{Image source 31 Bits }

I love coming across beautiful stories of people helping others…31 Bits is doing just that for the women of Uganda! 31 Bits began in 2008 when five college students from Southern California traveled to Uganda and met six amazing women. The girls saw there was a need for change: the women needed shelter, food, medication, school fees for their children, and the list continued…. The women attempted to provide for their families by creating hand-made jewelry, but due to the lack of market, their income was hardly sustainable. 31 Bits was formed when the girls knew they could make a difference; they had to do something to partner with their new friends. 31 Bits now works directly with the women in Uganda, enabling them to make a better life for their families by providing a market for their jewelry.

31 Bits has grown for partnering with 6 women to 35. They are excited and ready to expand and continue to change more lives.

{Image source 31 Bits }

31 Bits from Jake Dacy on Vimeo.

Reef Uganda from Russell Brownley on Vimeo.

Go ahead and take a look at their beautiful jewelry and buy something for yourself or someone else, I know you want to! The jewelry also makes great gifts for the holidays!!

Their new Winter line comes out tomorrow… I can’t wait to see it!!
http://www.31bits.com/

I came across these a while ago and decided I would finally try them. They are a different way to do laundry for sure. They look kind of strange and honestly don’t look like they would clean your clothes… but they actually do. I have been using Soap Nuts for a while now and I have to say I am loving them! No need to use fabric softener, which is another huge bonus for me… since I always forget to put it in. Oops!  One of the main reasons I wanted to try them is that my children have VERY sensitive skin and have had a lot of trouble with eczema. Soap Nuts are supposed to great for sensitive skin, so far so good!

Here is a little info from the Laundry Tree website just to give you an idea of what they are. I recommend heading over to their site and picking some up for yourself…they are wonderful!!

Soapnuts are a totally natural dried FRUIT with natural cleaning properties. You can use them to clean your laundry!

Yep, it sounds crazy — but it’s TRUE! Soapnuts aren’t actually a nut at all, they are simply the fruit of a tree (Sapindus Mukorossi), found primarily in the Himilayas. And they are an EXCELLENT alternative to traditional laundry detergents and cleaners.

THERE ARE A TON OF AMAZING THINGS ABOUT SOAP NUTS. A PARTIAL LIST:

• They are simply a dried fruit — 100% totally natural.
• They are organically grown and are free of harsh chemicals, so they are incredibly gentle. (This makes them especially great for those with sensitive skin — including babies and those that suffer from allergies, eczema, and psoriasis).
• They’re totally biodegradeable, so they’re better for the environment than regular detergent.
• They’re antimicrobial, so they’re even good for septic and greywater systems.
• They are low-sudsing — exactly what you need for HE (or high-efficiency) washers.

HOW DO SOAPNUTS WORK?

The outer shell of the soapnut contains saponin, a natural substance known for its ability to cleanse and wash. (That’s what makes them so GREAT for cleaning your laundry!) And here’s a cool fact: soapnuts aren’t a new concept; they have been used to clean all kinds of fabric for centuries, and are only now gaining popularity in the Americas and Europe as a powerful, yet natural alternative to modern detergents. Having used any number of other detergents, we’re here to say so far man has yet to best Mother Nature in coming up with a genius cleaning agent for clothes.

SOAPNUT SOAK IS A WONDER.

It basically turns soapnuts into liquid deterget — convenient and easy to use. But it can also be used to safely replace many household chemicals: window cleaner, bathroom cleaner, kitchen cleaner, floor cleaner, multi-purpose cleaner, liquid hand soap, delicate laundry soap, and even shampoo.

Making it takes less than 5 minutes — including the time it takes to find the utensils. Even if you’re no kitchen whiz, you’ll find the process is as effortless as making a pot of tea — with useful, economical results.

Berrylicious!

It was getting dark when I snapped this (that is why it’s a cruddy pic ;P ), but I wanted to document the first little batch of delicious strawberries to come out of our garden.

We’ve picked and eaten a few here and there,  but not a bunch at once yet. There were ten red ripe ones in the garden just begging to be eaten the other night, so my lil guy and I went out and gathered them for a yummy little treat.

Granted we each only got to enjoy two of these little beauties, but it is a taste of what is to come…we are all pretty excited.

xxkathryn

I will be back next week with another update.

xxkathryn