A pouch to transport you.

I've been on the hunt for a pretty pouch, and this one from Scout & Catalogue might be it. Mostly because it's beautiful and handcrafted with materials sourced from Canada (the studio is in Vancouver), but also in some small part because the founder said this on her Etsy shop about her wares: We strive to make pieces that remind you of afternoons at secret beaches, sun kissed skin, and all day siestas.

DIY shave gel

I got really tired of buying cans of shave gel with who knows what in them, so I tried making my own. It was easy! And the finished product worked just as well as the store-bought version.

DIY shave gel 
Adapted from One Good Thing by Jillee

1/2 cup liquid castile soap (I used Dr. Bronner's almond variety because I like the scent)
1/4 cup warm water
1/4 cup pure aloe vera gel
2 tablespoons vegetable glycerin
1 tablespoon grapeseed oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
8 drops tea tree oil

Put everything in a glass jar, shake it up, and store it in the shower. It's not as creamy or foamy as the stuff you buy at the store, since it's free of stabilizers, thickeners, and sulfates, but it definitely gets the job done and leaves your skin feeling smooth. Slather on some sweet almond oil after you towel off, and you're set.

One thing to note: I had a lot of the ingredients on hand already, but did have to buy the aloe vera gel and vegetable glycerin. But those items were inexpensive, and both will last a long time and can be used for other purposes, like soothing sunburn (it happens sometimes) or as a moisturizer.

Organic jeans for fall

When I wanted a pair of just-for-hanging-around dark wash denim shorts that fit perfectly, I cut up my Gap skinny ankle jeans because I didn’t want to buy a new summer something in late August. But now my favorite jeans are no more, and I’ll need a new pair once the weather cools off. I think I’m ready to spend on my first pair of organic jeans, and I like these ones from Eileen Fisher. The leg looks just right, and they have absolutely zero detailing. Plus, they’re manufactured in the USA, so I know whoever made them earned a living wage and wasn't sitting in a sweatshop. Eileen, here I come!

Five ideas for leftover herbs

How often do you buy a bunch of parsley or basil or dill for a recipe, use the small amount that you need, and end up finding the slimy remains in the back of the fridge three weeks later? It happens to me more often than I’d like to admit, but I’m trying to change my ways. In an effort to waste less and avoid throwing my grocery money in the trash, here’s five delicious ideas for using up leftover herbs.

1. Add them to hummus. The other week, I threw half a bunch of leftover parsley into the food processor when I was making hummus, and it was great! It gave the hummus a nice fresh flavor, lots of pretty green flecks, and an extra boost of nutrition. (Did you know parsley is rich in vitamins, and can help support healthy kidney function, blood pressure, and digestion?)

2. Sprinkle them on your eggs. If you want to make an ordinary omelet or plate of scrambled eggs automatically feel worthy of a special occasion, garnish them with some fresh herbs. Suddenly, you might be tempted to bust out the tablecloth and some flowers! I really like chives on my eggs, but dill, tarragon, parsley, or basil are equally tasty.

3. Flavor your vinaigrette. Plain vinaigrette gets boring, but adding some herbs will make your salad dressing feel new again. If you’re a toss-everything-in-a-jar-and-shake kind of person (that would be me), whisk in some chopped herbs at the end. If you make your vinaigrette in a blender or food processor, add your herbs before whizzing everything together to make your dressing a pretty green color.

4. Make an herby sauce. Italians call it salsa verde, Argentinians call it chimichurri. Really, though they’re just variations on fresh, bright sauces that involve a mishmash of herbs (really, any combination is works), olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, and some salt. Blend everything together and drizzle it over whatever you're eating to make said food taste even better. I like drizzling herb sauce on crisped up seitan, chickpeas, or fresh corn, but more traditional pairings tend to go the route of fish, chicken, or lamb. Whatever you like!

5. Stick them in a sandwich. Swap out your usual lettuce for a bunch of herbs. Right now, basil leaves will help you make the most of late-season tomato sandwiches. Dill with cucumber and cream cheese is really good, too! 

Image: azmichelle on Flickr. 

Adorable summer dress

Summer's technically almost over, though here in Austin we'll be feeling the heat well into October. I'm tempted to get one of these Weekender dresses from SweetCycle Apparel (the off-white color is so pretty!). They're handmade in Chattanooga, Tennessee, from fabric end rolls that have been discarded by bigger designers. I wouldn't feel overdressed to wear one during the day while I worked at home, and I'd still look good to go out to dinner.

How to have a happier commute

I grew up in New Jersey, and that's where I learned to drive. If you've ever been there, you know that people in their cars tend to have very little patience, drive as fast and as aggressively as possible, and do a lot of honking.

Since I work from home, I don't actually have to commute anywhere. But I've lived in Austin for four years now, and no matter what time of day it is, driving around here still shreds my nerves. It's not so much the traffic (which is worse than you might think) but the fact that drivers here move so slowly and are always so friendly. It makes for a lot of stop and go, and very long travel times.

The New Jersey driver in me always feels a little crazy when someone is stopping to let me go when they have the right of way, or when there's a green light and the person in front of me just doesn't seem to care about moving. But I'm trying to be more patient, and I've found one really easy trick that helps: Accelerating slowly. Somehow, doing this seems to remind my brain that I'm not really in a rush (and even if I was, it's still not worth getting upset over), and helps me feel a lot calmer behind the wheel. It's something I'm going to try to keep remembering to do.

Do you have any tricks to avoid getting agitated while driving? It can be surprisingly tough!

Image via dharmabumx on flickr.