A good way to hug the environment and save money at the same time is to find something that you can repurpose and reuse.  One of my favorite places to bargain shop is Goodwill stores.  Now, before you turn up your nose, think about it.  You buy something at a low price and fix it up to make it your own — and sometimes VERY unique!

Take this…tray-like-thingy, for example:

I paid $2.99 for it.  I think that once upon a time, it held a set of candles and river rocks.  But I envisioned something different for it when I picked it up.  It fits five 4 oz. jars PERFECTLY and will serve as the focal point for the Mocha Tree Organics Body Crème samples for an upcoming event.  SUH-WEET!!!  All I have to do is clean it up, make some minor adjustments to the wobbly legs, add some cork “feet” and some paint…maybe a little ribbon.  And it will be as good as new.  Scratch that.  It will be BETTER than new!!

What’s YOUR bright idea for a repurposing project???

I don’t know about your home town, but here in Indianapolis, we have experienced a mini-drought.  We have gone several weeks without rain and have been hit with more than 2 weeks of 95+ degree days.  You know? Those days when you open the front door and step outside and find it hard to breathe. WHEW! And aside from the stress and strain put on the central air conditioning systems, many residents have experienced increased bouts with spiders and ants. What is an eco-conscious person to do?

Although ant spray would seem like the quickest way to get rid of the problem, there are better…more eco-friendly…ways of accomplishing this feat. Here is what I do:

1. Fill an empty spray bottle with a 75/25 solution of water and distilled white vinegar.
2. Spray it along the baseboards of non-carpeted areas and at the entryways into your home.
3. Let dry. This may take a few hours to overnight, depending on the amount sprayed.
4. Fill a mop bucket with a 90/10 solution of hot water and vinegar and add 1/8 tsp lavender essential oil.
5. Mop all of the non-carpeted areas of your home and let air dry.
6. If you see stray ants crawling on the walls or doors, simply spray with the water/vinegar solution that you created, and wipe the ants away.

Others have noted that ants hate cucumbers. So if you’re a brave soul, you can lay cucumber peels around the areas where ants enter your home. I’m not that brave, so I’ll stick with vinegar and lavender. Besides, when it’s all said and done, my home has a fresh, clean lavender aroma.

Now that’s So Eco!

Does this sound familiar?  Of COURSE it does.  It is the Mocha Tree Organics way!  In a world filled with chemical alternatives, it is high time that we embrace everything that nature has to offer.  And if there’s any household that poses as a “poster child” for going natural and organic, it is my household.

My daughter, whose skin condition is the inspiration behind Mocha Tree Organics, suffers from a severe case of eczema.  I am allergic to the sun.  {hahaha}  Sounds silly…I know.  But it is true.  Exposure to the sun causes the moisture in my skin to be sucked out, followed with heat rash, welts and a horribly itchy face and scalp.  Needless-to-say, I don’t vaca in Florida.  So, believe me when I say that I have a natural solution that works!

Water & Vegetable Glycerin:  I’m sure you’re thinking, “WHAT???  Water???”  And the answer is, “YES…water!”  There is no better moisturizer than good old H₂O.  We have been conditioned to believe that water actually dries the skin out.  On the contrary, it is needed in order to keep skin soft and supple.  The key is to partner it with something that will help its effect stick around.  Enter: Vegetable Glycerin USP.

Just concoct a 50/50 mix of water (filtered, spring or distilled) and vegetable glycerin  in a glass and stir until the solution is uniform.  Then, pour it into a cosmetic spray bottle.  I use this on my face and in my hair, since our body crème has essential oils in it that are not necessarily suitable for the sensitive face.  Unlike hair creams and moisturizers that are oil-based and only coat the hair and clog the pores, glycerin allows the pores to breathe while it draws in moisture.  And since it’s coupled with water, a little bit goes a long way.

Well, well, well. Old man winter is making his way into another hiatus as we round the corner for spring. And as we know, with spring comes a plethora of indie events and craft shows. If you’re anything like me, you’re wondering which shows to apply to, how to make your display “pop” (without spending a lot of cashola), where to get cool marketing materials printed, so on and so on. Because I am a knowledge-sharing type of girl, I have compiled a list of ideas that I think are…well…pretty darn cool!

[Problem] I don’t know which shows to apply to. Some are kind of pricey.

[Solution] While it is very tempting to jump in head first (especially if you’re just starting out), the risks can be much greater than the rewards. I recommend that you narrow down your selection using these guidelines:

Products/Services - Ask yourself a few questions. Do my products/services “fit” within the realm of the event? Are there other vendors participating who sell similar products or provide similar services? Will I be able to sell my products to the attending audience? If the event promotes mostly commercial products and you sell handcrafted items, you might not luck out with very many sales. On the flip side, if there are too many vendors who sell the same types of products as you, then your sales might be determined solely by price, selection and whether or not your business name is more well-known.

Cost - If paying $300 for a show that you have never frequented is going to break the bank, than by all means pass it up! Attend the event as a customer instead. Browse the offerings, check the foot traffic, interact with the vendors and then evaluate the show by making a list of pros and cons. You can always participate as a vendor next time if you so choose. On the other hand, if the cost for vendor participation is WAY low, you’ll want to skip right over that, too…especially if you offer an upscale product or service. Chances are, customers at this type of show are looking for steals and deals, something that your bottom line can’t afford to give.

Location – Is the show close, far, in between? Is it being held in a convention center, an affluent shopping district, a local school or at a farmer’s market? Is it conducive to foot traffic and passersby or will people need to know about it specifically in order to attend? Is there adequate parking for vendors and customers? You have to decide if you want to test the waters with the locals or go all out and reach beyond the state border from jump. Realize that you might experience ups and downs either way.

At any rate, you don’t want to “settle” for one type of show or another.  The goal is to grow your business in the most effective way, not limit yourself by settling.

[Problem] I don’t have enough room to display my signs and prices.

[Solution] Photo Cube Clips! I found some of these little babies at a local art supply store in the $1 bargain bin. Depending on your setup, a few other options are binder clips (I go crazy with these) or wooden clothes pins. With binder clips, you can remove the silver handles after you have the clips in place. Makes for a pretty professional look. If you use clothes pins, you can paint them to match your decor and clip on a sign or handwrite pertinent information directly on the pin. The possibilities are ENDLESS!!

[Problem] I need affordable marketing materials.

[Solution] Vistaprint! I use them for most of my marketing paraphernalia. The key is to get in when they are running specials, place your order early and ONLY BUY WHAT YOU NEED! Far too often, we get sidetracked with this and that and end up spending way more money than we intended.

To get you started, visit the Facebook page that they setup for their business card deals — FreeBusinessCards — click on the image and go! You don’t have to settle for their free designs (which include a plug to their company in small print on the back of the card). No sir! You can create your own design, upload it for a small fee (only $2.49 right now) and get beautifully-printed business cards that make your business look –>that<– much more professional.

[Problem] Okay, cool…but I need someone who is BEAST at creating my layouts.

[Solution] No sweat, my pet! Give our resident expert @TheRealGirlGenius a holla. She’s got you covered for promo and print marketing designs (business cards, postcards, banners, t-shirts) and web tools (grab buttons, banners, favicons).

It’s show time…what are you waiting for???

At a time when environmental awareness and eco-conscious behaviors are hot, hot topics, you would think that green cleaning solutions would be more readily available to consumers. While the number of stores that carry them are few and far between, I want to share my favorites.

For awesome green cleaning, I love to use GreenWorks. From dishwashing liquid to all-purpose cleaner to toilet bowl cleaner, their products are over 97% naturally-derived. But aside from them being natural and eco-friendly, THEY WORK! And they smell great, which is an added benefit. There’s nothing like purchasing a natural product that smells like seaweed. EEEWWW!!!

Another great product line is made by Seventh Generation. They go much further beyond cleaning supplies and promote an entire green lifestyle with diapers, paper products, trash bags and feminine care products. Natural. Organic. And did I mention Chlorine-Free? Talk about WOW!!!

Got Coupons? They’ve got those, too! All you have to do is sign-up for email. Done and Done!

But if you are pinching pennies and need to find other alternatives, just turn to the old staple products: baking soda, borax, lemons and vinegar. Need some quick and easy recipes? Check out Eco-Cycle’s alternative cleansers.

Now that’s So Eco!

The 12 days of Christmas have come a little bit early this year!  And we’d like to celebrate by extending our giving spirit to you for the first 12 days of December.

Each day brings an amazing offer that will help make your holiday shopping experience a lot less maddening. And don’t forget that we’ve got something that will satisfy everyone on your shopping list!

Here’s the lineup for the last 7 days:

Day 6: Save 10% on all gift sets
Day 7: Orders over $30 entered to win a FREE body polish refill pack
Day 8: Spend $75, receive a FREE Chamomile Neroli Body Polish
Day 9: Schedule and host a Green Gala, receive a double cash option
Day 10: Save 30% on Spearmint Thyme Body Creme (use code MINT30)
Day 11: Free U.S.-bound shipping on orders over $45 (use code FREESHIP45)
Day 12: Spend $75, receive a FREE Jasmine Rose Body Polish

And while you’re at it, don’t forget to pick up a gift for the special man in your life. Our naturally-inspired Oakmoss Geranium Body Polish would please any dad, brother, son, uncle or grandpa this Christmas season. Chock full of certified organic and fair trade certified sugar, cocoa butter, shea butter and coconut oil, our Oakmoss Geranium Body Polish is just what the doctor ordered. (Lightly scented with an earthy blend of oakmoss, geranium and cedarwood, softened with a splash of lavender.)

Happy Shopping!

There’s nothing like getting Christmas goodies that no one else has but everyone wants. And this year, you can be the gift giver that outshines them all! Just drop by the Handmade Promenade Last Minute Market, and that’s where you’ll find some yummy Mocha Tree Organics body care products.

Yep! We’ll have all the classics: Chamomile Neroli, Jasmine Rose, Lavender Grapefruit and Spearmint Thyme. But don’t forget that perfectly polished skin isn’t just for the ladies. We’ll even have our Oakmoss Geranium Body Polish, made exclusively for the men.

There will be food served up by Pure Eatery, live entertainment and a host of Indy’s craftiest indies on hand to offer the coolest handmade gift items. So, come out, get your holiday shopping on and avoid those last minute mallers. Spread the word!

Handmade Promenade Last Minute Market
Date: Saturday, December 18, 2010
Time: 5:00pm to 9:30pm
Location: Pure Eatery in Fountain Square, 1043 Virginia Ave., Indianapolis IN
We accept cash and all major credit cards (with a valid state-issued ID)

It’s Green Tip Tuesday, where So Eco! presents an idea to you that will help expand your eco-consciousness. Just when you thought that it wasn’t cool to be trashy, TerraCycle proves you wrong!

Founded in 2001 by a 19-year old college freshman, TerraCycle takes not-so-eco-friendly waste materials and turns them into way cool functional products. They have formed various “Brigades” (or groups) that focus on specific non-recyclables, like drink pouches, chip bags, candy bar wrappers and yogurt cups.  Currently, they have 31 brigades that you can join!

TerraCycle credits most brigade accounts 2 cents per item collected, with a minimum quantity per shipment.  This lessens carbon emissions and air pollution. (They are sooooo looking out for the environment!)  After you receive your account credit, you can donate the proceeds to the charity of your choice.  So, not only are you helping the environment, but also, you are lending support to a non-profit organization.  Now that’s So Eco!

The holiday season is approaching quickly, and many people have already started their Christmas wishlists.  Instead of shopping at the mall or at big box retailers this year, make the move to shop for one-of-a-kind handmade goodies that are easy on the pocket and the environment.  Not only will you be making a huge impact on the eco-system, but also, you will be supporting indie artisans near and far and helping to stimulate the economy.  Need some gift ideas?  Don’t worry…we’ve got you covered!

Mocha Tree Organics
Exceptional handmade products created with certified organic ingredients are perfect for people with sensitive skin. The dynamic duo of soothing body polish and moisturizing body creme is sure to please the pickiest of  body care connoisseurs.

Sunday Afternoon Housewife
These lovely repurposed Scrabble tile pendants make unique gifts for the person who has everything. Created by hand with authentic Scrabble pieces and vintage designs, these little babies are sure to strike up good conversation.

Conduit Press
Talk about a different kind of book!  Snatch up one of these handcrafted journals made from upcycled materials for that special someone. Couple with a fancy pen for the perfect presentation.

Fanfare and Foofaraw
Ahhhh, the art of ceramics is making a comeback in a major way. Each handmade ceramic piece has its own personality and flair. From functional tumblers to decorative plates, you’ll be able to finish off that gift list easily.

It’s Green Tip Tuesday, where So Eco! presents an idea to you that will help expand your eco-consciousness. Okay, so I’m a freak when it comes to using remanufactured cartridges in my OEM color laser printer.  I mean, the savings are great, but I always wonder, “What if…?” Plus, I know that I can recycle my old cartridge, but isn’t that a little bit wasteful???

Enter Cartridge World. I went to their website, because I had no idea that they were in my city. (A friend had mentioned to me that she uses them for her inkjet printer.) To be honest, I had no expectations that it would be a service I’d try. But I took the plunge, called a local store and spoke with “Bill”, who was awesome at helping me out. All he needed was for me to bring in my empty toner cartridge and within an hour, he would have it refilled for me.

Here are three interesting facts about the environmental impact of printer cartridges that they have posted on their website:

1. It takes about a gallon of oil to make a new laser cartridge.
2. Every remanufactured laser cartridge saves nearly 2.5 pounds of metal & plastic waste from being deposited in landfills.
3. A laser cartridge thrown into landfill can take up to 450 years to decompose. Some components made of industrial grade plastics will take over a thousand years to decompose.

YIKES!  So…that means, I can REDUCE energy usage and unecessary materials by REUSING my existing equipment and keeping it out of the landfill.  Now that’s So Eco!