Healthy Monday: Berry Friendly Fun

Fresh, ripe berries. Strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, raspberries. High in cancer blocking anti-oxidants, it's hard not to love these deliciously cool fruits in the middle of summer, when the sun is hot and the days are long. Summer is a berry yielding season, so they can easily be bought locally in many parts of the country, which is a sustainable plus. But beware, too many berries and not enough time to eat them often leads to a case of the overripe, moldy fruit blues. Don't despair! Start implementing berries into more of your recipes and enjoy them in a different way. Think blueberry muffins, salad with strawberries, or the more unusual chilled blueberry soup! WholeLiving.com has the scoop on 30 berry friendly recipes!

photo from marthastewart.com

Eco-Friendly Bamboo Utensils

If you're a fan of sushi, like to camp, travel, or go on picnics, you really have no need to ever use wasteful plastic cutlery or one-time use chopsticks again! Yes, you can bring silverware from home, or try RePEaT Bamboo Utensils. Loving the colorful holders, which are made out of recycled pet plastic. If you've got an outdoor themed wedding, these would also work well as stuffers for the out of town gift bags.

Speaking of picnics, if you're planning one for the holiday weekend, check out 101 20 Minute Dishes for Inspired Picnics. This is great just for perusing and many of the dishes could be used as appetizers for those backyard rehearsal dinners.

Alright folks! We're taking a short break for July 4th, but we'll back on Monday. For my readers in the states, enjoy the holiday weekend!

Search Tool For Bridesmaid Dresses

Did you know New York Magazine offers a nifty little all-in-one search tool for bridesmaid dresses? Search by size, color, and dress type! And no need to worry about digging around for the price - it's all up front and center. You know, one could argue this is also a "cocktail dress search tool!"

Eco-Friendly Wines for your Wedding

Some will say a wedding without alcohol isn't a wedding. And I agree to some extent. I did go to a Baptist wedding once that had no alcohol, but there was also no dancing. And I kinda feel if you are going to ask your guests to shake their tail feathers, you should at least help them loosen up. Besides, how else are you supposed to capture your husband-to-be's best man doing his famous robot impression on your wedding film? So unless you're really afraid of Aunt Martha jumping from table to table and doing her coyote ugly impression, don't forgo the booze.

An open bar can really run up a tab, so it's perfectly acceptable to offer a few select wines. Emiliana offers a line of organic wines, called Natura, and biodynamic wines, both of which are vegan friendly. I'm intrigued by the biodynamic wine, "G," which supposedly has a bouquet of blackberries, raspberries, currants, toasted oak, and cigar box. (A bouquet is the term used for an older wine's aroma.)

Visit Natura on Twitter.

Healthy Monday: A Letter and The Benefits of Pet Ownership

A Letter

Attention furry little friends:

There are about six to eight million of you sitting in animal shelters right now. And about three to four million of you will be euthanized before the end of the year. "What was my crime?" you ask. Oh, nothing much. Perhaps you were too active and simply needed to be walked twice a day. It's possible you were abused and in fear of a heavy swat on the head, you bear your teeth and bark madly in self defense when any human comes near. Maybe you were born in a puppy mill, which the government fortunately closed down, but now you await in a small cage for the love of your life, such as a wide eyed child or a sweet, young couple to come take you away and give you a rub on the belly every afternoon.

Life has dealt you a sad hand my friend. However, the game may not be over yet for you. You have so much to offer and you ask for so little in return. For instance, many humans do not know that the very act of petting an animal can lower blood pressure and induce relaxation. (1) Your unconditional love aids in helping us deal with life's challenges and unexpected changes. And for all you dogs out there, your excited eyes convince us to enjoy a bit of physical activity and take you for a walk or go to the park.

I promise to spread the word about your plight and encourage others to visit their local humane society or rescue organization. If they have the internet, they can easily visit http://www.hsus.org or http://www.petfinder.com/ to get their very own one of you. Until then my furry little friends, try to make the best of it and be strong. Remember, there is someone out there who will love you just as much as you love them.

photo credit: Amy Carroll found via Pearls Events


1. Furry Friends can Aid Your Health

Eco-Friendly Accessories

You don't often hear a bride say, "I want my wedding to be like everyone else's wedding."

Whether it's through floral ornamentation or wearing pink converse, you should insert your own personality into your wedding. For those of you who fancy all things modern and feminine, you'll like Twisted Crystals. Designer Kacey Higley blends old and new fabrics to create beautiful flower shaped accessories for your gown, hair, or ring pillow. In addition to using as little packaging as possible, Higley encourages her brides to request scraps leftover from their alterations, as they can be used to "create many different accessories from the trim of your ring pillow, to the flower in your hair, to the boutonniere for your groom."

Rock on Kacey! And to all my readers: enjoy your weekend! And remember to eat your vegetables!

An Eco-Friendly Wedding Gift

This is a really cute idea as a gift to a friend or to your self. Although it would make for a very modern piece of home decor, it would also work well as an anniversary reminder for your forgetful husband (or husband-to-be.)
Frame The Date creates and sells, you guessed it, framed dates! But it's not as cheesy as it sounds. They offer an eco-friendly line which utilizes reclaimed wood frames, bamboo frame styles, and green matting as well. The two founders, sisters Julie and Ashley, scoured the globe for some of the most unique numbers, snapped a picture, and voila! You get to create and order your very own Frame The Date keepsake right on their website.

One Unique Wedding Invitation

My younger brother flinked this the other day (flink = a link posted on facebook. Okay, I made that up, but it makes sense to me.) I thought it was very original and worth sharing. (Click on the picture to the left to see it up close and personal.)

Found via Share Some Candy.

Eco-friendly and Recycled Jewelry

Margarette is a line of handmade jewelry made from recycled metals in the designer's New York studio. Good stuff! The anchor, seen below, is a super cute necklace and would make for a great bridesmaids gift for a beach or lakeside wedding.

Healthy Monday: Quick And Simple Ways to Stay Healthy at the Office

It can be easy to neglect a daily workout due to time constraints, illness, or maybe your just sick of watching that 70 year old guy kick your ass in aerobics. Whatever the case, if you don't always have time for a complete workout, try a few of these simple, at-your-office ways to burn calories and stay healthy.

1.) Rather than e-mail your boss or coworker, walk to their office and tell them in person.

2.) Bring a healthy lunch to work and use the time you would have spent waiting at a restaurant to shop or run errands.

3.) Take a break and exercise for 15 minutes by doing a brisk walk outside. If you can do this for just four days, you've already added an hour of exercise to your week.

4.) Try stretching at your desk. To stretch your hamstrings, stand, bend your right knee and shift your weight as if to sit back, straightening your left leg, heel on the ground, and lifting your toes. Hold for 20 seconds; switch legs.

(source and photo credit: Shape Magazine)