Sweet Dreams

A long week despite the fact that school did not start till Tuesday (or maybe that is why it is a long week)...so looking forward to my bedtime cup of tea...deciding between Penelope Sach's Petal tea and Planet Organic Chamomile...both are divine, organic and local...if everything could be this easy...let me know if you have any favourites...sweet dreams. xxx

Photo: www.vi.sualize.us

Slow Fashion

We have all hear of Slow Food..."Slow Food is good, clean and fair food. We believe that the food we eat should taste good; that it should be produced in a clean way that does not harm the environment, animal welfare or our health; and that food producers should receive fair compensation for their work. "

Well, the same applies to fashion...the Sydney Morning Herald did a piece on this a few months ago (which of course I can't find) and I thought it was worth mentioning as the new Spring clothes start to appear in our favourite shops (I love summer clothes)...so here is my take on Slow Fashion....

S...is for Sustainable...for me it is much more important to know whether something was made under fair work conditions than whether it is local. I understand the whole Food miles (or clothes miles) thing, but lets be real, how are less developed countries going to develop unless we buy their goods? I have been to many a factory in China and they were a far cry from a sweat shop... Problem is it is not always easy to figure this one out...I will need to do a bit more reserach here, but let me know if you have any ides...

L...is for Lasting...it is so tempting these days to buy more than we need...we even have a name for it 'disposable fashion'...perhaps because I am a bit older and a lot of the disposable fashion just does not suit or perhaps because I still love my designer evening bag I bought in France years ago (big clue - it is quilted!) and wonder how I will decide which daughter will get it...less is more when it comes to green...

O...is for Organic...almost 20% of pesticides in the US are used to grow cotton - blah! While it is hard to find organic cotton here, it is worth trying...babies clothes are easier...Gorman always has a good selection and at the least towels and sheets are easy to find...

W....if for Worn...let's face it...stars like Renee have made Vintage all so chic...plus now with all these wonderful recycle shops you can get great recent designer clothes...everyone knows I love Di Nuovo and Belinda's Frock Exchange is another great find.

So...I believe that clothes should look good and last; that they should be made in a way that does not damage our environment and that factory workers should receive fair pay...so go Slow this season...think about what you really need (scary concept), take a day with your best friend to go to the vintage and recycle shops (how nice to be out of the mall) and stop for a beautiful long meal with some nice jasmine tea (Jackie's in Paddington is my favourite for their sashimi salad)...Let me know if you have any other suggestions. xxx

Green Lemonade Love

Back from School Holidays and definitely feeling the need for a bit of a detox....too much red wine at the snow. Very much in love with Natalia Rose's Green Lemonade and Raw Food Detox Diet (if this Detox can make you look like her, I am up for it)...a bit extreme in some ways (raw food till dinner)...the usual suspects are banned...flour, sugar, processed foods...but red wine and dark chocolate are allowed (yeah!)....in a nutshell, her philosophy is that we do not eat enough enzyme rich foods (raw fruit and veg) and do not allow our digestive system enough rest...so, basically you have juices and fruit till lunch, then salad and then a larger meal at dinner which can incorporate some cooked foods (though you are not to combine protein with starch)...works for me as I love juice and salad and would prefer a big dinner (with red wine and chocolate)...the cornerstone of the diet is the Green Lemonade juice...sounds yuck (a technical term my kids use), but is delicious (seriously) and honestly makes you feel so much better...I am drinking it twice a day now. So what has this to do with being green? Well, one of the biggest changes I have made in my life is around our food consumption...more organic, less processed, more local...less cooking just seems to be a natural extension of this and while the Raw Food movement can be extreme (I promise not to buy a food dehydrator), there is a lot we can take from this approach to a more greener diet....besides, I LOVE my Green Lemonade.

Green Lemonade from the Raw Detox Diet

1 head celery or romaine lettuce

5 to 6 stalks kale (I use spinach as well)

1 to 2 apples (you may want to use more apples if you are not used to vegetable juices)

1 lemon (I love lemons so often use 2)

1 to 2 tablespoons ginger (optional)

School Holidays!!!

Today is the last day of school for many Australian kids for the winter break...I know that school holidays can be a bit bittersweet, but I have to say I have come to love them....no packing lunches, searching for the missing sport shirt, rushing out the door to make Cello rehearsal at 7:40 or soccer training at 7:15, the logistic coordination of picking up 3 kids at the same time from completely different activities and the dreaded 'have you done your homework' question...pjs till 10, lots of play dates, video rentals and just hanging out are truly a holiday...let's see how I am feeling in 3 weeks.

Not sure what school holidays has to do with being green, though I have been thinking of coming up with a green project the kids and I can do over the holidays...veggie garden? Any other ideas? xxx

PS. This photo is from TummyMountain's shop at etsy (she has the most divine prints).... I loved it so much I have ordered it for my daughter's room...she loves swings and I think it captures that wonderful feeling of "whoosh" you get when you swing...plus, swings are very green...outside, no electricity or batteries - just kid-powered fun.

Peppermint Magazine and Me!

The third issue of Peppermint Magazine is out....and...so exciting....Little Green Stilettos is in it!!! My first PR...For those of you who may not know it, Peppermint Magazine is Australia's first eco fashion magazine...sort of a Green Vogue...lots of divine clothes, inspiring green girls and beautiful images (how cute is the front cover?)....all printed on recycled paper. Go to Peppermint Magazine to order your copy and check out Little Green Stilettos featured on the last page...Now I really am a Peppermint Patty...xxx