Green Clean

I am researching for an article for BostonGreenScene and looking for recipes for green cleaning products.

We have decided to go 100% green clean in our home for our health and the pups. Very excited. I am going to give away all my cleaning supplies and replace them with the basics like: Borax, Vinegar, Baking Soda, Washing Soda and of course essential oils. We are at like 60% right now, but I want to go the extra mile.

I will be posting recipes as well as tips in the next few weeks so stay tuned!

Babycakes: Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies!

If you missed it, Erin McKenna was on Martha last week. I must confess I haven’t made these cookies as of yet, BUT they look superb. I have a new love of vegan baking thanks to  Vegonomicon and their recipe for Vanilla Yogurt Pound Cake. Alas I need to bake more….

 

image from marthastewart.com

Ingredients

Makes 24 cookies

• 1 cup coconut oil, melted and cooled
• 6 tablespoons prepared unsweetened applesauce
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons pure vanilla extract
• 1 1/4 cups evaporated cane juice
• 2 cups Bob’s Red Mill gluten-free all-purpose baking flour
• 1/4 cup flax meal
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 1/2 teaspoons xanthan gum
• 1 cup vegan chocolate chips

Directions

1. Preheat oven with a rack set in the center to 325 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper; set aside.
2. In a medium bowl, mix together oil, applesauce, salt, vanilla, and evaporated cane juice. In another medium bowl, whisk together flour, flax meal, baking soda, and xanthan gum. Using a rubber spatula, add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture and stir until a grainy dough is formed. Gently fold in the chocolate chips just until they are evenly distributed throughout the dough.
3. Use a 2-inch ice cream scoop to make evenly sized dough pieces and place onto prepared baking sheets, 1 inch apart. Gently press down on each cookie with the heel of your hand. Transfer cookies to oven and bake until edges are crisp but cookie is still soft in the center, about 15 minutes, rotating baking sheets after 9 minutes.
4. Let cookies stand on baking sheets for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool. Cooled cookies may be kept in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

Mobiles for Baby Updated!

Penny pinching is a blast- yes I actually do enjoy it.

I was at the dollar store hunting for supplies for my lastest creative business venture and I spotted these awesome felt snowflake appliques.

 I thought hmm those might make a nice mobile for the baby’s room. I bought two packs and cut them apart a bit

Voila! A mobile was born. For 2$~

Refreshing Color

I take it back, I take it alllll back. I was very wrong. I LOVE the green slime nursery color which a second coat has turned into a fantastic hue of pearish green that makes my heart sing. Ok, maybe I am being  a little emotional about a color, but this is where my baby is going to live, so you have to give it to me.

And finally the pictures! Note the black rocking chair- a 25$ Good will transformation and the phenomenal twig lamp from pier one picked out by my dear husband.

Looking forward to your thoughts!

Green Slime Nursery

Its been a while, I apologize, with the impending arrival of the child we have been immersed in Christmas and Baby. What a combination.

We finally agreed upon a color for the nursery- Green. Not just any green, green with a hint of slime color. Like Nickelodeon color. Not sure what I think. Perhaps my pregnant vision is off, but I put a splash of it on the wall and it still looks like slime. My husband says no, but that we can meander back to Sherwin Williams and have them take the edge off, but I think its just going to make it worse.

In the mean time, we have or moreover my husband has painted the furniture a high gloss black and also purchased a beautiful lamp from Pier One. This child has the most expensive lamp in the house! Usually I go to Goodwill and spend under 10$ then buy a new shade, but this lamp was perfect!We paid a small fortune, but I am glad my husband picked it.

Everyone asks what our theme is. I am not a person of themes, especially cutesy, if I wanted baby animals I would have went out and bought another puppy or maybe a barnyard animal. We settled on black, green and muslin color. ( like an off white taupish)

We were on a severe budget with this one- as the bathroom is on hold- so we used some furniture we had, craigslisted a changing table ( 6$ as if needed a repair), Goodwilled a rocking chair and ottoman, I am planning on recovering etc. Frugal and green. We love it!

PICTURES TO FOLLOW SOON!

DIY: Snow Globe

Bored?  DIY Snow Globe. Check it out.

A new blog fav, Wicked Mint.

Mobiles for Baby

Tagurity Mobile

If you walk into Babies R Us it is filled to the literal ceilings with STUFF. Too much stuff if you ask my opinion. The one question I have is, did you save your mobile from your crib? Is it displayed from your chandiler? Or did your parents donate it to someone else and eventually it ended up in a landfill?

In any case, my husband and I have been frantically searching for a mobile for our little one. They provide visual stimulus and are nice to look at. I haven’t found any that weren’t littered with cutesy animals in pastel tones or strange shapes that were a bit to mod for my liking.

While reading one of my favorite blogs today I came across a delicate Frazier & Wing Mobile retails for a whopping 150$, little to0 much for my budget. However, a savy blogger,  Tagurity has developed a DIY version with recycled

paper. Check it out!

I was planning on buying some interesting not too Xmasy ornaments and making my own. I will be sure to keep you posted!  I am loving these little doves at Crate & Barrel.