Diyas: oil lamps from India

November 12, 2014

...rop shaped pinch pots, go for 5 for a dollar. That’s a lot of fun for a dollar, and a good way to light up a party with a hundred warm little lights–if you can keep your guests from catching themselves on fire! (For more info, see my post at the first link above for all the deets on making and using a vegetable oil lamp.) Also, it occurs to me that it would be a great lesson for kids to make a pinch pot out of clay dug from the ground, and then ma...

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026 Riding a Bike in Los Angeles with Colin Bogart

Mr. Homegrown

November 26, 2014

Bikes, Podcasts, Transportation

...bout how to ride a bike in the city, commuting by bike and the politics of making our communities more bike friendly. Colin shares his experience of growing up in the suburbs and how he got back into riding a bike. During the discussion (fueled by a bottle of wine, I’ll note) we discuss: Aids Lifecycle Bike Summer Riding to work Is riding a bike in the city safe? Riding slow Keeping cool when you’re being honked at Lane positioning Avoiding the do...

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Compostable Holiday Decor

Mrs. Homegrown

November 27, 2014

Design

3 Comments

...took about a half hour to make, and I made it more for the pleasure of the making than anything else. It is worth remembering that you can throw together a wreath or swag or centerpiece out of whatever fresh plant matter you can find, and it will look fresh for the rest of the day. It’s really nice to have fresh, fragrant greenery on the walls and tables for parties. Here’s a thoughtstyling for you: maybe holiday decor should be as compost-able as...

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An Early Resolution

Mrs. Homegrown

December 8, 2014

Domesticus, Thoughtstylings

37 Comments

...all back at my feet–how high would the pile be? As big as my house? So I’m making a resolution. Instead of berating others, I’m declaring a personal moratorium on to-go cups–all disposable cups for both hot and cold drinks, actually, because why not? I banned plastic water bottles from my life long ago. Why it took so long for me to eschew the cups, I don’t know. I guess I was always able to mutter, “Well, at least they’re paper.” Denial is a beau...

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2015 Resolutions

Mrs. Homegrown

January 1, 2015

Thoughtstylings

23 Comments

...gain. (For reference, see this post from 2013) 3) Learn to surf. I’ve been making a little progress. I’m not a surfer yet by any means, but I’m getting good at paddling and spinning the board, but need to work on speed and timing. I need to spend more concentrated time in the water this coming year. So, what is my score? About 60%? Next up: resolutions for 2015 A joint project for Erik and Kelly: Refurbishing the kitchen: new paint, new floor, cle...

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