Hey everyone!!!
I just came across this new alternative building method for earth-sheltered homes. And it's pretty impressive. According to the website, the materials used, polyester fibers and PET resins, are non-toxic. If this is true, this new technology may surpass Reynold's earthship idea... well, at least in durability. Reynold's recycling and indoor garden ideas are still #1 in my book.
There are many ways to travel on a budget. One such way is to drive to your destination. Driving is especially cost-effective if you are traveling with 2 or more people. One, you can share expenses… something you wouldn’t do if you were flying. And two, if you’re vacationing with your partner and/or children, driving will save you from having to buy 2 or more airplane tickets. The best part about driving is the sense of freedom and adventure you get as one scene after another passes by.
If you are planning a road trip, here are few tips on how to keep costs down…
Wishing you a safe and happy journey!!!
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Hi everyone!!!
I am finally putting up my photo blog link, something I promised to do a few weeks ago. Sorry it has taken me so long, but I wanted it to be just right. And today, I finally got it to that desired point.
The plog is based on simplicity, healthy eating, exercise, outdoor activities, beautiful landscapes, traveling, and enjoying life with the ones you love. I created it for the times I don’t want to read long essays but still want inspiration. So, if you ever find yourself in the same mood, please visit my plog.
I’ve collected all types of images, recipes, quotes and short videos from around the internet. From snow-capped mountains to hula-hoop dancing on the beach, you’ll find the plog pretty diverse. Here is the link: Simple and Natural Living. For easier access, I’ve also put a link under the page name, PHOTO BLOG, which can be found at the top of this blog, underneath the title.
Hey everyone,
I’m back with some great gift ideas for friends and family. This list started out as a quick search for a mother’s day gift and turned into this long list of possibilities. I couldn’t believe how many wonderful green, natural and holistic gifts the internet had to offer. And of course, if you are not into buying products on-line or are looking for inexpensive ways to gift, a few of these ideas can be created at home. Seriously, I’m learning, the possibilities are endless. You can use recycled items, shop at your local farmer’s market, add in some yard-sale purchases, or even make a one-stop shop at your local thrift store. The sky is the limit. All that’s needed is some creativity. So, let’s begin…
Herbal Tea Garden $15
An organic vegetable, fruit, or herb seeds gift set… If you want to get creative, you can mix in some organic fruits with your seed packets. Need some ideas, check out Territorial Seed Company. This website has a gift basket with 16 vegetable seeds specifically chosen for their compact growth habit — perfect for urban dwellers and small property owners. There’s also Bambeco. They have 3 prettily packaged seed gift sets: Herbal Tea Garden Kit, Herbs for Wine Lovers Garden Kit, and Gourmet Salad Garden Kit. Before gifting seeds, make sure you consider what the giftee likes. Nothing worse than getting a packet of carrot seeds when you can’t stand the taste of carrots. Also consider the giftee’s location and garden size.
Home-made jam(s)… While traveling through Mora Valley in northern New Mexico last year, I happened upon this colorful weathered sign on the side of the road with red and black letters. And I thought: why not… A few minutes later, there I was, standing on a porch, in the middle of this incredibly beautiful valley of trees in autumn splendor, tasting, one-by-one, different versions of Grandma Joan’s Choke Cherry Jelly. What an experience! If I could, I’d packaged it up and gift it to all of my loved ones and friends. But unfortunately, I can’t. So instead I like making gift baskets with home-made jams bought in a store. I know, it’s not the same. But if you like making home-made jam, then next time you’re in the kitchen, elbow deep in boiling fruit, save a jar or two. You never know. It could be your next gift.
Piccadilly Willow Picnic Basket $39
A picnic kit… This kit can include a mini cutting board, cloth napkins, durable and reusable plates, glasses and utensils, cheese knife, picnic blanket, food container, corkscrew, picnic cooler tote, a picnic hamper/basket which can also double as gift wrapping. Amazon has a great collection for sale. If you want to give a gift that keeps on giving, add in some typical picnic munchies like potato chips, fruits, bread, crackers, cheese, and dried meats.
Organic MicroGreen Windowsill Garden $42.99
An organic window sill garden box… These boxes are designed to fit on window sills, allowing easy access to fresh herbs when cooking and making salads or sandwiches. Interested? Then, check out Eco Express’ Organic MicroGreen Windowsill Garden. But nothing says you have to go with a box. Window sill pots come in many shapes and sizes. Have you seen the ones in a mini tin can with a ring-pull? It looks like a small soda can. The first time I saw one, I mistook it for a can of fruit juice. Imagine my surprise…
Belmondo organic natural skincare travel gift set $64.94
An organic or natural traveling gift set… This gift is perfect for the person continuously on the road. It can include soaps, lotions, lip balms, bath salts, hand sanitizer, towelettes, as well as a wash cloth or loofah, first aid kit, eye mask, make-up brush set, toiletry/cosmetic bag, and ear plugs. This is great for the summer and winter holidays. Remember to shop for travel size bottles. For a sleek look, check out Body Politic’s Belmondo Organic, Natural Travel and Gift Set from Canada. It includes five Belmondo organic natural skin care products in airplane-friendly sizes complete with an organic cotton carrying case. And for $7.99, check out Ecotools’ Green, Clean, Go Travel Set on Amazon. It includes body wash, body lotion, body scrub, hand cream, and a nail brush. One percent of sales is donated to environmental organizations.
Gaiam’s Tree of Life Yoga Kit $56
A yoga gift set… Got a friend who’s in love with yoga or a cousin who wants to give it a try? Well, this would be a wonderful gift idea. And the great thing about it is you have a ton of options. Your gift set can include a deck of yoga cards, yoga mat, yoga mat carrier, yoga dvd, yoga book, yoga and/or meditation music, yoga magazine, yoga sandals, yoga blanket, meditation beads, candles for meditation and relaxation, incense sticks, no slip yoga socks, herbal caffeine-free teas, yoga mat wash, stainless steel water bottle, gift certificate to a local yoga school, hypoallergenic microfiber or yoga towel, yoga tote, or yoga mat bag. If you know the recipient well, you can also add yoga clothing, scarves, and hats. Gaiam, Share Yoga, Khataland are three websites that offer yoga gift sets.
Teeccino’s Chocolate Sweet Dreams Gift Basket $49.99
A tea gift set… I got this idea from a gift my aunt received from her employer during the winter holidays. I thought it was the cutest thing. All you need is a medium-sized container (a box, basket, tote, gift bag) and an assortment of teas (in boxes or bags). You can buy the teas from a store or use tea herbs growing in your backyard. If you want to go grander, you can add elevator music and typical western tea-party fare, such as scones, cucumber sandwiches, biscuits, Madeleine cookies, clotted cream, and fruit preserves. You can also give a book on Afternoon Tea. If the Afternoon Tea party theme doesn’t fit the giftee, don’t forget you can also go eastern with a Japanese tea ceremony gift set, a chai starter kit, or a Moroccan tea set. Check out Mighty Leaf for a Moroccan Tea set that includes loose Marrakesh mint green tea, Moroccan tea glasses, and a glass teapot. There’s seriously a lot of options in this category. Remember when gifting tea, it is wise to learn what type of teas the recipient drinks. For example, I rarely drink caffeinated teas for health reasons. Two companies with superbe tasting caffeine-free teas are Yogi and Teeccino (caffeine-free tea that tastes like coffee).
Well, there’s my list. I hope it gave you at least one great idea for your next gift purchase. Happy gifting!!! 
*Disclaimer: I am not affiliated with any of the stores listed above. I did not receive payment from any store in relation to this article. I do not recommend any of the products listed above except for Grandma Joan’s Choke Cherry Jelly, Teeccino, and Yogi teas. All products names and images were provided solely for ideas and inspiration. And lastly, I am not responsible for direct, indirect, incidental or consequential damages resulting from any defect, error or failure to perform.
Extreme simplicity, also known as minimalism, isn’t the path for everyone. It takes determination, strong will and understanding. What is it you want to accomplish? If you are doing it because it sounds cool, you probably won’t last long. If you are doing it because you want a change, you see a need, or you want a realization that can only come from simplifying your life, then you’ve come to the right spot.
The 9 ideas listed below are meant as food for thought. They may look impossible, but I can assure you, they are possible. Right now, there are people all around the world pursuing a minimalist lifestyle. Will you be the next?
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The French are great at throwing simple picnic gatherings. In Paris, it’s not uncommon to see groups of people lay out along the Seine, in front of the Eiffel Tower, at the Square du Vert-Galant, behind the Cathédrale de Notre-Dame, or in Bois de Vincennes. With a baguette, wedge of cheese and drink in front of them, they enjoy the simple pleasures of good food, great company and beautiful scenery.
I, personally, love simple picnics on the beach. And there’s nothing like an impromptu picnic on a road trip. Many interstate highways in America have rest-areas with lots of trees and picnic tables. Some even have mini museums, short walking trails, and bbq grills. So, it’s fun to stop at these rest-areas on a breezy day and relax with a loaf of bread, spinach leaves, fruits, nuts, seeds and a bottled drink.
When I want to do something different, I picnic with a theme in mind. One theme: The French Way.
Here’s what you’ll need to do a French-themed picnic:
You can add more French foods to your picnic basket like petit fours, crêpes, quiches, and chilled champagne. Or you can go with less. What’s important: stress-free fun! Happy picnicking!!!
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1. ReGift. There are many regift horror stories floating around out there. So, if you hesitate with this option, it is understandable. But consider this: Regifting does not mean you should give dusty, dirty, broken, or rancid items to others. The key to regifting is to give with respect and thought of the other. The same way you would hate to receive ill-flavoured chocolates is the same way others would feel. When you are regifting, consider that person’s interests. I once received used books on earth-sheltered homes and I absolutely loved them. Why? Because I have an interest in earth-sheltered homes. My friend’s gift to me showed that he actually listened while I talked. And he thought of who I am instead of who he wanted me to be.
So, if you receive a gift you cannot use, why not give it to someone who can? This saves you money and time. It’s conscious spending at its best. If you were to throw away the gift, the energy used to get it to you [growing the ingredients, shipping the ingredients to the manufacture, manufacturing the finished product, shipping the finished product to a store, someone driving to the store to buy the product, and someone driving so that you can receive your gift] would be wasted.
2. Go with Shopping Lists. Let’s face it, temptation is everywhere — on the TV and internet, in the stores and the houses we visit, and even on the street. There will always be something more beautiful or more advanced than what you already have. Accept this. And the next time you enter a store, on-line or off-line, enter with a detailed shopping list and a sincere intention to stick to it. It’s the best way to control impulse purchases.
3. Go for Quality. There’s nothing more aggravating than a product that only lasts a day or one use. So consider the quality of a product as much as the price when you are shopping. Sometimes, investing in products that last a lifetime is more efficient than buying products that continuously have to be replaced.
3. Go Green. If you are going to spend, why not spend in a way that helps save the planet? There are many ways do this.
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Getting your children to understand and enjoy simple or minimal living is not an easy feat, especially in today’s consumerist environment. However, it is possible. And one way to get there is to give your children projects and presentations to do. This method requires that your children research ideas and then, process them. Instead of forcing your children to agree with your opinions, you are educating them.
I remember when I was a kid, my mom used to come up with creative ideas that my brother, cousins, and I could do to make sure we did not spend the entire summer in unintelligent activity. One summer she paid us several cents for each book we read and wrote a report on. Of course we all were excited at the prospect of making money. It meant more ice cream from the ice cream truck. Unfortunately, it did not last long. I had a cousin who was a speed reader and he quickly divested my mom of her extra money. But the dye was set. That summer, I learned to love reading and I have continued to love it to this day.
My mom’s idea was an ingenious way to get us kids reading when we would have rather been playing. And this is my inspiration for this article. I welcome you to tweak my mom’s idea even more, so that it best fits you, your children and your situation. For example, you do not need to pay your kids money to do projects. You can offer them a different incentive, like a picnic, skating in the park, a day at the beach or their favorite home-cooked meal.
The point is: there are many ways to go about this teaching method. Be creative. Think outside the box. And most importantly, have fun. Laugh! Smile! Bring fun back into learning. 
Let’s begin…
(If you are a minimalist, change “simple living” to “minimal living”. )
Poonsap / FreeDigitalPhotos.net
1. What does simple living mean to you? Ask your children to research what simple living means and then write a short essay on it. If you haven’t simplified your life yet, this is a great way to introduce your children to the idea.
2. What are the different ways a parent can live simply? This can be a fun and thought-provoking project for both parents and kids. Your kids will enjoy following you around and critiquing you. This will allow them to feel like they too, have a say in this life-changing decision. And parents… You will get to hear not only your kids opinions on you, but also on what simple living means from a kid’s point-of-view. This can be a powerful exercise because kids do say the darndest thing.
3. What are the different ways kids can live simply? This is another powerful exercise for your children. Have your children create an illustrative presentation on this topic. It can be as simple as gluing pictures to a board or as difficult as a PowerPoint presentation. The point here is to get your children to understand simple living from personal and practical perspective.
4. How does simple living affect the environment? This topic is important for tying simple living to green living. It can be presented as an essay, a speech, an informative short film, or a PowerPoint presentation. If you have older children, I recommend that the presentation be done digitally. This will add one more educational tool to the mix.
5. In what ways does and should simple living affect life at home? This is an easy topic. It will require some research and processing from your children. But the presentation can be as simple as a conversation with you.
6. What benefits do parents receive from simple living? This topic will force your children to think from a parent’s point-of-view. You can make the project even more interesting by turning it into parent-child role reversal exercise. There’s a lot of opportunity for laughter with this one.
imagerymajestic / FreeDigitalPhotos.net
7. What benefits do children receive from simple living? Let’s face it: we all want to know what’s in it for us. And kids are not an exception. With this project, your kids will need to interview you. The interview should be about what you think a simple lifestyle would mean for your kids, what you think will be different, and what you think will remain the same.
8. Name and describe simple living concepts. This project can be as basic as outlining general beliefs of people who practice a simple lifestyle. Or it can be as complex as collecting stories of what simple practitioners are doing around the world to make a positive difference. Interviews can be included in the presentation. And if you choose this topic for an older kid, a short docu-film would be a creative and inspirational way to present this information.
9. Name the advantages and disadvantages to simple living. This essay topic would be a great way to teach your children both sides to a movement. As we all know, there are advantages and disadvantages to every decision. Seeing both sides from a child’s point-of-view can also be educational for you.
10. If God were to talk to you, what would he or she say about simple living? This idea is inspired by the book, Conversations with God. If you do not believe in God, you can substitute “God” with “Universal Consciousness” or “your high-self”. The point is to get your children to think from an above or 3rd person perspective. For those that are open to this type of research, you’ll find that this is a freer method of thinking and learning. All the things that influence your opinion on Earth can be forgotten for that short moment. Toys no longer matter, nor do trips to the playground. This is a great way to begin teaching your children how to think outside of the box, from a higher-self standpoint and unbiasedly. You can present this topic in a variety of ways – as an essay, short video, play, fictional book, song…
11. If Mother Earth were to talk to you, what would she say about simple living? This is similar to the topic above. And like the topic above, you can present this in a variety of ways. I recommend something visual since Mother Earth is so beautiful. This would be the perfect opportunity to take your children on a field trip outdoors. You can even have them take photos of the various moments that inspired them throughout the day. These photos can be added to their presentation or essay.
12. How is green living related to simple living? What do these two movements have in common? This is a great way to get your children to tie the two movements together in their heads.
Naypong / FreeDigitalPhotos.net
13. Draw and design a house that fits the concepts of simple or green living — exterior and/or interior. This is a creative project for kids interested in design, architecture, engineering, or construction. The older the kid, the more you should expect from him. This can be a very detailed and innovative project. For example, you can request a 3-D mock-up, house plan, brochure, video commercial, and/or informational booklet. At the end of the presentation, you should be allowed to ask questions on key elements. Who knows, this project may inspire the answer to our country’s architectural woes.
14. Design a clothing line that fits the concepts of simple living. This can be really fun. So, tell your children to be crazy and create something that will make them smile.
15. Write a letter to a congressman about simple living. If you want to teach your children about their role in politics, this is a great way to start. Who knows, this letter may inspire your congressman to make a positive difference or it may inspire your own children to become politicians in the future.
16. Create and design new technologies that can help the environment, like an alternative to solar and wind power. This project is perfect for creative kids who are interested in engineering, computer technology, and futuristic concepts. There’s nothing like getting your child to think like an inventor early on.
17. Design programs and solutions that can be implemented by businesses, governments or the public to foster interest in simple living. This can be as basic as naming 5 solutions in an essay format. Or it can be as detailed as writing a business proposal which would include a mission statement and sections on values, overall issues, goals, strategies to reach those goals and financial planning. This topic would be a wonderful way to introduce your children to entrepreneurship.
18. Create and design a video game based off of the concepts of simple, green, or organic living. This topic is for the kids that eat and sleep video games. It’s a great way to tie something they really love to do to something that’s educational in nature.
19. Create a play that discusses simple living under a genre (suspense, mystery, drama, romance or inspirational). This can be an entertaining way for the whole family to spend time together. A lot of bonding can happen during a project like this.
20. Write a short book or story that discusses simple living under a genre (suspense, mystery, romance or inspirational). This is straightforward. If you have young tots who can read and write sentences, keep in mind they too can tackle this project.
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21. Develop a new philosophy and movement that focuses on healing the environment. This topic strays away from simple living, but at the same time it can emphasize the need for more simplicity on earth. This can be presented in an essay or professional proposal format.
22. Develop a new philosophy and movement that focuses on personal well-being. Like the topic above, this presentation has the potential to be very thought-provoking and inspirational.
If you want to share an idea or story with us, please do so by leaving a comment below.
Revised: May 22, 2013
Kids are naturally simple beings. You witness this when their tiny faces light up as they are thrown in the air and dangled down by their feet, when they are allowed to go to the pool, when mom and dad take them to the beach to make angels and castles in the sand, or when grandma and grandpa come into town with grandma’s famous cookies and grandpa’s teddy bear hugs. You can also see it when they scream in excitement as they chase each other around a tree. When was the last time you enjoyed a chase around a tree?
I remember loving the homemade fruit popsicle my mom used to make when I was a kid. She used to make them in an ice tray. I never cared whether it was store-bought or brand-named. All I cared about was: it was sweet and cold — the perfect snack on a hot summer day.
Kids really are simple creatures until we bombard them with material objects and the idea that they need more stuff to be happy and cool-looking. This is why it is best and easier if you start your kids down the simple and natural path when they are young. This way you will not have years of developed materialism to fight. But whether you are starting early or late here are 10 ways you can begin nurturing simple and nature-loving kids:
There are many options available to parents. Be creative, talk to other simple, minimal and green living parents, and search the free ads and magazines found in libraries and supermarkets. The key is to have fun and enjoy being in the presence of each other while educating your kids on the importance of simple living. Wishing you lots of smiles and laughter!
