{this moment}

I still have a giveaway contest going on. Please scroll down to see how to enter and what the prizes are. You only have 1 more week to try your luck to win stuff! Here's my favorite State Fair photo from last weekend.

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{this moment} a friday ritual. a single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. a simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

- Amanda Blake, SouleMama.com

{this moment}

I HAVE A CONTEST GOING ON RIGHT NOW...SCROLL DOWN TO SEE HOW TO ENTER AND TO SEE WHAT THE PRIZES ARE!!!

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I've read SouleMama.com for a long time now. It's about time I start participating in this beautiful Friday ritual to remind myself to get my camera out more often. Happy Friday everyone!!!

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{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember. (taken from Soulemama.com)

My 3 favorite people hunting for fairy stones on a recent camping trip... in honor of my oldest child's upcoming birthday. Yes, this isn't a moment from this week but it's been on my mind (and I can't find the cord to upload yesterday's photos!)

contest update

I didn't mean to scare you off. You don't have to have the coolest idea out there just to enter the giveaway. Just jot down any idea in your comment and it'll count too!

I also wanted to add that these aren't the stronger metal cans that coffee used to come in...if it matters at all. Loving the ideas!

CONTEST!!!!!

That's right! It's a contest! Get your repurposing and upcycling creative juices flowing for this one!

But first, let's get real, what's the prize? Because there always should be a prize....

A SET OF 4 NAPKINS in any available fabric from my shop (SustainableHomestead.Etsy.com) **AND** A SET OF 2 PRODUCE BAGS!!! nice.

SEE THESE?

I'm starting to collect quite a few of these now that we live near a Trader Joes and hours away from our favorite roasters (who would let us reuse bags or just put the beans right into our glass container). I've washed them out and kept them. And spent some time trying to figure out the perfect use for them. For me, for someone else....whatever. I just don't want to add them to the landfill.

Here are the contest rules:

• Required First Entry: Describe a fantastic way to reuse these coffee cans in this post's comments! Get creative!
• Additional Entry: Share my blog on Facebook, then comment that you have done so.
• Additional Entry: Become a follower of my blog, then comment here that you have done so.
• Additional Entry: Become a fan of SustainableHomestead on Facebook, then comment here that you have done so.
• Additional Entry: Share my blog/this contest on twitter, your own blog, etc, then comment back here what you've done.

The details: Make sure I have a way to contact you. If I do not get a response from the winner within 48 hrs then another winner will be chosen. This contest will be done via random number generator BUT my favorite idea will be given 10 extra entries.

What does it matter?

I was recently told that something I was concerned about was trivial, that it was a waste of my time to think about. Really?

Changes don't usually happen with one huge step. Most people I know who consider themselves environmentally savy don't live off the grid, walk everywhere, etc. It isn't necessarily possible for everyone to go to that extreme. Instead, these families strive to think about every little part of their lives to see how they can reduce waste, reduce their dependency on fossil fuels, reduce their use of disposable items, and all that jazz. Sure, many grow their own produce, might have their own dairy cow, might ride their bike or walk as often as possible, might have solar panels... but the majority of change for the better is made up in the little things.

Every single one of us can make an impact. You can make it by what you choose to buy, by what you choose to not buy, by what you choose to throw away, by how you brush your teeth even.

Here are some mainstream companies that are trying, in very small ways, to be better. And even though I do not buy their products because of some ingredients they contain, I applaud their efforts to do SOMETHING. It shows that when we all do a little something, it adds up.

• Vaseline eliminated 110 tons of packaging per year. 110 tons!
• Suave Body Wash replaced its 9% recycled bottles with ones that are 26-29% recycled. This increases their recycled content from 139 tons to 426 tons every year.
• Dove Body Wash reduced plastic usage by 0.5 grams per bottle. This saves 122,000 pounds of plastic per year.

(I suggest going a step further... use bar soap instead of liquid. You'll not only save cash, but save even more plastic packaging!)

This is a simple reminder that change really IS in the little things. Your individual choices DO have a positive impact on cleaning up our planet and setting it right.