Friday, December 26, 2008

earth friendly family fun!


We hope everyone is having a very happy Christmas! Whilst we are still enjoying this festive season, I had to take time out to recommend two more great green book finds - i love dirt! and Eco Friendly Families.



The first selection includes 52 activities/suggestions to introduce your children to the beauty of the natural world. I love that this book is divided into the four seasons. The activities are geared toward stimulating such things as 'stewardship and caring toward living things', 'curiosity and exploration', and 'awareness of weather patterns' amongst many other subject areas. Though the book may initially seem a bit simplistic, I love that it gives prompts to parents to get the "environmental juices" flowing. I look forward to diving in with my two girls.

I haven't had a chance to examine Eco Friendly Families very closely yet but I look forward to learning more ways to involve the girls in our ongoing quest to embrace a green lifestyle.

I would love to hear from our readers...do you have any activities which inspire the next generation of greenies?

Thursday, December 25, 2008

merry christmas to all!

Merry Christmas (or Joyeux Noel) everyone!

(Photo courtesy of maudesplace.)

From all of us at Lu-n-Am we hope you are having a merry one (no matter what you are celebrating!) with your loved ones and enjoying your time off. Drink lots of warm drinks, eat lots of good food and give lots of hugs!

Lots of love,
Am, Lu & Kimberly

Sunday, December 21, 2008

a green book

I'm excited to write about this new discovery of mine. It comes via my first present of this holiday season. I received, from one of my best friends, a book called Green Chic, by Christi Matheson.


I've read only about the first 50 pages of this seemingly-short read. And so far it's very concise in its descriptions and details. I like how she talks not only about how to be green (and chic) but also why you should be green and how it actually helps the environment. This is good because it's often hard to find all in one book. Some books talk about how to help the environment, some talk about why you should be green, while other just talk about our environment's problems. This one - covers it all (from what I can tell so far!).

As a recipient of this book, I can recommend it wholeheartedly as a present to anyone this holiday season!
~Am~

Sunday, December 14, 2008

tis the holiday season!

(Martha Wreath Ideas)

It's the holiday and there is no better way of getting in the spirit then by making your own Christmas decorations. Martha Stewart of France and I have been making 3d paper snowflakes like mad crazy! They make a lovely edition to our Christmas decorations (especially since there hasn't been any real snowflakes thus far) and we will be using them next year and the year after that...
( How About Orange... = A wonderful blog full of tutorials and useful resources)

Making your own holiday decorations equals...

1. Quality bonding time with a loved one
2. A unique and personal touch to your home
3. Many Bragging moments when guest come in and say "oh my...these are lovely decorations!"... "oh why thank you...i made them" (shrugs)
4. Saves you from throwing your money towards excess Christmas consumerism
5. An Way of recycling materials, and reusing them next year.
6. Fun!

those are plenty of reasons to get crafty.

if you don't have the time this busy holiday. here is a wonderful secret to getting cheap, environmentally friendly (reused) decorations.....(drum roll)

Thrift stores!!!!!!!! At good thrift stores, and there are plenty out there, they have tons of decorations, some of them are really retro and "different". those are my favorites.

The interweb is full of creative people. Check out these links if you're in the mood for making some decorations.

-How About Orange (New fan of this blog...seriously it's worth the click)
-Martha Stewart (oh Martha, how we love thee, these holiday crafts are oh so nice)
-Craftzine (Instructions on projects are well explained,original ideas)
-Inside A Black Apple
(I definitely wont be buying those little to/from tags anymore, I will make my own, or just print some out on scrapped paper/reusable paper, some of these blogs are giving them to us as gifts! Inside A Black Apple has some really unique printable gift tags, just click on that link, you won't regret this click either)
-Craft Gossip (You'll find everything you hoped and wanted to find here)

Again, I am constantly amazed at all of the talented and creative people that are out there, and I am very thankful that these people are willing to share their creations with us and some of them even willing to share the secret to making these creations. If you have any Holiday decoration ideas or links you are willing to share with Lu-n-Am readers. comment away. It is possible to stay away from all of that excess Christmas commercialism and consumerism and still have a very wonderful Christmas.

-Lu-

Monday, December 8, 2008

aloha!

Hola, everyone! Just wanted to check in and let you know that we are all still alive. Things have been busy, more than usual if you can believe it, and we've all let the blog be the last priority.

(Photo courtesy of Cherry Blossom Girl. A secret indulgence of ours.)

But don't worry...we've got some things up our sleeves. Just you wait.
~Am~
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