Venusian*Glow

* Laugh: Why Texting Failed Among the Victorians.

* Laugh more: Best Bathroom Graffiti

* DIY: Glass Straw Cup (and tutorial)

* Ladies: Alternatives to Traditional Feminine Care Products

* Move your a$$: Should You Count Calories… In Your Workouts? [Measuring workout efficacy.]

* Life: possibly the most reassuring advice I’ve been given

* Eat Healthy: green smoothie basics

* Fight less: The Guilt Incentive

* Green thumbs: I love A Way To Garden

Recognise this song ? I think it sounds way better in this version:

Living Green

Trying to green is an important part of my life, though it wasn´t always this way. I have had episodes in the past where my husband snatched away air freshners that I was happily wielding, not aware of all the crappy chemicals in them. Since then I am learning to live a bit greener and healthier each year, bit by bit. Very few of these changes are actually sacrifices I make for the planet. Many were decisions made to save money (anything that saves electricity), or just because it´s more efficient (menstruation cup) or healthier (organic food).
Living in Germany means I am by default greener than inhabitants of many other western countries (energy is expensive here, packaging of products is regulated by the govt and line drying is easy) but still I know I could do more. I have lived in countries where people live much more simply and sufficiently, so it pains me to see how much is wasted in the West.

I made a list of things of green changes that I have implemented since I have my own home (and these changes make me really happy). I also made a list of some of the many things that I could do better. At the end of the year I will review it and hopefully I will have improved.

My green efforts:

Around The Home:

Using baking soda & vinegar to clean, or eco-friendly cleaning products.
Reusing packaging material.
Buying as much organic food as I can afford.
Organic & mostly local fruit & veggie box with almost no packaging arriving at my home every week :)
Energy-saving bulbs in half of the lamps at home.
Giving away instead of throwing away (freecycle, asking people, or putting things out on the curb).
Microfibre wash cloths for the home and my face.
Commuting by public transport.
Eating vegetarian food that is high in raw plants and low in animal products.
Avoiding soy.
Buying secondhand very often (ebay, flea markets, people I know, thrift stores).
Using cloth diapers part of the time (this is one of the few things on this list that takes an effort to do).
Not buying drinks or bottled water (the tap water in my town is really good, BTW).
Eco-friendly laundry detergents that come in refillable packs :)
Sorting my trash with care and disposing of problematic stuff like old medicines responsibly. (I know: duh, but I´m still surprised at how many people don´t).
Bricks in the oven & bottles of water in the fridge to cut energy usage.
Not using drier cloths / paper napkins etc
Using rechargeable batteries almost exclusively.
Power strips almost everywhere to prevent energy draining.
Always shopping with cloth bags.
Passing on all magazines that I have read.

In The Garden:

Collecting rain water in the garden for watering plants.
Not watering the garden (apart from container plants & newly planted stuff). The trick is to not have even an inch of exposed soil, there is something growing everywhere and I never plant anything if I read that it needs watering all the time. Ok, I´m also too lazy to water anything regularly).
Composting raw food leftovers.
No chemical pesticides or fertilisers.

Personal Stuff:

Thrifting a LOT, for clothes as well as for stuff for the home.
Organising clothes swaps.
Using the cup.
Mostly natural personal-care products.
Always having my Sigg bottle with me.
Using mostly natural / alternative medicines
Trying to buy ethically when I can afford it.

What I would like to change:

There are probably a million things that I´m not so happy about and want to change. Here are the things on my mind right now:

Switch my bank to a more ethical one, or at least one that doesn´t invest in nuclear energy.
Long and hot showers, need to be shorter and cooler.
Have the computer on standby more often.
Be more efficient while washing dishes.
Toilet train kid no.2 soon.
Think before I buy stuff, to minimise throwing away stuff that very soon broke / I don´t want any more.
My favourite teas come in tea bags that are individually packaged >:(
Forgetting to bring my non-disposable coffee cup.
I should access online supermarket newsletters instead of picking up paper versions.
Research which chocolate brands are slavery-free.
Stop accepting free crap. Even if it´s free, it´s still crap.
Try Furoshiki with thrifted scarves instead of gift wrap.

Things I wish I could do, but not really possible right now:

Buy in bulk. Not an option for a lot of things, besides I still haven´t dealt with the pantry moths. Besides, I don´t have a car. (Ok, in the end I´m still greener).
Top loading washing machine, not going to get replaced by a front-loader any time soon.
Stop buying from cheap stores that carry stuff probably made in sweatshops.
Heating the house a lot in the winter (kids love to wear as little as possible by day and won´t stay covered at night).

Any ideas of not-too-difficult changes I could make ?

How To Protect Your Hair When Swimming

Both sea water and chlorine are damaging to the hair. Yet swimming (or splashing around on the edge) is one of the best parts of summer. I couldn´t give up the beach just for the sake of my hair (BTW I think that the sea totally knocks the socks of any swimming pool, it´s just so sensual. But a lot of people disagree). Here are my tips & tricks for keeping your hair protected while you frolic in the water.

Before swimming:

I spread a teaspoonful of oil between my palms, and coat the hair evenly. The oil forms a protective barrier from the salt or chlorine, lubricates the hair and prevents rubbing & damage, and keeps the hair from drying out too much in the sun. Right now I like a mixture of the light Jojoba oil and the moisturising extra virgin olive oil.

Now you can put your hair in a bun on top of your head. This will keep it dry and prevent wet hair from rubbing and tangling. Cute swimming caps are great for the pool.

If I plan to wet my head, I wet my hair in the shower before hitting the pool. This is because once the hair has absorbed the sweet water, it will have no space to absorb the chlorinated / salty water.

When Lounging:

A hat or a scarf will protect the hair if you are sitting in the sun for a long time.

After Swimming:

Wash your hair with a very mild shampoo or just a conditioner. The salt / chlorine will have stripped off oils and dirt, so your hair is already clean. Don´t forget to condition !

Do you like swimming pools or the beach ? If you have any tips for keeping your hair protected, do share !

Photos: click for sources

Weekend reads 06-05-2011

* Style: Outfits inspired by painting on Artfully Awear

* Home: Top 6 Clutter Excuses and How to Banish Them Forever

* Eat: Getting Started Sprouting Wheat Berries

* Globetrotting from your chair: Globe Genie

* Geek: Mythbusting Princess Leia´s Hair

Photo via stuckinarut

Things to love about spring

* Cherry blossom "snow".

* Bikinis in stores, even though you´re still in your sweaters.

* Sitting on the grass the first time in the year.

* Shorts with boots.

* The sun waking up before you.

* The scent of Hyacinths on the windowsill.

* The first ice-cream of the year. Mmmmm.

* Finding the ants have woken up. And moved back into your balcony.

* The first time you go out without a jacket.

* Pollen and runny noses.

* Chocolate eggs.

* Dandelions. Pouf !

* Freezing in sandals, but not really regretting it.

* Your favourite bloggers writing about fashion week.

* Enjoying the sun while it´s not yet too hot.

* The slight nostalgia of the last snow-fall.

* Getting your bike in order.

* Packing away winter coat, then being at loss about what to wear when temperatures drop again.

* Butterflies.

* Getting Easter freebies in stores.

* Spotting flocks of geese flying back home.

* Getting guilted into spring-cleaning.

* Making plans to get into shape till summer.

* Being annoyed at the noise your neighbor´s lawnmower makes.

* Melted snow uncovering stuff you lost last autumn.

* Wearing sunshades even though the sun is mild.

* Strawberries, strawberry cakes, strawberry muffins, strawberry pie, strawberry smoothies.

* People in advertisements wearing summer clothes.

* Catching yourself humming "Here comes the sun".

* Making plans for summer.

What does spring mean for you ?

Click photos for sources

All Money Is For Spending, Aka A Budgeting Epiphany

Kind of appropriate for this blog, don't you think ? ;)

   I recently realised why it was so hard for me to save. It's the concept that our money should be divided into "to spend" and "to save". Spending means exchanging the money for things that we need and make us happy. Saving means keeping, holding. It also means denying oneself of the joys of spending it. A hungry piggybank or bank account swallows it all up.

   But in reality there is no such thing as saving. All money will be spent, sooner or later. When we "save" money, we are simply deciding to spend it as a later date (or to give it to someone).

   "Later" spending is often more meaningful than a lot of the now spending. It either provides for future emergencies, or fulfills longterm dreams. "Now" spending (I'm talking about the ones after necessities like rent, food and medical bills have been paid) is impulse oriented. Or rather advertising-controlled.
   We get pulled in two directions: spending the money now, or later. "Later" spending is usually more planned, and dream oriented. Like that house you'd like to own, or that holiday you'd like to take. Or even that fabulous dress you're saving for. Immediate spending ? That coffee calling to you on a cold day. That latest "must-have". A gadget that "might" be useful. They make us feel good for a moment, but often leave us empty. I read a study somewhere that we make better decisions when we decide for the future, as compared to decisions for the present. Makes sense, doesn't it ?
   I'd say that a lot of "later" spending is more "you". Do you ever dream, thinking "If I had more money, I would..." Yet chances are that you already have some of the money for these things, you are just choosing to spend it on something else.

   Before your next purchase, take a moment to think about your long-term dreams and wishes. You can spend 50€ on that dress (now) or on that trip to Rome (later). You will spend every cent you have, sooner or later. So it's up to you to decide where you want to spend it. If you do buy that dress, don't complain that you can't afford Rome. You just chose not to.

   There is no bank account or piggy bank swallowing up all that money you deny yourself the pleasure of spending. It is all yours, a treat waiting for the right moment. Like that chocolate cherry on the cake that you are saving for the last bite.

   Does spending come easy to you ? Do you squirrel away your savings into a bank account or a piggy bank ? Do you ever have the feeling that companies are conspiring to make you spend your money as fast as possible on trifles ? Have you ever kept money in your bra ?

Photo from nowaygirl

Conditioner-Only Washing: April 2011 Hair Update

I know it´s May, but I´ve been meaning to post this since a while.

So I started co-washing because I´ve always wanted curls. My hair had wave-potential, depending on cut and weather:

Old hair, before co-washing

After I started co-washing, my hair started curling from bottom up, bit by bit. It was also more moisturised and frizz was down. But after a while my hair was a strange combination of dry and oily. It got limp. All the (affordable) silicone-free and paraben-free conditioners that I could find here in Germany had alcohol denat and oils (and often glycerin) at the top of the ingredient list.

Here is my hair, on a particularly bad hair day (co-washing with an Alverde conditioner, and flax-seed gel as leave-in):

Beginning of co-washing, over a month ago

If you have been reading this blog long enough, you know what I do when I can´t find the cosmetic I want: I make it. Making a conditioner was not as brainy as it sounds: I used ingredients and recipe from Hobbythek. (The recipe isn´t online, it´s from one of the books). (For readers not from Germany, try looking for an online "make your own cosmetics" store).

The conditioner has just a teeny amount of oil, and contains a very gentle surfactant. I added Panthenol and Aloe Vera for moisture, some silk protein and a bit of essential oils.

This was my first wash with it (flax-seed gel as leave-in):

Co-washing with Hobbythek conditioner

I love the way the hair is separating into "clumps", and every clump is developing its curl. Also: shininess ahoy ! What I´m not happy with is the flatness at the roots. I might go modified CG (shampooing just the roots every now & then) if things don´t improve there.

Since then I am experimenting with scrunching, toweling with an old T-shirt and other techniques I picked up from the NaturallyCurly forums. I´ll share my results in my next update.

Photos by Eternal*Voyageur

Weekend reads 30-04-2011

* Random: Cabinet of Curiosities is strangely addictive.

* Fitness: All Your Abs Questions Answered [Plus a few you never thought to ask!]

* Home: 12 Green Ideas from the 2011 Small Cool Contest (PS. if your home is small and cool, it´ s not too late top enter)

* TV: If you are not watching Gossip Girl, this is what you are missing (read the comments).

* Style: Best thrifting and vintage style blogs

* Psyche: How much is adult ADD; how much is me? is not just about ADD.

"I think I use ADD as an excuse, an unbeatable illness responsible for all my human flaws, for all the bruises I received. It has been a wonderful catch all for everything. However, it has been counter productive, though comforting, to use it this way.
ADD is a symptom, not an explaination. If we treat it as a symptom , then we can take the view that the symptom is in response to some negative distasteful stressful situation, past or present. "

So beautiful:

The Mountain from Terje Sorgjerd on Vimeo.

Image from Spousonomics

How I organise the mess of daily, weekly, monthly & annual tasks

   We are often told to divide our tasks according to how often we need to do them. I had some problems with this approach:

   Too many lists ! I am a visual processor with attention deficit problems. When I see too much stuff, it irritates me and I tend to ignore it.
   Logistic problems: where do the bi-weekly and bi-yearly tasks go ? How do I divide the monthly tasks into manageable chunks ? This leads to:
   Procrastination: When I saw a big pile of weekly or monthly tasks looming, I either got virtuous and tried to tackle it on that day (fail), or I but re-scheduling them on other days messed up my lists even more.

Now I have a different method:

   Instead of trying to organise all my tasks into different categories, I focus on each task separately. I decide how often it has to be done, and when exactly (every thursday, or every 1st january). Then I forget it, until my scheduler reminds me of it.

   Every time I add a recurring tasks, I only need to think about how often I want to do it. Then I choose a day that would suit the task and has a free window of time. Cleaning the bathroom is every Monday. Washing the trash cans is every 30th of the month. Updating the medicine cabinet is twice a year: 15th April and 15 Oct.
  Once it's added to my list, it won't appear and bother me until it's time to actually do it.

   I let todoist manage my tasks. I love it because it's uncluttered, easy to use, and yet has some powerful features. (Which you can totally ignore if you don't need them --- unlike some services which make you set a priority or due date on everything). It's really easy to get several different overviews of your tasks (by list, by tag, by due date, by priority, etc)

   I use different lists for different tasks (like a list for my hoop-dance moves that I want to learn, or gardening tasks, or kids-oriented, and so on). But these are only for getting an overview. They integrate seamlessly into my daily task list.

   When I open my to-do list, I simply see what I have to do each day. Everything has a rhythm, and no day is over-filled.


   Do you have a way to deal with tasks that are not daily ? Which is your favourite planning software -- or do you prefer pen and paper ? Do you like to have a "monthly / annual chores day", or do you prefer to sneak these tasks into your daily schedule ?

Photo by Marc Johns

Reader Bra Metamorphosis 04

   An anonymous reader shared her bra metamorphosis in the comment section. I couldn't help showcasing this !
   It really is a huge difference, isn't it ? And the best part is how the lift and shape that the 30FF bra gives, reveals her tiny waist.

   PS Dear anonymous reader, thanks a lot for sharing these. In case it's not ok with you that I shared these here, do let me know and I'll take them down.

Photo by anonymous reader

Open: Venusian*Bazaar !

   The bra in the photo above is one of the many bras I am selling on the Venusian*Bazaar.

   I have two big bags of bras in my closet. Many are spanking new with tags, many have been worn a couple of times. Some more. I will never wear them again, so I am letting them go. Most of them are beautiful, quality pieces from brands like Panache.

   All of these bras are now for sale on the Venusian*Bazaar. If you are looking for bra bargains, do take a peek: the prices range from 8€ to 12€. On request, I can provide measurement down to the smallest details: width and length of underwires, depth of cup, length of band when stretched and at rest.

   Why do I have so many bras, you ask ? In my last pregnancy I went up 5 cup sizes and back down again. Sometimes things changed so quickly that by the time the ordered bra arrived, I already needed the next size. Then there are my early bra fitting mistakes, and a couple of items I ordered for friends, that didn't fit (the bras, I mean. The friends fit fine).


   The bras available at this moment range from band size 28(60) to 34(75), cups B to G. More details on the site, so hop over there right now !

Photo by Eternal* Voyageur