Treasures by Louise

I am working my way through Carl Sagan's book The Dragons of Eden, about the evolution of the human brain. This is my choice for "light reading" after finishing my Biochemistry class. (I have my next textbook for Advanced Analytical Chemistry, but haven't done more than page through the table of contents.) Dragons of Eden  is great for keeping my brain alert during my time off from school. Biochemistry was quite a challenge but will surely help my understanding of things such as environmental toxicology, in the future. I also  learned a lot about food additives while researching the ingredients in bread for extra credit.

This Blog can't decide where to focus. I must be ADD today! Thanks to whoever invented Wordless Wednesdays, I think I will find plenty of pics to be able to post a photo once a week, even if I can't think of what to say. Today we take the Princess on another College Visit. I'm bringing my camera - there must be some pretty campus shots out there!

A random list of stuff I care about; in no particular order. Cooking healthy food for my family - Thinking about Meatless Mondays. Patchwork Quilts - because it's a good way to use up my fabric collection! Recycling - Don't you just hate the thought of all the (probably usable) stuff going into landfills? The Ten Commandments - and other ways to create a Heaven on Earth. Sustainability - how to manufacture things without destroying the Earth. Learning about Clean Energy - Solar, Wind, Geothermal. Groundwater - Let's keep this valuable resource clean and uncontaminated. There's more, but I can't think of it right now!

I suppose with my interest in the environment, I should have read it long ago, this summer I am reading Silent Spring by Rachel Carson. I'm just beginning, so will have more to say about it later. I plan to research a bit about what pesticides are in current use, and how they differ from the DDT-type pesticides. I suspect there is still a big risk to our drinking water quality. Meanwhile, on an entirely different note, I am putting borders on a baby quilt. Soon to attempt machine quilting!

Check out this link about making your own laundry detergent.  Do it yourself laundry detergent The bottom line: you could skip the detergent altogether, make your own, or just use half as much as reccomended on the package. I buy the natural detergents made from plant materials. Did you know that many detergents (surfactants) are now made from petroleum products? I look for ones made with coconut oils.

Now I'm "following" all the Blogs I've bookmarked over the past months. Spring is full of inspiration for so many projects! One of my favorite Blogs is Little Dear Tracks, whom I have been following since I got Aimee Ray's book last year. I love her relaxed style of embroidery. It has such a sweet look to it. You can check out her book at Amazon, and there's a second book coming soon, too.   Doodle-Stitching by Aimee Ray

Check out GreenCraft magazine by Stampington and Co. They have some wonderful ideas about using the supplies you have on hand! Here is where I discovered some handbags made from recycled wool clothing. There are many more green crafters in the magazine.  GreenCraft magazine The handbag artist is also a blogger and shares her creations on her blog: Grandma Peden's Porch

Our community has offered curbside recycling for perhaps 15 years. I have tried to recycle whenever possible. I even took my recyclables to the recycling center in the days before we were provided bins! I have been known to pull plastic containers out of our wastebasket to recycle them. Our communities earn money for all the materials that are recycled. So you help reduce the amount of materials that end up in landfills and you financially benefit your community! Seems like a win-win situation. But then it appears that industrial, commercial, and retail organizations are not participating in any form of recycling. You sometimes see stores throwing away all the cardboard and packing material - all mixed together. One would think they could find a way to separate the different wastes and make sure they get recycled? Perhaps if enough people ask the question, they will take action.

In the grocery store lately, there are more household cleaners that are supposed to be safer for the environment, and we have tried a few, especially since many are priced at or below the cost of similar items that are made from petroleum products. We' ve tried dish soap, laundry detergent and bathroom cleaners that are made from coconut soaps, with mild fragrances, or no fragrance at all. I have recently switched back to liquid fabric softener rather that those non-biodegradable dryer sheets that were piling up in the garbage! My most recent purchase was a natural non-chlorine fabric brightener. Since I purchased this product I was wondering what was the big deal about Chlorine Bleach? I have since found out that Chlorine is a real 'bad actor' in the environment. It is very reactive, and combines with many of the organic compounds now found in our water to make them even more toxic. I continue to look for more natural choices in consumer products. We as consumers can ...

Welcome to my Blog. (Mom!) With a New Year upon us, I should dedicate some time to cleaning out the mess that the basement has become. I should stop buying craft supplies, especially if I already have them some where in the dungeon (!). Better yet, make beautiful and creative things with what I have on hand. I so admire the artists of collage and assemblage who create beautiful art with 'found objects'. I have begun some little wall quilts to test out my newly restored sewing machine and I look forward to posting photos soon. Meanwhile, I will add a link to an Etsy artist who makes tote bags using recycled vintage fabric: Recycled Canvas Carryall