Every Day Is Earth Day: Week 17

"We shall require a substantially new manner of thinking if mankind is to survive. " 

-Albert Einstein 

Every Day Is Earth Day: Week 16

"On Spaceship Earth there are no passengers;

Everybody is a member of the crew.

We have moved into an age in which everybody's activities affect everybody else."

-Marshall McLuhan

Every Day Is Earth Day: Week 14

"It has to do with keeping things in balance.

                               It's like the spirits have made a deal with us. We're on our own.

  The spirits have been good enough to let us live here and use the utilities, and we're saying:

                                                            We know how nice you're being.

                             We appreciate the rain, we appreciate the sun, we appreciate the deer we took.

                                                          Sorry if we messed up anything.
                                          You've gone to a lot of trouble, and we'll try to be good guests."

-Barbara Kingsolver

Every Day Is Earth Day: Week 13

"They always say time changes things, but you actually have to change them yourself"

-Andy Warhol

Every Day Is Earth Day: Week 12

"There is hope if people will begin to awaken that spiritual part of themselves,

that heartfelt knowledge that we are caretakers of this planet."

-Brooke Medicine Eagle

Every Day Is Earth Day: Week 11

"We all moan and groan about the loss of the quality of life through the destruction of our ecology,
and yet every one of us, in our own little comfortable ways, contributes daily to that destruction.
It's time now to awaken in each one of us the respect and attention our beloved Mother deserves."

- Ed Asner, Actor

Every Day Is Earth Day: Week 10

“So many people spend their health gaining wealth,

and then have to spend their wealth to regain their health.”

-A. J. Reb Materi

Every Day Is Earth Day: Week 9

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"Just because you're not sick doesn't mean you're healthy"

A Tip for Tidy Toilets

"I grew up with six brothers.

That's how I learned to dance - waiting for the bathroom"

-Bob Hope

As much as I like to clean, cleaning toilet bowls is one of my least favorite chores.

Personally, I don't understand the people that spend a lot of time sitting on the toilet.
(Do you really want to finish your reading on a toilet bowl?!?
Finish your business and get outta there!)

Whether you spend a lot of time in the bathroom or pop in and pop out, everyone should have a clean toilet bowl.  You never know what might fall in there!

Here's a great tip to help keep your toilet bowls so fresh and so clean for a long long time.

Every Day Is Earth Day: Week 7

"I would feel more optimistic about a bright future for man

if he spent less time proving that he can outwit Nature

and more time tasting her sweetness and respecting her seniority"

-E.B. White

Every Day Is Earth Day: Week 5

"We have to shift our emphasis

from economic efficiency and materialism towards a sustainable quality of life

and to healing of our society, of our people and our ecological systems"

-Janet Holmes Court

Say Sayonara to Stinky Shoes: Sneaker Balls

"I did not have three thousand pairs of shoes.
 I had one thousand and sixty"

-Imelda Marcos

For the past year or so, I've noticed that my shoes stink!!!
I'm very sensitive to smells (or I should say odors), so it would drive me nuts when I would come home, take off my shoes, and my feet and socks would stink! GROSS!

I would wash my feet every night before going to bed... but the next day, my socks would still reek!


Say Hello to my Funky Friends:
Kate Spade, Pajar, Spyder, and Salvatore Ferragamo

 
* I have a habit of wearing shoes until they literally fall apart and cannot be worn anymore... many a times have my friends and family pleaded with me to throw out my shoes and get new ones. haha... *

I bought an odor-eating spray that I wasn't diligent with and tried sticking dryer sheets in my shoes~ They didn't work.
About a month ago, I discovered a product that has changed my smelly shoe dilemma forever!
SNEAKER BALLS!!!

Every Day Is Earth Day: Week 4

"Till now man has been up against Nature;

From now on he will be up against his own nature."

-Dennis Gabor

What's Cookin: The Epicurean Cutting Board

Lately, I've been cooking a lot more.

I usually don't cook too often because I find that it actually costs more and takes more time than it does to just eat out or order in.
( I end up spending sooo much money on groceries that I throw away. It also takes me foreeeeeever to peel garlic~ and I use LOTS of garlic.  Any tips for peeling garlic quickly without leaving my fingers all stinky?)

One product that makes my cooking experiences pleasureable is the Epicurean Cutting Board.
It looks almost like ceramic, but is made from an environment-friendly wood fiber.

Hangers: Get Your Closet Re-Organized

My friends all know my never-ending quest for a clean room.
Ever since I was a kid, my room could never stay clean for long.
When I was younger... I just didn't care.  Now that I'm older... I desperately desire a room that looks like a West Elm or Restoration Hardware catalog,  but that is something that I can never seem to achieve...

Aqua Globes

 

I have bought so many things from infomercials over the years.  Some of them have been pretty useful, but most have been a complete waste of money.

The newest thing I've bought that they've advertised on t.v. is the Aqua Globes.  I personally don't like the colors and wish they were just clear... but whatever~ it's purpose is to water plants, and it does the job.

Living the gypsy lifestyle, there are many times I don't come home to my apartment for days at a time. 
I do have a roommate... but for some reason, she hates plants.  When I went to Africa for almost a month, I requested that she not kill my plants.  She watered them ONCE while I was gone!!!
Luckily, I'm like the Jesus of plants and I was able to bring them back to life.  ;)

Since I felt bad that there are times when they don't get watered, I decided to try out the Aqua Globes.
I tried them... and I think they're great! No muss... no fuss... no dead plants!
They also come in mini sizes (which I'm going to get for my Orchids)

Aqua Globes are an attractive solution for automatic house-plant watering. The hand blown stained glass globes arefilled with water and inserted into the soil of houseplants dispensing water as the plant needs it. Aqua Globes are a great alternative to the daily chore of watering plants and an excellent choice for automatic watering while on vacation.

1.) Fill Aqua Globe with water
2.) Make a small hole in the soil with a pencil or stick
3.) Insert Aqua Globe into soil. As soil becomes dry, it releases oxygen into the Aqua Globe, which in turn releases the exact amount of water your plant needs.

So if you have house plants and flowers (I think everyone should have some in their homes) and aren't home a lot, forget to water them, over-water them (Guilty...), or are too lazy to water them... the Aqua Globes are perfect for you.

You can buy these at drugstores and online, but I bought them at Bed, Bath, and Beyond since you can get a 20% discount with the coupon. 
And if you think the "work of art" is ugly like I do, just hide it in the back of the plant so you can't see it! ;)

 *~ Have a Beautiful Day! ~*

Give the gift of Warmth!

Baby it's cold outside!!!  If you live on the East Coast, you know the winters here can be brutal.  Those that know me know I'm ALWAYS cold.  I hate blasting the heater and I hate being cold even more.  What is a girl to do to stay warm at home?  Turn down that thermostat and head over to Restoration Hardware and shop shop shop!

I discovered their Luxury Plush Foot Duvet's a few years ago.  That's a fancy way of saying they're slippers.  But not just any slippers. BLANKET SLIPPERS (Say WHAAAT?!?). Yes... Slippers that have down and furry softness inside.  I know. sounds warm, right?  Wait til you put these on.  They're sooooo warm, soft, and wonderful.  I have tons of them. I have probably bought over 20 pairs of these...  I love giving them as gifts 'cause I think Koreans have really bad circulation and our feet are really cold.... =T

Restoration Hardware also has Luxury Plush Throws (aka a Blanket).  But again... not just any blanket.  This is the best blanket you will ever buy... that costs less than $50.  It is the softest, thickest, warmest blanket that has brought me hours of comfort and joy.  I have tons of these too (I know I have a serious shopping problem. Help me~).  Blanket + My Couch= Evil Couch.... Once you're on it... you're not getting up and you WILL pass out really easily.  My friends can attest to this.

Sooo.. these make WONDERFUL gifts for the fabulous people in your life (Only the fabulous ones...  Mediocre people don't deserve such greatness) ... and especially for the most fabulous person in your life. YOU!

Best part... we're in a recession now so they've lowered the prices.  I bought them FULL PRICE ($20 and $59), which is a HUUUGE deal for me (Girl does not do retail)... and they were worth every pretty penny!

So stay warm ~ warm at home... warm at heart!

Retail Price:  Available in 7 colors

Slippers- $16  

Blanket- $39 

*~ Have a beautiful day~*

UPDATE: I just found out that it comes in a robe. The angels up above are singing and playing harps in these robes.  Gotta go get one. Peace out y'all!

Cleanliness is Fabulousness

Those of you that know me know I love to clean. Ironic because I am one of the messiest people you may meet.  I actually have a friend that will call me when she watches shows like "Hoarders" and other specials of people that are out of control ("Irene, I just saw this show and I thought of you.  You have to watch it so you don't become like them!")


Anyway, I may be messy... but I am NOT dirty.  I guess in everything, I like to make something better than it is (Hello.. MAKEOVER)  When I'm finished cleaning, I feel accomplished.  I like to see a sparkling sink that had been filthy 20 minutes ago.  Mold, Dust, Mildew BEGONE!  I especially love cleaning my guy friends' apartments~ they really are so much dirtier than girls.... which is why I have a greater sense of accomplishment when I'm finished.

There have been many a dirty bathrooms and kitchens I have cleaned in my life time.  I believe that over the years, I have come up with a good arsenal of cleaning products to get your house in spic and span order.  Here is my list:

1. Oreck Vacuum- I bought one a few years ago for hundreds of dollars... but it's sooo worth it.  I bought one of the XL ones that comes with a 10 year warranty.  If you break it, they'll fix it.  It's light. It gets the job done. It's great. They come in all different price ranges... and they're awesome. I think it's worth the investment to buy a good vacuum.

2. Scotch-Brite Dobie Cleaning Pad- This is my FAVORITE cleaning tool.  It is a yellow sponge encased in white mesh plastic netting.  It is FABULOUS at getting rid of stuck on items (Although make sure you soak your dirty dishes first!). It scours without scratching!  You know that gross moldy/watery mess thats left when you lift up your cup by the bathroom sink? GONE!  They come in sets of 2 or 3, are cheap, and last for a VERY long time.  BUY THESE SPONGES!

3. Mr. Clean Magic Eraser-  This stuff is amazing.  You don't use it on everything, but it gets rid of all kinds of nastiness that you never thought would disappear.  It really is magic!  I especially like to use this on chrome fixtures (sinks, shower) and it does a really good job of getting the yuckiness off the glass shower doors.  They don't last as long as I would like (although I use the original... I'm sure the newer ones are better), but you only need these for problem areas so they can last long.

4.  Disinfecting Wipes- I use both the Clorox (Fresh Scent) and Lysol (Spring Waterfall Scent)  They are the best.  Dirty toilet seat? Swipe.  Spilled Chicken liquids (YUCK)? Wipe. Broken Bright Blue Eyeshadow all over your bathroom floor?  It cleans it ALL!  I buy them by the bulk since you get a better deal and you'll always be able to use these.  I especially recommend these if you have children.  You need to disinfect, but you don't want to be spraying around chemicals everywhere....  As a former pre-school teacher... these babies are excellent germ killers

5.  Purex Laundry Detergent- I have been using Purex for years.  It's cheap, has great scents, and gets the job done.  Sometimes I mix it up with Tide and I usually put in some Borax or Oxy Clean... but it's my laundry staple.  And I only put in half a capful

***TIP*** Recently... I found that I had 2 hideously huge brown stains on the sleeve of my WHITE VERSACE coat!!! AGHHHHH!!!!  I washed it... it didn't go away.  I bleached it.... still there.  I tried soaking it in my dad's denture cleanser STAIN AWAY (so sad he has false teeth....) and OMG! It's not gone... but it's a hell of a lot lighter!!! Now it's only2 small beige stains   =)  Now I wouldn't recommend this to everyone because I don't want to be blamed for ruined clothing... but if you have something that is beyond repair and you've got nothing to lose... try it.

6. Club Soda- I'd HEARD about this tip for getting spills out since forever, but I don't drink Club Soda so I never got to experience the magic that is Club Soda until recently.  I am visiting little baby Mason with Susan.  Moona is cooking spaghetti with red meat sauce. I place the plate on the table.  Susan (WHO WAS SUPPOSED TO BE WATCHING MASON!) suddenly screams out "OH MY GOD!"   I turn around to see a huge plate of red spaghetti all over Moona's light gray carpet.  I kind of had a mini panic/heart attack inside but tried to hide it.  "DO YOU HAVE CLUB SODA?!?!" I scream in desperation.  I have never been so intent on getting a stain out.  After pouring 3 cans of club soda... Amazingly... there is no stain to be seen.  A cleaning Miracle!

7.  Net Cleaner- Ancient Korean Secret. We Asians come up with lots of nifty things.. this has to be one of the best.  Instead of cleaning with a gross bacteria magnet that is the sponge, many koreans use a medium sized netting that is soooo much better than a sponge.  It is more sanitary (since it dries faster), You don't need a lot of dishwashing liquid to make lots of bubbles, and it lasts a long time.  I stock up on these when I go to the Korean supermarket.  If you can find these at an Asian grocery store around you, I highly suggest you pick one up.  Oh... and most Asians don't use their dishwashers as more than a drying rack~ we do it by hand.  Confuses the heck out of my American friends.. but you should try it.  Do you know how much water is wasted in the dishwasher?!?!


So.... I hope I have introduced you to some new products that will make your house spic and span. And if not... Oh well... just tell yourself this:

"If the shelves are dusty and the pots don't shine, it's because I have better things to do with my time"