Life at a "Swell's" pace: Sometimes Wants

Showing posts with label Sometimes Wants. Show all posts

Sometimes Wants (Spring '23)

These are the spring time, "Sometimes Wants," that have caught my eye lately.

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BunchaFarmers Stain Stick. I have been on a mission to completely overhaul my cleaning routine and this has been added to my arsenal. It's all natural and 100% biodegradable. The outer packaging is recyclable and is completely environmentally friendly. The best part, it actually works for a wide range of stains, even ones on furniture and car upholstery.
QALO/Pela Women's Rubber Silicone Ring. Such a great ring that you can feel good about wearing. It's breathable, durable, and comes in a wide range of colors. It's compostable, made from plants, sustainable, and affordable.
CBD Pain Relief Stick (Sport). This CBD stick has been my go-to for over a year now. I am actually wearing some on my right shoulder as I type this out. ☺ I absolutely can not say enough about it. The CBD helps with mild pain relief, while the cooling camphor and menthol bring much needed aid to the area asap. It's non-gmo and vegan, and works great for period cramps and migraines, as well.
MountainHares Organic Cotton Body Pouf. This pouf, as well as this shop are a self-care lovers dream. If you've been looking for some items to add to your Self-Care Sunday routine, this is it. This body pouf is a good start. It's 100% organic cotton and comes with a crocheted loop to hang dry. It feels more like a smooth pouf than an exfoliating one, but it is a nice "hug" in the shower while using.
Hugs Blanket (Minky Couture). I can't do weighted blankets, but this is a great alternative to that. It is so soft and comforting. It comes in a wide range of colors and sizes from (infant (30in x 30in) to (grande 60in x 84in).
NARS Audacious Lipstick. These lipstick colors have been a new change for me. Some days I feel upbeat enough to wear *Scarlet* and other days I want to disappear, so I wear *Pink Beige* to kind of "blend in." The texture of the lipstick is a nice smooth feel on the lips and doesn't rub off onto glass rims. It's paraben free and well worth the price. I may venture out and try other shades, too.
SkinCeuticals Triple Lipid Restore. I've been using this lipid restore since my breast surgery in 2020 and I will say that it has definitely made a difference. It's a bit pricier than other brands, but it's well worth it. It has drastically reduced the appearance of my surgery scars and also helped in softening and the stretch marks I gained from before my surgery from the size of my breasts previous. I highly recommend it. I like it so well that I sometimes cheat and use it on other areas of my body, as well. ☺
Your Super Life: 100+ Delicious, Plant-Based Recipes Made with Nature's Most Powerful Superfoods By Michael Kuech, Kristel de Groot. I love their powders, so of course I preordered my book. Excited to see how to incorporate my mixes in everyday recipes.
Monster Away Spray. This is such a cute and relaxing way to help children with their "scaries" at night. It is made with cedarwood, chamomile, vetiver, orange, and ho wood essential oils. I already use a spray similar here, but this one I would definitely try just to see how relaxing and mind calming it is for adults. But, if you have a child with nighttime worries about monsters under the bed or in a closet, definitely give it a go.
The Self-Care Planner. For anyone that knows me, like really knows me well, will tell you I have to have a routine and I am very OCD about that routine. One missed moment in my routine and it sets me up for a lot of mental health issues later in the day, or even in the week. It seems to be something that helps keep me from falling apart, honestly and this self-care planner has helped a great deal with me staying on track and focused. Through the last several years I've even gotten better at telling people, "NO!" Just to be able to stay the course and on my routine. The best part of it all, though, is the ability to change up a few things if I wanted to do that for myself. Say I have a dentist appointment one day, I can move and shuffle my routine around that fits best for me to be able to fit that appointment into my own personal schedule. I do suggest this planner if this sounds like you, too. You'll love it!

Happy Spring Equinox!

Sometimes Wants (Winter 2022)

These are the winter "Sometimes Wants" that have caught my eye lately.

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1. Organic Ginger Gummy Bears 200mg

2. Eileen Fisher Organic Cotton Jumpsuit

3. Ecobags Natural Cotton Soap Bag

4. Avocado Green Wooden Bath Mat

5. Organic reusable cotton tissues/Dispenser box

6. The Office Sabre Stainless Steel Water Bottle

7. Paula's Choice Reusable Makeup Remover Pads

8. Aquis + DAE Post-Shower Bundle

9. Xanitize Fleece Refills for Swiffer Hand Duster

10. Natural hemp biodegradable sponges

With anxiety, comes nausea and these gummy bears have been my recent go-to to help with that. They also have helped with bloating and digestion issues, so win-win. I've been trying to use more natural and organic approaches to handling anxiety issues, so if you suffer, too, I will do my best to post what works for me and maybe they can help you, as well. You can also make your own here.
I've been slowly switching my clothing out for more sustainable, organic, and earth-friendly brands and I've also been enjoying jumpers and jumpsuits when at home. They are not only comfortable, but practical if I do need to leave the house for a quick errand.
I feel it's literally impossible to use up a bar of soap until it's totally gone without the help of one of these bags. We've been using them for awhile now and I will be honest, I feel less like I'm completely wasting the last parts of the soap with them and the bag feels nice on your skin and exfoliates in the process.
This wooden bath mat has been a great addition to our bathroom and I feel like I am not missing washing our cloth floor mats, either. It soaks up water and dries quickly, so there is no water standing on the floor, or hoovering in a cloth mat. Highly recommend switching.
On our quest to switch to less waste and more minimal options in our home, tissue was a huge problem, especially this time of year. Making a simple switch to reusable tissues, we feel we are doing one more thing to keep less waste going to the landfill. This option comes in white, gray, pink, and denim color for the dispenser box.
We are huge The Office fans in our house, I mean, HUGE, and this water bottle is definitely going to end up in someone's stocking, or gift bag this year. I will definitely purchase one for myself, as well. I mean, we have to represent Sabre and Dunder Mifflin, right? "Dunder Mifflin Is A Part Of Sabre"
I've been using reusable, cotton, makeup pads for some time now and I have recently purchased these from Paula's Choice to add to my "collection." They are super soft, absorbent for makeup remover, toner, and even sunscreen, and lotions that I put on my face. I love that they are bamboo and cotton, and sustainable to the environment. Plus, I no longer purchase disposable cotton rounds since making this switch.
If you haven't tried DAE, you're really missing out. I am absolutely in love with the Deep Conditioner and the Prickly Pear Hair Oil. There really isn't anything I have tried from DAE that I haven't loved. I use the hair wrap, brush, and leave-in conditioner after surfing and it cuts drying time literally in half and makes my hair healthier from being in salt water.
With making the changes to more reusable items, these dry dusting, fleece dusters that fit on the Swiffer duster handle works out great in our favor. I've ordered two of the five packs and when they are dirty, I just throw them in the wash. They pick up dust and work just as well as the disposable dusters, but have less of an environmental impact over time.
For cleaning, changing to more earth-friendly products has been a bit of a struggle, but slowly and surly we are doing it. One of the easiest things was the cleaning cloths, instead of paper towels, and sponges that are biodegradable over disposable. These hemp sponges are incredible, to say the least. They really are a powerhouse with dishes and I've even started using them in the bathroom.

Happy Winter Equinox!

Sometimes Wants (Autumn '22)

These are the Autumn "Sometimes Wants" that have caught my eye lately.

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Looking into getting a new planner each year and ones from the past I've always recycled after the year ends. I remove any special notes, or memorabilia before tossing, but it would be nice to have something a bit more long-term that I can look back on. This planner from Hemlock & Oak will definitely fit that plan. Love that they have it in the perfect shade of gray, too.
I am literally always looking for better ways to clean without using environmentally-damaging items, or chemicals. We recently purchased a dust mop and the head it came with is removeable and washable, but I wanted a second one to swap out when one is in the wash. I found this microfiber pad from O'Dell. It's exactly what I was looking for and it's perfect for the job. I use it to do quick once overs if someone is coming over, or use it to knock down spider webs from time to time. I also like these cleaner refills from TANIT.
Changing our food choices to more organic and being conscious of what we consume also applies to what we allow on our bodies, too. I recently donated all of my nail polishes and went on a hunt for ones less toxic and more eco-friendly. In that process I discovered Piggy Paint. This is a top coat and it's nontoxic, hardens the same as other polishes, it's also hypoallergenic, cruelty-free, and a water-based formula. You'd never know you were wearing a water-based polish once it's on. It's also kid-friendly, too!
Found the most comfortable crew socks yet. Of course, I am sort of a sock seeker, and have a lot of great brands that I love, but these are great. Made from recycled cotton and polyester, and don't make your feet sweat, or bunch up while wearing. I love the color posted here, but there are several different colors to pick through.
Always, always looking out for a well-made, comfortable bra, and this is one of them. In 2020, I had a breast reduction from having gigantomastia, the same thing Punky Brewster actress Soleil Moon Frye had, and since that time I have been looking into different bra brands. All of 2021 I was obsessed with finding all of them that I could. I looked into different ones for different reasons and the main reason was a supportive bra without underwire. Underwires dug into my scars horribly and were a no-go, but ones without an underwire sometimes fall short. Montelle Intimates is amazing and I highly recommend them. They also carry matching undies to complete the set.
We love Pact in this house and we will gladly purchase any clothing need from them above anyone else. This tank top I have in every color listed, but the Blush Heather and White are my go-to on a regular basis. Definitely a clothing company you should check out and support. They are organic, carbon-neutral, and Fair Trade. Give them and other companies that are doing their part for the planet over fast-fashion any day.
Slowly working on a zero waste journey in our house. Of course, it's impossible to completely go zero-waste, but the process has been fun and it's saved us quite a lot of money. These wipes have proved helpful in that journey. I like to use these wipes in place of paper towels, and antibacterial wipes. These wipes can even be used as baby wipes and toilet wipes, as well. Creekside Kid has so many great options for cloth items to help you make that switch. It's easy to get out of the habit of using one-time-use products, the desire to want to change has to be there, too.
If you haven't been using soap saver bags you're really missing out, and it's costing you money. A soap saver bag, like the one pictured here from Well Beings. We use one for soap and another for pieces of soaps that can't really be used efficiently once it gets too small. Inside the organic soap saver bag we are still able to use the soap up until it's completely gone.
You are never too old for a bike or skate helmet and Thousand's Heritage helmet is amazing. We've used several different brands, and all are great at protecting your noggin, but the comfort level is important. If the helmet is comfortable you're going to wear it more. Kids should always wear a helmet when on a bicycle, on a skateboard, or scooter, but a lot of adults don't follow that same rule. Helmets will and do save your life and your head from future trauma. We've had many accidents, some at other's fault and a helmet has saved our life. Check these out from Thousand, and check out their different styles and colors.
This is the time of year to revamp and rethink your exercise plans for the coming colder days and with that comes evaluating your running, hiking, walking shoes to see if they are still in great shape. In our house we replace our workout shoes every New Year and the reason is, we use them so much throughout the year that we are in need of new ones at the beginning of each year. These running shoes from Allbirds are sustainable, durable, water-repellent, and easy to clean. These are women's shoes pictured here, but the selection of men's and kids shoes are great, as well.

Happy Autumn Equinox!

Sometimes Wants (Summer '22)

These are the summer time "Sometimes Wants" that have caught my eye lately.

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I've been looking at more vintage jewelry lately and most of the best pieces are sold on Etsy. I've taken a liking to the unusual pieces and this brass nautical calendar replica caught my eye. It's an amazing piece and even though it's a replica, it's still a conversation piece that's functional and unique. I'm also loving this Victorian nail file.
It seems with every change in season there's always a reason to moisturize and summer is no different. I've tried to find a good substitute for Burt's Bees, because once they sold to Clorox, I haven't felt the same about them and not only that, but the fact that "Burt" that was behind Burt's Bees passed away, it just hasn't been the same for me. I raised Skylar on Burt's Bees, so making that cut with them was hard, but I've found a great alternative that I feel comfortable about. Badger is a great company that offers pretty much anything you need to keep your family healthy. And, I highly recommend this lip butter trio. There's sweet orange, cool mint, and unscented and they all are great and keep your lips moisturized. I use them mostly at night and wake up with soft lips and no dryness.
Was on a hunt recently for a good, solid cutting board that would hold up under us cooking more at home and came across this bamboo one by Bambusi. I have a smaller bamboo cutting board, but the size and weight of this one was perfect for us.
As far as looking for better lunch options over single-use plastic containers, or even plastic lunch bags, we've found these. Of course, we've been using steel containers for a few years now, finding the smaller sizes is always a nice addition to our collection. These nesting trio containers with their LDPE #4 plastic lids are perfect for summer picnics, camping, or the impromptu road trip. They come in 16 oz. 9 oz. and 5 oz. sizes.
Always on the hunt for lightweight summer shirts and United By Blue had just what I was looking for. This organic cotton gauze shirt is light, airy, and almost feels like it isn't there. I love the way it feels and I especially love that it's made responsibly. It comes in the foxglove color pictured here and also in white and cypress, and the sizing is XS-XL. I am in a medium, and it fits true to size. Other items I am enjoying from United By Blue are these organic wide leg jeans in indigo and in white, organic workwear coverall in midnight and in cream gold, and the linen tie jumpsuit in black.
We've been seeking a filtration system for our bus setup and we are looking towards this under the sink system. Some of the best water you drink should be filtered through reverse osmosis. We fill up our water containers through a filtration system that is hit with UV light and put through reverse osmosis and have not been disappointed. We are hoping to have this setup in our bus by the end of summer. If you're looking for something for your home, office, or by chance a bus conversion, we recommend this setup from APEC Water Systems.
In our efforts to reduce waste we've switched to pour-over coffee makers instead of drip, or single-use coffee makers. We've had the same mesh coffee filter for about six years now, and the mesh lining is starting to tear. I recently found this gold titanium-coated filter sleeve and it works like a charm. It saves on paper waste and a quick dump of grounds in the compost and a simple rinse under hot water means it's good-to-go for the following day.
We've been saving as much of our scrap veggies to make our own vegetable stock and it's a hassle trying to hold open the bag with one hand and stuff vegetable trimmings in with the other, but I found these bag stands. Seems like such a simple contraption that does a lot and they come in a set of two in black and white. When we aren't using it for an extra set of hangs to hold open the bags we use it to help dry our jars out before refilling them with something new. They are the tiny, useful item you didn't know you needed.
Looking for more eco-friendly office and school products I came across these ball point pens made from recycled plastic. With two people in our household in college now, we feel like the little impacts of even pens is a big deal. These pens from Pilot are part of their bottle to pen line and refillable and come in a variety of colors.
In a quest to have one binder for all things we plan, projects we're in the middle of, and everyday routines and schedules I recently came across the company Cloth and Paper. Their spiral-bound planner is the stuff of dreams and it helps keep everything in one place instead of several different binders. I love Cloth and Paper's planner accessories, too. Definitely looking forward to the 2023 planners coming out soon. If you sign up for their emails you can get 15% off your first order. I'm still a die-hard Orange Circle Studio lover, but I will be adding the two together in the coming years.

Happy Summer Solstice!

Sometimes Wants (Spring '22)

These are the spring time, "Sometimes Wants," that have caught my eye lately.

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Been doing a lot more drinking of nut milk than regular milk lately, especially in our daily smoothies. I've recently come across 100% organic cotton nut milk bags and they are so much easier to wash after each milking than the ones we had before.
We have been using reusable shopping bags for quite sometime now, but with the pandemic we stopped and began running bigger errands, especially during lockdown. During that time I found a new way to use our mesh bags with storage of potatoes, onions, oranges, apples, and even avocados. With hooks hung and the bags hanging from the hooks, it has been super convenient in our kitchen. Hoping to carry the organization onto our school bus, too.
With the change of the season it was time to get some warmer, and better quality slippers. I've taken a big interest in natural wool products and these slippers are fantastic. In Oregon the season of spring still means freezing temperatures and living in a not-so-good insulated house, wool slippers are great. Another good brand is Kyrgies.
With the season of spring here now a lot of different celebrations are taking place-weddings, births, pregnancies, graduations, new hobbies, travel plans, and even spontaneous celebrations. I have recently discovered these "passports" from Letterfolk. They are the perfect, little addition to tuck into a gift, or even as a small gift or favor. A lot of friends and coworkers will be getting these small tokens, and I've even snagged a few for myself.
We have hung these LED light strand up along our floating deck and it has really brought the whole area together. We don't have a lot of privacy living in the city, but what we have created in our back and side yard makes us forget sometimes that we are in a city and have close neighbors. These lights are great and we have them on a timer, too.
I've been changing the way I clean all the way around and with that I've switched to more eco-friendly cleaning tools. These wooden tools, no matter what brand they are, are a great switch. They are wooden and have replacement heads for the brushes when they get worn. I love the fact that they are plastic-free and actually make scrubbing less of a struggle.
Spring means a change in dish towels. I've found some great ones from Sur La Table. The ones pictured above are Turkish cotton and the ones here are 100% organic cotton. I snagged both and have been enjoying them a great deal.
Along the same lines as the mesh totes, we've been using collapsible totes in the back of the car for our groceries and other purchased items. We do most of our food shopping at either our local food co-op, or a Costco run when needed. Most people that know us well are surprised that we shop in bulk stores because of how earth-conscious we are, but buying in bulk is earth-friendly, too, when you get into the habit of knowing what to buy in bulk. We shop consciously and make sure not to purchase anything in excessive amounts of packaging, or that it's organic, or wild caught. We always leave the store with either our own bags, or not bagged/boxed, so we can add things to our totes once we're at the car.
One of the things we've been looking at lately is to replace our helmets. I've had a Giro helmet for the last 15 years. It's a great helmet and luckily I haven't crashed in it to have to replace it, yet. Although, I do love the Giro helmet, I think after 15 years it's time to retire it. Thousand Heritage Helmets have caught my eye. I like the way they look and they also have a better environmental footprint than others. The blue and white helmets pictured above are the ones we are really digging.
Lastly, along with spring cleaning comes cleaning up outdoor, too. I've been in search of an outdoor broom to use only outdoors and I found a good one. This one is heavy-duty, yet lightweight, and it's eco-friendly. It even sweeps away wet leaves.