Tag: TJ Maxx

• Easter Baskets: Can Be Beautiful Yet Healthy

  

  I wouldn't recommend doing this for a child.  But, I would recommend trying this for a  significant other or a parent who really shouldn't be eating pure sugar jelly beans, sicky sweet chocolate easter bunnies and marshmallow Peeps.

  As you can see, the center of attraction is this lovely and delicate  Maiden Hair Fern.  You can find these at better garden centers such as Russells in Wayland, MA (which is where I got this).  And instead of eggs, we have a couple very generously sized and beautifully fragrant  tripled milled soap from Italy.  These are quite the find as instead of  $12 a piece,they are about  $4 at TJ Maxx.  They are also featuring handsome quilted placemats right now.  Two  have been tucked into this basket.  And voila!  you have a beautiful yet healthy easter basket. 

  Alright, I'll add a small gold foil Lindt Easter Bunny in solid milk chocolate to this.  It still is a heck of a lot healthier than the typical easter basket!

  If you end up trying this, I'd love to hear about your results!

  If you like the "green" aspect of this, this easter basket article from a few years ago shows a variation Another Green Easter Basket

  April 16, 2014

  beautiful, chocolate, Easter Basket, Easter Bunny, Garden Center, healthy, Italy, jelly beans, Lindt, MA, Maiden Hair Fern, marshmallow, milk, Peeps, Russells, sicky, sweet, TJ Maxx, Triple Milled Soap, typical, Wayland

  ---

• Some Soaps Are So Nice!

  

  Did you know that there is a wide range of quality in soaps?  The same can be said for soap purpose.  All, of course, need to clean.  Some may be better at getting rid of very greasy grime.  And others could be great moisturizers.  Some  serve as a deodorant or perfume. 

  Among my most favorite soaps are  triple milled soap or French milled soap.   As I understand it, milling essentially involves combining a fatty acid (oil or fat)  with sodium hydrochloride.  This mixture then is dried into crystals which are rolled  three times between large stainless steel rollers.  When a paste has formed, it's put into soap molds and dried.  Milling  makes the soap texture really smooth and hard, which causes it to last longer.  And, it also distributes the color and fragrance very evenly. 

  I love to give this kind of soap for gifts.  Christmas, birthday, hostess, etc.  Adding some beautiful linen or cotton guest towels creates an especially lovely present. 

  Shop around before making any purchases.   You can pay a lot of money for just one bar of soap like this.   I've seen them as high as $18.  TJ Maxx has some great prices for soaps of this kind.   The bars shown here are only $3.99 – $4.99 there! 

  July 7, 2012

  birthday, cheap, Christmas, french, gift, Home Goods, hostess, inexpensive, italian, marshalls, milled, present, soap, t.j. maxx, TJ Maxx, triple

  ---

• Waste Not Want Not Is A Very Green and Good Way To Be

  The prevalent historical definition of Waste Not Want Not is “wise use of one's resources will keep one from poverty”.  I would like to propose an alternative green definition “waste not want (or need) less (going forward)”. 

   

  I never was a fan of throwing out or tearing down anything for the sake of getting something new.  Something new isn’t always better.  A lot of times it isn’t as well made and there won’t be any sentimental value in it.  See what you think after reading this green article.

  November 25, 2011

  boiled wool, china, Ginori, go, green, hekman desk lyre back chair, jacket, marshalls, Richard, sweater, TJ Maxx, waste not want not

  ---