Deanna Duke is the mind behind the brilliant blog The Crunchy Chicken. I highly recommend her blog for posts on sustainable living, urban homesteading, raising chickens and the like. So when I realised she was writing a book, I ordered an advance copy; it arrived about a week ago and I’ve finished it already. So … Continue reading »
Not So Sexy: The Stinky Story of Perfume in New Zealand
I’m a sucker for a nice smell. Who isn’t? It’s obvious that floral scents appeal: they appear in everything from perfumes, detergents, shampoos, hand creams, baby wipes, paper, ink, pesticides, candles, air fresheners, food, fly sprays and a host of other consumer products. Even products that claim to be “fragrance free” only have to contain … Continue reading »
10 Things To Do When You’re Having a Rubbish Day
For reasons that are mostly outside of my control, the last few days have been unbelievably frustrating, tiring, draining and upsetting. Boo! It’s hard when something bursts your bubble, but there are some ways I’m getting my mojo back. 1. Bake bread. Or cupcakes. Or apple crumble. I like that with bread you can knead … Continue reading »
Baking Bread
When I was in high school, I was a mean baker. I made white loaves, brown loaves, baguettes, croissants, pain au chocolat. If it involved bread and yeast in some shape or form, and butter in the eating, I was there. Of course, that was years ago. I kind of figured that my bread-making proficiency … Continue reading »
Boric Acid in Play Doh
Until recently, Mila has been playing with bought Play-Doh from the Warehouse. It’s cheap, colourful, soft and she really liked to squish it. She also really liked to eat it. After trialling making my own play-dough, I realised one other difference – it also never goes off. That got me thinking, I wonder what preservatives … Continue reading »
DIY: Ridiculously Easy Cleaning Swaps
After getting rid of our toxic cleaning stash, I needed some greener solutions pronto. What amazes me is how easy these cleaning solutions are. Why did I not do this earlier? And what are people really paying for when they buy expensive Eco products? The answer to the first question is probably that I assumed … Continue reading »
Not Very Free Range Eggs
I’ve bought Glenpark Woodland free range eggs for years. They weren’t the most expensive free range eggs out there, but I assumed that was because they were non-organic. They were certainly more expensive than Pams free range eggs, and seemed a bit more reliably free range. Turns out, I’m a sucker for good marketing. My … Continue reading »
What The Hell Is A Paraben, And What Is It Doing In My Shampoo?
I tried to ignore it. Then I heard the word again. And again. I started Googling, and my heart started sinking. Parabens. I like using shampoo and conditioner, and having nice shiny hair that smells like fruit. Yes, I was aware they weren’t great for the environment, but I protested (in my head) that my … Continue reading »
Green Times
These last few days, I’ve been on a mission. I’m greenifying my life. My original forays into research on plastics and phthalates have made me realise just how many toxic chemicals I use every day. They’re in my shampoos and conditioner, cleaning products, deodorant and cosmetics. They’re in everything plastic that I own and some … Continue reading »
DIY: Baby wipes
First – a bit of a confession. You don’t actually need a ‘recipe’ for cloth wipes – cloth scraps and water will work. A bit of olive oil in the mix is good for skin, acts as a barrier against wetness and helps to get poo off. But I still like this recipe. Chamomile is … Continue reading »
