A Dose of the Delightful

Happy Earth Day! 5 Small, Everyday Ways to Make an Impact

Watering (A Life Into Itself) print by Budi Satria Kwan, available on Society6

If you’ve been visiting here long, you probably know that our family is preeeeeeetty big on Lord of the Rings. So, fair warning – nerd references abound in this post!

“What can men do against such reckless hate?” This was the excerpt from Lord of the Rings that popped into my brother’s head after we learned about the tragic events surrounding the Boston Marathon.

It’s true – it’s sometimes hard not to succumb to that nagging thought, that occasional idea that maybe we can't really do all that much to combat the negativity and violence that can sometimes seem so pervasive in our world. 

In searching for an answer to this question, originally posed by King Theoden when faced with an increasingly grim outlook on an impending battle, I thought of something Gandalf says to Galadriel in The Hobbit:

“Saruman believes it is only great power that can hold evil in check, but that is not what I have found. I found it is the small everyday deeds of ordinary folk that keep the darkness at bay. Small acts of kindness and love.”

I can’t think of a message more appropriate for Earth Day. It can be easy to sometimes think to ourselves, “What difference will it really make for little me to do this one thing?” I believe it truly makes a world of difference. Small acts add up fast, and in honor of that idea, I wanted to share five little things we can all do to be kinder to Earth on a daily basis. 

Try doing one, a few, or all of these for a few weeks, and you’ll be astounded at how many times you have a chance to not contribute to the ever-growing waste stream, as well as how very easy it is to change your routine & develop them as habits. They’re not novel or ingenious, but rather quick reminders of how simple it can be to make a change for the better. 

1. Refuse a bag, plastic or otherwise, whenever you’re offered one. Most of the time, it’s just as easy (if not easier) to carry something in your hands or put it in your handbag or work bag as it is to carry it in a bag. Before accepting a bag, ask yourself if you can carry it or stow it elsewhere. Plus, there are so many more appealing ways to carry stuff around if you're planning a bigger shopping trip. Baggu is my favorite source for super stylish reusable bags. 
2. Change your coffee routine.  If you don’t want to carry your own coffee mug around (I understand there’s certainly a limit to how much we want to tote with us on a daily basis), there are still plenty of things you can do to cut down on the daily waste that cups from the morning caffeine fix. Skip the sleeve and bring your own (tons of options on Etsy), skip the stirrer stick if you’re only adding milk, and don’t opt for a splash stick unless you anticipate a bumpy journey.
3. Carry a water bottle, especially when traveling.  I prefer glass options these days – they don’t leach strange metallic or plastic-y tastes (or anything strange chemicals), plus they’re completely recyclable if they ever break or you grow tired of them. I have a Lifefactory bottle currently, but I’ve been eyeing these BKR bottles for quite some time. For some reason, I used to carry a water bottle around daily without ever thinking of taking one to the airport – but that’s an ideal place to bring them, especially considering that’s one of the only places I now ever buy bottled water.
4. Choose compostable/biodegradeable garbage and produce bags. Regular plastic bags take hundreds and hundreds of years to break down, if they ever do, and even then, they don’t biodegrade. Instead of getting broken down naturally by microbes and being reused by our environment, they simply get broken down into smaller and smaller bits of plastic that gunk up the ecosystem and food chain. Exhibit A: the Great Pacific Garbage Patch.
5. Choose personal care products without petrochemicals or plastics.  We use these products every single day, sometimes multiple times per day, for a lifetime. Luckily, there are tons and tons of options out there, now even in regular grocery stores and drugstores, that don’t include petrochemicals. Examples of these ingredients are petroleum jelly, mineral oil, paraffin, propylene glycol, acetone, all phthalates (often disguised as ‘fragrance’ or ‘parfum’), toluene, isopropyl alcohol…the list goes on. Obviously, petrochemicals come from crude petroleum, a nonrenewable resource. Plus, there have been quite a few reports & studies about them being bad for sking & causing premature aging.

I hope you'll consider trying out some of these small, everyday acts of kindness to our one & only Earth!

Remembering Why I Created This Blog

Today is a tough day. The toughest. Today marks two years since my sweet baby brother passed away at the age of 12 after a short but incredibly grueling battle with leukemia.

Jonathan is the reason why A Dose of the Delightful exists. And while this blog doesn't often spend time on serious issues, it means so much more to me than just fun crafts and pretty pictures.

Though he was half my age, Jonathan taught me more than I ever taught him, just by virtue of being himself. He was always the type of child who thought of others before himself. I remember that on his 8th birthday, just a month after Hurricane Katrina devastated New Orleans and other parts of the Gulf Coast, he told my parents that he didn’t want presents for his birthday party. Instead, he asked that his friends and family donate money to aid victims of the disaster. And during his illness, he commented that although having leukemia was no picnic, many others were dealing with worse problems than his. He remarked that one day he might want to be a doctor or nurse, so he could help kids who were going through what he was.

The one time Jonathan expressed dismay at the situation, he commented to my mother, “I wish this had never happened.” That is a wish that I, and the rest of my familiy, will never be able to let go of. It is a terrible feeling to wish with all your heart that something had never happened. I am reminded of a conversation in The Fellowship of the Ring, which Jonathan, my brother Paul and I watched each year together:

Frodo confides in Gandalf: “I wish the ring had never come to me. I wish none of this had happened."

Gandalf replies: “So do all who live to see such times. But that is not for them to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given to us."

That is the message my brother Jonathan has left with me, and that I will carry throughout my life. In his short time here, Jonathan spent every moment he had pursuing what interested him, excited him, and made him a wonderful person. He was never found sitting in front of the TV unless he was ‘traveling’ to another country while watching Globetrekker or the Travel Channel. The sounds of his clarinet and piano were familiar music around our house. During the summer, he was found perfecting his pencil dive in our backyard pool. Jonathan was intentional about doing what he loved, and he has helped me to embrace the time I’m given in the same way he did.

During Jonathan's illness, I turned to things I had been passionate about as a child and in high school, but had let go of in college and never picked up since. I would often sit next to his hospital bed, working on something special I wanted to give him for his 13th birthday - a set of pillowcases embroidered with the musical instruments he played: clarinet and piano. My method of embroidery is to draw what I'd like to embroider on tracing paper, then pin it or use sticky spray to adhere it to the embroidery surface. I'd already finished the clarinet part of one pillowcase, but wanted to add musical notes from Jonathan's favorite song to play. One day, as I sat next to Jonny and drew a succession of musical notes, I stopped to show him the pillowcase I'd be adding the notes to. He admired the green outlines of a clarinet I'd created, exclaiming, "Wow - you're really good at that!" He shared how difficult he'd thought it was when, for a class project, they'd all had to cross stitch a pillow. His sweet compliment really made me stop and think to myself "I do enjoy this, and I'm not half bad at it. Why don't I do it more?"

I started thinking about all of the things I used to do that I'd just dropped because life was too busy. I realized that the fact of the matter is, you have to make time to do the things you love until the day you're lucky enough to do those things for a living. What was I going to get more satisfaction out of - coming home from work and vegging on the couch? Or coming home and working on a project I wanted to do? The answer was obvious.

I had simply forgotten/pushed aside how things like drawing, embroidery, sewing, and DIY projects really made my heart sing. The incredible way I feel when doing these things, and admiring my own handiwork after, is absolute confirmation that these pursuits are a big part of what makes me me.

I started this blog purely for me, as a way to document my evening and weekend creative pursuits. The fact that people actually want to read it is an unexpected, but incredibly appreciated cherry on top. And the warm fuzzy feeling I get when someone tells me I've helped them in some way, caused them to think, encouraged them to try a craft - well, that's truly unparalleled. Who knows - there may be a time when I get to spend my days doing this stuff all day long!

Now and always, I'm thankful to my brother for showing me that life's not much unless you actively pursue what you love. If you don't know what that is yet, make a real effort to find out. It's only by being the best version of ourselves - the truest version, not what we think we should be - that we find genuine happiness and success. I'm not quite there yet, but every day I feel closer and closer to it. 

How She Does It: Kate McGregor, Owner of Eco-Friendly Boutique Kaight

Kaight is one of my favorite shops in the nabe (the Lower East Side), and it only stocks ethically-made, planet-friendly items to boot. Kaight has become one of the most recognized boutiques in the green community; founder Kate McGregor was nice enough to answer a short Q + A! Read on to find out more about Kate and check out my picks from this eco-chic boutique.

 

Hometown:

Springfield, Ohio.

Resident of:
I live in the Greenpoint neighborhood of Brooklyn.

How did you first become interesting in sustainable, environmentally conscious living?
I’ve been pretty environmentally conscious since I was a teenager, but I really became interested in sustainable fashion/design about 6-7 years ago.

Who are your role models?
My mom.

Fave restaurant in NYC?
Too many to name!

Best book you’ve read lately?
Rules of Civility by Amor Towles

Currently playing on your stereo or turntable?
INXS, Ellie Goulding, The Beatles

Do you have a DIY or décor tip?  
You can make a room look really polished and put together if your art – this includes posters, prints, etc. – is framed well. There are plenty of places to buy the materials to do it yourself. It’s also worth the investment to have things professionally framed. It’s a relatively easy and inexpensive way to update a room or space.

What’s the most memorable trip among your travels?
Probably the first time I went to Paris. I was 17 years old and I walked around the city for 4 days. I was in heaven. 

What gave you the courage/inspiration to start your own business, and help you weather recent tough economic times?
Family and a firm belief in what I was/am doing. 

For those that are interested in living more sustainably but don’t know where to begin, what advice would you offer?
I think people should focus on areas of their life that are most important to them; then the transition will happen naturally. 

You’ve got to be incredibly busy running two successful stores and being a wife and mother. What’s one thing you make sure to carve out time to do for yourself?
Read.  I try to set aside time each day – even if it is just on the train – to read something interesting and that is not pop-culture/fashion related.  

Clockwise from top left: 
1. Coco Mariniere by Wool & the Gang Made from pesticide-free cotton.
2.  IX Necklace by DLC Made from vintage deadstock pieces, rescued from shuttered jewelry factories. This piece also does double duty as a triple-wrap bracelet!
3. Certified Organic Honey & Mint Lip Balm by Apple & Bee I try and only put things on my skin that I'm comfortable having absorbed into my bloodstream. The balm tin is free of synthetics and pesticides.
4. September Charm Polish by Priti NYC These polishes are not only 3-free (no DBP, toluene, or formaldehyde) but is also is free of petrochemicals and mostly plant-derived.
5. Polish Remover by Priti NYC This remover is soy-based - no more worrying about inhaling gross fumes!
6. Recycled Duck Cotton Bag by Baggu I have a major love affair with Baggu; their canvas products are all made with recycled materials, and their nylon bags are a fantastic way to skip plastic.
7. Liberty Sandal in Pink by Melissa Melissa shoes are made from non-toxic plastic that has been recycled and is recyclable - imagine throwing your old shoes in the recycling bin!
8.  High-Waisted Linen Shorts by Samantha Pleet Made using eco-friendly materials & processing.

How She Does It: HAVEN Cleaning Products Founder Kayce Thompson-Russ

I'm a huge admirer of new cleaning products line Haven; on the inside, they're filled with powerful yet benign cleaning ingredients, and on the outside, they've got some seriously well-designed packaging. Haven was just featured in New York magazine's Best Bets, so I know I'm not the only one looking for eco-friendly products that mean serious business when it comes to cleaning up. Kayce's delightful concoctions bust dirt & grime with 100% safe, natural ingredients like baking soda, castile soap, citric acid, witch hazel, and vegetable glycerin.

This special How She Does It offers a look into Kayce's inspirations, motivations, and mission to make cleaning products truly clean. 

You come from a family of farmers who spent their lives growing whole ingredients and sharing them with the community, and you grew up watching them lead sustainable, natural lives. What’s the biggest lesson they taught you, and how does it fit into what you do every day at Haven?

The biggest lesson they taught me was that the most important and meaningful parts of life are the relationships you build with others through kind, selfless acts. They're really the reason why I'm so connected to the idea of home. Home is about so much more than personal possessions, it's a fundamentally important feeling. It's a space where you're most comfortable and most like yourself because it's carefully filled with the people and things you love. That's why it was important to me to create products that honored the safety of this space by caring for it with natural ingredients and making it easy to lighten the environmental footprint your home leaves behind.

Haven's Clean House Starter Kit includes All Purpose Cleaner, Air & Linen Spray, Furniture Polish, Hand + Dish Soap, Scrub, Canvas Cleaning Tote, and Pop Up Sponges

Though many self-described green products are better than their mainstream counterparts, they still leave much to be desired ingredient-wise. What does Haven leave out that others might be frustrated to find other ‘green’ products leave in?

While I respect chemistry for lots of reasons, I feel that the synthetically produced versions of the natural ingredients we've been using for thousands of years, like soap, are unnecessary. It's much cheaper to put irritating synthetic soap (like Sodium Lauryl Sulfate and its variations) in a product than to buy the organic natural oils and saponify them. Although we've been making it the natural way for so long and know that the resulting product doesn't hurt us at all, we're finding that the longterm effects of constant exposure to synthetics are wreaking havoc on our health.

Another major problem is the use of synthetic fragrance. While reading "fragrance" as an ingredient can seem benign, loose labeling regulations allow this one little ingredient to hide lots and lots of other secret, petroleum-derived ingredients that can trigger asthma, allergies and skin sensitivities, as well as pose serious cancer risks. Several "green" brands use synthetic fragrances and the most common complaint I hear from people who are adopting Haven products are past woes related to overpowering chemical scents that caused severe irritations.

 My hope is that I can not only provide people with incredibly natural products but help them learn to identify and avoid potentially hazardous ingredients on their own.

Happy Earth Week - The Party Continues Here!

Last week got the better of me, and I didn't get to post anything as I'd planned - so even though Earth Day is technically from April 16 - 22, I'm extending the celebration! This week's posts will focus on what we can do to make our daily lives safer for both us and the planet. It's funny how those two things always go hand in hand!

Keep 'er classy, not trashy! You Stay Classy, Planet Earth print, available on Noodlehug

Check back this week for Q + As with women who started their own eco-friendly businesses: Kate McGregor of boutique Kaight, Alexandra Balahoutis of Strange Invisible perfumes, and Kayce Thompson-Russ of Haven cleaning products. I'll also post tips on simple ways to clean up your lifestyle, area by area.

Happy Earth Week!

Spring Greening: Make Sponges Last (& Stay Stink-Free)

I've been in spring cleaning mode for the past few weeks, and washing dishes is by far my least favorite household cleaning activity. I don't have a dishwasher, and the sink manages to be at just the right height to make doing it give me an instant backache. Plus, I tend to be a bit...particular, shall we say, about smells. My family might even go so far as to call me the smell Nazi. Anyway, the slightest whiff of a mildewy sponge completely grosses me out, but I hate throwing away something so often - it's just too wasteful for my wallet and the environment. Plus, a smelly sponge shouldn't be used to wash dishes - it means bacteria is present.

Luckily, keeping a sponge bacteria and stink-free is simple.

What you need: 1. The sponge in question (this is a Twist Biodegradeable Scrub Sponge) 2. Aura Cacia Tea Tree Essential Oil or scent of choice 3. Stock pot

All you need to do to keep a sponge like new is drop it in boiling water for a few minutes. Then fish it out with a slotted spoon or tongs and run it under cold water. Make sure you don't squeeze the sponge out with your bare hands even if it's cool on the outside, because very hot water is trapped inside (learned this one the hard way).

Other methods I've come across are dousing it in bleach (ick!) or popping it in the microwave while wet. I don't own a microwave, and the sponge could get dangerously hot, so I'll stick to doing it the old-fashioned way. 

The other thing that's great about sanitizing in water is that you can add a few drops of esential oil to make it smell delicious - I use tea tree, because it's also naturally antibacterial, but you can use whatever scent you like!

Here's to greener spring cleaning routines!

Currently Delighted By: These 6 Natural Grooming Products

One of my numerous resolutions for this year was to not only cut out products with ingredients I consider non-negotiables for both me and Earth, but also to make sure I find natural products I like just a much as the questionable ones I used to use.

I get pretty indignant when I think about the fact that super expensive luxury beauty products often share many of the same principal ingredients as drugstore varieties: cheap petroleum-derived fillers like mineral oil, petroleum, and paraffin (none of which I particularly want to slather onto my skin). In most cases, we just end up paying for their packaging and marketing, not for ingredients of true quality and purity.

There's been quite a bit of trial and error in my hunt for natural beauty goodies, but I actually own and use all 6 of these picks as part of my daily grooming.  

1. Organic Almond Lotion, Compagnie de Provence, $32. Nope, it's not cheap. But it smells subtle and fresh, is completely natural, and ultra-moisturizing. When I think about the fact that we absorb much of what we put on our skin, buying lotion that doesn't contain ingredients soaked with chemicals like pesticides & herbicides seems a little less frivolous. While there are plenty of inexpensive organic lotions out there, I like using this one as my occasional fancy indulgence. Plus, it comes in a sturdy brushed glass jar I intend to turn into a vase (or recycle).

2. Blossom Natural for Her Deodorant, Herban Cowboy, $6.66. I love what this deodorant doesn't contain: aluminum, triclosan, parabens, or petroleum products. Plus, it's been a struggle finding a natural deodorant that has a non-musky, granola-y scent. This one smells fresh and flowery. 

3. Honeysuckle Bath & Shower Gel, A La Maison de Provence, $7.46. This product is a perfect example of the idea that a product doesn't have to be labeled 'natural' or 'organic' to contain safer ingredients - the formula is actually a very old-fashioned one.This stuff smells so good it's unreal! I'd never seen it before but found it on a trip to Whole Foods. The ingredients couldn't be purer: coconut & olive oil, natural vegetable glycerin, argan oil, vitamin E, and natural fragrance from plants & essential oils. Another thing that sold me on this soap is that it lathers so well - lots of natural shampoos and soaps I've tried don't (because they don't have harsh sulfates), but this one accomplishes it through vegetable glycerin.

4. Sandalwood All Natural Lotion, Shikai, $7.99. Again, this stuff smells unbelievably delicious - Gardenia is another favorite of mine from Shikai. The ingredient list is simple; the lotion moisturizes better than many I've tried.

5. Moisturizing Lip Balm, Primavera, $18. Also not so cheap, but you're getting 95% organic ingredients - and because my lips tend to suck up moisture like a cactus, I want to make sure that what they absorb is wholesome. Subtle flavor and slick texture - not too goopy or liquidy.

6. Nudist Lipshine Stick in #3, W3LL PEOPLE, $23. This one is really like a lipstick. The texture is a bit sticky, so it stays on for hours, and one tube lasts and lasts. Ingredients are extremely high quality - there's not even a smidge of something remotely objectionable.

Read on for tips on how to clean up the inside of your bathroom cabinet!

A Pitch Perfect Picnic

Though I spent most of my teenage years in Tennessee, I have to admit I'm a Florida girl at heart. Once summer's here, I always wish it would never end! It's my absolute favorite season, even during sweltering heat waves.

What better way to enjoy summer than with a picnic that's perfect in every way?

This post originally appeared as part of a guest series on Wild & Precious.

 
1. J. Crew Vintage Schoolboy Shirt: Unfortunately, this shirt was so popular it's no longer available! I love how subtle this gingham is.

2. 40s Style High Waisted Shorts: Bless Etsy. I enjoy supporting independent shops when possible - how often do we have the luxury of handsewn, quality clothing anymore?

3. Daniblack Olsa Platform Sandal: The faux suede is made of recycled plastic bottles, and the raffia sole is renewable. 

4. Tiffin Tin: This traditional carrier for lunches or snacks originated in British India. I love that this stainless steel version can be used over and over again without worrying about wear and tear or leaching plastic.

5. Ikea Tekla Towel: At 79 cents (there are still things that only cost cents!) per towel, I buy these in bulk and use them as napkins and dish towels, then cleaning rags once they're dingy.

6. Reusable Sandwich Wrap: Cheaper, less wasteful, and easier to store than plastic baggies! And I can't resist old-fashioned gingham print.

7. Recycled Canvas Picnic Tarpaulin: Beat it up, spill on it, lay it over sand or dirt - it's made of vintage army canvas, so it's already seen a lot of action.

8. Belvoir Organic Lemonade: It's the perfect sweet, refreshing summer treat. Add a splash of champagne or vodka if you're feeling festive - that gorgeous package design deserves to be celebrated!

9. John Lewis Picnic Hamper: The classic picnic basket. 

10. Tivoli Portable Songbook: I don't know about you, but I consider good music an essential part of doing summer right!

11 & 12. Bambu Veneerware: These are much prettier & more durable than paper plates, plus they're certified organic and biodegradable/compostable.

13. Candle Lantern: When summer sun starts to fade into dusk, you can light these recycled glass lanterns and hang them from nearby branches or place them on the picnic mat.