☺ Motivational Mondays! Earth Day Edition! ☺

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We're taking back Mondays!!!

"Motivational Mondays" are fabulous tips to get you excited and pumped for the week! 

Feeling low? Moody? Down on life? Well, that's what these posts are for! Time to feel awesome again and get some Positivity rolling! Just because it's Monday doesn't mean you can't have fun, smile, and enjoy Today! Apply these tips to your week and try to tell me that you don't start to see an improvement in your life! ;)

It's all about You! Change your perception, change your attitude, love your life! xo

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It's Earth Day today! Woohoo! Let's make it Earth Month! This Motivational Monday is a special Earth Day Edition in honour of our lovely planet earth. :) 

☺ Don't Drive! There are so many small but big-impact actions we can do, and not driving is one of them. Make it your point this week to not drive. Or at the very least reserve driving only for when you absolutely have to. Walk, bike, carpool, take the transit, so many options to choose from. ;)          

☺ Get Outside!  What better way to enjoy Earth Day then actually getting outside and appreciating this lovely planet. Nature is an epic wondrous thing far too easily overlooked. So reconnect. Get outside, get your bare feet it the grass, breathe in some fresh air and hug a tree! Your soul and happiness will thank you for it too!  

☺ Eco-fy Your Home!  Assess your home and see what you can green-ify! Replace paper towels with reusable ones. Replace plastic water bottles with reusable ones, and of course get reusable bags for your shopping. Opt for recycled products (especially toilet paper!), choose non-chemical cleaners. Turn off lights when you leave a room and unplug unused appliances and electronics.  

☺ Start a Food Revolution! Choose Sustainable Agriculture. Our planet depends on a better food system and so does your health and well-being. Earth Day is the perfect day to make the switch. Choose local whenever possible and always organic. Choose to cook your own food instead of buying processed packaged food. Go vegan, or cut back on your dairy and meat consumption (they're bad for you anyways). And if you complain because eating healthy is more expensive then instead think about what you're doing for your body and the planet and how much you'll save on medical bills. ;) 

☺ Get a new plant…  and keep it alive. I am quite terrible at keeping houseplants alive, I have somehow killed bamboo in the past and my current cacti are deflating (which I didn't even know was possible). So your goal, like mine, is to get a new plant and keep it alive. Learn about your new plant and nurture it and take the time to learn just how to do that. Spread the love, share the love, be the love, and be green! 

☺ Go watch the Meteor Showers! Tonight (April 22nd and until April 23rd) one of Earth's rarest meteor showers will be visible in the skies! Get out there and enjoy it! Get together with some people, or go on a solo mission, and lay beneath the skies and watch them. Be in nature, get somewhere away from city lights so you can see these beautiful falling stars. Take in the immense beauty of our universe. 

☺ “When one tugs at a single thing in nature, he finds it attached to the rest of the world.” ~ John Miur. Remember that everything is indeed connected. Your actions today affect your world tomorrow. There is always a ripple effect. Please think of this when you choose to buy cheap products you don't need, or when you choose non-organic food, and so forth. Your footprint can make a world of difference, so be aware of your actions and choices. 

I hope you have a wonderful green Earth Day and spread the love and hug a tree! 

Create a Nice Day!! 

Much Love from me to you! 

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☆ 5 (Cute!) Reasons to Stop Global Warming! ☆

If our own survival on Earth isn't important enough for you to want to make more earth-conscious lifestyle choices, here are 5 more reasons…

Polar Bears:

Estimated 20,000 to 25,000 polar bears in the wild. Polar Bears International says two-thirds of these numbers could disappear by the middle of this century if carbon dioxide emissions are not cut. Polar Bears depend on sea ice to survive, and the rapid loss of sea ice is their major threat; meaning they are losing land habitat, drowning, and even resulting to cannibalism and eating their young as they can no longer make the swim to reach prey. Other threats include pollution, poaching, and industrial impact. Hunting will become a threat if not well regulated.

Pandas:

Less than 1,600 left in the wild (2004 statistic)! Threats: China's growing economy. Forest habitat fragmented by roads and railroads. Habitat loss, poaching. Access to the giant panda’s primary source of food, bamboo, may become restricted as the basin of China’s Yangtze River is increasingly affected by climate change. 

Tigers:

As few as 3,200 left in the wild, and one of the most threatened species on Earth. Threatened by growing human populations, loss of habitat, illegal hunting, and expanding trade in tiger parts. A huge threat is the loss of their habitat due to deforestation; for products like palm oil, pulpwood for paper products, and coffee. Which is why buying recycled paper products (including toilet paper!), and knowing where your coffee and palm oil products are sourced, is so important. Be careful of the products you buy and the corporations you support that may be contributing to their habitat loss. 

Cheetahs:

Approx. 12, 000 left in the wild. Global Warming has been affecting the Cheetah's ability to reproduce, resulting in defects in their sperm and low testosterone. Another concern is the decline in population of the Thomson's gazelle, their main prey. Cheetah's are also being killed by poachers (yet another reason to never purchase fur!).

Orangutans:

Estimated 40, 000 left in the wild with rapidly decreasing numbers; they could be gone within a few decades. Threatened by the growing Palm Oil plantations taking over their habitat. Because orangutans live in only a few places, and because they are so dependent upon trees, they are particularly susceptible to logging. Aside from deforestation, logging roads also make them more vulnerable to hunting and poaching for illegal pet trade in Asia, placing the orangutan in danger of extinction.

What you can do: 

Buy sustainable forest products (choose recycled first!), sustainable palm oil, and other sustainable products. 

Reduce your carbon footprint in any way possible to reduce the effects of climate change. 

Get involved and sign petitions! There are lots you can find at change.org and thepetitionsite.com (I post them all the time on my twitter).

Support efforts by organizations making a difference (my favourite? World Wildlife Fund).

A little conscious thinking goes a long way. Making lifestyle changes and decisions that support a greener planet are not only good for the planet, but they are vital to the diminishing habitats and welfare of animals. Their climates are changing at alarming rates and we can all play a part in making it a brighter future, for Earth, for ourselves, and for the amazing (and cute!) animals of the world. 

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☺ Inspirational: Motivational Mondays!☺

So this Monday may be a holiday so many of us might not be feeling the usual Monday "blahs" ...that's FANTASTIC! Now keep that Happy Attitude all week long!! 

☺ Hug a Tree! Keep Earth Day going all year long, appreciate nature! Go on, Hug a tree, you'll feel awesome! I do it alllll the time. Sometimes I will see a tree and simply MUST stop to hug it. Spread the love ;)  

☺ Everything Happens for a Reason. Remember this and carry it with you always. Have faith. There is a lesson in everything that happens in life and a journey that keeps on moving.

☺ Got with the Flow... Don't resist life, just ease up and go with it. Life is much easier when you go with the flow instead of resisting everything.

☺ Spend Time with Family... It was a lovely Easter Weekend and so we are reminded to spend time with family and loved ones. It's important and often under-appreciated. Love your family, get close to them, enjoy their company and share the love.  

☺ Be the Bigger Person: Because you can. Everyone is going through something. All you can do is control what you do, so be the bigger person, lead by example. 

☺ Be Selfish. Do something entirely for yourself. We are too often told to not spend time on ourselves and to not be selfish, but it is important to do things for yourself. So go ahead, be selfish, do something for You!  

☺ Cherish the Small Things... They often go overlooked so remember to stop and appreciate all the little things in your day and in your life.  

☺ Go Green! In honor of Earth Day, try to green your home and life as much as possible. Consciously move towards a greener lifestyle, it will make you and the Earth feel better. I promise ;) 

☺ Plan Outside Activities. Get back in touch with Nature and get away from "nature deficit disorder." Spend as much time outside as possible. Reconnect with Nature, reconnect with your Self! :)

And, as always; SMILE!!!!! Have a fabulous Monday and make the most out of your Week!!! 

Peace & Love,

xo

~Bianca  

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☯ What's in My Closet; Zosimos Botanicals! ☯

This Earth Day I am all too happy to share with you another  wonderful cosmetics company I discovered during my thorough hunt for safe, vegan, and earth-friendly products. Allow me to introduce you to Zosimos Botanicals... 

Zosimos Botanicals is a lovely Green business that handcrafts their line of mineral makeup and skincare products in small batches using gentle plant-based raw materials that are also chemical-free and toxin-free. And, oh oh! ...their make-up is made in their 100% Wind Powered studio! :) They also pack their orders in reused packaging, they give back to communities, and use suppliers that use sustainable harvesting practices and organic ingredients. They also have a really easy way for fellow Vegans to check out which of their products are vegan and which are not (which I'm pleased to say, the vast majority are). 

First, I have to share my favorite product of theirs; their "Natural Black Eye Pencil". Words cannot express how much I love this item! Eyeliner is one of my make-up must-haves so this product has made me an extremely happy chicky. I have found that so many "natural" eyeliner pencils either don't show on your skin or else have some chemical in them of which I do not approve. Zosimos' Eyeliner pencil is a dream come true! It's a beautiful deep matte color that goes on smooth, holds all day and actually shows! It's soft, smudges and blends great if you so choose or makes a solid smooth line as well. Super bold and sexy! Absolutely love love love it! They also have a ton of other eye pencil colors to choose from and, from such a positive experience with the black, makes me want to try many more. The other liner I just love is the cream shadow of "Natural Black." Apply it with an eyeliner angled brush and you have a beautiful solid black liner. 

I've had the pleasure of trying several of their eyeshadows, both powdered and cream-formulas. They are beautiful and subtle, perfect for that more "au-natural" look or bold statements. I'm a big fan of soft colors and browns and Zosimos has so many to choose from that I want them all. Their "Branch" and "Bronze" are two favorite brown-shades, couple these with the eyeliner pencil and the "Black Shimmer" powder for the smokey undertone and you can create the perfect classy and sexy smokey eye look. The greens of "Avocado" and "Kelp" are both wonderfully subtle but incredibly eye-catching and flirty. Another favorite is the soft hue of "Blackberry" to which my 3-year-old sister was dazzled by; "your eyes are purple!" she exclaimed enthusiastically, looking as if she wanted to match. I'll wait to share that with her once she's much older ;). The cream-formulas are wonderful as well, heaven in eye-shadow form. They go on super smooth and feel light on my eyelids. "Fools Gold" in the cream formula is a beautiful and bold shade that I love with the "Natural Black" cream shadow as a liner and the Eye Pencil to highlight the inner eyes. 

For both the cream and powders, Zosimos has "mini pinch" trial options as well, a great and easy way to try out tons of different colors and pick out your favorites! 

I also just love "Tigerlily" in the powder shadow as a cheek highlighter or blush, just powder on a tiny pinch and blend it in. Beautiful! 

Next on my list to try is their Eye Shadow Sticks! 

Their concealers are another dream-like product. I am not one with much experience when it comes to concealers. I've fortunately gone through the better-part of my life without needing them, however with a recent move to a new climate my skin has been less friendly so I am grateful for this product. The ones I have tried are the cream-formula "Pot Concealers" which I have been rather enjoying. Of course, I hadn't thought of using a primer underneath and since my skin is quite dry, I find they look a tad dry on my face, as with all concealers. My quick fix has been to add a little facial-moisturizer as I apply them and it fixes it right up! They don't actually dry out my skin either, on the contrary I find that my skin always feels super soft while wearing them and even once I've washed my makeup off at the end of the day. Truely wonderful products! These are also available in mini-sizes so that you can give it a try first. And if you're unsure of which shade to purchase, they have several "tools" for comparing right on the website and if that doesn't work their staff is also extremely helpful.

I am interested to try the powder-base "Mineral Foundation" and the primer in the future. 

Lips lips lips. They have some wonderful colors for lipsticks, lip and cheek tints, lip balms, lip pencils, and, my favorites, lip gloss. They are lovely on the lips and have some bold and fun color while still maintaining that subtle flirtiness all at once. My favorites? The lovely red hue of "Garnet" and the soft pinky-plum of "Black Cherry." 

I hate that heavy feeling you sometimes get with makeup, no matter how much or little you are wearing. I love love Zosimos because their makeup feels light and wonderful on my skin. As mentioned, at the end of the night when I've washed it all away, my skin still feels amazing, even better than the start of the day. Just goes to show that you don't have to sacrifice gorgeous beauty products to be healthy! 

As a whole this company is simply amazing and I highly recommend them! Customer service is fabulous, the staff are super friendly and helpful and quick to respond to questions. They have so many more products to choose from as well! Tons more makeup products, skin care, body care, soy candles, perfumes, hair care, and more that'll entice you into checking out their website. Oh! And they also have Bamboo Vegan Cosmetic Brushes! :) 

So what are you waiting for? Order your Zosimos products today! :)  

Peace & Love

xo

~Bianca 

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♥ Wednesday Favorites: FUN FINDS: Panda Love

Earth Day is tomorrow, and hopefully you are getting involved in the many events going on globally and in your own city. If there isn't anything close to home, that doesn't mean you can't still be active and get your Eco-March on ~_^

So, in the continuing spirit of Earth Day, I can't help think of WWF once again. For over four decades the Panda logo has been a recognizable symbol of WWF and its efforts in wildlife and habitat conservation. I love WWF and I love Pandas. So this Wednesday Favorites goes out to the Eco-Friendly Panda Love!

But first, a little About the Giant Panda...

They are one of the world’s most threatened species – as few as 1,600 remain in the wild and face continual threats to their survival. These reserved creatures are found only in remote areas of the Upper Yangtze forests, where they feed on bamboo shoots. A newborn cub is about the size of a stick of butter, weighs only three to five ounces, and is totally dependent upon its mother for the first few months of life.

PANDA Favorites:

"Giant Panda Wildlife Adoption" by WWF. Quite possibly the greatest gift of all! Through the WWF website they have animal adoptions that make a difference to wildlife and habitats at risk and help support WWF-Canada’s conservation effort. You can choose which animal you'd like to adopt and in your adoption kit receive a cuddly toy, reusable gift bag, personalized adoption certificate, a letter that identifies you as the gift-giver, and a report detailing the work that your symbolic adoption will support. ♥♥

"WWF Save the Planet Panda"T-Shirt by Chaser and available on That's My Shirt. This gorgeous WorldWildLife Fund tee is a blast of triple awesomeness!! Not only is it WWF with the always symbolic Panda, but it also has an important Earth Message, And is made from Organic Cotton & Recycle Polyester!! I ordered mine and absolutely Love it!! ♥

"Panda: Hungry, sleepy, and protected" by Barley and Birch. This adorable 100% certified organic cotton kid's tee is made sweatshop-free in the U.S.A. and is printed with water-based, toxin-free inks! A truly inspiring company! Their cute designs are available at a number of sites. :)

"Panda Ecozoo Organic Backpack" Available at BabyEarth.com. I'm sorry, but how freakin adorable is this?!!! Not only that, but it is made from Organically-grown cotton canvas & rope materials, non-toxic dyes, and other sustainable materials!!! It's meant for preschoolers...but hey, I'm sure us adults can get some fun use out of these as well ~_^.

"Panda" Organic Long Sleeve Shirt by Rainbow Swirlz on Etsy!! This gorgeous print is available in several different sizes and Colors and is print on 100% Organic Cotton shirts!! :D

"6"Organic Cotton Panda" by Nature's Accent. This cutie is made from 100% Organic Cotton and has stitched eyes and mouth so it's safe for babies ♥

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♥ Alter-Eco in this Week's ETSY VOTER!!! ♥

So this is a bit of a random new post, but yesterday was such an awesome day and I simply Must share! ^_^

Well, to start with, it was absolutely beautiful outside! Clear blue sky, warm sun...I even burned a little :p!! It was a day to simply play in the sun all day and be free and blissful.

Myself, Cory, and my brother, Max, hung out at the park for lunch, got to be kids and play on the playground (lol), and played frisbee. It was a lot of fun!

Afterwards me and Cory were off to the Morinville Skatepark for a photoshoot I had arranged, and so the hubby got to do some skating--win-win ~_^. It was an absolute blast! Nathan was an awesome photographer, fun & easy going and we got lots of fun shots out of it. He even got some of Cory skating in the background. And when it got dark out they set up some lights and got some pretty friggin wicked shots of Cory skateboarding!

All in all it was an awesome day! :D

So, this is especially why I am posting...

I got home last night and found out that, thanks to the awesome Jennifer of Poppy's Garden, my Organic Custom Bustier made it to this week's Etsy Voter!!!! ♥♥♥

I am so excstatic you have no idea! Haha, yes I am making a big deal over it because it is exciting for me ^_^. So now I'm asking to please vote for my creation if you love my Etsy store and me and whatnot ~_^ I'll love you forever and ever! ♥

Thank you to all of you who have already voted! You guys are seriously amazing!!

Hope you're all enjoying the beautiful weather as much as I am! ^_^

Much Love,

xo

~Bianca

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♥ Wednesday Favorites: FUN FINDS ♥

With Earth Day fast approaching, I felt like this would be a good time to get in on the Earth Love. I also thought this would be a good first time for the new "Fun Finds" theme for the Wednesday Favorites ^_^

I recently went on a mad hunt for Sustainable Graphic T-Shirts with Earth-Friendly messages...it was quite the search, but here are a few favorites that I found ♥....

"Planet More Trees" by Tippitappi. They have lots of reaaaally cool shirts that are 100% Organic and speak out for the

animals and our planet ^_^

"Just Say No to Plastic Bags" Shirt I found on Zazzle, along with many other awesome Designs! You can choose to have it printed on black or white Organic Cotton tee!! And, I mean, how cute is this?? Perfect for the Kawaii fan in all of us ^_^

"Autonomie Project Fight Global Warming" on Nimli, This beauty is made from 100% Organic Cotton, is super comfy and of course sustainably made. Plus it supports a great message!

Arbor Foxen T-Shirt makes life better with sustainable & comfy Fashion. I thought the design of this was really pretty! I looooove trees, so what better way to celebrate Earth Day in this beauty? It's also available in black & blue! ♥

"Recycle Love" From Feral Empire on my favorite shopping site, Etsy! ^_^ Printed on 100% Organic Cotton Tunic Top.

"Earth Day Recycle" Another one I found on Zazzle! Choose white or black to have this cute shirt in Organic Cotton and be a good Earthling ~_^

Hope you all have an awesome Earth Day and Earth Month!!! Got any cool favorite Earth-themed Graphic Shirts? Share them!! ^_^

Love & Bruises,

xo

~Bianca

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