Recently, I received some samples of organic lotions (ok, it was an Earth Day promo and i'm just getting to use them). I thought I'd compare the 2 lotions since they were both organic and both lavender.

First I tried Avalon Organics Lavender lotion. It was thick, went on smoothly and smelled very calming. I plan on buying some as soon as my current lotion stash is depleted (ok, dwindles....)

Then, I tried Dessert Essence Organics Bulgarian Lavender lotion. It was much runnier and had an "off" smell. I couldn't even finish the sample.

(admittedly not the best review....but I'm writing this after the fact, so it's not like I took copious notes....)

Ok, now on to my "hmmm...." moment. I got a bunch of samples in a reusable tote from Drugstore.com during an Earth Day promotion. Doesn't that sort of defeat the whole idea of being good to the earth? All those tiny plastic bottles (only a few of which were recyclable) and tiny foil packets (which aren't recyclable)...

Still channeling Martha....

So I also made a t-shirt for the big day.  It was also surprisingly easy.  

If I had any talent or time, I might think about opening my own Etsy shop....

Channeling Martha Stewart

So with a big birthday coming up, I felt the urge to channel Martha Stewart.  I want a banner that says "Happy Birthday".  In the spirit of being EF, I have decided to make one.  One of the most daunting things about this banner was the letters. Do I do felt? How do I cut them out so they look half-way decent?  How do I attach them- stitch or iron? Searching my favorite place to shop (Etsy), I came across some awesome letters that you just iron on.  SCORE!  

First hurdle crossed, now what colors do I use?  I had a devil of a time deciding between a Stars and Stripes theme or fun colors/patterns.  I opted for bright colors so we could use it for other birthdays.  

There are lots of patterns on the web. I just wanted some triangles, so I made a template and got cutting.  Cutting a gazillion triangles with scissors is a pain in the tushie.  Luckily Joann's was having a sale on Fiskars, so I got a rotary cutter and mat. That thing was a huge timesaver!!

Making sure I spelled "Happy Birthday" correctly...

Done! 

 I'm so proud of myself.  It wasn't really that hard/time consuming either. We'll have to see what I can whip up on my next day off....