Project Coffee Cabinet

This weekend was pretty awesome as far as our weekends go, with equal parts relaxation and productivity. Our vinyl/audio setup had been out of commission for two months and we desperately needed space for our coffee paraphernalia  Our tiny shelf and counter in the kitchen was just not cutting it, especially since we recently acquired a new Hario ceramic burr hand grinder and aeropress. So, we put the record player to rest until we have more time and money to invest into that hobby and David turned the homemade media stand into a homemade cabinet. The only supplies we had to buy were screws, hinges, and a handle, running us under $10. We are very fortunate in the things that David finds in his field of work when people throw them out. For example, he's brought home: our floral hide-a-bed couch, an UPPA Baby D-Lite stroller, a Kitchen Aid blender, a Dyson vacuum cleaner...and countless other things.  What I'm getting at is that the wood for the cabinet was found...In fact the planks of wood were slats of an IKEA bed base that someone tossed down a recycling chute...

Here's a peak at the process and result. :)

In media stand form.

We had a good laugh at him building things in his nice clothes.

Funky hinges.

The finished, not yet cluttered or stained result.

A handle to match the hinges.

Overall it was pretty quick and easy business. He only had to cut two of the wood planks to make a frame inside the door. Eventually, if and when we decorate with more intention, we will probably paint them a flat light grey and use copper hardware, but for now it's perfectly functional and looks pretty awesome next to our couch. David also screwed together similar found materials to make a play table/coffee table, and we got some unsanded tile grout on clearance to make chalkboard paint for the top of it. So I'll be sharing that later, maybe next week. I have another project on my plate too, for Lorelei's room that involves a cute, fun way to hang some paper lanterns. That should be done on Wednesday, so look for that too. 

On another note, I have a guest post up on my friend Amy's blog Fabulously Ordinary! If you like love stories, or embarrasing stories, you might also like what I wrote over there. If nothing else, just go check out her blog, it's fun, and she's basically pretty awesome, like me... Haha. Happy Monday y'all!

Sinful Vegan Baked Donuts

I know you wanted another donut recipe...just me?! Yeah, I didn't think you would mind. I call these ones sinful because unlike my previous recipe they are full of Earth Balance and sugar. But these babies are freaking delicious! I may or may not have wanted to eat the entire dozen yesterday while we sat on our butts watching Quantum of Solace and Skyfall (the only thing stopping me was the gorgeous Bond girls prancing around with their beautiful figures).

This recipe is essentially the recipe for baked donuts in awesome vegan recipe book Vegan Yum Yum. I checked it out from the library, but I would seriously buy the crap out of it. I would eat every recipe in it, minus the crunchy kale one. Am I the only person, especially vegan, who dislikes kale (I ask as I drool over these donuts)? Alright, enough of my antics...

*You will need a donut pan for this recipe. It may or may not be a sound investment. ;)

Ingredients:
2 cups all purpose flour ( I used whole wheat pastry flour on this batch, they rock either way)
1 cup sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 pinch cinnamon (little pinch, unless you just love cinnamon)
1 cup soy milk (if you're soy free other's will work, just add slowly as the consistency varies)
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
8(!) tablespoons Earth Balance margarine
Egg substitute for two eggs ( I always use Bob's Red Mill Egg Replacer Powder)

Glaze:
1 cup powdered sugar
2 tablespoons soy milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 tablespoon Earth Balance

Garnish:
1 cup untoasted, unsweeted coconut flakes

Instructions:
1. Preheat your oven to 350ºF.
2. In a mixer or large bowl combine flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, and mix thoroughly.
3. Measure your soy milk and whisk in the vinegar, set aside to curdle.
4. In the microwave (about 30 seconds), or in a saucepan on the stove top, heat the margarine, vanilla, and egg substitute until melted and warm but not hot to the touch.
5. Add the wet ingredients to the dry and mix well. There shouldn't be any lumps and it should be the consistency of a thick batter, or a really soft dough.
6. Grease the donut pan and spoon in batter (about 3 heaping tablespoons per donut) not quite to the tops of the donut molds. Wipe any batter off the sides and center to keep them pretty.
7. Bake for 15 minutes.
8. Let set long enough for the donuts to just pop out and put them on a cooling rack. Wait until they are completely cooled to glaze.
9. Make the glaze whisking all of the ingredients together until smooth. You can color it or not...
10. Go straight from the glaze to the coconut (the glaze will be dripping everywhere, careful) and then onto another cooling rack over a plate to catch the drippings.
11. Try not to eat them all yourself.

Yields 12 donuts.

All photos courtesy of Photography by David L. Clark

The Evolution of a Consumerist Beauty Product Whor(der)

A lot of my life I've thought about, used, and loved an array of beauty and hygiene products. When I was two I started dancing and by age four stage makeup at recitals was required. When I was seven my grandma brought me violet parfum from her travels in France. Once I turned nine I quit ballet, but was basically a preteen immediately after and wanted to wear makeup and scents regularly. In fifth grade I had a tube of silver/blue Wet and Wild lipstick that I used on my eyelids, cheeks, and lips (gag!) with glitter caked on top. By middle school my mom helped me apply eyeliner some days and I was obsessed with body sprays. I received my first bottle of designer perfume (RALPH by Ralph Lauren) for Christmas right before I turned 14. In high school every dollar I earned doing odd jobs went to face washes, lotions, new makeups, blow dryers, etc. Then when I had my first steady job I spent about half of my money on food, and the rest on beauty supplies and magazines. I started box coloring my hair every couple months. It was out of hand! I would buy new foundations, shampoos, and anything that was new before I even ran out of the last one. I had a rotation of *at least* 4 designer perfumes. All that to say I've loved beauty products my whole life... but that is just a lot of crazy when I think about it now!

I still really love beauty products and get super excited to try new ones and experiment with them, but my love is much more rational now! Around the time I moved in with David in 2009, and had bills to pay, I stopped buying any new face paints and concoctions unless I was completely out. In the last few years of doing things that way I've still been able to try out different products (always looking for what's best for my skin, coloring, style, etc.) and have not once felt deprived of anything. 

When we moved to Washington in February of '12, my outlook on the stuff I was putting on my body changed again. I was more interested in finding products that were still affordable but not as harsh on my skin and environment. We stopped using body washes and started using organic handmade bar soap, and then Dr. Bronner's. I bought into products like Covergirl Nature Luxe and then Physicians Formula Organic Wear foundations and Organix Shampoo and Conditioner, which were frankly still too expensive for our small budget and as I later learned here still pretty toxic. 

And then there's the present...It seems like there has been a steady progression towards knowledge and care about what I do to feel pretty/clean/presentable. 

Currently in my makeup bag: e.l.f. mineral powder foundation, blush, lip tint and mineral mascara, and e.l.f. studio corrective concealer which are surprisingly low toxicity for their small price tag and vegan friendly. E.l.f. makes a very cheap nail polish as well in lots of trendy colors that is free of toulene, formaldehyde, and dbp (the top offending ingredients in most nail polishes), so I collect those when I can. I'm also a huge fan of Naked Eye Beauty's products. The Vegan Organic Rose Tinted Lip Balm looks, smells (passionfruit and rose), and feels so nice, but with a steeper price tag than I really like I use it sparingly.

Currently on my body/skin: Dr. Bronner's Tea Tree Liquid Castile Soap, Tom's of Maine Naturally Dry Antiperspirant, and Naked Eye Beauty Organic Vegan Sandalwood Vanilla Body Lotion (which like the lip balm smells and feels freaking amazing) For my face I rotate using oil cleansing methods with washing with this Rocky Top Soap Shop Cambrian Blue Clay bar soap. I've tried 3 of his other soaps and I would happily use no other brand of soap ever! They have a luxurious lather for bar soap and are unscented plus he has a pretty impressive selection based on your needs (even a dog shampoo soap bar!).

Currently in my hair: If the baking soda and apple cider vinegar no 'pooing routine is leaving anything to be desired then I'll wash my hair with the Dr. Bronner's Tea Tree soap and do a vinegar rinse. I don't use any other hair products.

Currently in my mouth: Tom's of Maine Propolis and Myrrh Fluoride Free Toothpaste, it tastes like a ginger mint and it's mild enough in flavor that Lorelei uses it too!

So those are the products that are cutting it for me right now. Maybe farther down the road I'll end up using less or at least gentler products but for now these ones make me pretty happy. At least I know that if I can ever afford to take up a hobby or start an etsy shop it will be in formulating natural beauty products because I love them, and also chemistry.

What are your favorite beauty products? Do you put much thought into what you're putting on your largest organ (that would be your skin)?