blue penny for your thoughts-- the much delayed update

oh dear. it's been a looooong time since the Blue Penny has posted anything on her dear blog. there's good reasons, and there's some bad ones. one: life has been presenting me with much opportunity and my attentions have been elsewhere developing new adventures for my green empire. two: i've been a terrible time manager, spending way too much time on myspace (www.myspace.com/thebluepenny) making virtual friends and reconnecting with old ones. three: i'm presently head over heels en l'amor, and of course that's taken up most of my time. so kisses to all of you (all two or three readers, thanks mom & co.) four: school. homework. getting good grades. yeah.

i promise to make it up to you. earth day has come & went, but we have Fair Trade Day (May 10) to look forward to, and this Penny promises to post some juicy fair trade tidbits for you by then. also, i've expanded my local business endeavors, not just doing personal eco-shopping and life style consulting but also offering my chef services for those organically inclined. i'll be posting more recipes, and making weekly menus available online soon, as well. so stay posted.

meanwhile, contact me if you're interested in purchasing my wonderful pure beeswax candles, and Miessence Organic skin & body care.

yours most truly,
RQ Bella
the blue penny

"earth friendly, eco-licious"

The Most Beautiful Marble

"The Earth reminded us of a Christmas tree ornament hanging in the blackness of space. As we got farther & farther away, it diminished in size. Finally it shrank to the size of a marble, the most beautiful marble you can imagine. That beautiful, warm, living object looked so fragile, so delicate, that if you touched it with a finger it would crumble & fall apart. Seeing this has to change a man, has to make a man appreciate the creation of God and the love of God."
-- James Irwin, USA

One Small Step-

1) Walk the Walk. For short trips, try getting out of your cars and make yourself mobile the old-fashioned way-- using your legs. You save on gas, and get the added benefit of actually connecting to your neighborhood. It's cheap, it's easy, it's fun!

2) Switch your Bulbs. Just by switching one regular light bulb for a energy saving CFL, you can make your future bright.

3) Reduce, Re-use, Recycle. Use less, use it more often, and use it again.
C'mon peeps, you know the drill.

4) Ditch the Bleach. Throw out your old whitening (but toxic) stand-by and utilize non-toxic alternatives. For starters, try bi-carb soda, hydrogen peroxcide and lemon juice.

5) Eat Your Vegetables. Choose Organics in the produce aisle, or better yet, grow them yourself!

See Girls on Bikes at Copenhagengirlsonbikes.blogspot.com

Girls on bikes. Sweater girls. Fashionista girls. Girls in tight jeans & brightly colored boots. Girls with short skirts and boots. Girls with leggings & boots. Blue boots, brown boots, red boots. Lots & lots of boots. Leggy blondes wearing high heels riding the apparently bike friendly streets of Copenhagen, Denmark. I've never wanted a danish so badly with my morning coffee. This daily photo blog is inspirational, not just because it's eco-icious, but also from a fashion standpoint, filled with gorgeous street photography depicting a thriving bike culture where you don't have to sacrifice style for spandex. Wowza. It has inspired me to put on my new pair Frye Adrienne Victorian kickers and show that these boots were made for much MORE than just walking. See ya on the sidewalk.

Make Gloves, not War

Last year I became a fan of the fingerless glove. They keep you warm enough while still maintaining some sort of dexterity. I just threw out the batch of gloves that faced the guillotine last year (a hatchet job of the fingers done with a dull pair of scissors), and found some fantastic & stylish replacements. They're from Texture clothing, a eco-stylish brand that hails from the Pacific Northwest (if I'm not mistaken: Portland, Oregon), and they're made from hemp jersey knit. They rock. Stretchy, hemp jersey wears like iron and is easy to clean; these fashionabe mitts are made from hemp scraps in Teresa Remple's studio where she also manufactures "farm fresh" functional clothing "with spice." The website is adorable- funky & charming; the clothes are simple, stylish, & built to last. And the clothes look great on real figures, so go ahead and eat that extra serving of sweet potato au gratin. I've got two pair, one a two-toned jazz medley of raspberry & lime, the other a somber victorian ode in charcoal & black. I feel so hep wearing them, fashionable & deliciously eco. You can shop online: http://www.textureclothing.com/

Earth Day TV

Here's a great link to greener television viewing. All sorts of eco-conscious information are available for viewing. A must-see TV. Check it out at: www.earthdaytv.net