Apr 12, 2018 | Create, Sustainable Living
So it’s currently midnight and I’d normally be in bed already buuuut I felt the urge to craft and make myself a new card wallet!
As you may know, I’m doing a bit of traveling to a few different countries starting next month and I was thinking about how to keep my things as minimal as possible since I’ve only got one carry on bag(!!!! One carry on bag is all Ian’s idea!!). I used to have this envelope shaped card wallet that a friend brought back from Fiji, and I loved it. I used it for about 2 years before the woven button fringed up and came undone.
I have a bunch of other wallets and wristlets—my most recent was the Lalelei fabric wristlet—but they’re all on the larger types of wallets. I’ve also been trying to downsize what I carry around in my bag daily and so wanted to go back to a card wallet.
ENTER: my past-bedtime-10pm-DIY-sewing-adventure card wallet! I love it so much already. I’m swooning over the bright yellow linen-y fabric (which I hand dyed naturally with turmeric). The sturdiness of the canvas fabric. The way my cards fit so perfectly. And mostly because I wasn’t expecting to like it. But I do. I like it a lot!
It’s a super simple design. I could have added more pockets but didn’t want it to get bulky since I’m using canvas, and besides, I can fit probably at least 14 cards in there. Hmm, I should do a test to see how many it can hold.
Anyhow, I just thought I’d share this highlight bit from my day. What do you think of this fabric card wallet? Should I post a tutorial on how I made it?
Leave a comment below and let me know!
Have a wonderful tomorrow
xoxo
Nerelle
Apr 2, 2018 | Create, Lifestyle, Sustainable Living
My mom always told me, simplicity is beauty. And after all these years, I’m applying that nugget of wisdom to my armpits… you heard right!
Did I ever tell you that I went a whole month *without* deodorant?
Yeah, probably not what my mom meant.
The story goes, that back in December 2017 I ran out of Old Spice Wolfthorn deodorant (which I am unashamed to say I used and shared with my boyfriend lol). And I already had planned that when it ran out, I would switch to a natural product.
At this point I was already taking baby steps to a more sustainable lifestyle, so in the process, I did a full on natural detox.
No deodorant for a month.
I was constantly nervous about my B.O. and the stress sweat struggle is real you guys. I started using lime slices to deodorize naturally (this works wonders!). So if you ever decide to switch to a natural deodorant, the first step is to expel all those harmful chemicals you’ve been soaking in through your pits for a month.
During my detox, I tried looking for natural deodorants to purchase and got a couple of recommendations from friends on different brands to try. But after reading some reviews about baking soda rashes and a double take on the price range of organic options, I turned to a more DIY approach.
DIY Natural Organic Deodorant
WHAT YOU’LL NEED:
– Natural Shea Butter
– Organic Cold Pressed Coconut Oil
– Bees Wax Pellets
– Essential Oils (for fragrance)
– Arrowroot Powder
– Baking Soda
– Glass OR ceramic mixing bowls (or Double Broiler)
– Measuring cups
– Clean old deodorant container
TO MAKE:
Fill 1 bowl with boiled water and place another bowl on top, to use as a double broiler (If you have a double broiler, you can just use that! Or you can use a glass or ceramic bowl that fits over a small pot. This was my makeshift double broiler).
Add 2 tablespoons of coconut oil and 2 tablespoons of shea butter – stir and melt.
Add 4 tablespoons of beeswax – stir and melt. I live in a warm tropical climate so if you live in a cooler climate, you can use less beeswax.
Add 1 teaspoon of baking soda – stir and melt. Baking soda may be an irritant to some people so if you have sensitive skin like I do, only use a teaspoon or less. I would have left it out altogether but baking soda helps act as the deodorizing agent.
Add 2 tablespoons of arrowroot powder. This creates a more solid consistency.
Add 10-15 drops of your preferred essential oils for fragrance. I used tea tree oil and lavender oil.
Stir it all up until it’s completely smooth, and you’re almost there! Remove from your double broiler set up and pour into an old deodorant container while still hot. I cleaned out and emptied my Old Spice container to reuse.
And that’s it! Set your brand new natural organic deodorant to cool at room temperature. You can also put it in the freezer for a couple of minutes to speed up the process. You’ll know it’s done when it’s firm.
To customize, try different essential oils to change up the fragrance, and add your own label to make it look legit. I added a sticker from an old surf movie we had laying around.
My own personal and biased review? I love it!
My boyfriend also loves it ~ yes, we still share deodorant lol.
But really though, it works great!
The Pros: it’s made with completely natural organic products. It smells amazing. It doesn’t stain clothes, and it keeps me smelling fresh for the day.
The Cons: the consistency is a little stickier than I had hoped, but a simple solution is to just dab it on and rub it in. A little goes a long way.
An Alternative: I actually really liked using lemon slices on my armpits. I still use it every other day when we have lemons or limes.
The key takeaway here is that switching to a natural deodorant is a brilliant idea and it’s super simple to do yourself and it’s great for your health and the environment!
Thanks for reading!
Mar 11, 2018 | Lifestyle, Moments
It has been a busy past few weeks! Between my growing hectic work life and social events having to say say goodbye to island friends, I haven’t had a lot of time to do much else. I’ve been blogging more but there have still been several developments worth mentioning:
I’m officially booked for travel in May! I’ll be going to a few different places; some of which I’ve never been to! I’ll first be going to Samoa for a friend’s wedding, then stopping over in Arizona to visit my sister’s family for some much needed quality time with my nephew and niece, and then… I’m off to Dominican Republic for another friend’s wedding! Love is in the air, and I’m so excited for the good times to be had! I might also be swinging through Puerto Rico to meet up with some friends there, so fingers crossed things all work out!
Another new development: Matcha green tea. I know there was a craze about it in the mainland, and I’ve never really been one for trendy fads, but I just happened to see a box of Matcha green tea at my local grocer and picked it up for $12 (because it’s normally ~$30 on Amazon for this particular tea). I had no idea what it was or how to even prepare it, but I tried it late one evening and was so caffeined out I stayed up until 5am. And I didn’t mind. I was so productive that night and even though I slept late, I had a good sleep. So now I have a nice hot cuppa matcha almost every day hahaha. I’m a convert! It’s purported to be good for you as it’s 10x higher in antioxidants than regular green tea, but who knows, maybe the buzz will wear off.
And speaking of matcha and health goodness, I’ve started experimenting with a new health supplement – marine collagen. My inner asian girl has come out looking for more ways to keep my skin and bones young and healthy. I had been curious about collagen effects and found marine collagen peptides at my local drug store, so decided to give it a go. We’ll see how well it works in like 25 years haha. Hoping it works well with my asian genes.
Other inner discoveries – I’m fine tuning my inner hippie. You may have seen my zero waste kit for beginners (if you haven’t, please check it out!), and this isn’t all that new. I’ve been using a zero waste kit since November 2017, and I’ve been avoiding plastic and styrofoam more actively since last January. It was one of my resolutions last year. So in line with more sustainable living, I cut out deodorant 4 months ago and detoxed all the harmful chemicals for a month. Did you know that most deodorants contain cancer causing chemicals? Look at this insane list of toxic ingredients in an average deodorant, or pick up your own deodorant and have a quick read through its ingredients. We apply this on our bodies daily, so it’s important to know what you’re messing with. All that being said, I made my own natural organic deodorant and I use it most days, but I also love using lemons/limes. It actually works. I’ll be expanding more how I made it in another post.
What have you been up to lately?
If you’re a hippie, I’d love to hear some pointers on more sustainable living! lol thanks
Mar 4, 2018 | Create, Lifestyle, Sustainable Living
Living on a remote island, you would think that sustainable living comes naturally. And it should. That’s the beauty of a simple island life, right? However, these days so much waste is generated for the ease of convenience. For example, fast food culture has become the norm here, and so even at a Sunday to’ona’i (family feast gathering), you’ll commonly see styrofoam takeaway plates. These are single use items that do not decompose, cannot be recycled, and have a life span of a few hours. Then it’s off to the dump where it will sit forever – along with the plastic spoons and forks and straws that are also used for convenience – and seep harmful chemicals into the soil.
PS- Did you know that American Samoa’s landfill is unlined?
What is zero waste?
Zero Waste (or ZW) is a lifestyle practice of eliminating or minimizing single use disposable waste.
There are
a lot of reasons to consider going zero waste. For me, it’s because I have always been interested in all matters of going green, recycling, and sustainable living, but putting it into practice
daily is the challenge.
Which is why I put together this Zero Waste Kit for Beginners. It’s something I take around with me as much as possible to prevent waste.
Zero Waste Kit for beginners:
Drawstring bag
Spoon and fork
Chopsticks
Reusable straw
Tote bag
Optional:
Tupperware
Water bottle / Mug
Baby steps.
Being 100% Zero Waste is very very very difficult. Just doing groceries creates waste. Local cherry tomatoes are sold in a ziplock bag. There are times when I forget and I’m already in line at Koko Bean and the lady is scooping my BBQ chicken into a styrofoam plate. Or when I order an Arnie Palmer and forget to say “no straw please” until the glass is sitting in front of me with a plastic straw. Then I think of the turtles. Teardrop.
But that’s why this ZW kit is so great!
It’s easy. It’s convenient. It makes sense. And it’s something I can do NOW to make a small but meaningful impact. And I hope you try it out too! The best part is you can make it your own. Carry a cute tote bag around. Sew your own drawstring bag (I dyed my own fabric using turmeric!). Pick your favorite utensils. Drink out of your most loved mug. And you’ll make the world a better place.
Dec 3, 2017 | Create, Lifestyle
Happy December! I’ve been eagerly awaiting the holiday season because I love Christmas lights and plus, I always need something to look forward to. I didn’t want to spend a bunch of money on decorations since we’re saving for presents and travels. So instead, here are just a few holiday decoration ideas that you can make yourself!
1. Driftwood + Garland Christmas Tree
I’ve been holding on to these two large driftwood sticks for almost a year now and they have finally come in useful for something! I tied the top together and split the bottom 45 degrees apart to form a triangle shape, then wrapped the garland around it to make it look more like a pine tree. Add Christmas lights and lean against a corner – and voila. Instant Christmas tree magic.
2. Advent Calendar Tree
You can add this to any DIY Christmas tree you desire. I painted a couple of poster papers and used some kraft paper to make my own wacky envelopes. Number it from 1 to 25 to represent the 25 days of Christmas. Then use a binder clip to attach the envelopes to the garlands in numeral order. Bonus – it double as ornaments!
3. Reversible Stockings
If you know how to use a sewing machine at all, this is super easy. I didn’t even have to make a pattern since a sock shape is so easy to copy. I got this Samoan print dobby fabric in green and blue from the Tutuila store, drew out a sock shape on the fabric and sewed a green and blue piece right sides together. Make sure to hide the hems and close it off — and there you have it, reversible stockings!
Other not so typical Christmas decoration we have up are: this tiny Christmas tree that Ian’s parents sent him a couple of years ago, a fishing glass float wrapped up in Christmas lights, this flag banner that says Joy, a nutcracker I won at last year’s Christmas party drinks competition, leftover garland, sea shells, and a snowman ornament for our bookshelf.
Our deco is not your typical Christmas hangings and mistletoes, but it’s our island, eco and budget friendly version and I love it.
Sep 5, 2017 | Create, Sustainable Living
A good friend of mine introduced the craft of tie-dying to me 2 years ago, and since then I’ve only tried it twice. I don’t know why I haven’t been doing it more often, because I loved it.
Yesterday, I felt inspired to DIY a natural dye with things that I had at home. I’m still in the process of collecting onion skins, beets, and avocado pits, so for today, I decided to try dyeing with organic turmeric powder, which I already had at home.
Natural Dye vs. Synthetic Dye
We live in a colorful world, and if you look hard enough you can find every color of the rainbow in nature.
Natural dyes were used as far back as 2600 BC and colors varied by region and resources. Lichens, roses, beets, turmeric, and so much more. Natural dyes are safe and are easy to do!
Today, synthetic dyes make up over 90% of textiles produced for sale. The resulting wastewater is extremely toxic and the environmental impact is hazardous. Not only that, but production of textiles using synthetic dyes is often dangerous for people and can end up in rivers and oceans.
As people are becoming more aware of the effects of synthetic dyes, the craft of creating natural dyes is sparking interest in those looking for more sustainable fashion.
DID YOU KNOW?
The color yellow is the easiest color to create using natural dyes. It is the most common color to be produced from nature. And ironically, though abundant in nature, Green is the hardest color to produce from plants?
DID YOU ALSO KNOW?
Synthetic dye was accidentally invented by a 15-year old English chemist by the name of William Henry Perkin? He was trying to find a synthetic cure for malaria using coal tar, and realized he had created a purple-ish color he called mauveine (today known as mauve).
What You’ll Need:
- Turmeric powder
- Vinegar
- Water
- Large bowl
- Two large pots (avoid ceramic as it will stain)
- Tongs
- String
- Never dyed fabric (pre-washed)
- Recommended: gloves
How I Did It:
Pour 8 cups of water and 2 cups of vinegar into a large pot and boil. Carefully place your fabric inside the pot, making sure to get full coverage. Set to simmer for 1 hour. The vinegar mixed with water will allow the dye to adhere better to the fabric.
In the other pot, boil ½ cup of turmeric powder and 8 cups of water. Stir the turmeric powder once boiled to make sure the turmeric is dissolved. Leave to simmer for 30 minutes.
Use tongs to remove the material from the pot and transfer to a large bowl. Because it was very hot and the soaked material was heavy, I did this outside so I could stand over the pot.
Rinse the material in lukewarm water to get rid of some of the acrid vinegar smell.
Once you’re done with boiling the turmeric, now comes the fun part – the dying!
You can choose to place the entire fabric into the turmeric dye (while still hot) and leave for 5 minutes. For a more vibrant color, leave in for longer. For a more muted color, leave in for only a little bit. I had one large piece of fabric that measured about 40”x30″ and four smaller pieces that measured about 16”x12”. I did a full dye on the large fabric, and for the smaller pieces, I used shibori dying techniques.
Once you get your achieved color, remove the material from the dye, rinse in cold water, and take it outside to dry.
And you’re done!!!
–
Check out the color results below!
THE RESULTS
(isn’t it so pretty?!)
What do you think of this gold turmeric color?
And what other colors should I try for?
