Favourite Products & Things - Part III

A fantastic list of new things to share!

Onyx Ice Pop Molds & Storage Containers

I'll start off with the Onyx products, which I recently purchased.  It was a discussion on a wonderful parent's board*, that I saw all the yummy homemade ice pop (aka pops#cl#s, but apparently that name can't be used due to copyright issues) recipes that people were making and I was inspired:

• Easy, Creamy, Lemon Drop Ice Pops (from Carolyn, the owner of Onyx herself)
• Coconut Dream (we all know the current swarm for coconut products and the benefits!)
• Pineapple/ Blueberry 
• Coconut Pineapple
• Apple, Lime Watermelon
• Mango Peach Pop
• French Vanilla Cherry (excellent for all the end of season cherries!)

Someone mentioned the Onyx ice-pop trays which I have heard of before.  I don't care if September is below freezing the entire time, there will be ice pops.

Onyx is owned and operated by a local (Lower Mainland of B.C.) mom/family.  Searching for alternatives to plastic storage containers for her own new family and little one, she started her company.  Onyx offers the highest grade products for great value, all manufactured in responsible conditions.

I purchased the storage containers, the ice-pop trays, and some extra sticks.  I am in love with the storage containers.  They seal really well and who'd have thought my fridge could look SEXY, but it does with those storage containers!  Imagine that.  And the icepops have been a huge hit at our home.

I have made a batch of Cherry Vanilla and Vanilla Orange Creme ice-pops (all organic - orange juice, Greek yoghurt with vanilla and maple syrup).  Totally daughter, cousin (& momma) approved!

Sappho Cosmetics

I recall hearing a radio documentary on CBC Radio about a woman who was fighting cancer.  She brought up the cosmetic industry and how unregulated and sometimes toxic many of the products we use on our skin are - containing phthalates, dimethicone, parabens (will allow you to do your own research on those).  With makeups and personal skin care products designed to not only sit upon our skin, but penetrate it as well, it made me look in to what my own make up was carrying.  With the use of the Environmental Working Group's database, Skin Deep, I realized my make up was rated as being a 7-8 out of 10 - high toxicity.  Not happy makeup.  Then my hunt began.

I looked and looked, studied and looked some more, tried various makeups.  A makeup artist mentioned a makeup I had already tried and really liked a while back, AND it was very low (good rating) on the EWG website.  Concealer was a 1 out of 10.  Foundation was a 2 out of 10.  I found cosmetics that had ratings any lower didn't have a great range of colour, ease of use, nor resilience throughout the day.  Sappho's ingredients contained the following:

Organic Aloe Juice, Organic Jojoba Oil, Titanium Dioxide, Organic Rooibos Extract, Organic Calendula Extract (very calming for the skin), Emulsifying Wax, Iron Oxide, Organic Green Tea Extract, Vitamin E, Mica, Zinc Oxide, Rosemary Extract, Neem (excellent for problem skin including eczema), Dimethylaminoethanol (DMAE), Stearic Acid, Meadowfoam Oil, Daucus carota sativa (Carrot) Oil, Methylsulfonylmethane (MSM), Frankincense Essential Oil, Tea Tree Essential Oil, Rockrose Essential Oil, Cedarwood Essential Oil, Lavender Essential Oil, Roman Chamomile Essential Oil, Konjac Glucomannan (Mannan), Citric Acid.

Finding Sappho Cosmetics foundation has given peace to my skin and my mind.  My skin feels alive, nourished and protected now.  Sappho does not dry out my skin and look cakey by days' end like my previous (and very expensive) makeup did.  The range of colours is fantastic as well.  I purchased two shades and mix as my skin has a wide range from summer to winter.  Love it!

To check out your makeup or skin care products' safety, visit the EWG Skin Deep Database and punch in your products.

The Bucket Books

The summer-time was a fantastic and challenging summer.  Our daughter made excellent friends in summer camp, new bonds with family, all of which, challenged her social skills.  I came upon "How Full Is Your Bucket - for kids" by Tom Rath and Mary Reckmeyer:

It is about a boy who one day discovers an imaginary bucket over his head.  As bad things happen, his bucket empties.  As good things happen, his bucket fills.  He learns that giving to people helps to not only fill their bucket, but fills his own at the same time.

It is a great book for helping to explain how people feel and how we affect one another.  Right away, my three year old daughter flipped a switch and we began chatting about our 'buckets' and those around us, knowing she had an affect on their 'buckets'.

After that book, I found others:

 

 And if you have an interest beyond a great gift for a child, there's the New York Times #1 Bestseller for adults.  That will be a read sometime, hopefully in my future!

Infusion BouTeaque - Vanilla Honeybush Latte (tea)

What more could a gal want than to curl up in the gorgeous Autumn unfolding with a lovely book, a warm blanket and a cup of tea.  I stopped in to Infusion Bouteaque the other day with a friend.  Their special on the board sounded irresistible: Vanilla Honeybush Latte.  That alone melted me in to a pat of vanilla warmth!  Taking a smell of their sample tea leaves had me sold.   Honeybush is a tea leaf indigenous to the Cape of South Africa.  It is a non-caffeinated tea and carries some antioxidant properties, among a handful of others.  That all aside, the tea whether in latte form or plain, is like a toasty vanilla honey blankie in a up!  So consoling and my all time most favourite tea  ...although their Creme Earl Grey is not far behind...

So that is it for now.  Busy day tomorrow, so will sign off here.

May your Autumn bring you warmth, a loving environment and wellness always.

Plugged In

"Sometimes you make something and the Universe just says, 'yes, you did good today'.  You woke up with nothing and then you made something where there was nothing"  Anthony Kiedis, Red Hot Chili Peppers.

There are those days where you feel grounded, satisfied, content and the greatest feeling of it all was that you gave.  This is 'peace' and a measure of a good day to me - when you feel 'plugged in' to life, from the essence of who you are, to the reception of such by your surroundings.

We are all born with unique strengths that we come by naturally, that often times we disregard as talents because it is just how we innately express ourselves.  Perhaps it is the gift of humour, of insight, story-telling, an artistic eye, or physical, musical, intellectual talent.  Maybe the gift to see people wholly, or to engage them to bring their best to light.  The ability to problem solve in a particular way, organize thoughts or facts.  Maybe it is carrying a sense of peace, or being a conduit for a certain theme in life, of just giving love in a certain way etc.  When we are in touch with who we are and what makes us unique, we can offer these facets of who we are to contribute to Life.  When they are received by those beings in our surroundings, we have made a difference - we fit (I believe it is our responsibility as a part of the whole, to acknowledge and show appreciation when people offer their own gifts as it is not always easy for the person themselves to pin-point their own strengths - again, what a better world it would be if we lead by positive reinforcement and gratitude when possible) .

It is not what we earn, nor the "stuff" we have, but what we nurture and express in this world that makes the greatest difference in ourselves and the world around us.  Perhaps we are collectively learning this amongst all those things in life that deepen us - the tragedies, the losses, the injustices and equally, the dreams we share and strive for.   More and more people are caring to see what they, themselves are all about and are finding the need to express it and be received.

This year has been a year of reflection, of attaining more balance and, I feel, conserving and expending more focused energy mindfully.  Life has deepened in many ways - due to major happenings in the world, personal circumstances, investment in things that truly matter.

May you live today from the foundation of your own unique gifts, and if you see those around you living from theirs and making a positive impact, show gratitude.

"Plug-in"