DIY: Turn Boring Organic Panties Into Cuties!

I love panties... a long long time ago before I knew about slave made fashion I would buy new panties rather then drag my giant dirty clothes bag to the skanky crowded laundry mat in NYC. One of my favorite pairs was a "days of the week" pantie called "foxy friday" with a little red fox running across. Those days (and panties) are long gone - but my love for a foxy pair of skivvies is not. Here is a simple way to spice up a boring pair of organic undies... All you need is a pair of undies, scrap fabric, needle, thread, scissors, paper, pen and a silhouette of the applique you want.

Once you cut out the shape you want to add to your panties you can trace it onto the fabric and cut out your applique.

You can sew more then one design on too, and make a whole scene... :) - I stuck with just the fox sneaking along the seam line.

Hand sew the fabric shape onto the panties with thread and needle (unless you are so super skilled at running something that small under your sewing machine needle.)

Now that is cute and crafty! Yay! xoxo

Green Building: 4 Types Of Healthy Insulation

Typical house insulation is made of fiber glass and is unfortunately treated with hazardous fire retardant chemicals that can outgas up to 7 years. The fiber glass material itself can irritate skin and damage your lungs if breathed in, plus the formaldehyde can cause allergic reactions such as skin rashes, nausea, burning, and coughing - (not to mention it gave laboratory rats cancer). There weren't too many other choices of effective insulation on the market for quite a while, but (finally) now you can keep your home properly insulated with materials that are not only healthier for you but also much more gentle on the planet!

Here's some options:

1. Thermo Hemp - I really love the idea of hemp insulation knowing hemp is naturally mold resistant, super strong, bug resistant, and a swatch of hemp fabric is the oldest piece of textile ever found by archaeologists! Here is some more info: "Provides effective vapour permeability giving you a naturally healthy indoor living atmosphere. Because Thermo-Hemp has naturally excellent diffusion properties, the automatic regulation of moisture can be achieved. This in turn provides the occupant with a naturally healthy indoor living atmosphere. As the fibres in Thermo-Hemp do not contain protein there is no requirement for the treatment of the insulation material for moths or beetles. Oppressive warmth entering the internal structure by summer sunshine is stored by Thermo-Hemp so that it can be given off again when external conditions become cooler. Only a sufficient amount of heat is allowed to pass through to the internal structure ensuring a comfortable internal living atmosphere."

2. Recycled Denim - A super low impact way to insulate any space that won't be getting too much moisture. Instead of using the usual fire prevention chemical they saturate the denim in borates. Here some info: "UltraTouch (denim insulation) is manufactured using post-industrial denim and cotton fibers that we source from denim manufacturing facilities. UltraTouch contains over 85% recycled denim and cotton fibers. UltraTouch does not itch, is easy to handle and requires no protective clothing to install. UltraTouch is manufactured to breathe or accept and release the moisture it receives in a timely manner. UltraTouch also acts as an excellent pest, mold, and mildew inhibitor."

3. Icynene - This is the foamy stuff that is blown into the walls or ceiling and expands into the space. It is a single cell foam, but Icynene is not like the stuff you get from Home Depot or Lowes , those contain harsh chemicals that can cause allergies for most people. Here is some info: "Icynene manufactures its products with three objectives in mind – to create Healthier, Quieter, More Energy Efficient® indoor environments. Icynene's products are suitable for steel- or wood- framed residential or commercial construction. No project is too small or too big, and no area or shape is too difficult to insulate. Every Icynene product is created so that trade professionals and homeowners can reap the benefits of a comfortable, energy efficient and healthier indoor environment."

4. Formaldyhde Free Fiber Glass - If you are on a budget and green building materials are just way out of your price range, yet you are in need of insulation that doesn't contain harmful chems, you can special order formaldehyde free insulation through your local building supply distributor. It barely costs but a few cents more per piece and won't be out gassing into your home for years. It still requires care when installing because the fiber glass is dangerous to breathe and touch.
I have used this type of insulation before in a home I renovated and found that it worked awesome. It comes in lots of levels of thickness, including higher then the standard R 14.

If I was building my very own eco hut right now, I think my first choice would be the hemp insulation. Have you used any of these low impact choices before?

Natural Remedies: Salt

Salt is one of my favorite natural remedies, that whole "don't put salt in a open wound" is a metaphor gone wrong! Cause that is exactly what I do with salt...

Here's some things that salt works it's magical ways with:

1. Cuts/Scratches - There is always a chance of infection when you cut yourself or get scratched by an animal, but what you can do to prevent infection is mix some sea or kosher salt in a little water and put the paste on your cut. Yes, it burns like hell but if you actually do have an infection you can watch it be sucked out right before your eyes. And it looks pretty cool. Afterwards the wound closes up clean and heals.

2. Bites - I used to have 8 cats and some of them had biting issues. Achafalaya (my little man) bit right through my hand once (or twice really) leaving a puncture wound with swelling/burning. I soaked my hand in a cup of heavily salted water and the swelling went down and the holes closed up.

3. Accidents/Wounds - My X used to injure himself while doing renovation jobs all the time, you know those gnarly wounds where a nail goes through a finger or a saw slices into part of your hand!?! One of two things would take place - he'd refuse the salt and then get a really gross infection which then I'd make the salt cup for and it would pull the infection out OR he'd give into my salt cure from the beginning and the wound would heal up quickly never to get infected. Watching the nasty infections be pulled out was neat in that 'this is really sick but awesome to watch' kind of way...I LOVE salt!

4. Balancing Electrolytes - Our body naturally maintains levels of sodium, magnesium and potassium all in a delicate balance to keep us feeling healthy. A great way to relax while giving your body a balanced boost is to lay in a warm bath of kosher salt & epsom salt for approx. 45 minutes. It's the best remedy for when you are feeling tired, achy and dehydrated.The salt bath not only rejuvenates the body but also aids in gentle detoxification.

5. Facial Scrub/Face Mask - Why on earth buy expensive facial scrubs that contain plastic beads that poison our water when they go down the sink drain? Salt is the beauty queen's bad economy & environmental choice for scrubbing your face into a smooth glow! You know how when you go to the beach and your skin gets really clear and healthy from the salt water, you can make your own little ocean in front the bathroom sink with sea or kosher salt and scrub away. (BTW- you can also use salt to scrub all your skin while in the shower, people in China used salt exclusively for bathing before industrialization!)

*Do you know any other medicinal uses for salt?*

(Information on this site is provided for informational purposes and is not intended to diagnose, cure, mitigate, treat, or prevent disease or other conditions. It is not intended to substitute for the advice provided by your own physician or other medical professional. )

Ozone Air Purifiers Are Evil

Ozone is not good for us. We might already know this but for some reason the manufacturers of a large portion of air purifiers have been putting these insidious little ozone producing gadgets in their machines and claiming it kills mold and bacteria. They claim this as if it is safe and scientific but the fact is ozone is not meant to be in your house or in your lungs because the real science behind it shows clearly it will destroy your health & pollute your home.

When the EPA did studies on ozone air purifiers what they found was surprising - the molecules were breaking down and adhering themselves to any other molecule in the room creating new and unstable chemicals in amounts they could not even measure. They tested the claim that ozone would "neutralize" chems in things like brand new carpet and found it made even worse chems then they started with...many of which were a string of varied aldehyde's. The next shocking find was the ozone machine's main "hook" about killing mold was totally bunk, the amount needed to blast mold into death was just not possible with any household machine and the true amount needed would kill a human dead if they tried to breathe it. This is the amount they use on your bottled spring water.

Did you ever wonder why some spring water tastes terrible, even worse then the plastic bottle taste? Most bottled water companies use UV light to kill bacteria before bottling their product - if you read the label you will see it on nearly every brand, except Fiji & Volvic. That UV light produces ozone and tons of it. The problem is when water researchers tested for contaminants in bottled water they found the same string of aldehyde's as the EPA did, but could not link it to the plastic bottle or to the actual water source leaving the researchers baffled as to how these chems ever got in the water. Any guesses? The ozone blast from the UV filtration altered the chemistry of the water and basically we are being sold bottles of dangerous chemicals to drink. Ozone has some other code names like ionization and UV filtration, which should always be investigated if you are buying a product claiming to use these methods of "filtering" in your home or water.

After a bad run in with ozonating my house (story below) I called a few experts to get the scoop. First I phoned some Mold Specialists who were familiar with ozonation as a method of mold removal - I asked them if they knew of any problems using ozone to kill mold and what they told me was originally it was thought to be a "miracle machine" and everyone was using it, until they found out it was actually "deadly" to human health and not killing the mildew. So, I looked up a Harvard Chemist to find out why ozone could give a bad reaction - what he said was the ozone molecule breaks down very quickly and is completely unstable, therefore adhering itself to any molecule it comes in contact with (ozone is a total molecular slut!), then you are set up for any disaster to chemically take place- he stressed the point the ozone level (ex. 3 or 9) all broke down and that ANYTHING could happen and there was no way to clean up the mess unless you could test the air for every chem possible in the universe.

The reason I was so interested in what all these people had to say was because following a doctor's order to ozonate my house for mold I lost my home and all my belongings to an insane chemical breakdown that would not air out, clean up, or was possible to test. I ran the ozone machine to kill mold, which it did not even do - but quickly realized something else terrible had happened in there when I couldn't breathe, got vertigo, nausea, and my cat and I both had a seizure in the house. Almost everyone who came in the house began coughing, getting dizzy, or suddenly got "flu" like symptoms that could last up to two weeks. The more I tried to air out my belongings in the sun, or wash and dry them the worse they got - so after a few months of this I had to walk away from my home and everything I had, taking only the clothes on my back and my cat. Neighbors bought the house and tore it to the ground, building a new house where my once beloved home had been. I embraced a more zen lifestyle yet was left with heightened MCS symptoms.
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Read more about Ozone Air Machines HERE.
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PS - Thanks to Susie over at the Canary Report for her post on Ozone Air Filters and inspiring me to write this post!!!

DIY: Sewing Organic Cotton Lingerie

I know it seems a little chilly to be wearing lingerie, but I have dreams of spring and summer already! These videos are a picture tutorial of how to make yourself some sexy organic lingerie from scrap fabric...

Top 5 Blogs I Love To Read

Here's a list of some really cool blogs that I heart, big time. Some of them are earth friendly and some of them are just dang cool!

1. Crafting A Green World - This blog rocks the craft world because it's entirely focused on making crafting a completely eco endeavour, featuring tutorials, places to get supplies, organic fabrics, and activist commentary.

2. The Canary Report - A fabulous blog dedicated to collecting information on Multiple Chemical Sensitivities, but it's so much more then that! Beyond the great community & good support it's the best resource on the web for keeping up with news on chemicals, laws, politics, and the life of those effected by these things. (Other MCS blogs listed in the links section such as Living w/ MCS are personal stories that I love to read too!)

3. Inhabitat - Fabulous green design, art and architecture news that you just can't find anywhere else first, it's completely cutting edge and educational, as well as beautiful.

4. Abandoned Baton Rouge - How I love thee? Let me count the ways... 1. there is an underlying environmental message to this blog 2. it's creepy like a horror movie yet completely real to life 3. the photos are fabulous and tell awesome stories of the demise of each location 5. the writer Colleen Kane is cool as shit & has other hysterical blogs as well (like Ba Rou is the new Brooklyn).

5. GiannyL - This fun-tastic vlog blog has the best video tutorials on how to make just about any cool craft out of upcycled materials... shoes, bikinis, skirts, costumes, shorts- all with minimal skills, no sewing machine and out of stuff like old t-shirts or jeans. Plus Gianny L makes crafting look like an ultra sexy party...which is why she made the top 10 hottest girls on the web list (imagine a crafter making the same list as super models & playboy bunnies!)

Gift Certificates @ The Oko Box!

One of the best gifts to give someone, that you know they won't just throw into the back of their closet is a Gift Certificate. While some have looked upon giving gift cards as a less thoughtful gift, it is actually a really loving and cool way to show you care... for your loved one & for the environment. Picking out exactly what they want means alot less waste for the planet and something far more useful for the recipient. There are even websites now where you can buy and swap gift certificates if you don't like the one you got!!!

The Oko Box has gift certificates available at any price you choose, just look under the men's or women's categories for the option or go HERE! Happy Shopping!

PS- Don't forget you can get 25% off EVERYTHING at The Oko Box right now when you make an account & use the coupon code "okoholiday"!

DIY: Upcycle & Organic Voodoo Doll

Voodoo by nature is a religious practice that uses alot of upcycled & natural materials laying around. Growing up in New Orleans with a very strong voodoo oriented culture I had the privilege to see beautiful alters, dolls, bottles of dried herbs and handmade candles on a regular basis. These alters & dolls are made from all sorts of found objects, fabrics, beads, etc.. it's an eco crafter's dream come true! I decided to make a few happy voodoo dolls for holiday gifts but made one of me and my kitty Toots first to see how it would work...

Here is how to do it:
You'll need the following supplies: Fabric, cotton or some type of stuffing, needle & thread/sewing machine, scissors, & basic sewing skills. To decorate your doll you can use various found objects like beads, straw, charms, tiny pine cones, bones, sticks, sequins, jewels, etc.

Cut out the shape you'd like your voodoo doll to be. Traditionally the dolls have sticks in the shape of a cross as the skeleton and are wrapped in Spanish Moss for stuffing... but with voodoo it is very much about personal creation and innovation. So here I used organic cotton scrap fabrics and found some organic cotton stuffing.

I cut out several shapes ahead of time... those of you not on good terms with me don't worry about those other two white figures I cut out. ;) No really, those will be gifts for friends... these voodoo dolls are to help with dreams coming true & not for sticking pins in your slimy co-worker or bad in-laws.

Sew around most the edges but leave an open hole to stick the stuffing in. If you don't have Spanish Moss or dried grass you can use some good ole' cotton like me! Once all the stuffing is in, finish sewing up the little hole you used to shove it in there.
Then you can begin basic decorating - for Toots I gave her a colorful smile, golden eyes, and a little kitty charm over her heart. Adding decorations as you obtain more specific dreams and goals to manifest can be done at anytime.

Traditionally a Voodoo Doll is wrapped, so even though with this type of doll wrapping is not necessary I still wrapped it cause... I am unbelievably superstitious.

For my doll I wrapped her (me!) in purple (my favorite color), gave her a healthy red smile, and each eye is made of three clear beads put together (for a symbolic 'third eye' seeing clearly from each real eye.) I added some leg warmers, long dark hair and even tried to make some cute bangs. :) YAY! Me and Toots make some fun voodoo dolls!

When you have a specific dream or idea you would like to be part of your destiny then you add symbolic charms, notes, beads, ANYTHING you want to your doll to represent what you want to happen in your life.

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"The Voodoo doll is not used in Voodoo practices in Haiti, but rather as part of the complicated melting pot of traditions in New Orleans and the Louisiana delta areas. The Louisiana Voodoo practices combine the spiritual elements of Haitian Voodoo with the magical beliefs of Southern United States hoodoo. In the first decades of the 20th century, Voodoo dolls are believed to have been used to cause sympathetic magic on the desired recipient, sometimes in painful ways. The use of pins was not meant to cause pain in a particular area of the real person, but rather to reinforce the spell being cast.
Modern Voodoo dolls are still sold as focal points for spells, but usually with the intention of creating positive effects. Many dolls have specific concentration points for wealth, love and financial success. To use the Voodoo doll, you must call upon the powers of the Loa, spiritual beings somewhat similar to saints in Catholic practices. Spells cast with a Voodoo doll are meant to be spells of love or blessings, rather than revenge or pain. "

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WATCH more about Voodoo in New Orleans HERE.

Humor: Bad Economy = Stealing

Another giggle from the locally written Asheville Disclaimer, the humor section of the Mountain XPress...

My Healthy Holiday Wish List

It's still so much fun to make that holiday list of gifts I wish I could get... of course over the years my tastes have changed and I no longer use the JC Penny catalogue as my point of reference. :) I have gotten totally eco, organic & health oriented with my longings - not to mention most of my holiday wishes are for things I really do need rather then just a treat. (Except for the organic lingerie...but honestly I need some new undies too!)

1. Diamond Organics Macrobiotic Sampler Box! Mmmmmm... Here's what is says: "A friendly introduction to macro specialties like burdock root, daikon radish, fresh ginger, garlic, winter squash, fuji apples, assorted pears, and more. We top this off with fresh-cut cooking greens such as collards, kale, baby bok choy, and dandelion, plus shiitake mushrooms and parsley." You can buy sampler boxes, pre made meals, tofu, and other organic groceries HERE.

2. Home Health Test's Mineral Check! With the economy in a bad slump I can't afford to check my health the way I really need to, and these home health tests are actually less expensive then a doctor appointment, they use real lab tests, and the mineral check is very important for making sure I don't have deficiencies related to Celiac Sprue.
Here's how it works: "MineralCheck is a safe, easy-to-use, and reliable screen that uses a small self-collected hair sample (requires a snip of hair) to measure your mineral and toxin levels. This non-invasive and inexpensive screen provides you with the accuracy of a laboratory analysis without leaving the comfort of your own home. The test specimen is mailed to a laboratory and within 7-10 working days of receiving your sample, a lab analysis with your results is sent directly to you. There is no extra charge or fee for the lab report." They have bunches of tests including diabetes, allergies, STD's, and hormonal balance - go HERE to check it out.

3. Organic Sherpa Bunny Set By Clare Bare! It could be cause it's amazingly creative, it could be cause it's awesomely sexy, and it could be cause it is SO cold out and it looks so warm and fuzzy... or maybe cause the model has a tiny boobies just like me!?! But I want this organic lingerie cause it's the coolest shit I have ever seen & I love Clare Bare. Here's what it says: "This set is from Clare Bare's limited edition holiday collection. The fabric is super warm and fuzzy stretch organic cotton sherpa, lined with organic cotton on the inside. The top is a princess seam bralette with silver eyelet lace up detail in the front. It is elasticated for a snug fit. There are dusty rose velvet bows with amazing abalone shell buttons that have anchors engraved on them. The corset (tummy warmer) is probably the most comfortable one you will ever wear- my model can attest to that! It laces up the front with organic cotton cording, has velvet and abalone shell button details, and silver suspender snaps to clip on to your thigh highs..." HERE is where you can buy it!

4. Real Goods All Purpose Survival Tool! I am completely enthralled with living as sustainably as possible- I have read tons of books, taught myself how to organic garden, dry herbs, compost, companion plant... I study how to make my own shoes, skin a rabbit, make a gravity fed spring well for a house, build a live roof... I can chop wood with an ax, build a fire, dry fruit in the sun, dye fabric with plum skins, make paint from poke berries & create just about anything out of nothing (cause it's in my Cajun DNA!) So, no further explaining needed why I am IN LOVE with this tool for only $20!!!
Here is all it can do: "Finally, an all-in-one camping tool. This heavy-duty steel tool is 8 tools in 1. It has a shovel, hammer, saw, hatchet, bottle opener, nail puller, and a wrench. Unscrew the built-in calibrated compass to find an emergency survival kit in a waterproof bag. Included are matches, fishhooks and line, nails and more. The one tool you'll need for camping, backpacking, gardening, or in your car for those unforeseen emergencies. Comes with a snap-on carrying case." Buy this awesome tool HERE!

5. REI Seattle Solar Camp Shower! Continuing with my survivalist & low impact theme from above, I have been drooling over these solar showers for nearly a year now... Here is what it says about them: "Enjoy a warm shower in the wilderness with this lightweight and packable five-gallon solar-heated shower bag...
*PVC-free black PEVA water reservoir is heavy duty yet lightweight for easy packing
*Black color absorbs heat to warm water in approximately three hours
*Five-gallon capacity equals 8 minutes of nonstop shower time; bag measures 26 x 18 inches
*Push-pull valve on hose is easy to use, allowing you to turn water off quickly
*Sturdy plastic handle offers convenient toting and durability; hanging strap is adjustable"

BUY IT for only $24.95 HERE!

NOW for my really BIG wishes:::

6. A HOUSE! That's right... my very own little eco hut in Marshall, NC that isn't moldy, isn't out gassing, no more landlady next door, and I can grow my own organic gardens, plant my herbs, have some chickens and attract wild animals. A house with good windows, passive solar potential, clean water, lots of land, trees, not right on the road, a creek, and a place to build a small fish pond. It doesn't need to be more the 600 Sq Ft... it can even have an outhouse!

7. MONEY! oh yeah, with businesses running into the ground, people losing their jobs, and nobody is shopping, the whole economic structure has collasped and has to be rebuilt new... in the meantime, where's the money for the bills gonna come from? Hmmm.

What is on your wish list? Share some of your eco awesome finds this season!