shak-shuka

Ice Cream Magic! Shell Recipe

The other day we were walking by an ice cream parlor that had the hardened candy shell that used to dazzle us as kids. I used to love watching that chilly ice cream cone get dipped in the (questionable, no doubt) mystery mix of candy-shell goodness only to watch it harden up and create a mystifying delight. Still to this day it hypnotizes me, and I was almost tempted to give my daughter one to see the results. Lucky enough for me her mother is a nosy-ninny on the web and happened to find an AMAZING and dairy-free recipe for the ice cream mystery shell! I thought I couldn't believe that it could be true, then I tried it (I highly recommend using flavorless coconut oil unless you want a taste of the tropics - might be good, just not my thing). Thank you to Instructables for taking me back to my youth, minus about 100 artificial E-numbers I'm still attempting to process!

Check out Instructables Homemade Magic Shell Recipe here! It will MAKE your summer!

Whip Your House into Shape

HOORAY! Today we are celebrating our 300th post, and also the anticipation that an apartment we are bidding on will soon be ours! Fingers crossed! Needless to say, all this home-obsession has led me down the road of the "fun stuff" (because, really - are mortgages, interest rates and life insurance really "fun"?) - aka, interior decorating. I may not be an interior designer, but I definitely know when I see something I like.

And like I do! Perusing some of my favorite eco home websites, I stumbled upon this beauty of a rug. Well, it's not a traditional rug, but more a modern eco interpretation of it: UK designer Ting uses re-purposed materials, such as old, discarded belts, and weaves them into new products like this Vintage Belt Floor Mat that I found at Branch Home. I think of it as a cross between superbly supple flooring and a dirt-resistant rug (great for kiddos and doggies). Although I am not usually so gung-ho about the use of leather, I highly support the use of recycled leather, so that nothing goes to waste. I also see that Ting has a slew of other things for the home such as cushions, poofs, and even a hammock! Not sure if I'm at the hammock stage of my obsession with this new apartment, but I'm sure I'll get there....

Let's (Crayon) Roll! Tutorial

I discovered the delightfully crafty site Say Yes to Hoboken when they wrote about one of our products and I had to check out who they were. Every post full of inspiration, and one of them left me hyper with excitement. Even though I don't have that much time to sew any more, but I have seen so many "crayon rolls" (a handy-dandy little thing to keep the crayons organized) that I thought to myself: "these cannot be that hard to make". And low and behold I found Say Yes to Hoboken's answer to my crafty prayers.

Not only is their Crayon Roll tutorial easy enough to follow, but the images are so wonderful that even if you don't have a child that can even use crayons, you'll find one to give the Crayon Roll to. Best of all, the author used remnant fabrics from her stash, which is exactly the type of green-behavior we cheer for around here. Back-to-school time will be here before we know it, so let's (crayon) roll!

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Congratulations to Rea for winning last week's Mama+Me Giveaway! Thank you to all who entered this fabulous giveaway...there will be more to come!

Splish, Splash, Eco Fun in the Bath

When I was little, one of my favorite things to do was take a bath. I would dump in a ton of toys, barely leaving enough room for me to move, and play until I turned completely raisin-esque on my fingers. One of the highlights I remember was (back in the 80s) when they made colored soap that you could clean and write on the bath with - that added another 30 minutes to my bath playtime! I cringe to think what was in that stuff, but it was so fun that I'm playing the "ignorance is bliss" card...

Now that I have my own child, I see that bath time needs to be as far for her as it was for me. Just sitting in a tub with no toys and having people dump water, soap and shampoo all over you does not sound like my, or her, idea of fun. The problem is that most childrens bath toys are made from toxic PVC and/or filled with BPA, lead paint and other nasties. Don't even get me started on the bath and body care that is available everywhere - with the harsh chemicals, preservatives and annoying cartoon characters.

We like to keep it simple but fun around here at Shak-Shuka, and thought that the bathing time should be the same - that's why we expanded our "care" range to include some wonderfully safe, fun bathing tools. One of which is the brand Tinti, that has insanely fun items for the bath such as Crackle Bath Pops, Red  Foam Soap, and so far my favorite: Kneadable Soap. Each is made on the base of natural ingredients like spirulina and even berries - and of course free of preservative and harsh chemicals. There is even a handmade latex bath toy, the Tinti Octopus, that comes with a pack of 3 bath dyes that you insert in the bottom of the toy and it squirts out colorful water. I dare you to not be impressed! Of course these Tinti items are best for children over the age of 3 years, but we didn't forget the little ones either. Some of the cutest bath washcloths I have ever seen in the shapes of Lions, Monkeys and Frogs, made by Furnis and from Oeko-Tex fabrics. So you see, bath time is once again what it always should be - good clean fun, without any of the harsh nasties!

Sun Relief in a Tube

When the weather is nice, we don't take it for granted around here, and spend every last ray of sun outdoors. Normally I am not a "outdoorsy" kind of girl, but it's as if my body drags me outside to get some Vitamin D. This weekend was exceptionally beautiful so we hit the beach and spent the whole morning building sand castles, eating french fries and flying our first kite!

I think I was a bit arrogant thinking that the Dutch sun wasn't very warm or powerful, so I only put my trust Neal's Yard Lavender sunscreen on the top of my body and face, but not my back or legs. Oops, learned that lesson quickly. Sun is sun is sun, no matter where you are! I'm not burned badly, but let's just say I'm mildly "crispy". My first course of action? Dr Hauschka's After Sun Lotion. One step up from cutting your own aloe vera and schmearing it all over your body, this all-natural lotion is like SOS for sunkissed (or burnt) skin in a tube. With the first application (because I applied MANY times thereafter) I could feel the sizzle fade away and the calm scent of Dr Hauschka's trademark scent of gentle Rose Canina and Sweet Almond. Best of all, after the first or second day of application, it somehow transforms my otherwise toasted skin into a toasted brown color which makes me look downright Californian! My miracle soother in a tube, this After Sun Lotion is right next to my Sunscreen in the medicine cabinet.

Natural Paint Alternatives

Last week when our cleaning helper was leaving, she asked if we were going to have our walls painted while we were on summer holiday. Ouch. Sting. Zinger. Although she's right (remember we have a 2.5 year old toddler and a huge dog) that we need a minor (read: major) touch-up on our walls, it was a slap in the face to hear. Guess we're not the only ones who notice!

So I began searching around for safe paints to use. I know that most paints have toxic VOCs, or volatile organic compounds, which may sound nice (because of the word "organic") but in reality they're anything but, as they release toxic fumes into the air that not only smell unpleasant, but are linked to long-term health problems in children and adults. My suggestion: go the natural route. There are plenty of alternatives to making your walls look polished and praise-worthy (instead of being criticized!) with a few strokes of eco-friendly paint. Two of the top choices that I've discovered have been from US brand AFM Safecoat, which has been around for over 25 years and is approved by health professionals as a recommended alternative to chemical-laden paints. For those of us in Europe, the UK brand Earthborn has a myriad of paints to choose from for interiors and exteriors, and also a choice of the type of paint to use - like Casein Paint, or also known as milk paint! Both brands are wonderful for children's rooms, where you definitely don't want any chemicals or fumes disturbing the ever-so-essential sleep time. Great for kids, great for adults, great for the environment - beautifying your home the natural way!

Mama+Me Giveaway

You've seen them, you've loved them. They've been in press all over the world. If you don't have a daughter, you were thinking of borrowing one so you could wear them together. That's right - Kris Color Stripes "Io & Mamma" matching mother/daughter necklaces have created a fanatical effect - from mothers who are pleased to see a necklace that their daughter's can wear that is tasteful and lead-free (we won't even go there....), to the daughters who are over-the-moon that they have a necklace just like mama. A win/win!

And now you get your own chance to win a matching Mama+Me necklace set of your very own! You know we love to give around here, and our Freebie Friday is the perfect time to do it. So, you know the drill: to enter to win, sign up for our newsletter here (we won't spam you - don't worry!) or if you are already a subscriber, simply leave a happy comment here. The giveaway closes Thursday, 15th of July (midnight GMT) so hurry hurry! The lucky winner will be chosen at random and can even choose the color of the necklace they like best. Yay for options!

Eucalyptus Bedding for Your Sleeping Nook

We are undergoing a transformation in the sleep and bedding department here at Casa Shak-Shuka: Baby Shak-Shuka now is "over" with napping (even though her trance-like state come 6pm says otherwise) and has progressed from a crib to a low toddler bed. Exciting, sad and frightening all in one. Another rite of passage that we're learning to adjust to, and gasping at how fast time is going and how much progression happens for children in such a short period of time.

Along with this change of bed/ding, I've begun to research options for eco-friendly bedding again. I stumbled upon something so lovely that I just had to share: the Nook Sleep Systems website. The photography is stunning, plus the materials are eco-friendly, so it was me who was in the trance-like state when I discovered the site. Take for instance the Pebble Mattress, that has a unique air layer that allows oxygen to flow through the mattress (ooh! fancy!), and the mattress itself is made from a combination of eucalyptus leaves, organic cotton, organic wool and latex. Not a scary flame-retardant-toxic name in sight. Phew. Add to the fact that the Pebble Mattress comes in a slew of colors, it doesn't help my obsession. Of course it's not a cheap buy, but considering how much time your little one spends sleeping (or should be...) then it's a wise buy if you're thinking of more than one child! Even if the Mattress is a bit out of the financial reach of most of us, there is the Toddler Pillow which I think would make a wonderful gift for the child making the transition to the "big boy/girl" bed. The Toddler Pillow is also made with eucalyptus, organic cotton and filled with more eucalyptus and recycled polyester. Nook Sleep Systems has me dreaming about their eucalyptus-laden sleeping goodies in all their eco-friendly-loveliness.

The Essential (Non)Bag

Try as I may, I am just not a "bag" girl. I use a bag because I have to, and now even more so because half of the stuff in my bag is for my daughter, but I don't like using them. When I used to go out with my friends in NYC, they used to laugh at the size of my bag, which was essentially the size of a camera case. I just don't like the feeling of being weighed down, or the sensation of something digging on my shoulder that's not my child. I tried to be a "bag" girl, but I'm a "shoe" girl all the way....

So coming to this conclusion I realize(d) that the only type of bag that I enjoy wearing is a cross-over the body style bag - like a messenger style. My problem is that usually messenger-style bags are either flimsy and unattractive, or large and rigid, and built for a real bike messenger! I may ride my bike, but I'm not ready for that kind of bag! I need something sleeker, more refined, and dare I say...sexy? Look no further, I've found my one true bag love: Carga Bag's new collection. I'm particularly loving the OW1 (I don't have the cool "O" with a slash symbol!). It's exactly what I'm looking for in a non-bag bag - sleek and small enough to fit around my body without adding to much bulk, but large enough to get the job done (oh right, carrying stuff!). Best of all it's made from rubberized cordura and vegetable tanned leather, appeasing my inner eco-conscious. And yes, it's fulfills my final requirement: looking sexy. Maybe it's the amazing photography, or Carga's new website that does it for me, but I am officially head-over-heels, drooling-on-the-computer screen smitten and will not rest until that bag is M-I-N-E!

Reincarnated Furniture

image via

There are two types of people that have polar opposite reactions when faced with words like "salvaged", "re-purposed", "recycled" or "scrap" - words that seem harmless, but when you're talking about a product to buy, half of the people run away screaming, and the other half are more intrigued than before. I'm in the latter group, as not only do I think the product is super-green, but it also feels as though it's been reincarnated and given another life as a different object. For some reason, it feels as though we were destined for each other.

You can imagine my excitement then when I discovered Dutch designer Piet Hein Eek's entire collection made from sloophout, or scrapwood. I think a better term to use in English would be salvaged wood, or re-purposed - since the wood was discarded by other companies who had no use for it, but Eek lovingly gave new life to this wood in the form of furniture that has serious drool-appeal. Eek's designs are far from the mundane, boring look that might be associated with recycled furniture - instead he uses great classic designs (like benches and stools) and mixed the different colored woods so that it looks almost like a patchwork or quilt-like effect. By far my favorites have to be this long and lovely cabinet, and for my daughter's room, an amazing and clearly one-of-a-kind rocking chair. Although a bit high on the price range scale, it's important to know you're getting a unique piece that will last a lifetime and can be passed down through the generations. If that's not the essence of green living, I don't know what is!