Christmas Cards and Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas Eve!! Here are the Christmas cards that we sent out this year. We got mostly picture cards, especially since most of our friends have kids now. I actually really enjoy them because a lot of times they are from people we rarely see. 

Hope you have a very Merry Christmas, if you celebrate. 

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Made in the USA: Organic Cotton Swabs from Whole Foods

I was surprised to find that these organic cotton swabs from Whole Foods were made in the USA. This is something that my husband and I use every day. We use them obviously on our ears, but I also use them to take off my make up under my eyes. They are different then regular Q-Tips as the cotton is not as thick, but I still really like these. 

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New Blog Layout

Finally updated this little ol' blog of mine by switching up templates and tying to make it more streamlined and fresh. I am still trying to work out the kinks and figure out how to not make my pictures so big and losing picture quality. Who knows I may not update often because lets be honest I'm not too good at updating regularly, but I am trying to be more consistent. I just get caught up in work through the business and honestly just don't feel like it some times, but I do enjoy it. I have these mini series like, Made in the USA, that are challenging and fun to post plus it highlights some of my favorite items I use. I will TRY hard to take before and after pictures of my projects like organization. I have high hopes of doing a lot of things in the new year like I do every year, so we'll see. 

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Made in the USA: Tata Harper

I am loving Tata Harper Revitalizing Body Oil. It is one of my favorite oils out there right now. It smells amazing and feels great on my skin. I use it right after I get out of the shower and on occasion throughout the day. It is made right here in the USA, in Vermont. Some of my clients use it as well and seem to really like it. This would make a great Christmas gift and they have a subscription service where it is cheaper if you subscribe. 

This is not a sponsored post, but that would be awesome. 



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Pantry and Mudroom Organization

In early November I briefly organized a pantry and mudroom for someone who was doing an in room redesign. The interior designer called me up asking for help with some organization projects. 

This particular client we used only what they already had in their home. I do this for lot of clients, but many times also get new supplies needed if they are going for a particular aesthetic. 

As I have stated before, I am so bad at taking before and after pictures. I just usually get to work without even thinking of taking pictures. 

Below are some of the pictures I did take. I didn't get the pictures of the before pantry, but really wish I had because it was such a difference. 

Mud Room Before:

Mud Room After:

I put labels on the bins and on the shelves so they would know where items were. 

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Eco Product + Made in the USA: Deodorant

An eco product that I have been loving for some time now is Lafes deodorant. I have tried a TON of different eco deodorants through out the years and this is one that I feel last the longest and smells great too. Their products are free of  of SLS, VOCs, parabens, propylene glycol, synthetic preservatives, artificial fragrances and anything petroleum. 

You can find this product easily at Whole Foods and other health food stores usually. Plus, Lafes is based in Austin, TX, right up the road from Houston. 

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Made in the USA: Rifle Paper Co.

Looking at a lot of products I have, many of them are made in China. I wanted to start posting some upcoming post and a mini series of things that I like and use that are made in the USA. 

First up is Rifle Paper Co. I LOVE their stationery products and have been using them for years. I can't remember where I first started buying their products, but back when I first started buying them I couldn't find them hardly anywhere local in Houston. Now they are all over the place, which I love. Although, I try to be as eco as possible, paper is my eco vice. I send letters, write notes, and make to do list all the time. I am a very visual person and like to see things on paper. 

Rifle Paper Co has a black friday sale every year and usually I like to stock up on their products. I had so much leftover from last year, but still got plenty of goodies for myself and others this year. 

I think my favorite new thing of theirs is their floral and butterfly envelopes. I wish I would have bought more. They are absolutely beautiful and are a great quality paper. 

I have a friend that just moved from Winter Park, FL and lived right down the street from where they are located. She said they had some awesome sidewalk sales. 

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#GivingTuesday

I know I am posting this late, but I did want to acknowledge #GivingTuesday, the global day of giving. I love that there is a day to give back especially during a time of year where we are spending a lot of money and consuming a lot. There are many different ways you can give back, whether that is volunteering your time, donating items or giving money. There are tons and tons of different organizations out there. I support several Houston and national organizations throughout the year that I love and mean something to me. During this holiday season I am collecting toy/item donations from my neighborhood, friends and family for MD Anderson Children's Cancer Hospital. If you would like to see what they need feel free to view their wish list here: http://bit.ly/1doqyzZ

What organizations do you like to support?

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Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving!

This year has been a tough one for us. We have had 3 losses in the last five months, but we also added a sweet, new cousin this year. 

Appreciate and be grateful for all that you have. 

I am grateful for so many things, my husband, family, our sweet boy (our dog Rothko), friends, a house to live in, food in our bellies, etc, etc.

DSLR Camera Classes in Houston

Does anyone know of any classes in Houston on how to use a DSLR camera? Are there any other classes in Houston besides Leisure Learning? I am having a hard time finding a class here in Houston to create pictures that don't need a lot of editing and can be done through having the right camera settings, lenses, etc. ones like you see on blogs, magazines, etc. Yes I know most of those pictures are edited, but I also know you can create great pictures by using the camera settings. I recently got a new camera and have know idea how to use it and online forums that I have seen aren't very straight forward and easy to follow. 

Organizing for an Animal Shelter

Recently I organized various rooms for an animal shelter called K-9 Angels here in Houston. It is a no kill shelter and they have pet adoptions on Saturdays. The main goal was to help them organize the things they already have that they get from donations. We tried to use what they had on hand. I put some things in bins and labeled. Here are some before and afters. I hope to go back there soon to organize the other rooms. 

Before:

After:

 

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29 Ways to Stay Creative

I saw this info-graphic on the internet and loved it. I feel that I am creative and have a creative outlet through work, but sometimes it can just be hard. Often times things come to me as I am in the middle of doing something. These are some very basic things you can do and that can be helpful

Source: http://creattica.com/infographics/29-ways-to-stay-creative-infographic/91381 

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Eco Body Wash

Wow long time, no write on here. The only excuse that I have is that I have been super busy with work and my husband and I are buying a house that we close on, on Wednesday. After the dust settles with that for a little while I will definitely try to be more diligent about putting more posts up. I have several different posts I am working on from eco products to organization, etc. that I can hopefully get up in the next few months. 

For now, I wanted to share an eco body wash that I love. I have tried and tested MANY different kinds as some may smell great, they often don't feel great on my skin and have various chemicals in them that I wouldn't be happy with. Dr. Bronner's is the winner for me for now. I have used Dr. Bronner's castile soap for many years and just recently within the last year started using this body wash. Many of the eco/natural body washes that are available make my skin feel very sticky in the shower, Dr Bronner's does the same, but not as bad. I like that it suds up where as many eco body washes do not and it smells great. 

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