Post Twenty: Green Gardening

I know what you're thinking, gardening is about as green as it gets already! And you're right for the most part, but there are still a few ways to get extra green when you're growing things - whether it's just some pretty flowers or some veg. Recycled household items are brilliant to use as pots - some can even be broken down into compost once the plant outgrows them! You can use your imagination for things to recycle, anything from the plastic trays you get meat in to egg shells! For some obvious ideas and even a couple of weird ones check out this article.

Now I warn you, I'm not a keen gardener. Even my best efforts end up dead eventually (sorry Aji!) and that's when I try really hard. But I'm told that growing herbs is ridiculously easy and that even I could do it... so in the spirit of being green in every aspect I'm trying to grow Basil. I use it a lot when making bolognese and I'm told it's the easiest of the lot. Here's my simple guide on how I've done it:

Take two meat trays (clean of course!) and make small holes in the bottom of one.

Pop the one with holes in into the one without and press them together so there's only a small gap at the bottom. Then fill the top one with compost - leaving about 1cm at the top. Next get a coke bottle (or fanta, tango sprite..) and chop the end off to create your own mini greenhouse. You might need more than one depending on the size of your pot, I used two for mine. Use the end to indent the soil so you can see how much space you have for the seeds.

Put the seeds in the little circles making sure you don't overcrowd them. I probably put too many in mine, but whatever! Add a thin layer of compost over the top of the seeds, approximately 0.5cm, then sprinkle them with water. Finally you just need to put the greenhouses in place and wait for them to grow! Don't forget to water them now and then though or nothing will happen. ;)

Have you ever tried growing something edible? How did it turn out? Or are you now going to try basil seeds with me? Let me know in the comments below. :)

Post Nineteen: Offer Alert!

I'm currently running an offer on my facebook page and thought I'd share it with all the lovely people who read my blog.

The next 5 people to book in with me for a Neal's Yard Luxury Facial will get a free slice of cake after their appointment. Since I work from a coffee shop that gets in fresh, homemade cakes regularly this is quite a treat - no french fancies from Asda here! To book just call 01275 839888 and ask to book an appointment with me (Ami).

I'd love to hear from you. :)


Update: This offer is out of date.

Post Eighteen: Me! Me! Me! Review

The banana muffins went down a storm and I only have 1 left now! Everyone has loved them, including Tom who after making such a fuss about having non-banana ones made tried the banana ones and ended up eating two! To celebrate the success I'm going to try the same method on strawberry and vanilla muffins at some point this week.

With all the petrol scares going on and panic buying, not to mention the price rise impending in August, I thought I'd draw your attention back to this post where I outline ways to cut fuel consumption and save the pennies. Don't just think it's a waste of time - I'm saving rather a lot on my petrol bill each month by following these principles and my blood pressure has dropped considerably too. I only wish I'd tested it before changing my driving style so I would have comparative results!

Anyway, on with my review...

At the weekend I bought a new nail varnish with my £5 off No7 voucher from Boots. Since I'm loving spring colours at the moment and the weather is certainly allowing it, I went for Me! Me! Me! which is a bright pink shade.

As you can see, it's nice and shiny which I like. This is just one coat, which gives a nice coverage and the colour is really vibrant. It's not too bad for drying time, although having bought and tried out a Collection 2000 nail varnish (shade: Ballet) that dries in seconds I'm a little impatient with everything else now! My only complaint is that it chips really easily. You can't see it in this picture but the tips are a little chipped and my other hand has quite visible chips too. I don't think I'd pay the full £7 for another one, however for £2 I really cannot complain!

Post Seventeen: Banana Muffins, yum!

What a wonderful Wednesday! Today I thought I'd share with you a recipe I found for Banana Muffins, which I made last night and can personally advertise as the best banana muffins I've ever eaten! (Note: I haven't eaten banana muffins before, but these are nom I promise..)
I bought some bananas last week and they were coming to the end of their life, so rather than throw them in the bin I decided to get creative!

You might need to jiggle the cooking temperature/times around a little, as I found the sugar content made the tops brown a little too quickly for my liking. The middle was definitely cooked, but perhaps a little squidgy.

Ingredients
 3 very ripe bananas
 125ml vegetable oil
 2 eggs
 250g plain flour
 100g caster sugar
 1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
 1 tsp baking powder
 150g white chocolate chips

This recipe will make 12 decent sized muffins.
I only had 100g of the chocolate chips, so I improvised with 20g of mini-marshmallows. To be honest, you can't taste the marshmallows so you're probably better off sticking with more chocolate. I can't hear you complaining... ;)

Method

1. Preheat your oven to 200 (This could be where I went wrong - I assumed that meant fan assisted ovens and it probably doesn't. So next time I'm going to try 180ºC instead.)

2. Mash the bananas in a bowl - not the one you're going to be mixing everything in.

3. Mix the eggs and oil together in the bowl you'll be mixing in.

4. Mix the dry ingredients together, then add them to your mixing bowl.

5. Add the mashed banana and chocolate chips (plus marshmallows if you go with that).

6. Divide into muffin cases and place on the baking tray.

7. Cook for 20 minutes, checking frequently in case they're finished sooner! (Mine only took about 16 minutes.)

And there you go! Banana muffins. :) Like I said mine came out a little brown, but they are delicious and don't taste at all burnt.

Post Sixteen: The Importance of a Green Business

The modern customer is looking for more than just great service these days, they're looking to see if your company has a conscience and isn't just profiteering. Fairtrade has taken huge steps in recent years to ensure better conditions for third world farmers and without consumer motivation it wouldn't have been possible. This is proof that today you need to think of more than just how your shop looks and whether your front of house is smiling.

One of the ways to show you care is to make sure you are up to date on your Green policies. Recycle, Reduce, Re-use is one of the best philosophies you can stick to when trying to improve your business. It can be practiced in any type of industry but I'll be focusing on the Hospitality Industry since that's the one I currently work in.

The Hospitality Industry sends a huge amount of food to landfill each year by overestimating their needs, using inefficient equipment and not doing all they can to minimise waste. I work in a coffee shop so I know we're limited by health & safety standards left right and centre, but that doesn't mean we can't take some big steps towards making the industry more environmentally friendly.

Our industry relies on the planet more so than others; our products come directly from the earth and without it we're out of business. If we don't keep the rainforests alive, we lose packaging. If plants soak up chemicals we are endangering our customers. The animals in turn eat these toxic plants and then our meat because contaminated. It's a vicious cycle that ultimately ends with us being closed.

Looking at it from a reverse view there's a much more positive image we can create. Support the Rainforest Association and there will always be trees for your packaging. Use organic products and organically raised animals and no one will be exposed to chemicals. Reducing your carbon footprint actually cuts your costs and raises your profile to customers. That's why more companies are turning to these policies to give their businesses a makeover.

From recycleable packaging to vegetable based inks, reusable containers, energy saving appliances, the resources are all there to make things as easy as possible for you. In this day and age there is no excuse to sit back ignoring the issues that people are crying out to be acknowledged. If your company can take even the smallest step you'll be changing the planet for the better. To give you an idea of what you can do here are some small examples I've already implemented here at The Witches Brew.

Fairtrade products and locally produced foods wherever possible.
Cut down your carbon footprint by reducing the distance your products have to travel. All of our coffee and hot chocolate is Fairtrade and our cakes and crisps are from local suppliers.

Only order what you need.
Buying in bulk only saves you money if you're going to use all of it, so companies who buy in by the hundreds and end up with a lot of wastage are actually just throwing money into landfills. We have fresh cakes ordered each week and usually stick to minimum orders of everything else we stock.

Use compostable cutlery.
Or napkins, takeaway cups, there are a whole host of compostable products out there you can use. Check out Vegware products for loads of ideas. We're introducing new compostable products as we run out of their throwaway counterparts.

Re-purpose everything you can.
Keep waste out of landfills by seeing if there's another use for it first. Our used coffee grounds are used to keep bugs off plants, down the drains as a de-odoriser, a tint for fixing wood furniture.. Check out some more ideas here. Old tins/pots become plant pots or pen pots. Empty handwash bottles become vases - Neal's Yard bottles are especially pretty for this idea.

Have your own compost heap.
There are loads of products these days that stop pests being an issue with a compost heap, so why not create your own? Throw all your food wastage onto the heap then find a local company or gardening group that will be happy to use it for you. We don't do this particular idea, but it's something I've looked into and would be viable in a business bigger than ours.


Is your business or the company you work for taking these steps? Are there any other steps you can think of that I haven't mentioned here? Get in touch, I'd love to hear from you. :)

Post Fifteen: Light Bulbs!

Happy Monday Everyone!

This weekend was so fabulously sunny Tom and I decided to get out and do something despite the fact we were both ill. Saturday was spent mooching around the shops and treating ourselves to a few new clothes (which went onto my printed wardrobe diary!). I got some amazingly comfy trousers and a pretty pink top from New Look - I'm really feeling spring colours at the moment so I love the delicate flowers on the trousers and the pale pink of the top. :) I also got myself some No 7 nail varnish in Me! Me! Me! which is a bright pink colour. Then it was off to Asda for the weekly shop.

We managed to last nearly a week on just my Saturday shop last week - so happy! Only had to pop in for bread for Tom's lunches. :) Might not have the same success this week as I was nowhere near as organised and we didn't really buy anything except picnic food this week, but thanks to bulk buying last week I don't think I'll need to go in until later in the week at least. I also remembered to take in one of my bags for life, so that cut out 2 or 3 bags that would've been wasted. Next goal: remember both!

Sunday I picked up a casette to iPod converter for my car, because it's so old I could only listen to the radio up to now. Then Tom and I got some new trainers each, since his are falling apart and I haven't bought any for 5 years! Shopping finished, we headed to Victoria Park for a picnic. I was really excited to use the hamper I got for my birthday. :) We had some yummy sandwiches, pork & pickle sausage rolls, pringles, smarties cookies and amazing Ice Cream Soda to drink. Not the healthiest, but considering all the walking we did over the two days I'm giving myself a break!

Now I'm back at work glaring enviously at the people out in the sunshine, but it's made a little better by the fun Upcycling Ideas I've found for used light bulbs on pinterest. My favourites on the page are the mini hanging-basket style vases and the glittery christmas tree decorations. Can't wait to try out some of these ideas. Now I just have to wait for some bulbs to blow.. (at which point I'll pop in energy saving ones of course!).

How did your weekend go? Did you get crafty or go out in the sunshine?

Post Fourteen: The Colour of Your Money

I'm poorly today so I'm sitting out in the garden to enjoy one of those rare days that the sun is out and I have nothing to do. Admittedly I would rather be in good health doing this, but I'll take what I can get.

Recently I've been seeing a number of different articles, newsletters and websites that talk about how your money can be green ethically as well as in colour. Since I'm constantly thinking about our finances and how we can put them to best use, this has intrigued me and I thought I'd share my findings with you. Please remember, nothing in this blog is meant as financial advice. Where you put your money is completely up to you.

A handy website that gives you the run down of banks and their ethical pros and cons can be found here. It's called Your Ethical Money and it has sub-categories for all kinds of investments, savings and everyday bank accounts. In each category it lists each bank that offers the product and lets you know how they score against other banks. The criteria they have to meet is pretty extensive - covering not only their green policies, but their equal rights, how fair they are to people in financial difficulty, all sorts of things you just don't tend to think about when choosing a bank. They even let you know if the company invests in good causes or if they actively support bad ones. I don't know about you, but I quite like the idea that my money can help others and still stay in my pocket!

I also found an article that goes through some of the other ways you can put your money to good use, for example lending your savings to help others. There are a lot of complicated rules and you can't just jump straight in without doing a little research, but in its simplest concept someone will tell you why you should lend them the money and you decide if you want to or not!
The article itself can be found here.


Tom and I haven't started saving just yet, which has nothing to do with my recent trip to New Look I swear! But when we do, I'll definitely be looking for the best ethical bank as well as the best savings rates. :)

Post Thirteen: The Sustainable Wardrobe

Good Afternoon!

The sun is shining, I'm in a flowery maxi-dress to mark the occassion and the sunglasses are tentatively in my handbag. I've got pink nails with white crackle on them and a flowery headband on and my only concession to the chill is a long cardigan. It's definitely getting close to summer weather even if we have only just started spring! So following on from this post about your summer wardrobe I wanted to do a blog about how you can make your wardrobe more sustainable and eco-friendly.

I found a brilliant article by Amisha Ghadiali called 12 Rules To Dress By which you can read here. It has a fab print-out that you can keep in your wardrobe to remind you of the rules before you go shopping and a little chart where you can keep track of how sustainable any new additions are.

If you want the full run-down on ways to keep your wardrobe up to date and still eco-friendly you'll need to read the article, but the basic principles are:

Do you really need new? I love the term pre-loved that's now used to describe clothes from charity shops or something you've been given by a friend. We're not talking your grandmas cast offs here, getting a group of friends together to swap clothes is a great socialising opportunity and you all walk away with a new outfit.

Research Ethical Designers. Green is the new black on the fashion scene, which means it's becoming so much easier to buy clothes made from organic or recycled fabrics, or that ensure fair trading standards are met for their suppliers.

Clear out your wardrobe. Not only will you find clothes you forgot you had and will now be wearing all the time again, you'll get extra space in your wardrobe once you give the stuff you don't want to charity. Now you can fill that space with pre-loved, sustainable clothing instead!

Get creative! You can pick up a sewing machine for the price of a new handbag and with it you can make hundreds of new creations - customise your old clothes, use old clothes to make a jar of hearts or even turn old clothes into fashion accessories. A fancy cuff from a dress/top can easily be turned into a new bracelet!


I'm going to be printing off the chart and writing down everything that goes into my wardrobe this year. Hopefully it'll get more environmentally friendly as the year goes on! Who wants to join me?

Post Twelve: How-To Make A Jar of Hearts

How To Make A Jar Of Hearts

If you've been following my blog for the last few days you'll know that I've been working on a secret project for Mother's Day. Since yesterday was the big day, I can now let you all know what the present was. :) I made the card myself and all the hearts in the jar (obviously I didn't make the jar!).

I should've got a smaller jar if I'm honest, as I wasn't able to make enough hearts to fill it in time. But now I have present ideas for the next few years - I plan to get some really nice fabrics and add to mum's collection each birthday, christmas and mother's day. Along with other presents of course!
To give you an idea of what the hearts look like here are a few of them:

So here's the how-to guide. There are a lot of pictures to give you a good idea of how to do each step, so don't be put off by the length of the post - it's actually very simple! Each heart takes about 30-45 minutes to make depending on how good you are with a needle and thread and how big each heart is. I'm sure the experts out there could do one in about 15-20 minutes even.

You Will Need:
Fabric - I used old clothes I didn't want anymore.
Rice (or some other form of filling - why not scraps from cutting out the hearts?)
Needle & Thread

Optional
A sewing machine (way easier than stitching by hand!)
A funnel (makes filling with rice easier)

Method:

1. Draw your design on the WRONG SIDE of the fabric, with a border around to allow for a seam.

2. Cut it out and draw around it on the RIGHT SIDE of the fabric (this is so your shapes match up - if your heart is identical both sides you can draw it on the wrong side).

3. Cut out the second heart and sew the two together RIGHT SIDES facing inwards, leaving about an inch gap along one side.

 



4. Turn it inside out so that the RIGHT SIDE is now on the outside.

5. Fill the heart with rice (or your other filling).

6. Finally, use invisible stitch to close the small gap you left. If you don't know invisible stitch, just use whatever stitch you know - remember it doesn't have to be perfect!

And that's it! Just repeat and make as many hearts as it takes to fill your jar. One thing you can do is add a few drops of essential oil into the rice on just ONE heart. The scent will be really strong so don't do it to all of them! I used lemon and it gave the jar a lovely smell when it was opened. :)

As for the card I made, I keep a lot of the nice birthday/christmas cards I get each year and I have some plain black card for making my own. I just chopped up old cards, ribbon and added glitter to make my own unique card. Plus some metallic gel pens for the writing. Simples!

Post Eleven: Almost There!

Hey everyone, really sorry I haven't had a post for you the last two days. I've been working my bum off trying to finish off my mothers day present (which needs to be finished in the next hour.. eek!) so I've been putting all my spare time into that. The good news is that I've taken plenty of pictures on how to make what I've done so tomorrow I can write you a lovely guide to make your own. :) The choice I've gone with doesn't have to be a mothers day present, it can be used for any female (or feminine male!) celebration.

I tried out the bath bomb recipe yesterday and it went fairly well, although mine aren't as good as I'd hoped. I think it was due to there being too much liquid, so I'd definitely be very wary about how many drops of essential oils and also how much witch hazel you add, so that they do dry in the specified time. Out of the 8 I made I've popped 4 out and they're passable, but I left the other 4 in to see if they improve.

Sorry it's just a quick post today, but I'll definitely be back up and running once mothers day is over. :)

Post Ten: Green Living

Good morning!

I sit writing this gazing out onto a world of fog, so I thought what better way to cheer up than to share some new day-to-day green tips and some exciting news from me!

We'll start with the green tips. I follow RecycleBank UK on facebook and they're always posting interesting articles, tips and other things that I find fascinating. Today they posted an article 30 Days To A Greener Life which is basically 30 tips for you to try out - either 1 a day for a month, or just to encorporate a few into your day to day habits. These tips are pain-free ways to become more environmentally friendly, so I wanted to put it on paper (metaphorically that is!) that I'm comitting to the following tips. (NB: I'm only going to put the things I don't already do below. I already follow some of their tips.)

1. Start some good water habits.

I already turn the tap off while brushing my teeth, time to add in the hand washing! As for the shower, I've cut down from 30 minutes to 15 and that's the best I can do. Sorry planet. :(

5. Banish stand-by.

Our house is full of electrical equipment. Not all of it's mine but anything within my control will get unplugged when I'm done with it. I can also comit to doing this at work - only bare essentials like the fridge will be left on overnight.

11. Make a meal plan to avoid waste.

I've made an inventory of what we have in the cupboard and I'm only making meals that can be done with what's there. The only things I'm buying in at the moment are meat and vegetables. Plus I'm planning meals a few days in advance so that my goal of only shopping twice a week can be met.

16. Carry a reusable bag.

I already carry one in the boot of the car, I'm actually comitting to remember to take it in the shop!

27. Head for the local library.

Once I finish my boxset of The Sookie Stackhouse Series (True Blood to you tv fanatics) I will be searching out my local library and stocking up on some good books!


So those are my promises to the environment. Once they become habits rather than something I do consciously, I'll take another look at the list and pick some more!

As for my exciting news... *drum roll*

Tom and I have decided to go travelling! This is instead of saving for a flat, so the direction of this blog is going to shift ever so slightly but in a much more exciting way! In my first post one of my Facts About Me was that I want to go travelling, but circumstances have made that difficult lately. Things have changed about a bit recently which has allowed us to think about taking some time out to travel. :) To be honest, my tips about making pillow covers instead of buying and cool things to make for your house aren't going to stop anyway. I love that sort of stuff as a hobby so you'll get just as much of it! However now they'll be interspersed with tips on how to travel lightly, cheaply and safely!

The plan is to spend quite a long time saving, but it's never too early to start a little project book with hints and tips. So to get the ball rolling, have any of you been travelling and have tips you can share with me?

Mission accomplished, fog forgotten. ;)

Post Nine: It's A Secret!

I'm afraid there'll be no blog of substance from me today because I'm working on a little project that needs completing by a certain special day coming up this weekend. Don't worry though, I'm using the experience to compile a How-To Guide on the project so you can use it for future special occassions. :)

Since St Patrick's Day is approaching I'll share with you some hangover cures that are good for not only your pounding head, but the environment too! Have a read of those while I go off and be sneaky for a little while longer...

xx

Post Eight: Mothers Day Presents

It's that time of year again! Shops are stocked to bursting with flowers, teddy bears, jewellery, chocolates, cards... you name it they have it! And they're all telling you that material gifts are the way to show your mum how grateful you are for her constant love and care.

If you have £50 to shell out on that perfume gift set you've seen or a deluxe box of chocolates, that's brilliant. Your mum's face will probably light up when she sees what you've bought her and she'll be warmed by the thought that you appreciate her. But a week later when the chocolate is sitting on her hips, the memory of that feeling won't be fresh in her mind!

Instead, why not make her a gift that she'll cherish forever? A homemade gift personalised to your mum's own tastes won't get thrown out when the house gets too cluttered and she certainly won't be damning you for the extra inches on her waist (unless you've made your own chocolate for her!). A few quick ideas can be found here but all you need to do is get creative! Knit something, weave something, paint something, bake something.. the possibilities are endless. And the great thing is you don't need to sell these items so they don't need to be perfect. They're going to the person who loves you most in the world and will forgive your little mistakes. :)

I love the idea of making your own bath bombs, so here's a simple little guide on how to do it:

Budget bath-bomb
             
What you need
4 tbsp bicarbonate of soda
2 tbsp citric acid, some dried flowers
1 tbsp almond oil
1 -2 drops food colouring
10 drops of essential oils including witch hazel
+ ice cube tray, foil
Important: keep everything dry at all times
How to do it
Step 1: Mix the bicarbonate of soda and citric acid together
Step 2: Stir in the almond and essential oils, food colouring and the flowers
Step 3: Spray on your witch hazel and stir quickly until the mixture goes crumbly
Step 4: Pack the mixture into the mould, nice and tight and leave in an airing cupboard overnight
Step 5: Wrap in foil. They're now ready to use!

I hope to try this method sometime - maybe in time for mothers day if I can get hold of some witch hazel before the weekend. :)

Are you going to make your mum something? Let me know how you get on! :)

On a side note I've finally remembered to take a picture of the box I painted, so here it is:

Post Seven: Monday Blues

Good afternoon lovely readers!

I'm suffering a little case of the Monday Blues so I thought a little progress check might cheer me up! Starting with a look at my efforts this weekend.

My weekend was very chilled out - I started making some shorts as per my last post (although I forgot to take before pictures, oops!), did a lot of reading and made Chicken & Lemon soup which was yum! I also tried the Superscrimpers cleaning tricks I saw on the programme last week, which worked a treat.

Tom had made a start on cleaning the oven, but we didn't have any proper oven cleaner so it hadn't worked too well. I'd seen a simple method to clean the oven on Superscrimpers and decided to put it to the test. All you need is Bicarbonate Soda (88p in Asda) and a teeny bit of water - mix the two into a paste, rub it into the glass door of the oven and leave it to work its magic for at least 15 minutes. I left it for about an hour. Then you take your scourer and just scrub it all off. If you need a little help cutting through the grease you can make up a solution of white vinegar, water and lemon in a ration of 1:2:0.5 which should cost you less than £1! Remember the lemons are only for cleaning, so grab the cheapest ones you can lay your hands on. :) The oven door went from pretty gross to completely spotless in just over an hour - magic!

I've also started to notice the difference in my fuel consumption since emptying my car down to the bare essentials. On average I've been getting about 70 miles to 1/4 of a tank since using the driving tips I outlined in this post which has really helped cut back the petrol spend. My car wasn't really that cluttered, but I did manage to throw out some random bits & bobs, rubbish that had built up and take out some Aquarium Filters that Tom had forgotten to put in the garage. Since then I haven't had a huge increase in efficiency, but I'd guess I'm getting about 75 miles to 1/4 of a tank now which isn't bad going for just a little less weight. At an increase of 20 miles per tank, I'll be saving a 1/4 tank of petrol every 4 times I fill up - not bad. :)

To add to my driving efforts, I'm going to be planning my daily trips a lot better to cut down the number of times I have to drive in a day. For example today I need to pop to Asda for a few things on my way home from work, so I'm planning our meals for the next few days to get anything we need for them too. On average I can be in Asda between 2 and 4 times a week, so if I can cut it down a little that'd be great! I'm hoping to do just a weekend and mid-week shop.

What did you do with your weekend? Have you picked up any new tips that you'd like to share, or got some questions you'd like me to answer? I'd love your feedback. :)

Post Six: Summer Wardrobe

The sun is shining brilliantly in Bristol today and it's got me thinking ahead to summer, which is perfect really as now is the time to be thinking about your summer wardrobe! Don't wait until summer actually hits and expect to find a bargain in the charity shop. Unless you're buying brand new clothes for the season (in which case, this blog isn't for you) you have to think about things now so you have time to get what you need.

My sunny weather must-haves are denim short shorts. When the sun comes out so do my legs! In the shops a decent pair can set you back anything from £15-£40 depending on the shop and when you're on a shoestring budget that takes quite a bite out of it. But with a bit of time, effort and some creative designing you can make your own shorts for as little as £0. Below are a few videos on how you can turn an old pair of jeans (either from your wardrobe or bought as a bargain in a charity shop) into a brand new pair of shorts.

First of all making them:

Then a how-to on distressing, bleaching and other edits you can use to create your own unique style!

Other things you need to think about are sunglasses (I found a pair in the charity shop just last night so it's definitely not too late to pick up a pair), jewellery (you can make your own out of buttons, beads or even taking apart old/broken pieces of jewellery) and a summer beach bag! A bag is definitely the most fun to make as it can be as simple or as complicated as you like.

A very simple method is to get two identical pieces of fabric (size will depend on how big you want your bag to be) and with the pattern facing inwards, sew them together along three sides. Then turn out the right way, get two long strips of fabric (matching, contrasting - be creative!) and sew them onto the remaining open side to create handles.

If you want something a bit more challenging and you have a pair of old jeans that you're not using to make shorts, you can try this:

If you don't have the skills to create your own summer wardrobe there are plenty of people who would happily help you out. Ask friends round for a customising party or even swap clothes with them. You'll both be getting a bargain and a whole new wardrobe!

And finally, if you have a small budget but not enough to go highstreet shopping the charity shop is your best friend. From vintage to current fashions, if you're willing to put in the leg work you can get some real unique finds. Here's a guide to charity shop hunting taken from Superscrimpers on Channel 4.

I wish you luck with all your crafty endeavours and I would love to hear how you get on. :) Or if you have any other DIY summer wardrobe tips please put them in a comment below - I'm always looking for new ideas!

Post Five: Upcycling

I found a fab website today dedicated to Upcycling and thought I'd write a blog about it.

Upcycling is the art of taking old or used items and giving them a makeover. Either revamping them to good as new to carry on in their original purpose, or making them into something completely different. Anything from reupholstering a chair to using an old shutter door to make a table!

The website I found is www.weupcycle.com and has hundreds of upcycled items that members have shared. It has some great ideas on uses for common household things like tin cans and empty shampoo bottles. You can either copy their ideas, or use them as inspiration to make your own creations.

I love the concept of taking old things and making them into a whole new item - it gives you the feeling of getting something new without the pricetag that goes with it. I've only done this with one item so far, which I'll post a picture of once I get home, but having spent some time on this website my head is full of ideas for other things I can do!

Have you had a go at anything like this? How did it go? What are your upcycling ideas/tips?

Post Four: Questions from Annie

My lovely friend Annie tagged me in this post to answer the following questions, so here goes...

1. What is it that makes you love your hometown?
I'm originally from Bath and lived there until I was about 13/14 and I must say I love a lot of things about it. The architecture is always worth a mention, as most of the buildings are beautiful. I would love to live in a house made of Bath Stone! I also love all the tourist attractions, which I think get overlooked and taken for granted when you live there. And I love it's mix of modern and vintage, from all your normal high street stores to quirky little shops selling god knows what all mixed in together in the centre. :)

2. What is your monday morning routine?
My routine tends to be the same most mornings. If I need a shower, I get up when the alarm goes off at 7.35, if not then I hit snooze until 8. Then it's out of bed, do the necessary bathroom things then the struggle of working out what to wear to work. I technically have a uniform, but when it's in the wash I have the luxury of making it up as I go. Once I'm dressed it's downstairs to grab some form of lunch for work and out the door. I'm not one for getting up early then taking my time - I'd much rather the extra sleep!

3. What is your biggest fear?
I think my biggest fear is unstable structures, which is kindof hard to explain. I could go up a skyscraper, because it is built solidly. But I could not go up an old wooden staircase even 2 flights, if it looked unsafe to me. Even though it would probably last another 50 years without becoming unsafe! I could walk across a metal bridge easily, but if it was a fallen tree bridging the gap you would have no chance of me crossing. I hope that makes sense.

4. Where is your favourite place to spend time?
There's a little field in Bath across from where I grew up affectionately called 'The Rec' and it has access to a lovely walk over the fields and skyline of Landsdown if you feel inclined. There's a small park too for children. I absolutely love sitting on a bench hidden up in the tree-line and pondering life, or going for a short walk up through the fields to a point that I can see my nans house. I like to ring her and wave - she can see a blob on the horizon so she knows it's me. :)

 5. Who is your biggest role model?
I know it sounds cheesy, but it really is my mum. My childhood was tough on her, for reasons I'll probably never fully understand, but she had the courage to leave my dad and make a better life for herself and consequently me and my sister despite the difficulties that posed to us. As a young child I had everything I wanted materially and as a teenager things were tough and we always struggled to get what we needed. But my teenage years were by far the happiest memories I have of growing up and that's all down to my mum's amazing outlook on life and her constant struggle to make sure we got everything we deserved. If I can become even half the woman she is, I will be happy.

6. If you could only use one beauty product for the rest of your life, what would you choose?
Does moisturiser count as a beauty product? If so, that's my pick as I get dry skin a lot. My favourite is Soap & Glory's Glow Body Lotion from Boots, which I was given as a present one year. If that gets away without being a beauty product, then it's definitely eyeliner. If I don't have time for full make-up, eyeliner is my absolute necessity!

7. Why did you first start writing your blog?
I've been trying out all kinds of eco-tips, recipes, DIY ideas and generally researching how to make my lifestyle greener and better for the planet. I've found some of these ideas so easy to follow and they've not had the slightest impact on my lifestlye (in a negative fashion at least) that I thought I'd share my experiences with others to show just how easy it can be.

8. Cats or dogs?
I grew up with a dog called Casper, who I adored and although he was a family pet I really saw him as mine. He'd always choose me to cuddle up to and listen to my commands on walks, despite my parents trying their best! I swore I'd always be a Dog Lover and never wanted a cat - they seemed so distant and nowhere near cuddly enough for me! But after far too many hamsters dying my mum decided a more long-term pet would be a good idea, and into my life came Mieko. The cutest kitten I've ever seen, with her own personality and a love for me that even Casper couldn't match. I've had her about 5-6 years now and I think I'm a convert. I love dogs, don't get me wrong. You can train them, they're loyal (where cats are not) and always good as a hot water bottle in the winter! But I wouldn't trade Mieko for the world.

9. What do you love the most about your best friend?
I have a few, but I love them all for almost the exact same reasons! They're all there for me, no matter what. They're each completely unique and all have a quality in them that I admire and adore.
Kerri is such a strong personality. She always demands exactly what she deserves and no less. And she's such a straightforward person - she doesn't mix her words and I love that about her.
Rachel is always immaculately dressed and looks stunning. She's one of those annoying people who looks good even on her bad days! And she's a very driven person - she knows what she wants and works towards it with determination.
Chezza is immensely fun to be around and really good to talk to. If you can't sleep at 4 in the morning and need a chat, she's always there. She's loyal and will defend you no matter what.
Kassi is my best friend and my sister, which makes her a little bit special (read into that what you will!). She reads my mind, takes care of me despite being the younger sibling and has a great eye for style. It's not your typical fashion sense - she knows how to mix and match quirky finds, combine it with unconventional jewellery, stunning make up and just the right amount of attitude to make it work. I love that about her.

10. Have you ever been given an inspiring piece of advice to live by?
I have just a few philosophies I live my life by and I have a number of amazing family members and friends to thank for them. They are;
* Be yourself and screw those who don't like it.
* Demand everything you deserve in life and more, certainly nothing less.
* Live every day expecting it to be brilliant and as if your luck is never going to run out.
I love the lyrics from the song Give Me Everything that say "Reach for the stars, 'cause if you don't grab them at least you'll be on top of the world." I think that sums up the attitude I try (try being emphasised) to live by.

11. Which season is your favourite?
I like the two extremes: Summer and Winter. Although I do have a slight leaning preference to Summer if I really thought about it. I love Winter because you can snuggle up warm in your duvet to watch tv in the evenings, with a mug of hot chocolate. Even better if it's snowing/snowed and everything is hushed almost like the whole world is holding it's breath.
As for Summer, I love the short shorts, the ridiculoudly oversized sunglasses and the carefree attitude everyone seems to adopt for the few shorts months that we get the sunshine. It's the only season you can lie in the park for a day and not feel guilty for not doing more, and I just love that!

So there's a little more insight into me and my life. I hope I didn't bored you with my ramblings!

Post Three: Chicken & Veg Broth

I'm sat here nomming my lunch of chicken and vegetable broth that I made Tuesday night and I thought I would share the recipe with you. Be warned: I took a vegetable soup recipe and made up a lot of it myself, so always make sure everything is fully cooked before eating it - even if you've already cooked it for the times mentioned.

Ingredients:
3 chicken breasts
2 potatoes - peeled and thinly sliced
1/2 onion - diced (can add more to taste)
3 mushrooms - thinly sliced
2 carrots - sliced
1 parsnip - sliced
Approx 1 litre chicken stock
Seasoning - I used this spice mix but choose herbs and spices to match your own tastes.

Serves: 3-4 people.

Method:


1. Put all the ingredients into a big saucepan and add the chicken stock.

2. Bring to the boil, stirring regularly.

3. Once boiling, continue stirring for 3-5 minutes at that temp.

4. Lower to a simmer and leave for 15 - 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until the chicken is fully cooked and the vegetables have softened. This will be indicated by the potato slices breaking up.

5. Serve with brown wholemeal rolls for the ultimate healthy meal!

My lunch, doesn't look half as nice as it tastes!

If you try this recipe please tell me what you think in a comment below!

Post Two: Driving economically - is it worth it?

First of all I'd like to say I'm amazed at the response to my first post yesterday - it's had almost 50 views already which is just amazing. :) So thank you to anyone who has read it! And now to my main point of the post...

To answer the question, yes! Driving economically is definitely worth it. I don't think articles emphasise enough the difference it makes, not only to your pocket and the environment, but to your general wellbeing.

I first made the decision to focus my attention on my driving a few weeks ago, when I'd needed to make a number of unexpected trips that were really hard on my bank balance. I'd read a few articles by this point that suggested how you drive and the state of your car can effect how fuel efficient it is - seems obvious enough but it's something most people overlook on a day-to-day basis. So I looked into it and decided to experiment with the ideas I found. From the very basic - "Look further ahead than just the car in front so you can anticipate the need to slow down without braking." to the more complicated 'Hypermiling', which follows theories like avoiding bumps, drains etc in the road to avoid resistance and staying in the slipstream of the car ahead (although not so close that it becomes dangerous).
All of these theories require concentration on your driving at all times so suggestions like turning your radio off and not allowing passengers to talk are quite popular. I find these a little excessive myself, but if you were desperate to save the pennies I've found that not following them is a bad move.

I'll highlight the tips I found to be the most useful below, but for those of you who really want to look into this and try it for yourself properly I'll add links at the end so you can find out more.

1. Don't speed. The most obvious of them all - the difference in petrol used between 60mph and 70mph is about 25% according to the statistics, which is a huge increase if you're trying to conserve it. And really, are you in so much of a hurry that you can't go that little bit slower? If you are, I point you to my next tip...

2. Leave in plenty of time. If you've got 30 minutes to be somewhere and you've only left 20, you're going to speed. You're going to accelerate fast and brake hard, which are the two biggest wastes of petrol going. So leave yourself plenty of time to get there. If it takes 30 minutes, leave 35 or 40. Then if you hit traffic you don't have to stress that you're going to be late.

3. Look ahead. If you can see that the traffic lights you're approaching are going red, or a car in front is braking, just take your foot off the accelerator. Coast to a stop instead of needing to brake, that way if the lights go green you can simply start accelerating again without having lost any momentum. An easy way to think of it is; Accelerator = money spent, Brake = money wasted.

4. Empty your car. I don't mean get rid of vital parts, or emergency supplies like a first aid kit or spare tyre. I mean get rid of that pair of flat shoes you threw in one day in case your heels hurt while you were out, and that book that your passenger left last time you had a long drive. Bits of rubbish, half finished drinks, things you meant to put in the garage but haven't yet.. They're all costing you money to drive around with you. The heavier your car is the less efficient it becomes, so never have more than absolutely necessary in your car.

5. Drive defensively. Most of us drive aggresively, overtaking and trying to get there before everyone else. We accelerate fast to pull out into tiny gaps and we speed up so no one else can pull out in front. Why? 9/10 times we get there at the same time as everyone else anyway. A light goes red, there's traffic and eventually those people we overtook catch up anyway. So why bother? Accelerating gently means no petrol is wasted and you won't have to brake suddenly if someone does pull out into that tiny gap ahead of you. It's also good for your blood pressure!

And finally..

6. Enjoy the drive! Whether it's an urban area or rolling green hills, your commute has something of interest to look at. And if you're so busy driving as fast as possible without crashing you're going to miss it. Driving at a reasonable speed and letting others stress about getting there first means you can enjoy the experience, notice the rainbow over the ring road (speaking from experience!) or appreciate how green the fields look in the sunshine.


The first 5 tips will certainly help your bank balance and the environment, the 6th tip will help you. I don't claim to be perfect at this and I admit that I still leave 10 minutes later than I should sometimes, my mantra becoming "Green lights, no traffic. Green lights, no traffic!" But I can tell you I've gone from refilling my car about 3 times a fortnight, to 2 times a fortnight on average. There are weeks I have to fill up more, but that's because I've done more miles not because my methods aren't working.

So there you are! A quick-stop guide to better driving. If you want to know more just leave me a comment below or check out some of these links:

Ten Steps to Economical Driving
Guide to Hypermiling
The AA's Advice

Post One: Introductions.

Me! Taken at the Colliseum in Rome.

Hello!

My name's Ami and I run a coffee shop owned by my family in Whitchurch, Bristol. I've recently turned 21 and moved in with my partner Tom and like any young couple starting out; money isn't exactly abundant (yet!). So I've decided to turn my hand to crafts and see if I can make a lot of the things we need rather than going out and buying new. I've always loved handmade items and look on with envy when friends have shown me things they've made, so now it's my turn to try some of it out!
This fits in perfectly with my new interest in everything Green. From finding more energy efficient ways to warm the house (I think my internal thermostat is constantly set to 'Arctic'!) to uses for old coffee grounds from the coffee shop, I love it all. Some of the steps you can take to be kinder to the planet are so easy I think it's a crime that everyone doesn't follow them!
And finally I'm always on the hunt for a bargain or a way to do what I already do, for less. I believe everyone should get fair value for their efforts (I'm a HUGE fan of FairTrade and all their work) but at the same time I don't see the point in wasting money that will just go into some rich persons pocket either. Providing the cheapest product is from a brand that is fair to their employees, its the product I'm going to buy.

As a result I've decided to create this blog as a sort of how-to on becoming an Eco-Goddess (hence the name!) and to track my progress. I can't promise I'll get it right all the time, for example I'll be driving to the corner shop if it's pouring no matter how badly my moral compass is telling me to walk! But I can promise to try my best, do what I can and give you hints and tips on how to follow in my footsteps.

I always love reading those '10 Facts About Me' things on other peoples' blogs so to give you all a little more information about me I'll give you my 10 Facts. :)

1. I've discovered no matter how good it is for me, I will never like Green Tea. I'm sorry, but it just can't be done.

2. I come from a very small family and I love them all to bits, even when I hate them! (Which happens quite frequently - we're all rather strong-willed!)

3. My writing style is a lot like my thinking style. Get used to things in brackets for when I add little sidenotes in my head and long rambley sentences with dashes in when I'm not ready to finish a sentence yet.

4. I like turtles. Not like in that youtube video of the kid saying it, but in a genuine way that drives Tom crazy. Mostly because I constantly ask if we can have one! :p

5. I'm also a little obsessed with Hummingbirds. Ever since I went to Costa Rica (cue Tom rolling his eyes at the mention of my trip) and one flew right up to me, hovered a few seconds and disappeared, I have been fascinated. To the point that the logo for my therapy business is a hummingbird. :)

6. I use smileys far too much. I feel they convey my feelings so easily I can't help adding a :) to the end of sentences and sometimes I even have to go back and edit them out because there are just too many. Although you'll never see me posting ':) :) :)' because that's just excessive. ;)

7. I love travelling and I wish my budget would allow me to do it more. One of the things I'll be hoping to find out more about is travelling for next to nothing. I know it can be done, I just need to find out how!

8. I am a bit of a spelling/grammar nerd. Spelling mistakes and grammatical errors really bug me. I don't claim to be perfect, but I always strive towards it and others making obvious or even deliberate mistakes is a pet peeve of mine. I'm sorry, I can't help it.

9. I love cooking, I can just never be bothered to do it. Mealtimes tend to be quick and easy meals rather than labours of love. I aim to put a stop to this, for example last night I made a chicken and vegetable broth that was delicious and I enjoyed making it too. So there'll also be quite a few recipe ideas on here when I have the time.

10. I'm a very social person. I just love to natter away to anyone about anything. So don't be shy, get in touch if you want to chat about anything I've posted or if you have an article you think I should read etc. :)


A little legal sidenote, as these days you can get sued for just about anything! This blog is only my own trial and error methods, I don't claim to be an expert and this blog will only contain articles I've found interesting and my own opinions. I don't endorse any companies and I don't get paid to suggest items you can buy.