Why BPA is BAD

Even if you aren't sure why, you've probably seen and heard enough to know that lots of people are against BPA. But what is BPA? And what makes it worrisome? Like many others, I didn't understand what all the fuss was about until recently. I wasn't unaware, just under-informed. 

BPA is often found in plastic bottles used
for bottled water.
Photo courtesy of freedigitalphotos.net

BPA is short for a manmade chemical called bisphenol A that is often found in plastic and can linings. A derivative of petroleum, BPA has been used in food and drink containers since the 1960s and was used in other products as far back as 1910. 

The corporations that use BPA have performed trials that showed BPA to be harmless to humans. Remember, these tests were conducted by the companies that use the chemical in their products. Unfortunately, independent testing on several continents over the last 20 years has shown otherwise time and time again. 

When BPA is exposed to heat, it breaks down and the molecules that break off become a hormone that mimics estrogen. There are other chemicals that do the same thing, but BPA is one of the stronger and more common ones. Estrogen in normal doses is well and fine in humans. But we can "overdose" on estrogen. Unfortunately, estrogen never leaves the body and neither do these estrogen copycats. In high concentrations estrogen hormones cause cancers to form. It doesn't stop there, either. In men, high estrogen levels mean lower sperm count. In babies and children, high doses of estrogen can cause abnormalities of the reproductive system and early puberty. Human trials have already been done and the results have been conclusive: BPA is BAD. 

So why is BPA still out there? Why is still found in food and beverage containers, storage containers, children's toys, and more? Well, it turns out the FDA agrees that BPA is unsafe. Apparently there is an old and outdated law that states that BPA and certain other chemicals are not under the jurisdiction of the FDA because at the time the law was written these chemicals were deemed harmless. 

Look for thess and similar labels
when shopping for plastic and/or
canned goods.

Enough people are alarmed that companies are starting to listen, even without regulations. If you look around next time you buy anything plastic, notice that many companies now offer new BPA-free versions of their old products. While glass is often a better option, be sure to choose BPA-free when you do buy plastic. If you have plastics at home that you are unsure about, consider replacing them and definitely don't use them for hot food or drinks or in the microwave. 

We have been transitioning to BPA-free in our home. All new plastics are BPA-free and we use glass whenever possible. No plastic containers are used for anything hot unless we are sure they are BPA free. Eventually we plan to get rid of all of our older plastic, but finances require a slow transition. I am loving the new options that are available in glass, such as sports bottles and straws. We also have some new stainless steel food storage containers with BPA-free plastic lids. 

Have you started going BPA-free at home? What steps have you taken? Or are you just discovering the effects of this chemical? Maybe you know something I've left out. All comments are welcomed and cherished at Mama Making Changes so please leave your two cents worth below!

Summer Blog Challenge: Day 88

Today's Challenge: How did you get your name?

Oh boy! That's a fun one!

My mom wanted to name Sendin Sunshine (as in "send in sunshine") after the second half of this song:


Hey, it was the 70s! 

My dad had a cow cause it was not traditional enough. Thanks Daddy! Although, Sendin (like Syndon) isn't bad. He liked Laura and Mama chose Carol for my middle name because it is her sister's name and also my grandmother's sister's name. So I went from Sendin Sunshine to Laura Carol. Quite a jump, huh? They went from a bit too much to a bit too boring if you ask me. But what can you do? Haha.

Is there a story behind your name? However short or long, I'd love to hear it! Comment below to tell your story.

Millions Against Monsanto

I found a great new Facebook page called Millions Against Monsanto. Head on over to check it out by clicking here! Like and share when you get there to stand together! 



If you are not familiar with Monsanto, check out my post from April 24 on GMOs and Monsanto , or my June 23 post about standing up to Monsanto. 

Too Cool for School Giveaway and Sponsor Spotlight: Glass Dharma

Welcome to the Too Cool For School Giveaway Hop hosted by BloggerPR! Summer has come to an end, which means it is time to send the kids back to school. Parents are scrambling to replenish their school supplies collection and get all of the requirements on those supplies lists, so BloggerPR decided to host a giveaway hop to help everyone win some of those back to school necessities!  This event will run from September 1st through 9th, which gives you plenty of time to hop down the linky list below! Each blogger is giving away prizes valued $20 or more, so you don’t want to miss out! Good luck and have a great school year!

I first learned about Glass Dharma on another blog and fell in love with the idea of glass straws immediately. Glass Dharma is changing the planet, one straw at a time! I was so excited that this company wanted to work with Mama Making Changes and they sent me 4 straws to review and keep. Here they are:

Let me tell you a little about the "what" and "why" behind Glass Dharma.

Plastic, which is often made from petroleum, releases harmful chemicals into the atmosphere when it is produced and when it is recycled. Much plastic is never recycled at all, meaning it sits in landfills, where it can take hundreds of years to decay. As it decays, most plastics leach chemicals into the ground, which contaminates ground water and soil. Some never decay because of conditions in the landfills. 

Most straws are not even recyclable! And most are made from petroleum, which is a finite resource as we all know from watching the prices at the gas pump! According to Ecocycle, Americans use an average of 1.6 straws per person per day. That adds up to more than 500 million straws per year in America alone! Nearly every one of those straws goes in the garbage!

Decorative Dots on Glass Dharma Straws

Glass Dharma has a beautiful, affordable, and eco-friendly alternative to plastic straws! Their gorgeous glass straws come in a wide variety of shapes and sizes. I received four to review and I loved them all. My favorite is the bent straw! You can also choose whether you want short or long, wide or narrow. Glass Dharma also offers decorated straws, that have colorful dots, also made of glass, attached at the upper end of the straw, just so you can show off a little!  

Worried that your straws will break? Afraid to let the kids use them? All of the straws have a lifetime guarantee against breakage, so no need to worry about that! And if you want to take it with you so that you don't use plastic straws on the go, Glass Dharma sells 100% hemp bags in assorted colors that will keep your straw clean while it travels in your purse, pocket, or anywhere else!

Cleaning brushes come in two sizes.

For washing your straw, Glass Dharma sells a special cleaning brush that you can add to your order. The brush is made of stainless steel with medical grade nylon bristles, so one $5 brush will last through years of cleaning your glass straws. 

Glass Dharma also does fundraisers. What a great way to spread awareness. Talk to your organization about selling glass straws to raise money and you can educate people at the same time. Let's put a dent in that 500 million.

Happy to test the smoothie straw!

Can you sense my excitement? I am crazy about these straws! And the best part is yet to come! Glass Dharma is giving one lucky reader a $25 gift certificate to use for anything on their site! Can we say "YAY!" ? 

Check back September 1- 9 to enter the giveaway, which is part of the Too Cool For School Giveaway Hop, sponsored by Blogger PR. In the meantime, take a look at the Glass Dharma website and tell me what you think. Are you as excited as me about having a glass straw to take with you everywhere you go?

Disclaimer: I received products to keep in exchange for an honest review of the products on this site. I have not received money for this review and all of the opinions expressed are my own. 

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Did You Know: Kraft Facts

Recently I posted the ten worst and twenty best companies according to The Better World Shopping Guide. While I was very familiar with the reasons behind some of the companies listed, I was shocked to see Kraft on the the list of the ten worst companies and I wanted to know why. I did a little research and discovered some good information, along with some very useful websites to which I am sharing the links. 

1. On the up side, Kraft received 100 out of 100 possible points form Human Rights Campaign for equality in the workplace. See more about the criteria at http://www.hrc.org/resources/entry/2012-Corporate-Equality-Index-Criteria. 
2. Kraft is not doing much to address climate change. Ceres is a company that advocates for sustainability in businesses and they gave Kraft a score of 11 out of 100 possible points on their climate change rating scale. See more about Ceres at http://www.ceres.org/.
3. The Center for Economic Priorities, or CEP, gave Kraft an "F" in social responsibility. 
4. Green America gave Kraft its lowest rating in social responsibility. See more about Green America and its mission to create an "environmentally sustainable society" at http://www.greenamerica.org/.
5. Multinational Monitor has repeatedly listed Kraft as one of the ten worst companies for corporate crime. 
6. The tobacco giant, Philip Morris, owns more than 80% of Kraft. 
7. Kraft foods are in 99% of American households.
8. Kraft is the parent company for many other brands, including Knudsen, Jell-O, and Back to Nature. Others include: A.1. Steak Sauce, Breakstone's, Cadbury, Capri Sun, Dentyne, General Foods International, Gevalia, Green & Black's, Honeymaid, Kool-Aid, Nabisco, Oscar Meyer, Oreo, Philadelphia, Planters, Ritz, Stove Top, Tang, Tassimo, Toblerone, Triscuit, Trident, Velveeta, and Wheat Thins. 

In the end, I had difficulty finding specific examples of what Kraft has or has not done to get these rankings. I love your comments! Do you have more information on why Kraft made the ten worst?  Please share it! Where you surprised at any of these facts? Do you have Kraft foods in your home and did you know they were Kraft foods? I want to know what you think!

"20 Best Companies"

I posted late last night from my phone about the ten worst companies according to the Better World Shopping Guide. I am currently doing a little research into the what and why of a few of those companies and plan to share what I find. That info will be coming soon! In the meantime, I'd like to share with you the twenty best according to the same source. For more info, or to get your own guide, visit betterworldshopper.org. Following is the chart of the top 20 companies that is found on their site: 

How many of these companies' products do you already purchase? Are there any that you will look for now that you have seen this list? Are there any surprises? If you haven't already seen it, click here to check out last night's post about the ten worst companies to buy from and let me know if any of those are a surprise. 

10 Worst Companies

According to The Better World Shopping Guide, 2008 edition, these are the 10 worst companies you. Oils patronize. Rankings are based on human rights, the environment, animal protection, community involvement, and social justice.

1. Exxon-Mobil
2. Kraft
3. Wal-Mart
4. Chevron-Texaco
5. Pfizer
6. Nestle
7. General Electric
8. Archer Daniels Midland
9. General Motors
10. Tyson Foods

More to come in this subject this week!

Trying to Make a Button

Can anyone tell me what I'm doing wrong? I want to make a clickable button but this is too big and has no writing on it.

<div align="center"><a href="http://www.mamamakingchanges.com " title="Mama Making Changes"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEio7djqaBtcj5RRJsa2TEY8au3Y3GUHTr0mcUiGEDHQibTDdmwTsYS80mwXXS3uQwvr6nzjqGC_1c3Ai6QNGBN_2BRNxoYt_CpMwdE0_IIKPHJoLImOV2QOqrdn0eMVEtfmJ7XMgrhK487z/s1600/downsized_0422021459a.jpg" alt="Mama Making Changes" style="border:none;" /></a></div>

Summer Blog Challenge: Day 70

Today's Challenge: Give one tip to new bloggers.

If I had to choose only one piece of advice for a new blogger, it would be to join a group of like-minded bloggers. I love that I found Green Moms Network not long after starting my blog. Not only do we exchange info on topics that interest us, but we also share blogging tips, answer each other's questions, share each other's posts, and more. We organize events together and share events from elsewhere, too.

I have even become friends with a few of the ladies in the group and one in particular is my facebook-chat-go-to-person in the evenings. We bounce blogging ideas off of each other, share posts with one another, and talk about our families. If she lived next door, we would be inseparable and insufferable I am sure!

Since then I have joined a couple of other groups, too. Search on Google or Facebook or look at the buttons in the sidebars of some of your favorite blogs. That's a great way to get in touch with a group that fits you and your page.

Summer Blog Challenge: Day 32

I thought I would go back and revisit some of the posts I have missed during the Summer Blog Challenge. The first is from July 2, and the topic is to post a poem you have written or just one you love. 

I am a huge fan of Edmund Spenser's Fairy Queene and thought about sharing some of it with you, but it's an epic poem and I couldn't settle on a short verse to share. I flipped through some Milton and Donne and Shakespeare but still didn't settle on an excerpt. Then it occurred to me to share something fun, something that makes me smile. I hope it does the same for you, whether you have seen it before or not. I will share just the last verse of this poem by Andrew Marvell called To His Coy Mistress. FYI: He's trying to get a little make-out session (or more). Some things never change! Ha ha! And he is quite the smooth talker, too!

Now therefore, while the youthful hew
Sits on thy skin like morning dew,
And while thy willing soul transpires
At every pore with instant fires,
Now let us sport us while we may,
And now, like amorous birds of prey,
Rather at once our time devour
Than languish in his slow-chapt power.
Let us roll all our strength and all
Our sweetness up into one ball,
And tear our pleasures with rough strife
Thourough the iron gates of life.
Thus, though we cannot make our sun
Stand still, yet we will make him run.

(Nearly)Wordless Weekend: Our Mini-Vacay in Pictures

The pier at Myrtle Beach State Park

My daughter jumping waves :)

 

I just sit on the edge of the water and wave watch.

Watching the ducks and turtles behind the condo.

A few of the duckies.

The only pic of me only happened 'cause they caught me off guard!

My daughter's friend joined us for our mini-holiday.

Looking pretty  (it's the good genes)

Under the Live Oaks

Waiting to get to the water.

Happier now that the water has been reached!

Another happy camper!

Storm brewing over the park.

Trying to get just a few more minutes...

Spa for Ma 2012

I am so excited to announce that Mama Making Changes has joined the 2nd annual Spa for Ma event, which will be open from August 17 to August 31, 2012! Spa for Ma is a blog hop giveaway event sponsored by MeasuringFlower, featuring a prize of $50 or more in value on each participating blog, each prize designed to help moms relax as the kids head back to school! 

There is also going to be a grand prize giveaway! The first grand prize is $105 cash, sponsored by Spring Coin. 

The second grand prize is a Kindle Fire, complete with a cover of your choice and a $50 Amazon giftcard! Covers can be up to $50 and may be chosen at Amazon.com. 

To enter the Grand Prize Giveaways, just click here or use the first link on the list of participating blogs at the end of this post. 



I'm looking forward to this event. Here at Mama Making Changes, our prize is a sun protective  Colleen jacket from Mott 50, with a retail value of $110!!!! Click here to read the review I wrote after receiving one to try. It's beautiful and soft and you'll love it for relaxing by the pool or anywhere else! 

After you enter my giveaway, be sure to hop over to some of the other participating blogs and enter to win even more relaxing prizes. The links to the participating blogs are below the Rafflecopter.
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Disclaimer: Facebook is in no way associated with this event. Measuring Flower and its writers are not responsible for sponsors who do not deliver their prizes.

How Toxic is Your Town?

I recently came across a very useful and very interesting website called Scorecard.com. Scorecard allows you to type in your zip code and get detailed information on pollution in your county. 

Scorecard compares your county to others in the United States in several areas, gives you the top polluters and top toxins released in your county, and gives you reports on air and water pollution in your area. There is a report on the percentage of homes with lead paint and they also give you an environmental justice report. The site tells you about any Superfund sites in your county and how that stacks up against other counties. You can click a link to get a list of the top polluters in the county and contact information for them, too!

I learned so much from this site! An example of the kind of details they give is this: 

"In 1999, this county ranked among the dirtiest/worst 20% of all counties in the U.S. in terms of pm-2.5 emissions."

Yuck! That is an actual quote from the information for my zip code! I am shocked and disgusted! 

Head on over and enter your zip code on Scorecard.com. Let me know what you learn about your county. 

Summer Blog Challenge: Day 74 (Back to School)

Today's Challenge: Talk about what kind of schooling your family does and why.

We are currently a homeschool family. It is a challenge well worth the work. Public school just isn't for everyone. When my daughter was in a public elementary school, she was uncomfortable with other children, had difficulty maintaining friendships, had difficulty with her work, and was in counseling because of the bullying of other kids. She was also being heavily medicated for what the doctors diagnosed as severe ADD.  The medicine made her feel sick.  Even in sports, she was often left out and was very aware of that alienation. She was absolutely miserable and became depressed. I felt like things were spiraling out of control.

We began homeschooling in 7th grade and she is going into 8th grade this year. Here's the amazing thing: her self-confidence has improved, she learns more quickly and more easily, she is not taking any medication, and she even wants to go back to playing soccer. Given the choice, she chose to continue homeschooling. We have joined a local support organization for homeschool families called REACH and she will be participating in more activities this year. REACH also has a sub-group called Co-Op that we have joined and she will be able to take a theater acting and production class and do her research paper at Co-Op on Thursday mornings. I also love that REACH is a Christian organization and that our curriculum is Bible-based. Except for Saxon Math, all of our materials are from Alpha Omega Publishers, although we purchased all of them either on eBay or at Christianbook.com.

Our school year starts Friday and I am excited to dive in. I let my daughter decide what day she wanted to start this month and she chose to get started earlier than the public school starts! So, off we went to buy school supplies (which are much more minimal when homeschooling). That being done, I sat down to start planning and getting organized. While I had a tentative schedule in my head, I have been writing lesson plans all evening, hoping to at least get the first semester planned before we start . Much too far in, I realized I had made many mistakes in my scheduling. Uh oh. Guess who will be purchasing a new plan book and re-writing tomorrow?

I know folks whose children are thriving in a public school setting. But like I said, it just isn't for everyone. Do you homeschool? If your children are in public school, how do you feel about it?

A Little Styrofoam To Go Please

Last night my daughter wanted to eat at the local Mexican restaurant that sits at the entrance to our neighborhood. We patronize them often because the food is good and the family that owns and operates the restaurant live in our subdivision, walking there and back every day. I love supporting local businesses. HOWEVER...

Last night we got our food to go. Somebody please tell me why each of the quesadillas needed to be wrapped in paper and then placed in there own individual styrofoam containers. Each of the quesadillas came with a salad and each salad had its own container, too. The pixo de gallo that I ordered had its own container, as did the guacamole that my daughter wanted on the side instead of on her taco salad. Add all of that to the plastic container for her taco salad, the styrofoam cups for the two salsas, and the paper bag for the chips.

My trash can had just gotten a new and empty bag. It is now full. I was infuriated last night and when I got up to make coffee this morning I was reminded.

I want to tell them but I want to suggest they come up with a better system, not attack them for being wasteful. Remember, these are my neighbors and they are very friendly people. Any ideas on a good way to let them know about this opportunity for improvement?

Summer Blog Challenge: Day 73

Today's Challenge: What is an environmental organization you could get behind and why?

This is another of those challenges that asks for one answer when I have fifty plus answers. I try to do whatever I can to help the environment but I am rarely in a position to give financially to organizations. I do support many of them in that I share their beliefs, believe in their causes, talk to others about what can and should be done.

I decided to make a short list of environmental organizations, complete with links to their websites, that I would support financially if I could. Check them out and when you do decide to make a donation to a good cause, maybe one of these will come to mind. You can also sign up for email updates on their websites. I subscribe to several of these myself.  If you subscribe to any of National Geographic's magazines, part of the money is paying for the mag and part is supporting Nat Geo, whose aim is to help save the earth through education and awareness. Some of these work more with businesses than individuals, but we can support companies who work with these organizations. I hope you check some of these out, especially if you see one you aren't familiar with already.

Greenpeace
Environmental Defense Fund
Friends of the Earth
1% for the Planet
National Geographic Society
Earth Day Network

What organization would be at the top of your list?

Summer Blog Challenge: Day 71

Today's Challenge: Talk about a pet you have (or had). 

I recently got approved to be a foster parent for a nearby animal shelter. While the shelter is not a "no kill shelter," they do everything in their power not to euthanize any of the animals. They work with rescue organizations all over the Southeastern United States to place the animals in loving homes and they make treatment available through fundraising for the sick animals. One way to prevent euthanasia is to place animals in foster care with temporary families in order to open up more space for incoming animals. I was so happy to be approved and my daughter and I eagerly went to the shelter to pick a dog to bring home. 

waiting to leave the shelter

When I got there, I was amazed at how many dogs there were. Makeshift dog pens had been set up in an effort to not turn anybody away. Even those were full. I was able to choose who to bring home with me and, after walking all the way through, I came back to a quiet little puppy named Clemson. Now, I hated the name. I live in SC, where the two big college football rivals are Clemson and University of South Carolina. I am a huge USC fan. Maybe the name is why I felt so sorry for her? Not really. She is 3 months old and about 20 or 25 pounds. She was brought in alone, so she did not have the rest of the litter with her. There was an ugly scar on her leg, so I know she'd had a rough start in life. She looked so bored and so sad, lying on her back in a hole she'd dug. They said she was an escape artist and I thought how it would be easier for her and the shelter if I took her home with me and kept her inside. 

arriving at my house

We were set to have Clemson for a week and a day. We had no idea how quickly she would steal our hearts! She was terrified in the car on the way home and stayed in my lap, shivering. When we got here she didn't want to play, but would snuggle against our chest so sweetly and just look up at us. The next morning my daughter spent some extra time with her outside, walking on the leash, meeting our other dogs, meeting our family members and some neighbors. She quickly became less and less frightened, but she also quickly became attached to my daughter. When she would leave Clemson with me, Clemson pull on the leash and whine, trying to follow. They snuggled in the chair so much during the week and we worked on socializing her with people and the other dogs every day. We worked on house breaking, too, but couldn't make much progress in only one week. That meant a ton of work cleaning up after her, but she was worth it. 

This morning we had to take her back to the shelter to get on a van that was going to take her to a rescue organization and then to her forever family. My daughter and I got up at 5:45 am so that we could give her water, take her out to potty, and get to the shelter by 7:00. We stayed to put her in a crate and on the van and tell her goodbye. It was so hard to say goodbye to those sweet sad eyes! 

They offered to let us bring another dog home today, but my daughter and I agreed that we needed a week or so to recover first. It actually was a lot of work having an extra dog around, especially one that was not housebroken. But I have a feeling we will be back there very soon because it feels so good to know that we helped that sweet little puppy, even if she did have a rotten name! 

this is how she liked to sit!

after a few days...

Isn't she adorable?

Summer Blog Challenge: Day 70

Today's Challenge: What is your favorite movie and why? 

My favorite movie is Black Swan. I think it is absolutely brilliant. The story was completely unpredictable and the end was shocking, and it was a beautifully sad story that literally took my breath away. When it was over, I had to take a deep breath and realize that I had been holding my breath. I will never forgot the final dance. I also have so much respect for Natalie Portman as an actress after watching Black Swan because it had to be an incredibly difficult role to play and she did it so convincingly. "Suspension of disbelief" is, in my opinion, the first requirement of any good movie...meaning that I can forget where I am and totally lose myself in the movie. This movie had me from the beginning. I had to watch it again after the first time, to see if I could pick up on all of the times she was losing it and I thought she was really doing those things the first time I watched. It's actually difficult to separate what really happens from what is only in her mind and that is really what makes the movie so genius. 

What is your favorite movie? Did you see Black Swan? What did you think?

Summer Blog Challenge: Day 69

Today's Challenge: Post a bucket list with at least 10 items on it. 

I actually do not have a bucket list, or at least nothing by that name. There are, of course, things I would like to get to do before I die. I guess that means I am writing my first bucket list today.

These items are not necessarily in order of importance. They are in the order my fingers typed them, which has absolutely no significance. Here goes:

freedigitalphotos.net

1. Go to Alaska. I would rather move there, but I would certainly settle for a nice vacation.
2. Buy a farm. A small one will do. 
3. Write a novel. And finish it. Getting it published would be a bonus, but I really just want to write a complete novel.
4. Tour the British Isles. Scotland, Ireland, England, and Wales. Preferably with a literary itinerary.
5. Have a relationship that lasts longer than a mouse lives (Admission: I borrowed this one from a friend's list...but it's good and it's applicable!)
6. Go hunting. Preferably in Alaska. 
7. Go kayaking. Also preferably in Alaska.
8. Brush up on my French and give myself a reason to use it. Like a trip to France. (Gee, I guess I want to travel, huh?)
9. Be the boss. Whether that means owning a business or running someone else's or not working at all. 
10. Have the most awesome blog ever. The #1 blog in the world. With so many pageviews that the internet has trouble keeping up!

You know that was hard! It took a long time to write that list! I think I will have to start a separate savings account now, though, so that I can afford to do those things one day!

Fall Into Green Giveaway Hop

Welcome to the Fall Into Green Giveaway Hop, hosted by Happy Mothering and Happy Green Mama through the Green Moms Network. Each participating blog is hosting a green or eco-friendly giveaway worth at least $25. You can find the list of participating blogs at the bottom of my post. 


Now for the prize from Mama Making Changes: Green Virgin Products has graciously agreed to give one lucky reader on Mama Making Changes a huge prize package, valued at nearly $100!!! Here's what you'll get if you win!

• 1 gallon of  GVP Formula 433 All Purpose Cleaner Degreaser Concentrate
• 2 Spray Bottles with mixing directions
• 1 foaming pump dispenser
• 1 bar of GVP Formula 433 Laundry Prespotter

To enter to win this amazing prize package worth $87.15, just use the Rafflecopter entry form below. To learn more about GVP Formula 433 eco-friendly cleaning products, visit our Sponsor Spotlight post. 

We also have a fabulous Grand Prize for this giveaway hop, sponsored by Maggie Bags. Two lucky winners will each receive The Tote of Many Colors in The Fall of Leaves or Camo – Maggie Bags’ most eco-friendly bag! Made of super durable recycled seat belt webbing, this roomy tote will hold everything you need and want, even that extra pair of shoes! You can also get 25% off at Maggie Bags with code FallGreen good now through November 10 on their Premier Line!

Click here to enter the Grand Prize Giveaway.

And don't forget to tell your friends so they can get in on all of the great giveaways! Good luck! Happy hopping!

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Summer Blog Challenge: Day 68

Today's Challenge: Tell a skill you wish you had. 

I wish I was more crafty and creative. I see so many cute ideas that other people think of and put into action, but I have to settle for being a copycat or customer of the crafty people. 

One of my best friends in the world is one of those types. She can make anything from anything. She recently gave me a birthday card that was really beautiful. I had to ask if she made it because it didn't look handmade but I know how good she is. She made it. Of course.Why couldn't I have talent like that? 

I have another friend who makes a variety of crafts each fall and sells them to earn money for Christmas. I buy them from her to give for Christmas. Last Christmas she made personalized water bottles and wine glasses. The same friend also does flowers for weddings as a side income. Beautiful floral arrangements and bouquets. She is so gifted. 

Well, at least my friends are creative, right? I can always get my hands on some unique gifts!