Style Lush

Plantable Paper Goods

By Leah

'Tis the season for thanks, thankfulness, and thank you cards. And soon it will be time for Christmas cards and gift tags and new calendars and finding great items for all those mothers-in-law/preschool teacher/boss-types who are impossible to shop for.

This year I'm going to fly my hippy flag high and proud and pick up some things from Botanical Paperworks, who specialize in plantable paper goods of all kinds. Check it out:

Plantable seed thank you cards.

Plantable seed journal.

 

Plantable seed calendar. (My favorite. Each page grows a different herb or vegetable. LOVE THIS.)

 

Plantable seed postcards.

 

Plantable seed confetti (for decorating your Thanksgiving table).

 

Plantable seed wine glass tags.

 

Plantable seed cards and envelopes for all occasions.

They have cards for holidays and special occasions, and also miscellaneous things like wedding stationery and favors, business cards, promotional products, and memorial products. (A friend of mine sent seed cards when her dog died, and although that might seem weird out of context, it was actually really lovely.)  

Lots of great ideas here, for the holidays and beyond. (And the calendars are genius, aren't they?) 

Buy it in bulk: Method Orla Kiely limited edition

By Manda

It's no secret that Style Lush writers fully endorse Method cleaning products! Hillary really loves them. So does Beth!

And so do I! They smell great, they're non-toxic and green (plus the bottles look fancy and modern!). But I have to tell you, my preferred bottle of all-purpose cleaner was getting a little played out. I have two little kids and two dogs so I clean every day. I was starting to associate the smell of French lavender with ... DOOM. You know? My bottle was running low so the other day at Target I set about picking a new scent. I noticed the Orla Kiely section and tossed some stuff that looked (and smelled!) promising into my cart.

OH MY WORD. Have you smelled the pear ginger all-purpose spray? I kind of get tempted to drink it every time I clean. I fully intend to buy every bottle they have in stock the next time I'm in Target because I will be SO SAD when it's no longer available!

 

(photo via Methodhome.com)

I also grabbed a few bottles of the vanilla chai scented foaming hand wash ... it's the perfect sweet and spicy scent for fall (and no triclosan! Which helps tremendously with my wedding ring dermatitis).

Have you tried the Orla Kiely for Method line at Target yet? What's your favorite scent?

My Favorite Houseplants

By Rebecca

I love houseplants. I love that they help provide cleaner air, I love how they can soften the edges of a room, and I just plain love how they look. I don't have an extremely green thumb (I cannot keep an orchid alive to save my life), but I have found a few green plants that I have successfully kept alive and looking good! Here are my top three easy-to-care-for houseplants. If you want to see some others, Better Homes & Gardens has a great list as well.

First up, the Pothos. A timeless classic. Growing up, my mom had these and spider plants hanging up all over the house in macrame holders. Oh 1970s, you are such a delightful cliche. However, even in the present day, these are extremely easy to grow. They're super hardy and require water once a week or so. If you don't want them getting really long and creeping all over the place, you'll need to trim them.

Next up, we have the Fiddle Leaf Fig tree. These seem to be the plant darling of the design world right now. Pick up a copy of Elle Decor or Dwell and they are everywhere. Well, guess what? They are not only nice to look at, but they don't take much care or attention! I have one of these in my living room (not pictured below, sadly) and it requires basically nothing. I just dump some water in there every week or two and it sits there looking fabulous. 

And finally, we have the Mother-in-Law Tongue plant. (Please note: this does not apply to my mother-in-law.) These look almost like a succulent with thicker leaves. I have easily gone at least three weeks without watering mine and have noticed zero difference. I have mine sitting on my hearth (again, not pictured below) and it adds a nice sculptural look to the room.

At this point, you may be thinking, "Rebecca, is being able to ignore houseplants your primary criterion for selecting them?" Why yes. Yes it is. I have two kids, a job, and about eight zillion lunches to make each week, so I enjoy having plants that I don't have to baby.

Do you have any other beautiful, ignore-able houseplants I should look into? Do tell!

 

{Photo credits: annies-gardens.com and habitually-chic.blogspot.com}

Reusable Gift Bags

By Janet

I found these reusable gift bags in a cute paper shop and absolutely had to share. 

They are made to be reused over and over: Each bag comes with a nifty write-on gift tag stating "The more we share, the more we have" with space for five giving opportunities. Fill out the tag (to, from, event, date) and pass it on to the next person on its journey. In the end, we think you will find that it tells the unique story of friendship celebrated.

So clever!

{Image via: MIXT Studio}

DIY floor cleaner, total game changer

by Christina

As a mother of boys I have bathroom issues. The kind that have a tiny bit of an odor and leave little spots on the floors (both hard wood and linoleum) and these little dribbles don't come up easily. Regular mopping doesn't touch them and a magic eraser doesn't work very well either. I came across a "recipe" on pinterest and I immediately made it and got to work. I had hoped it would be a dream for my entire house but truth be told, the tile felt like it had a bit of a soda film. But all was not lost. I used it in all 3 of my bathrooms and it is magic. It neutralizes any odor and it the soda added just enough abrasiveness to take care of the dribbles! I then used it to wipe down the toilets and I was a happy mom. Pathetic, but happy.  I will be making this for my weekly bathroom cleaning and next time I'll start with my tubs since the source claims it's for heavy duty cleaning.

1/4 cup white vinegar

1 tbl liquid dish soap

1/4 cup washing powder

2 gallons very hot water

Mix and mop!

(photo via food dot com)

 

 

Colorful Eco-friendly Floormats

By Jessica

Summer is very clearly ON down here in Texas. It's already in the mid to high 80's with mid to high humidity so it feels much warmer (and by the time this posts, IT WILL BE WARMER) most days and I'm loving all the bright things. ALL the bright things. Especially bright things outdoors. I'm thinking I'd like to accent my front porch with one of these Down East Doormats from The Maine Float-Rope Company

They are made from float-rope, which is what lobster men have used to connect their traps together on the ocean floor. Unfortunately, this type of rope can ensnare whales, causing injury or death and they are now required to use sink-rope instead. This change would lead to hundreds of thousands of pounds of float-rope ending up in landfills without some other method of using it, which is how these doormats came to be.

They come in multitudes of colors and patterns and as they are made from rope that is designed to be on the ocean floor, they are waterproof and stand up to the elements, perfect for a hearty doormat!

The real problem is deciding which one.

Orange with Green & Yellow Stripes (muted)

Purple with Yellow & Teal Stripes (bright)

Orange with Aqua Stripes

Sea Glass (muted)

{Photos from: Maine Float-Rope Co}

The Answer to All My Hand Soap Problems

By Leah

Hand soap. I know. Possibly the least interesting thing on the planet, AND YET.

I hate washing my hands with soap because it always dries them out and then I have to put on a bunch of lotion and then I'm all slick and greasy and unable to open pickle jars and then I'm cranky and might as well just go back to bed at that point because what's the use in maintaining consciousness if there are no pickles, amirite?

Perhaps the problem has been a combination of (a) the industrial-sized tub of industrial-strength antibacterial soap my husband came home with two years ago that is still half full plus (b) the horrible soap used in public restrooms the world over. Or perhaps it's just that the Martha Stewart Clean Dish/Hand Soap is the cream of the crop.

(Photo from marthastewartclean.com)

Whatever the reason, this is the only hand soap in the history of ever that leaves my skin feeling normal after I use it. Not moisturized, not dry, just normal. That's not a word I use with Martha Stewart as a matter of course, but in this case it's apt.   

Apparently it's all-natural and made with all good things and no bad things, blah blah blah, and although it's supposed to work on dishes too, I don't even care. It's the only hand soap for me, amen.

Me and my hands and my pickle belly thank you, Martha.

Original Sprout

By Janet

I recently discovered a local company that I'm very excited to tell you about.The company, Orginial Sprout, is a woman-owned, California-based hair and body care company that focuses on worry-free luxury. The products are biodegradable, 100% vegetarian or vegan, and made in the United States. I don't even know what all this means, but the products are free of PhytoEstrogens, soy, parabens, gluten, dixoanes from sulfates, phthalates & formaldehyd (all potentially bad things for you). Basically, you can feel really, really good about using this stuff. 

Plus, it is used on television and movie sets, so you get the added bonus of feeling like a Hollywood star in the shower.

I'm currently addicted to the Tahitian Collection, including the Lucious Island Conditioner and the Tahitian Hair Oil. I love the subtle tropical scent and the way it makes my hair super shiny. (And I like to think about George Clooney using it on the set of The Descendants.)

Honestly, I probably never would have purchased these products on my own (I'm much more a buy-in-bulk at Costco gal), but I received a free sample from a business connection and fell head over heels. I'm 100% sold. And, I feel good about supporting a great company that strives to do good for the earth and our bodies.

Formaldehyde-free nail polish

By Elisabeth

Have you ever had a pedicure and left the polish on your toes, for say, months? Well, I've done it. More times than not, actually. Hey, it's a treat to actually get my toes done in the first place, so keeping up on the polish does not come naturally to me. (I'm trying to be better, I swear!)

What I never really knew was the polish I usually used at the salon had formaldehyde in it. I'm not talking about low-end polishes here, but Opi and China Glaze! While most people would never notice the formaldehyde or know it was in the polish in the first place, I seem to be allergic to it. I don't break out in hives or anything, but the polish, that sits on my toes for way too long, starts to turn on my nails.

So, I either have to find a salon that carries formaldehyde-free polish, which isn't easy, or bring my own polish with me.

By doing a simple search on Amazon, I found Zoya nail polish.

-It's formaldehyde, toluene, dibutyl phthalate (DBP) and camphor free and uses a vegan friendly formula.

Not bad! Plus, with their huge color selection and decent pricing I think my toes will be in good hands from here on out.

 

{photo credit: amazon.com}

 

Envirosax: My favorite reusable bag of all time

By A'Dell

I've had a set of Envirosax for several years and I really love them. They're far superior to any other resuable bag I've ever had or seen. They hold up to 44-pounds, roll up to fit in the palm of my hand (makes them easy to stash in my purse), are washable and they don't fade. They are also so, so, so PRETTY. My set has held up well over a few years: the colors are still bright, no rips or tears, and people compliment me on them all the time. 

I have 10 of these and I absolutely don't need any more. But if I did? Oh, there are some LOVELY patterns these days.

The Marina collection runs $40 for a set of 5 in a handy carrying pouch. My favorite is the navy ropey-loopy one.

These black and white After Dark bags are also pretty slick. I love the dahlia-like print. (Single bags are about $9, so you could just buy a few!)

Optimistic Bag 2, $9

Speaking of singles, if this one was in stock (it's not, WOE) I'd ignore the part about how I don't need any more and buy this one anyway. It would make Walmart eight thousand times more exciting. 

But what I am REALLY loving these days are the KID bags from Envirosax. I know, I know, my child does not need another bag and, let's be very honest, she rarely carries her OWN bag and this is just going to end up on my shoulder full of whatever baubles we cannot leave the house without. But...these are just so cute. (If it's going to end up on my person, don't I want it to be cute? Yes, yes I do.)

Sweet Treats, $9

 ABC, $9

I actually think this one would make a super cute diaper bag on-the-run. Washable, squishable into small stroller baskets, hold 44-pounds. 

To The Moon, $9

Cars, $9

They also have a Sesame Street series and while I am definitely not the kind of adult clamoring to carry a Muppet on my arm, I KIND OF NEED THESE MUPPET BAGS. 

Big Bird

Elmo

Oscar

Cookie Monster