Porch Swing Media Blog Network

The Time Life Encyclopedia of Gardening

Faye — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 14:32:58 +0000

My husband surprised me with these cool vintage gardening books and I love them.

He is such a thoughtful husband.

Etsy has an abundance of treats!

Dawn — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 14:00:24 +0000

I need to get a job stat! Otherwise, I’m going to spend all my money on pretty things from Etsy. Here are a few of my favorites (I’m loving yellows and golds right now; can you tell?):

It almost seems silly for something that soaks up menstrual blood to be so pretty, but I'm smitten with these reusable pads from Naturally Hip's shop.

This golden netti pot from Page Pottery is way cooler than my plastic one!

Chasing Clouds' Etsy store has plenty of cool stuff that is reasonably priced, but this seaweed mask was one of the first things that caught my eye.

This headband from Tamar's Etsy shop is classy classy. I certainly don't need it, but I want it.

I wish that I had a birthday every month. I’m ridiculous.

Thanks, Coastal Classic Creations. I enjoy smelling like a snow cone.

Dawn — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 14:00:23 +0000

photo credit: GilmourCreative

I ordered a small bag of trial size items from Coastal Classic Creations a few months ago. I have yet to actually review any of the products, but I did post about liking the trial size light to medium concealer while I was sunburned and on the beach with my family. I will eventually get around to posting thorough reviews of some of my favorites, but for now I’d just like to say that I adore the Sand Waves perfume that came in my sampler set. While it is made from fragrance oil rather than essential, the fragrance oil is premium grade and phthalate-free…which is something with which I can always get on board. After my perfume-related post a while back, I gave away all of my questionable perfumes. I’m not too concerned with what the hazard score is, either. While I can’t find this specific product on the Cosmetic Safety Database, Coastal Classic Creations’ other fragrances are all either a zero or a one.

This perfume smells like a dreamy tropical snow cone, and I am not ashamed of the fact that I sometimes wear it to bed.

This Works: Stretch Mark Oil Review

Dawn — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 14:00:18 +0000

I like that the name of the product insists that it works. Very smart.

Remember the treats that I talked about in one of my recent posts? Well, I decided that it was time to review one of the health and beauty related products from that post. This Works: Stretch Mark Oil is kind of rocking my world right now. Before I get to the reviewing business, I should probably make it known that I’ve never used stretch mark oils or vitamin E oils as directed. Most directions suggest using these oils five or six times a day to achieve optimal results. My few lingering stretch marks left over from puberty don’t really bother me enough to compel me to do anything five or six times a day. I usually massage this oil into my skin after my morning shower and before bedtime. That’s enough for me.

Ingredients- (provided at futurenatural.com)- “Simmonsia chinensis (Jojoba) oil, Cocos nucifera (Coconut) oil, Olea Europaea (Olive) fruit oil, Passiflora edulis seed oil, Camelina sativa (Gold of Pleasure) oil, Macadamia ternifolia (Macadamia) oil, Triticum vulgare (Wheatgerm oil) oil, Rosa rubignosa (Rosehip) seed oil, Anthemis nobolis (Camomile English) oil, Citrus aurantium amara (Neroli) oil, Citrus dulcis (Sweet Orange) oil, Boswellia carterii (Frankincense) oil, Citrus amara (Petitgrain) oil, Fusanus spicatus (Australian sandalwood) oil, Pogostammon cablin (Patchouli) oil, Rosa centifolia (Rose) oil, Tocopherol”

I couldn’t find this product on the Cosmetic Safety Database, but most of the ingredients are a zero or a one. No ingredient is above a two. I feel pretty good about that.

Product Description (also provided at futurenatural.com)- “Especially formulated to be used during pregnancy but great for stretch marks anywhere, this works Stretch Mark oil is a nurturing fusion of 100% pure, active, high-grade ingredients, with no less than 15 plant extracts and essential oils; each chosen for its unique properties to nourish, regenerate, tone and soothe. Passion fruit seed oil is high in linoleic acid with brilliant skin healing properties; Gold of Pleasure Oil is packed with antioxidants and EFA’s, including omega 3; rose hip seed oil used traditionally to heal scar tissue; and coconut oil.”

Price- I’ve seen it most places online from $30 to $60 for four ounces, but I found it at Marshalls for $7.00! What a steal, right?

Performance- Like I already said, I probably don’t use this product enough for it to actually make my scars and/or stretch marks disappear. Then again, I’ve only been using it for a couple of weeks. Who knows what the future holds? Still, I can honestly say that this oil absorbs into my skin more quickly than any other body oil that I’ve used (such as olive oil, coconut oil, or vitamin E oil). As much as I love those other body oils, they tend to sit on top of my skin for a while before soaking into it… and even then my skin still feels slightly greasy. I can put my clothes on ten minutes after applying this stuff without having to worry about oily spots on my clothes.

Scent- When I start making my own perfume (which will hopefully be in the very near future), this is the first scent that I’m going to try to recreate. I’ve never smelled anything like it before. It’s really calming, and something about it reminds me of blue Jello.

Rating- 8 out of 10. The good ingredients, quick absorption, and lovely scent brought this body oil up to an eight. The fact that it’s not a miracle worker keeps it from being a ten.

Let’s talk about bacon.

Dawn — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 14:00:24 +0000

When people ask me why I don’t eat meat, I usually freeze. I’m always worried that I’ll say something that will come off as offensive or ignorant or maybe even both. I usually begin by saying, “I’m not a very good vegetarian.” I’ve been eating a mostly vegetarian diet for only a couple of years now, but I will eat meat if someone I don’t know very well cooks me a meal. I consider it common courtesy. I usually follow my shameful consumption of meat with lots of fiber rich foods, but at least I didn’t seem like an asshole while I was a guest at a stranger’s (or Kirby’s Mother’s) house. Does that make sense? The truth is, my reasons for not eating meat are simple: I don’t need it and it’s unhealthy (for the most part). Anything beneficial that meat provides can be found in plenty of other foods. It doesn’t hurt that I like vegetables. I know vegetarians who eat fewer vegetables than most of the meat-eaters that I know, and I’m always puzzled by that. Bread, cheese, and fake meat hardly makes up a balanced diet.

I feel like I’ve made a post similar to this before about veganism, and I’m sorry for the redundancy if that’s the case. I’ve had several conversations about why I don’t (or why I rarely) eat meat lately, though, and I felt like blogging about vegetarianism might help me gather my thoughts. One girl even asked me why I thought she shouldn’t eat bacon. How ridiculous! Aside from the environmental impact, I’m not directly effected by someone else’s diet. Eat all the bacon you want. I don’t eat it because I’m trying to avoid the health risks associated with it.

I’d like to hear everyone’s thoughts on vegetarianism and/or veganism. Let’s talk.

Kitchen Table

Danielle — Fri, 27 Aug 2010 16:41:20 +0000

With a special guest appearance by Dawn's birthday flowers, thanks to Kirby.

We finally found a kitchen table! There’s a secondhand furniture place near our house, and we drove by several times but it was always closed. Well, one day last week it was finally not closed, so we popped in to see what they had. This beautiful table, which can be made smaller by putting the end pieces under the larger center piece, was only $40. There were chairs available for purchase as well, but they didn’t really match the table and we didn’t have another $40 anyway so we passed on those. However, I have a graphing calculator for sale on eBay, and the bidding has gotten up to $76, so there may be chairs in our not-too-distant future!

Bananas Foster, sort of

Dawn — Fri, 27 Aug 2010 14:00:07 +0000

We had some peaches and bananas that were getting pretty ripe, so I did what any reasonable person would do: I made a dessert! I was trying to create a version of Bananas Foster that my favorite Mexican restaurant in the world offers (which has strawberries instead of peaches), and I think I actually came pretty close.

I didn't decide to take a picture until we had already destroyed most of it.

I cooked the bananas and peaches in a mixture of maple syrup, vanilla flavoring, unbleached organic sugar, Bulleit Bourbon, and butter (not pictured).

My friend Brittany brought delicious ice cream, and we put the fruit treat on top of it.

Birthdays and Boyfriends

Dawn — Thu, 26 Aug 2010 14:00:23 +0000

My 21st birthday was last week, and I was admittedly a little bummed out that I wouldn’t be spending it with all of my close friends and family, but Kirby, being the swell guy that he is, made sure that it was a lovely day from start to finish. It started with birthday donuts and flowers, and it ended with birthday cuddling and Arrested Development (in between were birthday lunch at a delicious cafe and birthday sushi for dinner ). I’m a lucky girl.

I was eying some flowers similar to these in a store a few days before my birthday. They were waiting for me in the kitchen with my birthday donuts when I woke up.

This Kiss My Face Sample Pack, also a gift from Kirby, is full of gems. I was pleasantly surprised.

Another present from Kirby was a straightener exactly like the one pictured above. It's a Solia Tourmaline Ceramic Ion Flat Iron.

Damaging my hair never felt so classy. Honestly, this straightener has been kinder to my hair than any other styling tool I’ve owned. I once had a straightener that fried my hair so much that it actually smelled burnt when I was finished. I wish that I were joking.

Here's proof that my straightener works and I'm not pulling your leg.

He may be incapable of smiling on command. My birthday dress reminded me a little too much of an optical illusion.

Oh, did I mention that he also bought me the computer from which I’m posting? It feels so good to have a computer of my own again. Excuse me while I waste my life away on Google Reader.

Pretty Shower Curtains

Faye — Tue, 24 Aug 2010 15:32:42 +0000

Ben and I need a new shower curtain since we moved our cute shower curtain into the guest bathroom. Any of these pretty shower curtains would be great, especially the first one. I am kind of in love with it actually.

Flamenco Shower Curtain from Anthropologie
Cityscape Shower Curtain from CB2
Falling Leaves Shower Curtain from Urban Outfitters
Madison Taupe Shower Curtain from Crate & Barrel

Crocheting: Artist spotlight

Chuck — Mon, 23 Aug 2010 16:56:25 +0000

Crocheting is a craft that I picked up while I was still in high school. I must have been on one of my kicks and thought, “why not learn how to crochet?” I’m fortunate to have come from a family of talented and crafty women, so when I showed an interest, my mom very willingly taught me the basics.

I never did much with crocheting while I was in high school, but I recently discovered a crochet artist (because that’s what he is) that has encouraged me to try to learn more about the craft.

Meet Howie Woo, a talented crochet artist located in Coquitlam, Canada, and his alter ego Woomi.

Photo courtesy of Woowork.com

I stumbled on Howie’s work a while back and quickly added his blog to my Google Reader subscriptions.

His latest creation comes in the form of two troublesome sisters, inspired by the true story of a Florida house fire.

photo courtesy of Woowork.com

I tip my hat to Howie for finding inspiration anywhere and everywhere, and for his execution of each new creation.

If I’ve learned anything from reading about Howie’s creations I’ve learned this: have fun with it! A lot of the time crafting seems like a chore to me rather than a creative outlet. But, if I can learn to create for the sake of releasing my creative energy while becoming a better crafter in the process, I’m sure the fun will follow.

Here are some of my favorite Woo Works:

photo courtesy of Woowork.com

Gives new meaning to “it’s raining cats and dogs.”

photo courtesy of Woowork.com

This is one of my favorites because of the story behind it.

photo courtesy of Woowork.com

Waffles anyone?

Along with his knack for crocheting, Howie is also a pretty talented cartoonist. Most of the crochet work he does is accompanied by a preliminary sketch/cartoon. He also has a webpage dedicated entirely to his toons.

You can check out more from Howie here: blog, cartoons, flickr.

I don’t think you’ll be seeing anything this complex come out of me, but I do have a couple of crocheting projects lined up, so stay tuned!