Does Your Healthy Home need a Detox?

The benefits of eating clean, nutritious, whole foods are clear--the fewer toxins, chemicals, and junk you feed your body, the more vibrant a life you'll lead. While the phrase "you are what you eat" stands true, the state of your environment can also impact your health. Here's what I have learned lately about detoxing my home.

Cleaning Products
Toxic chemicals are widely used in generic cleaning products. The first step in your home detox is to read labels and question the "brand I always buy". Not all cleaning products list their ingredients. I would certainly avoid anything with a danger, hazard, or poison label. Ingredients like ammonia, DEA, APEs, and TEA are also bad for your home. Although even the most natural cleaners contain small amounts of hard-to pronounce ingredients, choose cleaning products like you would food. Opt for short ingredient lists (five or less) and make sure you comprehend most of the terms used on the label. Plant-based ingredients are the best choices, followed by solvent and phosphate-free products.

Making Your Own
Alternatively, you may make your own cleaning products. Baking soda, lemon, vinegar, and cornstarch are pantry staples that can also double up as cleaning supplies. Combined with hot water and elbow grease, you may never need to use a chemical cleaner again!

Furniture and Textiles
Mattress manufacturers often add flame retardants in order to comply with fire regulations. Regardless of the chemical concoction used, retardants are known to cause poor brain development as well as learning, behavior, and memory problems in children. Carpets also contain their own chemical load--stain resistance treatments, antimicrobial properties, antistatic agents, etc. In reality, they are all toxic.

Be a conscious consumer and choose a mattress made from natural materials like untreated cotton or wool. Also ensure they are free from synthetic materials like foam, glue, and moth-proofing chemicals. Use the same standards when choosing bedding, curtains, and rugs. Clean carpets with a plant-based detergent, or if you're moving homes or renovating, opt for hardwood floors instead.

Refresh your home with Paint
Springtime is often the cue for homeowners to clean and refresh their home. Nothing says fresh and new like a new coat of paint! Be sure to use no-VOC (volatile organic compounds) paints. Many companies advertise no-VOC, but this may only be the base white paint. Once color is added, it's no long no-VOC. Here is a link to more information.

A truly clean, green home can't be achieved overnight--so if you can't incorporate these suggestions now, that's okay. Begin with small changes and watch them make a big impact over time.

Thanks for stopping by,
Georgianne

Sometimes the big changes start with one, small conversation. Learn more about my health coaching programs at www.GeorgianneHolland.com!

International Bird Rescue -- Every Bird Matters

Perhaps you have seen the images from ocean-side communities where people work to clean up a bird that has been damaged by an oil spill? This kind of human intervention due to humankind's mess-making around the world is often covered in the news these days.

My love of birds has been celebrated in my fiber art studio for many years now, so when the folks at International Bird Rescue, an organization dedicated to rescuing birds that have been injured due to a natural disaster or human cruelty, asked me to sponsor a membership drive for their non-profit organization, I was happy to participate! I hope you will enjoy learning more about their fine work.

If you decide to become a member of Bird Rescue this week, with a $25 donation, you will be eligible to win one of the many lovely sponsor-donated items perfect for every bird lover! Learn more here.

Tattoo Sparrow Pillow at Nestle And Soar

The Tattoo Sparrow Pillow from my eco-chic collection, shown at left, has been donated to Bird Rescue (IBR) as a give-away item! Other companies who also love birds, as well as the fans of birds around the world, are joining in to help raise awareness about the work of the Bird Rescue team.

In addition to becoming a IBR member, there are many ways to participate with bird-loving organizations, and often, you can participate from the comfort of your own home. If you enjoy spending time on Facebook, there are many hard-working groups represented there you could follow and help to support. I like to keep up with the I Love Birds page!

Another bird-loving spot I like to visit from home is the blog of the popular 10,000 Birds. Here you will find great information on birding, nature, and conservation as well as fabulous bird photography from around the world. Do you love learning about birds and where they live?

It is tremendous fun to fill my home with art and images that celebrate my love of nature! This is the passion behind my artistic practice and my small business efforts. If you also love to celebrate your love of nature this way, I hope you will join me in helping organizations like International Bird Rescue who work to preserve the health and legacy of birds in their natural environments for everyone's benefit.

Thanks for stopping by,
Georgianne

Creating a Bird Haven at Home

If you are a bird lover, chances are good that your personality is drawn toward bright colors, cheerful flowers, and a wide range of garden and landscape styles. I am the kind of bird lover who is always looking out her windows, at home and in the car, scanning for the flicker of colorful birds! I plant a lot of yellow in my flowerbeds, and I love the counterpoint of purples like hydrangea or climbing clematis. Have you taken the time to create a bird-friendly backyard?

Here are three tips I have found useful for making sure more birds visit my home! In my way of thinking, a landscape filled with beauty is not complete without a bird haven. Do you agree?

Two Major Bird Concerns The two biggest concerns for birds are finding food and being safe. I offer lots of vegetation like trees, shrubs, flowerbeds and vines, and this gives birds choices for safe landing spots. The foods that are most popular in my yard are insects, berries, and fruit. Seeds like no-mess blends are always offered, too, but alone, they are not ideal for attracting birds. 

Watch and Learn My large dining room window is my favorite perch for bird watching, and from there I realized that the neighborhood cat who is left to roam at will has been ruining my bird haven efforts! A friendly call to my neighbor has helped with that issue. The cover of sheltering tree limbs and ornamental grasses has helped birds feel safe in my yard. We often see hawks gliding in the thermals above our home, and a sheltering landscape helps small backyard birds rest easy about predators in the air.  

Stop Tidying Up By nature, I like to put things back into place at the end of each day. I'm a bit of a neat-freak. In my bird-friendly yard, a natural, more wild approach brings better results! Trimming back hedges and flowerbeds every week removes some of the insect-rich oasis for birds. It is good for me to be more casual in my yard work, as it lets me just relax in the lush, colorful space.

I would love to hear about your bird-friendly spaces!

Thanks for stopping by,
Georgianne

P.S. If you would like to see my latest colorful, handmade bird pillows, here is a quick link. Birds look great inside the home, too!

Earth Day Give-Away: Awesome Tote Bag for You!

I hope you will join me in celebrating Earth Day on Monday, April 22nd! In looking around my studio, I realized I could continue on the path of operating an environmentally savvy art studio by donating some of the fabric overflow I've stashed for years. It seems to me that kids learning to sew in the after-school program in our community could better use that fabric: it will save them money and it breathe new life into that fabric stash!

How are you going to celebrate Earth Day? The first Earth Day happened on April 22, 1970, and over 20 million Americans from all walks of life  participated, which is widely credited with launching the modern environmental movement. "Earth Day Network (EDN) works with over 22,000 partners in 192 countries to broaden, diversify and mobilize the environmental movement. More than 1 billion people now participate in Earth Day activities each year, making it the largest civic observance in the world."

I would like to announce the first EARTH DAY GIVE AWAY here at Nestle and Soar! Most of us like to use canvas tote bags instead of plastic or paper bags, and I always keep my eyes open for fun, washable totes to use! Tell me in a comment to this blog post how you plan to celebrate Earth Day, and you will be entered into a drawing to receive a sturdy Nestle And Soar Tote Bag of your very own! From the posted comments, I will randomly draw one winner on May 1st. You will be notified of your awesome winner status and this great tote bag will be mailed to you with my compliments.

I hope you will all enter to win, and it would be great to have your friends enter, too! Let's make a nice long list of ways Earth Day will be celebrated in 2013! We will learn from each other and be part of a hugely successful worldwide movement to honor mother Earth.

Thanks for stopping by,
Georgianne

New Website for Eco-Chic Fiber Art Lovers

The past six months of my life here in Colorado have been electronically creative for me! A strong focus on online technologies is an unnatural devotion, and I tease by telling others that I am high fiber, not high tech. Luckily, this huge technology project has been managed by a team of experts who have guided me and educated me in the ways of the web. I am pleased to announce the launch of my newly designed website, Nestle And Soar, a colorful and fun resource for those who love to fill their home with original and elegant home decor.

One of the most exciting features of my new website is the Customize It! page. Many of my collectors have asked me to make a fiber art piece especially for them, in colors and finishes that exactly match their home's decor. With this feature at Nestle And Soar, we've made it easy for folks to order their own special item. It's very exciting!

Do you love lush textiles and pops of color? Green luxury in home decor means dressing up your space with statement pieces that reflect the beauty of nature without damaging our ecosystem in process. My fiber art pieces showcase hand needle-felting and embroidery created with organic fabrics, hand-dyed wools and sustainable, fair-trade business practices. I invite everyone who loves to decorate with limited-edition fiber art designed and master-crafted in America to visit Nestle And Soar online!

I also invite each of you to subscribe to my simply elegant newsletter. Published monthly and filled with gorgeous photos and artisan interviews, you will also be among the first to learn about reader discounts and new Nestle And Soar fiber art collections! I hope to hear from you: would you tell me about your love of textiles, nature-inspired art or how you add to the green luxury in your home?

Thanks for stopping by,
Georgianne

Good To Know -- Insights for the Creative Life -- Feather Earrings

Jessie Bender of Free Flying Boutique on Etsy

When a bird lover like myself wants to wear on-trend feather jewelry, it is hard to imagine wearing real feathers for decoration. There are many lovely options for feather-inspired products these days, and I love the way Jessie Bender has taken this popular trend and made it so much more compassionate. Her lovely (and petite) feather earrings are kind to birds! She makes extremely realistic paper feathers for her handmade and beaded jewelry, and each pair is a work of art.

You can see Jessie's work at her fun Free Flying Boutique and I was lucky enough to ask her a few questions about her love of birds. Join me for my visit with Jessie...

Feathers and earring findings on Jessie's work table at Free Flying Boutique

Georgianne Holland: How are your feather earrings kinder to birds?
Jessie Bender:  What I love about this type of feather is that it has all the beauty and detail of the real thing, but it didn't require any disturbance to get it. To get such beautiful feathers, a person would have to either capture the bird, kill it, or follow it around for months, waiting for the feathers to fall. Since those three things are not an option, I wanted to find a way to get the feather without endangering wildlife.

GH: What is your background with birds and why are they a focus in your fine crafting?
JB:  As a huge animal lover, I was able to work for several years at a zoo, in the Bird Department. Although, I always loved birds, it was then that they really became a passion. I love so many of their features: their amazing sounds, their stunning colors, their fun personalities and character, their keen intelligence and most of all, their ability to fly. It was not hard to include these eye-catching creatures in my crafting. They are so inspiring.

GH: Have you worked with real bird's feathers in the past?
JB:  At the zoo, I would spend my days cleaning cages, feeding and caring for the inhabitants. As I did these things, I found countless bird feathers, of all shapes and colors. Due to strict rules, such as the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, it is illegal to collect or keep feathers, especially from certain species. Knowing what gorgeous feathers were out there, I wanted to capture their gorgeous detail in my art. I worked with the limited amount of feathers that could be used legally, such as feathers one can buy for crafts and fly-tying, to create items like hair feathers and earrings. I tried really hard to recreate the plumage I had seen so many times on the actual birds, but the turkey feathers from the craft store weren't cutting it!

The bright citrus colors of these paper earrings are luscious and refreshing!

GH: Are the beads you use to make your charming earrings precious stones?
JB:  The stones I use for my jewelry are very carefully chosen to bring out the best qualities of the feather. I use a wide range of beads, from lovely precious stones, to shiny metal beads, to colorful glass beads. I have a huge collection of beads and stones that I have collected for over a decade. It takes a long time to choose just the right bead.

GH: How many types of bird feathers do you use in your work and which is your favorite?
JB:  I have the feather images of over 150 different types of bird species. The number is always growing as I continue searching for more images. It would be hard to narrow down a favorite type of feather. I really love the brilliant colors of the parrots. I love the charm of the birds of prey. I really like the patterns in the feathers of the pheasants and game birds. The woodpeckers and flickers have some really cool designs, too. My favorites are usually a combination of all those features. So probably the Blue Jay would be my favorite, since it has color and patterns.

GH: Do you see other animal-friendly ways to make nature-inspired jewelry?
JB:  I think the digital age has really made it easy to enjoy wildlife without harming it. One picture can be used again and again, without the need to find more feathers. I have started looking at other things besides feathers, such as butterflies and flowers. The methods I use to make my jewelry can turn just about anything into an exceptional work of art. I try to make sustainable, Eco-conscious choices, such as using recycled paper for my jewelry. Anytime you can find a different avenue to capture the essence of something, it allows the real thing to continue thriving and inspiring us.

Thanks to Jessie for sharing her passion for birds and her insights for the creative life! I invite everyone to look at her jewelery and enjoy Free Flying Boutique on Etsy.

Thank you for stopping by,
Georgianne

Top Ten Tuesday

Today's top ten is a very colorful group! I am always pleased with the variety of inspirational projects, products, and organizations I find on the Internet. I was especially happy to find the perfect passport case (Nerd Herder) and a new way to evaluate all of the home care and cosmetics new to the market (Good Guide). I hope you will let me know if any of my Top Ten make your short list!

#1 Handful of Heart

I love the sentiment behind these fun gloves...perfect for Valentine's Day! Offered by Yastikizi on Etsy.

#2 Nerd Herder Gadget Wallet

A popular shop on Etsy named Rockitbot makes these great all-in-one cases, and I think having one for my upcoming travel is a very good idea! It comes with an elastic band that stretches over the wallet, keeping everything tucked into place!

#3 Hand Embroidered Necklace with Glass Beads

I love the tribal feeling of this piece by Madrigal Embroidery! Cotton cord was used to embellish this bark cloth fiber necklace, which is backed with teal silk. It truly is wearable art and would look great on any of my simple black blouses. Just saying.

#4 Internet Bird Collection

I am glad I ran across this website: I was looking up information about a lovely bird, the Yellow-Throated Euphonia, when I found it. The Internet Bird Collection (IBC) is a non-profit, on-line audiovisual library of the world's birds that is available to the general public free of charge. "While the initial aim is to post at least one video or photo per species, the long-term objective is to eventually include material showing a variety of biological aspects (e.g. feeding, breeding, etc.) for every species." Click on the link above and you'll see a lovely video of this sweet species.

#5 Santos Style Folk Art Angel

Inspired by a combination of American folk art and a traditional Spanish Colonial-style Santos, this angel is my new favorite sculpture! She stands 33.5" tall and 6.5 inches wide, which makes her impressive. This would be a lovely showpiece in your home. You can find her at Santos Cage Doll.

#6 Button Tree

I found this irresistible Button Tree and I couldn't keep it to myself. Don't you love the simplicity of it? I love Elsie's blog the Kitch & the Curious: you may want to check it out, too. I like the idea of finding new friends in Bristol, England!

#7 Magnolias Hand Felted Wool Bag

I think this romantic wool felt bag from Felting Pot on Etsy is quite charming. The way she has attached the leaves is clever, don't you think? I'm sure this special purse would receive lots of wonderful attention!

#8 Addie Pendants from Ballard Designs

Here's another item from my wish list! I found it on Pinterest and when I asked my husband which of the four colors we should hang above our kitchen table, he said, "I think we should hang all four...I like how they look in the photo!" God bless him :-)

#9 The Good Guide

 With GoodGuide, you can find better products that are healthy, green and socially responsible. It is easy to search or browse over 145,000 food, toys, personal care, & household products to easily learn about the best and worst products in each category. There is also scientific expertise and sophisticated rating system provided to simplify complex and confusing product information. Shopping just got a little easier!

#10 Baby Harp Seals

I guess I just need to leave each Top Ten list by showing you my favorite sweet animal photo of the week...how did I do?

Yeah, I thought so.

Thanks for stopping by,

Georgianne

Free Trees!

I am super excited by an opportunity I found today while researching for my new website! More on that new website later :) I found the Arbor Day Foundation website and really want to spread the word about this wonderful non-profit organization.

I found these folks and their site at http://www.arborday.org/

It is chock-full of information about how important trees are to the health of the planet and all of her inhabitants. When you become a member, the cost is $15 for a 1-year term, and you will be sent 10 free trees to plant in your area. Now I'm sure these trees are small, but they are trees, and as I am so very fond of trees, I want everyone I know to learn about this!

After you become a member of Arbor Day Foundation, you can also receive continuing education through their many expert newsletters and programs. And if you want a simple yet meaningful gift for someone, how about having trees planted in their honor in a National Forest? I did this a few years ago for my mom. She loves trees, too, so a few hundred were planted in a National Forest to celebrate her day! I think it is lovely and I hope you will enjoy checking into this.

Here's wishing you a gentle nap in the soft green grass under a shady tree!

Georgianne