59.99 and cover a wide range of life events. Check them out today!

WIN IT!

I will be giving away a Health Nut Care Package to one of you lucky readers! This is a $34.99 value and will be provided by Gourmet Gift Baskets.

Mandatory Entry: Take a jump over to the Gourmet Gift Baskets Care Package page and tell me which Care Package you would send to a loved on in your life and why. You CANNOT choose the Health Nut Care Package. Also, you must be a public Google Friend Connect Follower of my blog to enter this giveaway. The widget to follow my blog is in the right sidebar.

Don't forget to leave an e-mail address so I know where to contact you if you win! You only need to post your e-mail on one entry.

Extra Entries: Please write a new comment for each additional entry. If something is worth 2 entries, be sure to leave two comments. For example: "I follow you #1" and "I follow you #2" should be two different comments. All entries are worth 1 entry unless otherwise noted.

-Make a Gourmet Gift Baskets purchase of any kind (does not have to be a Care Package). Save your confirmation email, I will check if this is a winner entry. (worth 10 entries)

-Network with me. There are four ways to do this- Twitter, Facebook, RSS, and email subscription. Buttons and links are on the left sidebar. (worth 1 entry per method, up to 4 entries total)

-Tweet about this giveaway. You can use this Tweet or write your own: Win a Gourmet Gift Baskets Health Nut Care Package and brighten the day of someone you love! http://tiny.cc/9ephs #giveaway #healthy #love (2 Tweets per DAY-at least 2 hours apart- 1 Entry per Tweet)

-Add my button to your blog's sidebar and comment with a link to your blog (worth 3 entries)

-Follow my Photography Facebook Fan Page! (worth 2 entries)

This giveaway is open to my readers who are 18 year of age or older with a US mailing address and will end on July 11, 2011 at 10PM Pacific Time. The winner will be notified via e-mail and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be selected. Good luck, everyone!

Fine print...
I was provided with a free product for the purpose of this review. I was under no obligation to write a positive review or sponsor a product giveaway in return for the free product. All opinions expressed are my own. I was not paid to write this review.

Introducing... Our Home!

2011-06-30T14:29:00.000-07:00

That's it. The thing that has had me so overwhelmed for the last couple of months. That is our home. It's technically a home we share with Cody's Dad (he lives in separate home on the property) but it's still our home, and I love it.

I can't really figure out when it was built, but Cody's Dad insists it was sometime in the late 1800s (at least, the main home and the barn were built then). It has 5 bedrooms, 3 full baths, and much more space then we currently need! But I'm hoping soon we can fill it with loved ones and maybe even the pitter patter of little feet.

But I'm getting ahead of myself! For now, it's just us and our three dogs (oh yeah, we've added two dogs into the mix! You'll meet them soon) and a home that needs a lot of TLC!

More pictures coming once we get everything unpacked and clean!

Really, I'm Back!

2011-06-30T12:36:00.000-07:00

I really do apologize everyone! I great appreciate the emails, the messages, and Facebook comments asking about where I am and what I'm up to. I really am not (again), dead. I took a break from blogging, though honestly I can't really explain why. I got busy, yes, but not too busy. I think I just needed to get away for a little bit, take one thing off my plate so I can focus on everything else.

But with June Wedding Season Madness over I feel I am ready to take on this blog again. I hope you can forgive me and continue to read my blog... especially since I have about a dozen AWESOME reviews and products to tell you about. :P

I also have started my newest exciting adventure. Well... actually, there are TWO exciting adventures but one I can't tell you about yet (no, I am not pregnant!). The one I can tell you about is our house! The 100 year old historic (it's a recorded historic landmark!) farm house we moved into at the end of May. It needs work, it needs love, but it's already getting it and I can't wait to share our home joys and woes with you. If anyone is thinking of buying a 100+ year old house and renovating it... stick around. You may (or maybe you won't!) change your mind. Haha!

I did want to throw one more piece of good news in here for anyone who read my divorce post a few months back. I got a message from my ex-husband a few weeks ago letting me know that he is back to work, he has quit drinking, and he has been going to AA meetings. He apologized for everything that happened over the past couple of years. We are not (and cannot) get back together. I am still with my love, Cody. But I was overjoyed to hear that he has taken the steps to recovery and turning his life around. He said I made him realize he wanted a wife and wanted a family and is doing his best to improve himself so when he does meet someone new he'll know how to treat her. This really makes me happy. I would love more than anything for him to remarry and get the family we couldn't make together an find the happiness we weren't able to find. I know everything happens for a reason. If it weren't for him, I wouldn't be sitting at this desk in this beautiful home with a man who loves me and whom I love taking a nap just a few feet away. So I truly want him to be as happy as I am and believe he will be.

So thank you to all my followers who stuck around for me, I really do appreciate it! More coming very, very soon!

I'm Not Dead!

2011-03-22T20:54:00.000-07:00

I actually got an email asking me this recently. I swear, I'm OK! I haven't been sick or injured or anything... just internet-less. Heads up for anyone about to move- you can't just call the cable company in Arizona and get service the next day, it turns out!

Long story short- we moved on March 1st into our temporary house while we wrap things up in Arizona before heading up to Chico. I called on March 2nd to get the cable and internet turned on, thinking we'd have real internet and cable by the end of the week! Yeah... not so much. MARCH 18th! That's when we got internet and cable! 2.5 weeks is RIDICULOUS, in my opinion, but since we are at the mercy of the one and only cable company that services our area there wasn't much we could do.

I have a ton to get caught up on! I have some great giveaways coming up like Simple Green, Healthy Options of Days Gone By, and Skin MD Natural! I would like to apologize to these and all of my other sponsors for being out of touch for so long. I honestly have never experienced such a busy company that they make you wait over two weeks for services so I didn't prepare to not have internet during this time.

And to my readers... house updates are starting in just TWO MONTHS! We're starting with insulation. Thrilling. I know. :)

When Life Hands You Lemons...

2011-02-18T15:25:00.000-08:00

I guess you could say life has handed me a fair amount of lemons in the past year. From a horrible shoulder surgery to my divorce to my sudden allergic reaction to the state of Wisconsin (I kid you not) I've had some challenged this month. But I feel that through it all I've been able to enjoy large amounts of lemonade. Because with all of that bad has come a lot of good. Far more good, in fact.

The latest good has been handed to my lovely boyfriend and I in the form of a house. A beautiful house, in fact. Nestled up in Northern California lies a 5 bedroom, 3 bathroom, 3,000 square foot home that will soon be "Our Home". It's a lot of home. More home then I even wanted but an absolutely beautiful one that we can spend the rest of our lives in, maybe get married in, and hopefully someday raise our family in. Along with the wonderful home the property comes with a guest house that my Mom has already claimed dibs on, and the thought of having my Mom (and best friend) living near me again thrills me! The home also lies on a 2 acre plot and comes with a rooster and a chicken already. We plan to have a few more chickens for fresh eggs and also plant more fruit trees for fresh produce.

And, of course, a garden! A dream garden! In the far corner lies a little area that is just perfect! It gets plenty of sun, just enough shade, and will hopefully give us plenty of veggies all year long! Fruit, veggies, and chickens. What else can a little eco-friendly lady dream for? How about a compost? It's already on the property! A nice one, too!!! And the house is set up for a rain barrel and we hope to do some more eco-friendly changes to the home as they are needed. I am thrilled to start this next chapter in my life and share with you the joys and struggles of home ownership!

But with all good you must get some challenges. In our case our ability to move into the house right away has been thwarted so we are moving in with my boyfriend's Mom down here in Arizona until we can make the move for good. I'm hoping to be up there by this summer! We also made the mistake of canceling internet and cable services too soon which is why I haven't been able to post. I actually drove around until I found a free WiFi connection so I could share this news and update with you! By the end of the month we will have internet again and I will start posting more then!

So stay tuned... especially if you like home reno blogs. Our home is over 100 years old and will surely prove to be a bit of a challenge as we fix it up and move on in!

Hefty(r) Basics Disposable Tableware Review and Giveaway!

2011-02-18T14:52:00.000-08:00

Hello readers! Welcome back to Eco-Friendly and Frugal land. I know it's been a while since I've posted and I apologize for that but I have good reasons which I will explain soon. Right now, though, I want to tell you about this great new product I had the opportunity to review from Hefty(r).

I'm sure if you live in America you know about the Hefty(r) company. For years they've been the go-to company for waste bags, food storage bags, as well as disposable plates, bowls, and cutlery. Well they now have a line of disposable tableware known as Hefty(r) Basics. This line of paper plates are biodegradable in-home composting and free of inks, dyes or coatings!

So what does this mean to the eco-friendly family? Isn't it more eco-friendly to just use re-usable plates? Well, yes and no. For smaller gatherings, perhaps of close friends and family, I would say that using your reusable plates would be fine. But if you're like me, you only have a limited number of plates to begin with! I have 8 large plates and 8 small plates so when I have more than 8-10 guests I get limited on my options. It's either go disposable or be constantly doing dishes and wasting precious water resources. Instead, I now have an eco-friendly option I can turn to when hosting large parties or gatherings.

Two weeks ago I celebrated a wonderful day- THE SUPER BOWL! My team, the Packers, faced off against the Steelers for our first Super Bowl since I was in high school. I was beyond thrilled to spend the day watching the Big Game with friends and family- numbers totally above 30! So obviously using regular plates was out of the question so I turned to my supply of Hefty(r) Basics paper plates. I figured there's no better test to see how reliable a product is than a large gathering during the most important day in football!

Those hosting the party served macaroni salads, potato salads, sandwiches, beans, chips and dip, fruit and dip, veggies and dip, and yuuummmmmy cupcakes. All of these things will add a fair amount of moisture to the Hefty(r) Basics disposable plates which was my main concern. Could they hold up? Could they handle having food piled on them?

The answer is a resounding YES! I was focused on the game but from time to time would look away from the TV to see what was going on around me and everyone was enjoying full plates of delicious food. And not a single plate had a bending problem, no food wound up on the floor, and the plates held up very well under the toughest of tests!

So now that you know these plates are strong and can hold up to the Super Bowl Test, what makes them eco-friendly? It's simple, they are biodegradable and compost-able! I'm still living in an apartment without a composter so unfortunately the plates from that day were thrown out, but we just tossed them into the dumpster and not within a bag to help them break down faster. Now that I'm moving into a house that actually comes with a composter (I told you I had big news!) I can start using these plates for large parties and when we're done we'll just toss them into the composter and reduce the amount of waste associated with large gatherings! It's a win/win for everyone!

Interested in learning more about Hefty(r) Basics? Check out their Facebook page! Hefty(r) has partnered with the Arbor Day Foundation(tm) on a quest to plant 10,000 trees, one for every ten new “Like”s on Facebook! So by liking them you will not only learn more about a great company, but help them plant trees to better our environment even more!

WIN IT!

I have a coupon for a free set of Hefty(r) Basics Disposable Paper Plates to give away to one lucky reader! This is going to be another Easy Entry Giveaway since I'm going to have a crazy next couple of weeks.

Mandatory Entry: All you need to do to enter this giveaway is to comment on why you want to win! It's that simple. Don't forget to leave an email address so I have a way to contact you if you are the winner.

Extra Entries: For additional entries into the giveaway you can do the following...

+2 Entries if you like Hefty(r) on Facebook
+1 Entry if you follow my blog via Google Friend Connect (widget is to the right)
+1 Entry if you like me on Facebook (link is to the left)
+1 Entry if you follow me on Twitter (link is to the left)

This giveaway will end on March 4th. I will do my best to pick a winner on that date HOWEVER I am moving and getting internet in the new place has proved to be interesting and difficult so the winner may be announced later. But all entries must be in March 4th! Open to readers within the Continental US only!

Fine print...
I was provided with a free product for the purpose of this review. I was under no obligation to write a positive review or sponsor a product giveaway in return for the free product. All opinions expressed are my own. I was not paid to write this review.

We Have Met The Enemy by Daniel Akst Book Review

2011-01-27T09:52:00.000-08:00

Eating, smoking, drinking, gambling, excess. It's all legal and it's all readily available to most Americans today. And a lot of us indulge.

We Have Met the Enemy - Self Control in an Age of Excess by Daniel Akst is not the self-help book I expected it to be. It's not full of advice and suggestions to making the "smart choices" when it comes to this world of excess that we live in, but rather an often in-depth review of many, many studies and experiments done by scholars, theorists, and philosophers in history.

One of the chapters that really got me thinking was "The Marshmellow Test". Walter Mischel, a European born and New York raised psychologist began his study in Trinidad and later brought them to the US. "The Marshmellow" asked children to choose their treat- one now or two if they waited a couple of days. As you can imagine, most children would choose the candy reward now- immediate indulgence wins out of patience in the case of most children, I think. What I found interesting, however, is that Mischel's study concluded that the children more likely to choose the immediate rewards were the child less likely to believe that the later reward would ever be given out. Why risk losing out when you can enjoy now? It's this general idea that we all bring into adulthood that creates this need for instant gratification. The question is- if this is ingrained in us from childhood, is there anything we can do about it? Honestly the book isn't about helping you overcome this. Instead, it leaves you reflecting the scenarios that are relatable to your own life and makes you think of what you can do to change it, without making unreasonable suggestions as to how. "Don't Eat The Marshmellow" was put on the t-shirts of a Philadelphia Charter school to encourage the kids- sometimes it's OK to hold out for something better. Sometimes reflection and encouragement is enough.

In the chapter "Self-Control, Free Will, and Other Oxymorons" the author review studies that asks the question- is there really such a thing as Free Will? One study showed that students who were put in a room where there was a subtle smell of orange cleaners were more likely to clean up after themselves (after being given a snack) then students who were put in a similar room without the cleaner smell. When I read and really thought about the idea that I am controlled largely by my surroundings I realized this is, in fact, very very true. At least for me. When my work space is messy I find that my mind can be scattered and I am more distracted. When there is organization, however, I find that I am more focused on my work and my productivity increases greatly. I am a bit of a slob- allowing my surroundings to influence my mood, thoughts, and productivity is a challenge that I deal with every day. Again, Mr. Akst doesn't get into how to solve this inner dilemma but rather gives the readers the ability to think and analyze for themselves.

Overall I really enjoyed this book. I was not familiar with most of the people mentioned in the book though I was familiar with a couple of the studies mentioned within. You don't really need to know who the author is talking about in We Have Met the Enemy in order to understand what it all means. This is a thinking book and almost requires you to self-analyze in order to get the full message. Since this is the New Year and eating better and being healthy is a common resolution among Americans this may be a good book to pick up right now. It may help you realize what your real obstacles are and give you the chance to think for yourself- which, really, is the best beginning to a healthier life!

In a nutshell, this is not a self-help book, it's a self-education and self-thinking book. Far more effective for a lot of people, I would think!

About the Author

Daniel Akst has written for the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, the Los Angeles Times, Slate, and many other publications. His previous books include Wonder Boy, which chronicled the wondrous financial fraud he had a hand in exposing, and the novels St. Burt's Obituary and The Webster Chronicle. He lives with his wife and sons in New York's bucolic Hudson valley, generally a good place to hide from temptations.

I'd like to thank TLC Book Tours for allowing me the opportunity to review this wonderful book!

BUY IT!

We Have Met the Enemy - Self Control in an Age of Excess by Daniel Akst is available for $17.79 for the hardcover version or $12.99 for the Kindle Edition.

WIN IT!

The publisher is offering a free copy of We Have Met the Enemy by Daniel Akst! This is a wonderful book, a great start to making yourself really think about how YOU can create a healthier life for yourself.

This is going to be a very easy entry. Just comment with why you would like to win this book as the mandatory entry.

For additional entries follow my blog publicly via Google Friend Connect and Tweet about this giveaway (1 entry each)

Two additional entries for following TLC Book Tours on Facebook.

This giveaway will end on February 10th at 10PM Mountain Time and is available to my readers in the US and Canada. Thank you for entering and good luck!

Green Giveaway January Linky

2011-01-24T06:00:00.000-08:00

Hey readers! I have decided to change up things with the Green Giveaway Monday linky. Instead of doing a weekly linky I am changing this to a monthly linky. I just don't feel like there will be enough interest to do it weekly. I think a Month linky will be larger and more valuable to readers. I will still post it every Monday, but instead of posting a new linky every week I will pos tthe same linky throughout the month, and I will still be calling it Green Giveaway Monday.

The Rules:

1) Giveaway prizes, company, or blog must be eco-friendly or green in some way. Use your own judgement on this! For the record, I consider most Etsy shops to be eco-friendly because it promotes small businesses and encourage you to list your Etsy giveaways!

2) Add you link in this format: Blog Name- Giveaway Prize (Date Giveaway Ends). So mine will look like this: Eco-Friendly and Frugal- EcoSMART Safe Home Bundle Giveaway (7/1)

3) It would be great if you would show support for your fellow Green bloggers by looking at and entering giveaways that interest you or following the blogs you enjoy.

4) It would be great but not a requirement if you would post about this Linky along with the Green Giveaway Button somewhere on your blog, either in a sidebar or on a post mentioning that you linked up. You can also post the linky itself on your blog! Just click the "Get Code" button below the linky for the cose.

5) It would also be great if you would Tweet or make a Facebook update about the Linky, but that's also not required.