Apparently we are due some snow tomorrow and it certainly feels cold enough here! We have a cosy fire going in the woodburner and are not going to venture out again tonight just stay in and keep warm. Shula is feeling very sorry for herself she jammed a stick into her throat today and its obviously very sore. I hope she is feeling better tomorrow otherwise its a trip to the vet I think.

I have been reading a blog about healthy drinks for kids, it is a problem knowing what to give them isn't it? Fizzy drinks are loaded with sugar and cause problems with tooth decay and weight. Even those  labelled sugar free are best avoided in my opinion because of the aspartame they contain. I wrote a blog some while ago about aspartame and how unpleasant it is. Fruit juice supplies kids with beneficial vitamins and minerals. For instance, 8 ounces of fresh-squeezed orange juice contains 25 mg vitamin A, 124 mg vitamin C, and 496 mg potassium.But it needs to be given  i ...

I have been to Inverness today and finally remembered to take my Ecover bottles for refilling so I am feeling very virtuous. I was also delighted to find a hairdresser that colours hair using organic products. Call me vain (My husband does!) but hair dye is one thing that I cannot cope without I would not mind if my hair was turning a becoming shade of silver but no its going mouse grey. I already have an appointment long standing for tomorrow but I will certainly be trying the organic place next time.

Do you find that your skin has dry patches and feels a bit rough? Well I have found a recipe for a natural salt body rub that will leave you feeling silky smooth. So here it is courtesy of Sophie Uliano -

2 cups fine sea salt
4 cups apricot or almond oil
20 drops of your favorite essential oil (mixing lavender, geranium and orange is always nice)

Simply combine all the ingredients in a glass jar and stir or shake to b ...

Just back from a day of SmokingCessation and I thought I would get straight on with writing my thoughts for the day. Its been a beautiful bright day here again long may it continue!

I have been reading a number of blogs about the downturn in sales of organic and ethical products. Apparently one of the problems voiced was lack of choice for example many retailers stocked organic tee shirts but hardly anyone had organic blouses. I must admit that this can be a problem but its probably because so many people who stock the products are small businesses who don't have huge budgets to play with. Hopefully the more mainstream it becomes the easier it will be to buy with a conscience.

 Dr Gary Robertshaw of the Green Providers directory has this to say -

It’s not so long ago that the term ‘greenwash’ was invented to describe those companies who ...

Another bright day here and I took the dogs up into the hills this morning. I was surprised to find how icy it was underfoot. We walked to a Loch with a long gaelic name which I cannot begin to pronounce and it was covered in ice, even Shula did not attempt to go for a swim. It was so quiet  and still the only sound was from some small birds in the trees nearby. I have never known such silence and solitude it has its own particular beauty.

Anyway I digress, what I really wanted to tell you about is a website that I found recently called Cheeky Wipes The poo revolution is here! You can buy washable baby wipes as part of a complete kit consisting of. 

    * 25 lovely soft Terry Towelling baby wipes - 15 cm x 15 cm
    * 1 Fresh Wipes container
  &n ...

A very cold day here but lots of blue sky and sunshine as well, I think we may get some snow tomorrow. I am looking out of my office window at the moment to a lovely peaceful scene the river is not high and rushing as it sometimes does and I can see across to snow capped mountains in the distance. Apart from a walk with the dogs I have been indoors trying to update the shop as things sell out of sizes and so on in the sale. I hate having to disappoint people  when I have to say that an item is no longer available.

I was reading a blog today about toy and book swaps which seemed like a really cool idea so here is how it works. The toys at your friend’s house always seem so much better, don’t they? That’s probably because they’re new to you. Half the excitement of getting new stuff is simply the thrill of having something different to play with or read. That thrill tends to quickly wear off, and its not long before your favor ...

Very cold here this morning -5 when we took the dogs out mid morning I was able to indulge my childish delight of ice breaking on all the frozen puddles. Peter took us on a bit of a marathon which involved lots of uphill walking over rough ground so I am a bit shattered this afternoon!

I was reading a blog today about buying clothes for your newborn baby, what you need. An interesting question isn't it? I can remember going through more clothes in a day than I would have thought possible for such a tiny little scrap of humanity. Of course I didn't have a tumble drier or automatic washing machine in those days so it was slightly more difficult to get things washed and dried but half a dozen sets of clothes in a day was not particularly unusual.

I had two dozen terry nappies which seemed about the right amount. I would think a minimum of three wrap over

I have just come back from Strathpeffer where I went to pick up some of the handmade soap that I sell in the shop. A very wintery landscape with variable amounts of snow but thankfully the roads were fine. I heard on the car radio that many parts of the country are having snow today and the outlook is unsettled. Apparently its  'Depression Monday' today as well, everybody is fed up with getting bills in post Christmas, a long way until payday and the long winter etc etc. Well I am actually feeling quite chipper so I'm bucking the trend, no particular reason just glad to be fairly healthy and active.

I have also added some more things to the sale, this gorgeous baby grow which is really cute and made in 100% eczema friendly organic cotton

If you have an interest in buying organic clothing, you may have noticed it  usually costs a little more than traditional fabrics. Much of the fabrics used in eco-friendly clothing use organic cotton. According to the Organic Trade Association, clothing companies are developing design programmes that either use 100 percent organically grown cotton, or blend small percentages of organic cotton with conventional in their products.

Some of the price difference comes from the way the clothing is made.

The organic cotton industry is still a growing market and producers are active in supporting Fair Trade. The clothing isn’t made in sweat shops by cheap labour; the products are made by workers who are paid a fair wage for their labour.

So for those of you who think organic fabrics might not be worth the cost, think about the big picture.  Every little difference counts, and if you think about it th ...

In this time of recession we are looking at ways of cutting the heating bills and I found these tips on how to heat the house like Granny used to which I thought might be helpful. So here goes-

 Rather than switch on the heating for the whole house, do as Granny did during and after the war and heat only the room you are using.

    * Close the door when you go into a room and put a draft excluder in front of it - if you do that there'll be no need to turn up the fire. If you want to get into real Grandma-mode you could even make your own - stuff the leg of a stocking or pair of tights with old socks and there you have it, a home-made draft excluder...

    * If you've got sash windows buy a cheap sealant kit or, as granny would do roll up some good old-fashioned newspaper and fill the gaps to stop the heat escaping.

  & ...

Some while ago I wrote about a programme on television last year in which a group of teenagers went to India and experienced the realities of sweatshop labour for themselves. It was very interesting and obviously a life changing experience for two of the girls Stacey and Tara  who have now fronted an initiative called 'Ethical Pests'. an eco-consumer brand which promises to give you the information you need to be an ‘ethical pest’ and question everything you buy.

The girls recommend buying gorgeous classic pieces from vintage boutiques, restyling everyday items into trendier garments from flea markets and making use of end-of-the-roll materials to invent new products.

But it’s just not that easy for some of us, who don’t have the time, skills or patience for that kind of shopping. I am barely able to thread a needle and whilst I think it a brilliant idea its simply not for me. Asked which high stree ...