Star challenge #6 - The CLEANING month!

This month is about cleaning. Just think about all the chemicals that flood our homes in the attempt to make our homes cleaner. I do wonder if they are even close to achieving that - or if they just replace dirt with toxic, potentially fresh smelling, substances instead?

Really, cleaning does not need most of those harsh products even for the toughest jobs. Have you seen that program om TV with the two ladies cleaning up people's totally disgusting homes, with only products like baking soda, lemon and vinegar?? Don't believe it? Well, if not, then this is the month to try this out for yourself.

This month's challenge is to 
clean your home in a friendlier way!

*

Complete the following:

1. Use less or no chemicals by using micro fiber cloths for dusting and polishing. Dry cloth or with tepid water will go a long way.
2. Choose a dish cloth made from durable material that can be used many times and can handle to be washed/boiled when it becomes smelly. Linnen and cotton are ideal. Sew or knit your own if you want!
3. Exchange any cleaning "products" for natural sources for the month. Lemon, vinegar, baking soda and natural linseed soft soap will take care of any job, even windows. Wipe the window with newspaper for a streak free finish.
4. Again; use water with care and don't do dishes under running water. Do laundry carefully with only full loads and a earth friendly detergent.

If you manage this, you'll receive a star and 10 points.

Good luck!

Note! If you are a newcomer who wishes to jump on board the Sew for a change challenge, then you'll start with 40 points instead of 75. Check out all the rules here. Welcome!!!

/Alexandra

Sew for a change - June results

This month I failed, but I have to say it was a very close call. I so almost made it that if I think too long about it I may even give myself a star... So let's do this quickly.

1. Start by doing a food inventory. Get rid of (preferably through composting) any food that is not fit for eating any longer. Now, try to plan your dinners to use the food you have, before it goes bad.

Easy peasy and something we usually do as a routine in our household. We very rarely have things sitting around for any period of time.

2. Choose one week this month to be a completely vegetarian week. For the rest of the weeks you shall eat vego at least twice/week.

This one I failed. We ate a lot of vegetarian food this month, probably at least 4 days a week. Even the week I was away on a business conference I managed to go totally vegetarian - except for the very day I got home (when my sweet husband had cooked for me and didn't know it was supposed to be the vegetarian week).

3. Look into what is in season and choose vegetables and fruits accordingly. First choice is organic, second choice is local produce.

Check!

4. When it comes to the following 5, we ask you to buy organic or not at all: coffee, potatoes, grapes, bananas and cheese.

Check! (have done this for a long time)

5. For meat we want to limit the use of beef to once per week (except for the vego week, obviously, where it is zero). 

This was easier than I thought. We probably only had beef twice during the entire month. Beef is expensive and by eating a lot less it doesn't break the bank to buy the even more expensive (and absolutely delicious) organic beef instead. Win! 

6. Eat rice max once a week, unless you live in a part of the world where it is produced.

This also was easier than expected. The bulk of our carbs has come from pasta and potatoes (organic).

* Results *

No star for me and no 10 points, bo hoo!! 

But on the other hand - I haven't spent any points either!

So, YET another status quo month:

How about that?! Really, this is not bad at all when you think about it! Half of the year is gone and I still have 64,5 points, starting from 75! This sew for a change challenge really has got me to think carefully before making any purchases. Boring at times? Yes, absolutely. But the feeling inside is great. I am in control of my life and things don't own me! YEAH!

/Alexandra

Sewing underwear!

I have taken the leap and started to make my own knickers! And now I don't understand what took me so long - just like everyone said all along! It is easy, fun and cheap; but more than anything, it is great because I finally have knickers with perfect fit.

The first pair I made was done by tracing a pair from my drawer. And they ended up exactly like the original. Too bad I didn't trace a pair that I really liked.... don't know what on earth I was thinking.
Anyway... I needed more fabric to cover my bum so for the second pair I added more room by adjusting the back piece a good deal.
Still not happy. I got more fabric, but the knickers tend to move "up" and there is nothing I hate more.

I almost gave up right there, until a friend from Facebook said the problem was most likely that the crotch piece (?), the fabric between the legs, was too long. Of course! That made complete sense!! I shortened that piece a whole inch(!!!!!) and voilà - the perfect pair of knickers were born!

I have decided to spare you the live pictures, but I'll show you the underwear at least.
The first pair looked like this:

And the third pair (the perfect pair) ended up like this:

Can you tell the difference? Now I plan to make a thousand pairs and use up any scrap fabrics in a very cool way. I'll never buy knickers again!  I also want to learn to make pretty lace underwear - and bras!! That's high on my learning wish list.

/Alexandra

Sew for a change - May results

Wiiiii, I managed the challenge this month too - Yes!!! I really didn't think I would, but I am very proud that we did. 

1. Estimate the amount of laundry your household produces during a normal month (and make it official), then try to reduce that amount by 20% during this month. This means, if you usually do 10 loads during the month you should try to do only 8 (or less).

We are five in the household  and usually do around 15 loads a month, including towels, sheets and all. Added to this are cloth diapers that we use for the little one and wash separately. That adds another 10 loads a month. 25 loads all in all. The challenge was then to only do 20 loads for the month, diapers included. And the result:

Regular laundry: 8

Cloth diapers: 8

Total : 16!!!!!!! Proud!

2. Only wash full loads.

Check!

3. Change to a earth friendly detergent - make sure it's free from phosphates, zeolites and EDTA.

Check!

4. Do not use fabric softner! If you must use something, use vinegar instead. 

Check! (haven't done for years)

5. Avoid dry cleaning.

Check! 

6. Check the water hardness and make sure you don't overdose the detergent.

Our city has soft water and can get away with smallest dosage of detergent. But we use even less than that.

7. Avoid using the dryer and instead air dry the laundry inside or outside. Get set up with line and pegs!

Check! 

* Results *

A star for me and 10 points!! Which I used up....

I have only one pair of flat, black, smart shoes for work and therefore I use them nearly every day. That means that, apart from being boring, it doesn't allow the shoes to dry out in-between wears - and that will shorten their lives. I decided I should buy a couple of new pairs so that I don't have to wear the same shoes two days in a row. I wish I'd find these in organic leather, but I had to go with comfortable and available this time.

Another status quo month for the booth:

/Alexandra

Star challenge #5 (updated)- The FOOD month!

Update! After it has been brought to our attention, and after having done a lot of new research, we have decided to only regulate beef to the once/week limit. Pork will be a choice along with poultry, lamb and game. Note! For beef that is feeding entirely off grass fields not suitable to grow any other food (Swedish: naturbeteskött), beef is allowed along with the other meet types more than once a week.

Food is essential and easy to get hold off. All that you need grows down on the shelves of your local supermarket. Just go and harvest what you need!! Well, no. Not really. I do think we in the western world show food far too little respect! We buy whatever we feel like, cheaply, and then throw half of it away later. We take good ingredients and mix them up with loads of crap and put it into colourful packaging with a cool brand and think that it is still food. Instead of eating the ingredients that were good to begin with! What jackasses.

Seriously though. It is time we make better choices. It is time to learn a thing or two about food. It is time to learn to cook, if that is your excuse. It is time to lower your food footprint on this earth.

This month's challenge is to choose food wisely and to make good use of it!

*

Complete the following:

1. Start by doing a food inventory. Get rid of (preferably through composting) any food that is not fit for eating any longer. Now, try to plan your dinners to use the food you have, before it goes bad.
2. Choose one week this month to be a completely vegetarian week. For the rest of the weeks you shall eat vego at least twice/week.
3. Look into what is in season and choose vegetables and fruits accordingly. First choice is organic, second choice is local produce.
4. When it comes to the following 5, we ask you to buy organic or not at all: coffee, potatoes, grapes, bananas and cheese.
5. For meat we want to limit the use of beef to once per week (except for the vego week, obviously, where it is zero). 
6. Eat rice max once a week, unless you live in a part of the world where it is produced.

If you manage this, you'll receive a star and 10 points.

Good luck!

Note! If you are a newcomer who wishes to jump on board the Sew for a change challenge, then you'll start with 47 points instead of 75. Check out all the rules here. Welcome!!!

/Alexandra