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The Uncommon Life

Improvements with a hint of green

July 10, 2010

Rubber mulch. Paper countertops. Soy concrete stain. Who knew! When you thinking about all the home projects you need or want to complete this summer, check out this HGTV slideshow on green options first. I can’t believe all of the unique, beautiful and innovative eco products that are out there. Are you planning any updates for your home? Have you used these funky materials?

deck


The Uncommon Life

Alfresco Dining: It’s 5 o’clock somewhere

July 9, 2010

Somedays it’s just too hot to cook. So when you give up and order takeout, eat cold pizza or consider ice cream a meal, you’re gonna need one of these tasty cocktails — the Dark and Strawmy.  This drink is a version of the traditional Dark and Stormy, but with light and fruity twist. Dedicated to UG copywriter and associate creative director, Miss Missy Dondlinger — a master of puns and a connoisseur of Dark and Stormies.

dark and stormy

What You Need:

2 oz. dark rum

3 lime wedges

2 strawberries, sliced

ginger beer

What You Do:

Muddle and lime and the strawberries in a highball glass. Add ice and the remaining ingredients. Stir gently. Serve with two straws. Smile. Sip 🙂

The Uncommon Life

Must Love Dogs

July 7, 2010

poly

 

Once a cute little puppy comes into your life, you’re a dog person forever. No product (custom collars), service (doggy spa) or surgery (perhaps they ate an entire bag of gelt…yes, it happened) seems ludicrous when you think of a dog as your best friend instead of your pet. That’s why when I saw the latest UG item — dog blueprints— it wasn’t a luxury, but a necessity. With over 30 breeds to choose from (and more to come!) you can hang the blueprint of your Pomeranian, Boxer or Springer Spaniel on your wall for all to admire.

And in the case of a mutt like Napoleon (adorable dog seen above), you might have to get more than one to show your dog’s roots.  What’s the greatest thing about your best friend? Tell us about your pooch below.

The Uncommon Life

Updates on Independence Day

July 6, 2010

independence

 

If anyone out there is like me, you don’t fully recall all the details regarding our independence due to passing notes in the 5th grade. While July 4th has passed, there is no time like the present to read up on the details and dates of our forefathers’ mission. As history reveals, John Adams wrote his wife Abigayle regarding the Declaration of Independence on July 2nd and the official signing didn’t take place until August 2nd. Where did we get the 4th? Read the rest on the Huffington Post! How did you celebrate your independence this past weekend?

The Uncommon Life

The Pacific Garbage Patch

June 29, 2010

garbage

Wowza — talk about taking on a project! Electrolux is stepping out of the box and into the deep blue sea by backing a project that would pull plastics from the Great Pacific Garbage Patch (you’ve gotta see this) and use them for home appliances like vacuum cleaners. TreeHugger asked the questions of whether this is really sustainable considering the amount of work going into getting the plastic. What are your thoughts? Get the whole story on TreeHugger.

The Uncommon Life

The Green Mrs. Clean

June 27, 2010

Between vacations, visitors, cookouts, pets and sandy beach shoes, our homes have a way of getting really dirty when it’s warm outside. I’m the kind of person that puts things off until my apartment looks like it might be condemned and then I go on a cleaning spree! My old routine: spray everything down with multi-purpose cleaner, a dash of bleach and a pinch of comet. I would hold my breath and hope for the best.

cleaning

 

These days I realize that’s pretty dangerous…not only for me, but for everyone (and thing) around me. By using non-toxic, or even all-natural cleaning products, I seem to get the same results just without the deathly smell and with a little more elbow grease.  There are some money-saving, simple ideas on green ways to clean your home on Care2. From plants to types of water, this information will be a huge help come chore time!

The Uncommon Life

Don’t Forget The Sunscreen!

June 23, 2010

After years of being a tan-a-rexic where I sunbathed religiously in the summer and jumped in a tanning bed in the winter, I realized I was looking more haggard than goddess. Since the day my dermatologist showed me how bad the damage was, I’ve turned into a sunscreen worshiper.

sunbathing

 The higher the SPF — the better! And since I constantly preach to everyone I know about the dangers of the sun, I might as well preach to people I don’t know (all you lovely readers) as well! So here they are: the best of the best in sun care starting with my personal favorite La Roche-Posay. Continue Reading…

The Uncommon Life

SproutRobot: Your Gardening Reminder

June 22, 2010

seeds

 

Wanna be a garderner but your busy life seems to always get in the way? Get seeds delivered to your door and friendly reminders of when to plant and what to do! Thanks to San Diego-based SproutRobot, you just need to enter your ZIP code and the site will send you a personalized planting calendar for your area based on historical weather data.

The seed service starts at $19.99/year or you can receive the updates 100% free of charge! The site currently only serves US customers but hopes to expand soon. Visit SproutRobot today and spread the news!