Hand Picked Friday Features

I figured I would join in on the feature fun! I know by Friday we are all tired and ready for some relaxation and laughter! Time to wind down from the week!

SO HERE IS.....

A Little Relaxation!

A little humor....

An Afternoon at Riverbank Zoo

Sunday I decided to go to the zoo with a friend of mine! I love nature because it makes me feel so connected to God and the River Bank Zoo here in Columbia, SC is really nice. I needed to just get away and have a time of refreshing and although the zoo was fairly crowded, it was still great! I also bought a membership so Zionna and I could make some grandmommy/granddaughter memories. Here are a few pics of some of the things I saw at the zoo!

Wordless Wednesday

Boundaries

Being a mom and a woman in general, I have had a difficult time much of my life setting “Healthy” boundaries. I tend to feel GUILTY when I say “no” or sometimes I just second guess my response. I am learning though especially as my children have grown to become young adults (ages 19 and 21) the impact of NOT setting healthy boundaries. Both of my kids live at home with me. One for health reasons and the other because they are a single parent and getting on their feet. My brother lived with me for over a year and as soon as he moved out, my mom moved in for over a year after that. I finally had to ask my mom to move out and I felt tremendous guilt doing so. I have found myself asking - Will I ever have my own space? Am I selfish for wanting it? How much is too much to ask? Should I want to always support my kids? My mom? My family? No matter how much I do often times I have felt it is never enough or someone always has a complaint. Several of my friends recommended that I read the book Boundaries by Henry Cloud and John Townsend so I purchased the book back in January. It sat on my shelf until this past Friday. Finally I made the decision to start reading it and just getting through the first chapter, I so related to it that I cried and eerily felt some relief! I will definitely share the journey of my experience reading this book! In celebration of the start of my journey to setting healthy and freeing boundaries.

Here are a few Etsy items I found with interesting Boundary Titles! I so relate! How about you?

Boundaries - Abstract Art

Moveable Boundaries

Blurring The Boundaries

Etsybloggers - Let's Go Green!

What do you do (or what can you do!) to make your etsy business or home a little bit greener?

Truly we all need to look at what it means to Go Green and equally important is what It will mean to our future if we do NOT Go greenIt has been shared that preserving the world’s natural resources is the responsibility of EVERY individual both at work and at home. !. I was reading an article on World Watch Institute that shared 10 ways to go green and I decided to list there here! Personally for me is that I no longer buy paper plates, plastic silver ware or cups! I purchased the compact Fluorescent bulbs and love the money I save on my energy bill! I don’t eat a lot of meat! Not much at all actually. I also am a yard sale junkie and I Use BookMooch to get the books I want and to recycle those that I have! I even have a few 'Go Green’ Tote bags in my shop!

1. Save energy to save money.

· Set your thermostat a few degrees lower in the winter and a few degrees higher in the summer to save on heating and cooling costs.

· Install compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs) when your older incandescent bulbs burn out.

· Unplug appliances when you're not using them. Or, use a "smart" power strip that senses when appliances are off and cuts "phantom" or "vampire" energy use.

· Wash clothes in cold water whenever possible. As much as 85 percent of the energy used to machine-wash clothes goes to heating the water.

· Use a drying rack or clothesline to save the energy otherwise used during machine drying. If you must use a dryer, consider adding dryer balls to cut drying time.

2. Save water to save money.

· Take shorter showers to reduce water use. This will lower your water and heating bills too.

· Install a low-flow showerhead. They don't cost much, and the water and energy savings can quickly pay back your investment.

· Make sure you have a faucet aerator on each faucet. These inexpensive appliances conserve heat and water, while keeping water pressure high.

· Plant drought-tolerant native plants in your garden. Many plants need minimal watering. Find out which occur naturally in your area.

3. Less gas = more money (and better health!).

· Walk or bike to work. This saves on gas and parking costs while improving your cardiovascular health and reducing your risk of obesity.

· Consider telecommuting if you live far from your work. Or move closer. Even if this means paying more rent, it could save you money in the long term.

· Lobby your local government to increase spending on sidewalks and bike lanes. With little cost, these improvements can pay huge dividends in bettering your health and reducing traffic.

4. Eat smart.

· If you eat meat, add one meatless meal a week. Meat costs a lot at the store-and it's even more expensive when you consider the related environmental and health costs.

· Buy locally raised, humane, and organic meat, eggs, and dairy whenever you can. Purchasing from local farmers keeps money in the local economy.

· Watch videos about why local food and sustainable seafood are so great.

· Whatever your diet, eat low on the food chain [pdf]. This is especially true for seafood.

5. Skip the bottled water.

· Use a water filter to purify tap water instead of buying bottled water. Not only is bottled water expensive, but it generates large amounts of container waste.

· Bring a reusable water bottle, preferably aluminum rather than plastic, with you when traveling or at work.

· Check out this short article for the latest on bottled water trends.

6. Think before you buy.

· Go online to find new or gently used secondhand products. Whether you've just moved or are looking to redecorate, consider a service like craigslist or FreeSharing to track down furniture, appliances, and other items cheaply or for free.

· Check out garage sales, thrift stores, and consignment shops for clothing and other everyday items.

· When making purchases, make sure you know what's "Good Stuff" and what isn't.

· Watch a video about what happens when you buy things. Your purchases have a real impact, for better or worse.

7. Borrow instead of buying.

· Borrow from libraries instead of buying personal books and movies. This saves money, not to mention the ink and paper that goes into printing new books.

· Share power tools and other appliances. Get to know your neighbors while cutting down on the number of things cluttering your closet or garage.

8. Buy smart.

· Buy in bulk. Purchasing food from bulk bins can save money and packaging.

· Wear clothes that don't need to be dry-cleaned. This saves money and cuts down on toxic chemical use.

· Invest in high-quality, long-lasting products. You might pay more now, but you'll be happy when you don't have to replace items as frequently (and this means less waste!).

9. Keep electronics out of the trash.

· Keep your cell phones, computers, and other electronics as long as possible.

· Donate or recycle them responsibly when the time comes. E-waste contains mercury and other toxics and is a growing environmental problem.

· Recycle your cell phone.

· Ask your local government to set up an electronics recycling and hazardous waste collection event.

10. Make your own cleaning supplies.

· The big secret: you can make very effective, non-toxic cleaning products whenever you need them. All you need are a few simple ingredients like baking soda, vinegar, lemon, and soap.

· Making your own cleaning products saves money, time, and packaging-not to mention your indoor air quality.

Two Zany Zebra's Featured Etsy Blogger

What a pleasant surprise for the awesome SAHM! TwoZanyZebra's is our Featured Etsyblogger of the month! I have a grand daughter so I loved all I saw in her shop! LOL!