So in my quest to become a smart, eco-conscious consumer I purchased a recycled toothbrush a few days ago.



It's made by a company called Preserve, made from Stonyfield Farms yogurt cups as well as other plastics. After you're finished with it they will send you a pre-paid mailer and you send it back to them to be recycled again into picnic tables, boardwalks and decks. It only cost $3.75, which is fairly cheap considering how much all those fancy toothbrushes cost. I feel better using it. It will be one less thing that goes into the trash can.

Think before you purchase. Can this be recycled when I'm done with it? Do I really need it? How was it made, where and by whom?

Watch The Story of Stuff on YouTube. It'll make you think next time you load up your cart with cheap stuff you don't really need at the store or that dreaded big box (Walmart).

The Story of Stuff

Today I'm featured in Etsy's finds: I Wood, Wouldn't You?

My Woodgrain embroidery, which sold rather quickly :)


I have plenty of other goodies in my shop though and everything is buy 1 get 1 half off!

Etsy Buy Handmade smilingfrogsupplies

In celebration of upcoming spring, which in my opinion can’t come soon enough, I made bunnies!!

Most of them are made from vintage materials and trims. They’re kind of flat with one ear and no tails.




I’m working on more tops and bags for the shop too. I’ll be putting some things in my Dawanda shop too.

I'm not a girly girl. I don't wear makeup, I like clothes but don't like to dress up. I like anything camouflage. My hair is usually a mess. I do love good smelling soap however. No matter how unkempt I usually look I do like to bathe!

Here are some of my favorite places to shop for soap.

Anderson Soap Company


Mini soaps! They are the perfect size for gifts and little guest soaps. I had a lot of them, but Adam got a hold of them and somehow he can use a whole bar in one shower. I'm starting to think he eats it.

I also love their Anise soap, smells like licorice. While I hate licorice I love the smell and you smell like licorice after you use it. I bought Adam some PBR (Pabst Blue Ribbon Soap), which may have not been a good idea. Now his breath and skin smells like cheap beer, bleh!


Adoration Soap

You need to try the Moroccan Fig Soap. Smelled so good I almost ate it!


Ok, this is shampoo not soap, but it's the best shampoo ever! I don't have anymore which is why my hair looks worse than usual.
Gudonya Salty DAWG Creme Shampoo from Gudonya Soap and Spa, LLC



Trillium Soaps

Trillium is a local soap company. They sell their soaps in a lot of local stores and have a store in Rockland.

68 Crescent Street
Rockland, Maine
207-594-5003

At their store you can get bags of soap ends. Last time I knew it was $5 a bag and you get quite a bit of soap. If you don't care how pretty your soap is that is.

I got some one part resin or craft laquer. Anyway last night I made a bunch of earrings with it. They came out so great. I've been scared of using real resin and I really just wanted it to do some little things. This stuff works great. I dreamt all night of things I could do with it. Is that sad?



A few pairs are up in the shop now, the rest will be up later today. :)

Well, it's more of a to-do list. I need to truly get my act together this year. All of my resolutions kind of hinge upon each other.

Blog more- Or blog period. I will try at least a few times a week. It's not hard in the winter, but in the summer when I work outside all day and am exhausted by the time I get any internet time it's not easy.

Loose weight- Isn't that every one's resolution? I need to get in shape, eat better and feel better. Then I'll have more energy to do more. A few years ago I lost about 30lbs so I know I can do it. I need to loose that extra 15lbs. When I got out of high school I worked on a veggie farm and I was rugged. I had a 6-pack and I want it back!

Get organized and de-junk. I am a pack rat and I've had enough. I'm weighed down by all my stuff. I don't need it, I'll never use it and it. Being disorganized and messy is a time waster.

Being a more conscious shopper. Also fits in with the de-junk resolution. I like sales and I buy stuff that's really cheap whether I need it or not. While I was hoeing out my bedroom I found shopping bags with brand new things in them, tags still attached.
I am going to try to buy more eco-friendly items, shop at more eco-friendly, consciousnesses stores, buy locally, buy handmade and buy only what I really need. Oh and buy things that are recyclable or re-usable.

I'll think of more later, but those are the main things I'd like to do this year. Oh and finish my house, finally!

Promos are now in the Etsy shop. In it are a few business cards to share and a free shipping coupon good on both of our Etsy shops. They're only $1 and free shipping. I'll be adding more later.

Also new stuff! We will be adding new jewelry, belts, clothes, bags and more every week!

Free shipping, get it while it lasts!

I have been pretty disappointed in America and humans in general for quite a while. Today I have hope in human kind. I was proud as I watched President elect Obama's speech last night. I have never been interested enough to watch an acceptance speech before. I watched as people cheered and cried. People of every race, every religion and every sexual preference together. It was America as it should be. To listen to a man that doesn't trip on his own words unlike what we have now. Bush was amusing but it saddened me to see such an ignorant man in such a high power.

I was shocked and scared by the amount of McCain/Palin supporters. I was scared that we would get McCain because of people's prejudiced to an African American president, with a Muslim name. This is a victory for the underdog, the unsung. I grew up in a, thankfully, gender and race neutral household, but the rest of my family was very racist and fairly sexist. I grew up naive and colorblind as a child should. I grew up thinking I was a person, not a white woman. I was shocked when I grew up and faced the prejudices people still have against women and people of other races. I thought we had come a long way, I guess I was wrong. I now feel we have made progress. I can only imagine how much hope people of color have today.

Congratulations Mr. President! I know you and your family will do America proud! I look forward to change we need it now more than ever.

This is Leo as Romeo. Leo is quite the Renaissance man.
It took me 5 hours to make that horrid fully lined coat. The shirt wasn't as bad, but was way to big around the neck, so was the coat. Leo has to wear a big size because he's long, but he's very skinny.

Have to make him some more t-shirts for winter and a few sweatshirts. Took me a while to perfect a pattern for him.

He didn't feel so good on Halloween though on account of having a rabies shot in the morning. No more shots for 3 years though, yay! He's happy I've decided on no vaccines except rabies, but doesn't think it's fair the cats don't get any shots at all.

Work in progress. I know the pictures aren't too exciting. I'm about finished now with the bathtub. I was 3 tiles short on the outside. Right now I'm painting, then I'll grout.

Never buy Lowe's Velspar paint! It's crap! It doesn't cover, it's streaky and the eggshell is very shiny. Not to mention the paint guy has no idea what he's talking about. He tried to tell me eggshell was shiny and satin wasn't. What? I have painted and bought paint before. I painted one coat of paint, which ended up being way to dark for the room (that was my bad). I think it would take about 5 coats to truly cover the wall though. The paint is shiny and still tacky! I painted it at 4pm yesterday. So if and when it ever dries I have some Sherwin Williams paint in a light blue to go over it with. 2x as much $$, but far less of a headache. I just hope it covers it and sticks to that crap. I am a little annoyed.

I will post pics when I do more. I have a lot more to do, but it's getting there.

Well, I've been working for the past few days. Working my gardening job that is. I made a few new things for the shop. I hope it rains at some point so I can have a craft day and the plants really need it.

Anyway I'm back off to work this afternoon. Still having BOGO earrings in the shop so don't miss out.

Here are some lovelies that I wish I could purchase!

Etsy Buy Handmade Smilingfrogs

Well, I haven't posted any pics of my house in a long time. Mainly because it's been 5 years working on it and I'm a little ashamed I don't live in it yet. Everyone is discouraged and no one has been working on it. It doesn't help that we never seem to agree on things. So if anyone wants to provide me with some encouragement, please do so. I need a kick in the butt! Obviously Adam isn't going to work on it anymore so I'll have to finish it.

Anyway here are some pictures. I need to find pictures of the radiant heat in the cellar floor before the cement was re-poured. It's really amazing to see.